a time to search and a time to count as lost; a time to keep and a time to throw away; Ecclesiastes 3:6 Do you control others that are in your life? We need to let go of their lives and let God work in their lives. Who in your life right now that you love making unhealthy choices? Are you willing to let this person discover his or her need for God? If you can’t answer this question, that is ok. It is hard living in the balance of helping others and realizing that our helping others is actually hurting them. Let’s go…
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God’s Way
There’s a right tie to hold on and another to let go. Ecclesiastes 3:6 Do you struggle with doing things God’s way? Do we complain about it? Let’s look at Numbers 20. The Israelites are complaining, yet again, about the lack of water. Moses is tired of complaining. Can you relate to this? This time around, with them complaining, is no different than the first time. So Moses knows what to do. Pay attention to verse 8. Now, look at verse 10. What does Moses do here? Did Moses follow God’s instructions? No, he struck the rock twice. Moses messed up here. He spoke…
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Satan’s Half Truths
There’s a right time to hold on and another to let go. Ecclesiastes 3:6 Satan uses Scripture to tempt Jesus by using half-truths to make God jump in and save him. However, we know this doesn’t work! Let’s read Matthew 4:5-7 and Luke 4:9-10. In what city does Satan tempt Jesus? How did Jesus get there? What did Satan tempt Jesus to do? It would probably be easy for Jesus to put Satan in his place. Jesus chose to go through the temptation, the pain, to choose to identify with our pain. He chose this to show us how to walk and live in victory…
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Letting Go of Following Feelings
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33 Feelings! We all have them. What do we do with them, though? Do we let them drive how we handle situations? Our feelings are not wrong. God created us to have feelings. They are neither good nor bad. They are tools to help us learn how not to behave impulsively and act out without taking responsibility. Let’s read Proverbs 4:23. The Hebrew word for heart is leb. It is a combination of our minds and our desires. The wisdom in this verse is to guard…
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Only Jesus Satisfies
But seek first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33 What is your go-to thing to find satisfaction for a moment in your life? Mine is a diet coke or chocolate with caramel. You know the time in your life where things are just hectic and you are hungry, but you don’t have time to stop and eat. Or how about the times where you need time to stop, but it won’t. What is the one thing that you grab to help you through that time? That is what I am talking about. …
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What Do You Want?
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33 Do you want things? Do you buy lots of things that you don’t need? What do you long for? Today we are going to spend some time with Jesus before He went to the wilderness. Read Matthew 4:2. How long did Jesus fast? What was Jesus’ physical condition after fasting for that period of time? Jesus is fully divine, and He experienced the wilderness as a human. He was hungry. Why did Jesus spend forty days fasting? What is the benefit of fasting? Two important reasons tie Jesus’ experience…
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This Is My Commandment:Love Each Other
This is my command: Love each other. John 15:16-17 Have you ever realized that almost all lessons from God come full circle, back to love? I have. The bottom line to our life, the one commandment that God wants us to follow and do, is to love one another. How well are we really following this command in today’s society? Here comes the risk of grace. God went out on a limb to make us apart of His branch with the hope that we will bear fruit. When we should love others, we are showing the world that we are God’s disciples. There is…
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No Longer Slaves
“I no longer call you slaves because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. John 15:13-15 In this verse, Jesus takes us from slaves into friendship. He invited His friends to vital inside information. What important truths did he reveal from the following verses? Matthew 6:6-8, 16:21, 18:3, 12:36 Matthew 6:25-34 Mark 12:30-31 John 3:3-8 John 14:1-6 These words of Jesus and the eternal truths revealed have become very familiar to us. However, can you imagine hearing them for the first time? According to 1 Peter 1:12, the king told commoners wondrous things even the angels long to know. Jesus broke the mold of unapproachable, unknowable leadership in other ways.…
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You Are My Friends
“You are my friends if you do what I command.” John 15:13-15 Let look at the word “friend”. In verse John 15:13, a friend in Greek is a philon. It refers to associates for whom there are affection and personal regard . . . and conveys a greater sense of intimacy than does our modern use of friend. Obedience to Jesus doesn’t allow us to be His servants or disciples. Obedience also opens the door to a true friendship with Jesus, His highly regarded associates, The recipients of His affection. We will read the following verses about some friendships in the Old Testament that had…
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Remain In His Love
“just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.” John 15:10-12 How much do you trust God? Do you ever feel like you are stepping off the ledge when He asks you to do something that is not you? Let’s read Hebrews 4:14-16 and 5: 4-9. How does Jesus help us hold firm to what we believe? What did Jesus face? What difference might it make to consider Jesus facing a struggle with similar roots? What is the invitation given in Hebrews 4:16? What is offered after the invitation? In chapter 5:4-9, how does this show the humility of Jesus and His…