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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Trusting God’s In Hard Times
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. James 1:2-3 How well do you trust? Do you trust the people in your life – family, friends, co-workers, or God?? Do we really trust God? Do you trust God enough to let go of control in your life and let God have it? What does trust mean? It means having confidence in someone to rely on the integrity, strength, ability, and surety of that person or thing. Do you have this in God? It’s ok if you…
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The Father Will Give You Whatever You Ask
“so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.” John 15:16-17 Do you have a person you admire for their relationship with God, that when you grow up, you hope to be like them? How about a person who is willing to at any opportunity to share about Jesus? I have many people like that in my life. I am still striving to be like them in this area of my life. To have that confidence!!! Let’s read 1 John 5:14-15. How do these verses relate to John 15:16? What can we be confident in? How does this make you…
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Six Practices For Believers
“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. John 15:4-6 Let’s review somethings from a few days ago. Six practices We think about Jesus We talk to Jesus we talk…
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Mary And Martha: Part 5
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, yes and forever.” Hebrews 13:8 What will it take for you to follow God? The week of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem to the cross and Resurrection, Mary, Martha, and Larazus were probably there that week. They were there on the day of His crucifixion. They were also there on His resurrection appearance over the next forty days. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were also part of the 120 who gathered for prayer for ten days. On the day of Pentecost, they were, also, part of that wondrous outpouring of the Holy Spirit. They were apart of the early church. Are you listening…
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Esther: Part Two
“Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed” Romans 10:11 Throughout history, people have been trying to wipe out the Jews. Here comes Haman wanting and plotting to destroy the Jews. Let’s read chapter 4 of Esther. How did Mordecai and the rest of the Jews respond once they received word of Haman’s evil decree? He tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes. This is the way they mourned. When Esther heard about Mordecai, she sent word to him. Mordecai sent a copy of the king’s edict. Mordecai asked Esther to go to the king and ask for mercy for her people. Why did Mordecai think Esther needed…
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Hannah: Part Two
The Lord instructed Moses: “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When a man or woman makes a special vow, a Nazirite vow, to consecrate himself to the Lord, he is to abstain from wine and beer. He must not drink vinegar made from wine or beer. He must not drink any grape juice or eat fresh grapes or raisins. He is not to eat anything produced by the grapevine, from seeds to skin, during his vow. “You must not cut his hair throughout the time of his vow of consecration. He must be holy until the time is completed, during which he consecrates himself to the Lord; he is to let the hair of…
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Hannah: Part One
The Lord instructed Moses: “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When a man or woman makes a special vow, a Nazirite vow, to consecrate himself to the Lord, he is to abstain from wine and beer. He must not drink vinegar made from wine or beer. He must not drink any grape juice or eat fresh grapes or raisins. He is not to eat anything produced by the grapevine, from seeds to skin, during his vow. “You must not cut his hai throughout the time of his vow of consecration. He must be holy until the time is completed, during which he consecrates himself to the Lord; he is to let the…
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Advent: Day Twenty -One
When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born, “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.'” Matthew 2:4-6 By the time Jesus is born, the Jewish people are desperate for a political revolutionary. Yet, the way we think and how God goes about his business is different. If we expect Jesus to fit into our…
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Advent: Nineteen
And all who heard it were amazed a what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorified and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. Luke 2:18-20 Mary is a good role model for us. When everything was said and done, and everyone moved on, Mary stored up these treasures in her heart and pondered on them. She treasured God’s word. What was required of Mary being the mother of the Messiah? She had courage. If we are to walk in our calling, we…