One Day Jesus Told His Disciples A Story To Show That They Should Always Pray And Never Give Up

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Genesis 44; Genesis 45; Genesis 46; Luke 18

One Day Jesus Told His Disciples

A Story To Show That They Should Always

Pray And Never Give Up

Scripture

Luke 18

1 One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.

Observation 

So … always pray and never give up. I think the word “always” and the word “never” are the two key words when we think of prayer. Always keep praying. Never stop praying! 

Application

I will not give up on praying for people that have yet to make Jesus their Lord and Savior. How about you?   

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for showing me today to never give up praying for the people or the things that You put on my heart. 

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Listen To My Voice In The Morning, Lord. Each Morning I Bring My Requests To You And I will Wait Expectantly.

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Genesis 42; Genesis 43; Psalm 5; Luke 17

Listen To My Voice In The Morning, 

Lord.

Each Morning I Bring My Requests To You And I will Wait Expectantly. 

Scripture

Psalm 5

³ Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord.
    Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.

Observation

Is this a great verse for us today or what! I love it. I come to the Lord this morning with my requests and I wait EXPECTANTLY!

  Application

I am coming to the Lord this morning and I am waiting expectantly because my God is good and wants to answer my request! 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I come to You with so many requests this morning. I don’t do it begging. I come with confidence knowing that You listen to me and that you will answer me. You are an Awesome God. Worthy of all Praise!

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“I Am In Anguish In These Flames.”

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Genesis 39; Genesis 40; Genesis 41; Luke 16 

“I Am 

In Anguish 

In These Flames.”

Scripture

Luke 16 

²⁴ “The rich man shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.’

²⁵ “But Abraham said to him, ‘Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish.

  ²⁶ And besides, there is a great chasm separating us. No one can cross over to you from here, and no one can cross over to us from there.’

²⁷ “Then the rich man said, ‘Please, Father Abraham, at least send him to my father’s home.

  ²⁸ For I have five brothers, and I want him to warn them so they don’t end up in this place of torment.’

Observation

 Hell!

The rich man cried to Father Abraham, but Abraham replied, “And besides, there is a great chasm separating us. No one can cross over to you from here, and no one can cross over to us from there.”

It is a place of deep regret. It is a place of eternal torment. It is a real place. It is just as real as Heaven.

Interesting that those in Hell could actually see the people in Heaven. This rich man was crying out to Abraham to send someone to warn his five brothers so they didn’t end up in this place of torment, but Abraham told him it was too late!

This story is a reminder to me that the people around me are on their way to Hell. It is a place of eternal torment. It is a real place. It is a reminder to me to share the Gospel!

Application

I will look for opportunities to share about Jesus!

Prayer

Heavenly Father, give me boldness to share the Gospel. Give me love and concern for the people around me.

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He Was Lost, But Now He Is Found. So The Party Began.

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Genesis 37; Genesis 38; Psalm 7; Luke 15 

He Was Lost,

But Now He Is Found.

So The Party Began.

Scripture

Luke 15 

²² “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. ²³ And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast,  

²⁴ for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.

Observation

What is Your God like? My God is extravagant! He is my Heavenly Father that gives me way more than I deserve and doesn’t give me what I really do deserve.

I feel like the younger son in the story. His father lavished love on him and he felt so unworthy.

God feels the same way about me as the father in this story did when His son returned to him.

God feels that way about me right now.

I have a very Extravagant Heavenly Father. How about you?  

Application

I will look for ways today to show extravagant love for people that God brings into my path.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, You are so extravagant and I am so thankful that You are. Thank You for giving me so much. I am blessed. I don’t deserve it. Help me today to be generous too. Help me to show the same kind of extravagant love to people that You have shown me! 

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So You Cannot Become My Disciple Without Giving Up Everything You Own.

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Genesis 34; Genesis 35; Genesis 36; Luke 14

So You Cannot 

Become My Disciple

Without Giving Up Everything You Own.

Scripture

Luke 14

³³ So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.

Observation

Storage Units, garage sales, flea markets all speak to the amount of stuff that we tend to accumulate. We are very rich – all of us. By comparison to the rest of the world even our poor in the United States are doing pretty good.

How much stuff do you own? How much of the stuff owns you?

Jesus says that we cannot become His disciple without giving up everything we own.

So how much do you and I own? If it is really God’s stuff and not our own then the real question is “How well are we using it?”

 Application

I have been trying to get rid of clutter/stuff for a few years. This year I will continue to work on eliminating stuff we don’t need and that other people might be able to use. I will also think through my inventory of stuff/junk/toys and make sure I have yielded ownership of all of that over to the Lord.   

Prayer

Heavenly Father, You own everything that I have in my possession. Help me to act like You do. Don’t let me value anything more than I should. Help me be a good steward of the resources that you have blessed us with. You have been so very good to us. We are blessed.

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You Will Perish, Too, Unless You Repent Of Your Sins And Turn To God.

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Genesis 31; Genesis 32; Genesis 33; Luke 13

You Will Perish, Too,

Unless You Repent

Of Your Sins And Turn To God.

Scripture

Luke 13

About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple. ² “Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?” Jesus asked. “Is that why they suffered?
 
³ Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God. ⁴ And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem?
 
⁵ No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too.”

Observation

It is not that you will cease to exist, but you will perish from the presence of God and you will perish from the presence of everyone that has a personal relationship with God - unless you repent of your sins and turn to God.

    "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

 

Application

I will continue to share the message that Jesus Saves. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, it bothers me when people say that they are going to Hell. They say it like it is no big deal. They need to read Your Word. Help me to share Your message about Heaven clearly with those that You bring into my life so they don’t experience an eternal Hell. 

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Fear God, Who Has The Power To Kill You And Then Throw You Into Hell.

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Genesis 29; Genesis 30; Luke 12

Fear God,

Who Has The Power To Kill You 

And Then Throw You Into Hell.

Scripture

Luke 12

⁴ “Dear friends, don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that. ⁵ But I’ll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, he’s the one to fear.

⁶ “What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. ⁷ And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

Observation

Anybody can tell you to go to Hell, but there is One Person who has the power to kill you and then throw you there. God.

But if you will keep reading down to verse 6 you will see that God doesn’t want to do that.

I talked to a couple this week that both told me that if they were to die today that they would both go to Hell. Hmmm…

Where are you going when you die?

I told this couple that they could know for sure that they were going to go to Heaven instead of Hell. They needed to place their trust and their faith in what Christ did on the cross for them. They needed to have a personal relationship with God.

When I was nineteen years old I prayed and I asked Jesus Christ to save me. I asked Him to forgive me of my sins. I put my faith and my trust in the fact that He died on the cross in my place for my sins. 

Have you made that decision? 

Have you asked Christ to forgive your sins? 

Have you turned from a life of sin and self and turned to God? 

If your answer is “no” or “not yet” then you are headed for a place call Hell totally and forever separated from everyone that has a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. 

Do something about that today!

God loves us. He sent His Son Jesus to die in our place on the cross. We are very valuable to Him.

Application

 I will continue to share with people that they do not have to go to Hell. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, give me boldness to share with the people that I meet that Jesus saves. Help me clearly share the plan of salvation with them. Give me Your heart for people. I pray for strength today to do all that I need to do. 

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“This Is How You Should Pray”

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Genesis 27; Genesis 28; Psalm 4; Luke 11 

“This 

Is How 

You Should Pray”

Scripture

Luke 11 

Jesus said, “This is how you should pray:

“Father, may your name be kept holy.
    May your Kingdom come soon.
 
³ Give us each day the food we need,
 
⁴ and forgive us our sins,
    as we forgive those who sin against us.
And don’t let us yield to temptation.”

⁹ “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. ¹⁰ For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

Observation

Here is what Jesus is saying to us, “Don’t give up.” Keep praying! Keep on asking. Keep on seeking. Keep on knocking. If we do then the closed door will be opened to us.

This lesson should speak to us about continuing to pray for those people in our lives that continue to break our hearts. This verse should give us encouragement to pray for our children or grandchildren that aren’t walking with the Lord. Can you see that this verse should help us as you and I face financial problems? How about problems with our health or the health of one of our loved ones?

Keep on praying. Never give up!

Application

I will continue to pray today for unanswered prayers. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father You know I have people that I keep praying for and even though there doesn’t seem to be any change in their lives yet I am going to keep on praying for them. I am going to keep on seeking a change in their lives. I am going to continue to knock on the door until it is one day opened. I believe that You hear my prayers and I believe that You will one-day answer me. I will see their lives changed!

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“…Be Glad That Your Names Are Written In Heaven.”

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Genesis 25; Genesis 26; Psalm 6; Luke 10

“…Be Glad

That Your Names

Are Written In Heaven.”

Scripture

Luke 10

¹⁷ The 72 returned with joy. They said, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we speak in your name.”

¹⁸ Jesus replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. ¹⁹ I have given you authority to walk all over snakes and scorpions. You will be able to destroy all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you. ²⁰ But do not be glad when the evil spirits obey you. 

Instead, be glad that your names are written in heaven.”

Observation

The disciples came back from their mission trip all excited because they had been able to cast out demons and do miracles. Jesus was filled with joy when they came back and gave Him their report!

Then He gave them a reminder to just be glad that their names are written in heaven. Heaven is going to be so much better than even the best experience we could possibly have here on earth.

The 72 returned with joy over what they had experienced, but Jesus reminded them that they hadn’t seen anything yet! (Eddy paraphrase)

Application

I want to live today in such a way that it brings Jesus joy! How about you? 

Is your name written in Heaven?

 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You that my name is written in Heaven. What You have in store for me is indescribable! 

That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him." I Cor. 2:9

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You Must Turn From Your Selfish Ways, Take Up Your Cross Daily, And Follow Me.

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Genesis 23; Genesis 24; Luke 9

You Must Turn 

From Your Selfish Ways, 

Take Up Your Cross Daily, And Follow Me.

Scripture

 Luke 9

²³ Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me.
 
²⁴ If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. ²⁵ And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?
 
²⁶ If anyone is ashamed of me and my message, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in his glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels.

Observation

It is a huge problem! Huge! You ask what problem? Me, Myself and I – It is those three words that describe my biggest problem. How about you?

If I weren’t so selfish, so self-centered, I would be so much more effective as a disciple of Christ!

Turning from my selfish ways and following Jesus is a daily choice. Daily denying what I want to do is part of taking up my cross and is part of following Jesus.

Application

I will ask the Lord to help me today not to be selfish. I want to follow Him. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, You know me. You know me so very well. Help me to focus on others today and not myself. Help my concern be for those around me and not for myself. Guide me through this day in a way that allows me to bring You glory. Keep me away from sin. 

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“Don’t Be Afraid. Just Have Faith.”

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Genesis 20; Genesis 21; Genesis 22; Luke 8

“Don’t 

Be Afraid. 

Just Have Faith.”

Scripture

Luke 8

⁴¹ Then a man named Jairus, a leader of the local synagogue, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come home with him. ⁴² His only daughter, who was about twelve years old, was dying. …

⁴⁹ While he was still speaking to her, a messenger arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. He told him, “Your daughter is dead. There’s no use troubling the Teacher now.”

⁵⁰ But when Jesus heard what had happened, he said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith, and she will be healed.”

⁵¹ When they arrived at the house, Jesus wouldn’t let anyone go in with him except Peter, John, James, and the little girl’s father and mother. ⁵² The house was filled with people weeping and wailing, but he said, “Stop the weeping! She isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.”

⁵³ But the crowd laughed at him because they all knew she had died. ⁵⁴ Then Jesus took her by the hand and said in a loud voice, “My child, get up!” ⁵⁵ And at that moment her life returned, and she immediately stood up! Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. ⁵⁶ Her parents were overwhelmed, but Jesus insisted that they not tell anyone what had happened.

Observation

Fear and Faith you and I can’t have both! Fear is a lack of faith. Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything! And the peace of God that passes all understanding will fill your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 (Eddy’s paraphrase)

Do you deal with fear? I do.

Every time a fear comes to your mind or my mind it should be a reminder to us that we are not trusting God in that area of our lives.

  

Application

When fear creeps in I plan to remember and claim Jesus’ words to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just believe.”

 Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me be a man of faith. Bring scriptures to my mind and heart when I begin to be afraid. You are a mighty God. Nothing is too hard for you. 

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Your Faith Has Saved You, Go In Peace

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Genesis 18; Genesis 19; Psalm 3; Luke 7

Your Faith 

Has Saved You,

Go In Peace

Scripture

Luke 7

⁴⁴ Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. ⁴⁵ You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. ⁴⁶ You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume.

⁴⁷ “I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.” ⁴⁸ Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”

⁴⁹ The men at the table said among themselves, “Who is this man, that he goes around forgiving sins?”

⁵⁰ And Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Observation

I hope you are taking time to read the passages for today’s Bible reading. At least take time to read Luke 7 this morning if nothing else. Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” 

Salvation is a matter of faith not of good works. This woman did a very good thing when she used a very expensive perfume to wash Jesus’ feet. She washed them with tears and wiped them with her hair, but this action didn’t save her. Her faith in Jesus is what saved her that day.

Most of the people that I will talk to as I go to Mission Tampa in just a few minutes believe that their good works will get them to Heaven. If good works could get us to Heaven then Jesus’ death on the cross would have been senseless. No matter good you and I could be from now until the day we die we still all deserve to go to Hell not Heaven. That’s right we all deserve to go to Hell. 

I know that I am going to Heaven. Not because I am a good person. Not because I do more good deeds than bad ones. I am going to Heaven because I am forgiven. I am forgiven because I have placed my faith in Jesus who died on a cross for me and came back to life and is Alive today. He gives me eternal life and I will never perish!

 Application

I will share the story of Luke 7 to those that come to  “Mission Tampa” today and I will pray that God will give them understanding so that they can be saved. 

 Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me share this story well this morning. I know that unless You draw people to Yourself they cannot be saved. I pray today that the people at Mission Tampa would understand the Gospel. I pray that they will understand today that they need to be forgiven. Help them place their faith and trust in Jesus today. Nothing is too hard for You. 

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“What You Say Flows From What Is In Your Heart.”

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Genesis 15; Genesis 16; Genesis 17; Luke 6

“What You Say

Flows

From What Is In Your Heart.”

Scripture

Luke 6

⁴⁵ A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. 

What you say flows from what is in your heart.

Observation

What is inside is going to spill out! I don’t like this. I would rather make excuses for my bad attitude, blame something or someone else for my cutting remarks, but I can’t. What is inside of me is going to splash out!

I can be so grumpy, so mean, so short – well how about you?

The heart – well Jeremiah 17:9 sums it up pretty well: "The human heart is most deceitful and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? (NLT)

Application

This week I am going to really watch how I talk to Kathy and apologize every time I mess up.  

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I am a sinner. I have been saved by grace. I know that I am forgiven, but I also know that my old nature still wants to mess me up. I pray for self-control. Help me be controlled by the fruit of the Spirit and not the flesh. Show me anything that I need to clean up or get out of my life. Don’t let my deceitful old heart say hurtful things to people. 

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“Why Do You Eat And Drink With Such Scum?”

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Genesis 12; Genesis 13; Genesis 14; Luke 5

“Why 

Do You Eat

And Drink With Such Scum?”

Scripture

Luke 5

30 …“Why do you eat and drink with such scum?”

29 Later, Levi held a banquet in his home with Jesus as the guest of honor. Many of Levi’s fellow tax collectors and other guests also ate with them.  

30 But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with such scum?”

31 Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. 32 I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”

Observation

Scum … Just take time to follow Jesus as He walked from town to town and you will find that He always had time for the down and out, those that were looked down on by others, the scum of the earth. 

In this case it was tax collectors who happened to be despised. They were hated by just about everybody. His disciple Matthew was one of them. He was a tax collector!

He took extra time to spend with the crippled, with the diseased, with the demon possessed, and even a woman caught in the very act of adultery. He traveled through Samaria to save the Samaritan woman who had been married to five husbands but the man she was then living with was not her husband.

We, on the other hand, will spend most of our time if we are not careful with only healthy people that are pretty much exactly like us.

You and I have to be intentional if we are going to be like Jesus!

Application

I will look for people to help that others tend to forget. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, it is easy to live my life and isolate myself from people that really need the Savior. Give me Your Heart and Your Eyes for the people that live around me that others tend to overlook. Jesus didn’t come to save the healthy. He came to save those that know that they are sinners.
 
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“People Do Not Live By Bread Alone.”

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Genesis 9; Genesis 10; Genesis 11; Luke 4

“People 

Do Not Live 

By Bread Alone.”

Scripture

Luke 4

² where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. Jesus ate nothing all that time and became very hungry.
³ Then the devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread.”
⁴ But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone.’”

Deuteronomy 8

² Remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness for these forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, and to find out whether or not you would obey his commands.
 
³ Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
4 For all these forty years your clothes didn’t wear out, and your feet didn’t blister or swell.

Observation

Have you ever wondered what Jesus meant when He told the Devil, “People do not live by bread alone”?

I am not sure if I have the right idea but to me Jesus is saying that we don’t live for our own personal needs. Life is more than that!

Moses led the Hebrew children out of slavery and God took care of them for 40 years in the desert. He took care of their every need. During those 40 years of wandering in the desert their clothes didn’t wear out and they never got a blister on their feet.

If they had just been obedient they would have been able to enjoy way more than just their daily bread. He wanted to give them so much more. He wanted to take them to a land that flowed with milk and honey.

 It is a land where food is plentiful and nothing is lacking. It is a land where iron is as common as stone, and copper is abundant in the hills. When you have eaten your fill, be sure to praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. Deuteronomy 8:9-10

The Devil always wants us to settle for “daily bread” when Jesus wants us to enjoy an “abundant life”!

 Application

I make the decision today to live my life in obedience to the Word of God. I will not settle for what the Devil offers me.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me to walk in obedience today. Help me to hear and obey Your voice. 

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So Noah Did Everything Exactly As God Had Commanded Him.

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Genesis 6; Genesis 7; Genesis 8; Luke 3

So Noah 

Did Everything Exactly

As God Had Commanded Him.

Scripture

Genesis 6
¹⁴ “Build a large boat from cypress wood and waterproof it with tar, inside and out. Then construct decks and stalls throughout its interior. ¹⁵ Make the boat 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. ¹⁶ Leave an 18-inch opening below the roof all the way around the boat. Put the door on the side, and build three decks inside the boat—lower, middle, and upper.

¹⁹ Bring a pair of every kind of animal—a male and a female—into the boat with you to keep them alive during the flood. ²⁰ Pairs of every kind of bird, and every kind of animal, and every kind of small animal that scurries along the ground, will come to you to be kept alive. ²¹ And be sure to take on board enough food for your family and for all the animals.”

²² So Noah did everything exactly as God had commanded him.

Observation

What if God told you or I do the same thing today? Even with all of our tools and modern technology building the ark would have not been an easy project for one person to do. Then what if we were told that we had to get pairs of animals and birds into the ark and keep them alive during the entire time we stayed on the boat!

“Noah did everything exactly as God had commanded him.” There are two key words in that verse that jump out when I read it: everything – exactly!

Obedience is the key to living out our faith!

God blesses us when we are obedient!

I am sure that Noah’s neighbors ridiculed him as he worked on that huge boat in his back yard. I am sure that they probably thought he was a complete idiot. I wonder what they thought when it began to rain? I wonder what they thought when the water began to rise? 

I wonder if they tried to get into the ark when it was too late?  

Application

 I will strive to be obedient in 2013 so I can continue to enjoy God’s favor. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, Noah was a man of tremendous faith. He had made a decision to live for You and You blessed him. Help me to trust You just as Noah did even when things don’t seem to make sense. I don’t have to understand everything but I do have to trust You with everything. 

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Enoch Lived 363 Years, Walking In Close Fellowship With God. Then One Day He Disappeared, Because God Took Him.

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Genesis 3; Genesis 4; Genesis 5; Luke 2

Enoch Lived 363 Years, 

Walking In Close Fellowship With God.

Then One Day He Disappeared, Because God Took Him.

Scripture

Genesis 5

²³ Enoch lived 365 years, ²⁴ walking in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared, because God took him.

Observation

As I read the book of Genesis there are lots of questions that come to my mind like why was Cain worried about other people taking his life when he killed his brother Abel? If Adam and Eve were the first people that God created and the only kids that they had at this time were Cain and Abel why would there be other people. It is like the question where did Cain get his wife? 

But that isn’t the question that catches my eye today! The question that I am asking myself today is how can I live my life in such a way that God would want to take me right up to Heaven to be with Him? “Enoch lived 365 years, walking in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared, because God took him.” Wow!

I wonder how many times this has happened since? Who knows?

Application

I want to live walking in close fellowship with God where He would at least be tempted to take me on up to Heaven to be with Him. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I know I am not Enoch. I don’t know how he did it. I would love to live my life in such a way that You would want to take me up to be with You. How did he do it? How can I do it. Help me live to please You. Help my life count for You. Keep me away from sin. Help me to walk close to You. 

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For Nothing Is Impossible With God

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Genesis 1; Genesis 2; Luke 1

For 

Nothing

Is Impossible With God

Scripture

Luke 1

³⁷ For nothing is impossible with God.”

Observation

The angel Gabriel said this phrase, “For nothing is impossible with God” as he announced to Mary that she would become pregnant and give birth to a son and His name would be Jesus and He would become the Savior of the world!

Humanly speaking what Gabriel told Mary was totally impossible!

This year you and I will be faced with circumstances that will be to us 100% impossible!

So we better memorize Luke 1:37 and have it ready for 2013!

I will file that verse in my head and heart right next to Philippians 4:13 which says, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength”!

 Application

I will hold on to the promise of Luke 1:37 as I go into 2013. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, there is nothing that is impossible for You. I know that living through this New Year will require my having faith to trust You with all the “impossibles” that come my way. I pray that You will give our church leadership tremendous faith so we can experience all of the miracles You have in store for us in 2013! I pray for families that are broken and relationships that are in need of repair. I pray that you will bring healing to them in 2013.

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Look, I Am Coming Soon, Bringing My Reward With Me

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Revelation 19; Revelation 20; Revelation 21; Revelation 22

Look, 

I Am Coming Soon,

Bringing My Reward With Me

Scripture

Revelation 22

¹² “Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds. ¹³ I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

Observation

2013 will be here in just a few hours – how will you live it out? At the end of the Bible in Revelation 22 there is a reminder that Jesus is returning soon and bringing His reward with Him. 

My plan is to live out 2013 in such a way that when Jesus returns I will be rewarded for how I lived it out. How about you? How do you plan to live out 2013? 

Can you and I look back over 2012 and be content about how we lived out this past year?
If you can’t then let me remind you that our God’s mercy is fresh and new every morning. You can start this New Year out and make it different than last year. Because of God’s Mercy and because of God’s Goodness He is willing to give us a fresh new start in 2013! Great is His faithfulness! 

Why not make a commitment to God right now to live 2013 totally sold out to Him! How about making a commitment to read your Bible through in 2013 - or at least make a commitment to have a devotional time with God every day this New Year? 

 Application

I commit to reading the Bible through again in 2013 and I make the commitment to have a Quiet time everyday this year. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me keep my promise to You to read my Bible everyday, but not in a legalistic way. Give me the desire everyday to want to be in Your Word and give me the desire to want to spend time with You everyday. Don’t let me drift or wander away from You. Keep me close to You in 2013. You are the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

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This Great Choir Sang A Wonderful New Song

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Revelation 10; Revelation 11; Revelation 12; Revelation 13; Revelation 14 

This Great Choir Sang A Wonderful 

New 

Song

Scripture

Revelation 14 

² And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of mighty ocean waves or the rolling of loud thunder. It was like the sound of many harpists playing together.

³ This great choir sang a wonderful new song in front of the throne of God and before the four living beings and the twenty-four elders.

Observation

Tomorrow we get to go to worship together and part of our worship tomorrow will consist of singing and the playing of music by our musicians. Another integral part of worship is Biblical teaching and Biblical preaching. Neither part can be viewed as less important than the other! 

If you are avoiding one or the other it is a sure sign that you are spiritually unhealthy! 

 Application

I will enjoy and I will participate in every part of our worship service tomorrow! 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, You are King of Kings and Lord of Lords. You are Worthy of our worship! Help me to worship you with all of my heart and all of our soul! 

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