Sat, 29 August 2015
Focus: What does it look like when your heart is far from your spouse, or from your parents/children? This is Jesus’ condemnation, quoting Isaiah, of those in the religious establishment of His day. They were more concerned with how they looked, where other people thought their hearts were, than they were with where their hearts really were. In contrast, Paul tells us that the relationship between Jesus and the church, us, is that of a husband and wife. Main Text: Mark 7:1–13 |
Mon, 17 August 2015
Focus: What colors your reality? Do you take Jesus at His Word, or do you evaluate Him based on your understanding? Some believed Him and some didn’t, and it’s no different today. His disciples, even struggling with what Jesus said, responded to His challenge, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life.” Do you search God’s Word like a treasure map with your eyes looking to find how you can get “eternal life”? Or do you treat it as the authority on life, the source of wisdom with the power to change you and clear your eyes?. Main Text: John 6:51–69 |
Thu, 13 August 2015
This life, the journey we are called to, would be too much for us alone. But, just as God chose us, He feeds us, clothes us, and shows us. This new life is the life of Christ. And He is the strength for the journey. Main Text: John 6:35–51 |
Tue, 4 August 2015
Focus: What is greater, the gift, or the giver? What do we spend time thinking about? Appreciating? When we worry about things that are gifts, what does that say about our trust in the giver? When we spend our time trying to gather up and store gifts, or when we measure others by the gifts they have, where are our hearts? We have been gifted to share, not to compare. Comparing misplaces the glory rightly due only to God, the source, and divides the body. Sharing His gifts, instead, builds the One Body up in love, and glorifies Him. Main Text: John 6:22–35 |