Follow Me

Follow Me

Health clubs offer many different programs for those who want to lose weight and stay healthy. One fitness center caters only to those who want to lose at least 50 pounds and develop a healthy lifestyle. One member says that she quit her previous fitness club because she felt the slim and fit people were staring at her and judging her out-of-shape body. She now works out 5 days a week and is achieving healthy weight loss in a positive and welcoming environment.
    Two thousand years ago, Jesus came to call the spiritually unfit to follow Him. Levi was one such person. Jesus saw him sitting in his tax collector's booth and said, " Follow me." His words captured Levi's heart, and he followed Jesus. Tax collectors were often greedy and dishonest in their dealings and were considered religiously unclean. When the religious leaders saw Jesus having dinner at Levi's house with other tax collectors, they asked, " Why does he eat with tax collectors ad sinners?"
 Jesus replied, " I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
    Jesus came to save sinners, which includes all of us. He loves us, welcomes us into His presence, and calls us to follow Him. As we walk with Him, we grow more and more spiritually fit.
    Read Acts 9:10-19 and see how one man obeyed God and welcomed someone who was considered spiritually unfit. What were the results? How can you reach out to those who need the Savior? How can you help your church become a more welcoming place for the spiritually unfit?
    Jesus' arms of welcome are always opened.
Please read JUDGES 11-12

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MARK 2:13-17

MARK 2:13-17

Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector's booth, " Follow me," Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him. While Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: " Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?" On hearing this, Jesus said to them, " It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous,but sinners."

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LUKE 6:1-26

LUKE 6:1-26

One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels. Some of the Pharisees asked, " Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?" Jesus answered them, " Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions." Then Jesus said to them, " The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. The Pharisees ad the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, " Get up and stand in front of everyone." So he got up and stood there. Then Jesus said to them, " I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or do evil, to save life or to destroy it?" He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, " Stretch out your hand." He did so, and his hand was completely restored. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus. One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: Simon ( whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Phillip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon, who had come to hear him and be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by impure spirits were cured, and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all. Looking at his disciples, he said: " Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. " Rejoice in that day and leap for jy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets. " But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.

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Surprised by Grace

Surprised by Grace

A woman from Grand Rapids, Michigan, fell asleep on the couch after her husband had gone to bed. An intruder sneaked in through the sliding door, which the couple had forgotten to lock, and crept through the house. He entered the bedroom where the husband was sleeping and picked up the television set. The sleeping man woke up, saw a figure standing there, and whispered, " Honey, come to bed." The burglar panicked, put down the TV, grabbed a stack of money from the dresser, and ran out.
     The thief was in for a big surprise! The money turned out to be a stack of Christian pamphlets with a likeness of a $20 bill on one side and an explanation of the love and forgiveness God offers to people on the other side. Instead of the cash he expected, the intruder got the story of God's love for him.
    I wonder what Saul expected when he realized it was Jesus appearing to him on the road to Damascus, since he had been persecuting and even killing Jesus' followers?. Saul, later called Paul, must have been surprised by God's grace toward him, which he called " a gift": ' I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power."
     Have you been surprised by God's gift of grace in your life as He shows you His love and forgiveness?
    Lord, Your grace is amazing to me. I'm grateful that in spite of my sinfulness, You offer Your love to me.
    Never measure God's unlimited power by your limited expectations.
   Please also read JUDGES 9-10

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ACTS 9:1-19

ACTS 9:1-19

Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, " Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" " Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked. " I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. " Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do." The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything. In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, " Ananias!" " Yes, Lord," he answered. The Lord told him, " Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight." " Lord," Ananias answered, " I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name." But the Lord said to Ananias, " Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name." Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, " Brother Saul, the Lord-Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here-has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy-Spirit." Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

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LUKE 5:17-39

LUKE 5:17-39

One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick. Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said, " Friend, your sins are forgiven." The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, " Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy?" Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, " Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, ' Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, ' Get up and walk'? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins." So he said to the paralyzed man, " I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, " We have seen remarkable things today." After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. " Follow me," Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him. Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, " Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?" Jesus answered them, " It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." They said to him, " John's disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking." Jesus answered, " Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? But the time will be taken from them; in those they will fast." He told this parable: " No one tears a piece out of a new garment to patch an old one. Otherwise, they will have torn the new garment, and the patch fro the new will not match the old. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, " The old is better."

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JUDGES 7:1-8

JUDGES 7:1-8

Early in the morning, Jerubo-Baal ( that is, Gideon) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. The Lord said to Gideon, " You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ' My own strength has saved me.' Now announce to the army, ' Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.' " So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained. But the Lord said to Gideon, " There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there. If I say, ' This one shall go with you, ' he shall go; but if I say, ' This one shall not go with you,' he shall not go." So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him, " Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink." Three hundred of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink. The Lord said to Gideon, " With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home." So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites home but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others. Now the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley.

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God of My Strength

God of My Strength

No one could have mistaken the ancient Babylonian soldiers for gentlemen. They were ruthless, resilient, and vicious, and they attacked other nations the way an eagle overtakes its prey. Not only were they powerful, they were prideful as well. They practically worshiped their own combat abilities. In fact, the Bible says that their " strength ( was) their god."
     God did not want this kind of self reliance to infect Israel's forces as they prepared to battle the Midianites. So He told Gideon, Israel's army comander, " You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ' My own strength has saved me.'" As a result, Gideon discharged anyone who was fearful. Twenty-two thousand men hightailed it home, while 10,000 fighters stayed. God continued to downsize the army until only 300 men remained.
    Having fewer troops meant that Israel was dramatically outnumbered-their enemies, who populated a nearby valley, were as " thick as locusts." Despite this, God gave Gideon's forces victory.
    At times, God may allow our resources to dwindle so that we rely on His strength to keep going. Our needs showcase His power, but He is the One who says, " I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
    Dear God, I am thankful for Your strength. You carry me when I am weak. Help me to give You the credit for every victory in life.
    God wants us to depend on His strength, not our own.
 Please also read Judges 7-8

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LUKE 5:1-16

LUKE 5:1-16

One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. He saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishsermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and said to Simon, " Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch." Simon answered, " Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, " Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, " Don't be afraid; from now on you will fish for people," So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him. While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, " Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. " I am willing," he said. " Be clean!" And immediately the leprosy left him. Then Jesus ordered him, " Don't tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them." Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

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Surprised!

Surprised!

Michelangelo Mersi da Carvaggio ( 1571-1610), an Italian artist, was known for his fiery temperament and unconventional technique. He used ordinary working people as models for his saints and was able to make viewers of his paintings feel they were a part of the scene. The Supper at Emmaus shows an innkeeper standing while Jesus and two of His followers are seated at a table when they recognize Him as the risen Lord. One disciple is pushing himself to a standing position while the other's arms are outstretched and his hands open in astonishment.
    Luke, who records these events in his gospel, tells us that the two men immediately returned to Jerusalem where they found the eleven disciples and others assembled together and saying, " ' It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.' Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread"
    Oswald Chambers said, " Jesus rarely comes where we expect Him; He appears where we least expect Him, and always in the most illogical connections. The only way a worker can keep true to God is by being ready for the Lord's surprise visits."
    Whatever road we are on today, may we be ready for Jesus to make Himself known to us in new and surprising ways.
    Lord Jesus, open our eyes to see You, the risen Christ, alongside us and at work in the circumstances of our lives today.
    To find the Lord Jesus Christ we must be willing to seek Him.
    Please also read Judges 4-6

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LUKE 4:31-44

LUKE 4:31-44

Then when he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath he taught the people. They were amazed at his teaching, because his words had authority. In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an impure spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, " Go away! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are- the Holy One of God!" " Be quiet!" Jesus said sternly. " Come out of him!" Then the demon came out without injuring him. All the people were amazed and said to each other, " What words these are! With authority and power he gives orders to impure spirits and they come out!" And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area. Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon's mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them. At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. Moreover, demons came out of many  people, shouting, " You are the Son of God!" but he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah. At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. But he said, " I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to other towns also, because that is why I was sen." And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

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LUKE 24:13-35

LUKE 24:13-35

Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him. He asked them, " What are you discussing together as you walk along?" They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, " Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?" " What things?" he asked. " About Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. " He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they didn't see Jesus." He said to them, " How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, " Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took the bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, " Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?" They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, " It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.' Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

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Never Forsaken

Never Forsaken

Russian writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky said, " The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons." With that in mind, I read an online article describing " The top 8 Deadliest Prisons in the World." In one of these prisons every prisoner is held in solitary confinement.
    We are intended to live and relate in relationships and community, not in isolation. This is what makes solitary confinement such a harsh punishment.
    Isolation is the agony Christ suffered when His eternal relationship with the Father was broken on the cross. We hear this in His cry captured in Matthew 27:46: " About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ' Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?' ( Which means, ' My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?')." As He suffered and died under the burden of our sins, Christ was suddenly alone, forsaken, isolated, cut off from His relationship with the Father. Yet His suffering in isolation secured for us the promise of the Father: " Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."
     Christ endured the agony and abandonment of the cross for us so that we would never be alone or abandoned by our God. Ever.
    Father, thank You for making it possible for me to be Your child. I will be eternally grateful for the price Jesus paid to make that relationship possible. Thank You for the promise that You will never abandon me.
     Those who know Jesus are never alone.
  Please also read Luke 3 aand Joshua 22-24

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PSALMS 22:1-10

PSALMS 22:1-10

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest. Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the one Israel praises. In you our ancestors put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them. To you they cried out and were saves; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by everyone, despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads. " He trusts in the Lord," they say, " let the Lord rescue him, since he delights in him." Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you, even at my mother's breast. From birth I was cast on you; from my mother's womb you have been my God.

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Three-Word Obituary

Three-Word Obituary

Before Stig Kernell died, he told the local funeral home that he didn't want a traditional obituary. Instead, the Swedish man instructed them to publish only three words noting his passing: " I am dead." When Mr. Kernell died at age 92, that's exactly what appeared. The audacity and simplicity of his unusual death notice captured the attention of newspapers around the world. In a strange twist, the international curiosity about the man with the three-word obituary caused more attention to his death than he intended.
    When Jesus was crucified, the Lord's obituary could have read, " He is dead." But after 3 days, it would have been changed to front-page news saying, " He is risen!" Much of the New Testament is devoted to proclaiming and explaining the results o Christ's resurrection- is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?... We are more than conquerors through him who loved us."
    The three-word obituary of Jesus, " He is dead," has been transformed into an eternal anthem of praise to our Savior. He is risen! He is risen indeed!
    Lord, we rejoice in Your great victory over sin and death through Your resurrection. May we live in light of it every day.
     Jesus sacrificed His lie or ours.

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ROMANS 8:28-39

ROMANS 8:28-39

And we know that in all things God works or the good o those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all- how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died- more than that, who was raised to life-is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: " For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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LUKE 2:25-52

LUKE 2:25-52

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Messiah. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: " Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel." The child's father and mother marveled at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: " ' This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too." There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him. Every year Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, " Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you." " Why were you searching for me?" he asked. " Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" But they did not understand what he was saying to them. Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

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The Olive Press

The Olive Press

If you visit the village of Capernaum beside the Sea of Galilee, you will find an exhibit of ancient olive presses. Formed from basalt rock, the olive press consists of two parts: a base and a grinding wheel. The base is large, round and has a trough carved out of it. The olives were placed in this trough, and then the wheel, also made from heavy stone, was rolled over the olives to extract the oil.
    On the night before His death, Jesus went to the Mount of Olives overlooking the city of Jerusalem. There, in the garden called Gethesmane means " place of the olive press"- and that perfectly describes those first crushing hours of Christ's suffering on our behalf. There, " in anguish, he prayed... and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground."
    Jesus the son suffered and died to take away " the sin of the world" and restore our broken relationship with God the Father. " Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering.... He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for iniquities, the punishment that brought us peace was on hi, and by his wounds we are healed"
    Our hearts cry out in worship and gratitude.
    Father, help me understand what Your Son endured for me. Help me appreciate the depths of love that would allow my Lord and Christ to be crushed for my wrongs and my rescue.
    Gone my transgressions, and now I am free-all because Jesus was wounded for me.

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MARK 14:32-39

MARK 14:32-39

They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, " Sit here while I pray." He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. " My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. " Stay here and keep watch." Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. " Abba, Father," he said, " everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will." Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. " Simon," he said to Peter, " are you asleep? Couldn't you keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." Once more he went away and prayed the same thing.

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LUKE 2:1-24

LUKE 2:1-24

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ( This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manager, because there was no guest room available for them. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, " Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel praising God and saying,, " Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests." When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, " Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived. When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord ( as it is written in the Law of the Lord, " Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord"), and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: " a pair of doves or two young pigeons."

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Stories in a Cabin

Stories in a Cabin

The vintage cabin, expertly constructed from hand-hewn logs, was worthy of a magazine cover. But the structure itself was only half the treasure. Inside, family heir looms clung to the walls, infusing the home with memories. On the table sat a hand-woven egg basket, an ancient biscuit board, and an oil lamp. A weathered pork pie hat perched over the front door. " There's a story behind everything," the proud owner said.
    When God gave Moses instructions for constructing the tabernacle, there was a " story" behind everything. The tabernacle had only one entrance, just as we  have only one way to God. The thick inner curtain separated the people from the Most Holy Place where God's presence dwelt: Our sin separates us from God. Inside the Most Holy Place was the ark of the covenant, which symbolized God's presence. The high priest was a forerunner of the greater Priest to come- Jesus himself. The blood of the sacrifices foreshadowed Christ's perfect sacrifice: " He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption."
    All these things told the story of Christ and the work He would accomplish on our behalf. He did it so that " those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance" Jesus invites to be a part of His story.
    What items have special meaning for me and why? What stories do I tell about them? How can they help point people to Jesus?
    Jesus took our sin that we might have salvation.

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HEBREWS 9:11-15

HEBREWS 9:11-15

But whe Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance-now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

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LUKE 1:57-80

LUKE 1:57-80

When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy. On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, but his mother spoke up and said, " No! He is to be called John." They said to her, " There is no one among your relatives who has that name." Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone's astonishment he wrote, " His name is John." Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, " What then is this child going to be?" For the Lord's hand was with him. His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: " Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David ( as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us- to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant,the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace." And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.

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The best is Yet to Come

The best is Yet to Come

In our family, March means more than the end of winter. It means that the college basketball extravaganza called " March Madness" has arrived. As avid fans, we watch the tournament and enthusiastically root for our favorite teams. If we tune in early we get a chance to listen to the broadcasters talk about the upcoming game and to enjoy some of the pre-game drills where players shoot practice shots and warm up with teammates.
    Our life on earth is like the pre-game in basketball. Life is interesting and full of promise, but it doesn't compare to what lies ahead. Just think of the pleasure of knowing that even when life is good, the best is yet to come! Or that when we give cheerfully to those in need, it's an investment in heavenly treasure. In times of suffering and sorrow, we can find hope as we reflect on the truth that a pain-free, tearless eternity awaits us. It's no wonder that Paul exhorts: " Set you minds on things above".
    The future God has promised us enables us to see all of life in new dimensions. While this may be a great life, the best life is still to come. It is a wonderful privilege to live here in the light there.
    Let us then be true and faithful, trusting, serving everyday; just one glimpse of Him in glory will the toils of life repay. When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be!
    Living for the future puts today in perspective.

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COLOSSIANS 3:1-11

COLOSSIANS 3:1-11

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
    Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity,lust,evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage,malice,slander,and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaraian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

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LUKE 1:39-56

LUKE 1:39-56

At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: " Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!"
    And Mary said:
    " My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me-holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors." Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

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When to Walk Away

When to Walk Away

When my father became a Christian in his old age, he fascinated me with his plan for overcoming temptation. Sometimes he just walked away! For example, whenever a disagreement between him and a neighbor began to degenerate into a quarrel, my father just walked away for a time rather than be tempted to advance the quarrel.
    One day he met with some friends who ordered pito ( a locally brewed alcoholic beer). My father had formerly struggled with alcohol and had decided he was better off without it. So he simply stood up, said his goodbyes, and left the gathering of old friends for another day.
    In Genesis, we read how Potiphar's wife tempted Joseph. He immediately recognize that giving in would cause him to " sin against God," so he fled.
    Temptation knocks often at our door. Sometimes it comes from our own desires, other times through the situations and people we encounter. As Paul told the Corinthians, " No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind." But he also wrote, " God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted also provide a way out so that you can endure it."
    The " way out" may include removing the objects of temptation or fleeing from them. Our best course of action may be to simply walk away.
    Lord, please give me the wisdom and strength to know when to walk away from situations and people that tempt me to do wrong.
    Every temptation is an opportunity to flee to God.

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GENESIS 39:1-12

GENESIS 39:1-12

Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh's officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.
    The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and entrusted to his care everything he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had in Joseph's care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food that he ate.
    Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his  master's wife took notice of Joseph and said, " Come to bed with me!"
    But he refused. " With me in charge," he told her, " my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.
    One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. She caught him by his cloak and said," Come to bed with me!" But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.

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MARK 15:26-47

MARK 15:26-47

The written notice of the charge was: THE KING OF THE JEWS.
     They crucified to rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, " So! You are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, Come down from the cross and save yourself!" In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. " He saved others, " they said, " but he can't save himself! Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that way we may see and believe." Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
    At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, " Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" ( which means " My God, my God, why have you foresaken me?").
    When some of those standing near heard this, they said, " Listen, he's calling Elijah."
     Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. " Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to take him down," he said.
    With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.
    The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front  of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, " Surely this man was the Son of God!"
    Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph. and Salome. In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other woman who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there.
    It was Preparation Day ( that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body. Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where he was laid.

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Positive Repetition

Positive Repetition

A journalist had a quirky habit of not using blue pens. So when his colleague asked him if he needed anything from the store, he asked for some pens. " But not blue pens," he said. " I don't want blue pens. I don't like blue . Blue is to heavy. So please purchase 12 ballpoint pens for me anything but blue!" The next day his colleague passed him the pens-and they were all blue. When he asked to explain, he said, " You kept saying ' blue, blue.' That's the word that left the deepest impression!" The journalist's use of repetition had an effect, but not the one he desired.
    Moses, the lawgiver of Israel, also used repetition in his requests to his people. More than 30 times he urged his people to remain true of the law of their God. Yet the result was the opposite of what he asked for. He told them that obedience would lead to destruction ( DEUT. 30:15-18).
    When we love God, we want to walk in His ways not because we fear the consequences but because it is our joy to please the One we love. That's a good word to remember.
    Dear Lord, as we read Your inspired story, may Your Spirit be our teacher. Help us to walk the path of obedience as we hear the voice of Your heart.
    Love for God will cause you to live for God.

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DEUTERONOMY 30:11-20

DEUTERONOMY 30:11-20

Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, " Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, " Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.
    See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees, and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.
     But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.
    This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

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MARK 15:1-25

MARK 15:1-25

Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, made their plans. So they bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate.
    " Are you the king of the Jews?" asked Pilate.
     " You have said so," Jesus replied. The chief priests accused him of many things. So again Pilate asked him, " Aren't you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of."
    But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed. Now it was the custom at the festival to release a prisoner whom the people requested. A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising. The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did.
    " Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?" asked Pilate, knowing it was out of  self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead.
     " What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?" Pilate asked them.
     " Crucify him!" they shouted. " Why? What crime has he committed?" asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, " Crucify him!"
    Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.
    The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace ( that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers. They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. And they began to call out to him, " Hail, king of the Jews!" Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.
    A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha ( which means the place of the skull) Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get.
    It was nine in the morning when they crucified him.

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John 16:17-21

John 16:17-24

Some of the disciples asked each other, " What does he mean when he says, ' In a little while you won't see me, but then you will see me, ' and ' I am going to the Father'? And what does he mean by ' a little while'? We don't understand."
    Jesus realized they wanted to ask him about it, so he said, " Are you asking yourselves what I meant? I said in a little while you won't see me, but a little while after that you will see me again. I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy. It will be like a woman suffering the pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives way to joy because she has brought a new baby into the world. So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy. At that time you won't need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. You haven't done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you have abundant joy."

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Pain with a Purpose

Pain with a Purpose

I asked several friends what their most difficult, most painful experience in life had been. Their answers included war, divorce, surgery, and the loss of a loved one. My wife's reply was, " The birth of our first child." It was a long and difficult labor in a lonely army hospital. But looking back, she said considers it joyful " because the pain had a big purpose."
     Just before Jesus went to the cross, He told His followers they were about to go through a time of great pain and sorrow. The Lord compared their coming experience to that of a woman during childbirth when her anguish turns to joy after her child is born. " So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy"
     Sorrow comes to us all along the road of life. " Because of the joy awaiting him, [ Jesus] endured the cross, disregarding it's shame", purchasing forgiveness and freedom for all who open their hearts to Him. His painful sacrifice accomplished God's eternal purpose of opening the way to friendship and fellowship with Him.
     The joy of our Savior outweighed His suffering, just as the joy He gives us overshadows all our pain.
    Suffering can be like a magnet that draws the Christian close to Christ.

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