{Reading Plan, Memory Verse, & Weekly Challenge}
Week 1 ~ Monday
{Verse of the Day & Application}
(S) Luke 17:3-4
(O) - Jesus is talking to his disciples and he gives a warning, “Watch Yourselves”. Uh oh…..that means that it something we can possibly to that Jesus isn’t proud of.
-We are supposed to correct our brothers and sisters when they sin. (So that means don’t get offended because someone is going to correct me :-) ).
-If they sin, but ask forgiveness, we are supposed to forgive them. I don’t see here where Jesus puts a condition on forgiveness (no if, and’s or but’s about it, He says “FORGIVE.”
-Here comes the big one: He says, we are supposed to forgive if the person comes to us seven times and ask. Meaning… it doesn’t matter how many times a person sins and asks for forgiveness, it’s our duty to forgive our brothers and sisters (I tend to think he means those who are brother and sisters with us in Christ, other believers or disciples) a million times if they ask.
(A) Forgiveness is such a hard word, or more like a hard act to follow. It has been difficult for me to forgive people that have done me wrong. Especially those claiming to be “Saints” of God, my brother and sisters in Christ, but because I live by the word, I have to be obedient, even if my flesh says, “Don’t forgive them.” Now he said, FORGIVE, and I can work on that, but when the person does the same act or sin, multiple times, I need much prayer on that one. But I guess here Jesus is telling us that we have to walk in a spirit and have a heart to forgive. SN: That’s what he does for us, forgives us multiple times over and over. So why can’t I do the same, I should, since he lives inside of me.
(P) God, this is an areas that I really need your help. I desire to have a forgiving heart no matter what the sin the person commits. Help me not to focus on the person or the sin, but bring back to my mind and heart the words of Jesus, “Seven Times Forgive.” Help me to walk in forgiveness and have a boldness to correct my brothers and sisters when they do wrong. I believe that it will help them to see the affect sin has and maybe they will change. Amen
Week 1 ~ Tuesday
{Verse of the Day & Application}
(S) Luke 17:9-10
(O) The disciples, who are now referred to as Apostles, want their faith to be increased.Jesus tells with mustard seed faith (just a small bit of faith) you can COMMAND something, such as a mulberry tree, to be uprooted and planted in the sea, and it would OBEY you! Here Jesus uses an example that I love! God has called us to serve him and we shouldn't think that we should receive and award because we are obedient and we serve him! That's what he has called us to do!
(A) I want Jesus to increase my faith, but first I need to activate the faith (mustard seed faith) that I already have. My faith in Him, his word, in prayer, in service, and in love. Sometimes I feel like my mustard seed faith doesn't work, but maybe that reason is that I still have a bit of doubt. I'm waiting for something tangible and evidence that it can really happen. I need to let go of fear and doubt and trust God. When I trust him, I know that my faith will increase. Now I think this is my favorite part, there is no GOOD that I could do that I think I deserve a reward from God, why? Because that is what I am SUPPOSED to do! I don't need a handshake, a pat on the back, or a thank you because I have obeyed and served him. That is why he called me. So, now that my attitude has been checked, I can live humbly, because really, I'm not even worthy enough to be a servant, neither are any of us, but because He loves me and I have a second chance, I will serve him and humble myself to do everything he has called me to do.....with no reward or expectation.
(P) Father, I praise you today for the word! Like the apostles, I pray that my faith will increase, even from the faith smaller than a mustard seed to a mustard seed faith, where mulberry trees in my life can be uprooted and planted in the sea. Lord, forgive me for those times where I thought that I needed to receive special treatment for serving you. I had it all wrong. I serve you because that is what I'm suppose to do and I don't live to receive anything but your glorious grace and mercy that you gave to me through the blood of your son for free. I am so unworthy and humble to be called and chosen by you. I pray that my duties of service to you and your people are pleasing in your sight! I thank you for my sisters in this group, and I pray that they will continue to grow stronger through this study. Increase their faith, and remind them that we are merely unworthy vessels that you decided to use through a worthy SON! In Jesus Christ Name, Amen
Week 1 ~ Wednesday
{Verse of the Day & Application}
(S) Luke 17:17-19
(O) 10 lepers call out to Jesus to have mercy on them.
- Jesus gives them a command to go show themselves to the priest
- Through their obedience, they are cleansed while on their way.
- Only 1 leper comes back to glorify God while the others lepers go about their way
- Jesus asked why the only leper that came back was the foreigner? (the Samaritan, according to the bible Jews didn't have anything to do with Samaritans, and Jesus was a Jew.) I would think that the others lepers were of the Jewish faith and the Samaritan was the only one who came back to give thanks to God.
- Jesus tells the 1 leper that is faith made him well. I would think that the other lepers may have been cleansed, but this one leper was healed! You can wash your hands to clean them, but they have the ability to be dirty again. But when your hand is hurt or broken and it is healed, their is a transformation that has taken place and through that healing that same hurt or brokenness will no longer return!
(A) 1. How can I respond immediately when Jesus gives me a command?
2. Do I trust Jesus enough to obey what he says despite what the situation may look like or what others may say?
3. Has there ever been a moment in my life where, by faith, I obeyed Jesus and received and immediate response?
4. Do I give thanks and praise for what he has done in my life?
5. Am I ungrateful and self-centered at times? Do I take lightly the things God has done fore me?
6. Do I judge those that are the "least" of God's adopted children?
7. What keeps me from telling the Father, "Thank You"?
8. Am I different from the others? Do I thank God even if I'm thanking him alone?
9. How can I respond differently to God after he has blessed me?
10. What can I do today to tell God "Thank You"?
(P) Dear God, The Father of all of Heaven and Earth, the forgiver of our sins, and the lover of our hearts. Forgive me for the times in which I failed to return to you and say. "Thank You!" For those selfish moments. I see that you bless us and hear our cries and prayers and you answer them because you love us, but for those times that I took for granted what you have done for me, I repent and ask for forgiveness. Today, at this very moment, I thank you for last night's rest and this mornings joy. You have been my help from day 1 and without you there would be no me. Continue to work inside my heart so that the eyes of my heart are enlightened to your word. I pray that I will continually abide in you and you abide in me. I thank you for the privileged of being IN Christ Jesus. I don't take it lightly being your child and I serve you with a grateful, humble, and sincere heart, this is my reasonable service, Thank You! In Jesus Christ Name, Amen!
Week 1 ~ Thursday
{Verse of the Day}
(S) Luke 17:20-21
(O) When President Obama comes to a city everyone knows about it! It's all on the news, it's in the papers, there are officers dispatched, everyone in that city, state, and the nation is awaiting his arrival. Everything and everyone comes to a halt. But we see in the text that the Kingdom of God will not be as such, because this kingdom is not an external, visual Kingdom like the Jewish Kingdom the Pharisees knew about, but it is a spiritual Kingdom and there will be no signs, now announcements, no "hoop lah" that it's here. As believers we are now apart of this Spiritual Kingdom (the Kingdom of God) and we must be ready for our Lord's return.
(A) Do I live my life as part of God's Kingdom or do I have to tell others that I am apart of the Kingdom as if it's a natural Kingdom that people can see it's external rewards? Me being apart of God's Kingdom is not about natural possessions or blessings, but it's the spiritual richness I receive as a believer that I want others to see, the Kingdom of God that I am apart of lives "IN" me!
(P) Dear Father, Thank you for accepting me into your Kingdom! As I continue to grow in wisdom, knowledge and understanding, allow my spiritual eyes to be opened to spiritual things. Take away carnality and replace with spirituality! In Jesus Name, Amen!
Week 1 ~ Friday
{Verse of the Day & Application}
(S) Luke 17:26-27
(O) Jesus gives an example of how the days will be when the Son of Man will return. People will be going about their daily routine, indulging in the "happy's" of this life and when he returns and in an instant things will change. Jesus tells us that we will have to leave those earthly things and not return to get them. He calls us to remember what happened to Lot's wife, she looked back and everything she knew was gone. He urges us to not preserve these temporal things, but willingly give them up because we will gain much more when we do.
(A) Not to hold tightly to the things of this world, my desires, my degrees, my job, my aspirations, or my family....but to set my eyes on things that are eternal. For Jesus is coming back real soon. God has blessed and given us gifts here on earth, but he desires for me to not cling to them, but have a heart to let them go for his Kingdom. This is something very hard for me to do sometimes. I love my family, I like to make crafts, I desire to be married and one day have a business, but through all of that my focus needs to change. I don't want to be left here and devoured by vultures. What a call to respond today!
(P) Heavenly Father, You the most mighty and awesome God in the Heavens and you desire your daughter to live with you in your Kingdom. I pray that you continue to stir your words in my heart so that I will remember that things on earth are temporal. It can be so hard for me to imagine the reality of being without my family and close friends, but this is the sacrifice we have to make when we decided to serve you, eternally. Give me a heart to understand and have wisdom concerning the spiritual things. Bring back to my remembrance that this world is not my home. In Jesus Name, Amen!
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