Written by TWFYT
Sunday October 5
"When I sent you out without a wallet, bag, or sandals, you didn't lack anything, did you?' They said, 'Nothing.'" Luke 22:35 CEB
Jesus said, "Protect yourself against...greed.Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot" (Lk 12:15 MSG). We live in a materialistic society that's obsessed with accumulating stuff. But the more you have, the more you have to worry about. So, what do you suppose Jesus wanted to teach His disciples when He sent them out "without a wallet, bag, or sandals"? Author Cynthia Ruchti asks: "Was He showing them He was all they would ever need? Did He want them to learn dependence on Him? Was He instructing them in the humility of accepting help from others—a bed for the night, a meal, a borrowed coat when temperatures dropped? Did He hope they would realize they could get along with fewer belongings? That their success depended on traveling light? That they would be safer from thieves along the journey of they had nothing worth stealing? Was it focus that Jesus cared about most? With nothing in their hands to distract them, would the disciple cling more diligently to His words and to be the ministry of caring for people's physical and spiritual needs? The more I think about it, the more value I see in the 'no baggage' directive. What if I walked into my day, conscious of a no-wallet, no-extra-sandals mentality, intensely focused on Jesus, on His words and His mission, the mission He passed on to us? What if I measured success not by how much I accumulated but on how little I need to survive if I stay close to Jesus? What would I lack? Nothing!"
Sunday October 5
"When I sent you out without a wallet, bag, or sandals, you didn't lack anything, did you?' They said, 'Nothing.'" Luke 22:35 CEB
Jesus said, "Protect yourself against...greed.Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot" (Lk 12:15 MSG). We live in a materialistic society that's obsessed with accumulating stuff. But the more you have, the more you have to worry about. So, what do you suppose Jesus wanted to teach His disciples when He sent them out "without a wallet, bag, or sandals"? Author Cynthia Ruchti asks: "Was He showing them He was all they would ever need? Did He want them to learn dependence on Him? Was He instructing them in the humility of accepting help from others—a bed for the night, a meal, a borrowed coat when temperatures dropped? Did He hope they would realize they could get along with fewer belongings? That their success depended on traveling light? That they would be safer from thieves along the journey of they had nothing worth stealing? Was it focus that Jesus cared about most? With nothing in their hands to distract them, would the disciple cling more diligently to His words and to be the ministry of caring for people's physical and spiritual needs? The more I think about it, the more value I see in the 'no baggage' directive. What if I walked into my day, conscious of a no-wallet, no-extra-sandals mentality, intensely focused on Jesus, on His words and His mission, the mission He passed on to us? What if I measured success not by how much I accumulated but on how little I need to survive if I stay close to Jesus? What would I lack? Nothing!"
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January
START BY FORGIVINGEMBRACING UNCERTAINTY AND FOLLOWING GODBLESSING IS PROGRESSIVEIS GOD SHAKING YOU UP?DON'T AVOID--ENGAGEYOU ARE COMMANDED TO LOVEJUST SOW THE SEEDSEE YOURSELF AS VALUABLE (1)SEE YOURSELF AS VALUABLE (2)PRAY ABOUT IT, THEN TAKE ACTIONTHE IMPORTANCE OF GOD'S WORDTHE LINK BETWEEN DISOBEDIENCE AND STRESSHAVE YOU TALKED TO GOD ABOUT IT?KNOW YOUR PURPOSE, KNOW YOUR PARTNERSHOW GOD SEES YOUBE GUIDED BY WISDOM, NOT IMPULSEPAUSE AND REFLECTWHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT MONEY (1)WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT MONEY (2)WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MONEY (3)WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MONEY (4)WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MONEY (5)SEEKING GOD
February
PRACTICE SAYING NO TO YOURSELFTHE BEST IS YET TO COMETHE GRANDFATHER'S MISTAKE BECAME THE GRANDSON'S MIRACLEHOW TO CONQUER THE FEAR OF FAILINGLET'S RESPECT OUR DIFFERENCESPASS IT ON TO OTHERSKEEP TRUSTING GODFEAR IS THE ENEMY OF GROWTHCHANGE YOUR ROUTINEYOU ARE NOT BEYOND GOD'S REACHDON'T LOOK AT CHRISTIANS, LOOK AT CHRISTUNDERSTANDING THE WORD "IMPUTED"GOVERNED BY CHRIST'S LOVE FOR USTODAY EXCEPT GOD'S FAVORGROWTH IS ABOUT ENLARGEMENTFIND PRAYER PARTNERSKEEP PRAYING AND BELIEVINGREFUSE TO WEAR THE LABELJESUS IS THE ANSWERSHAKE IT OFF, AND MOVE FORWARDWHEN OTHERS "DON'T GET IT"RIGHTEOUSNSS IS A GIFT, NOT A REWARD
March
HOW LONG WILL YOU LIVE?DON'T BREAK, BOUNCE BACK (1)DON'T BREAK, BOUNCE BACK (2)KNOW WHEN TO LET GOPUT AWAY THE MEASURING STICKCONNECT, COMMIT, COMMUNICATEUSE YOUR IMAGINATIONCONSULT GOD ON YOUR DAILY TO-DO LISTBEARING SPIRITUAL FRUITHOW GOD SEES YOUBORN TO BELIEVE (1)BORN TO BELIEVE (2)ONLY JESUS CAN SATISFY YOUR SOULPUT GOD BETWEEN YOURSELF AND THE FOE"FORGIVE THEM" AND DELETE ITBE TRUE TO THE SCRIPTURESTHE KIDS ARE WATCHING YOU (1)THE KIDS ARE WATCHING YOU (2)IF YOU'RE A LEADER, READ THISPRAYER AND YOUR RASLEARN TO SAY NOYOU CAN LEARN TO LOVEALWAYS AGREE WITH GOD'S WORD
April
BECOME WILLING TO CHANGE (1)BECOME WILLING TO CHANGE (2)BECOME WILLING TO CHANGE (3)BECOME WILLING TO CHANGE (4)REJOICE - DAY FORTY-ONE IS COMINGPASTOR, KEEP YOUR SWORD SHARPDON'T BURN OUT (1)DON'T BURN OUT (2)THE WAITING STRATEGYRESOLVE CONFLICT QUICKLY (1)RESOLVE CONFLICT QUICKLY (2)HELP FOR CAREGIVERS
May
TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOUR MOTHERKNOWING THE SEASON YOU'RE INFAITH IS NOT FAITH UNTIL IT IS ACTED UPONHAVE A BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVEFREE FROM JEALOUSYDON'T LOVE YOUR PASSION FOR GODGET ALONE WITH GOD (1)GET ALONE WITH GOD (2)GET ALONE WITH GOD (3)WHO ARE YOU DEPENDING ON?THE SECRET TO SUCCESSHOW TO STAY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT GODDEALING WITH RELATIONSHIP ISSUES (1)DEALING WITH RELATIONSHIP ISSUES (2)COMPASSION BEGINS WITH THE WORD "NOTICE"WHEN GOD ASKS YOU TO GIVEARE YOU IN A STRESS MESS?WHEN YOU FEEL BLAH