I'm sharing this week's Bible reading on the blog due to the fact church was cancelled yesterday - if you would like a hard copy, stop by the FCC office:
2018 Clinton FCC Bible Reading – December 9-15 – Jesus Teachings ** Jesus Teachings, part one. This week during the season of Christmas, let’s look at seven chapters that expose some of Jesus’ most important and powerful teachings. Sunday December 9: Matthew 5 – Sermon on the Mount, part 1 Key Verse: Verse 16 – “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Questions to ponder: Which of the beatitudes do you connect with the most? Which of the beatitudes do you struggle with the most? Do you fee like you do a good job living the call of Jesus to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world? Do you struggle with loving your enemies and praying for them? Prayer Point: Pray this prayer: “God, help me to find tangible ways today and this week to literally be the Salt of the earth and the Light of the world for your glory!” Monday December 10: Matthew 6 – Sermon on the Mount, part 2 Key Verse: Verse 33 - ”But seek first his kingdom and his righteous and all these things will be given to you as well.” Questions to ponder: Matthew 6 begins with teachings on giving, prayer, forgiveness and fasting – any special take away for you today from these teachings? What about Jesus’ teaching on “storing up” – are you someone who finds themselves storing up treasures on earth instead of treasures in heaven? Where is your treasure? How are you at seeking first God’s kingdom and righteous? Do you struggle with worry and anxiety? Prayer Point: Our Father in heaven, holy is your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us out debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Tuesday December 11: Matthew 7 – Sermon on the Mount, part 3 Key Verses: Verses 13-14: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate, and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Questions to ponder: Are you guilty of judging the sin of others but overlooking your own? What are you supposed to do if you have a follower of Jesus in your world who is flippantly and flagrantly embroiled in sin? Are you living the “Narrow Gate” life? Are you bearing fruit for the Lord? Is your spiritual house built on the rock or the sand? Prayer Point: Pray this prayer: “Lord, help me to continually build my spiritual house on the rock of Jesus Christ and to overcome the storms of life through the power of your Holy Spirit.” Wednesday December 12: Mark 10 Key Verse: Verse 45: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’” Question to ponder: Why does Jesus seemingly have such passion for children? What does this teach us about our call as a church and as families? Why is it so difficult for the wealthy to enter the kingdom? What do make of James and John, and their request of Jesus? Prayer Point: Pray this prayer from chapter 10 – “Lord help to always have the heart of a servant and to remember your heart – that all people will be saved through a relationship with your son Jesus Christ.” Thursday December 13: Mark 12 Key Verses: Verses 30-31: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.’” Questions to ponder: What do you take from the parable in this chapter? Do you struggle with taxes and what your obligation should be? God is the God of the living, not the dead – what application should we draw from these words of Jesus in 2018? How are you doing at living out the greatest commandments according to Jesus? Prayer Point: Pray to the Lord for the ability and passion to Love your God with all your being and to love others in a most special way. Friday December 14: Luke 9 Key Verses: Verses 23-24 – “Then he said to them all, ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.’” Questions to ponder: What takeaway should we glean from Jesus’ sending out of the 12? Peter was the first to verbalize it – Jesus is the Christ of God – how many folks in your life would do the same today? What do you make of the transfiguration? How costly has your “follower-ship” of Jesus turned out to be? Prayer Point: Pray this prayer inspired by Luke 9: “Lord, help us to truly follow you and every day to take up our cross for you. Help us to never be ashamed of the Gospel and to model your truth that by dying, we can and will truly live.” Saturday December 15: Luke 15 Key Verse: Verse 24 – “For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. So they began to celebrate.” Question to ponder: What is your greatest takeaway on the topic of “lostness” and the hope of Jesus? Do you connect more with the prodigal son or the older son? How do you deal with the spiritually lost in your life? A key teaching in these three parables of chapter 15 is the word “rejoice” when that which was lost is finally found – do we rejoice enough when “lost” people are spiritually found and saved? Prayer Point: Pray this prayer from Luke 15: “Help me to have a heart for the spiritually lost and an urgency to be actively engaged in the name of Jesus.” ** Next week (December 16-22) – Jesus Teachings, part 2 Comments are closed.
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