Steps of Faith~ 26th Sunday of ordinary time

Jer. 8:18-9:1: The judgment God pronounced  judgment upon his people for worshiping false gods. Ps. 79:1-9, or Ps. 4: A prayer to God  for help when the holy temple was made a waste land & God's servants were killed due to disobedience of the people, asking for forgiveness of their sins; asking for mercy and safety, and he will lay down in peace. I Tim. 2:1-7: We should pray for all men, including those who rule over us, so that we may all live lives of peace and quiet. For this is pleasing unto God. Luke 16:1-13:Jesus tells the parable of the unjust servant; them he tells them to be faithful in small things is faithful in all things. We are told to pray for our leaders so that we will live quiet and peaceful lives (ITim. 2:1-7). This is most important when the people of our land is serving and worshiping false gods, for judgment will come if we don't pray for it (Jer. 8:18-9:1). An example of that  judgment is seen in Psalms 79:1-9. Then we see what can happen when we do pray asking for forgiveness of our land in Psalms 4. We will be able to lay down in peace. Jesus talks about the unjust servant who makes things right . then he tells his followers to be faithful in the small things(Luke 16:1-13). many think that praying for a person, people, or a nation is a small thing, but in God's eyes it is a big thing. We are called to pray for those who rule over us and for the salvation of our nation. Let us be found faithful in this calling. For when we are faithful peace can come upon the land and we can live a quiet and peaceful life. Challenge of the week: This week, pray for those who are over you, be it parents, boss, those in government, or your spiritual leaders.  Accomplishment of the week: Who did you pray for this week? Have you seen a change because of it yet? If not keep praying for sometimes God can only move people as far as they are willing to go. Sometimes that is a long way and sometimes that is only a very small amount. So keep praying until you see a change for the better. Click here to Reply, Reply to all, or Forward 0.73 GB (4%) of 15 GB used Manage Terms - Privacy Last account activity: 28 minutes ago Details

Steps of Faith~ 25th Sunday of ordinary times

Jer. 4:11-12, 22-28: The Lord tells Jeremiah of his judgment upon his people & how it will affect the land around them. 

Ps. 14:The wicked does evil all the time. They destroy God's people. They upset the plans of the poor. Because they say that there is no God. Yet they are afraid because God is with those who do what is right. Victory comes to God's people when they gather in God's house. Then they will rejoice & be glad. 

1 Tim. 1:12-17: Paul testifies of how God gave him grace & mercy even though he had done harm to his followers in the past out of disbelief. But Through God's mercy and grace God called him to take the message of Jesus to the people. Then Paul sings praises to God of God's honor & glory.  

Luke 5:1-10: Jesus uses Simon's boat to preach from on the sea of Galilee. Then to repay him for letting him use the boat as a place to preach from Jesus tells Simon where to fish. He caught so many fish that he has to get help from his partners James and John. Then Jesus calls them all to become fishers of men & they follow him. 

When the wicked destroys God's people including the poor, God judges them. When God judges the wicked in the land, the land and heavens mourns. But God blesses those who follow him ( Ps. 14; Jer. 4:11-12, 22-28). We see this when Jesus asked Simon to let him use his boat to preach from. Afterwords, Jesus rewarded them by telling them where to throw their nets to caught many fish. Once Simon and all who were fishing with him realized who Jesus was, Jesus called them to follow him and become fishers of men (Luke:1-10). Another man who once did evil while thinking that he was serving God was Paul. He testifies to this when he writes Timothy. In his testimony, he tells how God's grace and mercy forgave him for doing that evil in ignorance & then called him to carry the Good News of Jesus to the world. We too should do good and not evil, and in doing so we will allow blessings to be given to not only us but the land & those in it. 

Challenge of the week:

Take the time this week to check in with God on how you are doing.
Are you obeying God and blessing your land, or are you disobedient and causing the land and those in it to mourn? Ask god what he wants you to do this week?

Accomplishment of the week:

So my friend, what did you and God decide that you needed to do this week? Did you see victory in it? 

Steps of Faith~24th Sunday ordinary times

Jer. 18:1-11:God is the potter & the nation of Israel is the clay. Like the potter God can change what he is doing with the nation  if it does or does not obey God. Ps. 139:1-6, 13-18: The Lord formed me in my Mother's womb & knows everything about me. God's thoughts are many and precious to me. God is always with me. Philem. 1-21: In his prayers, Paul rejoices in the fact that Onesimus and those who meet in his home show great love to the brothers in Christ. Then Paul asks Philemon to take Onesimus back as a brother in the Lord and no longer as a slave. In doing this, Onesimus will be showing love to both Paul & Onesimus.  Luke 14:25-33:Jesus tells his followers that they must love him more than anyone , or life itself. Count the cost of following me before you do so. Just like a man who plans to build a home. Otherwise you will not finish the task. Or like a king who is preparing to go out to fight figures out if he can beat the army he is going against. If not he will choose to send a messenger to talk peace with the other king. You should be willing to give up everything to follow Jesus. Otherwise,you cannot be Jesus' follower. God created each of us to do a job here on earth. We should seek to know his plans for us and do them (Ps. 139:1-6,13-18). Now when we do not follow that plan, God has to put us back on the potters wheel and reshape for another job (Jer. 18:1-11). Often God has to do this because we do not love God above all else (Luke 14:25-33). That makes us like the Israelites, and like them we can become slaves to sin. But when we come back to God, he encourages His people to receive us back into the fellowship (Philem. 1-21). There is a cost to following Jesus and he encourages us to count the cost & then move ahead in the job he has given us to do in his kingdom (Luke 14:25-33).  Challenge of the week: This week, take the time to seek God in what your job for him is & make the adjustments that need to happen to get it done. Maybe it is to welcome someone who has been a slave to sin into fellowship & encourage them. Take the time to get so close to God that you love Him more than anything else including your own life.  Accomplishment of the week: So my friend, what did you & God accomplish this week? Click here to Reply, Reply to all, or Forward 0.73 GB (4%) of 15 GB used Manage Terms - Privacy Last account activity: 25 minutes ago Details

Steps of Faith~ 14th Sunday after pentecost

Jer. 1:3-10:The Lord God calls Jeremiah to go and tell his people all the messages God tells him to tell them. Jeremiah say, "But I am but a boy." God tells Jeremiah, " I called you to be my prophet from your Mother's womb. So go, tell & don't be afraid, for I am with you."

Ps. 71:1-16: A prayer of an aging saint who has been faithful to God since childhood. The saint is recalling those days and is now asking for protection from those who seek to do harm to him. 

Heb. 12:18-29:Paul reminds the Hebrews of the time when God spoke to them from  MT. Zion. Then he tells them that they have not come to an earthly mountain, but a heavenly one. This Heavenly mountain is the one Jesus died upon, so that we could be rejoined with God. So now that we are God's people through Jesus, we should listen to the voice of God. If we do not,we will be judged more harshly then they. Our judgment will be felt not only on earth, but in heaven also. So Let us be thankful for the spiritual things of God that ca not be shaken. 

Luke 13:10-17:Jesus heals a woman on the Sabbath. The spiritual leaders looks down on him for doing so. Jesus tells them that it is not right to water your animals on the Sabbath, but now allow this woman to be freed from Satan's slavery on the Sabbath. 

God called Jeremiah when he was a young man to go and prophecy to kings and kingdoms. This scared him as he was so young & he did not feel like he was experienced enough. But God reassured him that he had planned for him to do this when he made him in his Mother's womb. So Jeremiah went (Jer. 1:4-10). In Psalms 71, we see a prayer that is prayed by a faithful old saint. This could have  been a prayer that Jeremiah had prayed (Ps. 71:1-6). God had to call men like Moses and Jeremiah to prophecy to his people, because they did not want God to talk straight to them as he had on Mt. Zion . These days, we do not need to go to a mountain to hear God speak to us. We can read his message in his Bible & hear him talk to us in prayer (Heb.12:18-29). But we should not be so ridged in our walk with God that we are not willing to help a poor soul, no matter what day it is. We see Jesus address this when he healed the lamb lady on the Sabbath day (Luke 13:10-17). We should act on the words spoken by Paul and look to the spiritual, so that we will not be shaken in our faith (Heb. 12:25-29).

Challenge of the Week:

How will you seek to listen to God's words or guidance and calls on your life?

Accomplishment of the Week: 

What did you do? How did that help your faith grow stronger?

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Steps of Faith~ 13th week after Pentecost

Is. 5:1-7: Israel is God's special vineyard. But Israel did not bear good fruit. The Lord looked for justice but only found killing. God was hoping that his people would live right, but only saw oppression and heard the cries of those being oppressed.

Ps. 80:1-2, 8-19:A song to God Asking him to come back to them and save them from their enemies. For they are like a vineyard that has had it's wall broken down and burnt vines.

Heb. 11:29-12:2:Let us look at the examples of those of old who had faith such as The Israelites as the crossed the Red Sea & walked around Jericho, Rehab, Gideon, Barack, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, & the prophets, as well as those who has gone behind them. These people show us what faith looks like. Let us be like them and run the race of faith. Don't give up no matter what come your way. Be sure to take anything out of your life that would keep you from running a good race for God. Even Jesus was a good example when we went to the cross and died for our sins.Now he sits at the right hand of God the Father in heaven. 

Luke 12:49-56:Jesus said, " I did not come to bring peace to the world, but judgment like burning fire. People will be divided because of me. Why is it that you understand what kind of weather is coming, but now what is happening in the spiritual?"

In times of the Old Testament, God made Israel his special people. They were like a special vineyard that he loved. God had planted and cared for them like they were a vineyard, He planted them hoping for good grapes, but they only grew bad ones instead. In other words, he was hoping that they would live good and upright lives, but the did evil instead (Is. 5:1-7; Ps:80:1-2, 8-19). In the New Testament, when Jesus came , he told them that he was there to bring the judgment fires to mankind for the evil they have done. God wants us to bear good spiritual fruit(Luke 12:49-56). But where do we look to find how that looks? In Hebrews, Paul gives us godly people of old to look at , then if that were not enough, he gives us Jesus as the best example to look to (11:29-12:2). Now we have no excuses. 

Challenge of the Week:

Let us look to those of old in the Bible as examples, but above all, let us be like Jesus. 

Accomplishment of the week:

So what sis you learn in your bible study of the saints of old? what sis you learn from Jesus in your studies? How did you put what have you learn in your life this week?

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Steps of Faith~12th Sunday after Pentecost

Is. 1:1, 10-20: God told Isaiah to tell Israel & Judah these things...I am displeased with the sacrifices you do on the Sabbath, Holy Days & feasts.Because your hearts are not in them. Besides, you do not live a holy life that does good and help and protect the orphans & widows. Change your ways & life a life that pleases me.

Ps. 50:1-8, 22-23:The God of gods judges his people who gives sacrifices, but whose hearts are fall away from Him. God said, "I will only honor and save those who give me offers to show thanks." 

Heb. 11:1-3,8-16:Faith is being sure of the things we hope for, even when we can not see it happening. People of old are known because of their great faith in God. People like Abraham, Sarah who left their home to travel to a county they had never be to because God told them to & God blessed them for it with sons in their old ages.  We have faith in God when we believe that God made all of nature in the world. 

Luke 12:32-40:Do not be afraid, Your Heavenly Father wants to give you His kingdom. Sell all you have and give to the poor.invest in heavenly treasures that do not wear out. Your treasure is where your heart is. Be always ready to serve the Lord. Like the servants who wait up for the master to come home and is waiting no matter how late he arrives. Then they can open the gate as soon as he arrives. Then there will be joy at his arrival.You also must be ready when the Son of Man comes, for he will come at an hour you do not think he will come.

In days of the Old Testament, people were to go to get their sins covered by sacrificing animals to him. But God did not just want them to go through the actions, yet not have their hearts in it. God was not pleased with sacrifices that meant nothing to the people. He wanted them to be sorry for their sins & want a relationship with God(Is. 1:1, 10-20). God tells them that he will judge them for this (Ps. 50:108, 22-23). In the New Testament, Jesus reminds his followers of all of these and give them guidance of what God wants from them(Luke 12:32-40). In Hebrews 11, Paul reminds God's people of all of this again, when he shares the example of how Abraham & Sarah had faith in God and obeyed him when they traveled away from their home to a county they did not know, because God told them to (Heb. 11;1-3, 8-16). Abraham had a relationship with God. We too need to have that type of relationship with God. 

Challenge of the Week:

What will you do this week that God had asked you to do? 

Accomplishment of the week:

How did you obey God this week? How did that affect your relationship with him?

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Steps of Faith~11th Sunday after Pentecost (1st Sunday in August

Hos.11:1-11:God tells of his great love of Israel and how he lead them out of the bonds of slavery in Egypt. Yet they do not love him back. So he will allow them to become slaves again to Assyria. For this will bring their hearts back to him.

Ps. 107:1-9, 43: a song of how God saves his people from many danger; The wise remembers this & thinks on God's love.

Col. 3:1-11:You are no longer living the sinful life since you have been made new in Christ. So do not live as you did in the old life, such as always wanting things, or saying and doing things that will hurt others. But live a life that would please God. .

Luke 12:13-21:Jesus tells a parable about a rich man who is selfish and builds barn to hold all his harvest, instead of sharing it with others. We should be rich in the Lord & not selfish in material things.

Today's lesson, shows us how God has lead his people through all time. We read about how he showed his great love to Israel when he lead them out of slavery in Egypt. Then how in love he corrected his people and allowed them to become salves again when they did not love him back. He did this so that they would realize how much he had cared for them & get them to want to come back to loving him (Hos.11:1-11). We read of the song that his people sang when God again saved them from slavery(Ps. 107:1-9, 43). In the New Testament, Jesus warns of being selfish in material things and not looking to spiritual things which is more important, by telling the story of the rich man (Luke 12:13-21). Paul warns the church to not return back to the old selfish life they lived before they became a new creature in Christ.He encourages them to live a life that would please Christ. We learn how we are to live by reading, thinking about & acting as the Bible tells us to (Col. 3:1-11).

Challenge of the week:

What actions do you need to stop doing that is not pleasing to God? What actions do you need to do instead? 

Accomplishment of the week:

How did you accomplish your goal this week?

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Steps of Faith~10th Sunday after Penecost

Hos. 1:2-10: God has Hosea marry a prostitute and have children to her to show Israel how they have prostituted themselves to other gods. God tells Hosea that he will save Judah. Ps. 85: Prayer for Divine favor upon Judah. Col. 2:6-15 (16-19): Paul warns of false teachers; We have victory over the kingdom of darkness through Jesus Christ. Do not let the false teachers lead you away from the truth of Jesus Christ. Luke 11:1-13: Jesus teaches his disciples about prayer (believe when you pray; ask, see, knock) Judah  had been true to the one true God, where Israel had allowed false teachers to lead them away from the one true God to false gods.Nations around Judah were coming at them from every side including Israel. So they prayed to God about it (Ps. 85). God heard their prayer. So he went to Hosea and gave him instructions on how to give Israel a picture lesson.  God had Hosea marry a prostitute and have children by her. Each child's name had a meaning that told the people what their relationship with God was. But since Judah had stayed true to God, he promised Hosea that he would not punish Judah while he was punishing Israel (Hosea 1:2-10).  When Jesus came to earth, he instructed his disciples on prayer. Since prayer is one way to have a close relationship with God. He gave them a sample prayer Which also had this line..."lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil".  Then told them that they must believe that they would receive when they pray. He also told them not to give up too soon when they do not receive an answer to their prayer right away (Luke 11:1-13).  After Jesus went back to heaven, Paul warned the Colossians of false teachers who would try to pull them away from the teachings of Jesus (Col.2:6-15(16-19).  We too must head the warnings of Amos & Paul to stay true to Jesus teachings and not let false teachers lead us from our first love~Jesus. We do this by staying in the teachings of the Bible & prayer. If we will check to make sure what is being taught to us lines up with what is in the Bible & keep talking and listening to God, we will not be so easily lead to false beliefs.  Challenge of the week:  This week, read, and meditate daily on God words in the Bible, so that you will know what God has said in it. Also pray all the time to God, so that you will always be listening to his voice.  Accomplishment of the week: How did you do with your challenge this week? Where could you do better next week?

Steps of Faith~ 9th Sunday after Penecost

Amos 8:1-12: The Lord does not like it when making money is so important that you are willing to do evil to the poor & needy. The Lord does not like it when you would rather make money than spend time with the Lord on his holy days. Because of this sin, he will make the earth shake and kill many. Then you will grieve over the dead. But a time is coming when people WILL hunger for the words of God more than food or drink. When that happens they will be willing to travel great distances to find it.  Ps. 52: Why do you brag about the evil you do? You think up evil plans and do it. You tell lies. You depend on your money more than God.  You love what is wrong more than what is good. God will punish you for doing so. Then those who follow God will see and laugh. Those who follow God will be like olive trees in God's temple, for they trust in God.  Col. 1:5-28: You WERE enemies of God in your minds, because of the evil that you did, but now Christ has made you friends again. God made peace by the blood Christ shed on the cross.He now brings you to God as holy people with no darkness in you.Therefore you cannot be judged as guilty of sin any longer.  Luke 10:38-42: Jesus went to Martha and Mary's home. While he was there Mary sat at his feet and listened to him teach, but Martha was working hard. She became upset because Mary was not helping her and said something to Jesus about it. Jesus told her that She was worrying about too many things and that Mary had chosen the right thing.  When we are living in the kingdom of darkness and sin, we do evil Ps. 52). We also do evil in God's eyes when we seek money and what it can give us over a relationship with God (Amos 8:1-12).  We were enemies of God before we turned to Him to repent from the evil sins that we have done, and accepted Jesus & His blood to pay for and cover our sins and save us from the kingdom of darkness. Because of what Jesus did for us, we will not be judged for being sinful (Col. 1:5-28). Praise God! The reason Jesus paid that price is because he loved you and wants a relationship with you here on earth & into eternally. The question is are you like Martha whose mind was on many things or are you like Mary who took time to sit at Jesus feet and spend time listening, learning from him? As well as build a relationship with Jesus.  Challenge of the Week: How will you make time to build a relationship with god this week? Accomplishment of the week: How did you spend time with God this week? How did that build on your relationship with him?