Climbing Higher~ Ascension day

Acts 1:1-11: Jesus told his people to stay in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit comes to them, then he ascended into heaven.

Ps. 47:  All the people sing praises to God with understanding to the King.

Eph. 1:15-23: Paul prays for the Ephesians to have all the wisdom and power that The Holy Spirit can give them. 

Luke 24:44-53: Jesus tells his followers that they now have seen the fulfillment of what he had told them about dying for their sins and raising from the dead.. They were now to go and tell others. Then he took them to Bethany blessed them and then ascended into heaven. 

Challenge of the week:

Just as the followers of Jesus could go and tell of what they knew of Jesus to the world. So we as his followers today can do the same. Let us go and tell so that all the people of the world can sing praises to Jesus for what he has done. So that when Jesus returns he can take many souls with him from all over the world. 

Accomplishment of the week:

Who did you tell this week of what Jesus did for them spiritually?

Climbing Higher~6th Sunday of Easter

Acts 10:44-48: While Peter preached, the Holy Spirit fell on the non-Jewish people and they spoke in tongues. The Jewish Christians were astonished to see this. Peter asked them why the non-Jewish believers should not be Baptized. 

Ps. 98: Sing unto the Lord for the great things he has done!

1 John 5:1-6:We who believe in God and Love Jesus over comes the world. 

John 15:9-17:Jesus is the vine and we are the branches.You must be connected to Jesus to bear fruit, including the fruit of loving each other. I have chosen you to do that.

All who believe in Jesus and love him & his fellowman should be allowed to be Baptiste and them follow Jesus' example in loving others. We can only do this when we are connected to Jesus. 

Challenge of the week:

This week, make sure that you are connected to Jesus and then bear his fruit of love. 

Accomplishment of the week:

You did you show love to that would have been hard to love without God's help?

Climbing Higher~ 5th Sunday of Easter

Acts 8:26-40:Phillip presents the Gospel of Jesus to an Ethiopian man who was in charge of Queen Candace's treasures.The man accepted Jesus and was Baptiste. 

Ps. 22:25-31: Praise to the Lord for being the Governor of the Kingdom.

1 John 4:7-21:We should love one another as God has loved us. How has God loved us? He gave his only son , Jesus to pay for our sins. Why? Because he loved us, before we even knew or loved him. We show that we are in Christ ,when we show love to one another. 

John 15:1-8: Jesus tells his followers that they can only do God's will if they abide in Jesus. For like a branch can only bear fruit when it is attached to the vine, so we too can only bear spiritual fruit if we are in Christ & He in us.

Jesus told his followers that they could only do God's will if they were in him and he in them. Then he gave an example of the vine and the branches and how they only bear fruit if they are attached to the vine. We are like that spiritually. We can only bear spiritual fruit if we are attached to Jesus (John 15:1-8). When we are in Christ Jesus we will show love to others by telling them of God's great love (1 John 4:7-21). Just like Phillip told to the Ethiopian man (Acts 8:26-40). Then we all can sing praises to God for being the Governor of the Kingdom (Ps. 22:25-31). 

Challenge of the week:

This week, seek our someone to tell the Gospel of Jesus to.Then pray for them.

Accomplishment of the week:

Who did you tell the Gospel of Jesus to? 

Climbing Higher~ 4th Sunday after Easter

Acts 4:5-12: Peter testifies to the spiritual leaders that Jesus is the only way to heaven.

Ps. 23: The Lord is my good shepherd. 

1 John 3:16-24: As Jesus' followers we should be like him. How? He loved people and we too should love people. How? By helping a brother who is in need.  

John 10:11-18: Jesus tells his followers that He IS the Good Shepherd.  

Psalm 23 speaks of what the good shepherd will be like. Jesus tells his followers that he is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11-18). Peter preached to the spiritual leaders that Jesus was the only way to heaven (Acts 4:5-12). As Followers of Christ, we should follow his example by acting like him (1 John 3:16-24). How? By loving our brother and helping him when he needs it when we can. 

Challenge of the week:

This week, if you are not a Christian, accept Jesus as your Good Shepherd & Savior. 

If you are a Christian, follow the example that Jesus gave us by helping a fellow Christian.

Accomplishment of the week:

What was your accomplishment of the week?

Climbing Higher~ 3rd Sunday of Easter

Acts 3:12-19: Peter preaches of Jesus and tells them to repent of their sins.

Ps. 4: Prayer for God to hear us in our distress. Ends with ... I will lay me down in peace.He must have found it.

1  John 3:1-7: God's love for us had Jesus pay for our sins. So we no longer have to live in that sin.

Luke 24:36b-48:Jesus appears to his followers after he rose from the dead.

When sin is heavy on our heart & min, we have trouble resting and going to sleep. that is what the pray in Psalms. 4 shows. But we do not have to stay in our sins. Because Jesus came and paid for our sins (1 John 3:1-7). But Jesus did not stop with just dying, but he also rose. He proved this when he appeared to his followers afterwards (Luke 24:36b-48). peter preached about that soon after Jesus returned to heaven (Acts 3:12-19). We too should share the Good News, of what Jesus did to others people. 

Challenge of the week:

This week share the Good News of Jesus and Easter with someone.

Accomplishment of the week:

Did you do the challenge of the week? If so , how did you do it and with whim did you share it with? How did that go?

Climbing Higher~ (Emuciation of the Lord) April 3rd 2018

Is. 7:10-14:God will give a sign. The sign is a virgin shall conceive a son & his name shall be called Immanuel. 

Ps. 44 or 40:5-10: Songs of great things that God has done for his people.

Heb. 10:4-10:Speaks of how the blood of animals did not cover sins once and for always. So God sent his son to be the lamb of God that covered all our sins, once and for always. 

Luke 1:26-38:An angel went to the virgin,  Mary to tell her that she would have God's son. She gave God permission to do so. 

In these verses we see the promises and the fulfillment of that promise. 

Challenge of the Day:

Today think of how God fulfilled his promise & then thanks & praise God for fulfilling His promise to send a savior for all mankind. 

Accomplishment of the day:

How did the challenge of the day help your walk of faith?

Climbing Higher~ 2ed Sunday of Easter

Acts 4:32-35:The Christians had all things in common. 

Ps. 133: Blessing of unity among Christians.

1 John 1:1-2: We are witnesses to what we saw and share about Jesus.  

John 20:19-31:Jesus again appears to his disciples after he rose from the dead. 

The theme is Unity. If the Good news is going to get out there we Christians need to work together in unity. I believe that  one of the reasons Jesus reappeared to his followers in John 20:19-31 is that Thomas has not been with them when Jesus had appeared before and he doubted that Jesus was alive. Jesus wanted them to be united in their witness. 

Challenge of the week:

This week, work to make sure that you are in unity with other Christians. 

Accomplishment of the week:

What did your challenge help you accomplish this week? How did that help you be in fellowship with your brothers and sisters in Christ?