Bible Reading: Luke 22: 7-30
Focus Verse: Matthew 18:4 "So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven."
The disciples learned that as followers of Jesus Christ, they would be in Heaven's Kingdom some day. They wanted to know where they would stand in that Kingdom. Jesus had just been talking about the Kingdom, but he was also talking about suffering, His body being broken and His blood spilled out. It was through the humble Christ that the Kingdom of God would come. The disciples were taught that to be great, they must be humble and servants. Jesus was even an example of this.
Those of us who are believers in Jesus Christ will desire to please Him and do His will. Some will even become teachers and leaders in the church or in ministry. Leadership will always bring conflict with our human nature of desiring to be great. It can be more of a challenge to remain humble when you see many good results from your ministry. We can remain humble when we realize that it is only the Lord that brings forth any fruit from our labors. (Last week, we learned about the power of bearing fruit belongs to the Lord.) Being active in your community in serving the needs of others can also help you stay humble.
Do you love being commended? It can feel assuring and rewarding, but it shouldn't be our ultimate goal to be praised by men. As the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 10:17-18
Page Johnson
Interlocking Ministries
Thursday, August 24, 2017
Thursday, August 17, 2017
A Friend of Jesus
Scripture Reading: John 15: 1-17
Focus Verses: John 15: 14-16 “You are my friend if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing, but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit.”
Jesus says that we are His friend if we do what He says. Sounds a lot like the friendships we have with each other hear on earth. If you have a close friend, you want to please them. Not only does Jesus want you as His friend, but He wants you to know everything that God has told Him. That’s pretty awesome to think about. Jesus has told us everything that God told Him. Now here is where our passage of scripture gets a little hard to understand. We did not choose Jesus, but Jesus chose us. That’s right, Jesus chose us to remain in His love and produce fruit. As we are connected to Christ we have the power to produce this fruit. It all comes back to our obedience to Him. Let’s obey, so we can be friends of Jesus and be filled with His joy.
Bobby Johnson
Interlocking Ministries
Focus Verses: John 15: 14-16 “You are my friend if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing, but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit.”
Jesus says that we are His friend if we do what He says. Sounds a lot like the friendships we have with each other hear on earth. If you have a close friend, you want to please them. Not only does Jesus want you as His friend, but He wants you to know everything that God has told Him. That’s pretty awesome to think about. Jesus has told us everything that God told Him. Now here is where our passage of scripture gets a little hard to understand. We did not choose Jesus, but Jesus chose us. That’s right, Jesus chose us to remain in His love and produce fruit. As we are connected to Christ we have the power to produce this fruit. It all comes back to our obedience to Him. Let’s obey, so we can be friends of Jesus and be filled with His joy.
Bobby Johnson
Interlocking Ministries
Friday, August 11, 2017
Love One Another
Bible Reading: 1 John 3: 11-24
Focus verse : 1 John 3:11 "This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. "
God is loving and caring. He has called us to love and care for others as well. The old man (Marcus Ochieng) and his family today have a reason to thank God. For many years the family has had a poor shelter, small in size to accommodate the family and has had a leaking roof. His attempts to get a better shelter had not worked due to their merger income. Together with the wife they live by pulling nets for fish despite their old age. The man is about 80 years today.
God placed in my heart the burden to pray for them and help them get a better structure. Thanks to God for provision for their new semi permanent shelter of three rooms and with enough space for the whole family. Work has also been made easy through the church community of Makira Baptist Church who have volunteered to offer the needed man power to help raise the structure. Congratulations to the church for partnering to see this area come true through physical support and any donation added.
As we celebrate the miracle for this family, many other destitute families with poor shelters are praying for their miracles as well. God has placed in my heart the burden to pray and help meet shelter needs for the less fortunate more so old age, widows and orphans. Your prayers and donation can help do a miracle to another family. The church community is ready to labor together in this endeavour. After a few days, we today celebrate a house almost to full completion. Words can't tell this big joy to the family but the smile in Marcus face crowns it.
Eliazar Wambo
Bethesda Faith Ministries
Focus verse : 1 John 3:11 "This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. "
God is loving and caring. He has called us to love and care for others as well. The old man (Marcus Ochieng) and his family today have a reason to thank God. For many years the family has had a poor shelter, small in size to accommodate the family and has had a leaking roof. His attempts to get a better shelter had not worked due to their merger income. Together with the wife they live by pulling nets for fish despite their old age. The man is about 80 years today.
God placed in my heart the burden to pray for them and help them get a better structure. Thanks to God for provision for their new semi permanent shelter of three rooms and with enough space for the whole family. Work has also been made easy through the church community of Makira Baptist Church who have volunteered to offer the needed man power to help raise the structure. Congratulations to the church for partnering to see this area come true through physical support and any donation added.
As we celebrate the miracle for this family, many other destitute families with poor shelters are praying for their miracles as well. God has placed in my heart the burden to pray and help meet shelter needs for the less fortunate more so old age, widows and orphans. Your prayers and donation can help do a miracle to another family. The church community is ready to labor together in this endeavour. After a few days, we today celebrate a house almost to full completion. Words can't tell this big joy to the family but the smile in Marcus face crowns it.
Eliazar Wambo
Bethesda Faith Ministries
Friday, August 4, 2017
What Is Most Important To You?
Scripture Reading: 1 John 2:12-17
Focus Verses: 1 John 2:16-17 “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it, but he who does the will of God abides forever."
Possibly the number one thing that people value in the world is money. But think about this: Money can buy you a bed but not sleep. Money can buy you a clock but not time. Money can buy you a book but not knowledge. Money can buy you a position but not respect. Money can buy you medicine but not health. Money can buy you blood but not life, and money can buy you sex but not love. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 4:18 "We fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” Money can be used in God’s Kingdom for a lot of worthy causes, but money is also responsible for ruining countless lives. Anything in our lives more important than God is wrong. Children, a husband, a wife, a job, a friend, a pastor, a boat, a house, a piece of land, money, yourself, and the list goes on…… God wants to be number one in you life period. People spend a lot of money on nice things on the earth, but one day it’s all going to burn. What are you doing for God that will last forever? I hope God is what is most important to you.
Bobby Johnson
Interlocking Ministries
Focus Verses: 1 John 2:16-17 “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it, but he who does the will of God abides forever."
Possibly the number one thing that people value in the world is money. But think about this: Money can buy you a bed but not sleep. Money can buy you a clock but not time. Money can buy you a book but not knowledge. Money can buy you a position but not respect. Money can buy you medicine but not health. Money can buy you blood but not life, and money can buy you sex but not love. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 4:18 "We fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” Money can be used in God’s Kingdom for a lot of worthy causes, but money is also responsible for ruining countless lives. Anything in our lives more important than God is wrong. Children, a husband, a wife, a job, a friend, a pastor, a boat, a house, a piece of land, money, yourself, and the list goes on…… God wants to be number one in you life period. People spend a lot of money on nice things on the earth, but one day it’s all going to burn. What are you doing for God that will last forever? I hope God is what is most important to you.
Bobby Johnson
Interlocking Ministries
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