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Gifts
* What you get! *What you give? Second Chances *What will you do with a second chance? |
TOPIC: What would Joseph do when he meets his brothers? LESSON OVERVIEW: In Genesis, Joseph had an up and down life. Later in life, he had a chance to pay back his brothers for beating him up and selling him into slavery. What will he do when he has a second chance with them |
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March 22, 2025 We all end up on the other sides of the daisies
Scripture Eccelsiastes 9: 2 All share a common destiny—the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad,[a] the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not. As it is with the good, so with the sinful; as it is with those who take oaths, so with those who are afraid to take them. 3 This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all. The hearts of people, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live, and afterward they join the dead. 4 Anyone who is among the living has hope[b]—even a live dog is better off than a dead lion! 5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even their name is forgotten. 6 Their love, their hate and their jealousy have long since vanished; never again will they have a part in anything that happens under the sun. 7 Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do. 8 Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil. 9 Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun—all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun. 10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom. 11 I have seen something else under the sun:The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all. 12 Moreover, no one knows when their hour will come: Opinion: Whether I ma rich or poor, the answer is the same. We are limited of our time on earth and how we use it. These verses deal with the evil in the world and how it can harden the heart. All of it will vanish in our lives. It tells us to enjoy life and use what God has given us. Apply: Focus on good. Enjoy life. Serve with Gladness March 19, 2025 Do as I say, not as I do! Matthew 18:32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. 35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” Opinion: This is pretty clear in what I do in my day to day job. Many kids mistreat others, but are upset when someone does the same thing to us. Still confused at times, when it says all we need to do this accepts Christ as our path, but then we read that the heavenly father will treat us as we treat others. Apply: Prayer: Sometimes I get confused on what heaven will be and will people be turned away because of their actions on earth? March 18, 2025 Scripture: Matthew 18:6 “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! 8 If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell. The Parable of the Wandering Sheep10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. [11] [a] 12 “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? 13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14 In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish. Opinion: According to Matthew 18:69 I interpret it as I need to do more than say I accept. If my actions March 16, 2025 Scripture: Matthew 16:15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter,[b] and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades[c] will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be[d] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[e] loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. Jesus Predicts His Death21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. 22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” 23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” March 16, 2025 Scripture: Matthew 16:15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter,[b] and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades[c] will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be[d] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[e] loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. Jesus Predicts His Death21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. 22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” 23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” March 15, 2025 Even a little bit can help Scripture: Matthew15:21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.” 23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” 25 The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. 26 He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” 27 “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” 28 Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment. Opinion: I had to look up the connection to the “dog’ In their time the Gentiles were thought of and called dogs. The woman coming to Jesus was a Gentile. The disciples wanted to send her away. We can assume it was because she was a Gentile not a person of their faith. We can also make the assumption that maybe the girl did not understand who Jesus was like her mother did. Which brings us to today’s thought: We can help others by praying for them. We can go to Jesus on their behalf even if they don’t believe in God. God can heal them without them accepting Him, but may give us an opportunity to bring that person closer to God. Apply and Prayer: Lord, I pray for those who do not know you and need healing whether it be spiritual or earthly. Open the eyes of those who need to see you that includes those who are your followers, but reserve your love for only those who follow Him. Opinion: We talk about second chances and Peter brings the rock and being called Satan, deny knowing Christ. Thank goodness God doesn’t keep track of our mistakes or the times when we walk away from Him, we disown. We see how Peter and the other disciples were clueless at times and so are we. Apply: Learn from my mistakes, Learn from reading, Learn to follow. March 15, 2025 Even a little bit can help Scripture: Matthew15:21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.” 23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” 25 The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. 26 He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” 27 “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” 28 Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment. Opinion: I had to look up the connection to the “dog’ In their time the Gentiles were thought of and called dogs. The woman coming to Jesus was a Gentile. The disciples wanted to send her away. We can assume it was because she was a Gentile not a person of their faith. We can also make the assumption that maybe the girl did not understand who Jesus was like her mother did. Which brings us to today’s thought: We can help others by praying for them. We can go to Jesus on their behalf even if they don’t believe in God. god can heal them without them accepting Him, but may give us opportunity to bring that person closer to God. Apply and Prayer: Lord, I pray for those who do not know you and need healing whether it be spiritual or earthly. Open the eyes of those who need to see you that includes those who are your followers, but reserve your love for only those who follow Him. March 14, 2025 So many saying… so little time Matthew 15: “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’[c]” Opinion:
P: Lord, I struggle at times. I struggle with being positive and working hard when others around me set an example of words without substance. Help me to stay positive. March 13, 2025 Come as you are Scripture: Leviticus 22 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Tell Aaron and his sons to treat with respect the sacred offerings the Israelites consecrate to me, so they will not profane my holy name. I am the Lord. 3 “Say to them: ‘For the generations to come, if any of your descendants is ceremonially unclean and yet comes near the sacred offerings that the Israelites consecrate to the Lord, that person must be cut off from my presence. I am the Lord. Opinion: Leviticus: Several key points #1Levitus shows us the requirements of the priest before they could come to the Lord. #2 The priests were the only ones who could approach God. #3 The priest could share in the sacrifice, but there were very specific people who could share in that sacrifice. #4 God was very specific of what what was to be offered to the Lord #5 They were to take care of the widows and the poor, but there was never a mention of the sacrifices being used to do that. #6 When I went to church with my parents when I was young, we dressed differently than we did every other day. #7 That doesn’t inspire “Come as you are” #8 Today, we come as we are, including our “priest”. Dress casual. Bring your coffee. #8 Do we prepare ourselves to worship? #9 That person who sits to my right or to my left may be struggling in life and “Come as you are” makes worship available to him/her without feeling judge for what they wear. Apply: Is Sunday worship a requirement or a desire? March 11, 2025 A Rose Among Thorns March 11, 2025 Scripture: Matthew 13: 24 The Parable of the Weeds 24 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. 27 “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ 28 “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ 29 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’” Opinion: In the end days we will be mixed in with those who don’t believe. The day of reckoning will be coming and the days of Satan will end. The question is, if we will let the weeds overtake us. As society continues to move away from biblical truths, we see our society continue to make good look bad and bad is becoming the new “normal”/ Apply: Continue to feed the good seed to grow strong. Prayer: Lord, we know the harvest is coming and the earth continues to grow more weeds. Give us the water and food to help us grow. March 10, 2025 God pretty much puts it black and white! Leviticus 18 Opinion: God realizes the people are going into a land or have been in a land where sexual immorality is running rampant. In today’s society, how many problems in the family and in the church happen because of sexual immorality? When you look at the list in Lecitus 18, you can imagine or have seen how each one of those has caused problems in the family and in the church and in the community. Many of these bringing a splitting of those units. Apply. Follow the steps and be faithful to God and your spouse. Prayer: Lord, help us to follow your ways. March 8, 2025 A house divide is one of Satan's greatest seeds Scripture:25 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. Opinion: Satan does a good job of this in churches, our families and our friends. He plants seeds. He makes those seeds the most beautiful flowers to some while others feel it is a weed that does not need to be there. Still others could care less what is in the garden as long as they don’t have to deal with it. We see this in our country, our family and our churches right now. If Satan plants problems in our churches, we become too busy fighting with the other side to focus on the Word of God. And many issues are hard to ignore if you are a Christian(abortion, transgender, gay and lesbian). I know”Hate the Sin, but love the sinner). For me, that is a very thin line between loving(and looking like I accept it) and ignoring like it doesn’t exist. We can agree to disagree, but that is not always Biblical truth. Prayer: Lord, Give me wisdom March 7, 2025 I like my house! Scripture Leviticus 13 Opinion: At the end of seven years what we have goes back or goes free. How would that work in this country? In Biblical times, there were those who worked and those who didn’t. Those that worked hard and gained much from their activities of making the land better and improving where they lived had the use of it for seven years. Where would you go at the end of seven years to start again? I am also to give a portion of my success to God from the start1 How is that working today? Those that labored for others, will have freedom at the end of the time. Apply: Not sure! Over the years, with God’s blessing and hard work, we are where we are today and at the end of seven years, start again. March 6, 2025 March 6, 2025 SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 24 Today’s style will be a little different 24 Do not envy the wicked, do not desire their company; THOUGHTS: Congregate with like minded people 2 for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about making trouble. THOUGHTS:: Show me your friends and I will show you your future Saying 213 By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; 4 through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures. Saying 22 5 The wise prevail through great power, and those who have knowledge muster their strength. 6 Surely you need guidance to wage war, and victory is won through many advisers. Saying 23 7 Wisdom is too high for fools; in the assembly at the gate they must not open their mouths. THOUGHTS: Educate Saying 24 8 Whoever plots evil will be known as a schemer. 9 The schemes of folly are sin, and people detest a mocker.THOUGHTS: Congregate and plan to do good Saying 25 10 If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength! THOUGHTS: Put your faith in God11 Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. THOUGHTS: Communicate. Go to the Lord in prayer Saying 26 13 Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste. THOUGHTS: You can be a follower and still enjoy the riches of this life14 Know also that wisdom is like honey for you: If you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off. THOUGHTS: Educate Saying 27 15 Do not lurk like a thief near the house of the righteous, do not plunder their dwelling place; 16 for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes. THOUGHTS: God will help, support and forgive those who follow Him. We will sin and make mistakes, but God forgives and forgets. Saying 28 17 Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice, THOUGHTS: Do not rejoice when someone else falls. There is always someone who is more righteous and upstanding than you. 19 Do not fret because of evildoers or be envious of the wicked, THOUGHTS: I can’t control what others think and do, but I can control how I react. Saying 30 21 Fear the Lord and the king, my son, and do not join with rebellious officials, THOUGHTS: Educate and know what side to fight on Further Sayings of the Wise23 These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judging is not good: THOUGHTS: Be fair. Be consistent We can’t hold others to a higher standard and give them a break because we like them better. 28 Do not testify against your neighbor without cause-- would you use your lips to mislead? 29 Do not say, “I’ll do to them as they have done to me; I’ll pay them back for what they did.” THOUGHTS: Don’t let your actions be driven by anger and revenge. 30 I went past the field of a sluggard, past the vineyard of someone who has no sense; 31 thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins. THOUGHTS: You can’t just buy into salvation by saying the words. You need to cultivate being a follower; Communicate, Educate, and Congregate. 32 I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw: THOUGHTS: COMMUNICATE(PRAYER), EDUCATE(READ YOUR BIBLE), AND CONGREGATE(GET WITH LIKE MINDED PEOPLE) APPLY AND PRAYER: And this Lord, I need to follow and try to live my life by the words given to me today. March 5, 2025 SCRIPTURE Proverbs 23:9 Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge. Matthew 10:22 You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. OPINION: How do you have a relationship with God? One of our catch phrases at the Hope Center is; Communicate(Prayer) Educate( Read the Bible) and Congregate(worship with like minded people). I was asked by one of our kiddos, “How do you know God is talking to you?” After doing a little research and talking with people, I gave him this advice. God will never ask you to go against the teachings of the Bible. Next, learn what the Bible says by reading it. APPLY: Communicate, Educate and Congregate PRAYER: In the days ahead as it becomes more obvious that the lines are being drawn between Believers and nonbelievers, help us to stand strong and have the words to convince others that you are the Way! March 4, 2005 Scripture: Proverbs 22:Do not be one who shakes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts;27 if you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you. Matthew 10:16 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Opinion On my phone I have an app called Prayer.com. I try to view it every morning. Today’s reading was the 12 being sent out to the Promised Land by Moses to check it out. (Interesting number 12). When they came back 10 of the 12 said they could not ever overtake the land and the people in it. Two had faith in the promise God gave to them about the Promised Land. Jesus was sending out 12 to their own people and told them they would encounter hard times and be persecuted because of him. Proverbs today brings up the pledge that many took over the past five weeks to be baptized in his name. Of those baptized are they willing to pay” change their lives” for the pledge they took? Prayer: Lord, I pray for those you send out to share your message and I pray for those who heard it that they receive it, learn it and be protected as they grow closer to you in their relationship. March 2, 2025 Scripture: Matthew 9: 1 - 17 9 Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. 2 Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” 3 At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!” Opinion: Mr. B.’s thoughts: A key to me is in the first verse. It stated he came to his own town. The people of his own town already had a history with him. He was the son of a carpenter. He could not be the person who is doing all of the miracles or being the person who people believe who he is. They have history with him and they know his past. The same thing happens to people who give their life to Jesus and accept Salvation. People around the person know of his/her past. They know what kind of life that person led and it now he/she say they have changed?? It is hard to understand whether that person even deserves a second chance. None of us deserve salvation because we are sinners, but we have that opportunity through Christ dying on the cross for us. We can say we have accepted Christ as our Savior, but as they say, “Action speaks louder than words.” Closing Thoughts Does your daily walk show others how Christ is alive in your life? |
Bible Journaling and S.O.A.P.
Many of the "Bigs" who attend the Hope Center are wanting to learn more about the Bible, but struggle where to start and how to learn. As the Director, I want to share with them and anyone who cares to read my daily scripture reading and my responses. Years ago, I belong to a group of men who would S.O.A.P. on how they learned about the Bible. We would all read the same scriptures then we would follow the guide lines of S.O.A.P. Scripture: Pick a scripture that speaks to you. Opinion: Give your thoughts or opinion on the scripture. A: Applies How does it apply in my life Prayer Pray how it can help you. |