Luke 10.2 – February 29, 2020

Luke 10.2

He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Luke 10.2, NIV)

Do we include in our prayers a request for people to go and share God with those in the “harvest field?”

Thought Questions:

In your estimation, would you say the harvest is plentiful or sparse? What causes you to think this?

We at times will pray for specific individuals we want to hear about Jesus, but how often do we pray for the people who will take that message to those people?

Someone once said: Don’t ever ask God to do something you are not willing to have him do through you? How willing are YOU to be the harvest worker sharing Jesus with others?

Zephaniah 3.17 – February 25, 2020

Zephaniah 3.17

The Lord your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing.”

(Zephaniah 3:17, NIV)

“To know that the Lord of heaven would sing over even me truly comforts me.”

Thought Questions:

How can you discover God’s presence with you, especially when you might otherwise think of him as far, far away?

What does it mean to you that God is described as a “Mighty Warrior who saves” you?

How much comfort is there for you in knowing that God sings over you, a sign of his love and care for you?

Psalm 100 – February 24, 2020

Psalm 100

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
² Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
³ Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
⁵ For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.

(Psalm 100:1–5, NIV)

Thought Questions:

What reasons do you have to “shout with joy” to the Lord?

What are some ways you can “shout” so that those around you can hear about God’s wonderful deeds? (Beyond simply shouting, obviously!)

In what ways have you seen the Lord’s goodness and ever-lasting love today?

Jeremiah 33.3 – February 22, 2020

Jeremiah 33.3

Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. (Jeremiah 33:3, NIV)

“God reminds us that all we have to do is ask.”

Thought Questions:

If you could sit down face-to-face with God and have a conversation, what sort of questions do you think you might want to ask him?

What things has God shown you that were “great and unsearchable?”

What have you asked for God to reveal to you today?

Psalm 56.3-4, 10-11 – February 21, 2020

Psalm 56.3-4, 10-11

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
⁴ In God, whose word I praise—
in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me? 

¹⁰ In God, whose word I praise,
in the Lord, whose word I praise—
¹¹ in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can man do to me?

(Psalm 56:3-4, 10-11, NIV)

“When we are afraid – mortal man cannot hurt us…”

Thought Questions:

What things make you afraid?

What sort of things do you typically do to alleviate the fears you have? Where would you say you usually put your trust? God? Your own power? The strength of others? What else?

How does the psalmist’s statement that man can do nothing to you reassure you?

John 1.1-18 – February 20, 2020

John 1.1-18

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning. ³ Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ⁴ In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
⁶ There was a man sent from God whose name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. ⁸ He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
⁹ The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. ¹¹ He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. ¹² Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—¹³ children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
¹⁴ The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
¹⁵ (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ”) ¹⁶ Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. ¹⁷ For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and  is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. (John 1:1–18, NIV)

God loves us so much, he had his son come down from heaven and moved into our neighborhood, where he built a house and lived with us to show us God, our Father.

Thought Questions:

We know about Jesus as a human who lived on earth, but how does his divinity affect how you view him and what he accomplished by coming to earth?

In what ways does Jesus’ humanity–his coming to live on earth–cause you to appreciate him all that much more? How do you think you would think of Jesus had he NOT come to earth?

How would you respond to people who say we have never seen God?

Jeremiah 29.11 – February 19, 2020

Jeremiah 29.11

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV)

Regardless of what situation we find ourselves in, God is aware of us and wants his good for us.

Thought Questions:

What words would you use to describe your life when you feel hopeless or without direction? Would you say this is a common feeling for you?

How is your life affected knowing that God wants his good for you?

In what ways do you hope in God?

Philippians 4.13 – February 18, 2020

Philippians 4.13

I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13, NIV)

“I like the fact that it mentions that we can always lean on God.”

Thought Questions:

What sort of things would you like to do for God if you knew that you could not fail in doing so?

When we read through Philippians 4, we discover Paul is focused on being content in any and every situation. How does God’s strength allow us to be content and do “all things” for him?

In what ways have you been strengthened by God?

Zechariah 9.9-17 – February 17, 2020

Zechariah 9.9-17

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
(Zechariah 9:9, NIV)

The coming king comes to us in humility, riding on a donkey (not a powerful stallion!) and brings to us peace.

Thought Questions:

Describe the image one might expect of a conquering king entering into the land he just conquered. How does this compare or contrast to what you see from the passage we read here?

In what ways does Jesus bring peace into your life?

In what ways can your life bring peace to others?

Ephesians 3.20-21 – February 16, 2020

Ephesians 3.20-21

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3.20-21, NIV)

His power! At work in us! And yes, the glory goes to him!

Thought Questions:

If you could do anything for God with your life, what would you want to do? How does it feel to know that whatever you can think of, God can do even better?

How does it change your perspective to know that the life you live is powered by God? In what ways does this help you to think bigger and better than you might otherwise?

In what ways can you glorify God today?