Day 103 Feeding the Five Thousand Matt 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17

Guided reflection:

I have always wondered about this miracle…was the miracle that the 5 loaves and 2 fishes fed 5000 people – like magic?  Or, was the miracle that there was enough there when they were willing to open their pockets and share what they all had, and together they had more than enough?  Either way, this points out the scarcity mentality vs abundance mentality.   Scarcity says there is not enough to go around, I must horde what I have because I might not get any more… abundance flows out of a grateful and generous heart that allows little things to become much when placed in God’s hands… WOW!  Do you have scarcity thinking... or do you approach life with a sense of thanksgiving and generosity?

Guided prayer:

“I want my heart to know your abundance, O God.  But instead I focus on what I don’t have and become greedy and selfish; I focus on the fear that there will not be enough to go around and my fear keeps me from seeing that little becomes much when placed in your hands.  Right now, create in me a heart that is filled with gratitude and open my heart to give myself away for your sake.  Amen” 

Day 102 The Death of John the Baptist Matt 14:3-12; Mark 6:17-29

Guided reflection:

This is the scoop on how John died – read the Mark account for full details. Sounds like something out of a current news item – doesn’t it?  People are still people… folks do not like their evil deeds exposed and usually go after the one who calls a spade a spade and makes that person out to be the bad guy instead of facing their own actions.  Herod’s angry wife got even with John the Baptist…the end result of a drunken orgy was his head on a platter.  He was the one who was a gift to this world – remember Day Two of our lessons?  He was the voice, calling out in the wilderness to prepare the way of the Lord.  I think that God must cry some heavy tears over the choices people make.

Guided Prayer:

“Our hearts are heavy, O Lord, when we read this story and know that this kind of thing goes on even today.   Instead of facing our sins, we focus on others and do all we can to destroy them… and end up destroying ourselves.   Right now we pray for the innocent people who are taking the brunt of other people’s anger.  Save us from ourselves… and help ME face my own issues.  Amen.”

Day 101 - King Herod gets Jesus and John mixed up Matt 14:1-2; Mark 6:14-16; Luke 9:7-9

Guided reflection: 

Poor Herod is not sure what to think… some people are saying that Jesus is the appearance of Elijah from the Old Testament stories but others are saying that he is John the Baptist raised from the dead!

Now, Herod has a problem with that – he had beheaded John the Baptist… and if John is alive again, he figures it will be his head on a platter soon!   “Who Jesus really is” is the buzz in the local diners.  Even today people are asking “Who is this Jesus, really?”  Think about that – what is your answer?

Guided Prayer:

“Loving and giving God, we still ask the question of who this Jesus really is… we cannot wrap our heads around a concept of a person becoming as a child into this world to be a savior.  It does not make sense that love would be behind a cross and an empty tomb.  We accept your Word in faith, believing that Jesus is your precious Son, whom you sent to be the savior of the world… that includes me!  Amen!”

Day 100: The Stilling of the Storm Matt 8:18; Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25

Guided reflection:

Here we are at day 100!  When a president has been in office the media looks back over his 1st 100 days… well, look back at what you have learned and put into practice in your 1st 100 days in learning to observe all the Jesus is teaching you!    Today, the disciples are in a boat and a storm comes up… Jesus is found, unafraid, and calmly taking a nap!  He is not worried, but they wake him up to worry with them!  He just waves his hand at the water and says “Peace, Be still!”   Now, dear one, how many times have you wanted to wake up Jesus to worry with you?  Remember, prayer is not to inform God of your dilemma, but to allow God to change your point of view to God’s point of view.  Jesus is not worried about the storms of your life.  Should you be so anxious?

Guided prayer:

“Oh my, my prayers are really a way to just wring my hands!  How funny is that, O God?  Help me to change the way I pray... so that you have a chance to change my heart so I can see things from your point of view instead of getting you to see things from my point of view!  Help me to stop worrying since Jesus is not!  Amen!”

Day 99: Parable of the householder Matt. 13: 51-52

Guided reflections:

Remember, Jesus is in his leadership development stage for his disciples.  THE MESSAGE puts it this way: “You see how every student well trained in God’s kingdom is like the owner of a general store who can put his hands on anything you need, old or new, exactly when you need it.”   Jesus wants to impart truth to them so they can pull out from within their hearts what they need – an old truth or a new insight… but to be ready to be used because they have taken the time to understand the kingdom.  Jesus still wants that of us… to know and observe all that Jesus taught!  Through this Bible Study, it is my desire that you begin to build up your storehouse with treasures.  Just like you computer, it is all about input and output!  If you have saved your files, they are there to be retrieved when needed!

Guided prayer:

“Keep teaching me, O God.  Help me to begin to develop a heart that is filled with your truth and insight.  Help me to not only have insights in my heart, but help me to keep them in my head as I make decisions about life, and in my hands as I do your work.  Amen.” 

Day 98 Parable of the net Matt: 13:47-50

Guided reflection:

Jesus was in a “heaven or hell” mode on this day.   I am not going to focus on or worry about whether there is an actual hell in which I will burn in torment… but I can choose to live my life is such a way that the eternal sorting team will want to keep what I have done with my life.   If you were on God’s sorting team, would you keep you or toss you back into the lake?  It seems that is not all up to us, but we do own some responsibility on living the truth that we know, or else it will be lost on us.

Guided prayer:

“Loving God, we are not sure about the heaven and burning in hell business, but we are sure about your love.  We want to be worthy of your choosing.  We are responsible for our actions.  So, take my life, just as it is, and do in me what you need to do to make me into the person you dream me to be.  Amen” 

Day 97 Parable of the hidden treasure and the pearl Matt. 13:44-46

Guided reflection: 

Jesus seems to be saying to hold dear to your heart any truth or insight on God’s love that might come your way.   A nugget of truth is like finding a buried treasure in the back yard… or going to garage sales and looking for a particular type of china and one day, after years of searching, find just what you need to complete your set!  Get the idea?  Between the lines I read two thoughts – one:  the sometimes the nuggets of truth are few and far between, so be patient and keep looking.  Two:  when you do find something precious, hold on to it, cherish it, celebrate it… for that matter, throw a party!  For what are you searching?   What has God done in your life that you need to celebrate?  Write me a note or send an email (Lynetteshowsup@aol.com) and I will do the dance of joy with you!  God is good… all the time!

Guided prayer:

“Right now, O God, I stop and just celebrate.  I have a grin on my face and I clap my hands with joy to know that you love me.  That I am not alone… that my sins are forgive… and that I am on a great adventure with you.  Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your kingdom on earth.  Amen.”

(Maybe you can start a list of the “pearls” that have come your way… and celebrate!) 

Day 96 Jesus explains the parable of the weeds Matt 13:36-43

Guided reflection:   

This portion explains the words from day 92.  Have you ever had anyone misunderstand your motives?   Have you ever done something good but it was interpreted as something bad?  It is at those times we have to trust that God knows and that in the end it will all make sense… things will become clear.  That is why we cannot judge.  Nor can we live for other people… it is for Christ that we live and die.  In the big picture, that is all that matters.

Guided prayer:

“Jesus seemed to have a theme going here, O God.  The great commission tells us that we are to learn to observe all the Jesus taught.  We are in the middle of doing just that… help me have eyes to see and ears to hear so that I can be the person you dream for me to be.  Amen” 

Day 95 Why Jesus used parables Matt 13: 34-35; Mark 4:33-34

Guided reflection: 

Jesus must have been a great story teller.  It was even part of an ancient prophecy that the Messiah would speak in parables - not riddles of confusion, but stories of every day things to make a point.

Doing a children’s moment is like trying to create a parable.  Look around you at this moment… your computer, iPod, date book, calendar, pencils… right now, select one item and consider how Christ might use that object to teach you a lesson.. Go ahead!  (Then tell Pastor Charlie your good ones so he can use in a sermon one day!)

Guided prayer:

“Patient teacher, open my eyes to see your insights and lessons all around me.  Help me to keep it simple instead of trying to make the truth of your love for me something complicated.  Don’t give up on me!  Amen.” 

Day 94 Parable of yeast Matt : 33; Luke 13: 20-21

Guided reflection:

Now Jesus’ parable is from the kitchen.  When I make bread, I mix together flour, sugar, salt, and yeast dissolved in water… and if I allow that little ball of dough to sit in a warm area for several hours – do nothing but let it be… it will rise to more than double its size!  The Kingdom is like the yeast (or Leaven) that permeates all the dough and begins to transform and expand it.  Do you see a pattern here in these parables?  GOD does the expanding, the increasing, the developing… all we have to do is yield ourselves to God’s hands and GOD does the work in us!  It is not all up to us!  In our church’s budget, we should have a line called “faith factor”… acknowledging that we plan on God doing more through and in us than we ourselves are capable of doing and being on our own!  Faith is a thrill to see what God is going to do next!  What in your life is going to take God to pull it off?  

Guided prayer:

“Transforming God, keep working in my heart and life.   Help me to see that it is not all up to me… that you never planned on my doing great things for you on my own… you just want my heart to be willing to be a part of the adventure of faith!  What is next for me, O Lord?  Melt me, mold me, fill me, and use me.  Amen”