The Pastor’s Blog
Home Study for March 24 through 29, 2014
Monday – Read Ezekiel 34:1-10
According to verse 1, who is speaking here?
Why is this important to know?
How have the human leaders of God’s people failed them/Him?
How would God respond?
How does this passage challenge/encourage you?
How will you respond?
Tuesday – Read Ezekiel 34:11-16
How would God act to meet the needs of His people?
After reading this, who would you rather have as your shepherd?
How can we live as God’s sheep today?
Wednesday – Read Ezekiel 34:17-24
How can we as God’s sheep get in the way of the work He is doing for others?
Verses 23-24 are Messianic prophecies, how did God fulfill these prophesies/promises through Jesus?
How does God continue to fulfill these prophecies?
How does this challenge/encourage you?
How will you respond?
Thursday – Read John 10:1-18
How do these words of Jesus echo the words of God in Ezekiel 34?
What does it mean for us to have Jesus as our “Good Shepherd?”
How do we make and keep Jesus as our “Good Shepherd?”
How does this passage challenge/encourage you?
How will you respond?
Friday – Read Psalm 23:1-6
Make this psalm your prayer today.
Make this psalm a prayer every day.
Friday – Read Matthew 10:1-42
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Home Study March 17th -22nd
Home Study March 17th -22nd
Monday Read- Colossians 2:13-15
Apart from Christ you are considered spiritually dead.
According to verse 15, what has God done to address this?
What did Jesus do to the spiritual rulers and authorities who are against us?
Tuesday Read-1 Peter 1:3-9
According to Peter, why are we to rejoice?
Why does God permit trails in his children’s lives?
How have you responded to suffering in your life?
Wednesday Read- Ephesians 6:10-12
Why are we to put on the whole armor of God?
Who do we wrestle with?
What does “be strong” look like in your life?
Thursday Read- Romans 8:12-17
Who are considered the sons and daughters of God?
Why are those who are led by God’s spirit considered part of his family?
Friday Read-John 3:1-15
What must you do to be born again?
In verse 5 what does Jesus say about entering his kingdom
How can you apply Jesus’s words to your life today?
Saturday Read Matthew 9:35-38
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Home Study for march 10 through 15, 2014
Monday – Read Isaiah 35:1-10
In this Messianic prophecy, what kinds of miracles would the Messiah perform?
How did Jesus fulfill this prophecy?
How does this passage encourage you?
Tuesday – Read Isaiah 42:1-7
How is the Messiah described here?
How did Jesus fulfill that description?
Why is this important?
How does this passage challenge you?
How does it encourage you?
Wednesday – Read Isaiah 61:1-4
As you read this description of what the Messiah would do how does it make you feel?
What do you need Jesus to do in you? Tell Him.
How can you better join Him in His work today?
Thursday – Read Luke 4:14-21
This passage is like a mission statement for Jesus’ ministry.
How did Jesus’ earthly ministry fulfill this statement?
How does His work in the lives of people today continue to fulfill this statement?
As His people, how can we best serve Him to fulfill this statement in the world today?
Friday – Read Romans 10:9-15
How are we saved?
What can we do to help other people come to Jesus?
How does this passage challenge you?
How does it encourage you?
How will you respond?
Saturday – Read Matthew 9:35-38
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Since our 27 month old grandson Jack was a baby he has been riding with me in my pickup, which happens to have a large Oregon State University OS decal in the back window. When he was about 20 months old or so I was dressing Jack in a pair of Oregon State sweat pants and when he noticed the OS emblem on the pants he pointed to it and said “pickup.”
Jack has been wearing Oregon State gear since he was born but now he (and all the rest of us) calls all of his Oregon State gear his pickup clothes. He has pickup shirts, pickup pants, and even pickup rain boots and they are among his favorite clothes to wear.
At a young age Jack made an identification that has changed the way he looks at his wardrobe and has helped make our lives easier as he is always willing to put on pickup clothes.
When we identify with Jesus it changes the way we look at ourselves and our lives. Regarding the way that he identified with Jesus, in Galatians 2:20 Paul wrote; “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Paul realized that by giving his life to Jesus and totally identifying with Him that he no longer lived for himself, but that he had died to himself and now lived for Jesus. With that identification and realization Paul put his own goals, dreams, desires and ambitions aside and lived to follow and serve Jesus, wherever Jesus called him to go and whatever Jesus called him to do. Paul’s total identification with Jesus meant that Jesus was able to work in and through his life so completely that it was as if Jesus Himself was doing the ministry. Which He was as He empowered Paul to serve Him.
With whom or what do you identify? Like Paul, can you say, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me?” What difference does or would this total identification with Jesus make in your life?
Identifying with Jesus, as Paul did, is a continual process, the more we understand of ourselves the more we can give to Jesus as we grow in our understanding of Him. This month spend some time with Jesus growing in your identification with Him and see what He desires to do in and through your life as you follow and serve Him.
God’s Grace and Peace,
Mark
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