Passage: The Parable of the Sower, A Lamp on a Stand, Jesus' Mother and Brothers, Jesus Calms the Storm, The Healing of a Demon-Possessed Man, A Dead Girl and a Sick Woman
Memory Verse: "If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world" -James 1:26-27
Notes: (v.1-15)Jesus tells the crowd the parable of the sower:
1st SEED: Fell along the path, which was trampled on and eaten by the birds.
These people hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts so that they may not be saved.
2nd SEED: Fell on rock, and withered when the plants came up because it had no moisture.
These people receive the word with joy when they hear it, but have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.
3rd SEED: Fell among thorns, which choked the plants when they grew.
These people hear the word, but they area choked by life's worries, riches, and pleasures.
4th SEED: Fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than what was sown.
These people have a noble and good heart; they hear the word, retain it; and by persevering produce a crop.
When I read this passage, I immediately thought of JAMES 1:23-25 (a memory verse from October, i think), which states: "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. For whoever listens to the word but does not do what it says is like the man who looks at himself in the mirror, and after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do so, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it, he will be blessed in what he does."
That's partly why I also chose the two proceeding verses--v.26-27, as today's memory verse! :)
-(v.16-21) "For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out in the open."
Jesus said, "My mother and brothers are those who hear God's word and put it into practice."
-(v.22-25) Jesus fell asleep when he was in a boat with his disciples. While napping, a storm came and they were in danger. His disciples called out to Jesus, and he rebuked the wind and the raging waters, and asked them where their faith was.
-(v.26-39) Jesus drove out demons from a possessed man, and the demons begged Jesus to cast them into a herd of pigs. (wow!)When the demons came out and went into the pigs, the herd rushed into the lake and drowned. At this, the people were amazed.
-(v.40-56) When Jesus was on his way to heal a sick girl, a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched his cloaked and was healed immediately. Jesus felt the power go from him and asked who touched him. The woman came trembling and told him why she touched him. Jesus was pleased by her faith and told her to go in peace.
He then was notified that the sick girl had died, but he told the people that she was just asleep. Jesus commanded her to get up, and her spirit returned.
I recently saw Jaeson Ma's 365 Days of Love (and a shorter version--31 Days of Love) and was inspired to try and pursue this myself! :)
ACT OF LOVE (ONE): [this is for SATURDAY] I normally don't do many chores around the house, but today I saw that the trash was conveniently full--perfect for me to empty! So I took out the trash and set a new trashbag into the bin for my mom. It felt good.
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