mags

In Jesus' day, what did dogs and pigs have in common? They were the lowest of the low - unclean What would holy food and pearls have in common? The preciousness of both - they are both precious In what kinds of circumstances did believers turn away from a continued sharing of the gospel? They heard yet they did not listen - they were openly preached to yet they didn't want to listen - their hearts were hard. To what kinds of people did they continue their witness? Gentiles - to those who would listen and receive

What about this parable is humorous? The thought of someone with a huge plank sticking out of their eye trying to take a speck out of someone elses eye. I also interpret this as dangerous. Why do you think Jesus compares a speck of sawdust with a plank or beam? To show the dangers of self-righteous attitudes - and to show tht we aren't all that we think we are. What does the speck represent? What does the plank represent? They both represent sins that are blinding us from seeing clearly - we all have that blindness in our eyes but need to seek God to reveal it to us. According to this parable, when is it okay to remove a speck? When is it not okay? It is okay to remove someone elses speck when you have taken care of your own plank. Make sure you have made yourself right first - pray and ask for God's guidance - He will show you what you need to do.

According to Matthew's account, what is our fate if we measure out big heaps of judgment with a critical spirit? God's judgement of us According to Luke's account, how can measuring be both positive and negative? It is the way in which it is done: positive - done in love, following Jesus' example negative - done in judgement What should we measure out instead of judgmentalism? love and blessing

I think we all find ourselves doing this. I think Christians can be the most judgemental of all people - especially in today's society. We seem to place ourselves and our own understandings above others' lives By that I mean we often pass judgement on others without knowing the situation behind. Sometimes, very often, there is a reason or it is that God is working on something else in their lives. We are often blinded to our own weaknesses until they are revealed to us by God. Often the things are drawn to judge are things we struggle with ourselves or are to hide the things we struggle with. In all things we are to show love! Love is the bottom line of everything. We are to be like Jeus and to go in love. God will work on their lives and convict them when they are ready for that conviction. We should always ask God for permission to go to someone to 'reveal' something to them - we need to know that it is what God wants at that time.

Is there humor intended in verse 34? Yes - if you think like that - personally I don't see it as humourous - rather God commanding us to not worry about the future. What is the point of Jesus' joke here? Having the silliness of the day worrying all by itself! ~ without us worrying What is the command in this verse? Not to worry about tomorrow but to live each day as it comes!

What is the command in this verse? Seek first God's Kingdom How must our seeking God differ from our seeking of food and clothing, according to this verse? We should be focused on God - devoting our time to Him. Studying His Word, spending time in prayer. We need to have Him as our first priority and not strive for worldly things first. What is the promise found in this verse? If we seek first God and His Kingdom those other things will be added to us. My God shall supply all my needs.

Why does Jesus mention the "pagans" or "Gentiles" in verse 32? Because they 'run after' the worldly things - self-fullfilment and bettering themselves. They put worldly things and the worry of them ahead of God. What point is he making? Believers should be different to the 'pagans' How should a Christian differ from a Gentile, according to Jesus' teaching in this passage? We shouldn't be like the Gentiles were - we should have one true focus - that is God! We should be different! We shouldn't be worrying about what we can't change - instead we should be handing it over to God in prayer. What emotional and faith effect does the phrase, "your heavenly Father knows that you need them," have in your life? I know that my Lord and King will supply all my needs. Thankfully I am not a real worrier - I do think about things but most of the time I can take it to the Lord and leave it at His feet! He has never let me down! If I am willing to accept His direction and correction then He will help me in all my needs!

How many times in this passage does the phrase "do not worry," "do not be anxious," or "take no thought" occur? 3 In what way does excessive worry border on sin? Excessive worry takes our focus off God and is a sign of little faith. We become focused on that worry instead of the Lord and slowly slip further from His arms. Are worry and trust exact opposites? Yes ~ worry comes from little faith - if we are excessively worrying aobut things we are not trusting in the Lord for direction and guidance.

Jesus is making an important point with these two parables. He is saying that God will provide our needs ~ He loves us and watches us. We shouldn't focus ourselves on money (lack or **** of it). This isn't to say we shouldn't work or try to improve ourselves. We need to keep focus on what's important - God - and money should not take our focus from Him. We should spend our time focusing on Him and the rest will follow - as long as we listen to His prompting!

I can think of many times that God has shown me this. Last year we looked at finances and cried out to God and asked for His help and guidance. He was specific in what He wanted us to do and in a few short months we will be debt free - Praise God!!! We were forcused on making the house better but in the meantime worrying about money. Now our focus is on God and other things are coming - the house but better than that is a deeper, close relationship with our Lord and King! If a person puts money before Christ then yes money can **** a person! HEART ATTITUDE!

I beleive that Jesus isn't saying that we can't seek wealth. He wants us to be debt free and to not owe anyone anything. Once agian it is a heart attitude - if wealth consumes us - that our Christian walk suffers as a result of that seeking then it is sinful. We should be content with what we have, we can still seek more but with an attitude that it isn't at the cost of everything else. 'At what cost?' - a question I like to ask myself and others -> if the cost is less time with family and God is it what He would want for us? Can wealthy people serve God? Of course they can - it isn't about the money it is about the heart attitude.

According to the Bible, how does one "store up treasures in heaven"? By keeping the faith-> being obedient to our Lord and Saviour What advantage does this have over accumulating earthly possessions? It is eternal and is about a relationship with our Lord Why are we uncomfortable with the concept of rewards in heaven? It isn't tangible. We like to see our rewards etc. and we can't see it, we just have to believe -> just like our faith

Jesus is not saying that we should live in poverty and not have anything stored away - he is talking of the heart attitude at which we do it. Do we store it away to help or to advance our status or are we wise in our storing?

What did Jesus condemn him for? Jesus condemned him for his greed - his attitude was one of self-perservation. He was not thinking of the Lord but himself and his relationship with our Lord was not his focus. Storing his harvest? I don't believe that it was the storing of the harvest that was the problem - it was the attitude behind the act. What is the key verse in this passage? 'You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy, eat, drink and be merry.' What is the context of this parable? This parable shows greed and self-centredness that all this person is worried about is themselves, and has forgotten their relationship with God. How does this relate to the Sermon on the Mount? It relates to the Sermon on the Mount because Jesus is preaching about the heavenly treasures that can onkly be stored if we have that relationship with God. If we are focussed on earthly treasures our relationship with God suffers.

Why should we continually ask forgiveness? We are continually sinful and need God's continual forgiveness. We like to think that we aren't sinful but the reality is that we strive for perfection but sin in the process. How can unforgiveness on our part block God's blessing? God's forgiveness comes abundantly if we ask and if we forgive others. We can see in this prayer that God forgives us as we forgive others. How can we expect otherwise? We are to show God's love, grace and mercy to others -> that includes forgiveness, even when they don't ask for it. It is for ourselves, them and God. How can unforgiveness block God's forgiveness? Our unforgiveness of others stops God's blessing upon us -> we must forgive if we are to be considered sons of the Father.

Why do we seek to be independent of asking anyone for help? We strive to be independent and self-sustaining. We don't like to think that we rely on others or need others to function. We are a self-centred people and often our idea of success is having it all, and not needing anyone's help or support. Why do we seek to be independent of God? By striving for that independance (see above) we often take for granted the things that God has given. That ultimately it is where he has place us not where we have gotten on our own. We want to be independent (society's view of success) rahter than dependent. Why should we ask God to "give" us daily bread so long as we can earn a living for ourselves? We need to always ask God for our daily bread because it is He who gives us the ability to work etc. It is through Him that we are who we are with the abilitieis no matter how we perceive them to be -> good, bad or indifferent.

In what sense are we asking that the Father's kingdom should come? We are asking God to manifest the power and glory of His Kingdom in us, and through the world. That Christ might reign as Lord over all. We are also asking God to hasten the return of Jesus to this earth. Why are we asking for the Father's will to be done here on earth? As a disciple of Christ our prayers shouldn't be selfish but in tune with and guided by God's will. How should this prayer affect our living? If we are praying for and living in God's will our lives should be ones that follow his will and we should have 'less of me and more of You'.

What about our lives and words "hallows" the name of our Father? Our lives should be that which exalts the Lord and shows His glory and holiness to others. In everything we say and do our Father should be exalted. As Christians we are ca;;ed tp set pirse;ves a[art amd by doing this we are hallowing the name of our Father. What desecrates and besmirches it? When a Christian uses God's name in vain, as a swear word or common way. It is our responsibility to train our mouths. How should we "hallow" the Father when we begin to pray? We should always exalt Him who is holy and when we begin to pray we should start with the adoration that the Lord our Father deserves.

Prayer is the only way we have to communicate with God - it is talking with Him. (He can speak to us in different ways but prayer is our way to speak to Him.) As with close friends or spouses - often they know what is happening or how you feel about something yet you still talk about it with them - that is important for your relationship. If you didn't talk with them your relationship would soon break down. It is the same with God - it is important for our relationship with our Lord. Once again - it is not all about us, so we are to pray for more than ourselves, we are to submit to God in prayer - offer ourselves to Him.

We are told to pray in secret for a number of reasons - spiritual growth, to illiminate pride, so that we pray fo rhte right motives for God's glory not self-glory. It is about the heart attitude - public prayer goes against Jesus' teaching when it is offered to be thorught of as better by others. When it is self-seeking and after the gratification of men. Flowery prayers hinder the development of disciples because it makes others feel inadequate. Some people can waffle and talk in many words which only makes others feel that they don't know how to pray. It is not what we say so much as if we say it - if we pray.

How does Jesus' teaching here and in 5:42 on giving to the needy influence you and your attitudes towards the poor? I need to remember that we all can be in that situation. That ultimately we are no better - not superiorer to the poor. Jesus had a heart fo rthe poor, it was for them He would often reach to. We need to have that same heart if we want to be more like Jesus. What will you do differently as a result? This is something I am remembering, I am learning all the time and working on myself. I have a different attitude now than I did a year ago and I am relying on God to continue to change my heart toward the poor - especially those who don't really help themselves. What keeps us from giving more to the poor? Is that a good enough reason? Our own situations - not being able to afford it - it is acceptable if the heart is right -> if we aren't trying to 'get ahead' but being obedient to God. However, we can still give our time etc to the poor if we can't give money. We need to be obedient to God's instructions on our lives for any one particular time.

How do the commands in this section relate to "performing for the audience of One"? The commands relate directly to the Audience of One. We aren't to do things for the whole world to see but for God. We aren't to gain glory for what we do but let God's glory shine forth. Once again it is about a heart attitude -> having the right heart attitude is so important to our walk with Christ. "It's not all about me!" "You're not all that!" - no matter what you do! What is the antidote for the chief sin that is addressed here? The more time we spend with Christ (in private) the less our attitudes are to be selfish. We don't hae to hide our time with Christ but we aren't to flaunt it infront of the others as if that is what makes us 'spiritual' or 'superior'. The time we spend with Christ is personal and private, and He will reward us for that. In what ways do churches and non-profit organizations use this sin to motivate people to give? The need for acceptance and our prideful, sinful nature are often used by organisations to appeal for money. The motives of giving should be love but often it is done out of prideful desire so people know that we have given. Money is often placed higher than those people who give so much of their time - secretly - just work away quietly to keep things going.

It shouldn't affect our lives - our lives should be continually lived in that manner - as if Christ will return today. However, often we don't and we become focused on ourselves and our own situations. I belive I wouldn't change a lot as over the last few months I have grown in Him tremondously. However, I would walk, testify with more urgency. I wouldn't ignore His voice as we can try to do when we think it will be too hard. I would spend even more time in the Word and listening to God's voice - more of Him and less of me (something I am striving for everyday)!

Jesus looks at his church with the eyes of a man waiting for his bride. He has love in his eyes, warmth in his heart and face. She is beautifully presented and glowing with her love for him - which strengthens his love for her. He is proud and unashamed, filled with love for her. Jesus loves us so much and loves to see us coming to him, both in the commitment to him and in daily prayer and study. He longs for us to walk unashamed down that isle to Him - with eyes on him while others' eyes are on us.

God saves and sanctifies people such as those mentioned. Through God's grace we can be saved and sanctified. We have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God. It is only through Him that we can be saved - not by what we do as we are a corrupt people. Holy living is important because we need to repent and be saved but then we need to change our ways - it is the heart that God is most interested in and it is our heart attitude that seeks holy living. The corrupt will not enter heaven so we must set ourselves apart.