WATCHWORD:
“And who is my neighbor?” 30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[e] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”. Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:29b-37 Continue reading
WATCHWORD:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.[a] Because of the joy[b] awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people;[c] then you won’t become weary and give up. 4 After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin. 5 And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children?[d] He said, “My child,[e] don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you.6 For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”[f]7 As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Hebrews 12:1-7, Proverbs 3:12. Continue reading
WATCHWORD:
Time for fun, smiles and a giggle or two. Let’s start with this:
How well God must like you—you don’t hang out at Sin Saloon,
you don’t slink along Dead-End Roads,
you don’t go to Smart-Mouth College.
Psalm 1:1 The Message
Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart;
for God has already accepted your works. Ecclesiastes 9:7 Continue reading
WATCHWORD:
9 Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. 10 If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. 11 Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? 12 A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Continue reading
WATCHWORD:
Then the word of God came to him: “So Elijah, what are you doing here?” 10 “I’ve been working my heart out for the God-of-the-Angel-Armies,” said Elijah. “The people of Israel have abandoned your covenant, destroyed the places of worship, and murdered your prophets. I’m the only one left, and now they’re trying to kill me.” 11-12 Then he was told, “Go, stand on the mountain at attention before God. God will pass by.” A hurricane wind ripped through the mountains and shattered the rocks before God, but God wasn’t to be found in the wind; after the wind an earthquake, but God wasn’t in the earthquake; and after the earthquake fire, but God wasn’t in the fire; and after the fire a gentle and quiet whisper.13-14 When Elijah heard the quiet voice, he muffled his face with his great cloak, went to the mouth of the cave, and stood there. A quiet voice asked, “So Elijah, now tell me, what are you doing here?”. 1 Kings 19:8-13 Continue reading
WATCHWORD:
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up,
just as you are already doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11
But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31
I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2 Continue reading
WATCHWORD:
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6
Be still and know that I Am God. Psalm 46:10a Continue reading
WATCHWORD:
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them. 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” Acts 2:1-6,12 Continue reading
WATCHWORD:
Communion —
23b The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. 27 So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 1 Corinthians 11:23b-28 NIV Continue reading
WATCHWORD:
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you, he will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6
Moses was a great man; one of the greatest to ever walk this earth. But Moses was not irreplaceable. God being with them, Israel was in good hands, with or without Moses. God’s word, through Moses to Joshua, was: Be strong and of good courage. That was spoken nearly 3300 years ago, but it applies now, to our nation and to us, as individual believers in Christ. It is time that we take courage in the Lord and not fear nor be dismayed. God has not abandoned us. Continue reading
WATCHWORD:
We all come with unveiled face,
beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord,
being transformed into the same image from glory to glory,
just as by the spirit of the Lord.
2 Cor 3:18
In another letter from Paul, 2 Corinthians 5:7, we read that we live by faith, not by sight, or circumstances, or by only bad days, crisis points, or those times when we don’t know where to turn. We are called to live by faith every moment of every day, and to rebuff the distractions that pull us away from our Lord. Continue reading
WATCHWORD:
He Is Your Life — So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective. Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life—even though invisible to spectators—is with Christ in God. He is your life. When Christ (your real life, remember) shows up again on this earth, you’ll show up, too—the real you, the glorious you. Meanwhile, be content with obscurity, like Christ. Colossians 3:1-4 Message Version Continue reading
