August 2021 week 2

Friday

Forgive and Forget- Love

Lesson Objective–  To understand  how true love can be affected by true forgetting

Scripture:  Matthew 18: 21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

The Greek word for “forgive” in the New Testament is the word “aphes”, which also means to dismiss or free. So God’s forgiveness is not just about being pardoned from doing something wrong, but also about being released and freed from it. It is a truly life changing experience, True forgiveness means not keeping count and not bringing something up from the past. Saul lost the spirit of God by not seeking true forgiveness and instead blaming others for is mistakes. We must be eager to seek forgiveness and to  forgive with the same eagerness if we are to truly love as God loves us.

Thought for the day:   Remember that you are free from your sin only if you truly and freely forgive

Your humble servant
Joe Summers

 

 

Thursday

Why Worry?

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:6-7

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

 

Lesson Objective: Identify the reason why we should not worry when everyone else says that we should.

 

Worry is said to be natural for most if not all. I would suggest that we worry because we fail to fully understand the power of faith. One cannot say that they have faith and also worry. They do not go together. In life some things go naturally together like peanut butter and jelly or spaghetti and meatballs. Some things are complete opposites like oil and water. Worry and Faith do not go together. Worry will always rise to the top if we allow it to fester in our lives. Just as we can accomplish a lot with a little faith we can also miss our blessings by worrying.  We can be so busy worrying that we miss out on what God has already prepared for us. We either have faith and know that God is in control or we take things into our own hands and worry.

Thought for the day:  Don’t worry be happy. It is your choice.

Wednesday

God in the interrupting business
Proverbs 19:21
Many are the plans in a person’s heart,

but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.
 
I have been watching Mark Lowry who is a gospel singer and comedian, One of his many videos is about interruptions from God. We can plan but God knows best. I am accustomed to asking students what they plan to do after school and many times they say that they do not know. After looking back at my life I now realize that they really do not know. Out best plan is to accept God’s plan for our life. Seek to understand God’s plan and not ours.
 
Thought for the day : God’s interruptions are the best thing that can happen

Monday

What motivates us?
Money ?????
Scripture:  1 Timothy 6: 10  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
In this world businesses use money as the great motivator. Many people believe that the quest for more money will cause people to work harder. The problem with this thought pattern is that external motivating factors like money will only go so far. The only real on ongoing motivation is self motivation.  To realize that whatever we do should be to the glory of God and that we should work as if we are working for God and not man.
Thought for the day:  Do we ever make enough money or do we always want more?