A student once told me that he has never regretted reading the bible…only not reading it!
WHAT DO THOSE NUMBERS MEAN? How to Navigate the Bible
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Practices to practice Accountability
Investing in our relationship with Jesus can feel like crawling up a working waterslide‌ challenging and awkward. It is best to engage in the adventure with some friends. Pick an accountability buddy and call or text each other on the days you read and tell them what you learned. You will inspire and encourage each other in your relationships with Christ.
Control Your Words
A lot of words fly out of our mouths every day. At times they are careless. Instead, be very aware of the words that come to mind and filter out unnecessary or hurtful words before they come out.
Unplug & Memorize
Pick at least a one hour chunk of time each day to unplug from internet, phone, video games, television, and music. Spend some of that hour memorizing Luke 19:10.
Gratitude
Each day, identify the things in your life that God has given you that you are grateful for and thank Him.
Prayer Walk
Take 10-15 minutes to go for a walk around your neighborhood. As you walk, talk to God. Tell Him about your life. Ask Him to forgive you. He gave up everything for you and, like a loving father, He wants to talk with us.
Q&A: We want to hear your questions about a passage or a thought that a passage triggers. Post your question on the Edge or Encounter facebook page, text your question to 508-657-4028, or email scottm@cornwallchurch.com. The first person to ask a question gets a prize!
Booklet Intro: “Deserve” Defined: to do something or have or show qualities worthy of reward. We feel we deserve and try to earn a lot of things today, don’t we? Grades. Allowance. Respect. Popularity. A spot on a team. Acceptance. Love. Sometimes we even try to do things to deserve God’s love, attention, and acceptance. Bad news: that’s impossible. Great news: love, attention, acceptance, forgiveness, grace and much more are undeserved, but freely given gifts.
Week 1 Week 1, Day 1 - Undeserving, but Invited Pray God, you are so generous and kind to me and I really don’t deserve that. Thank you so much. Please teach me about who you are through the parts of Luke that I will be reading this month. Amen. Questions to Ask In this passage did these guys do anything to deserve the honor of following Jesus? (This was an incredible honor in Jesus day. Kids and families longed to be discipled by a rabbi, a Jewish religious leader.)
What was their response to Jesus invitation?
What does “follow Jesus” mean to you? How do you live differently because you follow Jesus?
What questions do you have?
Practice to Practice Accountability - Text your accountability friend and tell them something God taught you through Luke 5:1-11.
Week 1, Day 2 - Jesus is Different Pray Father God, please teach me from your word. Amen. Read Luke 5:27-32 Questions to Ask Tax collectors were known as thieves. What did Levi do to deserve Jesus’ attention and invitation? Do the religious teachers respect Jesus’ decision to hang out with the undeserving?
What is his response?
What is your response, what would you do in that situation?
Questions? Facebook, text, or email them.
Practice to Practice Accountability - Text your accountability friend and ask them what God taught them through Luke 5:27-32, then share what you learned.
Week 1, Day 3 Family Time
Take 5 minutes (or more if you want) to spend time talking to God together. P – Praise: God you are great because… R – Repent: God I am sorry for…Please forgive me…Help me to resist this temptation A – Ask: God I need you to… Y – Yield: God I trust these things to you. May your will be done. Then take a minute to be still and listen.
Week 2 Week 2, Day 1 - From Leprous to Healthy Pray LORD, I want to learn more about you. Please grow my understanding of you as I read about Jesus. Amen Read Luke 5:12-16 People interacted with lepers (people with a skin disease called leprosy) the way many would interact with a homeless person today—with uncertainty, great caution, and distance. Questions to Ask Did the leper do anything to deserve Jesus’ healing?
How did Jesus respond to the man’s request?
Is there something in your life that you want to ask Jesus to help or heal?
Questions? Bring ‘em. We want to hear them.
Practice to Practice Control Your Words - Eat your words. What I mean is, when a mean-spirited or sarcastic comment comes to your mind, don’t let it come out of your mouth. Eat your words.
Week 2, Day 2 - Don’t Cry, Get Up Pray You are so good, God. Please make my understanding of this fresh. Amen. Read Luke 7:11-16 Questions to Ask What prompts Jesus to act in this woman’s life?
Does she do something to deserve this miracle?
Is there something that is really hard in your family, at school, or on your team that you need God to help with? Tell Him what you need.
We would be super excited to hear your questions.
Practice to Practice Control Your Words - Warm and fuzzy. Words are powerful. Kind words make us feel warm and fuzzy. Make at least one person feel warm and fuzzy today.
Week 2, Day 3 - Doubt in the Darkness Family Time Pray LORD, please forgive us for the times that we doubt what you are capable of doing in our lives and your ability to meet our needs. Please grow our faith through what we are about to read. Amen. Read Luke 8:22-25 Questions to Ask Ok, you are on the boat, the waves are rocking your world, the wind is blowing so hard you can barely hear each other say a thing, and Jesus is sleeping in the back of the boat (cause He’s a cool kid). What are you thinking, saying, screaming, and feeling?
How does Jesus respond to the doubt his disciples demonstrate?
Did they deserve the miracle?
How does this affect how you go through the “storms” (hard times) you are in right now or will be in some day?
Practice to Practice Control Your Words - In a family, as in pretty much every other relationship in our lives, it can become second nature to let our words be marked with negativity. Ephesians 4:29 says that we are called to use our words to build others up, rather than tear them down. Take a few minutes to build each other up with your words. Be sure to not just notice the things others do, but share what you appreciate about who they are.
Week 2, Day 4 Pray Take 5 minutes (or more if you want) to spend time talking and listening to God. P – Praise: God you are great because… R – Repent: God I am sorry for…Please forgive me…Help me to resist this temptation A – Ask: God I need you to… Y – Yield: God I trust these things to you. May your will be done. Then take a minute to be still and listen.
Week 3 Week 3, Day 1 - Give Me Your Money Pray God, please open my eyes to the way I have turned my back on you, and have decided to live the way I want rather than the way you want. Amen. Read 15:11-16 Questions to Ask How do you think your parent would feel and respond if you told them that you wished they were dead because you just wanted their money?
This is what the son is saying in this passage. What kind of response do you think he deserves?
Write down a time that you chose to do the wrong thing, knowing it was wrong and knowing it would not honor God?
What kind of response do you think you deserve…I didn’t say hope for…what do you deserve?
Hit us with your questions!
Practice to Practice Unplug & Memorize - Sometimes when we break a habit that keeps us busy, it can be unnerving even if it’s only for one hour. It leaves us feeling uncomfortable. However, it can be very life-giving. Take an hour and unplug. During that hour, spend some time memorizing Luke 19:10. Two things I do to help me memorize a verse are: 1. Read it a couple of times 2. Write it down to see if I remember it.
Week 3, Day 2 - Homeward Bound Pray Father, please forgive me for my sin, for the times I live the way I want to rather than the way you command me to live. Stretch my understanding of your love through this part of the Bible. Amen. Read Luke 15:17-21 Questions to Ask Did the son deserve his Father to welcome him home as his son?
The father in this story is meant to reflect our heavenly Father. Describe God the Father based on his interaction with the son in this story.
At times, we feel like we need to deserve or earn God’s love, especially after we do something dumb. However, all we need to do is turn toward Him and we will find that He is running in our direction, stoked about giving us a bear hug and saying, “Welcome home.” Do you need to turn to Him and say “I love you, and I am sorry”?
What questions do you have about the son, the father, this story, the Bible in general, etc.?
Practice to Practice Unplug & Memorize - Stop listening, watching, searching for one hour. Enjoy living unplugged. It is surprisingly quite nice. During your hour, spend some time memorizing Luke 19:10.
Week 3, Day 3 - All-Out Celebration Family Time Pray Thank you, God, for this time together to look at your Word. Please teach us and grow us through this time. Help us to grow as a family, to be a family that honors you, and a family that demonstrates the love of Jesus Christ in our lives every day. Amen. Read Luke 15:22-27 & 31-32 Questions to Ask If we celebrate what we care about in our lives, then what does the father care about in this story?
How do you react to the statement: “Your heavenly father celebrates you?”
Who do you know, a friend from school or a family member perhaps, who does not have a relationship with Jesus Christ? Take a minute and pray for them, that they would see this radical, crazy love that God has for us.
Practice to Practice Unplug & Memorize - Share with your family the verse you have been working on memorizing. Then perhaps as a family, during the unplugged hour you can do something to celebrate something in life. God’s goodness, your closeness as a family, an achievement…whatever it is, celebrate!
Week 3, Day 4 Take 5 minutes (or more if you want) to spend time talking and listening to God. P – Praise: God you are great because… R – Repent: God I am sorry for…Please forgive me…Help me to resist this temptation A – Ask: God I need you to… Y – Yield: God I trust these things to you. May your will be done. Then take a minute to be still and listen.
Week 4 Week 4, Day 1 - Father, Forgive Them Pray Fathe,r thank you for sending Jesus Christ to this earth to show us who you are and how we are created to live. Thank you for how generous you are to us even though we don’t deserve anything from you. Please open me up and help me see how absolutely incredible you are. Amen. Read Luke 23:32-43 Being crucified is a torturous way to die; it was used by Rome as a way to execute criminals. Nails the size of railroad ties are hammered through each wrist and through the ankle bones, fastening you to a wooden cross. The cross is then hoisted vertically and you hang on the cross in excruciating pain from your wounds, until finally you suffocate to death.. Questions to Ask How are many of the people watching Jesus’ crucifixion acting toward Him? What does their behavior deserve?
What does Jesus’ response tell us about who He is?
How does this shape the way you will respond to others when they are being mean to you?
Questions?
Practice to Practice Gratitude - Write down 3 people you are grateful for in your life and why you appreciate them.
Week 4, Day 2 - Deep Darkness Pray Father, open my eyes to the reality of the cross. To the insane sacrifice you made for me. For all mankind. Because you love us with a never-stopping, allconsuming love. Amen. Read Luke 23:44-49 When we sin, living however we want, we are telling our God that we don’t care what He thinks or wants or commands us to do, we only care about ourselves. I don’t know about you, but I still am guilty of sin every day, even when I try hard to avoid it. Sin demonstrates that we don’t and can’t possibly deserve or earn God’s love. Yet He sent Jesus Christ to die for us so we can have a relationship with Him. That is amazing love. Questions to Ask What is the Roman guard’s reaction to seeing Jesus Christ hanging dead on the cross? What do you think made him say that?
What is your response to knowing that Jesus chose to die for you though you don’t and can’t ever deserve it?
Have questions about Jesus’ death on the cross? Send ‘em our way! We would love to answer them.
Practice to Practice Gratitude - What are 3 of God’s characteristics that you are thankful for?
Week 4, Day 3 - Fully Dead Family Time Pray Father, please make the sacrifice that Jesus made for us very real to our hearts and our minds. Help us to live sacrificially as a family and to serve one another and our community with the love you lavish on us. Amen. Read Luke 23:50-56 Questions to Ask It appears that Jesus failed, He is dead after all, but Joseph and some women do not leave Him. What do you learn from this for your life?
Sometimes less is more. Simply ask: “How would I feel if I was Joseph or one of the women?” They believed Jesus was the One they had been waiting for, the One who would rescue them. And now he’s dead. Now what?
Think about a time you stood up for something you believed in. What kinds of thoughts and feelings went through your head? If you had the choice, would you do it again?
Questions, por favor!
Practice to Practice Gratitude - Jesus never leaves us or ignores us, even when life is hard, when we fail the test, when friends leave, when _____________. We can still thank God in those times. It’s challenging but possible. Take time to thank Jesus for meeting your needs in those difficult times. Share with each other a specific example. (John 1:16 & James 1:17 tell us that everything that is truly good in our lives are gifts from Him.)
Week 4, Day 4 Take 5 minutes (or more if you want) to spend time talking and listening to God. P – Praise: God you are great because… R – Repent: God I am sorry for…Please forgive me…Help me to resist this temptation A – Ask: God I need you to… Y – Yield: God I trust these things to you. May your will be done. Then take a minute to be still and listen.
Week 5 Week 5, Day 1 - He Gone! Pray LORD, you are amazing. You are so big, so powerful, yet personal and so caring. You know me, love me, you even died for me. Thanks that you didn’t stay dead. Amen. Read Luke 24:1-8 Questions to Ask Try to put yourself in the women’s place. A lot has just happened in 24 hours or less. They saw Jesus die on the cross, get taken off the cross and wrapped in cloth, placed in the tomb, and now the tomb is empty. What might you be thinking or feeling?
Jesus defeated death. What does that teach us about who He is?
The whole death and resurrection thing is something that can be hard to understand…only one has physically done it! Not exactly common. Try to put your questions to words and then tell us those words!
Practice to Practice Prayer Walk - Take time to just tell God what you have been thinking about, what you are excited about, happy about, stressing about, anxious about, or worrying about.
Week 5, Day 2 - Fully Alive Pray God, please help what I am about to read speak to my heart in a new and fresh and powerful way. Amen. Read Luke 24:36-39 Questions to Ask Did anyone in the room do something to deserve Jesus’ visit?
Why do you think Jesus visited His friends and showed them His hands and feet?
How do you need Jesus to show up and show you His resurrection power in your life now? Are you discouraged or struggling because of something or a friendship in your life that isn’t going the way you want? What do you need our risen God, who in His power defeated death, to do in your life?
Do you have questions? …I hope you do and I hope you have the courage to ask them!
Practice to Practice Prayer Walk - Ask God how He wants you to live differently as evidence that He is God and that He is alive and well.
Week 5, Day 3 Family Time Pray Read Luke 23:50-56 Vocab Check Repentance: the action of repenting; sincere regret or remorse Forgiveness: the action or process of forgiving or being forgiven Questions to Ask Why did Jesus come?
Now think about how you would explain this to a friend who does not believe in Jesus and asks, “You believe in Jesus, right? Why did He come?”
Have you asked a friend what they believe about Jesus? If so, how did that go and who will you talk to next? If not, why not? How can we talk to friends or family members who do not believe in Him?
After Jesus ascended into heaven what did the disciples do? Why do you think they did that? Perhaps it’s because they accepted an undeserved and awesome gift, no strings attached.
Practice to Practice Prayer Walk - Walk around your neighborhood together and take turns praying aloud—no, you won’t look crazy, it will just look like you’re talking to each other. Pray for your neighbors who don’t know this Undeserved love that God so freely lavishes on us to be. Pray that they are open to learn about this love and to accept Jesus Christ as their LORD and savior.