Read this carefully - we have no excuses...
1 Corinthians 10
13 The temptations in your life
are no different from what others experience.
And God is faithful.
He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand.
When you are tempted,
he will show you a way out
so that you can endure.
Is this an astoundingly remarkable verse, or what?!
1 Corinthians 9
19 Even though I am a free man with no master,
I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ.
20 When I was with the Jews,
I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ.
When I was with those who follow the Jewish law,
I too lived under that law.
Even though I am not subject to the law,
I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law.
21 When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law,
I too live apart from that law
so I can bring them to Christ.
But I do not ignore the law of God;
I obey the law of Christ.
22 When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness,
for I want to bring the weak to Christ.
Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone,
doing everything I can to save some.
23 I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.
24 Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs,
but only one person gets the prize?
So run to win!
25 All athletes are disciplined in their training.
They do it to win a prize that will fade away,
but we do it for an eternal prize.
26 So I run with purpose in every step.
I am not just shadowboxing.
27 I discipline my body like an athlete,
training it to do what it should.
Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.
This is Jesus speaking here...
Matthew 11
28 “Come to me,
all you who are weary and burdened,
and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you
and learn from me,
for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
1 Corinthians 6
1 When one of you has a dispute with another believer,
how dare you file a lawsuit
and ask a secular court to decide the matter
instead of taking it to other believers!
2 Don’t you realize that someday we believers will judge the world?
And since you are going to judge the world,
can’t you decide even these little things among yourselves?
3 Don’t you realize that we will judge angels?
So you should surely be able to resolve ordinary disputes in this life.
4 If you have legal disputes about such matters,
why go to outside judges who are not respected by the church?
5 I am saying this to shame you.
Isn’t there anyone in all the church who is wise enough to decide these issues?
6 But instead, one believer sues another—right in front of unbelievers!
7 Even to have such lawsuits with one another is a defeat for you.
Why not just accept the injustice and leave it at that?
Why not let yourselves be cheated?
8 Instead, you yourselves are the ones who do wrong
and cheat even your fellow believers.
(Ok - what do y'all think about this statement by Paul?)
Matthew 9
9 As Jesus was walking along,
he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth.
“Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him.
So Matthew got up and followed him.
10 Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other notorious sinners. 11 But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?”
12 When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” 13 Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”
Matthew 8
18 When Jesus saw the crowd around him,
he instructed his disciples to cross to the other side of the lake.
19 Then one of the teachers of religious law said to him,
“Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”
20 But Jesus replied,
“Foxes have dens to live in,
and birds have nests,
but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.”
21 Another of his disciples said,
“Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.”
22 But Jesus told him,
“Follow me now.
Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead.”
Psalm 73
1 Truly God is good to Israel,
to those whose hearts are pure.
2 But as for me, I almost lost my footing.
My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone.
3 For I envied the proud
when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.
4 They seem to live such painless lives;
their bodies are so healthy and strong.
5 They don’t have troubles like other people;
they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else.
6 They wear pride like a jeweled necklace
and clothe themselves with cruelty.
7 These fat cats have everything
their hearts could ever wish for!
8 They scoff and speak only evil;
in their pride they seek to crush others.
9 They boast against the very heavens,
and their words strut throughout the earth.
10 And so the people are dismayed and confused,
drinking in all their words.
11 “What does God know?” they ask.
“Does the Most High even know what’s happening?”
12 Look at these wicked people—
enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply.
13 Did I keep my heart pure for nothing?
Did I keep myself innocent for no reason?
14 I get nothing but trouble all day long;
every morning brings me pain.
15 If I had really spoken this way to others,
I would have been a traitor to your people.
16 So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper.
But what a difficult task it is!
17 Then I went into your sanctuary, O God,
and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked.
18 Truly, you put them on a slippery path
and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction.
19 In an instant they are destroyed,
completely swept away by terrors.
20 When you arise, O Lord,
you will laugh at their silly ideas
as a person laughs at dreams in the morning.
21 Then I realized that my heart was bitter,
and I was all torn up inside.
22 I was so foolish and ignorant—
I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.
23 Yet I still belong to you;
you hold my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
leading me to a glorious destiny.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
I desire you more than anything on earth.
26 My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
but God remains the strength of my heart;
he is mine forever.
27 Those who desert him will perish,
for you destroy those who abandon you.
28 But as for me, how good it is to be near God!
I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter,
and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.
