October 31 - November 6

Welcome to Confident in This, a blog designed especially for FpStudents, although everyone is welcome!  Please join us each morning for a guided quiet time!

Thursday, October 31st

Worship: Click here to listen to today's worship song.

Jesus used parables to teach us about God and His kingdom. Why would he complicate things and not just tell it to us straight? Well… God always has a plan and His teachings are no different.  Everyone loves a good story, and stories are more memorable than lecture content. Jesus wanted his listeners engaged, and he wanted us to THINK not just hear a message.

Definition of parable: a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson, as told by Jesus.

Jesus used parables in response to situations, problems, or attitudes he encountered. It is important to remember these stories also apply to our lives today! The Bible is not a history lesson; it is filled with current events!

Pray: Thank God for His awesome presence in your life.  Praise Him for your blessings and the daily provisions He supplies. Thank Him for His grace and unfaltering love. Ask Him to use you for His purpose and His glory. Ask Him to make you more like Christ.

This week, we will look at different parables and apply them to our lives. Pray that God will open your heart and mind to understand His teachings and help use them in your daily walk.

Review: This week's focus passage for FpStudents is Philippians 3:7-11.  Look over and pray about your notes from this week.

Friday, November 1st

Worship: Click here to listen to today's worship song.

Read: The Parable of the Two Sons

Matthew 21: 28-32

28 “What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. 30 And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.

Think:

In this parable, Jesus is rebuking the Jewish leaders, but let’s look at it today…

You can’t just talk the talk; You gotta walk the walk! Everyone, no matter their background, their dirty past, or their self-proclaimed righteous path, can simply say they believe and enter heaven. It takes repentance and faith. No one is perfect. What would we be without Christ?

Pray: Thank God for His awesome presence in your life.  Praise Him for your blessings and the daily provisions He supplies. Thank Him for His grace and unfaltering love. Ask Him to make you a doer of the word.

James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

Review: This week's focus passage for FpStudents is Philippians 3:7-11.  Look over and pray about your notes from this week.

Saturday, November 2nd

Worship: Click here to listen to today's worship song.

Read: The Parable of the Persistant Widow

Luke 18: 2-8

2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

Think: Persistence- firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition.

Jesus teaches us to pray continuously. When the world presents troubles, we seem to turn to God more easily. In times of need, we ask for healing, comfort, or guidance. But we need to ask for God’s guidance and protection DAILY.  Satan does not stop working when the sun is shining, the bank account is in the black, or our bellies are full. Pray continuously knowing that you are not talking to an unjust judge like the widow, but the most Righteous judge. God answers prayers even when we do not know the answers. Persistence in prayer is evidence of faith.

Pray: Thank God for His awesome presence in your life.  Praise him for your blessings and the daily provisions He supplies. Thank Him for His grace and unfaltering love. Ask Him to help you trust in Him. Ask him to give you patience and persistence in your prayers.

Review: This week's focus passage for FpStudents is Philippians 3:7-11.  Look over and pray about your notes from this week.

Sunday, November 3rd

Worship: Click here to listen to today's worship song.

Read: The Parable of the Ten Virgins

Matthew 25: 1-13

“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

Think: Are you ready? In this parable, Jesus is answering the disciples’ request for what sign to look for to show the Lord’s coming. Are you the wise virgin prepared for Christ? Jesus tells us to be ready at all times. Hmmm… I know there are words coming out of my mouth in times of anger that I would not want to be my last. I know I have selfish behaviors I would not to be my last actions. And Oh my thoughts, they are not always Christ-like. I have to consistently work on improving my words, actions, and thoughts. Thankfully, I do not have to do it alone.

Pray: Thank God for His awesome presence in your life.  Praise him for your blessings and the daily provisions He supplies. Thank Him for His grace and unfaltering love. Ask Him to continue to mold you. Ask Him to remove the satan-like qualities of anger and greed and increase the Christ-like qualities of love and patience.

Review: This week's focus passage for FpStudents is Philippians 3:7-11.  Look over and pray about your notes from this week.

Monday, November 4th

Worship: Click here to listen to today's worship song.

Read: The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree

Luke 13: 6-9

6 And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’ 8 And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. 9 Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”

Think: How many times have you fallen short? I have lost count, and I do not pretend that I will not fall short again.  The truth is, we ALL need God’s grace. The truth is, we should ALL be cut down, but Christ died for us, so we could have more time to bear fruit. Our fruit does not save us, but God does care about our fruit.

Pray: Thank God for His awesome presence in your life.  Praise him for your blessings and the daily provisions He supplies. Thank Him for His grace and sacrifice. Thank Him for his patience. Ask Him to help you bear good fruit. Ask Him to help you apply His word to your life.

Review: This week's focus passage for FpStudents is Philippians 3:7-11.  Look over and pray about your notes from this week.

Tuesday, November 5th

Worship: Click here to listen to today's worship song.

Read: The Parable of the Lost Sheep

Luke 15:4-7

4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Think: Anybody have any experience with sheep? Unfortunately, I do… I grew up with horses, but at one point my mom wanted sheep. They are not the brightest animals.  They tend to wander, get lost, hurt, trapped in fences, etc. Yikes, that’s what we are being compared to! Let’s be honest, we are weak, we stray, and we often make bad choices. But, oh how my mom loved those sheep! She would walk the fields to search for them, call them to eat with the sing-song word “lamby-pies”, and stay in the cold barn to care for them. God loves us even more than that! Jesus is our shepard and He seeks us daily. He celebrates the moments when we return to Him and repent.

Pray: Thank God for His awesome presence in your life.  Praise him for your blessings and the daily provisions He supplies. Thank Him for His grace and unfaltering love. Ask Him to use you for His purpose and His glory. Ask Him for guidance so you do not stray.

Review: This week's focus passage for FpStudents is Philippians 3:7-11.  Look over and pray about your notes from this week.

Wednesday, November 6th

Worship: Click here to listen to today's worship song.

Read: The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

Matthew 18: 21-35

21 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.  23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

Think: "To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you." ― C.S. Lewis

Forgive with sincerety. Why do we expect God to forgive us, yet we struggle to forgive others? We hold grudges and express bitterness toward those who wrong us or even just annoy us. As we apply God’s word in our lives, we must allow forgiveness to be part of our character. It may not be easy, but it is God’s expectation for us.

Pray: Thank God for His awesome presence in your life.  Praise him for your blessings and the daily provisions He supplies. Thank Him for His forgiveness. Ask Him to help you forgive others. Ask Him to take away the bitterness and anger.  Ask Him to make you more like Christ.

Review: This week's focus passage for FpStudents is Philippians 3:7-11.  Look over and pray about your notes from this week. 

This week's graphic from thebricktestament.com.