Text: Matthew 17:14-21
Synopsis: A man came to Jesus requesting help for his son, who he called a “lunatick” in that he often fell into the fire and into the water. His experience is typical of that of the person who is away from God, in that they are often not in their “right mind” and therefore often find themselves burned by people and circumstances and drowning in their situation.
Text: Matthew 14:19
Synopsis: Throughout the Bible we see a pattern of blessing, breaking, and giving. Joseph was blessed, then broken as a slave and in prison, then given back to the world as a blessing. Moses was blessed in Pharaoh’s house, then broken as an exile, then given back to Israel as their deliverer. God often allows us to be broken so that we can be given back as an even greater blessing to our world. Job was blessed, then broken, then given back to the world as an example of perseverance and faith. The supreme example is Jesus, who was blessed, then broken, then given back to the world as a Savior.
Text: Hebrews 5:12
Synopsis: In the academic world, students attend college for a period of time after which they usually leave academia to enter the workforce. In other words, they apply what they have learned in the classroom. All too often, however, Christians spend years and years sitting on church pews, learning how to live the Christian life and how to be a witness to others, yet many never move beyond this level into actually going into the world and applying what they have learned.
Text: John 4:7, 19-24
Synopsis: True worshipers will worship God in both spirit and truth. Worshiping Him in spirit involves being sensitive enough to listen to His voice and respond when He speaks.
Text: Psalm 27:1-5
Synopsis: The Scriptures speak of hiding in the shelter of God’s pavilion and seeking His face. We are living in a generation in which seeking the face of God has never been more important.