Posts tagged: mens-group Archive

Men’s Group - Week 36

2026-09-25T06:00:00Z

Week 36 — September 20 – 26, 2026

Meeting: Friday, September 25 October 5 #

Memory Verse: Psalm 119:9, 11 #

Psalm 119:9, 11

How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it with Your word.
I have hidden Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You.

Readings #

Day 1: Matthew 24:32-51 & John 17
Day 2: Matthew 26:35-27:31
Day 3: Matthew 27:32-66
Day 4: Luke 23:26-56
Day 5: John 19

Day 1 — Matthew 24:32-51 & John 17 #

Matthew 24:32-51

Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its branches become tender and sprout leaves, you know that summer is near.
So also, when you see all these things, you will know that He is near, right at the door.
Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.
But about that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of Man.
For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark.
And they were oblivious, until the flood came and swept them all away. So will it be at the coming of the Son of Man.
Two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left.
Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.
Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day on which your Lord will come.
But understand this: If the homeowner had known in which watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.
For this reason, you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.
Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household, to give the others their food at the proper time?
Blessed is that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.
Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
But suppose that servant is wicked and says in his heart, ‘My master will be away a long time.’
And he begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards.
The master of that servant will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not anticipate.
Then he will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

John 17

After Jesus had spoken these words, He looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You.
For You granted Him authority over all people, so that He may give eternal life to all those You have given Him.
Now this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.
I have glorified You on earth by accomplishing the work You gave Me to do.
And now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world existed.
I have revealed Your name to those whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours; You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.
Now they know that everything You have given Me comes from You.
For I have given them the words You gave Me, and they have received them. They knew with certainty that I came from You, and they believed that You sent Me.
I ask on their behalf. I do not ask on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those You have given Me; for they are Yours.
All I have is Yours, and all You have is Mine; and in them I have been glorified.
I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, protect them by Your name, the name You gave Me, so that they may be one as We are one.
While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name You gave Me. Not one of them has been lost, except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.
But now I am coming to You, and I am saying these things while I am in the world, so that they may have My joy fulfilled within them.
I have given them Your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.
I do not ask that You take them out of the world, but that You keep them from the evil one.
They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.
As You sent Me into the world, I have also sent them into the world.
For them I sanctify Myself, so that they too may be sanctified by the truth.
I am not asking on behalf of them alone, but also on behalf of those who will believe in Me through their message,
that all of them may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I am in You. May they also be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.
I have given them the glory You gave Me, so that they may be one as We are one—
I in them and You in Me—that they may be perfectly united, so that the world may know that You sent Me and have loved them just as You have loved Me.
Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am, that they may see My glory, the glory You have given Me because You loved Me before the foundation of the world.
Righteous Father, although the world has not known You, I know You, and they know that You sent Me.
And I have made Your name known to them and will continue to make it known, so that the love You have for Me may be in them, and I in them.”

Stands out #

36. But about that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
37. As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of Man.
38. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark.
39. And they were oblivious, until the flood came and swept them all away. So will it be at the coming of the Son of Man.

---

44. For this reason, you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.
45. Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household, to give the others their food at the proper time?
46. Blessed is that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.

Means #

every day, daily disciplined life, is what it looks like to wait upon the Lord. Not wishing I took advantage of a moment of debauchery, because the prize isn’t the discipline, it isn’t NOT doing the debauchery, the prize IS the King, and he can come and call at any moment

For me #

dovetails with “work” from men’s group - work and jobs are different, and we are called to work, I should be working all the time:

kids
house
wife
self-discipline

I need to recover holy work in my life

Prayer #

Day 2 — Matthew 26:35-27:31 #

Matthew 26:35-27:31

Peter replied, “Even if I have to die with You, I will never deny You.” And all the other disciples said the same thing.
Then Jesus went with His disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and He told them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”
He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee and began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.
Then He said to them, “My soul is consumed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me.”
Going a little farther, He fell face down and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.”
Then Jesus returned to the disciples and found them sleeping. “Were you not able to keep watch with Me for one hour?” He asked Peter.
“Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
A second time He went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cup cannot pass unless I drink it, may Your will be done.”
And again Jesus returned and found them sleeping—for their eyes were heavy.
So He left them and went away once more and prayed a third time, saying the same thing.
Then He returned to the disciples and said, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
Get up! Let us go. See, My betrayer is approaching.”
While Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and elders of the people.
Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The One I kiss is the Man; arrest Him.”
Going directly to Jesus, he said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.
“Friend,” Jesus replied, “do what you have come for.” Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus, and arrested Him.
At this, one of Jesus’ companions drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him. “For all who draw the sword will die by the sword.
Are you not aware that I can call on My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?
But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?”
At that time Jesus said to the crowd, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would an outlaw? Every day I sat teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest Me.
But this has all happened so that the writings of the prophets would be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted Him and fled.
Those who had arrested Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and elders had gathered.
But Peter followed Him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. And going inside, he sat down with the guards to see the outcome.
The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were searching for false testimony against Jesus so they could put Him to death.
But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two witnesses came forward
and declared, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”
So the high priest stood up and asked Him, “Have You no answer? What are these men testifying against You?”
But Jesus remained silent. So the high priest said to Him, “I charge You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God.”
“You have said it yourself,” Jesus answered. “But I say to all of you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
At this, the high priest tore his clothes and declared, “He has blasphemed! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy.
What is your verdict?” “He deserves death,” they answered.
Then they spit in His face and struck Him. Others slapped Him
and said, “Prophesy to us, Christ! Who hit You?”
Meanwhile, Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came up to him. “You were also with Jesus the Galilean,” she said.
But he denied it before them all: “I do not know what you are talking about.”
When he had gone out to the gateway, another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man!”
After a little while, those standing nearby came up to Peter. “Surely you are one of them,” they said. “For even your accent gives you away.”
Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know the man!” And immediately a rooster crowed.
Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Matthew 27:1-31

When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people conspired against Jesus to put Him to death.
They bound Him, led Him away, and handed Him over to Pilate the governor.
When Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was filled with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders.
“I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,” he said. “What is that to us?” they replied. “You bear the responsibility.”
So Judas threw the silver into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.
The chief priests picked up the pieces of silver and said, “It is unlawful to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.”
After conferring together, they used the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners.
That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day.
Then what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price set on Him by the people of Israel,
and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord had commanded me.”
Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor questioned Him: “Are You the King of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied.
And when He was accused by the chief priests and elders, He gave no answer.
Then Pilate asked Him, “Do You not hear how many charges they are bringing against You?”
But Jesus gave no answer, not even to a single charge, much to the governor’s amazement.
At the feast, the governor was accustomed to releasing one prisoner to the crowd, whomever they wanted.
At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner named Barabbas.
So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Whom do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?”
For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him.
While Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much in a dream today because of Him.”
But the chief priests and elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus put to death.
“Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they answered.
“What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify Him!”
“Why? What evil has He done?” Pilate asked. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!”
When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but that a riot was breaking out instead, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “You bear the responsibility.”
All the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”
Then Pilate released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified.
Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around Him.
They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him.
And they twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head. They put a staff in His right hand and knelt down before Him to mock Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
Then they spit on Him, and took the staff and struck Him on the head again and again.
After they had mocked Him, they stripped Him of the robe, put His own clothes back on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him.

Stands out #

35. Peter replied, “Even if I have to die with You, I will never deny You.” And all the other disciples said the same thing.

> but I deny him with my actions every day


53. Are you not aware that I can call on My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?
54. But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?”

> there's a tension in reality... Jesus _can_ do whatever he wants and submits himself to prophecy anyways, it's circular to me sort of. but it also means that I need to stop questioning every aspect of reality in my "if this then that" processing. sometimes we're just bound by reality - even the Lord was.


74. Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know the man!” And immediately a rooster crowed.
75. Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

> is Jesus also just waiting for me to deny him? if I think he is I must also remember he was ready to forgive Peter

Jews tell Judas he bears the responsibility, then Pilate tells the Jews they do, then the Jews put it on their kids... interesting

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Day 3 — Matthew 27:32-66 #

Matthew 27:32-66

Along the way they found a man from Cyrene named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross of Jesus.
When they came to a place called Golgotha, which means “The Place of the Skull,”
they offered Him wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, He refused to drink it.
When they had crucified Him, they divided His garments by casting lots, to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: “They divided My garments among them and cast lots for My clothing.”
And sitting down, they kept watch over Him there.
Above His head they posted the written charge against Him: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”
Two robbers were crucified with Him, one on His right hand and one on His left.
And those who passed by heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads
and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross!”
In the same way, the chief priests, scribes, and elders mocked Him,
saying, “He saved others, but He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel! Let Him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in Him.
He trusts in God. Let God deliver Him now if He wants Him. For He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”
In the same way, even the robbers who were crucified with Him heaped abuse on Him.
From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land.
About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He is calling Elijah.”
Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a reed, and held it up for Jesus to drink.
But the others said, “Leave Him alone. Let us see if Elijah comes to save Him.”
When Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He yielded up His spirit.
At that moment the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split.
The tombs broke open, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised.
After Jesus’ resurrection, when they had come out of the tombs, they entered the holy city and appeared to many people.
When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified and said, “Truly this was the Son of God.”
And many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to minister to Him.
Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.
When it was evening, a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph came, who himself was also a disciple of Jesus.
He went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him.
So Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,
and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. Then he rolled a great stone against the entrance to the tomb and went away.
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.
The next day, which is the day after Preparation Day, the chief priests and Pharisees assembled before Pilate
and said, “Sir, we remember that while He was alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’
So give the order that the tomb be secured until the third day. Otherwise, His disciples may come and steal Him away and tell the people He has risen from the dead, and the last deception will be worse than the first.”
“Go and make the tomb as secure as you know how,” Pilate answered.
And they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and posting a guard.

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Prayer #

Day 4 — Luke 23:26-56 #

Luke 23:26-56

As the soldiers led Him away, they seized Simon of Cyrene on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him to carry behind Jesus.
A great number of people followed Him, along with women who were mourning and wailing for Him.
But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.
Look, the days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed!’
At that time they will say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’
For if men do these things while the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
Two others, who were criminals, were also led away to be executed with Jesus.
When they came to the place called The Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals, one on His right hand and the other on His left.
Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up His garments by casting lots.
The people stood watching, and the rulers sneered at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”
The soldiers also mocked Him and came up to offer Him sour wine.
“If You are the King of the Jews,” they said, “save Yourself!”
Above Him was posted an inscription: “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
One of the criminals who hung there heaped abuse on Him: “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!”
But the other criminal rebuked him. “Do you not even fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same judgment?
We are punished justly, for we are receiving what our actions deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!”
And Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over all the land until the ninth hour.
The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn down the middle.
Then Jesus called out in a loud voice, “Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit.” And when He had said this, He breathed His last.
When the centurion saw what had happened, he gave glory to God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.”
When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what had taken place, they returned home, beating their breasts.
But all those who knew Jesus, including the women who had followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching these things.
Now there was a righteous and devout man named Joseph, who was a member of the Council,
who had not consented to their plan and action. He was from the Judean town of Arimathea, and he was waiting for the kingdom of God.
He went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus.
Then he brought it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and placed it in a tomb cut out of the rock, where no one had yet been laid.
It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.
The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how His body was placed.
Then they returned to prepare spices and perfumes. And they rested on the Sabbath, according to the commandment.

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Day 5 — John 19 #

John 19

Then Pilate took Jesus and had Him flogged.
The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns, put it on His head, and dressed Him in a purple robe.
And they went up to Him again and again, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and slapping Him in the face.
Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews, “Look, I am bringing Him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against Him.”
So Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”
As soon as the chief priests and officers saw Him, they shouted, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” Pilate told them, “You take Him and crucify Him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against Him.”
“We have a law,” answered the Jews, “and according to that law He must die, because He declared Himself to be the Son of God.”
When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid.
He went back into the Praetorium and asked Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus gave no answer.
So Pilate said to Him, “Do You refuse to speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You and authority to crucify You?”
Jesus answered, “You would have no authority over Me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed Me over to you is guilty of greater sin.”
From then on, Pilate tried to release Him, but the Jews kept shouting, “If you release this man, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who declares himself a king is defying Caesar.”
When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called the Stone Pavement, which in Hebrew is Gabbatha.
It was the day of Preparation for the Passover, about the sixth hour. And Pilate said to the Jews, “Here is your King!”
At this, they shouted, “Away with Him! Away with Him! Crucify Him!” Pilate asked, “Shall I crucify your King?” “We have no king but Caesar,” replied the chief priests.
Then Pilate handed Him over to be crucified, and the soldiers took Him away.
Carrying His own cross, He went out to the place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha.
There they crucified Him, and with Him two others, one on each side, with Jesus in the middle.
Pilate also had a notice posted on the cross. It read: “JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
Many of the Jews read this sign, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek.
So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘This man said, I am the King of the Jews.’”
Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”
When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they divided His garments into four parts, a part for each soldier, and the tunic remained. It was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.
So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it; instead, let us cast lots to see who will get it.” This was to fulfill the Scripture: “They divided My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.” So that is what the soldiers did.
Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.
When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, here is your son.”
Then He said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” So from that hour, the disciple took her into his home.
After this, knowing that everything had now been accomplished, and to fulfill the Scripture, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.”
A jar of sour wine was sitting there. So they soaked a sponge in the wine, put it on a hyssop stalk, and lifted it to His mouth.
When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished.” And bowing His head, He yielded up His spirit.
It was the day of Preparation, and the next day was a special Sabbath. In order to avoid leaving the bodies on the cross during the Sabbath, the Jews asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies removed.
So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and those of the other.
But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.
Instead, one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out.
The one who saw it has testified, and his testimony is true. He knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe.
Now these things happened so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of His bones will be broken.”
And, as another Scripture says: “They will look on the One they have pierced.”
After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus (but secretly for fear of the Jews), asked Pilate to let him remove the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission, so he came and removed His body.
Nicodemus, who had previously come to Jesus at night, also brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.
So they took the body of Jesus and wrapped it in linen cloths with the spices, according to the Jewish burial custom.
Now there was a garden in the place where Jesus was crucified, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.
And because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

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Answered / Updates #

Meeting Notes #

Men’s Group - Week 35

2026-09-18T06:00:00Z

Week 35 — September 13 – 19, 2026

Meeting: Friday, September 18 #

Memory Verse: Hebrews 2:18 #

Hebrews 2:18

Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.

Readings #

Day 1: John 11
Day 2: Matthew 21:1-13
Day 3: John 13
Day 4: John 14-15
Day 5: John 16, Matthew 24:1-31

Day 1 — John 11 #

John 11

At this time a man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
(Mary, whose brother Lazarus was sick, was to anoint the Lord with perfume and wipe His feet with her hair.)
So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one You love is sick.”
When Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
So on hearing that Lazarus was sick, He stayed where He was for two days,
and then He said to the disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”
“Rabbi,” they replied, “the Jews just tried to stone You, and You are going back there?”
Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? If anyone walks in the daytime, he will not stumble, because he sees by the light of this world.
But if anyone walks at night, he will stumble, because he has no light.”
After He had said this, He told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to wake him up.”
His disciples replied, “Lord, if he is sleeping, he will get better.”
They thought that Jesus was talking about actual sleep, but He was speaking about the death of Lazarus.
So Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead,
and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”
Then Thomas called Didymus said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, so that we may die with Him.”
When Jesus arrived, He found that Lazarus had already spent four days in the tomb.
Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, a little less than two miles away,
and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them in the loss of their brother.
So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet Him, but Mary stayed at home.
Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.
But even now I know that God will give You whatever You ask of Him.”
“Your brother will rise again,” Jesus told her.
Martha replied, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies.
And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”
“Yes, Lord,” she answered, “I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”
After Martha had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside to tell her, “The Teacher is here and is asking for you.”
And when Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to Him.
Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met Him.
When the Jews who were in the house consoling Mary saw how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.
When Mary came to Jesus and saw Him, she fell at His feet and said, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”
When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.
“Where have you put him?” He asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they answered.
Jesus wept.
Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!”
But some of them asked, “Could not this man who opened the eyes of the blind also have kept Lazarus from dying?”
Jesus, once again deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.
“Take away the stone,” Jesus said. “Lord, by now he stinks,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man. “It has already been four days.”
Jesus replied, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”
So they took away the stone. Then Jesus lifted His eyes upward and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.
I knew that You always hear Me, but I say this for the benefit of the people standing here, so they may believe that You sent Me.”
After Jesus had said this, He called out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”
The man who had been dead came out with his hands and feet bound in strips of linen, and his face wrapped in a cloth. “Unwrap him and let him go,” Jesus told them.
Therefore many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in Him.
But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.
Then the chief priests and Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, “What are we to do? This man is performing many signs.
If we let Him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”
But one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all!
You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”
Caiaphas did not say this on his own. Instead, as high priest that year, he was prophesying that Jesus would die for the nation,
and not only for the nation, but also for the scattered children of God, to gather them together into one.
So from that day on they plotted to kill Him.
As a result, Jesus no longer went about publicly among the Jews, but He withdrew to a town called Ephraim in an area near the wilderness. And He stayed there with the disciples.
Now the Jewish Passover was near, and many people went up from the country to Jerusalem to purify themselves before the Passover.
They kept looking for Jesus and asking one another as they stood in the temple courts, “What do you think? Will He come to the feast at all?”
But the chief priests and Pharisees had given orders that anyone who knew where He was must report it, so that they could arrest Him.

Stands out #

Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.
When Mary came to Jesus and saw Him, she fell at His feet and said, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”

Means #

We think we know what would have happened

For me #

My ebenezeer page feels relevant when thinking about waiting on the Lord

Psalm 40:1–2 (LEB)

1 I waited patiently for Yahweh, And he inclined to me and heard my cry for help. 2 And so he brought me up from the roaring pit, from the miry clay. And he put my feet upon a rock; he made my steps steady.

Prayer #

Day 2 — Matthew 21:1-13 #

Matthew 21:1-13

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent out two disciples,
saying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt beside her. Untie them and bring them to Me.
If anyone questions you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”
This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
“Say to the Daughter of Zion, ‘See, your King comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”
So the disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them.
They brought the donkey and the colt and laid their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them.
A massive crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
The crowds that went ahead of Him and those that followed were shouting: “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!”
When Jesus had entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”
The crowds replied, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Then Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves.
And He declared to them, “It is written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer.’ But you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’ ”

Stands out #

Means #

For me #

Prayer #

Day 3 — John 13 #

John 13

It was now just before the Passover Feast, and Jesus knew that His hour had come to leave this world and return to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the very end.
The evening meal was underway, and the devil had already put into the heart of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.
Jesus knew that the Father had delivered all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was returning to God.
So He got up from the supper, laid aside His outer garments, and wrapped a towel around His waist.
After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel that was around Him.
He came to Simon Peter, who asked Him, “Lord, are You going to wash my feet?”
Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
“Never shall You wash my feet!” Peter told Him. Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with Me.”
“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not only my feet, but my hands and my head as well!”
Jesus told him, “Whoever has already bathed needs only to wash his feet, and he will be completely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.”
For He knew who would betray Him. That is why He said, “Not all of you are clean.”
When Jesus had washed their feet and put on His outer garments, He reclined with them again and asked, “Do you know what I have done for you?
You call Me Teacher and Lord, and rightly so, because I am.
So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.
I have set you an example so that you should do as I have done for you.
Truly, truly, I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
If you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
I am not speaking about all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the Scripture: ‘The one who shares My bread has lifted up his heel against Me.’
I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it comes to pass, you will believe that I am He.
Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever receives the one I send receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives the One who sent Me.”
After Jesus had said this, He became troubled in spirit and testified, “Truly, truly, I tell you, one of you will betray Me.”
The disciples looked at one another, perplexed as to which of them He meant.
One of His disciples, the one whom Jesus loved, was reclining at His side.
So Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus which one He was talking about.
Leaning back against Jesus, he asked, “Lord, who is it?”
Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I give this morsel after I have dipped it.” Then He dipped the morsel and gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot.
And when Judas had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus said to Judas, “What you are about to do, do quickly.”
But no one at the table knew why Jesus had said this to him.
Since Judas kept the money bag, some thought that Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the feast, or to give something to the poor.
As soon as he had received the morsel, Judas went out into the night.
When Judas had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him.
If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify the Son in Himself—and will glorify Him at once.
Little children, I am with you only a little while longer. You will look for Me, and as I said to the Jews, so now I say to you: ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’
A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another.
By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”
“Lord, where are You going?” Simon Peter asked. Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow Me now, but you will follow later.”
“Lord,” said Peter, “why can’t I follow You now? I will lay down my life for You.”
“Will you lay down your life for Me?” Jesus replied. “Truly, truly, I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.

Stands out #

6. He came to Simon Peter, who asked Him, “Lord, are You going to wash my feet?”
7. Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
8. “Never shall You wash my feet!” Peter told Him.
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with Me.”
9. “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not only my feet, but my hands and my head as well!”

Means #

For me #

Prayer #

Day 4 — John 14-15 #

John 14

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe in Me as well.
In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am.
You know the way to the place where I am going. ”
“Lord,” said Thomas, “we do not know where You are going, so how can we know the way?”
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
If you had known Me, you would know My Father as well. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him.”
Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”
Jesus replied, “Philip, I have been with you all this time, and still you do not know Me? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words I say to you, I do not speak on My own. Instead, it is the Father dwelling in Me, performing His works.
Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me—or at least believe on account of the works themselves.
Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I am doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
If you ask Me for anything in My name, I will do it.
If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever—
the Spirit of truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you do know Him, for He abides with you and will be in you.
I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
In a little while the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you also will live.
On that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you.
Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him.”
Judas (not Iscariot) asked Him, “Lord, why are You going to reveal Yourself to us and not to the world?”
Jesus replied, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
Whoever does not love Me does not keep My words. The word that you hear is not My own, but it is from the Father who sent Me.
All this I have spoken to you while I am still with you.
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you.
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid.
You heard Me say, ‘I am going away, and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I.
And now I have told you before it happens, so that when it does happen, you will believe.
I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming, and he has no claim on Me.
But I do exactly what the Father has commanded Me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Get up! Let us go on from here.

John 15

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the keeper of the vineyard.
He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, and every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes to make it even more fruitful.
You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.
Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me.
I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.
If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers. Such branches are gathered up, thrown into the fire, and burned.
If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, proving yourselves to be My disciples.
As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Remain in My love.
If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.
I have told you these things so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.
This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
You are My friends if you do what I command you.
No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because everything I have learned from My Father I have made known to you.
You did not choose Me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will remain—so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you.
This is My command to you: Love one another.
If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first.
If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.
Remember the word that I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they kept My word, they will keep yours as well.
But they will treat you like this because of My name, since they do not know the One who sent Me.
If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin.
Whoever hates Me hates My Father as well.
If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have seen and hated both Me and My Father.
But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated Me without reason.’
When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father—He will testify about Me.
And you also must testify, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

Stands out #

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For me #

Prayer #

Day 5 — John 16 & Matthew 24:1-31 #

John 16

“I have told you these things so that you will not fall away.
They will put you out of the synagogues. In fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God.
They will do these things because they have not known the Father or Me.
But I have told you these things so that when their hour comes, you will remember that I told you about them. I did not tell you these things from the beginning, because I was with you.
Now, however, I am going to Him who sent Me; yet none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’
Instead, your hearts are filled with sorrow because I have told you these things.
But I tell you the truth, it is for your benefit that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.
And when He comes, He will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment:
in regard to sin, because they do not believe in Me;
in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see Me;
and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world has been condemned.
I still have much to tell you, but you cannot yet bear to hear it.
However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come.
He will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you.
Everything that belongs to the Father is Mine. That is why I said that the Spirit will take from what is Mine and disclose it to you.
In a little while you will see Me no more, and then after a little while you will see Me. ”
Then some of His disciples asked one another, “Why is He telling us, ‘In a little while you will not see Me, and then after a little while you will see Me’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?”
They kept asking, “Why is He saying, ‘a little while’? We do not understand what He is saying.”
Aware that they wanted to question Him, Jesus said to them, “Are you asking one another why I said, ‘In a little while you will not see Me, and then after a little while you will see Me’?
Truly, truly, I tell you, you will weep and wail while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.
A woman has pain in childbirth because her time has come; but when she brings forth her child, she forgets her anguish because of her joy that a child has been born into the world.
So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.
In that day you will no longer ask Me anything. Truly, truly, I tell you, whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you.
Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
I have spoken these things to you in figures of speech. An hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you this way, but will tell you plainly about the Father.
In that day you will ask in My name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf.
For the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came from God.
I came from the Father and entered the world. In turn, I will leave the world and go to the Father.”
His disciples said, “See, now You are speaking plainly and without figures of speech.
Now we understand that You know all things and that You have no need for anyone to question You. Because of this, we believe that You came from God.”
“Do you finally believe?” Jesus replied.
“Look, an hour is coming and has already come when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and you will leave Me all alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.
I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!”

Matthew 24:1-31

As Jesus left the temple and was walking away, His disciples came up to Him to point out its buildings.
“Do you see all these things?” He replied. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”
While Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?”
Jesus answered, “See to it that no one deceives you.
For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.
You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come.
Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
All these are the beginning of birth pains.
Then they will deliver you over to be persecuted and killed, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.
At that time many will fall away and will betray and hate one another,
and many false prophets will arise and deceive many.
Because of the multiplication of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.
But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand),
then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
Let no one on the housetop come down to retrieve anything from his house.
And let no one in the field return for his cloak.
How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers!
Pray that your flight will not occur in the winter or on the Sabbath.
For at that time there will be great tribulation, unseen from the beginning of the world until now, and never to be seen again.
If those days had not been cut short, nobody would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short.
At that time, if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There He is!’ do not believe it.
For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive even the elect, if that were possible.
See, I have told you in advance.
So if they tell you, ‘There He is, in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Here He is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.
For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.
Immediately after the tribulation of those days: ‘The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ’
At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

Stands out #

Means #

For me #

Prayer #

Prayer Requests #

Answered / Updates #

Meeting Notes #

I read some of John 12 the morning of the meeting, not on our list but Judas’ posture towards the espensive nard that Mary used to annoint is hilarious to me - very commie “why wasn’t this thing of mine used for someone else NOT sold and the money given to me to distribute to others as I see fit”

Men’s Group - Week 34

2026-09-07T06:00:00Z

Week 34 — September 6 – 12, 2026

Meeting: Friday, September 11 #

Memory Verse: Philippians 4:19 #

Philippians 4:19

And my God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

Readings #

Day 1: John 6
Day 2: Matthew 19:16-30
Day 3: Luke 15-16
Day 4: Luke 17:11-37
Day 5: Mark 10

Day 1 — John 6 #

John 6

After this, Jesus crossed to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias).
A large crowd followed Him because they saw the signs He was performing on the sick.
Then Jesus went up on the mountain and sat down with His disciples.
Now the Jewish Feast of the Passover was near.
When Jesus looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where can we buy bread for these people to eat?”
But He was asking this to test him, for He knew what He was about to do.
Philip answered, “Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to have a small piece.”
One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him,
“Here is a boy with five barley loaves and two small fish. But what difference will these make among so many?”
“Have the people sit down,” Jesus said. Now there was plenty of grass in that place, so the men sat down, about five thousand of them.
Then Jesus took the loaves and the fish, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted.
And when everyone was full, He said to His disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over, so that nothing will be wasted.”
So they collected them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
When the people saw the sign that Jesus had performed, they began to say, “Truly this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
Then Jesus, realizing that they were about to come and make Him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by Himself.
When evening came, His disciples went down to the sea,
got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was already dark, and Jesus had not yet gone out to them.
A strong wind was blowing, and the sea grew agitated.
When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the sea—and they were terrified.
But Jesus spoke up: “It is I; do not be afraid.”
Then they were willing to take Him into the boat, and at once the boat reached the shore where they were heading.
The next day, the crowd that had remained on the other side of the sea realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not boarded it with His disciples, but they had gone away alone.
However, some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.
So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor His disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum to look for Him.
When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they asked Him, “Rabbi, when did You get here?”
Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, it is not because you saw these signs that you are looking for Me, but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.
Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval.”
Then they inquired, “What must we do to perform the works of God?”
Jesus replied, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.”
So they asked Him, “What sign then will You perform, so that we may see it and believe You? What will You do?
Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”
Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.
For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
“Sir,” they said, “give us this bread at all times.”
Jesus answered, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst.
But as I stated, you have seen Me and still you do not believe.
Everyone the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will never drive away.
For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me.
And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I shall lose none of those He has given Me, but raise them up at the last day.
For it is My Father’s will that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
At this, the Jews began to grumble about Jesus because He had said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.”
They were asking, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then can He say, ‘I have come down from heaven?’”
“Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus replied.
“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.
It is written in the Prophets: ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from Him comes to Me—
not that anyone has seen the Father except the One who is from God; only He has seen the Father.
Truly, truly, I tell you, he who believes has eternal life.
I am the bread of life.
Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died.
This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that anyone may eat of it and not die.
I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And this bread, which I will give for the life of the world, is My flesh.”
At this, the Jews began to argue among themselves, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?”
So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man, you have no life in you.
Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.
For My flesh is real food, and My blood is real drink.
Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me, and I in him.
Just as the living Father sent Me and I live because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on Me will live because of Me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your fathers, who ate the manna and died, the one who eats this bread will live forever.”
Jesus said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
On hearing it, many of His disciples said, “This is a difficult teaching. Who can accept it?”
Aware that His disciples were grumbling about this teaching, Jesus asked them, “Does this offend you?
Then what will happen if you see the Son of Man ascend to where He was before?
The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
However, there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray Him.)
Then Jesus said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless the Father has granted it to him.”
From that time on many of His disciples turned back and no longer walked with Him.
So Jesus asked the Twelve, “Do you want to leave too?”
Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life.
We believe and know that You are the Holy One of God.”
Jesus answered them, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!”
He was speaking about Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. For although Judas was one of the Twelve, he was later to betray Jesus.

Day 2 — Matthew 19:16-30 #

Matthew 19:16-30

Just then a man came up to Jesus and inquired, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to obtain eternal life?”
“Why do you ask Me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”
“Which ones?” the man asked. Jesus answered, “‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness,
honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.’”
“All these I have kept,” said the young man. “What do I still lack?”
Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”
When the young man heard this, he went away in sorrow, because he had great wealth.
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
“Look,” Peter replied, “we have left everything to follow You. What then will there be for us?”
Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, in the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for the sake of My name will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.
But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.

Day 3 — Luke 15-16 #

Luke 15

Now all the tax collectors and sinners were gathering around to listen to Jesus.
So the Pharisees and scribes began to grumble: “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
Then Jesus told them this parable:
“What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the pasture and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?
And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders,
comes home, and calls together his friends and neighbors to tell them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep!’
I tell you that in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous ones who do not need to repent.
Or what woman who has ten silver coins and loses one of them does not light a lamp, sweep her house, and search carefully until she finds it?
And when she finds it, she calls together her friends and neighbors to say, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost coin.’
In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”
Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons.
The younger son said to him, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
After a few days, the younger son got everything together and journeyed to a distant country, where he squandered his wealth in wild living.
After he had spent all he had, a severe famine swept through that country, and he began to be in need.
So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed the pigs.
He longed to fill his belly with the pods the pigs were eating, but no one would give him a thing.
Finally he came to his senses and said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have plenty of food, but here I am, starving to death!
I will get up and go back to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’
So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.
The son declared, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us feast and celebrate.
For this son of mine was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.
Meanwhile the older son was in the field, and as he approached the house, he heard music and dancing.
So he called one of the servants and asked what was going on.
‘Your brother has returned,’ he said, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has him back safe and sound.’
The older son became angry and refused to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him.
But he answered his father, ‘Look, all these years I have served you and never disobeyed a commandment of yours. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.
But when this son of yours returns from squandering your wealth with prostitutes, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
‘Son, you are always with me,’ the father said, ‘and all that is mine is yours.
But it was fitting to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

Luke 16

Jesus also said to His disciples, “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions.
So he called him in to ask, ‘What is this I hear about you? Turn in an account of your management, for you cannot be manager any longer.’
The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, now that my master is taking away my position? I am too weak to dig and too ashamed to beg.
I know what I will do so that after my removal from management, people will welcome me into their homes.’
And he called in each one of his master’s debtors. ‘How much do you owe my master?’ he asked the first.
‘A hundred measures of olive oil,’ he answered. ‘Take your bill,’ said the manager, ‘sit down quickly, and write fifty.’
Then he asked another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ ‘A hundred measures of wheat,’ he replied. ‘Take your bill and write eighty,’ he told him.
The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the sons of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the sons of light.
I tell you, use worldly wealth to make friends for yourselves so that when it is gone, they will welcome you into eternal dwellings.
Whoever is faithful with very little will also be faithful with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.
So if you have not been faithful with worldly wealth, who will entrust you with true riches?
And if you have not been faithful with the belongings of another, who will give you belongings of your own?
No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all of this and were scoffing at Jesus.
So He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is prized among men is detestable before God.
The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the gospel of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.
But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for a single stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.
Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Now there was a rich man dressed in purple and fine linen, who lived each day in joyous splendor.
And a beggar named Lazarus lay at his gate, covered with sores
and longing to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
One day the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. And the rich man also died and was buried.
In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham from afar, with Lazarus by his side.
So he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. For I am in agony in this fire.’
But Abraham answered, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things. But now he is comforted here, while you are in agony.
And besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that even those who wish cannot cross from here to you, nor can anyone cross from there to us.’
‘Then I beg you, father,’ he said, ‘send Lazarus to my father’’s house,
for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also end up in this place of torment.’
But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let your brothers listen to them.’
‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone is sent to them from the dead, they will repent.’
Then Abraham said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’”

Day 4 — Luke 17:11-37 #

Luke 17:11-37

While Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem, He was passing between Samaria and Galilee.
As He entered one of the villages, He was met by ten lepers. They stood at a distance
and raised their voices, shouting, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
When Jesus saw them, He said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were on their way, they were cleansed.
When one of them saw that he was healed, he came back, praising God in a loud voice.
He fell facedown at Jesus’ feet in thanksgiving to Him—and he was a Samaritan.
“Were not all ten cleansed?” Jesus asked. “Where then are the other nine?
Was no one found except this foreigner to return and give glory to God?”
Then Jesus said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well!”
When asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God will not come with observable signs.
Nor will people say, ‘Look, here it is,’ or ‘There it is.’ For you see, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”
Then He said to the disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it.
People will tell you, ‘Look, there He is!’ or ‘Look, here He is!’ Do not go out or chase after them.
For just as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other, so will be the Son of Man in His day.
But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.
Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man:
People were eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.
It was the same in the days of Lot: People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building.
But on the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.
It will be just like that on the day the Son of Man is revealed.
On that day, let no one on the housetop come down to retrieve his possessions. Likewise, let no one in the field return for anything he has left behind.
Remember Lot’s wife!
Whoever tries to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it.
I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed: one will be taken and the other left.
Two women will be grinding grain together: one will be taken and the other left.”
“Where, Lord?” they asked. Jesus answered, “Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.”

Day 5 — Mark 10 #

Mark 10

Then Jesus left that place and went into the region of Judea, beyond the Jordan. Again the crowds came to Him and He taught them, as was His custom.
Some Pharisees came to test Him. “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” they inquired.
“What did Moses command you?” He replied.
They answered, “Moses permitted a man to write his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away.”
But Jesus told them, “Moses wrote this commandment for you because of your hardness of heart.
However, from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’
‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,
and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh.
Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”
When they were back inside the house, the disciples asked Jesus about this matter.
So He told them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her.
And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”
Now people were bringing the little children to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them, and the disciples rebuked those who brought them.
But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and told them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
Truly I tell you, anyone who does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
And He took the children in His arms, placed His hands on them, and blessed them.
As Jesus started on His way, a man ran up and knelt before Him. “Good Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
“Why do you call Me good?” Jesus replied. “No one is good except God alone.
You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not cheat others, honor your father and mother.’”
“Teacher,” he replied, “all these I have kept from my youth.”
Jesus looked at him, loved him, and said to him, “There is one thing you lack: Go, sell everything you own and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”
But the man was saddened by these words and went away in sorrow, because he had great wealth.
Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”
And the disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!
It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
They were even more astonished and said to one another, “Who then can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”
Peter began to say to Him, “Look, we have left everything and followed You.”
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for My sake and for the gospel
will fail to receive a hundredfold in the present age—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields, along with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.
But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
As they were going up the road to Jerusalem, Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were amazed, but those who followed were afraid. Again Jesus took the Twelve aside and began to tell them what was going to happen to Him:
“Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes. They will condemn Him to death and will deliver Him over to the Gentiles,
who will mock Him and spit on Him and flog Him and kill Him. And after three days He will rise again.”
Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and declared, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.”
“What do you want Me to do for you?” He inquired.
They answered, “Grant that one of us may sit at Your right hand and the other at Your left in Your glory.”
“You do not know what you are asking,” Jesus replied. “Can you drink the cup I will drink, or be baptized with the baptism I will undergo?”
“We can,” the brothers answered. “You will drink the cup that I drink,” Jesus said, “and you will be baptized with the baptism that I undergo.
But to sit at My right or left is not Mine to grant. These seats belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”
When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John.
So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their superiors exercise authority over them.
But it shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
and whoever wants to be first must be the slave of all.
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
Next, they came to Jericho. And as Jesus and His disciples were leaving Jericho with a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting beside the road.
When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Many people admonished him to be silent, but he cried out all the louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called the blind man. “Take courage!” they said. “Get up! He is calling for you.”
Throwing off his cloak, Bartimaeus jumped up and came to Jesus.
“What do you want Me to do for you?” Jesus asked.
“Rabboni,” said the blind man, “let me see again.”
“Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

Weekly Journal #

Stands out #

Day 1 — John 6 #

9. "Here is a boy with five barley loaves and two small fish. But what difference will these make among so many?"

29. Jesus replied, "The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent."

37. Everyone the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will never drive away.

Day 4 — Luke 17:11-37 #

14. When Jesus saw them, He said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they were on their way, they were cleansed.
15. When one of them saw that he was healed, he came back, praising God in a loud voice.
16. He fell facedown at Jesus' feet in thanksgiving to Him—and he was a Samaritan.
17. "Were not all ten cleansed?" Jesus asked. "Where then are the other nine?
18. Was no one found except this foreigner to return and give glory to God?"
19. Then Jesus said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well!"

Means #

Day 1 — John 6 #

everything comes from the Lord - God gives every single sgood thing in his own way.

Day 4 — Luke 17:11-37 #

Obedience is a gift of faith - and a medium by which God works

For me #

Day 4 — Luke 17:11-37 #

God’s blessing is within his sovereign will to pour out. He has clearly had so much favor on me… why would I squandor it?