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¹Now the tax collectors and “sinners” were all gathering around to hear him. ²But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”  ³Then Jesus told them this parable: ⁴“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? ⁵And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders ⁶and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ ⁷I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

MEDITATION

1. Jesus portrayed a picture of God who is like the shepherd searching for his lost sheep so God searches for His lost ones, “for the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost”.
2. What is your picture of God?  How do you view the “sinners” around you?  Is your attitude that of seeking the lost, the way Jesus did, or standing aloof and casting a disparaging glance, the way the religious leaders did?
3. Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for the picture of you searching for the lost sheep.  Help me to relate your true picture to those I come in contact with: your love, not indifference, your grace, not judgement, your kindness, not criticism.  I pray especially for ……………………. (someone who does not know the Lord).

Prayer for unbelievers

• Lord, I pray that you draw ___________ to yourself.
• I ask you, Lord, to prevent Satan from blinding ___________ to the truth.
• Holy Spirit, I ask you to convict ___________ of sin and the need for Christ’s redemption.
• I ask that you send someone who will share the gospel with ___________.
• Lord, I pray that ___________ will confess Jesus as Lord, grow in faith, and bear fruit for your glory. Amen.

Suggestion for Family Devotional Time: What did the shepherd do for the lost sheep?  What does Jesus want us to feel and do for those people who do not know Jesus?  Encourage everyone to name some non-Christian friends or relatives.  Write them on the Family Journal and pray for them one by one.

Prayer & Journaling:  On your prayer journal, as you listen to God, write down a few thoughts, questions, words, names, drawings, or anything that has come to your mind during this time.

Proverbs for Today 8:9-11

⁹ They are all straight to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge. ¹⁰ Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold, ¹¹ for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.

⁷When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: ⁸“When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. ⁹If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this man your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. ¹⁰But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. ¹¹For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”  ¹²Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. ¹³But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, ¹⁴and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Meditation:

1. At a banquet, Jesus commented on the behaviour of the guests, who competed with each other for “places of honour”.  The scrambling for position reflected the heart attitude of the Pharisee’s guests.  As Jesus pointed out, it was also foolish, as it exposed a person to the danger of embarrassment if asked to go down lower.  Jesus also had advice for His host.  Don’t use the dinners for social advantage, or to seek a favour.  God’s kingdom is open to everyone, especially those that can never return the favour.   God will repay us in eternity.
2. How do things like customs and status get in the way of you loving others in family, church, workplace, or community?
3. What does it mean today for you to throw a party for “the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind”?  Who would you invite?  What would it be like?
4. Talk with Jesus about this idea and share the insights with a few close friends.  Make plans to do it.

Suggestion for Family Devotional Time: Parents guide the discussion Questions 3 & 4 above with children.  Identify some appropriate ways to “throw a party”, or a kind act to someone in need.  Decide Follow up on the activity on Ch 10.

Prayer & Journaling:  On your prayer journal, as you listen to God, write down a few thoughts, questions, words, names, drawings, or anything that has come to your mind during this time.

Proverbs for Today 8:5-8

⁵ O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense. ⁶ Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right, ⁷ for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips. ⁸ All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.

¹⁰On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, ¹¹and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. ¹²When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” ¹³Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.  ¹⁴Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, “There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.”  ¹⁵The Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? ¹⁶Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?”  ¹⁷When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.

Meditation:

1. The synagogue ruler was indignant because Jesus broke the rule of Sabbath.  Yet he could not see through the law and understand that it is out of compassion that Jesus healed the woman.  This shows how little understood grace was and how little desired.  The woman who experienced grace praised God.  But the synagogue ruler rebuked Jesus for helping her.  Jesus pointed out their hypocrisy that they would easily release an animal in order to care for them, but wouldn’t rejoice for a person released from Satan’s bondage.
2. In their fervour to keep all of their rules and regulations, the Pharisees ended up neglecting to love others.  You can also take the rules literally in order to rationalize your lack of concern for others (ie. insisting on tithing but refusing to help the needy; insisting on attending worship on time but refusing to pick up someone out of the way).
3. Do you make excuses for neglecting to do good?  Pay close attention to God’s whispering in your heart.

Suggestion for Family Devotional Time:  What did Jesus do on the Sabbath?  Why was the synagogue ruler angry with Jesus?  What did Jesus answer?  What does this teach us about helping people?  What are the things your family do to help people?

Prayer & Journaling:  On your prayer journal, as you listen to God, write down a few thoughts, questions, words, names, drawings, or anything that has come to your mind during this time.

Proverbs for Today 8:1-4

¹ Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice? ² On the heights beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand; ³ beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud: ⁴ “To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man.

¹³Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”  ¹⁴Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” ¹⁵Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” ¹⁶And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. ¹⁷He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’  ¹⁸“Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. ¹⁹And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ‘  ²⁰“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’  ²¹“This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.”

Meditation:

1. The challenge of this story of the rich farmer is this: Why pile up wealth here on earth?  Why work to gather more than you will ever need?  This rich farmer rejected the word of God and based his life on the pursuit of earthly treasure.  Christ said, “You fool! ……Who will get what you have prepared?”
2. We all make value decisions that shape our lives.  Jesus asks us to remember that those decisions shape our life here and in eternity.
3. What decisions are you facing?  What value do you base your decisions on?  Will Jesus call you a fool?  Or a good and faithful servant?   How is God calling you to treat your money and possessions differently?

Suggestion for Family Devotional Time: Prepare a prayer list by asking each one if there is any request or any person for whom they want to pray.  Ask someone to lead the prayer.  Be sure that all of the requests are covered.  You can also ask different persons to pray for specific requests.

Prayer & Journaling:  On your prayer journal, as you listen to God, write down a few thoughts, questions, words, names, drawings, or anything that has come to your mind during this time.

Proverbs for Today 7:24-27

²⁴ And now, O sons, listen to me, and be attentive to the words of my mouth. ²⁵ Let not your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths, ²⁶ for many a victim has she laid low, and all her slain are a mighty throng. ²⁷ Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers of death.

³⁹ Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. ⁴⁰ You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? ⁴¹ But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.   ⁴² “Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.   ⁴³ “Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces.   ⁴⁴ “Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which people walk over without knowing it.” ⁴⁵ One of the experts in the law answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also.” ⁴⁶ Jesus replied, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.   ⁴⁷ “Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your ancestors who killed them. ⁴⁸ So you testify that you approve of what your ancestors did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. ⁴⁹ Because of this, God in his wisdom said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.’ ⁵⁰ Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, ⁵¹ from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.   ⁵² “Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.”

Meditation:

1. When eating at the home of a Pharisee, Jesus identified six common sins of the “religious” of his day that kept them from seeing the light.  The Pharisees and experts in the law were furious and attacked Jesus.  Reading these verses should not cause us to criticize the Pharisee then.  Rather, they should draw us to examine ourselves.
2. With a humble heart, go through the following questions and ask: “God, do I……?”

• Do I spend more time trying to look holy, or seeking to be holy? (vv39-41)
• Do my priorities reflect God’s? (v42)
• Do I treasure the approval of others, or the approval of God? (vv43-44)
• Do I make living a Christian life harder for people by my expectations, or do I encourage and help them? (v46)
• Do I resist God’s word brought by his ministers, or am I open and teachable? (vv47-51)
• Do I distort the gospel by a legalistic attitude and approach to Christian faith? (v52)

Suggestion for Family Devotional Time: Why did Jesus scold the Jewish leaders?  What would Jesus rebuke you and your family if Jesus is at your home today?

Prayer & Journaling:  On your prayer journal, as you listen to God, write down a few thoughts, questions, words, names, drawings, or anything that has come to your mind during this time.

Proverbs for Today 7:21-23

²¹ With much seductive speech she persuades him;  with her smooth talk she compels him. ²² All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast ²³     till an arrow pierces its liver; as a bird rushes into a snare;  he does not know that it will cost him his life.

²⁵On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  ²⁶“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”  ²⁷He answered: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'”  ²⁸“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”  ²⁹But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”  ³⁰In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. ³¹A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. ³²So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. ³⁴He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. ³⁵The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’  ³⁶“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”  ³⁷The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”  Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Meditation:

1. With who do you most identify with in this story?  Why?
2. Who have been Good Samaritans in your life?  What was the situation?  How did that person help you?  What impact this has on you?
3. Listen to Jesus’ calling to you, “Go and do likewise.”  To whom do you need to be a Good Samaritan this week?  Write down his/her name and needs.  Pray for this person.  Plan a practical way to offer needed help.  Decide on the date and write down specific things you will do for him/her.  Make plan to accomplish it.

Suggestion for Family Devotional Time: This is the famous parable of the good Samaritan.  Read the story once.  Then read Jesus’ question (v36), the expert’s answer (v37), and Jesus’ command (v37).  Help your family determine who a neighbour is and how a neighbour acts toward others.  In this context ask family members to list persons who qualify as neighbours.  Plan to help one neighbour this week.

Prayer & Journaling:  On your prayer journal, as you listen to God, write down a few thoughts, questions, words, names, drawings, or anything that has come to your mind during this time.

Proverbs for Today 7:16-20

¹⁶ I have spread my couch with coverings, colored linens from Egyptian linen; ¹⁷ I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. ¹⁸ Come, let us take our fill of love till morning; let us delight ourselves with love. ¹⁹ For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey; ²⁰ he took a bag of money with him; at full moon he will come home.”

⁵⁷As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”  ⁵⁸Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”  ⁵⁹He said to another man, “Follow me.”  But the man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”  ⁶⁰Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”  ⁶¹ Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family.”  ⁶²Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

Meditation:

1. Jesus expects his followers to be totally faithful without any conditions or restrictions.  He wants them to accept the cross as well as the crown, judgement as well as mercy, to relinquish all and focus entirely on Jesus.
2. Jesus’ response to the first person is: “Count your cost before following me.” According to the Jewish customs, the second person probably meant that “I’ll wait until my father dies before I come to follow you.”  Jesus advised him to grasp the opportunity to respond to the moving of the Holy Spirit at the time.  The third person probably wanted to settle his family affairs and if time allows, then he’ll come to follow Jesus.  The farmer has to look straight ahead in order to plow straight furrows for planting seeds.  Jesus says that if we want to become a member of God’s kingdom, we need to focus our attention on God, and not allow the world to distract our focus elsewhere.
3. If Jesus is calling you to come and follow him today, what excuses would you use to delay Jesus’ calling?  Does Jesus delight in your excuses?  What are the things that are holding you back?  Are you willing to allow Jesus to take away these things from you?

Suggestion for Family Devotional Time: Discuss what following Jesus mean to each one.  Watch and learn the song together “I am following Jesus”.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORJTyHjh2gg

Prayer & Journaling:  On your prayer journal, as you listen to God, write down a few thoughts, questions, words, names, drawings, or anything that has come to your mind during this time.

Proverbs for Today 7:13-15

¹³ She seizes him and kisses him, and with bold face she says to him, ¹⁴ “I had to offer sacrifices, and today I have paid my vows; ¹⁵ so now I have come out to meet you, to seek you eagerly, and I have found you.

42 ……   As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. 43 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. 44 She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.   45 “Who touched me?” Jesus asked.  When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.”  46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.”  47 Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. 48 Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”

Meditation:

1. Often we thought that when we are in desperate need of something from God – in a crisis caused by cancer, bankruptcy, chronic depression, inescapable grief, or loss of faith – we must come boldly and confidently into God’s presence if we expect him to answer our prayer.  Yet this woman came in fear and trembling, having no idea what might happen, but thinking, “If I can just touch the edge of his cloak, who knows?”
2. Sometimes all we can do is struggle toward God from behind and stretch with what little we have left in us to touch the edge of him, hoping he will not be angry with us or ignore us, hoping something will happen that we are almost beyond believing can happen.  We discover, to our astonishment, that nothing more than this is required, and we live.
3. Have you ever been too frightened to come to God with a problem?  Why?  How would this story help you as you face desperate situations?
4. Talk to God about the problem you are facing.  Bring all your fear, uncertainty, lack of faith, or eagerness, hope and thanksgiving to God.  Talk to him and wait for him to speak.

Suggestion for Family Devotional Time:  What was this woman’s problem?  How did she get well?  Did she believe she’s going to get healed?  Name some of the concerns each has.  Take turn each praying for the concerns of another.

Prayer & Journaling:  On your prayer journal, as you listen to God, write down a few thoughts, questions, words, names, drawings, or anything that has come to your mind during this time.

Proverbs for Today 7:10-12

¹⁰ And behold, the woman meets him, dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart. ¹¹ She is loud and wayward; her feet do not stay at home; ¹² now in the street, now in the market, and at every corner she lies in wait.

³⁶Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. ³⁷When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, ³⁸and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.  ³⁹When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”

⁴⁴Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. ⁴⁵You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. ⁴⁶You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. ⁴⁷Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.”  ⁴⁸Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”  ⁴⁹The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”  ⁵⁰Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Meditation:

1. This woman washes Jesus’ feet with her tears and wipes them with her hair.  She kisses them and pours perfume over them.  The host, a Pharisee, considers that Jesus has “contaminated” himself by touching or being touched by someone considered morally, spiritually or physically filthy.
2. But Jesus asked Simon “Do you see this woman?”  Jesus asked Simon if he truly sees her – not a sinner, but a person forgiven by God, and is weeping with gratitude and relief, a child who is loving as much as she can, a child of God who is saved by her faith and who is free to go in peace.
3. Jesus is asking you the same question, “Do you see ……?”  Do you truly see people on the street, on the subway, in the mall, in the supermarket, beggars, ……?  Do you see people as how Jesus sees them?  How would that make a difference?  How would seeing people as Jesus sees them change your attitude toward them?
4. Talk to Jesus about your “poor spiritual eyesight”, your reluctance, your stereotyping.  Wait for the Holy Spirit to touch you and change your perspectives.

Suggestion for Family Devotional Time: This woman was a person with many sins.  She must felt pretty bad about herself.  She had met Jesus and had been filled with love.  She believed in Jesus and Jesus saved her and forgave all her sins.  Thanking God by singing, “Thank you Lord.”  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3OX2E49YVw&list=PL748B3A78F19AF955

Prayer & Journaling:  On your prayer journal, as you listen to God, write down a few thoughts, questions, words, names, drawings, or anything that has come to your mind during this time.

Proverbs for Today 7:6-9

⁶ For at the window of my house I have looked out through my lattice, ⁷ and I have seen among the simple, I have perceived among the youths, a young man lacking sense, ⁸ passing along the street near her corner, taking the road to her house ⁹ in the twilight, in the evening, at the time of night and darkness.

27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.  32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Meditation:

1. Jesus’ call to love enemies often frightens us, and so we tend to ignore it.  What Jesus is emphasizing by asking us to love, bless and pray for our enemies and turn our other cheek, is for us to break the cycle of hostility and animosity.  After all, God broke the pattern by one bold act of love, sending his son to suffer and die for our sins.  As we respond to that love, accepting the salvation Christ brings, our whole attitude toward God has changed, and we now love and want to please Him.  It is not easy, but following Christ has never been easy.  Yet, it does make us free.
2. Name a person who has wronged you.  Ask Jesus to give you his forgiveness for that person and take away the hatred and revengeful attitude in your heart.

Suggestion for Family Devotional Time: v31 is often called the “Golden Rule.”  Can you explain why?  Notice that it is a positive statement rather than a negative one.  Discuss how it can be of value in our lives today.  Choose one of the valuable lessons to do this week.  Record it in your Family Journal.

Prayer & Journaling:  On your prayer journal, as you listen to God, write down a few thoughts, questions, words, names, drawings, or anything that has come to your mind during this time.

Proverbs for Today 7:4-5

⁴ Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call insight your intimate friend, ⁵ to keep you from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words.

¹One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, ²he saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. ³He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.  ⁴When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”  ⁵Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”  ⁶When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. ⁷So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.  ⁸When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” ⁹For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, ¹⁰and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.    Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” ¹¹So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Meditation:

1. After a whole night’s labour, the fishermen didn’t want to try again, they were depressed and exhausted.  How similar this is to our own lives.  We have all experienced failure which often left us feeling guilty, shameful and self-distrust.   Then, we wanted to quit, withdraw and to be away from people.
2. Jesus does not get us to do something entirely new but sends us back to what we’ve been doing all along, but this time with Jesus.  God wants to be in command of our lives – our work lives, our family lives, our leisured lives.  Same boat.  Same Commands.  Same nets.  But now Jesus is with us – and that makes all the difference.
3. Is Jesus on your LIFE boat?  Who’s in command of your journey?  What are you experiencing right now?  Just be quiet before God and allow the Holy Spirit speak to your heart.  Respond and speak to God as you are so moved by the Holy Spirit.

Suggestion for Family Devotional Time: What did the fishermen say when Jesus asked them to go to the deep water to fish?  Why?  What happened afterward?  What’s the difference between the fishermen’s first fishing trip at night and the second trip after Jesus told them to?  Sing this song: “With Christ in my vessel.”

Prayer & Journaling:  On your prayer journal, as you listen to God, write down a few thoughts, questions, words, names, drawings, or anything that has come to your mind during this time.

Proverbs for Today 7:1-3

¹ My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you; ² keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye; ³ bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.

¹⁶He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. ¹⁷The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:  ¹⁸“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,  because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.   He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind,  to release the oppressed,   ¹⁹to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”   ²⁰Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, ²¹and he began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”   ²²All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked.

Meditation:

1. Jesus applied five Old Testament promises to his mission on earth (vv18-19).  Which of them can you identify with the most?

• Poverty (downtrodden, underprivileged): to receive hope and dignity
• Imprisonment (physically, psychologically or politically captive):  to receive freedom from bondage
• Blindness (physical disability often meaning spiritual darkness): to receive new sight to recognize God’s perspective and new life
• Oppression (political and economic disadvantage): to receive release and new freedom from forces holding you down
• Debt (every 50 years all debts were cancelled): to receive the Jubilee Year’s release from debt of every sort.

1. Read the above list slowly.  Recall your situations before and after receiving Christ.  Meditate on Jesus’ salvation for you.
2. Give God thanks for all the things He’s done in you.

Suggestion for Family Devotional Time: Jesus became well known as he taught and healed people throughout the area.  Discuss what Jesus said about his purposes on earth.  Ask, “What does Jesus’ healing the sick tell us about his care for people?”  How can we help people and be like Jesus?

Prayer & Journaling:  On your prayer journal, as you listen to God, write down a few thoughts, questions, words, names, drawings, or anything that has come to your mind during this time.

Proverbs for Today 6:32-35

³² He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself. ³³ He will get wounds and dishonor, and his disgrace will not be wiped away. ³⁴ For jealousy makes a man furious, and he will not spare when he takes revenge. ³⁵ He will accept no compensation; he will refuse though you multiply gifts.

⁷John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?  ⁸Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.  And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. ⁹The axe is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”  ¹⁰“What should we do then?” the crowd asked.  ¹¹John answered, “The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same.”  ¹²Tax collectors also came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”  ¹³“Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them. ¹⁴Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”  He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.” ¹⁵The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah.

1. John was not a smooth, comfortable preacher.  He was blunt and confrontational.  He preached the message of coming wrath of God and “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins”.  This wasn’t an easy message to take, but people kept coming to hear him and even wondering if John might be the Christ (v15).
2. Likewise, when we hear messages such as John’s, our masks and pretenses are stripped away, and we are forced not only to face our need – but are given hope in God’s word.  And only when we face guilt do we seek forgiveness, and find the new life in our Saviour Jesus.
3. Are you in the habit of “direction change” (repentance) in your daily life?  What has the Holy Spirit been speaking to you lately on certain wrong “directions”?
4. Take a moment to think about it.  Then pray for God’s forgiveness.  Pray also for the Holy Spirit to “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”(Matt 6:13)

Suggestion for Family Devotional Time: John baptized the people who repented of their sins.  This was how John said they could prepare for the coming of the Messiah.  Discuss why we are baptized today to show our belief in Jesus.  Ask anyone who has been baptised to share their decision and their experiences of baptism.  Then give thanks for God’s salvation, for God’s forgiveness of your sins and for baptism to show your belief in Jesus.

Prayer & Journaling:  On your prayer journal, as you listen to God, write down a few thoughts, questions, words, names, drawings, or anything that has come to your mind during this time.

Proverbs for Today 6:30-31

³⁰ People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his appetite when he is hungry, ³¹ but if he is caught, he will pay sevenfold; he will give all the goods of his house.

²⁵Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. ²⁶It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. ²⁷Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, ²⁸Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:  ²⁹“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,   you now dismiss your servant in peace.  ³⁰For my eyes have seen your salvation,   ³¹which you have prepared in the sight of all people,  ³²a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”  ³³The child’s father and mother marvelled at what was said about him. ³⁴Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, ³⁵so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

Meditation:

1. Simeon (righteous and devout, v25) spent a long life of hopeful prayer and faithful witness.  What he has been praying for all his life is now present in this infant.  He takes the child in his arms and blesses him, and the parents.  He’s now ready to die.
2. The prayers of Mary and Simeon are complementary to each other:  the young Mary starting out in submission to God’s word; the old Simeon ending in submission to God’s word.  Mary and Simeon submissively and believingly spoke the prayer: “according to your word”(1:38, 2:29).
3. Read the two prayers by Mary and Simeon (1:38, 2:29).  Focus on the words “according to your word”.  Listen to what God is speaking to me.  How could you use this phrase “according to your word” in your response prayer today?

Suggestion for Family Devotional Time:  Discuss #3 with children.

Prayer & Journaling:  On your prayer journal, as you listen to God, write down a few thoughts, questions, words, names, drawings, or anything that has come to your mind during this time.

Proverbs for Today 6:27-29

²⁷ Can a man carry fire next to his chest and his clothes not be burned? ²⁸ Or can one walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched? ²⁹ So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife; none who touches her will go unpunished.

⁴⁶And Mary said:    “My soul glorifies the Lord ⁴⁷and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,  ⁴⁸for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, ⁴⁹for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name.  ⁵⁰His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.  ⁵¹He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.  ⁵²He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. ⁵³He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. ⁵⁴He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful  ⁵⁵to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers.”  ⁵⁶Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

Meditation：

1. Mary praises and glorifies God through her prayer-song for God will accomplish what He has planned for the world through her.  It describes that God lifts up the poor, comforts the oppressed, and cares for the despised.   Mary’s prayer, in fact, expands our awareness that we are participating in what God has been doing and is yet to do.
2. Prayer is our way of being attentive to God, who is present to us in the Holy Spirit.  Our prayer is always the second sentence.  First God speaks; our prayer is our response, our answer to God.  From this prayer, we learn that Mary hears and receives, believes and submits to the Word that conceives Christ in her.
3. Have you had any experience being an active participant in carrying out God’s plan?  How has this experience impacted you?
4. Are you aware that you are present to God in prayer just as God is ever present to you?  What will this awareness change you in your attitude and actions in everyday life?

Suggestion for Family Devotional Time: Mary praised God with a song(vv46-49).  Her song was about how God had been good to her and blessed her.  Make a list of how God has been good to your family.  Have a time of worship to sing a few favourite worship songs together.

Prayer & Journaling:  On your prayer journal, as you listen to God, write down a few thoughts, questions, words, names, drawings, or anything that has come to your mind during this time.

Proverbs for Today 6:23-26

²³ For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life, ²⁴ to preserve you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress. ²⁵ Do not desire her beauty in your heart, and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes; ²⁶ for the price of a prostitute is only a loaf of bread, but a married woman hunts down a precious life.