Reflective Bible Study

As we continue moving through our first chronological year looking at events from Jesus’ life, we come to what many people may consider to be Jesus’ most famous parable. When we look a little closer at what Jesus shares about this parable, it is possible that this illustration is actually the most important parable in the entire Bible. This parable happens to also be among a very select group of parables that appear in three of the four gospels.

When looking at this parable and what Jesus teaches us within it, we get an amazing picture of God’s role and our role in the world today. While this parable is found in three of the gospels, let’s look at Mark’s version of it.

Our passage for this episode is found in Mark, chapter 4, and we will read it using the New International Version of the Bible. Starting in verse 1, Mark tells us:

¹ Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. ² He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: ³ “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. ⁴ As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. ⁵ Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. ⁶ But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. ⁷ Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. ⁸ Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”

Skipping down a couple verses, Jesus then explains this parable to the disciples when they are alone with Him. Coming back into chapter 4 at verse 13:

¹³ Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? ¹⁴ The farmer sows the word. ¹⁵ Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. ¹⁶ Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. ¹⁷ But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. ¹⁸ Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; ¹⁹ but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. ²⁰ Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”

In this two-part passage, we have Jesus sharing one of His most famous parables as well as explain it to His disciples while they were alone together. One thing Mark includes that the other gospels don’t is Jesus’ pair of rhetorical questions in verse 13. Jesus asks the disciples: “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable?”

This phrase clues me into the idea that Jesus perhaps thought that this parable was more significant than most of His other ones. While teaching and preaching, Jesus shared frequently about the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven through parables, but perhaps this parable is more foundational. Of all the parables Jesus shared, this one might be the parable we assume relates to God’s kingdom, while Jesus doesn’t actually attribute it to it. I suspect that regardless of the lack of attributing this to the kingdom of heaven, this parable actually speaks more to the state of our sin-filled human hearts and God’s desire to reach us than it does about teaching us a big truth about how God operates.

However, while this parable is famous, I suspect Jesus knew that His words might be taken out of context or misunderstood. To help there be no confusion among His followers, Jesus comes right out and says what He meant with this parable:

First off, Jesus states that the farmer sows the word. This tells me that the seed in the parable is God’s Word or God’s message. The primary action taken in this parable is spreading God’s message with others.

Next Jesus frames the different types of soil as different types of people.

First, He talks about the path, which is so hard that the seed has no place to go and that is quickly snatched away. This is like someone who is so closed to God, the Bible, or anything spiritual or religious that anything even remotely seen as spiritual is quickly discounted or ignored. This type of soil could also represent the person who is so busy that nothing new is able to get in – no new thoughts, ideas, or even rest.

Next Jesus talks about rocky places. These people receive God’s Word with joy, but their joy does not last. There is no foundation or root, and as soon as the first problem appears, they drop the whole idea. This soil describes people who abandon any faith or belief in God when challenged by someone from another worldview. These people aren’t “bad”, they just have no foundation or root structure to help them respond.

The third type of soil Jesus describes is the soil that has competition. Whereas the first two soils had outside opposition, this third type of soil has inside competition. Worries, stress, desire, and the money trap are all internal struggles that may not stop us from starting to grow, but they will keep us from maturing.

These first three types of soil describe people who never become who God wants them to be. These three types of soil all have various challenges, but they all share the characteristic that the seed the farmer sowed wasn’t able to mature.

However, these three types of soil are not permanent. A skilled farmer or gardener could break up the rock-hard path, remove the stones from the poor soil, and weed out the thorns to make good soil out of what was formerly poor soil. However, while this is an important message for you when thinking about which type of soil is closest to your current heart, this detail is not the focal point of this parable.

The fourth and last type of soil Jesus focused on is the good soil, and the seed sowed in this soil is able to take root and grow. These people hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop. However, it is worth noting that even in their fruitfulness, there are still differences in how fruitful each person is.

What is often missed in Jesus’ explanation of this fourth type of soil is that maturing and being fruitful is what God sees as important. How fruitful you are is not an issue. The farmer is just as happy with the thirty times growth as he is with the one hundred times growth. Both are very sustainable. In God’s eyes, being fruitful is more important than how fruitful you are.

Before wrapping up our episode, there’s one more detail I want to draw our attention to: In Jesus’ explanation of this parable, He never identifies who the farmer is. He starts by explaining that the seed is God’s word, and the soil types are how receptive people are, while completely skipping over who the farmer is. This detail is important for me because it leaves the role of farmer open.

While it is possible that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are the only acceptable Farmers in the context of this parable, I wouldn’t be surprised to discover Jesus sharing this parable with the intention that you and I could also step into the farmer role after we have matured in our relationship with God. Instead of worrying if we are one of the less-than-ideal types of soil, perhaps we should instead focus on being like the farmer and spreading God’s word and His message to those in our lives. If we chose to see ourselves as the farmer, not replacing Jesus but instead partnering with Him and His Holy Spirit, we might find ourselves to be more fruitful that we would otherwise realize or give ourselves credit for.

While I could go on talking about this parable, since it is one of my favorites, let’s save this discussion for later.

As we come to the end of another podcast episode, here are the challenges I will leave you with:

As I always challenge you to do, intentionally seek God first in your life and ask Him to change your heart into being a better type of soil. Regardless of what type of soil you think your life or heart is, ask God to cultivate it into being the ideal soil that allows for Him to grow His truth in your life.

Also, as I always challenge you to do, continue praying and studying the Bible for yourself in order to learn who Jesus really is – straight from God’s Word. While other people have ideas, take everything you read, hear, and see and filter it through the truth of God’s Word.

And as I end every set of challenges by saying in one way or another, never stop short of, back away from, chicken out of, or let yourself be pulled away from where God wants to lead you to in your life with Him!

If you have ever wondered what it means to be included in God’s family, our passage for this episode gives us a clue. While on the surface, how Jesus responds in this situation might have been considered offensive by some in the crowd, regardless of whether it offended someone, Jesus’ response gives us a powerful picture of what God’s family is like.

While I don’t hear many people talking about this passage today, an idea or theme hidden in this passage must have made it significant enough for three of the four gospel writers include it in their stories about Jesus. Part of me wonders if it has to do with the theme of being included in God’s family.

Let’s read this event from Mark’s gospel, chapter 3, using the New International Version of the Bible. Starting in verse 31, Mark tells us:

³¹ Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. ³² A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.”

³³ “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked.

³⁴ Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! ³⁵ Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

In the first century culture, family was important – and especially honoring one’s parents – and in this passage, it sounds as though Jesus is blowing off or ignoring the family that has come to speak with Him. However, since the passage ends where it does, it is possible that Jesus uses His last statement as a conclusion to His message. All three of the gospels that include this event transition to something else afterwards.

However, regardless of whether Jesus stopped to go and visit with His mother and brothers, what Jesus shares about God’s family is powerful. The key point and key distinction Jesus makes which separates God’s family from everyone else is simply the test of whether someone is doing God’s will.

It sounds too simple, but Jesus rarely complicated things. In that culture, the religious leaders had complicated spirituality and religion to the point that many people simply gave up or resolved that they were already lost, so why even try. When Jesus steps onto the scene as God’s representative, He combats the complex with the incredibly, almost unbelievably, simple.

With this in mind, we turn to the question about why Jesus’ mother, brothers, and according to some gospels, sisters were there. While it is easy to speculate, included in this passage, and in their request, we can see a clue regarding why they had come.

Mark shares that the message that reaches Jesus is that His mother and brothers are outside looking for Him. If they had come to listen to what He was preaching, there would be no need to send the message. Also, taking from the theme of Jesus’ key point, members of God’s family do God’s will, and at that moment, God’s will for Jesus was to share about God with the people. Whether the Holy Spirit orchestrated this event to prompt Jesus’ words about God’s family, or whether Jesus knew the words to say while not knowing exactly when the opportunity would arise, the clue in this passage comes through the implied request for Jesus to stop what He is doing to go out and see His mother and brothers.

We don’t know the reason Jesus’ family had come. It may have been to share the bad news that Joseph just died or he was very sick. While this is a possible reason, it is unlikely, since a request like that would likely have come through a messenger or servant, and it would have been included in at least one of the three gospels that record this message. But, none of the gospels give any reason for their request. We don’t know, however, what we can see taking shape is a distraction from God’s will.

God’s will at that moment was Jesus teaching, and whatever reason Jesus’ family had for coming, their request appeared to interrupt and distract from Jesus’ mission.

With how each of the gospel’s end this event, and move on to something else, I am lead to believe that Jesus used this event to tie off the topic He was preaching about, and then He went out to see what they wanted. Jesus didn’t stop what He was doing because they had arrived, but He didn’t ignore it either. Jesus used this situation to draw our attention onto a bigger truth that we are adopted into God’s family when we are doing one specific thing. According to Jesus, when we are doing God’s will, we are Jesus’ mother, brother, or sister, and logically, we could describe this as being a part of God’s family.

This simple description about doing God’s will to be adopted into His family is a challenge for all of us. While there isn’t a specific action that makes us worthy of heaven, there is a set of simple things for us to do to align ourselves with God’s will for us.

The first is prayer, and the prayer I am referring to isn’t sporadic, whenever-we-need-God-to-do-something-for-us prayer. Instead, this prayer is regular, at the same time every day, and often first thing in the morning when we wake up. And this prayer is mixed with reading our Bible and just spending time with God looking for insights, inspiration, and encouragement from His Word.

The second is by making the commitment to depend on God and Jesus with whatever life throws our way. While it is easy to say we believe in God and trust Him for big things like our eternity, often times our actions don’t match our words, and we act like we are doing it on our own. God’s will is for us to live with Him, and He is more than willing to help us with our lives here on this earth. However, His help will always be focused on the ultimate goal of seeing us, and the most people possible, in heaven when history ends.

The third is by choosing to reflect Jesus’ character and His love to everyone God brings our way. The only way we can truly accomplish this is through the first two things. In order to reflect Jesus, we must know what He was like, which is found in the four gospels of the Bible, and we must depend on God and lean on Him, because that is what Jesus did, and that is where Jesus gained His strength for each day.

Being a part of God’s family is possible, and it is not complicated. However, it takes trust, faith, belief, and commitment, and sometimes it won’t feel easy or comfortable. But the challenges are easily outweighed by the huge truth that our ultimate reward for being in God’s family is living forever with Him!

As we come to the end of another podcast episode, here are the challenges I will leave you with:

Choose to depend on God today, for whatever life throws at you today, and make the commitment to do this each morning for this coming week. God wants to walk with us through life, and He is willing to help us when we need Him. It may be worth taking Him up on His offer.

Also, pray and study the Bible for yourself to learn what God, Jesus, and doing God’s will is all about. The mission God has created us to live will have many similarities, but there will also be many differences. We are all uniquely created, and personal study mixed with personal prayer is the best way to begin discovering why God has placed you here on this earth at this point in history.

And as I end every set of challenges by saying in one way or another, never stop short of, back away from, chicken out of, or abandon where God wants to lead you to in your life with Him!

As we continue moving through Jesus’ life within the gospel record, we come to an event where some religious leaders challenge Jesus. However, when I read each of the three gospels that include this event, each gospel writer included a detail that I wanted to focus in on.

While one possible way to solve this problem would be to read the event from each of the gospels that includes it, that would result in reading three very similar sounding passages, and we might lose what makes each passage distinct.

Instead, I thought it would be beneficial to blend the three gospels together for this podcast episode. At the very least, this makes for an interesting reading of this event, and it may even help us see something new in what happened.

The three passages I will blend from are the following: Mark 3:22-27 will be the base passage I’ll read from, and I will pull in details from Matthew 12:24-30 and Luke 11:15-23. For all these passages, we’ll use the Contemporary English Version of the Bible. For those who are interested in which verses are from which gospel, this info will be included in the transcript for this episode. Starting in Mark, chapter 3, verse 22, we read that:

^{Mark 3:22} Some teachers of the Law of Moses came from Jerusalem and said, “This man is under the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons! He is even forcing out demons with the help of Beelzebul.”

^{Luke 11:16} Others wanted to put Jesus to the test. So they asked him to show them a sign from God.

^{Mark 3:23} Jesus told the people to gather around him. Then he spoke to them in riddles and said:

How can Satan force himself out? ^{Matthew 12:25b} Any kingdom where people fight each other will end up ruined. And a town or family that fights will soon destroy itself. ^{Matthew 12:26} So if Satan fights against himself, how can his kingdom last? ^{Matthew 12:27} If I use the power of Beelzebul to force out demons, whose power do your own followers use to force them out? Your followers are the ones who will judge you. ^{Matthew 12:28} But when I force out demons by the power of God’s Spirit, it proves that God’s kingdom has already come to you. ^{Mark 3:26} So if Satan fights against himself, that will be the end of him.

^{Luke 11:21} When a strong man arms himself and guards his home, everything he owns is safe. ^{Luke 11:22} But if a stronger man comes and defeats him, he will carry off the weapons in which the strong man trusted. Then he will divide with others what he has taken. ^{Luke 11:23} If you are not on my side, you are against me. If you don’t gather in the crop with me, you scatter it.

When reading this compilation of these three gospels, we can see some significant themes and ideas. If you are interested in which verses went with each gospel, listen for the link I’ll share at the end of this episode, and look at the transcript for this information. In the transcript, I will have each verse and reference listed.

With this teaching pulled together from these three gospels, let’s look a little closer at it.

Mark’s gospel opens Jesus’ response by saying that Jesus spoke to the people in riddles, or other translations might say parables or illustrations. I find this detail significant because, at least for me, I remember the stories and illustrations that make me think better than the ones where I could correctly guess the punch line or conclusion.

I suspect that you and I may be similar in this regard. We might forget or ignore something that is too simple to be worth remembering or too abstract that we cannot even grasp it, but there is a window in between these two extremes that the right story or illustration can fit into.

Next, we switched over to Matthew’s gospel and discovered that Jesus didn’t just use riddles and stories, Jesus also defended His ministry using logic. In this short conversation-debate with the religious leaders, Jesus counters the challenge about whether He uses Satan’s power to cast Satan out using two logical conclusions.

First, Jesus says that Satan’s kingdom would self-destruct if it faced internal conflict with some sides casting out other sides. It would be similar to describing Satan’s forces experiencing a civil war, and internal wars between people on the same team never make the whole team stronger.

Secondly, Jesus says that the argument these religious leaders present, which suggests that Jesus uses Satan’s power to cast out demons, also incriminates their own priests and teachers who do the same thing. Jesus doesn’t discount God’s Spirit working through the priests and Pharisees who cast evil spirits out, but He challenges them on the idea that God only works through some avenues and not others when both outcomes are the same.

From Matthew’s gospel, we discover that Jesus taught a logical gospel, and that the gospel of Jesus is one that can be defended and supported with logic. As Christ’s disciples living in the world today, we should not fear or avoid defending our faith with logic. Christianity may be one of the most logical worldviews in existence today.

Next, we turn primarily to the gospel of Luke and discover another aspect related to how Jesus taught, which is illustrated by a strong man guarding his home. Not only does Jesus build on the parable-story and logic methods, He also brings in the method of having an overall theme that He is leading people to.

The theme that Jesus draws our attention to in this passage is that who we place our trust in matters more than we might realize: Will we trust in ourselves, like the strong man did, or will we trust someone stronger? This theme also is applicable to the logical arguments, because it matters who we place our trust in regarding God and Satan. Jesus is clearly illustrating that God is stronger, and that we should be placing our trust in Him.

The biggest key conclusion to Jesus’ teaching comes with a final punch: There is no middle ground. It is both a key point, and a challenge. Jesus isn’t trying to scare people into following Him, since fear is not a lasting motivator. Instead, Jesus brings this portion of His teaching to a very practical point of decision, and He leaves this decision in the hands of His listeners.

In these three gospel accounts of Jesus teaching on where His power comes from and on where we should place our trust, we find some excellent lessons on how to effectively teach others. Jesus shows us how to use illustrations, make people think, use logic, include an overall theme, and bring everything down to one single point that can be taken away and applied.

Jesus teaches us how to teach through His excellent teaching. If you are someone who leads, teaches, or who influences others, it is worth asking the question, “How can you use Jesus’ methods for your next presentation?”

However, before even beginning to apply Jesus’ methods, let’s briefly look a little closer at Jesus’ key point in Luke, chapter 11, verse 23: “If you are not on my side, you are against me. If you don’t gather in the crop with me, you scatter it.” Jesus’ key point in this teaching is that we must actively be gathering people with Him, because if not, we are against Him. There is no middle ground on this issue.

As followers of Jesus, we are called and challenged to point people to Jesus. If you are allied with Jesus, is leading people to Him the primary focus of your life?

While answering this question may be difficult to admit or accept, there is a right answer to this question, no matter how politically incorrect it may be in society today, and that right answer leads God’s people into eternity!

As we come to the end of another podcast episode, here are the challenges I will leave you with:

As I always challenge you to do, intentionally seek God first in your life. Intentionally look for ways to point people to Jesus and to tell others about Him. When our lives are over, the only thing that will have mattered is our personal relationship with Jesus.

Also, continue praying and studying the Bible for yourself to learn and grow personally towards God. The only way we are able to effectively share Jesus with those around us is if we know Jesus for ourselves. The best way to learn about Jesus and grow closer to Him is through regularly praying and studying the Bible.

And as I end every set of challenges by saying in one way or another, never stop short of, back away from, chicken out of, or deviate away from where God wants to lead you to in your life with Him!

Sometimes I wonder how Jesus would be received if He were alive today. If someone were to perform the miracles and healing that He did, would people living today (without having a historical Jesus to look back on) accept Him, or would He be rejected? Another part of me wonders if it was just the Jewish leaders who rejected Jesus, while the majority of the average people living in that culture chose to accept Him.

It is while I wonder this that I come to a challenging passage in the gospel of Matthew. As I read it, in a way it answers both of these questions I occasionally wonder about. So let’s read this challenge, from Matthew’s gospel, chapter 11, and let’s use the New International Reader’s Version of the Bible. Starting in verse 20, Matthew tells us that:

²⁰ Jesus began to speak against the towns where he had done most of his miracles. The people there had not turned away from their sins. So he said, ²¹ “How terrible it will be for you, Chorazin! How terrible for you, Bethsaida! Suppose the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon. They would have turned away from their sins long ago. They would have put on clothes for mourning. They would have sat down in ashes. ²² But I tell you this. On judgment day it will be easier for Tyre and Sidon than for you. ²³ And what about you, Capernaum? Will you be lifted to the heavens? No! You will go down to the place of the dead. Suppose the miracles done in you had been done in Sodom. It would still be here today. ²⁴ But I tell you this. On judgment day it will be easier for Sodom than for you.”

Let’s pause reading here for a brief moment. Matthew tells us that Jesus spoke “against” the towns where He had done most of His miracles. These were the communities who would have clearly had enough evidence to tell them Jesus was significant, and the miracles would build the case that He was from God. However, apathy seemed to be alive and well in the first century. Jesus speaks out against these towns because even with plenty of evidence, the average, regular person discounted Jesus’ message and ministry and continued living as he or she had always lived.

Jesus compares these two towns with two historical communities who were known for their sinful lifestyle. God personally destroyed Sodom because of the community’s sinful behavior, and while I don’t know if the city of Tyre was still around when Jesus was alive walking on this earth, one of the Old Testament prophets connected the king of Tyre with Lucifer, who fell from heaven. While Ezekiel’s prophecy clearly is speaking about a being who existed long before Tyre’s actual king, the fact that Ezekiel connected the leader of this city with Satan speaks to the reputation that Tyre had for its sin.

What seems to be the difference between the present communities Jesus was speaking to and their historical counterparts was simply apathy. The people in the past, even those who were actively pursuing sin, would have turned their lives around if Jesus had been present and working miracles earlier in history. This challenges me to wonder if apathy is among the worst character traits we could possess. If we ignore and discount all that is happening around us, then how will God ever wake us up to what He wants for us? Perhaps this is one reason why trials come into our lives.

However, Jesus also said some other powerful things in this discussion. Continuing in verse 25, we learn that:

²⁵ At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father. You are Lord of heaven and earth. You have hidden these things from wise and educated people. But you have shown them to little children. ²⁶ Yes, Father. This is what you wanted to do.

²⁷ “My Father has given all things to me. The Father is the only one who knows the Son. And the only ones who know the Father are the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to make him known.

²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are tired and are carrying heavy loads. I will give you rest. ²⁹ Become my servants and learn from me. I am gentle and free of pride. You will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ Serving me is easy, and my load is light.”

In this last part of our passage, we have three big ideas.

First, Jesus applauds God for hiding “these things” from the wise and educated people, while showing it to those who are childlike. The context for the phrase “these things” must then refer to His words against the two towns we had just talked about, and perhaps it relates specifically to our discussion on apathy. Part of me wonders if the more “educated” a person gets, the more apathy they can also display.

I really don’t think that education guarantees an equivalent or proportional level of apathy, but perhaps as we learn and grow intellectually, we learn that there is so much that we don’t know that it becomes easier to ignore the things we don’t understand in favor of the things that we do understand.

The second idea is that the Father is the only One who truly knows the Son, and while the Son is the only One who truly knows the Father, Jesus tells us that the Son reveals the Father to a certain group of people that He chooses. This means that you and I, if we have been chosen, can actually know who the Father is. However, in order to be chosen, we must be friends of Jesus, and the likelihood is high that friendship in this case also equals alignment and obedience. It’s hard to be friends with someone who is living in a way that is opposed to your character or a belief you have, and it may be this way with Jesus too. The closer we can live like Jesus and be like Jesus, the easier it will be to be friends with Him.

Concluding these three ideas is the idea of rest. Jesus invites those present to follow Him if they are tired of carrying a heavy load. While following Jesus might not remove a physically heavy load that one may have to carry, what Jesus is describing in this illustration is a load of spiritual rules and regulations that had become ever more confusing and convoluted as time had passed. What had been simple at one time was now more complicated than ever, and someone trying to live rightly according to the religious leaders of that era needed to be ever careful and cautious about breaking one of the countless laws that were present. The first century religious leaders had created laws that were designed to guard against breaking other laws, and that made the standard of right living even more confusing.

But Jesus comes with the message that His way is simple. Jesus does have a load for us to carry, but it is light. This means that it does matter what we do, what we say, and how we live, but the frame of reference Jesus uses is not one of restriction but instead it is one of freedom. Jesus wants us to avoid the lifestyles, activities, habits, and other things that will ultimately trap us in favor of the ones that give us life. By following Jesus, we can find rest for our inner selves and for our hearts and minds.

This passage, which opened with Jesus speaking out against the apathy present in the towns He did most of His miracles in, and which ends with an invitation out of the burden of trying to live up to an impossible standard, we see both apathy and self-reliance being opposite to the life God has for us. Education helps, but it is not the only key to breaking free from apathy and self-reliance. Instead, drawing close to Jesus, and learning to follow, obey, and depend on Him is the way into the life God intends for each of us to live!

As we come to the close of another podcast episode, here are the challenges I will leave you with:

If you feel as though you struggle with apathy, or if you are trying to live life apart from God, and in either case you feel tired, burned out, or empty, perhaps this passage and our discussion today is a challenge to seek God, follow Jesus, and commit to depend on Him for guidance, strength, and direction.

In order to learn what He wants from us, be sure to pray and study the Bible for yourself, reading every verse and passage in context, and intentionally mixing your study with prayer, reflection, and ample time. Rushing Bible study is rarely productive, and it doesn’t ultimately lead to rest. Instead, choose to pray and open your Bible with plenty of time available so you can rest, learn, listen, and discover what God wants to show you in His word.

And as I end every set of challenges by saying in one way or another, never stop short of, back away from, chicken out of, or give up on where God wants to lead you to in your life with Him!