Light of Love
Joseph must have been excited to get married but crushed when he learned his fiancée was pregnant (and he was not the father). After listening to a messenger from God, Joseph was reassured that Mary was miraculously pregnant and would fulfill God’s promise by giving birth to a son who would save his people from their sins. In addition to demonstrating Joseph’s love for God, for Mary, and for her son, his story also demonstrates how God’s love guides us in making decisions for His glory and for the benefit of others.
How has your love for God and others been demonstrated in your decision-making?
How has God’s love moved you to make life-changing decisions for the benefit of others?
An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and reassured him that marrying Mary was the right thing to do (vv.20-21). Has God’s reassurance ever led you to continue moving forward when facing adversity? How did the journey and the outcome impact your faith?
Have you ever found yourself in a situation that was likely to cause you to be ridiculed and/or criticized? How did you respond? How did God’s love influence your decisions in that moment?
Joseph’s reward for being obedient to God wasn’t immediately obvious to others. How have you reacted to being rewarded by God in a way that isn’t immediately noticed or acknowledged by others?
Doubting Doubt
Doubt is the presence of uncertainty. This uncertainty can present itself at anytime, for both believers and skeptics alike. The aim for both is to consider their own positions of doubt and consider these beliefs in view of a risen Jesus. Whether a believer or a...
When Jesus Restores…
Receiving forgiveness and experiencing restoration can become pivotal moments that shape our character. Peter received a course correction for life as Jesus gently but powerfully restored their relationship and Peter’s role. Together, we can grow deeper into Jesus’...
Overcoming Failure
Failing is a common but disappointing life experience that always seems to catch us by surprise. When our failures are placed into the hand of Jesus, he can use even our shortcomings to fuel our growth. Let’s discover the part failure played in Peter’s life and how we...
Forgiveness
As God has forgiven us, we are to forgive each other. In the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, Jesus is teaching His disciples, and us by extension, that forgiveness should be in like proportion to the amount forgiven. The first servant had been forgiven all, and he...
Peter’s Confession and Jesus’ Church
Jesus accomplishes his mission through his Church, but our part in a local church can be challenging as well as rewarding. In Matthew 16, we discover part of the foundation for God’s work through his Church and our part in it. How might God be calling you to be part...