Mark 3:1-2

Again Jesus went into the synagogue; and a man was there whose hand was withered. The Pharisees were watching Jesus closely to see if He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him (in the Jewish high court).

Religion does not fulfill man’s needs because that is God’s role in our lives. Jesus came to break us free and reunite us with our relationship with God and all His promises. God never intended His love and grace to be limited to designated days. Jesus has set us free from the law and bought us our freedom to receive from God. 

Matthew 22:36-38

Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law? And Jesus replied to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.  

When we sell out to God, we give God all of our love. We are drawn to God and His word and want to spend time in His presence. We fully understand and cherish all the benefits we receive from God’s love for us. It is a win for us in our lives because we keep ourselves close to God, and God will stay close to us.  

Matthew 5:18

For I assure you and most solemnly say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke (of the pen) will pass from the Law until all things (which it foreshadows) are accomplished.  

God is our leader in this life and has a plan and promises to fulfill from His covenant with the Jews. The Bible shows us who God is and why we can trust in this plan even if the world is spiraling into sin. Our job is to keep our eyes on God and the word, not the world. We must trust the leadership of God and the plan.

Matthew 4:3-4

After He had gone without food for forty days and forty nights, He became hungry. And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.”

Jesus just finished His fasting and prayer, and the devil comes to Him with temptations. The devil didn’t realize that he was no match for the word! Jesus used the word to answer every temptation, and so should we. He didn’t sit idly by in His thoughts and think about the temptation but cast them out and down by quoting the word of God. 

Zechariah 8:16-17

These are the things which you should do: speak the truth with one another; judge with truth, and pronounce the judgment that brings peace in your gates. And let none of you devise or even imagine evil in your heart against another, and do not love lying or half-truths; for all these things I hate, declares the Lord.

God wants us to have pure hearts and clean hands, which starts with an attitude of love for one another in our hearts. By not letting thoughts of evil enter our minds or hearts in any situation we face. As we keep our minds refreshed by the word, we remain faithful to God in our hearts.  

Ephesians 1:9-10

He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, with regard to the fulfillment of the times (that is, the end of history, the climax of the ages) to bring all things together in Christ, things in heaven and things on the earth.  

The plan of salvation has always been the goal. God sent Jesus for our salvation to save us and warn us of what is to come in the end.   God will always warn His people and takes care of His people right up to the end. God will bring all things together in heaven and earth through Jesus.

Ephesians 1:3

Blessed and worthy praise be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ.  

God set up our redemption through Jesus Christ to open unto us the heavenly realm. The barrier between God and His people no longer exists. We have spiritual blessings in the heavenly realms with Christ. When we take hold of God’s promises, we will see the blessings fulfilled in our lives.

2 Chronicles 14:6-7

Nation was crushed by nation, and city by city, for God troubled them with every kind of distress. But as for you, be strong and do not lose courage, for there is a reward for your work.  

We will be rewarded for remaining faithful to God. Yes, it will take work, time, and effort but God will strengthen us as we move forward. When the nations are troubled, keep standing on the word! God is our courage and strength and keeps us safe.  

1 John 4:18

There is no fear in love (dread does not exist). But perfect (complete, full-grown) love drives out fear, because fear involves (the expectation of divine) punishment, so the one who is afraid (of God’s judgment) is not perfected in love (has not grown into a sufficient understanding of God’s love).

Love based on the knowledge and understanding of the love of God does not fear. Fear is being persuaded that what God says about His promises to us is false. We must have the courage to trust the Lord no matter the circumstance. And we can do that when we truly trust God’s love and His word. 

Galatians 5:22

But the fruit of the Spirit (the result of His presence within us) is love (unselfish concern for others) joy, (inner) peace, patience (not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting), kindness, goodness, faithfulness.  

Sometimes a list like this will convict us of our failures, but today, it is a list of possibilities for success. We don’t have to do this alone, but God inside will help us develop. With God inside us, we can learn to walk in love and have joy. We can be patient and kind as we tap into the Spirit of God.