My THIRST QUENCHER

JESUSmy Helper
"THE THIRST QUENCHER"#40
As I started this anew, with only one blog post for the entire Section 6 with JESUS, the Helper, I missed not having a Sunday post. Because of this, for this first week (at least), Chapter or Week 40, I've decided to write about "The Thirst Quencher" (now that I have read the Scripture Readings and all 5 parts of the devotional by James Merritt). I should have considered doing this for all the previous sections. {a little late, huh?} 

Since I have been joining an Online Bible Study with Proverbs 31 Ministry on the newest InScribed Collection book written by Wendy Blight since September 5th and we're almost finished with "Rest for Your Soul"; I've found out that my soul not only needs "Rest" but that my soul is thirsty also, just like the woman at the well. Only through Jesus Christ can my soul's thirstiness be quenched. If you've been in a dry place (like a desert) or your mouth becomes so dry ... you understand the need for a THIRST QUENCHER, now listen to THE THIRST QUENCHER (and hopefully you'll Come and Rest with Him) (Matthew 11:28-30) {by the way, Wendy's book is well with the purchase - the content is invaluable!!!}

Jesus tells us in John 7:37:     

                                                                                    

"... If anyone thirsts, let him/her come to Me ..."

And this passage brings us right back to Jesus with the woman at the well in John 4. It seems to me that I often relate to the 'nameless' women more in the Bible. We know that she is a Samaritan, but I recently discovered through the Jesus Project that in the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic traditions, she is venerated as Saint Photini (Photine, Photina; meaning "the luminous one" or "enlightened"). This conversation between her and Jesus is one of the longest stories and conversation that Jesus is recorded having with anyone. I also can relate to times in my life when I thought I needed to search for something to satisfy me, when my soul was really thirsting for the One that I already knew - Jesus! He is all I ever needed and need! There's such a deep satisfaction that can only come from Him - I'm truly thankful that I found this out mid-life or before I wasted much more of my life. I knew Jesus (about Him), but I did not know about the importance of my personal relationship and salvation that comes from Him, until I made a shift in my religious denomination, and even still I never realized how much I need and rely on Jesus but needed to live out all that I had read and learned and knew by applying this to how I lived my life, the choices and decisions I made, which comes down to showing my love for Father/Jesus/Spirit through my obedience to His Word, following what I believe. I'm still a work in progress, yet "I live and breathe and have my being" through Him so I must stop, recalculate, refresh, and refocus on Jesus by returning constantly and consistently to having my thirst quenched by His Spirit in the Word (His Holy Bible). The Spirit produces thirst-quenching water and we can be filled by the Spirit (to overflowing as we remain) and believe in Jesus, who gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit. I find Jesus' interaction with the Samaritan woman, Photine, to be very enlightening as I seek more of JESUS. No wonder I can relate (and most of you, probably do too). It's like "photosynthesis" - we need His Living Water to grow, too; and be filled (chloro-phylled) (lol) and generate oxygen - living, breathing, spirit filled image bearers of Jesus! I certainly want more of His Light!

I find more and more satisfaction in JESUS, especially as I continue with Jesus on this 2023 journey to understand more of the reason this became my One Word; and why Jesus/God/ Spirit would impart this as my Word - was it for me? was it for people that I am still praying for them to accept and receive Jesus? or as I watch people die throughout this year, and in my past, I wonder if they knew Jesus like I've had the privilege to know, love and serve Him, so I will see them in heaven for eternity and not be the ones who perish (John 3:16). Oh, how this weighs so heavily upon my soul; my heart and mind can hardly bear that I've prayed to no avail, or sadly that the way I lived and spoke did not witness to them to want that personal relationship and the free gift of Jesus' salvation - to turn their eyes and life over to Jesus. Some this year (and in the past) have, and I rejoice for them. Then, there are some others, that I am so unsure, but pray for our merciful God, who sees hearts, to forgive and redeem still. Is that possible? I just can't understand how eyes, ears and hearts don't accept and receive such a beautiful gift, nor why their souls don't thirst for Jesus. 

James Merritt begins this section of Jesus, the Helper - with the Thirst Quencher and what caught my eye and attention was the very first segment, because it is part of my blog title (...Messes...) and has been throughout my life "Messy Mess Ups". How can my 'messes' be any part of having my thirst quenched? I surely know why I need(ed) Jesus, the Helper, any and every time I was in a mess. Often, when I did not seek Jesus first or at all, and attempted to resolve my mess - it just became messier. My, oh, my, do I regret not having sought my Helper or looking for His Help before I ended up in yet another colossal MESS! Do you notice how one mess just seems to snowball into yet another until you're too deep into the mess? I surely have. Of course, it was mostly because I did not go to the Word & Jesus - in prayer and seeking His Help. For some, it may be pride ... for others, just plain stupidity and even for some of us, it's a deep seated rebellion inside of us. But frankly, whichever or whatever, it is just plain SIN. Many use the word "mistake" or wrong choice, poor decision or MESSES, but whatever you call it - it's a mess and its root is in sin "making a (moral or lack of) decision or living (continuing in) a lifestyle that violates the law of God. It's just plain acting selfishly and not at all what God's will is. It shows up in the Bible as iniquity (mischief, wickedness, evil, trouble, wrong, error, fraud, crime, lawlessness). For me, sin is sin and separates us from God. 

We most certainly have been getting a real dose of all of this in the last few years and it seems to be increasing at a rapid rate daily. It's alarming. And this MESS just keeps getting to be insurmountable! Bombarding us from all sides. Perhaps you are fortunate (and live like an ostrich with your head in the sand, hoping it will just go away) because you have escaped being impacted or personally involved. The news is not of interest until it affects or impacts you personally. Perhaps you don't care about the people (believers) of Ukraine and the senseless invasion of their country by another, and the endless devastation of their people and territory, continuous destruction all around them, yet they continue to fight for freedom (and so should we, or else it will soon be knocking at our own door). This certainly is a bigger MESS but our own messes become tangled into this by our actions or reactions and whether we stand up as followers of Christ (I dare not even use the word Christian) and open our hearts of compassion as JESUS would. We cannot just live in our own little world, cut off from ALL that is happening. MESSES don't just go away! 

{This is my own personal view and not at all what James Merritt writes about in this segment. If you have been reading these, you'll recall that each devotional is divided into 5 segments with separate subtitles. It's the 1st one that inspired me and caught my attention with the Messes}  

40.The Thirst Quencher : "Messy Mess Ups"; "We Should Know that Jesus is Waiting to Meet Us"; "Someone Wants to Meet You"; "We Should Believe that Jesus is Willing to Accept Us"; "We Should Rejoice that Jesus Wants to Change Us"

I know that I know people are not coming to JESUS and seeking their thirst to be quenched by His Spirit; another counterpart seems to be on the rise - that is self-seeking, selfish, and self-determined for their way above all else - for more evil and less good. More greed and bullying of others, and less compassion and justice seeking for others, only for themselves. Truly, my heart aches for our world (the people on the fringe)... for the many who are literally thirsting, but also for those who have no idea that they need The Thirst Quencher to saturate their being and pour out more of JESUS by the power of His Holy Spirit. "Just because you have messed up doesn't mean you have to stayed messed up"(James Merritt)

"This woman's encounter (the woman at the well) with Jesus, not only demonstrates how we should relate to people who are on the fringe, but also it's a wonderful gift for all of us who have messed up at one time or another. What we discover from this woman who doesn't deny her messy past is that as we fess-up to our mess-ups, Jesus will clean up our messes." James Merritt

Too many need to fess-up (CONFESS) and surrender to Jesus!
What a difference it would make if more people would admit their BIG mistakes
REPENT(means to change their ways)
andRETURNtoJesus(or come to Him)
REALIZE[as the rest of the segments of #40 point out]
that
JESUSis waiting to meet us
JESUSis willing to accept us{so why not try accepting Jesus}
and
we really shouldREJOICEthatJESUSwants to change us
sohow 'bout it?
I know I can use all the help I can get to change.
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Let's make this UNITED effort to 
RISE UP
and
RENEW
our lifestyle and steps to
REFLECT
JESUS!
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The Woman at the Well became the first Evangelist to her
COMMUNITY
"By approaching her, JESUS demonstrates His care for ALL,regardless of their social standing."
She is the first disciple thatRECOGNIZEDJESUSas the promisedMessiah
andthere isONLY ONE
JESUS
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I found some really good You Version reading plans on Thirst(y):
THIRST: The Story of SAMARITAN WOMAN(would fit with this one the best) 5 day plan

"THIRST is there more?"5 day plan
"Becoming Thirsty"

6 day plan

There are a couple more on "Hunger & Thirst" too.
Many pages with plans for 
Jesus, my Helper
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 Then I went to look for more on "Quench" and there was quite a list.
My choices may not be yours so I just linked to the search,
The ones that say "Be Still" are very similar to the P31 OBS
with Wendy Blight on "Rest for Your Soul" (the book is so good)!
I saved the one of 22 days of "BE STILL" (and did a few others){apparently I need lots more practice in this "being still"}
I like this: "Make SPACE for God to speak to you."
Search my heartPursue His Presencestay AttentiveClear your mindEnjoy His Presence
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UPDATE: (after posting)

I do like each one of the weeks of #40-44, but since I chose to write on Thirst Quencher and not the others (yet), I held back from doing another blog post when I began week (#41) Most Valuable Treasure. Then I looked ahead again at the rest, thinking I should do one each week but that's exactly what I hoped to get away from doing - however, when I saw (read) Our Best Friend (#44) who is Always Available, Always Accessible(#43) {it's a difficult decision} and with the daily news intensifying over Israel & the Palestinians, I have been crying out to our Gracious Judge (#42) realizing how important these weeks are - as we seek more of JESUS, our HELPER, and just how much our world is in need of the HELPER, found in our Lord Jesus Christ and the power of His Holy Spirit, I am most thankful that October is ALL about JESUS!

And so I am making

S.P.A.C.E.

for

JESUS

ONLY

JESUS, the HELPER ...

[I apologize for so much explanation for a simple modification of less blog posts.]😉😊 BUT...

Before I begin this new section of "52 Weeks with Jesus", I want to let you, the reader, know that I plan on doing a shift in my blog posts for this last quarter of the year. It's a new season and I have now completed three fourths of the year but plan to change my format. 

I have weekly shared these blog posts on Sunday evening for that week's devotional reading & the scriptures. Since it is not my own writing of 52 Weeks with Jesus, I do not share much of James Merritt's content. However, not only have I enjoyed each week with Jesus as I read James' book, but I have found that by reading this devotional book it's really true it does what the cover/subtitle says, because I fall "in love with the One Who Changed Everything" - Jesus, more & more (if that's even possible) every day as I spend each one with Him, spending time with Jesus does that; so I would encourage you to do the same and read the actual book or through emails.

I write all of this to let you know that after three-fourths of the year have now passed, it doesn't seem like my blog posts have done this for you (as the reader) like the book has for me, because I don't share the wonderful words of the author himself or much about the actual devotional. I noticed the decline in readers or comments I have received, although I am still thankful for you who may be reading incognito (without comment that lets me know you have read it - lol). I do understand that I probably have not adequately given you enough in my words, yet I hope I piqued your interest in this book or I've encouraged you to sign up for the weekly emails from James Merritt and Harvest House Publishers. My weekly blog posts seem to have not been as interesting as the book, so I guess I have not done this excellent author the literary justice due him and his clever way to engage key aspects of Jesus cleverly that do make you draw closer and want to know Him in yet another role. 

So, I will no longer be doing a weekly blog post for the remaining weeks of the 52 as I did for the first 5 sections; and the shift in my format is just to share one main one for each of the last 3 sections on: (6) Jesus, the Helper; then (7) Jesus, the Leader; and finally (8) Jesus, the Overcomer. I still will be reading one each week as I have done so far; continuing to enjoy being WITH JESUS. I believe HELPER for October is just what I need to prepare me for the rest of 2023! 

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This blog post features

Jesus,

the Helper

 for October

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Section 6 includes (weeks 40-44) withJesus, the Helperfollowed by Jesus, the Leader(weeks 45-48)and then finally Jesus, the Overcomer(weeks 49-52)

October - Section Six: Jesus, the Helper 40. The Thirst Quencher 41. A Most Valuable Treasure 42. A Gracious Judge 43. Always Available, Always Accessible 44. Our Best Friend November - Section Seven: Jesus, the Leader 45. The Standard of Greatness 46. A Servant First 47. The Victor 48. Commander in Chief December - Section Eight: Jesus, the Overcomer 49. The Passion of the Christ—the Rest of the Story 50. His Grace, My Place 51. The Warrior Rises 52. Dead Man Walking

For most of my life, I have sought Jesus as my Helper through the Holy Spirit.So, I guess what I'm saying is I think of the Holy Spirit in this role,more than Jesus, although most certainly Jesus is our Helperand calling on His Name is the greatest help.
Yet, I have always known Jesus, as my Best Friend! (#44) He's yours, too!<>

SCRIPTURE READINGS for the Weeks of Chapters 40-44:

40. John 4:1-42; Revelation 22:17; Isaiah 55:1-5; John 7:37-39; Rev.7:14-17 41. Mark 10:17-22; Romans 12:1-2; Titus 3:4-8; Ecclesiastes 5:10-20; Ezekiel 18:4-9 42. John 8:1-11; 1 John 1:5-10; Romans 6:15-23; Matthew 18:15-20; Ephesians 4:29-32 43. Mark 5:25-34; Hebrews 4:14-16;Mark 10:13-16; Matthew 19:13-15; Luke 18:35-42 44. Luke 19:1-10; Luke 7:31-34; Matthew 9:9-13; 1 Timothy 1:12-17; Micah 4:6-7

These are the subtitles/segments of each devotional in Chapters 40-44 (listed after the title of that devotional)
October 2-6

40.The Thirst Quencher : "Messy Mess Ups"; "We Should Know that Jesus is Waiting to Meet Us"; "Someone Wants to Meet You"; "We Should Believe that Jesus is Willing to Accept Us"; "We Should Rejoice that Jesus Wants to Change Us"

October 9-13

41. A Most Valuable Treasure: "Losers Who Win, Winners Who Lose"; "A Rich Young Ruler"; "Desire the Gift of Eternal Life"; "Determine the Cost of Eternal Life"; Decide to Pay the Price for Eternal Life"

October 16-20

42. A Gracious Judge: "Caught in the Act "; "For the Broken"; "Come to Jesus, He Will Give You Grace"; "Confess to Jesus, He Will Remove Your Guilt"; "Commit to Jesus, He Will Lead You to Goodness"

October 23-27

43. Always Available, Always Accessible: "Close Enough to Touch"; "Encountering One Who Helps"; "We Need to Give Hurting People the Addition of Our Presence"; "We Need to Give Hurting People the Attention of Our Minds"; "We Need to Give Hurting People the Affection of Our Hearts"

October 30 - November 3

44.Our Best Friend: "Rejected by Others"; "Reasonable Rejection"; "We Must Be Attractive to Those Who Feel Rejected"; "We Must Be Attracted to Those Who Feel Rejected"; "We Must Be Attentive to Those Who Feel Rejected"

PRAYERS:

"Lord, Teach me to see others the way You see them - as being worthy of time, attention, and living water. Show me, this week, who is thirsty for You." (40) "Lord, Everything I have is Yours. Open my eyes to the way I've held my goods and my life back from You. Lord, I surrender all.(41) "Lord, show me where I am in this story of Your grace. Transform my life as I turn away from whatever sin is keeping me from You."(42) "Lord, give me the faith of a woman who believed in Your power to heal, and allow me to minister in Your name to those who hurt." (43) "Lord, give me Your vision to notice and care for those who are rejected. Help me to move toward those that You love on the world's fringes." (44)

"One of Jesus' most endearing qualities was the way He proactively pursued the outcast and outsider. HE WAS A MAN OF THE PEOPLE, not just the privileged. HE WAS A MASTER FOR THE MASSES, not a rabbi for the rich. Jesus sought out those that society avoided, mocked, and ridiculed. HE WAS WILLING TO HELP ANYONE at ANY TIME, even if they didn't realize they needed Him. Jesus' most scandalous encounters reveal His role as a HELPER of the helpless, and the hope of the hopeless, all the while changing the way we see others and ourselves." ~James Merritt, intro to section 6, Jesus, the Helper.

Thank You Jesus
for all Your Help and sending us
the Helper from the Father
(John 15:26-27 ERV) and (John 14:16)

JESUS, the TEACHER (39)

Section Five, 

JESUS

the TEACHER

31. Flying Standby 7/30 32. A Prayer Warrior            8/6 33. Focused on the Father  8/13 34. The One Who Provides 8/20 35. The Treasure Principle  8/27 36. A Marriage Counselor           9/3 37. Can One Become Two?        9/10 38. Love: Can Two Stay One?    9/17 39. The Number One Priority   9/24

The last lesson this week, from the Great Teacher, Jesus - is:
"The Number One Priority"
I would have been most certain that LOVE would have been our 'número uno'.
Although this is the last devotional in this section,
it looks like I need to sit a while longer at the feet of Jesus
to learn more about Him, His teachings & our priorities
so I finally get it right or at least closer to #1.
[Here is a link to more video sermons of James Merritt, if you're interested, besides the YouTube]

"Believers understand that loving God should be the number one priority of their life. But, how do you keep Him in His rightful place?..."

"Time Well Spent"by Dr. James Merritt
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Scripture Readings for Week #39:

Matthew 6:25-33; Philippians 3:7-14; Mark 10:28-31; Matthew 16:24-27; Acts 28:23-31

as we read the devotional divided into these segments/subtitles:

"Ordering Our Priorities" "You Can Get What You Want" "I Must Experience a Connection with God in My Life" "I Must Establish the Control of God over My Life" "I Must Exhibit the Character of God in My Life"

These subtitles alone (or along with the scripture passages) might give us a glimpse in this
Teaching of Jesus on Priorities:
Experience - Establish - Exhibit
Connection - Control - Character
#1 God in My Life
"Let Jesus be the Center of Your Priorities"
Pretty sure that this is the reason my One Word for 2023 is JESUS!

"Lord, quicken in my heart a greater desire to seek after Your kingdom. Give me the will to desire, above all else, that Your will be done."

🙏{Continue to teach me how & what to prioritize like You, Jesus}🙏

"7 Priorities that Guided Jesus' Decisions"

"Christian Priorities..."
"How Jesus Determined His Priorities" - Wayne Stiles
JESUS
You are my 'número uno'!
Now & Forever
And You are the BEST Teacher!
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JESUS,
the Helper
is coming next for
OCTOBER
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JESUS, the TEACHER (38)

Section Five, 

JESUS

the TEACHER

31. Flying Standby 7/30 32. A Prayer Warrior            8/6 33. Focused on the Father  8/13 34. The One Who Provides 8/20 35. The Treasure Principle  8/27 36. A Marriage Counselor        9/3 37. Can One Become Two?    9/10 38. Love: Can Two Stay One? 9/17 39. The Number One Priority   9/24

Now, this lesson on Two staying One is a bit more difficult to do
but with Love & Jesus - anything is possible!
All of my life, I have aimed to love God, and love others better.
Of course, I have read the Word on Love, so now a refresher so I can apply it.
Looking forward to this lesson.<> Reading the following Scriptures this week:

John 13:34-35; John 15:12-17; 1 John 4:7-12; Galatians 5:13-26; 1 Corinthians 13

And the devotional has these subtitles/segments

"Real Love" "A Special Kind of Love" "Obeying the Command of Jesus" "Following the Model of Jesus" "Giving a Witness for Jesus"

You can watch a video of James Merritt on this:

Love: Can Two Stay One?
{it's not Jesus teaching, however he shares much of this devotional}

"Jesus taught us through His teachings and His very life, that love is sacrificial. He gave everything for His disciples, and He gave everything for us. His example of sacrificial love is the very thing, that will not only make a marriage strong, but it will also fill it with joy-- creating a beautiful testimony of the God we serve. If you truly put our spouse first place-- over our own wants and needs-- the result will surprise you."

Pray:

"Lord, teach me to love from the love with which You've already loved me. May others know that Your Gospel is true because of the way I love."

Fall in Love - Stay in Love
Two can stay one by following the command of Jesus.
It's not a choice, or an option - it's a commandment!
And Jesus repeats this commandment 3 times!
Surely 1 Corinthians 13 sums up LOVE!
Yet even moreso
God is LOVE
&
JESUS
offers the best
LOVE
available
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A Prayer of Love from 1 Corinthians 13

"Dear God,

Thank You that You are a loving, gracious God. Thank You that You’ve offered us forgiveness and the gift of new life in You. Thank You that Your love is perfect, it never fails, and that nothing can separate us from Your love.

We pray that our lives would be filled and overflowing with the power of Your love so we can make a difference in this world and bring honor to You. We ask for Your help in reminding us that the most important things are not what we do outwardly, it’s not based on any talent or gift, but the most significant thing we can do in this life is simply to love You and to choose to love others.

Lord thank You that Your love is patient. Help us show patience with those around us.

Lord thank You that Your love is kind. Help us to extend kindness to others.

Lord thank You that true love is not jealous. Help us cast aside feelings of jealousy or hatred towards others.

Lord thank You that your love does not brag and is not arrogant. Help us not to live with pride or arrogance, but to choose to walk with humility and grace.

Lord thank You that true love does not act unbecomingly. Lord help us to extend kindness instead of rudeness towards others. Help us to lay aside the critical tone and tearing down with our words, so that we can truly walk in peace.

Lord thank You that true love does not seek its own. Lord help us not to live selfishly, looking only to our own interests.

Lord thank You that true love is not provoked. Lord help us not to become easily angered. Help us not to be so quickly reactive, but instead slow to speak and slow to become angry.

Lord thank You that Your love does not take into account a wrong suffered. Lord help us not to hold grudges, but to choose to forgive, even when it’s difficult.

Lord thank You that Your love does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth. Lord help us to love Your words of truth, may we walk in Your freedom and wisdom. Let it be what drives our lives and choices every day.

Lord thank You that Your love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, thank You that Your love never fails.

Help us to love as You love. Fill us with Your Spirit so that we can choose what is best. We are weak Lord, but we know also, that even when we are weak, You are strong within us. Thank You that it’s not all up to us. Thank You that You equip us to face each day with the power of Your love, Your forgiveness, and Your grace. We love You Lord, and we need You today, and every day, In Jesus’ Name, Amen "by Debbie McDaniel, for Your Daily Prayer, March 29, 2022 in my emails

[a very dear friend/sister gave me a link to a blog "Sayable" (Lore Wilbert) with a beautifully written blog post "What Love is This" based on 1 Corinthians 13, but could not locate to share the link. However, if you find it, you'll be glad you searched for it.]

JESUS, the TEACHER (37)

Section Five, 

JESUS

the TEACHER

31. Flying Standby 7/30 32. A Prayer Warrior            8/6 33. Focused on the Father  8/13 34. The One Who Provides 8/20 35. The Treasure Principle  8/27 36. A Marriage Counselor        9/3 37.Can One Become Two?    9/10 38. Love: Can Two Stay One? 9/17 39. The Number One Priority   9/24

Surely, most of us, are familiar with this lesson
but in reverse - that
"two become one"
as used at weddings
from
Genesis 2:24

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so this twist in the title of #37 should be interesting
if I was to answer this, it's easy for me to say "yes" without a doubt
but let's look at these scriptures for this week:

Matthew 19:7-12; Matthew 5:31-32; 1 Corinthians 7:10-16; Hebrews 13:4; and Malachi 2:13-16

With last week's
... Marriage Counselor ...
and this week's
I am definitely being taught some very good points
(a little late in my life)
on marriage, divorce & remarriage.
The subtitles/segments of this devotion are:

"A Holy Design"; "One and Done"; "Know the Reason Behind Divorce"; "Understand the Restriction on Divorce"; "Accept the Reality of Divorce"

so the above gives you some idea of the content that
Jesus, the Teacher
is sharing this week through the
"52 Weeks with Jesus"

"Lord, whether I am single or married, give me Your passion for enduring covenant faithfulness and teach me to love like You love."

Marriage is an important "invention" - part of a holy design
but it is LOVE that matters
in all our relationships
RESPECT & LOVE
go together
as we
LOVE ONE ANOTHER
let us prepare ourselves; our hearts & minds as we
REMEMBER
9/11
and the victim's families who still need love & support
Our nation needs to come together again
as we needed in the aftermath of
9/11
more than ever
we need to
reclaim
JESUS
as
LORD
and
the best
TEACHER
of life & love
Remembering that there is freedom and justice for ALL!
but ... we need the lessons that Jesus teaches us and
REMEMBER
the price paid
with
HIS LOVE
John 3:16

JESUS, the TEACHER (36)

Section Five, 

JESUS

the TEACHER

31. Flying Standby 7/30 32. A Prayer Warrior            8/6 33. Focused on the Father  8/13 34. The One Who Provides 8/20 35. The Treasure Principle  8/27 36. A Marriage Counselor   9/3 37.Can One Become Two? 9/10 38. Love: Can Two Stay One? 9/17 39. The Number One Priority   9/24

I definitely need to pay attention in this lesson from
JESUS
Most of my married life of 40+ years
would have benefitted greatly from
A Marriage Counselor
daily and we even made a few attempts
though unsuccessful
I always learned more on marriage
and very thankful for the help:
Christian and others.
JESUS
offers us the best lesson & truths about marriage.
This week, I will gain much counsel from
JESUS
on Marriage & counseling.
Recently I also have greatly benefitted from
Therapy & Theology
with
*Lysa TerKeurst, Dr. Joel Muddamalle & Jim Cress - a licensed professional counselor
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Let's begin with this Week's Scriptures:

Matthew 19:1-6; Genesis 2:18-25; Ephesians 5:22-33; Romans 7:1-3; 1 Peter 3:1-7

through these segment/subtitles of this week's devotion

"A Blessed Invention" (marriage) "God's Default Position" "Understand God's Plan for Marriage" "Remember God's Purpose for Marriage" "Commit to God's Permanence for Marriage"

"Lord, as a person who's married (or as one who's single), I give thanks that You are the inventor of and the sustainer of marriage ... "

Since I have little success in this area, I will leave this to *Lysa's team & God's Word,
along with the advice in the words I read from James Merritt this week.

JESUS, the TEACHER (35)

Section Five, 

JESUS

the TEACHER

31. Flying Standby 7/30 32. A Prayer Warrior            8/6 33. Focused on the Father  8/13 34. The One Who Provides 8/20 35. The Treasure Principle  8/27 36. A Marriage Counselor   9/3 37.Can One Become Two? 9/10 38. Love: Can Two Stay One? 9/17 39. The Number One Priority   9/24

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There's actually a book with this title by Randy Alcorn.Here is a written summary of his 6 key pointsand a link to Randy Alcorn's 1st video of 3(?)
However, Randy is writing based on the teaching found in
Matthew 6:19-21
and so are

this & the others in this Week's Scriptures:

Matthew 6:19-24; Mark 10:23-27; Luke 18:18-26; 1 Timothy 6:17-19; Luke 6:38

We find ourselves focusing on these segments/subtitles:

"Final Plans" "Master or Be Mastered" "Be Strategic in Where You Put Your Wealth" "Be Wise in How You Perceive Your Wealth" "Be Careful How You Position Your Wealth"

Good points on the lesson of our Wealth
"Jesus doesn't want your money. 
It's already His.
Jesus wants your heart.
But since your heart always {*often} follows your money,
He wants you to surrender your money, your wealth, your stuff to Him.
You will never master your money until Jesus is the master of you."~James Merritt, 52 Weeks with Jesus

"Lord, I confess that all that I have is Yours. Release my grip on all that binds my heart, so that I might be mastered by You alone."

Jesus, You are the treasure I seek and Your principles to guide me!
Thank You for this lesson on wealth & treasures.
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In our treasure hunt for much of our life, 
we tend to look for a 'perfect' person,
a 'perfect' place -
Jesus is that person; Heaven is that place.
[this is a rewrite of what Randy Alcorn shares in his introduction, not a direct quote]
but the following is:
"...When you discover the secret Joy of the Treasure Principle,
I guarantee you, you'll never be content with less."~Randy Alcorn, The Treasure Principle
I pray you encounter the hidden treasure in Jesus Christ!
(and the perfect peace of Jesus)Isaiah 26:3
<><><>


* I think the word here should be 'often' rather than 'always' - hopefully no one always follows their money yet I know there may be some. The word always should not be used that often when it rarely is always. 

JESUS, the TEACHER (34)

Section Five, 

JESUS

the TEACHER

31. Flying Standby 7/30 32. A Prayer Warrior            8/6 33. Focused on the Father  8/13 34. The One Who Provides 8/20 35. The Treasure Principle  8/27 36. A Marriage Counselor   9/3 37.Can One Become Two? 9/10 38. Love: Can Two Stay One? 9/17 39. The Number One Priority   9/24

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This lesson seems to continue from #32 & #33 with Prayer to:
"The One who Provides"
Jehovah Jireh

{I love the photo image on that link page!!! Be sure to see it.}
As we continue this week also with the following Scriptures:

Matthew 6:11-13; James 1:12-15; Acts 17:22-25; Psalm 66:16-20; Philippians 4:14-19

{maybe you noticed that we continue in the same passage(s)}
as we lean into listen to Jesus
we read these segments/subtitles on:

... "Learning to Pray" "Ask God to Provide Your Needs" *** "What to Ask For?" "Ask God to Pardon Your Sins" "Ask God to Protect Your Purity"

*** seems like last week, I was not quite right in this regard ***

" ... We have to go to God, acknowledge our needs, and ask God to meet those needs. (as Jehovah Jireh) When you pray, you let God do the fighting. Prayer is not just for defense. Prayer is for offense."

"Lord, don't allow me to walk into a situation that would cause me to sin (do wrong); deliver me from the devil (run, devil, run) and every trap that he would set for me."

So far, our Teacher Jesus, is letting us know just how important it is to PRAY!
My most favorite book (newest from 2023) is 
PRAYERS OF REST
by Asheritah Ciuciu
and I like even more how I can listen and pray along with her on Spotify (there are other options available also to hear her podcast - just follow book link}

I cannot say enough good things about this, more than I highly recommend!!!
It is Excellent! 💗💗💗💗💗Great prayer format, too - withR.E.S.T. Recite God’s goodness, Express our neediness, Seek His stillness, and Trust His faithfulness.

🙌🙏💝
This past week, I'm so thankful for Jesus, our Teacher that I can lean on for better understanding and trust always, even when you meet with unexpected loss of a loved one,God is good and His mercies endure forever.
Our Teacher, not only teaches & shows us how to pray butJesus prays for us when we have no wordsthrough the Holy Spirit.
What a sweet Comforter! What precious Peace!
Thank you for any prayers!

JESUS, the TEACHER (33)

Section Five, 

JESUS

the TEACHER

31. Flying Standby 7/30 32. A Prayer Warrior            8/6 33. Focused on the Father  8/13 34. The One Who Provides 8/20 35. The Treasure Principle  8/27 36. A Marriage Counselor   9/3 37.Can One Become Two? 9/10 38. Love: Can Two Stay One? 9/17 39. The Number One Priority   9/24

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Since last week, we focused on being "A Prayer Warrior" -
it makes sense that the lesson for this week with
Jesus, the Teacher
is
"Focused on the Father"
with Jesus teaching us how to pray and where we begin is by where we focus
FIRST
with
OUR FATHER
in these
Scriptures for the Week:

Matthew 6:9-10; Ephesians 5:15-20; James 4:13-17; Romans 15:8-15; Hebrews 10:32-39

with these segments/subtitles giving us the lesson plan

... "How You Should Pray" "Focus on the Father's Worship" "Focus on the Father's Will" "The Best Prayer You Can Pray" "Prayer Changes Things"

so that
the change begins in the one praying
even as we pray

"Lord, quiet the voices in my heart that are all about me. Tip me face toward Yours so that I might greet You with worship, acknowledging who You are."

If I (or you) are truthful, about our prayers (as the one above points out),
we come to the Father for what we need or want or those of others in need.
Even when most of us know the PRAY format of A.C.T.S.
we hardly ever spend the time in
Adoration
or
Confession
some of us have gotten more in to the habit of 
Thankfulness to God
but most of us
skip directly to the final part of
Supplication
for ourselves and others
asking God to Supply our many needs
Of course, God wants to just spend the special time with us and He does care for us
and all of our needs: spiritual, physical, emotional ...
however He does desire our hearts to worship
and come to Him from a penitent place
to focus truly on Who He is
and finding His will.
To seek God first
with all of our
heart
mind
soul
as we
surrender
our will and wants
to
HIS
🙏

To God, the Father
be the glory
now & forever