Daily Treasure

 “If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it” (Matthew 10:38-39).

Jesus carried the weight of the world on His Cross, literally. His Cross was the sin of the world—the sins of every person who ever existed or will exist.  Jesus knew what His Cross was and He took it up willingly, for the sake of His love for me and His love for you. What is my cross? My cross bears the weight of kindness, forgiveness, patience, and compassion for people. Not just people in general—but my brothers and sisters, my parents, my grandmothers, the people I go to church with, the people I spend my time with every day. When I made the decision to live my life in the light of Christ, in light of Eternity, I committed to take up my cross. I made the decision to follow. Clinging to the life I had before Christ made a difference is clinging to something that is lost. When you recognize that you have already lost your life, you have simultaneously found life under the weight of the cross.

Karyn Pugh

Drummonds, TN

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for adult children and grandchildren today.

“And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord” (Luke 1:46).

Read the passage Luke 1:46-55. These verses constitute what is called, “Mary’s Magnificat.” This is taken from the Latin words, “Magnificat animum mea Dominum” meaning “my soul magnifies the Lord.” Today’s verse is continuing the response of Mary from yesterday. I believe she was filled with the Spirit and the Word. She didn’t quench the Spirit when she broke into the song that filled her soul. When Mary submitted to the will of God, her fears and confusion gradually disappeared. The same applies to us when we allow God to work through us. We will feel such joy and peace we can’t help but burst forth in song!

Mary went to visit her cousin Elisabeth who was six months pregnant. Mary may have been a little reluctant to share her news, but joyfully, Elisabeth had a discerning spirit and they ended up rejoicing together. Two different women, one old, the other young, both were carrying miracle babies.

Sue Winchester

Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER:  Remember FWB chaplains and military personnel in your prayers today.

“And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her” (Luke 1:38).

I will also use today’s verse at the end of our study because from start to finish this is what we need to remember most about Mary. Yesterday Mary had received news that rocked her world. I picture her before the angel possibly trembling and certainly filled with questions. However, I don’t see her letting her emotions rule. She listened and, by faith, accepted the words with a servant’s heart. The fact her cousin, Elisabeth, was pregnant in her old age had to help Mary believe the preceding verse, “For with God nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1:37).

Do we have the courage to trust God come what may? Are we willing to obey Him with a servant’s heart?

Sue Winchester

Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER:  Neighborhoods change; people move out, others move in. What a challenge for home missionaries desiring to plant stable churches, yet what an opportunity for witness. Pray also for your own neighborhood.

“And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35).

The custom of Old Testament times was for a young girl to be engaged or married early in her teens. I can’t begin to imagine her being able to grasp what the angel told her at that age. Her mother probably sat her down to discuss the facts of life early on to prepare her for impending marriage. However, her mother never mentioned anything like the words the angel shared with Mary. Mary had to be experiencing mixed emotions. As overwhelming as it might have been, we will see tomorrow the response Mary gave regarding the angel’s pronouncement.

Sue Winchester

Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER:  Pray today for the meetings of the Spain Field Council.

“And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women” (Luke 1:28).

Today’s verse was not written so we would build a statue to honor or pray to Mary. She was a young maiden God chose to carry out His plan. Think back to your adolescent days. Would you have been prepared for the message of an angel? Obviously God felt with her upbringing, faith, and humility, she was ready. She was just an ordinary teen, but she was going to experience something extraordinary. Her life is about to be changed because she is going to be “touched by an angel” with a message that will turn her world, and ultimately ours, upside down. Tomorrow we will learn what the angel had to say that would impact Mary’s life forever.

Sue Winchester

Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER:  Pray today for leaders and staff of all FWB children’s homes and care facilities.

“To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary” (Luke 1:27).

We begin a five week study on the life of Mary, the mother of Jesus. There are those who would debate this, but she was simply another face of redemption. So many unbiblical things have been written about her. I’m glad we have this study to become more acquainted with who she really was according to the Bible.

Mary was a descendant of King David. She may have been born into spiritual royalty but never thought herself to be above others. There was probably talk in her godly home about Old Testament scripture regarding the birth of Christ. She viewed herself as a lowly Israelite woman who would one day become a good wife and mother and live her life in service to God. As I read some additional material regarding her background, faith, and knowledge of God’s Word, I felt she was a suitable choice for becoming the mother of Jesus. God had to have known she had what it would take to handle everything before and after the birth of Christ.

She was never meant to be worshipped. If anything, we should simply respect her for the example she left us in faith, courage, humility, praise and prayer. She may have once called Jesus her son, but when the fullness of time was come, she, like us, would call Him her Savior.

Sue Winchester

Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER:  Pray today for leaders and staff of all FWB colleges.

Begin preparing to attend the WNAC National Convention in Cincinnati, Ohio, July 20-21, 2009.

BRANSON RETREAT – Mark your calendar for this retreat, September 11-12, 2009.

PRAY TOGETHER:  Pray today for leaders and staff of FWB Master’s Men.