Bible Reading - FRESH START FELLOWSHIP

Daily Bible Reading

May 07, 2020 Bibile Reading & Questions

Posted on May 7, 2020 in General |

Matthew 6:16 “Whenever you fast, don’t be gloomy like the hypocrites. For they disfigure their faces so that their fasting is obvious to people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward.

1. I think we can all agree that fasting from something you dislike isn’t really fasting. Giving up broccoli or paying bills or doing dishes wouldn’t really be a sacrifice for God. So if you’re going to give up something you enjoy, what can you do to keep a positive mindset about it?

2. We’re not supposed to make our ‘fast’ obvious to others, but most of us (all of us!) will need some sort of accountability to be able to follow through. Who do you know who would not only hold you accountable, but would hold you accountable with love and encouragement?

3. Giving up food for forty days might not be practical, and in some cases could be downright unhealthy!

Giving up your phone/internet might be very wise spiritually, but if going without it would affect your job and income, and your ability to stay in touch with family it might not be wise to turn your phone off for five or six weeks either!

On the other hand, giving up five minutes of television or Facebook or a half a cup of coffee might not really be a sacrifice that you would miss. You’ve got to find something that you enjoy so much that missing it would give you constant reminders to focus on God, but don’t give it up for so long that it puts your health or financial security in danger.

Maybe skip one meal a week, or leave your phone OFF on Saturday mornings, or every weeknight after 6pm.

What is it you think you could fast from? What could you do without and replace with God? How long do you think would be a wise fast?

May 05, 2020 Bible Reading & Questions

Posted on May 5, 2020 in General |

Matthew 4: 1-3a Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 Then the tempter approached him

1. What is the longest you’ve gone without something to eat? How do you react when you get overly hungry? Grumpy, irritable, moody? Have you ever gone grocery shopping when you’re hungry and discovered that down every aisle were things that looked TASTY and GREAT?

2. Do you ever notice that you’re most likely to fall into temptation when you feel as if your

fuel tank is empty? (Tired, hungry, thirsty, physically sore, headache, etc)

3. If you made a list of the last five times you said, did, or thought something you shouldn’t

have, how many of them would be because you were stretched too thin in that moment?

4. How was Jesus able to be at His best after 40 days without food, and you and I are often at

our worst after just missing a meal or a cup of coffee or two hours of sleep?

April 30, 2020 Bible Reading & Questions

Posted on Apr 30, 2020 in General |

Matthew 25:14-30

Do you see yourself as a servant (steward) to God? Why or why not?

Do you ever find yourself fearful of how God will respond to the way you are handling His “talents”? What makes you think and feel this way about God?

What “talent” has God left for you to manage? How are you using them?

April 28, 2020 Bible Reading & Questions

Posted on Apr 28, 2020 in General |

Matthew 6:25-33

What things do you find yourself regularly worrying about? Do you see any of

these listed in this passage?

How can you learn to rest in God’s promise to provide for us?

What do you think it means to seek the kingdom of God first?
How can you do a better job of this?

April 25, 2020 Bible Reading & Questions

Posted on Apr 25, 2020 in General |

Matthew 12:34-35 Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

34 Brood of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.

35 A good person produces good things from his storeroom of good, and an evil

person produces evil things from his storeroom of evil.

What do you consider a ‘good’ person?

What does God consider a ‘good’ person?

This translation calls your heart a ‘storeroom’. With that as a visual what sort of

storeroom is your heart?

What good things have you stockpiled over the years?

What bad things have you stockpiled over the years?

Which is there more of?

What are some good things you can stockpile this week, to help your ‘storeroom’

stay stocked with good?

April 23, 2020 Bible Reading & Questions

Posted on Apr 23, 2020 in General |

I want to look at the same two verses in three different translations this morning, and then encourage you to spend some time with the questions.

Matthew 12:34-35 King James Version (KJV)
34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things:

and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

Matthew 12:34-35 New Living Translation (NLT)
34 You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right?

For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. 35 A good person produces

good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things

from the treasury of an evil heart.

Matthew 12:34-35 Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
34 Brood of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart. 35 A good person produces good things from his storeroom of good, and an evil person produces evil things from his storeroom of evil.

How much sin do you think it takes for someone to be ‘evil’ according to the world’s standards?

How much sin do you think it takes for someone to be ‘evil’ according to God’s standards?

What sort of overflow does your mouth speak from?

When life produces sudden stress are you angry and rude and mean to those around you?

Or do handle that sudden tension by asking God for guidance and help?

How would the people around you answer this question about you?

April 21, 2020 Bible Reading & Questions

Posted on Apr 21, 2020 in General |

1 Samuel 16:1-12

What is something about you that no one could tell just by looking at you? A hidden talent?

A surprising summer job? A trip to the principal’s office as a young child?

What was the most surprisingly great thing you ever learned about someone else?

If God can look past everything that the world sees about you on the surface,

what do you think He’d most like to have a conversation about? A hidden sin?

Or a hidden talent or passion that He’d want you to share with others?

April 18, 2020 Bible Reading & Questions

Posted on Apr 18, 2020 in Devotions |

When was the last time God did something so miraculous that it took a while for you to believe it happened?

How is it possible to spend so much time with Jesus and still not understand what He clearly was saying?

Does it help you to know that the disciples struggled with this too?

April 16, 2020 Bible Reading & Questions

Posted on Apr 16, 2020 in General |

Have you ever felt that God had left you alone?

Does it help to know Jesus understands these emotions?

The soldier at the cross proclaimed Jesus was the Son of God when he witnessed

His death. How can you and I live so that others can come to this same conclusion?

April 14, 2020 Bible Reading & Questions

Posted on Apr 14, 2020 in General |

Matthew 26:12-30

In our passage, the disciples of Jesus prepared themselves to share the Passover meal (1st Lord’s Supper) with Jesus. How do you prepare yourself to fellowship with Jesus?

What is the “new covenant” or agreement God is making with mankind

through Jesus’ shedding His blood at Calvary?

Have you joined God in this new agreement? How do you know?