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Matt 7:11-12 11 As bad as you are, you wouldn't think of such a thing. You're at least decent to your own children. So don't you think the God who conceived you in love will be even better? 12 "Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them Matt 7:14 The way to life — to God! — is vigorous and requires total attention. Jesus Christ gave it His total attention and you are His body! Matt 7:21-23 What is required is serious obedience — doing what my Father wills. 22 I can see it now — at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, 'Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our God-sponsored projects had everyone talking.' 23 And do you know what I am going to say? 'You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You don't impress me one bit. You're out of here.' Matt 8:12 those who grew up 'in the faith' but had no faith will find themselves out in the cold, outsiders to grace and wondering what happened Matt 8:13 13 Then Jesus turned to the captain and said, "Go. What you believed could happen has happened." Matt 8:14-15 14 By this time they were in front of Peter's house. On entering, Jesus found Peter's mother-in-law sick in bed, burning up with fever. 15 He touched her hand and the fever was gone. No sooner was she up on her feet than she was fixing dinner for him. Jesus was a servant and by doing so others helped Him! Matt 8:16 16 That evening a lot of demon-afflicted people were brought to him. He relieved the inwardly tormented. He cured the bodily ill Serving others… Matt 8:18-20 When Jesus saw that a curious crowd was growing by the minute, he told his disciples to get him out of there to the other side of the lake. 19 As they left, a religion scholar asked if he could go along. "I'll go with you, wherever," he said. 20 Jesus was curt: "Are you ready to rough it? We're not staying in the best inns, you know." This is there to teach us that it’s not going to be “perfect” for followers of God Matt 8:25 25 They roused him, pleading, "Master, save us! We're going down!" If He was really their master then why would they do down? This is there to teach us that many things that come up SEEM bad but we have to remember that Jesus is with us! Matt 8:33-34 Scared to death, the swineherds bolted. They told everyone back in town what had happened to the madmen and the pigs. 34 Those who heard about it were angry about the drowned pigs. A mob formed and demanded that Jesus get out and not come back. People AREN’T going to be happy about what God does Matt 9:1-7 Jesus and the disciples recrossed the sea to Jesus' hometown. 2 They were hardly out of the boat when some men carried a paraplegic on a stretcher and set him down in front of them. Jesus, impressed by their bold belief, said to the paraplegic, "Cheer up, son. I forgive your sins." 3 Some religion scholars whispered, "Why, that's blasphemy!" 4 Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, "Why this gossipy whispering? 5 Which do you think is simpler: to say, 'I forgive your sins,' or, 'Get up and walk'? 6 Well, just so it's clear that I'm the Son of Man and authorized to do either, or both. . . ." At this he turned to the paraplegic and said, "Get up. Take your bed and go home." 7 And the man did it Matt 9:9-13 Jesus saw a man at his work collecting taxes. His name was Matthew. Jesus said, "Come along with me." Matthew stood up and followed him. 10 Later when Jesus was eating supper at Matthew's house with his close followers, a lot of disreputable characters came and joined them. 11 When the Pharisees saw him keeping this kind of company, they had a fit, and lit into Jesus' followers. "What kind of example is this from your Teacher, acting cozy with crooks and riff-raff?" 12 Jesus, overhearing, shot back, "Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? 13 Go figure out what this Scripture means: 'I'm after mercy, not religion.' I'm here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders."