NEWS, ARTICLES, DEVOTIONS AND MORE FROM BttB...

Published 12/27/19 Read 2 Timothy 1:13-14 "Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you." Reflect How does drawing near to God help in making the life changes we need to make? There's just something about the start of a new year that causes us to take a closer look at ourselves. "I want to lose weight," someone says. "I shoul

Published 12/26/19 Read Philippians 4:7 "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Reflect Why do some feel it's easier to trust a horoscope than it is to trust God? There was a program on TV about United States presidents who were influenced by fortune tellers. Many presidents got daily astrological readings, and some took their dreams very seriously. For a person with such high responsibility and press

Published 12/25/19 Read Matthew 2:10-12 "When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way." Reflect What is the gift of Immanuel? The Christmas season feels a lot dif

Published 12/24/19 Read Luke 2:7 "And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn." Reflect What other people meet Jesus in these verses and how do they respond? In what ways is Jesus "rejected by many" during the Christmas season? It's kind of ironic to be standing in line at a toy store with two dozen other people elbowing each other out of the way while trying to hold onto

Published 12/23/19 Read Psalm 27:9-10 "Hide not your face from me. Turn not your servant away in anger, O you who have been my help. Cast me not off; forsake me not, O God of my salvation! For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in." Reflect What are all things the LORD does for David? What's the one thing that David asks? Why does David ask this? There's an old joke that asks, "What happens when you play a country song backwards?" Answer: "Y

Published 12/20/19 Read Matthew 28:19-20 "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Reflect What are the things you are especially good at? What would you add to a team of disciple-makers? No doubt you know someone who lives in a "spiritual basement." What exactly does this mea

Published 12/19/19 Read 1 John 4:4-6 "Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error." Reflect What qualities are we to demonstrate in our lives? How did Go

Published 12/18/19 Read Psalm 103:17-18 "But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children, to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments." Reflect What is God's response to our sins? In your own words, what does it mean to "bless the Lord"? Being a Christian is really more about having a relationship with God than it is about following a bunch of religious rules, an

Published 12/17/19 Read Exodus 34:6-7 "The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, 'The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.'" Reflect How many words would i

Published 12/16/19 Read Psalm 139:17-18 "How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you." Reflect Who is the source of light? What happens when we let the light fill our soul? Our society tends to value others based on the amount of attention they get. The jocks at school have all kinds of people show up at their parties. The famous Hollywood actors and actresses

Published 12/13/19 Read 2 Corinthians 12:10 "For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." Reflect What was Paul given to keep him from becoming proud? (See 12:7). How did Paul react, and how did God respond? At what point will you give up? When will you stop trying? The answer to those questions depends a lot on what it is you're trying to do. But it also depends on why y

Published 12/12/19 Read Psalm 23:1-3 "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake." Reflect What other benefits does God provide in these verses? How does the image of God in these verses contrast with other popular images of God? You're in your car. Suddenly, your pulse is racing, your breath is coming in gasps--you feel lik

Published 12/11/19 Read Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Reflect What problems in your life are you trying to solve on your own? What has God told you about that through this lesson? Have you ever experienced the freedom that comes from giving your difficul

Published 12/10/19 Read Psalm 19:7-9 "The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether." Reflect What words does David use to describe the law, decrees and commandments of God? What benefits doe

Published 12/9/19 Read Acts 9:3-4 "Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'" Reflect Read the rest of Saul's story in Acts 9, and then think about these questions: What were the reactions to Saul's "conversion"? How did God provide for Saul after his roadside experience? Did anyone ever accept Saul? There are two m

Published 12/6/19 Read Psalm 4:6-7 "There are many who say, 'Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!' You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound." Reflect As you read through Psalm 4, think about the following questions: What does God provide in this Psalm? What are some modern ways people might offer "wrong" sacrifices to God? I remember watching a home movie a missionary brought back from India. Am

Published 12/5/19 Read Mark 2:4-5 "And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, 'Son, your sins are forgiven.' " Reflect Who objected to the healing of the crippled man? What was the reason? In addition to healing him, what else did Jesus do for the man? I've lost my car keys on...well..

Published 12/4/19 Read Jeremiah 33:9 "And this city shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth who shall hear of all the good that I do for them. They shall fear and tremble because of all the good and all the prosperity I provide for it." Reflect Read all of Jeremiah 33, and then consider these questions: Who is God specifically talking to? Why does He promise these things? What is the intended result? According to these verses,

Published 12/3/19 Read Hebrews 11:16 "But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city." Reflect Read through Hebrews 11 and think about these questions: How is faith defined in this chapter? What does hope have to do with it? What stories told in this chapter have you heard before? Does this chapter shed any additional light on why those men and women did what they d

Published 12/2/19 Read Romans 6:14 "For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace." Reflect How would your life be different if you truly believed, every moment, that you are free from the clutches of Satan; that you are God's child and heir to His Kingdom? Would you ever have to worry about finances? Would you ever have to worry that you could accidentally fall out of God's love? Would you ever have to seek comfort and acceptance from

Published 11/29/19 Read Luke 9:49-50 "John answered, 'Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.' But Jesus said to him, 'Do not stop him, for the one who is not against you is for you.' " Reflect What did Jesus mean when He said, "the one who is not against you is for you"? As a Christian today, you've probably never encountered this exact situation. You've never tried to stop someone not affiliated

Published 11/28/19 Read Luke 10:5-8 "Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace be to this house!' And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you." Reflect Why is it sometimes easier to serve than to be served? Have

Published 11/27/19 Read Proverbs 3:5-8 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones." Reflect What does it mean to trust in the Lord with all your heart? Where are some places where your understanding and God's will conflict? For a det

Published 11/26/19 Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." Reflect Why is this kind of love the key to real relationship? Why is it sometimes hard to live? For a lot of people, a key moment in