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

Published 4/16/19 Read Matthew 26:63-64 But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, "I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God." Jesus said to him, "You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven." Reflect · Consider how your own disobedience is like a "slap in the face" to our Holy Lord. What must we all do to nurture a right

Published 4/15/19 Read M ark 14:44-46 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "The one I will kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard." And when he came, he went up to him at once and said, "Rabbi!" And he kissed him. And they laid hands on him and seized him. Reflect · Are you committed to Jesus? Do you know Him? · Are you relying on Christ's power? · Do you believe He has the power to transform your life? (What's blocking the change?) The horror o

Published 4/12/19 Read Matthew 7:13-14 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Reflect · Do you tend to walk more on the broad road or the narrow one? (Be honest and explain your answer.) · What makes the narrow gate so hard to find? · How can engaging the Bible help us find the narrow way? Is Jesus ho

Published 4/11/19 Read Matthew 5:1-2 Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them. Reflect · Of the Beatitudes Jesus shares, which ones do you want to develop in your life? · How would you describe Christ's light in your life--a flickering candle, a crackling campfire, or a blazing furnace? What can you do to stoke the fire? · Of Christ's teachings, which ones are the hardest for you to follow?

Published 4/10/19 Read Luke 6:13-16 When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Phillip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. Reflect · Do you need to let go of your tight grip on circumstances in your life--or even a relationship? · What

Published 4/9/19 Read Mark 2:13-14 He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him. Reflect · When the Lord gives you an assignment, do you accept it with a trusting heart ... or do you shrink back and tell Him that you are unqualified for the job? · How does it make you feel, knowing t

Published 4/8/19 Read M ark 2:3-7 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 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." Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, "Why does this man speak like that? He is

Published 4/5/19 Read Mark 1:40-42 And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, "If you will, you can make me clean." Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, "I will; be clean." And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. Reflect · Whenever you've given in to temptation and sin, have you taken action and repented? (Please explain your answer.) · Are you humble enough to recognize the depth of your si

Published 4/4/19 Read Luke 6:1-2 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grain fields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels. Some of the Pharisees asked, "Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?" Reflect · Does your faith often feel stuck--bogged down by rituals and rules? · How do we get eternal life? Jesus makes that clear, and it sounds deceptively simple, doesn't it? (Hint: Know God, know Jesus., the e

Published 4/3/19 Read Matthew 4:19-20 "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him. Reflect · Think about modern-day outcasts: the handicapped person who is often overlooked or the loner who doesn't have many friends. Would Jesus visit these people? · Would He know their names, care about them, tell them stories? · Should you follow Christ's example? (Explain your answer.) John and his brother chose to f

Published 4/2/19 Read Matthew 4:10-11 Then Jesus said to him, "Be gone, Satan! For it is written, "'You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.'" Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him. Reflect · The Lord has armed every Christian with spiritual weapons packed with "divine power": (1) the sword of the Spirit--the Holy Bible--and (2) prayer. How will you use these weapons to win the battle over temptation in your li

Published 4/1/19 Read M ark 1:9-11 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased." Reflect · Are you pursuing God's design for your life--or are you following your own agenda? · Now ask yourself two fundamental questions:

Published 3/29/19 Read Ephesians 2:19-22 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. Reflect · What are your expectati

Published 3/28/19 Read John 8:31-32 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." Reflect · Is it possible that you're being deceived by worldly philosophies? · Is your mind set on things of God--or the things of this world? · Are you willing to be set free by truth? Saul of Tarsus had an incredible truth encounter on the road to Damascus. He stood face-to-

Published 3/27/19 Read Ephesians 4:11-14 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doc

Published 3/26/19 Read 2 Timothy 3:12-17 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Sc

Published 3/25/19 Read James 5:13-18 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, th

Publish Date 3/11/19 Read Matthew 16:24-28 Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and t

Read Hebrews 12:1-3 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself

Read Colossians 1:21-23 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister. Reflect · If you've blown it in some wa

Read Psalm 34:11-18 Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. When the right

Read Proverbs 11:1-9 A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight. When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom. The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them. Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight, but the wicked falls by his own wickedness. The righteousness of the upr

Read 2 Corinthians 7:1-4 Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God. Make room in your hearts for us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one. I do not say this to condemn you, for I said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. I am acting with great boldness toward you; I have great pri

Read 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. Reflect · How is our "inner self" being renewed? · How can we learn to tr