Pray – (1/2 minutes)
Read – (2 1/2 minutes) – “And He went down with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them. And His mother treasured up all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.” (Luke 2:51-52)
   Passage: Psalm 61:1-5
‍ The four gospels tell the story of Jesus from conception to resurrection and ascension. Of the 89 chapters in those, only four contain information about Jesus’s birth and childhood. In the final word about the time from Jesus being 12 till 30, Luke tells us that Jesus kept increasing, or developing in four areas of life. Those four areas are designed by God for His children to live balance lives. Think of them like a chair with four legs. If one leg is shorter, the chair will wobble. If one is broken, the chair will be very unsteady and hardly useable. ‍
As a disciple of Jesus, we need to be determined to keep developing in all four areas of life, mentally, physically, spiritually and socially. Each area is important and connect to the others to enable us to live balanced, fulfilling, productive lives for Christ. Paul expressed the attitude of a determined disciple in Philippians 3:12, “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own.” Set your heart to be a determined disciple and keep developing in life to be the best God designed you to be.
‍Apply - (2 1/2 minutes)
Pray - (1 1/2 minutes)

Read – (2 1/2 minutes) – “Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, yet I appeal to you on the basis of love. I then, as Paul – an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus – I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains.” (Philemon 1:8-10)

Passage: John 6:25-40

        God doesn’t have any grandchildren. He only has children. When Paul called Onesimus his “son”, he was referring to the order of relationship in that he had been the one who led Onesimus to faith in Christ. In that regard, he was a spiritual father to Onesimus, but in their relationship in God’s family, both Paul and Onesimus were brothers in Christ. The conversion of Onesimus was the starting point that enabled him to become useful in God’s Kingdom and in Philemon’s household business.
        In John 15:5b, Jesus said, “apart from me you can do nothing.” Nothing refers to anything of eternal value. Only a believer can be useful in God’s Kingdom, because usefulness requires the work of the Holy Spirit within a person’s life. A person does not receive salvation through any religious work or merit. Conversion comes through simple child-like faith that believes in Jesus and confesses Him as Lord. (Romans 10:9) If you haven’t written out your testimony of when and how you became a believer, do that today or soon. Thank God for your conversion and the fact that it enables you to be useful for Him.