Get Your Mind and Spirit Right

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Get Your Mind and

Spirit Right Beginning Steps to Creating The Life of Your Dreams

By: Randa Manning-Johnson

Week 2 of The Four Weeks To Fabulous Challenge

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www.WorkWithRanda.com

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“Get Your Mind and Spirit Right”

Now that you have your surroundings in order we can now move on to getting your Mind and Spirit right.

When I say getting your Mind and Spirit right, I am talking about the beginning steps to creating the life of your dreams. We all have dreams and aspirations for our lives, but the problem with having dreams is that once we wake up, we don’t take any steps or

actions towards obtaining them.

We think of it as having been a wonderful feeling at that moment, but now back to reality. But the reality of it is that your dreams can always become your reality if you

take the proper steps and implement the required planning to reach your goals. This week is designed to help you do just that. We will be working on learning how to

set attainable goals, staying focused, developing a spiritual regimen and holding ourselves accountable.

Begin to develop a daily spiritual regimen. No matter what your religion, you should aspire to become closer with your God.

Make it a point to get up 15 minutes earlier each day and pray, read a scripture and make a to do list for the days goals.

Time after time when working with my clients I see a pattern of behavior that seems to stagnate their lives. People are carrying around either guilt or grudges for experiences

they have had in their lives.

Once you are able to either forgive someone for the pain they have caused you, or forgive yourself...........You would be amazed at how much weight can be lifted and

your journey can become much easier.

You cannot expect to be forgiven if you refuse to forgive.

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Let’s Step into our Greatness....... Are you ready?

Since self-discipline is so important, how do you develop it? How can parents help their children develop it? Here are some practical tips that I've found helpful: Start with small things. Clean your room at home or your desk at work. Train yourself to put things where they belong when they are out of place. Make the old adage "A place for everything and everything in its place" your motto. After you've cleaned your room or desk, extend that discipline of neatness to the rest of your house and workplace. Get yourself to the point where orderliness matters. Learn how to keep your environment clean and clear so you can function without a myriad of distractions. Such neatness will further develop self-discipline by forcing you to make decisions about what is important and what is not. Learning self-discipline in the little things of life prepares the way for big successes. On the other hand, those who are undisciplined in small matters will likely be undisciplined in more important issues. In the words of Solomon, it is the little foxes that ruin the vineyards (Song of Sol. 2:15). And when it comes to a person's integrity and credibility, there are no small issues. A famous rhyme, based on the defeat of King Richard III of England at the battle of Bosworth Field in 1485, illustrates the importance of concentrating on small details: For want of a nail, a shoe was lost, For want of a shoe, a horse was lost, For want of a horse, a battle was lost, For want of a battle, a kingdom was lost, And all for want of a horseshoe nail. Get yourself organized. Make a schedule, however detailed or general you are comfortable with, and stick to it. Have a to-do list of things you need to accomplish. Using a daily planning book or a personal information manager program on your computer would be helpful. But get organized, even if all you do is jot down appointments and to-do items on a piece of scrap paper. The simple reality is that if you don't control your time, everything (and everyone) else will. Don't constantly seek to be entertained. When you have free time, do things that are productive instead of merely entertaining. Read a good book, listen to classical music, take a walk, or have a conversation with someone. In other words, learn to entertain yourself with things that are challenging, stimulating, and creative. Things that are of no value except to entertain you make a very small contribution to your well-being. Be on time. If you're supposed to be somewhere at a specific time, be there on time. The apostle Paul listed proper use of time as a mark of true spiritual wisdom: "Be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil" (Eph. 5:15-16). Being punctual marks a life that is organized. It reveals a person whose desires, activities, and responsibilities are under control. Being on time also acknowledges the importance of other people and the value of their time. Keep your word. "Undertake not what you cannot perform," a young George Washington exhorted himself, "but be careful to keep your promise." If you say you're going to do something, do it—when you said you would do it and how you said you would do it. When you make commitments, see them through. That calls for the discipline to properly evaluate whether you have the time and capability to do something. And once you've made the commitment, self-discipline will enable you to keep it.

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Do the most difficult tasks first. Most people do just the opposite, spending their time doing the easier, low priority tasks. But when they run out of time (and energy), the difficult, high-priority tasks are left undone.

Finish what you start. Some people's lives are a sad litany of unfinished projects. In the words of poet John Greenleaf Whittier, For of all sad words of tongue or pen, The saddest are these: "It might have been!"

If you start something, finish it. Therein lies an important key to developing self-discipline. Accept correction. Correction helps you develop self-discipline by showing you what you need to avoid. Thus, it should not be rejected, but accepted gladly. Solomon wrote "Listen to counsel and accept discipline, that you may be wise the rest of your days" (Prov. 19:20); and "He whose ear listens to the life giving reproof will dwell among the wise. He who neglects discipline despises himself, but he who listens to reproof acquires understanding" (Prov. 15:31-32).

Practice self-denial. Learn to say no to your feelings and impulses. Occasionally deny yourself pleasures that are perfectly legitimate for you to enjoy. Skip dessert after a meal. Drink a glass of iced tea instead of having that banana split that you love. Don't eat that doughnut that caught your eye. Refraining from those things will remind your body who is in charge.

Welcome responsibility. Volunteer to do things that need to be done. That will force you to have your life organized enough to have the time for such projects.

These practical suggestions may not seem to involve any deep spiritual principles. Yet you cannot split your life into the secular and the spiritual. Instead you must live every aspect of your life to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31). And self-discipline cultivated in the seemingly mundane things of life will spill over into the spiritual realm.

Adapted from The Pillars of Christian Character by John MacArthur. © 1998 by John F MacArthur, Jr.

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Limiting beliefs

Have you become addicted to limiting beliefs? Do those limiting beliefs soothe you and comfort you while at the same time holding you back?

In the short term, it can be much easier to tell yourself you can't do it. Yet when you look at the big picture, it's much better to go ahead and do the

work of achievement. You can comfort yourself today by believing that your lack of progress is not

your responsibility. However, you'll soon be paying for that short-term comfort with long-term regret.

It is difficult work to acknowledge and follow the best of your possibilities. And it is well worth the effort.

For your dreams are calling to you, and they'll never be satisfied until you do something about them. You have what it takes to reach them, and they

know it. Break free of your dependence on limiting beliefs. And achieve the great

things that only you can bring to life.

-- Ralph Marston

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Get Your Mind Right

By Dianna Hobbs

Have you ever heard the expression, "What you see is what you get?" It's true. What you see really is what you get. There's no way around it. Perception is reality. "What You See Determines Who You'll Be." Never forget that. Until you get your mind right you’ll never be able to get your life right. Why? Because nothing in your life can exceed your level of thinking. Your reality cannot supersede your mentality. So, if you want bigger and better results, then you’ve got to get a bigger and better vision for your life. You can think your way to a whole new plateau or to an all-time low. Which will it be? You can’t constantly think thoughts of doom and gloom and expect sunshine and growth. That defies God’s

natural laws. You see, whatever you plant will determine your harvest. If you constantly sow negativity through

your words, thoughts, and actions, you’ll reap a negative harvest. However, if you sow optimism by

consistently choosing to embrace a bright and positive outlook, you’ll produce better results in your life. What you see truly is what you get. So, let me ask you something. When you look at your circumstances what do you see? Think about it now. It’s important to examine your thought life. Are you too negative? If so, ask God to work on your mentality. Remember, mind transformation always precedes life transformation. “. . . but be transformed by the renewing

of your mind” (“Romans 12:2b NIV). I know that all your circumstances may not look favorable right now. But how do you expect things to change if you consistently speak death, destruction, doom, and gloom over your life? Stop poisoning yourself with your tongue. Stop diminishing your sense of worth. Stop stifling your creativity. Stop cursing your future. Change the way you look at things. Rather than always seeing the glass as “half empty,” begin seeing it as “half

full.” Focus on the good things. Stop expecting the worst while praying for the best. I want to leave you with this encouragement today: “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Philippians 4:8 NIV). Your future hangs in the balance. In which direction will you swing the pendulum? Toward the negative or the positive? Only you can decide...

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First Steps to Spiritual Growth

How to have meaningful time with God By Rick Warren Once you’re convinced that a daily quiet time is necessary for spiritual growth, then how do you go about

having one? You may be motivated to do it but may not know how.

You need to consider four essentials elements of a good quiet time: • Start with the proper attitudes. • Select a specific time. • Choose a special place. • Follow a simple plan.

START WITH THE PROPER ATTITUDES In God's eyes, why you do something is far more important than what you do. On one occasion God told Samuel, “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”(1 Samuel 16:7, NIV*) It is quite possible to do the right thing but with the wrong attitude. This was Amaziah's problem, for “he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord but not wholeheartedly.”(2 Chronicles 25:2) When you come to meet with God in the quiet time, you should have these proper attitudes: • Expectancy - Come before God with anticipation and eagerness. Expect to have a good time of fellowship with Him and receive a blessing from your time together. That was what David expected: "O God, You are my God, earnestly I seek You." (Psalm 63:1) • Reverence - Don't rush into God's presence, but prepare your heart by being still before Him and letting the quietness clear away the thoughts of the world. Listen to the prophet Habakkuk: "The Lord is in His holy temple; let all the earth be silent before Him." (Habakkuk 2:20; see also Psalm 89:7) Coming into the presence of the Lord is not like going to a football game or some other form of entertainment. • Alertness - Get wide-awake first. Remember that you are meeting with the Creator, the Maker of heaven and earth, the Redeemer of men. Be thoroughly rested and alert. The best preparation for a quiet time in the morning begins the night before. Get to bed early so you will be in good shape to meet God in the morning; He deserves your full attention. • Willingness to obey - This attitude is crucial: you don't come to your quiet time to choose what you will do or not do, but with the purpose of doing anything and everything that God wants you to do. Jesus said, "If anyone chooses to do God’s will he will find out whether My teaching comes from God or whether I speak on My own." (John 7:17) So come to meet the Lord having already chosen to do His will no matter what.

SELECT A SPECIFIC TIME The specific time has to do with when you should have your quiet time and how long it should be. The general rule is this: The best time is when you are at your best! Give God the best part of your day - when you are the freshest and most alert. Don't try to serve God with your leftovers (leftover time).

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Remember, too, that your best time may be different from someone else's. For most of us, however, early in the morning seems to be the best time. It was Jesus' own practice to rise early to pray and meet with the Father: “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed." (Mark 1:35) In the Bible many godly men and women rose early to meet with God. Some of these were: Abraham - Genesis 19:27 Moses - Exodus 34:4 Job - Job 1:5 Hannah and Elkanah - 1 Samuel 1:19 Jacob - Genesis 28:18 David - Psalms 5:3, 57:7,8 (See also Psalm 143:8; Isaiah 26:9; Ezekiel 12:8.) Throughout church history many Christians who were used most by God met with Him early in the morning. Hudson Taylor said, "You don't tune up the instruments after the concert is over. That's stupid. It's logical to tune them up before you start." The great revival among British college students in the late 19th century began those historic words: "Remember the Morning Watch!" So we need to tune ourselves up at the start of each day as we remember the Morning Watch. If Jesus is really in first place in our lives, we ought to give Him the first part of our day . We are to seek His Kingdom first (see Matthew 6:33). Doctors tell us that the most important meal of the day is breakfast. It often determines our energy levels, alertness, and even moods for the day. Likewise, we need a "spiritual breakfast" to start our day off right. Finally, in the morning our minds are uncluttered from the day's activities. Our thoughts are fresh, we're rested; tensions have not yet come on us, and it's usually the quietest time. One mother sets her alarm clock for 4 a.m., has her quiet time, goes back to bed, and then rises when everyone else in the household gets up. Her explanation is that with kids around the house all day, early morning is the only time when it is quiet and she can be alone with God. It works for her; you need to select a time that will work for you. You might even consider having two quiet times (morning and night). Dawson Trotman, founder of the Navigators, used to have code letters for his night quiet time: HWLW. Whenever he was with a group of people at night or home with his wife and the conversation seemed to be ending, he would say, "All right, HWLW." HWLW stood for "His Word the Last Word;" and he practiced that through the years as a way of ending a day with one's thoughts fixed on the Lord (Betty Lee Skinner, Daws, Zondervan, 1974, p. 103). Stephen Olford, a great Christian and minister in New York for many years, said, “I want to hear the voice of God before I hear anyone else’s in the morning, and His is the last voice I want to hear at night.” David and Daniel even met with the Lord three times each day (see Psalm 55:17; Daniel 6:10). Whatever time you set, be consistent in it. Schedule it on your calendar; make an appointment with God as you would with anyone else. Make a date with Jesus! Then look forward to it and don't stand Him up. A stood-up date is not a pleasant experience for us, and Jesus does not like to be stood up either. So make a date with Him and keep it at all costs. The question is often asked, "How much time should I spend with the Lord?" If you've never had a consistent quiet time before, you may want to start with seven minutes (Robert D. Foster, Seven Minutes with God, NavPress, 1997) and let it grow naturally. You should aim to eventually spend not less than 15 minutes a day with the Lord. Out of 168 hours we all have during a given week, 1 hour and 45 minutes seems terribly small when you consider that you were created to have fellowship with God. Here are some additional guidelines: o Don't try for a two-hour quiet time at first. You'll only get discouraged. You must grow in this relationship as you do in any other. So begin with a consistent seven minutes and

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let it grow; it's better to be consistent with a short time than to meet for an hour every other week. o Don't watch the clock. Clock-watching can ruin your quiet time faster than almost anything else. Decide what you can do in the Word and prayer during the time you have selected; then do it. Sometimes it will take longer than you have set aside, and sometimes less time. But don't keep looking at your watch. o Don't emphasize on quantity, emphasize on quality. There is nothing super spiritual about have a two-hour quiet time. It's what you do during your time - 15 minutes or two hours or anything in between - that's important. Aim for a quality relationship with the Lord.

CHOOSE A SPECIAL PLACE The location where you have your quiet time is also important. The Bible indicates that Abraham had a regular place where he met with God (Genesis 19:27). Jesus had a custom of praying in the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives. "Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and His disciples followed Him." (Luke 22:39, emphasis added) Your place ought to be a secluded place. This is a place where you can be alone, where it's quiet, and where you will not be disturbed or interrupted. In today's noisy Western World, this may take some ingenuity, but it is necessary. It ought to be a place ... o where you can pray aloud without disturbing others; o where you have good lighting for reading (a desk, perhaps); o where you are comfortable. (WARNING: Do not have your quiet time in bed. That's too comfortable!) Your place ought to be a special place. Wherever you decide to meet with the Lord, make it a special place for you and Him. As the days go by, that place will come to mean a lot to you because of the wonderful times you have there with Jesus Christ. Your place ought to be a sacred place. This is where you meet with the living God. Where you meet the Lord can be just as holy as the place where Abraham met God. You don't have to be in a church building. People have had their quiet times in their cars parked in a quiet place, in an empty closet at home, in their backyards, and even in a baseball dugout. Each of these places has become sacred to them.

FOLLOW A SIMPLE PLAN

Someone has said, "If you aim at nothing, you are sure to hit it!" To have a meaningful quiet time, you will need a plan or some kind of general outline to follow. The main rule is this: Keep your plan simple. You will need the following three items for your planned quiet times: o A Bible - a contemporary translation (not a paraphrase) with good print,

preferably without notes. o A notebook for writing down what the Lord shows you, and for making a prayer

list. o A hymnbook - sometimes you may want to sing in your praise time (see Colossians 3:16). • Wait on God (Relax). Be still for a minute; don't come running into God's presence and start talking

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immediately. Follow God's admonition: "Be still and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10; see also Isaiah 30:15; 40:31) Be quiet for a short while to put yourself into a reverent mood. • Pray briefly(Request). This is not your prayer time, but a short opening prayer to ask God to cleanse your heart and guide you into the time together. Two good passages of Scripture to memorize are: o "Search me, OGod, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalm 139:23-24; see also 1 John 1:9) o “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your law [the Word] ." (Psalm 119:18; see also John 16:13) You need to be in tune with the Author before you can understand His Book! o Read a section of the Scripture (Read). This is where your conversation with God begins. He speaks to you through His Word, and you speak with Him in prayer.

Read your Bible ... Slowly. Don’t be in a hurry; don’t try to read too large an amount; don’t race through it. Repeatedly. Read a passage over and over until you start to picture it in your mind. The reason more people don't get more out of their Bible reading is that they do not read the Scriptures repeatedly. Without stopping. Don't stop in the middle of a sentence to go off on a tangent and do a doctrinal study. Just read that section for the pure joy of it, allowing God to speak to you. Remember that your goal here is not to gain information, but to feed on the Word and get to know Christ better. Aloud but quietly . Reading it aloud will improve your concentration, if you have that problem. It will also help you understand what you are reading better because you will be both seeing and hearing what you are reading. Read softly enough, however, so that you won't disturb anyone. Systematically. Read through a book at a time in an orderly method. Do not use the "random dip" method - a passage here, a chapter there, what you like here, an interesting portion there. You'll understand the Bible better if you read it as it was written - a book or letter at a time. To get a sweep of a book. On some occasions you may want to survey a whole book. In that case you will read it quickly to get a sweep of the total revelation. Then you need not read it slowly or repeatedly. o Meditate and memorize (Reflect and Remember). In order to have the Scriptures speak to you meaningfully, you should meditate on what you are

reading and memorize verses that particularly speak to you. Meditation is "seriously contemplating a thought over and over in your mind." Out of your meditation you might select and memorize a verse that is particularly meaningful to you. o Write down what God has shown you (Record). When God speaks to you through His Word, record what you have discovered. Writing it down will enable you both to remember what God revealed to you and to check up on your biblical discoveries. Recording what God has shown you is the way of applying what you see in the Scripture that pertains to your life. o Have your time of prayer (Request). After God has spoken to you through His Word, speak to Him in prayer. This is your part of the conversation with the Lord.

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CONCLUSION What if you miss a day? Don't worry about it if it only happens occasionally. Don't go on a guilt trip. "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1, NIV) Don't get legalistic because missing one day does not make it a flop. BUT don't give up. If you miss a meal, it does not mean that you should give up eating because you're inconsistent. You simply eat a little more at the next meal and go on from there. This same principle is true with your quiet time. Psychologists tell us that it usually takes three weeks to get familiar with some new task or habit; it takes another three weeks before it becomes a habit. The reason why many people are not successful in their quiet times is because they have never made it past that six-week barrier. For your quiet time to become a habit, you must have had one daily for at least six weeks. William James had a famous formula for developing a habit (Selected Papers on Philosophy, E. P. Dutton & Co., 2000, pp. 60-62): o Make a strong resolution (vow). You must always start with a strong initiative. If you begin halfheartedly, you'll never make it. Make a public declaration by telling others about your decision. o Never allow an exception to occur until the new habit is securely rooted in your life. A habit is like a ball of twine. Every time you drop it, many strands are unwound. So never allow the "just this once" to occur. The act of yielding weakens the will and strengthens the lack of self-control. o Seize every opportunity and inclination to practice your new habit. Whenever you get the slightest urge to practice your new habit, do it right then. Don't wait, but use every opportunity to reinforce your habit. It does not hurt to overdo a new habit when you are first starting.

To these suggestions I would add one more: o Rely on the power of God. When it is all said and done, you must realize that you are in a spiritual battle, and you can only succeed by the power of the Holy Spirit of God. So pray that God will strengthen you and depend on Him to help you develop this habit for His glory www.workwithranda.info

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Bible Reading Plans

Day Theme Passage

1 The Fall of Humanity Genesis 3:1–19

2 A People for God Genesis 28:10–15; 32:22–28

3 The Ten Commandments Exodus 20:1–17

4 Sacrifices Required Under Law Leviticus 5:14–19

5 Punishments for Sin Under Law Leviticus 20:7–27

6 Obedience From Love Deuteronomy 11:13–21

7 Cycles of Disobedience Judges 2:10–19

8 The People Demand a King 1 Samuel 8

9 Saul Fails and Is Rejected 1 Samuel 15:17–23

10 Many Kings Fail Jeremiah 1–17

11 The Sin of the People Ezekiel 20:5–26

12 An Eternal King Promised Jeremiah 23:1–6; Isaiah 9:6–7; Zechariah 9:9–10

13 The Promised King Is Born Luke 2:1–20

14 The Word Became Flesh John 1:1–18

15 Signs and Miracles of Authority Matthew 9:1–8; Luke 13:10–17

16 Jesus Fulfills the Law Matthew 5:17–20; Romans 8:1–4

17 Jesus Teaches About New Life John 3

18 Jesus Willingly Taken John 18:1–11

19 Jesus’ Death and Resurrection Luke 23:44—24:12

20 Christ a Sacrifice for All Hebrews

21 God’s Wrath Explained Romans 1:18–32

22 God’s Judgment Explained Romans 2:5–11

23 Righteousness by Faith Romans 3:9–26

24 Life Through Christ Romans 5:12–21

25 Life by the Spirit Romans 8:1–17; Galatians 5:16–26

26 Living Sacrifices Romans 12

27 Walking in the Light 1 John 1–2

28 Living for God 1 Peter 1–11

29 Love for one Another 1 John 3:11–24

30 Promise of Eternity 2 Corinthians 5:1–10; Revelation 21:1–4

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Getting To Know Jesus

Day Theme Passage

1 Jesus Foretold Isaiah 53

2 The Birth of Jesus Matthew 1:18–25

3 John the Baptist Prepares the Way and Baptizes Jesus Matthew 3:1—4:11

4 Water to Wine and the Samaritan Woman John 2:1–11; John 4:1–26

5 Jesus Rejected in his Hometown Luke 4:14–30

6 Jesus Calls his Disciples Luke 5:1–11; Matthew 9:9–13

7 Sermon on the Mount Luke 6:17–46

8 A Centurion, a Widow’s Son and a Sinful Woman Matthew 8:1–13; Luke 7:11–17; 7:36–50

9 Encounters With the Pharisees Matthew 12:1–13; 22–45

10 Parable of the Sower, Weeds and Seeds Matthew 13:1–43

11 Jesus Calms the Storm and Later Walks on Water Luke 8:22–25; Mark 6:45–56

12 Jesus Heals a Man, Woman and Girl Mark 5:1–43

13 Feeding of the 5000 John 6:1–14

14 Peter Identifies the Christ and the Transfiguration Luke 9:18–27; Luke 17:1–8

15 Healing by Faith Mark 9: 14–32

16 Teachings and Parables Matthew 17:24—18:20

17 Teachings and Parables Matthew 18:21—19:15

18 The Rich Young Ruler Mark 10:17–31

19 Disciples Sent Out Luke 10:1–24

20 The Good Samaritan Luke 10:25–37

21 Jesus Teaches how to Pray Luke 11:1–13

22 Jesus Revives Lazarus John 11:1–44

23 Jesus Comes to Jerusalem Matthew 21:1–27

24 The Last Supper John 13:1–17; Matthew 26:17–35

25 Comfort for the Disciples John 14–15

26 Jesus Arrested and Disowned Matthew 26:36–75

27 Jesus’ Trial John 18:19—19:16

28 Jesus Crucifixion and Death John 19:17–42

29 Jesus’ Resurrection and Appearances John 20–21

30 The Great Commission and the Ascension of Jesus Matthew 28:16–20; Luke 24:50–53

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Get Your Mind and Spirit Right

Spiritual

Transcript of Get Your Mind and Spirit Right