63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you-they are full of the Spirit and life.

Optional reading page 62 from the book The Greatest Words Ever Spoken by Steven K. Scott.

Optional reading pages 60 & 61 from the book The Greatest Words Ever Spoken by Steven K. Scott.

49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”

Optional reading page 59 from the book The Greatest Words Ever Spoken by Steven K. Scot

Optional reading page 58 from the book The Greatest Words Ever Spoken by Steven K. Scott.

7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

Optional reading page 57 from the book The Greatest Words Ever Spoken by Steven K. Scott.

John 10:37-38

New International Version (NIV)

³⁷ Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. ³⁸ But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”

Optional reading page 56 from the book The Greatest Words Ever Spoken by Steven K. Scott.

Optional reading page 55 from the book The Greatest Words Ever Spoken by Steven K. Scott.

8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

9 “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’

Optional reading page 54 from the book The Greatest Words Ever Spoken by Steven K. Scott.

Matthew 24:4-5

New International Version (NIV)

4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.

Optional reading pages 52 &53 from the book The Greatest Words Ever Spoken by Steven K. Scott.

33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Optional reading page 51 from the book The Greatest Words Ever Spoken by Steven K. Scott.

Optional reading page 50 from the book The Greatest Words Ever Spoken by Steven K. Scott.

Optional reading page 47 from the book The Greatest Words Ever Spoken by Steven K. Scott.

Today’s special message from Jesus Christ is:

Luke 15:4-10

New International Version (NIV)

⁴ “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? ⁵ And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders ⁶ and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ ⁷ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

The Parable of the Lost Coin

⁸ “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins^[a] and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? ⁹ And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ ¹⁰ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Optional reading page 44 from the book The Greatest Words Ever Spoken by Steven K. Scott.

Today’s special message from Jesus Christ is:

Optional reading page 45 from the book The Greatest Words Ever Spoken by Steven K. Scott.

Today’s special message from Jesus Christ is:

Luke 6:46-49

New International Version (NIV)

The Wise and Foolish Builders

⁴⁶ “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? ⁴⁷ As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. ⁴⁸ They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. ⁴⁹ But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”

Optional reading page 43 from the book The Greatest Words Ever Spoken by Steven K. Scott.

Matthew 7:21-23

New International Version (NIV)

True and False Disciples

²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²² Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ ²³ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

Optional reading page 43 from the book The Greatest Words Ever Spoken by Steven K. Scott.

John 8:31-32

New International Version (NIV)

Dispute Over Whose Children Jesus’ Opponents Are
31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Optional reading page 42 from the book The Greatest Words Ever Spoken by Steven K. Scott.

Today’s special message from Jesus Christ is:

Luke 22:67-70

New International Version (NIV)

Optional reading page 37 from the book The Greatest Words Ever Spoken by Steven K. Scott.

John 6:37-40
New International Version (NIV)

37 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

Optional reading pages 35 & 36 from the book The Greatest Words Ever Spoken by Steven K. Scott.

John 17:20-24
New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Prays for All Believers
20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

Optional reading page 34 from the book The Greatest Words Ever Spoken by Steven K. Scott.

Revelation 3:1-2, 12
New International Version (NIV)

Revelation 3
To the Church in Sardis
1 “To the angel of the church in Sardis write:

These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. 12 The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name.

Optional reading page 33 from the book The Greatest Words Ever Spoken by Steven K. Scott.

Luke 21:29-36
New International Version (NIV)

29 He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. 30 When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. 31 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.

32 “Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

34 “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. 35 For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

Optional reading page 32 from the book The Greatest Words Ever Spoken by Steven K. Scott.

Luke 12:35-40
New International Version (NIV)

Watchfulness
35 “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. 38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. 39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

Optional reading pages 30 & 31 from the book The Greatest Words Ever Spoken by Steven K. Scott.

Mark 8:38
New International Version (NIV)

38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

Optional reading pages 28 & 29 from the book The Greatest Words Ever Spoken by Steven K. Scott.

Matthew 25:31-46
New International Version (NIV)

The Sheep and the Goats
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Optional reading pages 26 & 27 from the book The Greatest Words Ever Spoken by Steven K. Scott.

John 14:27-29
New International Version (NIV)

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

28 “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe.

Optional reading pages 24 & 25 from the book The Greatest Words Ever Spoken by Steven K. Scott.

John 6:53-58
New International Version (NIV)

53 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”

Optional reading page 23 from the book The Greatest Words Ever Spoken by Steven K. Scott.

Luke 24:46-49
New International Version (NIV)

46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

Optional reading page 22 from the book The Greatest Words Ever Spoken by Steven K. Scott.

Matthew 28:18-20
New International Version (NIV)

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Optional reading page 21 from the book The Greatest Words Ever Spoken by Steven K. Scott.

Matthew 16:24-27
New International Version (NIV)

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.

Optional reading pages 19 & 20 from the book The Greatest Words Ever Spoken by Steven K. Scott.

John 15The Vine and the Branches

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

John 14Jesus Comforts His Disciples

1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.” Jesus the Way to the Father 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Optional reading page 17 from the book The Greatest Words Ever Spoken by Steven K. Scott.

John 10:14-15

New International Version (NIV)

John 3:16-17

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Optional reading pages 14 & 15 from the book The Greatest Words Ever Spoken by Steven K. Scott.

Dec. 5:  Philippians 1:12-30; 4:4-13

Dec. 6:  Colossians 1:15-29

Dec. 7:  Philemon

Dec. 8:  1 Timothy 6:3-21

Dec. 9:  Titus 1:5-2:15

Dec. 10:  2 Timothy 4

Dec. 11:  Matthew 1

Dec. 12:  Matthew 2

Dec. 13:  Mark 1

Dec. 14:  Mark 14:43-52

Dec. 15:  Luke 2:1-20

Dec. 16:  Luke 7:36-8:3

Dec. 17:  Luke 17:11-19; 19:1-27; Acts 1:1,2

Dec. 18:  Colossians 1:15-20; 2:16-23

Dec. 19:  1 Timothy 1:3-7; 4:1-8

Dec. 20:  2 Timothy 3

Dec. 21:  2 Peter 2

Dec. 22:  Jude

Dec. 23:  James 1:2-8; 2:5-7; 5:7-20

Dec. 24:  Hebrews 1:1-4; 3:1-6; 4:14-16; 11:32-12:11

Dec. 25:  1 Peter 3:8-22; 4:7-19

Dec. 26:  John 1:1-18; 1 John 1:1-4; 4:1-4; 2 John 7

Dec. 27:  John 15:1-17; 17:6-26

Dec. 28:  1 John 4:7-21

Dec. 29:  Revelation 1:9-3:22

Dec. 30:  Revelation 12, 13

Dec. 31:  Revelation 21, 22

Excerpted from Discover God’s Story by Jim Eichenberger © 2010 Standard Publishing.  Used by permission.

Nov. 8:             Acts 9:19b-31; 22:17-21

Nov. 9:             Acts 11:19-30

Nov. 10:           Acts 13

Nov. 11:           Acts 14

Nov. 12:           Acts 15:36-16:10

Nov. 13:           Acts 16:11-40

Excerpted from Discover God’s Story by Jim Eichenberger © 2010 Standard Publishing.  Used by permission.

Oct. 31: Acts 22:1-3; 26:4-8

Nov. 1: Philippians 3:1-6

Nov. 2: Acts 8:3; 9:1, 2

Nov. 3: Acts 22:4, 5; 26:1-12

Nov. 4: Galatians 1:13,14; 1 Timothy 1:12-14

Nov. 5: Acts 9:1-9; 22:6-11

Excerpted from Discover God’s Story by Jim Eichenberger © 2010 Standard Publishing.  Used by permission.