Trusting Faith (pg. 355)

A Look Back (pg. 360)

Investment Counselor (pg. 984)

Trusting in Faith: 2 Kings 5

At first Naaman thought his leprosy would be healed by the power of Elisha rather than by the power

of God, but he soon learned that healing comes from God alone. He had to believe that, somehow, dipping

into the Jordan River seven times would heal him. Naaman did receive God’s grace – healing – but only

after humbling himself and trusting God.

 I witnessed God’s healing grace when …

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Related scriptures: Matthew 13:58; Luke 5:17-26; John 2:1-11; Hebrews 11:1, 6

A Look Back:

My first job…

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Investment Counselor:  Mark 10:17-31

This rich young man was in love with things of the world, and he wanted to add God to his portfolio.

After Jesus told him to give up everything and follow him, the young man sadly walked away.  Jesus

then gave this great promise: Whatever we sacrifice in this world, we will receive 100 times as much in

this life and the next.  This means that whenever we invest in God’s kingdom, we will realize a 10,000

percent return, making for one blessed investment.

Here are some ways in which I have invested in people, ministries, and God’s work:

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Here’s the return I have realized so far:

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Related scripture: Matthew 6:19-21; Acts 4:32-35; Romans 12:9-16

“But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ as shall be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming” (I Corinthians 15:20-23).

When Paul refers to “first fruits” he is making a reference to one of the seven feasts of God celebrated by the Israelites. We know that the Passover feast was celebrated close to the time of our Easter celebration. The instruction was given in Leviticus 23; God said to gather on the first month (March/April) on the fourteenth day for Passover. The fifteenth day began the feast of unleavened bread in which for seven days the Jews were to clean out all foods containing leaven, a symbol of sin. The first fruits which had been gathered as soon as they appeared in their fields were offered up on the day after the Sabbath, on Sunday. These were the first sheaves of the first harvest of the year. At dawn the priest would wave sheaves. It was the promise of the harvest to come. Jesus rose from the dead on this very Sunday as the priest in the Temple waved the sheaves, just as it had been done since Israel entered the Promised Land. Jesus was the first fruit of many brethren to come! Because He rose from the dead, all believers will rise from the dead.