Christian Foundations

Luke 3
Jesus begins His own ministry after John baptizes Him.
INSIGHT
The unique contribution of each of the four Gospels is very important to our understanding of the life of Christ. In the gospel of Matthew, the genealogy takes Jesus' ancestry back to Abraham. That is because Matthew's gospel is written by a Jew to Jews and emphasizes distinctly Jewish matters. However, Luke is a Gentile, writing to Gentiles, who emphasizes matters that are of concern to a broader audience.
From Matthew we learn that Jesus was a descendant of Abraham, and we see the fulfillment of the promises to Abraham. From Luke, we learn that Jesus is the Son of God, and we see the fulfillment of God's promises to those of us who are not descendants of Abraham.
PRAYER
· Offer your praise to the Lord who is faithful to His Word:
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul!
While I live I will praise the Lord;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being (Psalm 146:1-2).
Praise the Lord!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
For it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful (Psalm 147:1).
· As you seek to keep your life free from sin, pray this confession:
Forgive us Lord, when we are unmindful of the Rock who begot us, and when
we forget the God who fathered us (based on Deuteronomy 32:18).
Let us search out and examine our ways, and turn back to the Lord (Lamentations 3:40).
· Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. Now pause to pray this affirmation to the Lord:
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:4-5).
· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· greater faithfulness with your time and efforts,
· opportunities for sharing your faith in Christ with others,
· your activities for the day.
· Finally, offer this closing prayer:
I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;
For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety (Psalm 4:8). 

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