Study Desk

Bring to the storehouse a full tenth of what you earn so there will be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord All-Powerful. "I will open the windows of heaven for you and pour out all the blessings you need.

"You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God. It did no good to obey his laws and to show the Lord All-Powerful that we were sorry for what we did.

"But for you who honor me, goodness will shine on you like the sun, with healing in its rays. You will jump around, like well-fed calves.

"Remember the teaching of Moses my servant, those laws and rules I gave to him on Mount Sinai for all the Israelites.

‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not just an insignificant village in Judah. A ruler will come from you who will be like a shepherd for my people Israel.'" Micah 5:2

He sent the wise men to Bethlehem, saying, "Look carefully for the child. When you find him, come tell me so I can worship him too."

After they left, an angel of the Lord came to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up! Take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt, because Herod is starting to look for the child so he can kill him. Stay in Egypt until I tell you to return."

So Joseph got up and left for Egypt during the night with the child and his mother.

"A voice was heard in Ramah of painful crying and deep sadness: Rachel crying for her children. She refused to be comforted, because her children are dead." Jeremiah 31:15

John the Baptist is the one Isaiah the prophet was talking about when he said: "This is a voice of one who calls out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way for the Lord. Make the road straight for him.'" Isaiah 40:3

John's clothes were made from camel's hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food, he ate locusts and wild honey.

And don't think you can say to yourselves, ‘Abraham is our father.' I tell you that God could make children for Abraham from these rocks.

Jesus answered, "Let it be this way for now. We should do all things that are God's will." So John agreed to baptize Jesus.

Jesus fasted for forty days and nights. After this, he was very hungry.

Jesus said, "Come follow me, and I will make you fish for people."

"They are blessed who realize their spiritual poverty, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.

They are blessed who grieve, for God will comfort them.

They are blessed who are humble, for the whole earth will be theirs.

They are blessed who hunger and thirst after justice, for they will be satisfied.

They are blessed who show mercy to others, for God will show mercy to them.