Matthew 2-3

I've just started reading this book and so far, it is really interesting. I find it fascinating that the mind can cause so much discomfort. The book focuses on TMS (Tension Myositis Syndrome), what it is and treatment for it. So far, I haven't got to the point where we have treatment.

Matthew 2:

• The story of Jesus as a baby, dealing with Herod, fleeing to Egypt and his return. He really brings to life Jeremiah 29, where it says 'For I know the plans I have for you'.
• There is a lot of fulfilling of prophecy thus showing that Jesus is LORD.

Matthew 3:

• A prophecy about John the Baptist comes from Isaiah 40:3.
• John calls for confession, repentance and good fruit.
• John's baptism is one of repentance and does not have the Holy Spirit.
• Jesus is baptized by John and the Holy Spirit descends down to Jesus in the form of a dove. 

Confession Study #2

Acts 19:16-19
Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them. Because he was so much stronger than all of them, they ran away from the house naked and hurt. All the people in Ephesus—Jews and Greeks—learned about this and were filled with fear and gave great honor to the Lord Jesus. Many of the believers began to confess openly and tell all the evil things they had done. Some of them who had used magic brought their magic books and burned them before everyone. Those books were worth about fifty thousand silver coins.

• They began by confessing sins and then they burned the books they led them to sin. They took radical steps in their repentance as they did in their sinful ways.

Matthew 5:29

If your right eye causes you to sin, take it out and throw it away. It is better to lose one part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into hell.

• Tells us how to be extreme in our repentance as we were in our sinful ways.

Mark 1:4-5

John was baptizing people in the desert and preaching a baptism of changed hearts and lives for the forgiveness of sins. All the people from Judea and Jerusalem were going out to him. They confessed their sins and were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

• Before they were baptized, they confessed their sins. This was John's baptism, a baptism of forgiveness.

Matthew 3:4-6
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. Many people came from Jerusalem and Judea and all the area around the Jordan River to hear John. They confessed their sins, and he baptized them in the Jordan River.

• This goes along with Mark 1, you need to confess your sins to be saved.