40 Days Of Blessing Prayer & Devotional Guide

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2 Introduction Because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross, we have been blessed. When he died on that cross for us, he did the impossible and mended the relationship between us and God. We went from God s enemies to being his people. Because of this momentous act of Jesus, we know that God will look after us, both in this life and in the life to come. We look forward to the ultimate blessing we have been promised life in the new creation where all the evil of this life has been destroyed and we get unhindered access to God. That s a blessing that I can get behind! So when we re talking about how God has blessed us, what we re saying is that God has accepted us and has welcomed us into a relationship with him. And that he has expressed that relationship by giving us good things. It doesn t mean that everything will always be perfect in this life, but we know that we are on God s side. At the end of days, we know where we will be standing. This 40-day journey will invite you into a more intimate space with God. Seven (7) times each day we will pause from our schedules and itineraries, whether we are at home, work, travel, or at play, and consider and ponder God s plan for us for the week. Set your alarms, phones, reminders and, calendars for the seven (7) times that will work for you during this 40-day journey. We have six (6) themes that will carry us for these 40 days. These things will bring spiritual, emotional, mental, and practical renewal in our lives. With fresh eyes, we will see a change in ourselves, our faith, our righteous living, our finances, our families, our churches, and in our praise. Yes, we seek the blessings of God, but more importantly, we will focus on God! Indeed, all blessings come from Him! Each day will have the following components: Prayer Time #1: Declaration / Confession Prayer Time #2: Scripture Reading Prayer Time #6: Scripture Reading The focus for this 40 Day Journey will primarily be prayer. Although we will not be inviting a portion of fasting during this journey, if you are led to do so, we will invite God s blessings on your sacrifice. We are in this together. If we can assist with anything, please let us know. We are anticipating that God will honor our commitment and do more than we even ask or think. Pastor Charles Jenkins 2

3 Week #1: BLESSING FROM FAITH Day #1 Prayer Time #1 Declaration / Confession: I Believe God I Trust God With All of My Heart, My Mind, and My Soul! Prayer Time #2 Scripture: (Hebrews 11:6 (NASB) And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. Am I All In With My Faith? If not, why not? The writer of Hebrews opens this famous chapter with what has been called the basic definition of faith. It is a definition that many of us can repeat from memory. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. We are told in this chapter that it is by faith the worlds were framed through the Word of God. He then tells us about Abel and how it was by faith that his sacrifice was accepted. The author then tells us about a little known person, Enoch. We are told here and in Genesis 5:18-24 that Enoch was translated by God, meaning that he did not experience death. God just took him. We don t know much about Enoch from the traditional Bible. However, we are told in Heb 11:5 that Enoch pleased God. The author pauses from his list of Old Testament saints to give us a sidebar, which is our scripture promise for today. We are told that without faith, it is impossible to please God. What a strange thing to please God with. One would think that obedience, sacrifice, prayer, or a host of others things would rank up before faith. When you look at the list of heroes listed in Hebrews chapter 11, it becomes a little clearer. These men and women did not live perfect lives, but they did display extraordinary faith. It is this faith that caused them to receive honorable mention here. How do we exercise pleasing faith? We are told that we must believe that God is faithful and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. Are you diligently seeking God? If you are, have faith that your efforts will be rewarded greatly. (Author: Vanessa Collins) 3

4 Prayer Time #6: Scripture Reading (Genesis 22: 1-19, NLT) Some time later, God tested Abraham s faith. Abraham! God called. Yes, he replied. Here I am. 2 Take your son, your only son yes, Isaac, whom you love so much and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you. 3 The next morning Abraham got up early. He saddled his donkey and took two of his servants with him, along with his son, Isaac. Then he chopped wood for a fire for a burnt offering and set out for the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day of their journey, Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 Stay here with the donkey, Abraham told the servants. The boy and I will travel a little farther. We will worship there, and then we will come right back. 6 So Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac s shoulders, while he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them walked on together, 7 Isaac turned to Abraham and said, Father? Yes, my son? Abraham replied. We have the fire and the wood, the boy said, but where is the sheep for the burnt offering? 8 God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son, Abraham answered. And they both walked on together. 9 When they arrived at the place where God had told him to go, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. Then he tied his son, Isaac, and laid him on the altar on top of the wood. 10 And Abraham picked up the knife to kill his son as a sacrifice. 11 At that moment the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven, Abraham! Abraham! Yes, Abraham replied. Here I am! 12 Don t lay a hand on the boy! the angel said. Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son. 13 Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son. 14 Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means the LORD will provide ). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided. 15 Then the angel of the LORD called again to Abraham from heaven. 16 This is what the LORD says: Because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your son, your only son, I swear by my own name that 17 I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants [a] beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will conquer the cities of their enemies. 18 And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed all because you have obeyed me. 19 Then they returned to the servants and traveled back to Beersheba, where Abraham continued to live. 4

5 Day #2 Prayer Time #1: Declaration / Confession According to 2 Corinthians 5: 17, I Live and Walk By Faith, Not By Sight Nor By My Feelings. Prayer Time #2: Scripture Reading (1 Peter 1: 6-7, 13-25, NLT) 6 So be truly glad. [a] There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. 7 These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. 13 So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. 14 So you must live as God s obedient children. Don t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn t know any better then. 15 But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. 16 For the Scriptures say, You must be holy because I am holy. [a] 17 And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time here as temporary residents. 18 For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. 19 It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. 20 God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake. 21 Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory. 22 You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. [b] Love each other deeply with all your heart. [c] 23 For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. 24 As the Scriptures say, People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades. 25 But the word of the Lord remains forever. [d] And that word is the Good News that was preached to you. In What Ways Are You Tempted To Dismiss Your Faith Because of What's Happening Around You, That You Physically See? When butterflies hatch at Frederik Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids, Michigan, they do so in an indoor tropical paradise perfectly suited to meet their every need. The temperature is perfect. The humidity is 5

6 perfect. The food is a perfect balance of calories and nutrition to keep them healthy. No need to go elsewhere. Yet some butterflies see the bright blue sky outside the conservatory and spend their days fluttering near the glass ceiling far away from the plentiful food supply. I want to say to those butterflies, Don t you know everything you need is inside? The outside is cold and harsh, and you will die within minutes if you get what you are longing to have. I wonder if that is the message God has for me. So I ask myself, Do I look longingly at things that would harm me? Do I use my energy to gain what I don t need and shouldn t have? Do I ignore God s plentiful provision because I imagine that something just beyond my reach is better? Do I spend my time on the fringes of faith? God supplies all our needs from His riches (Phil. 4:19). So instead of striving for what we don t have, may we open our hearts to gratefully receive everything we ve already been given by Him. Author: Julie Ackerman All that I want is in Jesus; He satisfies, joy He supplies; Life would be worthless without Him, All things in Jesus I find. Loes Prayer Time #6: Scripture Reading (Philippians 4: 10-20, NLT) 10 How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn t have the chance to help me. 11 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything through Christ, [a] who gives me strength. 14 Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty. 15 As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. 16 Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once. 17 I don t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness. 18 At the moment I have all I need and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. 19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. 20 Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever! Amen. 6

7 Day #3 Prayer Time #1: Declaration / Confession I Can Do All Things Through Christ Who Gives Me Strength! (Philippians 4: 13) Prayer Time #2: Scripture Reading (1 Corinthians 15:57, NLT) Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. What Have You Written Off As Impossible That God May Want You To Resurrect Your Faith On? Review your annual goals - are they big enough? Are they good goals or God goals? Impossible Situations Woman, behold your son! Then He said to the disciple, Behold your mother! ~ John 19:26-27 Take courage! Jesus did more with His hands tied than anyone else on earth! When Pilate sent Jesus to Herod, Herod s soldiers tied His hands behind His back so they could better buffet Him. Then they sent Him back to Pilate. That very day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other, for before that they had been at enmity (Luke 23:12). Jesus had an amazing effect on people, even when they hated Him. He even helped people get over their quarrels when His hands were tied! The centurion untied Jesus hands, only to nail them firmly in place upon the cross! But think what Jesus did when His hands were nailed into place the centurion came to Christ! When Jesus hands were tied, He never stopped helping people! Seeing His mother standing at the foot of the cross watching Him die, and seeing His best earthly friend supporting her, He gave His mother into John s hands. He could no longer take care of Mary; His hands were tied. But He still had a mind alert enough to plan for those He loved, and even through His desperate thirst, He could still speak words of encouragement. Jesus, choosing to die, could not do much for Mary and John, but He did what He could and it was enough. Are your hands tied? Are you imagining yourself helplessly restricted? Think about Jesus. Ask Him for a way around the dilemma. He ll show you! He ll tell you, It s amazing what you can do when your hands are tied! (Author: Jill Briscoe) Lord, thank You for all Your loving care for me. Your great power and concern for all of us comes through in such small details of Your Word. Help me look for ways I can do Your work in my life, even when I feel like my hands are tied. Show me how to bring true help and relief into the lives of those around me. Amen. 7

8 Prayer Time #6: Scripture Reading (Jeremiah 1: 4-10, NLT) 4 The LORD gave me this message: 5 I knew you before I formed you in your mother s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations. 6 O Sovereign LORD, I said, I can t speak for you! I m too young! 7 The LORD replied, Don t say, I m too young, for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. 8 And don t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the LORD, have spoken! 9 Then the LORD reached out and touched my mouth and said, Look, I have put my words in your mouth! 10 Today I appoint you to stand up against nations and kingdoms. Some you must uproot and tear down, destroy and overthrow. Others you must build up and plant. 8

9 Day #4: Prayer Time #1: Declaration / Confession Today, and beyond, I am committed to growing my faith by hearing God s Word and God s Voice! Prayer Time #2: Scripture Reading (Romans 10: 17, NLT) "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Is God the loudest voice in your ears? If not, how can you turn His volume up and turn other voices down? Rather than a brief devotional, today intentionally listen to a sermon that will charge your faith, Review a set of sermon notes that you already have and see how God may want to speak to you in a fresh way. Prayer Time #6: Scripture Reading (1 Samuel 3: 1-11, NLT) Meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the LORD by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the LORD were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon. 2 One night Eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle [a] near the Ark of God. 4 Suddenly the LORD called out, Samuel! Yes? Samuel replied. What is it? 5 He got up and ran to Eli. Here I am. Did you call me? I didn t call you, Eli replied. Go back to bed. So he did. 6 Then the LORD called out again, Samuel! Again Samuel got up and went to Eli. Here I am. Did you call me? I didn t call you, my son, Eli said. Go back to bed. 7 Samuel did not yet know the LORD because he had never had a message from the LORD before. 8 So the LORD called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. Here I am. Did you call me? Then Eli realized it was the LORD who was calling the boy. 9 So he said to Samuel, Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, Speak, LORD, your servant is listening. So Samuel went back to bed. 10 And the LORD came and called as before, Samuel! Samuel! And Samuel replied, Speak, your servant is listening. 9

10 Day #5 Prayer Time #1: Declaration / Confession Father, Thank You That My Needs Will Never Exceed Your Supply! Prayer Time #2: Scripture Reading (Ephesians. 3: 20, NKJV) Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, In What Ways Have You Been Praying Small Prayers? How can you pray BIG, BOLD prayers for yourself, your family, and co-workers? Have you ever experienced a sun stand still moment? Have you ever seen a display of incredible faith backed by action in your life or someone else s? Joshua s story is powerful. He asked God to make the sun and moon stand still. There was no doubt in Joshua s request. He was sure of what he was asking for, knowing it would happen before he ever uttered the words. God answered and caused the sun to stand still. How would our prayers and supplications be different if we fully acknowledged that God, the same God who caused the gigantic ball of fire in the sky to halt, is still alive and in charge today? He hasn t changed, and He never will change. He s still just as capable of awesome miracles and movements as He was in Bible times. But how convinced of that truth are we, really? (Source: Newspring Church, South Carolina) Prayer Time #6: Scripture Reading (Joshua 10: 1-15, NLT) Now it came to pass when Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard how Joshua had taken Ai and had utterly destroyed it as he had done to Jericho and its king, so he had done to Ai and its king and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them, 2 that they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty. 3 Therefore Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon, saying, 4 Come up to me and help me, that we may attack Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel. 5 Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, andthe king of Eglon, gathered together and went up, they and all their armies, and camped before Gibeon and made war against it. 6 And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, saying, Do not forsake your servants; come up to us quickly, save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the mountains have gathered together against us. 10

11 7 So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor. 8 And the LORD said to Joshua, Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand; not a man of them shall stand before you. 9 Joshua therefore came upon them suddenly, having marched all night from Gilgal. 10 So the LORD routed them before Israel, killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, chased them along the road that goes to Beth Horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah. 11 And it happened, as they fled before Israel and were on the descent of Beth Horon, that the LORD cast down large hailstones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died.there were more who died from the hailstones than the children of Israel killed with the sword. 12 Then Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel: Sun, stand still over Gibeon; And Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon. 13 So the sun stood still, And the moon stopped, Till the people had revenge Upon their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. 14 And there has been no day like that, before it or after it, that the LORD heeded the voice of a man; for the LORD fought for Israel. 15 Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal. 11

12 Day #6 Prayer Time #1: Declaration / Confession Today, and beyond, my FAITH is NOT dead, but ALIVE and working for me! Prayer Time #2: Scripture Reading (Luke 17: 5-6, NLT) 5 The apostles said to the Lord, Show us how to increase our faith. 6 The Lord answered, If you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, May you be uprooted and thrown into the sea, and it would obey you! When stuff happens, how does your faith respond? Do you immediately respond in fear? How long does it take for your faith to kick into gear? How Strong Is Your Faith? Do you have faith? You may not think you do, or you may feel like your faith is weak and puny. But consider this: Have you ever flown on an airplane without meeting the pilot? Have you ever eaten a meal without knowing who cooked it? As Christians, we all have faith to some degree. The Bible says in Romans 12 that each of us is given "a measure of faith." We operate in faith all the time and don't even think about it. For example, some of you reading this article have teenagers you send off to school every day. That requires some faith. And we all need a little faith every time we drive in traffic. Even if you don't feel like a spiritual giant of faith, you can take hope in God's Word that says that as a believer, you have a measure of faith planted inside you. Some of you might say, "Well, I have faith. I believe in Jesus." Frankly, it's one thing to say you have faith, but it's an entirely different matter to apply your faith to life's challenges. When the storms of life come (and they do for all of us), do you stay calm, cool and collected? Or do you allow fear to overpower your faith? Do you give the situation completely over to God, or do you try to figure everything out? Is your faith all talk? It's easy for us to feel like we've got great faith when things go well or play out like we want them to. And it's easy for us to have faith when something new comes along and life is exciting. But stuff happens. And when stuff happens, how does your faith respond? I'm not just referring to big dramatic events that take place...i'm also referring to the little things that pop up and can easily sidetrack you. 12

13 Faith is something that must be released. You can possess faith, but you must put it to use. A muscle that is not used gets weak and shrivels up. If you don't use your faith, then it's no different than not having any. Do you release your faith through prayer, line up what you speak with God's promises, and do whatever He asks you to do without trying to figure things out? Now that's the way to release your faith! Give your circumstance over to Jesus and be confident that He's got it all under control. Your life will change dramatically once you unleash your faith. Don't just have it in your heart let it out, put it to the test and be amazed at what God does through your life! (Source: Joyce Meyer) Prayer Time #6: Scripture Reading (Mathew 8: 5-13, NLT) 5 When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer [a] came and pleaded with him, 6 Lord, my young servant [b] lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain. 7 Jesus said, I will come and heal him. 8 But the officer said, Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. 9 I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, Go, and they go, or Come, and they come. And if I say to my slaves, Do this, they do it. 10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, I tell you the truth, I haven t seen faith like this in all Israel! 11 And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world from east and west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. 12 But many Israelites those for whom the Kingdom was prepared will be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 13 Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened. And the young servant was healed that same hour. 13

14 Day #7 Prayer Time #1: Declaration / Confession My Faith IS Alive And I Am Working My Faith With My Actions! Prayer Time #2: Scripture Reading (James 2: 14, NLT) What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? What Sacrifice(s) As God Invited You To Make In Your Daily Life That You've Resisted? Is Your Faith Worth the Leap? In today s culture, many people have the opinion that we should live by our own standards, oblivious to the Word of God. Some want the blessings of the promises of God, without subjecting themselves to obedience to God. However, to truly be happy and fulfilled, we must examine ourselves in the light of God s Word and live by it. The Bible says, Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path (Psalm 119:105). The stress and tensions of life become more unbearable when we live in selfish disobedience to the Word of faith. Yet simple submission and obedience to God s Word relieve the stress that disobedience and today s culture impose. Doubt is crippling, but faith is empowering; so make that leap! Faith in action brings victory! The Bible says in James 2:26, that faith without works is dead. I have learned that faith with works (action) is alive. Faith without works (action) can become an unfulfilled fantasy. For if I have faith that God is leading me, but I do not follow or act on it, then faith turns to doubt and my inaction leads to death; the death of my faith and the death of my dream. This is a horrible state in which to exist. Unfulfilled faith creeps into one s life like oil into water. Just as oil pollutes, leaving a nasty film which ruins the purity of the water - so doubt, solidified by inaction, covers the purity of faith; rendering it polluted, unfit, and unusable. Faith activated by works (action) skims the doubt that covers the water of life, cleans it, and recovers the purity of the gift that obedience brings to fruition. We must be doers of the word and not just hearers. It is so human to hear the word, rejoice in what we hear, and then. ponder. Pondering plants seeds of doubt, which grows into the mighty tree of procrastination, that bears the poisonous leaves of inaction. But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do (Psalms 1:2). 14

15 We must be like good soldiers and jump to attention, springing into action at the orders of our commander, the Lord. But what do we do instead? We hear the order and then prepare to jump, but inaction and hesitation cause us to get caught in the preparation, and we fail to jump. What a sad sight, to see the army of the Lord procrastinating before Him! How undignified! It is better to jump and fall, than be stuck squatting down to jump. Squatting is a horrible place to stay. You can t sit down. You can t rise up. You can neither rest in your success nor stand in the knowledge of a job well done. Go ahead and jump! You can ask how high on the way up! Better to relieve the tension and stretch in the jump than to live with the constant strain of being stuck in the squat. Obedience in the jump is the better way. Make that leap of faith. We ll see you on the way up! (Author: Gene Markland) Prayer Time #6: Scripture Reading (Luke 10: 25-37, NLT) 25 One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life? 26 Jesus replied, What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it? 27 The man answered, You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind. And, Love your neighbor as yourself. [a] 28 Right! Jesus told him. Do this and you will live! 29 The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, And who is my neighbor? Parable of the Good Samaritan 30 Jesus replied with a story: A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road. 31 By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. 32 A Temple assistant [b] walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side. 33 Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. 34 Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. 35 The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, [c] telling him, Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I ll pay you the next time I m here. 36 Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits? Jesus asked. 37 The man replied, The one who showed him mercy. Then Jesus said, Yes, now go and do the same. 15