Luke 12:22-34 The Vanity of Pursuit of Treasure

And He said to His disciples, “For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life, as to what you will eat; nor for your body, as to what you will put on.  For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.  Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds! And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life’s span?  If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters?  Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith!  And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying. For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things.  But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you.  Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom. “Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

If you take all of the worldly treasures from all people and add them up, the sum of this results in ZERO.  Naked we came into the world and naked we will go out of it.  Solomon understood this precept and call life’s usual activity as vanity.  So what then, O Man is your decree?  To fear the Lord my God and to walk humbly before Him.  This is man’s portion.

Daily Prayer:  Most merciful Savior, we are so accustomed to Your love, we oft times fail to fear You for who You are.  Forgive me holy Savior.  Place in me a heart that has pure motives and seeks not the gain as the world knows it, but the kind of gain that You describe. In Your holy name I pray Amen.

Luke 12:16-20 The Shallowness of Riches

And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive. And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’  Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.”’  But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’

Many people value money as though it were a loving, living being, but it is not.  It can neither speak nor hear, and it cares not about right or wrong.  It comes not to your defense and is as happy with another man as with you.  Yet we place more value on our “stuff” than on God.

To this God replies that you are a fool and this very night your soul will be required of you.  How is it that men can eat their full, yet still crave food?  It is because we have made idols of things and things are lost the moment we leave this life.  This is why Jesus said, “Father forgive them, they know not what they do.”  And then He died on the Cross to pay the penalty for our sins so that whoever receives Him as Savior will have eternal life.

Daily Prayer:  Lord Jesus, I thank you that I have enough, but no more than my daily bread.  You know how frail a man’s heart is so it is much better to honor God in thanksgiving for daily bread, because He will guard the soul from torment and from the enemy who is the Evil One. I praise You for Your wisdom in life matters.  Amen and Amen.

Luke 12:13-15 Only One Thing Matters

 Someone in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.”  But He said to him, “Man, who appointed Me a judge or arbitrator over you?”  Then He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.”

There are several instances in the Bible where someone comes to Jesus and asks for Him to speak up against his family member or neighbor.  When Jesus visited the home of Mary and Martha, Martha spoke up against her sister for not helping with the household chores. Other times, the Pharisees who are the religious sect spoke up against “sinners” asking Jesus not to dine with such as these.  In today’s message, Jesus is asked to intervene between two brothers concerning the family treasury.  Jesus will rarely involve Himself between people where the topic is worldly chores or treasure.  Jesus’ message is the Kingdom of Heaven and His mission is leading people to it.  In His Kingdom, those who are first will be last and all are encouraged to seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. In Christ’s world, one must pick up your cross daily and follow Him if you want to be His disciple.  One must leave father and mother, sister, and brother if you wanted to be counted as His disciple because whoever does not follow in such a way, is not worthy of their Savior.

Daily Prayer:  Lord Jesus, the subject is one of possessions.  Because of Your work on the Cross, You have delivered over to me and all who declare You as Savior, the possession of eternal life.  That possession is not a future blessing, but a present one where we can live our life even now by the grace You have prepared for all who love You. In Your holy name I pray Amen.

Luke 12:8-12 A Message You Can't Afford Not To Hear

“And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will confess him also before the angels of God;  but he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.  And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him.  When they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say;  for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

Take notes, because Jesus is telling you things that you need to know.  When you find yourself cowering in the world among the worldly, remember this:  Jesus will forget you if you  forget Him.  Yes, Jesus will remember even you if you are not ashamed of Him.

But you think:  Then what shall I say?  I say to you trust is an active notion.  If you trust, the Spirit of God will fill your mouth we words He has chosen.  Yes, the Spirit will take hold of your tongue if you let Him.  Be aware of not falling of a mountain leading to death.  Jesus says that He will forgive any sin against Him, because He paid for it on the Cross.  But understand this:  Do not reject the Spirit of God or the Cross will not forgive your sins and you will be handed over to Satan!  Follow the leading of the Spirit because He leads you to life with God.

Daily Prayer:  Jesus Christ, thank you for the important warnings given in today’s message.  I love You for first loving me.  Open my mouth to tell the whole world that You desire for them to always be where You are and not tormented by the devil  Open the hearts of men and ladies to hear, understand, and receive this great hope.  In Your holy name I pray Amen.

Luke 12:1-7 Warnings and Encouragements

Luke 12:1-7 Warnings and Encouragements

Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.  There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.  What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.  “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more.  But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.  Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.  Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

I am sure that there have been times in our lives where we sin because we think that nobody will know!  Understand this, God always knows.  The problem is that God often times withholds His judgment so we feel that sin is cheap.  Understand this, sin is always expensive.  Jesus says that all of our “hidden sins” will someday be shouted from the rooftops.  There is nothing that is concealed that will not be disclosed.  Yet Jesus reminds us of our great value to the Father.  He tells us not to be afraid of those who can hurt the body, but guard our soul which has eternal value.  God knows everything about all of us, so let us live in light of His presence.  

My Savior Jesus Christ:  By the work of the Spirit, guide my conscience into an active role in guarding my soul.  Have me pay attention to His voice and yield to His command.  Let me not trample on grace, but to have it be a safety net for unintentional sin.  Let me not be one who sins with an intentional heart and let me  bear in mind the all knowing mind of God.  In Jesus name I pray Amen.

Luke 12:1-7 Warnings and Encouragements

Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.  There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.  What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.  “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more.  But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.  Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.  Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

I am sure that there have been times in our lives where we sin because we think that nobody will know!  Understand this, God always knows.  The problem is that God often times withholds His judgment so we feel that sin is cheap.  Understand this, sin is always expensive.  Jesus says that all of our “hidden sins” will someday be shouted from the rooftops.  There is nothing that is concealed that will not be disclosed.  Yet Jesus reminds us of our great value to the Father.  He tells us not to be afraid of those who can hurt the body, but guard our soul which has eternal value.  God knows everything about all of us, so let us live in light of His presence.  

My Savior Jesus Christ:  By the work of the Spirit, guide my conscience into an active role in guarding my soul.  Have me pay attention to His voice and yield to His command.  Let me not trample on grace, but to have it be a safety net for unintentional sin.  Let me not be one who sins with an intentional heart and let me  bear in mind the all knowing mind of God.  In Jesus name I pray Amen.

Luke 11:45-54 Woe's of Jesus Part 2

One of the lawyers said to Him in reply, “Teacher, when You say this, You insult us too.”  But He said, “Woe to you lawyers as well! For you weigh men down with burdens hard to bear, while you yourselves will not even touch the burdens with one of your fingers. Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and it was your fathers who killed them.  So you are witnesses and approve the deeds of your fathers; because it was they who killed them, and you build their tombs.  For this reason also the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send to them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and some they will persecute,  so that the blood of all the prophets, shed since the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation,  from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the house of God; yes, I tell you, it shall be charged against this generation.’  Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge; you yourselves did not enter, and you hindered those who were entering.”  When He left there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be very hostile and to question Him closely on many subjects,  plotting against Him to catch Him in something He might say.

In the Bible, there are two kinds of righteousness.  One comes from God where men are declared blameless if they believe God, and certainly the Son of God.  The other kind of righteousness is self-righteousness which comes from the devil.  This kind of self esteem rejects reproof and repentance because their declare that the work of their hands is sufficient.  When Jesus confronts them with their many errors, instead of receiving them and making amends, they instead plot against Jesus and declare to Son of God to be their enemy.  Who can save such a people?  This all occurs because Jesus Christ must go to the  Cross and be rejected by His people so that He can substitute for us to take the penalty for our sins.  This is the will of God.

Daily Prayer:  Lord Jesus, I pray that when You confront me with the error of my way, that I don’t declare myself clean, but instead repent of my ways and draw near to You.

I do this because the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom and I desire to walk in wisdom instead of the ways of the world.  In Jesus name I pray Amen.

Luke 11:39-44 Woe's of Jesus, Part 1

 And the Lord said unto him, Now ye the Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter; but your inward part is full of extortion and wickedness.
Ye foolish ones, did not he that made the outside make the inside also?  But give for alms those things which are within; and behold, all things are clean unto you.
 But woe unto you Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and every herb, and pass over justice and the love of God: but these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
 Woe unto you Pharisees! for ye love the chief seats in the synagogues, and the salutations in the marketplaces.
 Woe unto you! for ye are as the tombs which appear not, and the men that walk over them know it not.
One of the greatest tensions in the New Testament was Jesus’ confrontation with the leaders of the Temple.  He considers them to be children of Satan, because their heart is centered on themselves and not on God.  They enjoy keeping the Law, so long as it honors them before men.  It is a platform for them to be seen among men in places of honor, yet they seek not to glorify God, which is the central reason for our being.  They exhort cleanliness, tithing, and prayer, but never as sacrificial giving to God.  For this reason, they stand condemned which is the reason that Jesus cleansed the Temple by His Father’s authority.

Luke 11:33-36 The Eye Is The Gateway To The Soul

“No one, after lighting a lamp, puts it away in a cellar nor under a basket, but on the lamp stand, so that those who enter may see the light. The eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is clear, your whole body also is full of light; but when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness. Then watch out that the light in you is not darkness.  If therefore your whole body is full of light, with no dark part in it, it will be wholly illumined, as when the lamp illumines you with its rays.”

Today’s lesson is a very important one, because I know that you know it is true.  How many times have you desired to “look someone in the eye?”  You know also, that a wondering eye is lustful.  Children often have “bright eyes” which are full of excitement and their motivations are true.  This is why Jesus says that the eye is the gateway to the soul.  Therefore be careful what you do with your eyes, because they are telling the story of your eternity.

Daily Prayer:  Lord Jesus, let us govern our eye and our whole body to be an acceptable dwelling place for the Holy Spirit. Let us learn to be content with the blessings You have given and not desire the treasure of another. In Your holy name I pray Amen.

Luke 11:29-32 Our Response to God's Faithfulness

As the crowds were increasing, He began to say, “This generation is a wicked generation; it seeks for a sign, and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah.  For just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.  The Queen of the South will rise up with the men of this generation at the judgment and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.  The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

A central truth in Bible teaching says that we are to walk by faith and not by sight.  Jesus teaches elsewhere that if we seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, all worldly blessing will be ours as well.  This was a lesson learned well by Job.  Job was put to the test by removing all his worldly belongings and his health to see if he would trust God, and when he did, multiplied earthly blessings were measured to him as well.  The point of the Sermon on the Mount is that views us more by our inward motives that the work of our hand.  In this way, blessedness is appointed to us by the measure that we place our lives in God’s hand because the one who does is righteous in God’s eyes.

Daily Prayer:  Lord Jesus, remove whatever barriers that come between my full surrender to You.  Let me place my hands in Your hands because Your hands are sure and can do all that they purpose to do.  In Your holy name I pray Amen.

Luke 11:24-28 The Measure of a Man - Obedience to the Word of God

“When the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and not finding any, it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds it swept and put in order.  Then it goes and takes along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.”  While Jesus was saying these things, one of the women in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You and the breasts at which You nursed.”  But He said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”

We know from this and other passages that demonic spirits seek to inhabit other creatures.  We saw this when unclean spirits entered swine when cast out of humans by Jesus and we have seen other examples of it when people have been detected with demonic forces.  It is said that a Christian is not subject to that sort of indwelling, because the Holy Spirit dwells the body of the believer and protects us from uninvited indwelling.  It is Satan’s norm that if he does not succeed at a task, he is prone to come “at a more opportune time.”  This is why Jesus says that it is the nature of unclean spirits to come with a company of demons as in the case of Legion, because it is as he says “we are many.”  So Jesus summarizes His teaching that the protection given the saint is the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, because it is there that a man can be found clean.

Daily Prayer:  Lord Jesus, I pray for my whole family and others that I love to plant in their heart the will to obey You.  The measure of a man is hearing the Word of God and yielding to it which it the fear of God and the first step toward wisdom.  In Jesus name I pray Amen.

Luke 11:15-23 Jesus says, "He who is not with me, is against Me,"

But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.”  Others, to test Him, were demanding of Him a sign from heaven.  But He knew their thoughts and said to them, “Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and a house divided against itself falls.  If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebub.  And if I by Beelzebub cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? So they will be your judges.  But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.  When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are undisturbed.  But when someone stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away from him all his armor on which he had relied and distributes his plunder.  He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me, scatters.

Did you hear what Jesus said?  Is there any one of you who is prepared to stand against the Son of God?  Mighty are His works and wondrous are His ways.  He tears down kingdoms and He raises others up.  Jesus said that if you are not with Him then You are against Him.  Sorry is the one who chooses wrongly and pays an eternal debt as the wages of his sin.  Blessed is the one who joins in with the Lord of Hosts and participates in the Kingdom of Heaven honoring their mighty Savior.

Daily Prayer:  Lord, the choice is clear even in my life.  Apart from You, I can do nothing, but in You I can do anything through Christ who strengthens me.  In Jesus name I pray Amen. 

Luke 11:11-13 My Father Has Cattle On A Thousand Hills

Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he?  Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”

We are described as being made in the image of God.  God is presented to us for our understanding as our heavenly Father.

The Father is the centerpiece of the deity of the Triune God.  In yesterday’s lesson, we learned that we should take all things in our life before God.  The reason for this is because the Father is good.  Today, Jesus reminds us that even our sinful earthly fathers know how to do well with their children. When their children come to them in need, our fathers give to us from their riches.  God the Father does not have the limitation that our earthly fathers have.  Father God does not give to us from His riches, instead He gives to us “out of His riches.”  His storehouse of wealth is without limit which is the reason that nothing is impossible for God, especially to those who live Him and are called according to His purpose.

Daily Prayer:  Father, teach me to come to You according to Your will so that I may see Your glory in my life.  In Jesus name I pray Amen.

Luke 11:5-10 Take All Of Our Concerns To God, Because He Cares For Us

Then He said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and from inside he answers and says, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs.  “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened.

What is Jesus telling us here?  He is explaining that His Father functions in much the same way as our earthly fathers.  When we ask for something in prayer and do not receive, Jesus is telling us that if we persist in prayer His Father sometimes gives in so long as the request isn’t an affront to His holiness.  Silence is not always a “no” response to our requests.  It sometimes means “not yet.”  Therefore make frequent requests to God, because sometimes He will see its importance to you and work with you in the request.  However, it is my experience that whenever you pray for something that is close to God’s own heart, His responses to me have usually been swift and complete.

Daily Prayer:  Lord, do not let me become hindered in my prayer.  I must remember that nothing is hard for You and that even matters which seem simple to me are important to You.  You always answer prayer therefore let all of my requests be known to you because my joy is very important to You.  In Jesus name I pray Amen.

Luke 11:1-4 Lord, Teach Me How To Pray

It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.”  And He said to them, “When you pray, say:

‘Father, hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
 ‘Give us each day our daily bread.
 ‘And forgive us our sins,
For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And lead us not into temptation.’”

You will notice here that Jesus instructions about prayer is a bit shorter than the version we recognize. The prayer is based upon the relationship of God as the Father of all those who believe in His Son.  It is given with the attitude of worship. It is a petition which puts God’s kingdom coming down to earth. It gives the notion that True prayer accepts in advance the will of God in it. It seeks that the true kingdom be revealed and lived out on earth.  In the mean time, it asks for provisions to live out our life until He comes again  The children of God must be taught how to pray not merely to pray.  And true prayer will always give thanksgiving to God for all He has already done.

Daily Prayer: Lord, I know that prayer offered to You with Your will in mind will always be given approval by You.  For this reason, reveal to my mind Your perfect will.  I also know that prayers are always answered by You, but there I times I don’t recognize them.  All in all, let me pray from my heart with a clear conscience of my expectations from You in all that I desire.  In Jesus name I pray Amen.

Luke 10:38-42 What Matters Most

Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.  She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word.  But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.”  But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

So often, we spend all of our energy on things that are only temporary and neglect those things that are everlasting.  The Bible teaches us that heaven and earth will pass away, but the Word of God will not pass away.  Just think how we spend our Christmas Season.  Do we spend it with family time in the Word of God, or do we concern ourselves with things that don’t matter in the end.  Even Christian get carried away with the temporal neglecting those things that by their nature will last and lead to life eternal.  In today’s reading, Martha started off right by welcoming in the Son of God. She knows who Jesus is and believes in Him.  But her own words convict her when she requests that Mary concentrate on the chores and not the Son of God who visits them.

Daily Prayer:  Lord Jesus, we too spend our time on many things, but only one thing matters.  What matters is our life found in You, because You are the Bread of Life and whoever partakes of it will never die, but will live and reign with You forever.  Train and convince our minds of this reality so that we may walk with You as lovers of the truth.  In Jesus name I pray Amen.

Luke 10:30-37 Demonstrating the Love of Christ in the World

Jesus replied and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead.  And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.  Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.  But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion,  and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him.  On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.’ Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?”  And he said, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.”

In the Bible, the word “love” does not always refer to a romantic term.  The two most common ancient terms for love is the term “hessed” in the Old Testament which refers to a loyal concern for another person.  In the New Testament the term “agape” is used which is the term described in this lesson.  Agape describes a sacrificial giving of ones-self for the benefit of another.  When Jesus went to the cross for the forgiveness of our sins, this is an example of the word agape.  In today’s lesson, the Samaritan gave of himself sacrificially to the stranger who had run into hard times.  For this reason Jesus asks the question, Was he merciful?  Yes, he was, but more than merciful, he showed agape love or a sacrificial concern for another.  To this Jesus commands us, “Go and do the same.”

Daily Prayer:  Lord, we expect the love of others, but sometimes are slow to give it.  Put Your love in our heart so that we do not always put ourselves first, but treat everyone the way we want to be treated.  In Your holy name I pray Amen.

Luke 10:25-29 Who Is Our Neighbor?

And a lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”  And He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?”  And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”  And He said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.”  But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

The question that the lawyer asked shows relativism with respect to Jesus’ teaching.  Even today, how would you answer this question as to who is one’s neighbor?  How did Jesus answer the question for Himself?  For God so loved the world, that He gave His only son so that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life.  In this context, neighbor is a global term to only applying to the area where one lives, but to the area where mankind lives.  This applies to people who are quite different from us as well.  Even people who are not Christians or God-Lovers.  This is because while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 

Daily Prayer:  Lord Jesus, I know it is Your desire that all men should repent and turn to You.  But let us start with me.  Let me make sure that I am right with You so that when I am sent out in Your name, I give an accurate picture of the Savior of mankind.  Let me not be anyone’s judge, but lead all to repentance.  In Your holy name I pray Amen.

Luke 10: 21-24 The Secrets of Heaven

At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.  All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.”  Turning to the disciples, He said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see,  for I say to you, that many prophets and kings wished to see the things which you see, and did not see them, and to hear the things which you hear, and did not hear them.”

Have you ever wondered that if you were a first-hand witness to the life of Jesus, that if you would have led a faithful life?  We are quick to say that the disciples and other people were dull, because they saw with their own eyes, and couldn’t believe.  Why is that?  It is because the ability to understand and to discern is a gift from God that was given to some people in Jesus’ time, but is also given to you and me today through the active Word of the Bible of grace.  Yes, even kings were first hand witnesses, but these same kings were led into exile for lack of understanding.  And so when you say your prayers, remember to give thanks to God the Father for sending the Son to open the eyes of your heart so that you can hear, understand, and believe which leads to salvation and eternal life with Him  In Jesus name I pray Amen.

Luke 10:13-20 "You Are My Witnesses In The World"

“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had been performed in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.  But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you.  And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will be brought down to Hades! “The one who listens to you listens to Me, and the one who rejects you rejects Me; and he who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.”  The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” And He said to them, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning.  Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you.  Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.”

People tend to be impressed mostly with themselves.  The seventy disciples that Jesus sent out came back elated that powers that Jesus had given them rendered them control over the enemy.  Jesus had noticed that the wonders that He accomplished in neighbor towns were not esteemed.  Now, the seventy disciples return with power that is not their own, rejoicing over dominion over the enemy.  Jesus warns them not to think more highly than they ought to and that gloating over the enemy is not His practice.  Instead, draw the enemy into a place of repentance so that it will glorify the Father in heaven.

Daily Prayer:  Lord, we can be nothing more that what we are.  For this reason, change and transform me to be like You so that in the world, I may represent You in those areas where You call me to be Your witness.  In Your holy name I pray Amen.

Luke 10:1-12 Laborers Of The Harvest

Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come. And He was saying to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Go; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no money belt, no bag, no shoes; and greet no one on the way.  Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house.’ If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you.  Stay in that house, eating and drinking what they give you; for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not keep moving from house to house.  Whatever city you enter and they receive you, eat what is set before you;  and heal those in it who are sick, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’  But whatever city you enter and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say,  ‘Even the dust of your city which clings to our feet we wipe off in protest against you; yet be sure of this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’  I say to you, it will be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city.

God said to Abraham, “Those who bless you, I will bless, but to whoever curses you I will curse and all of the people of the nations will be blessed by you.”  This is a part of the Abrahamic Covenant.  The precepts of this covenant extend to the disciples of Jesus Christ.  Jesus declares that He will send them out like sheep among wolves.  And He instructs them to take no money or belongings.  Why?  Because He desires for their dependence to be in Him.  He has promised them daily bread from among the brethren, and He gives His peace to them, as He is the Prince of Peace.   And to whoever welcomes His disciples, also welcomes the One who sent them.  But to whoever persecutes His representatives, also persecutes the One who sent them and they will be at war with Christ.

Daily Prayer:  Lord Jesus, may it never be that I be at war with You.  Instead, grant me the fruits of the spirit such as love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control.  It was to possess these things that you gave Your life for me.  In Your holy name I pray Amen.

Luke 9:57-62 Jesus Says "Follow Me"

As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” And He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.” Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home.” But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

And Jesus says to you today, “Follow Me.”  Do you have an excuse, or do you set your hand to the plow and proclaim God’s Kingdom?  Jesus opens these verses by acknowledging that He, who is the Son of God, does not even have a place to lay His head.  But when searching Jesus out, we find that He is doing His Father’s business.  In the world of contracts, if an offer is made to you and you present a counter-offer, that is considered a rejection of the offer made.  In the same way, when Jesus calls you today to ask you to “follow him,” do you accept the offer from the Son of Man or do you give him a “counter offer?” 

Whatever you decide, remember this, heaven and earth will pass away, but His Word will never pass away.  With this in mind, make your decision about Him.

Daily Prayer:  It is very hard to believe that when the King of the universe makes a personal offer to me to follow Him, that I must think about is before deciding.  What kind of people are we anyway?  Through Him, salvation is offered and through nobody else.  Who am I to refuse the King?  May it never be.  In Jesus name I pray Amen.

Luke 9:51-56 Jesus Was Determined To Go To Jerusalem

When the days were approaching for His ascension, He was determined to go to Jerusalem;  and He sent messengers on ahead of Him, and they went and entered a village of the Samaritans to make arrangements for Him.  But they did not receive Him, because He was traveling toward Jerusalem.  When His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”  But He turned and rebuked them, [and said, “You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; ⁵⁶ for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” and they went on to another village.

One of the important distinctive of Luke’s gospel is when the text says that Jesus was “determined to go to Jerusalem.”  This is the flow and pattern of Luke’s account.  It is locationally oriented with Jesus’ early movements occurring in the northern area of Galilee climaxing in Jerusalem and the crucifixion.  Furthermore, the text says that the Samaritans did not receive Him because of His travel toward Jerusalem.  Even then, the disciples wrongly conclude that Jesus should call down fire from heaven to consume them.  But Jesus corrects them by asserting that His mission is not one of destruction, but one of redemption and salvation.

Daily Prayer:  Lord Jesus, these two thousand years later, I can clearly see Your great mercy and grace in saving a wretch like me.  I am forever grateful and I tell Your Gospel to those I see.  In Your time, the disciples had skewed vision and did not understand until Your were raised from the dead and ascended into heaven.  Even then, they were looking for a much earlier return, before they wrote the gospels to preserve their witness.  By Your grace, even now, allow us the vision to see our sinful condition and our great hope in You.  In Your holy name I pray Amen.

Luke 9:49-50 The Church of Jesus Christ is One.

John answered and said, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name; and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow along with us.” But Jesus said to him, “Do not hinder him; for he who is not against you is for you.”

This is an important lesson for the church to learn.  Those who are outside the church my ask, “There are so many churches.  There are Baptists, Lutherans, Pentecostals, Methodists, Seventh Day Adventists,

And so on…”  But there is only one church and that is the church of Jesus Christ.  This is what Jesus is explaining to John.  Just because he is not breaking bread with us, does not mean he is not building up the Kingdom of God.  Come to a place where you can discern the enemy from the friend.  Do not say to other churches who name Jesus as their Savior that they are not worthy.  Instead, build each other up thus building the church in the world. 

Daily Prayer:  Lord, this is Your Kingdom and You are the King.  Let us worship You by showing faith and discernment concerning Your work in the world.  Let me be a source of unity here and make my words ones that build up and not to tear down.  In Your holy name I pray Amen.

Luke 9:46-48 The Test of Greatness

An argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest. But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking in their heart, took a child and stood him by His side, and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me; for the one who is least among all of you, this is the one who is great.”

This is an error among the disciples.  Jesus, who is the Son of God, came not to be served, but to serve.  His disciples, who have the opportunity to learn from Him daily now, because of their association with Jesus, have thoughts of personal greatness.  Jesus comments that He was sent by the Father and whoever receives Him, receives the One who sent Him.  Jesus’ greatest commission is yet to come.  The day will come when He will send to disciples into the world proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Whoever receives them, receives Jesus who sent them.  But whoever does not receive them, they will not be received by Jesus and their salvation will be lost.  Whoever is for Jesus in the world will be lightly esteemed here as this world is ruled by the Prince of the Air, but those who resist him and proclaim Christ, these Jesus will call Great.

Daily Prayer:  Lord, it is hard to live in a world where a partaker in Christ is a stranger.  Yet I am convinced that You can accomplish all that You have reserved for my life.  Do not let me fall short of the goal of proclaiming Your Salvation to a perishing world.  By Your strength, I will accomplish that.  In Your holy name I pray Amen.

Luke 9:43-45 The Will Of God, The Prophecy Of Christ, & The Guise of the Disciples

And they were all amazed at the greatness of God. But while everyone was marveling at all that He was doing, He said to His disciples, “Let these words sink into your ears; for the Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.” But they did not understand this statement, and it was concealed from them so that they would not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this statement. The miracles Jesus performed were a double edged sword.  To the simple, they demonstrated the work of God in Him, because nobody could do what He does unless God is with Him.  To His adversaries, they accused him of being a counterfeit, alleging that Satan was supplying His power.  And to His disciples, the source of His power was hidden from them, less they take up the sword to defend Him when it is the will of God that Jesus go to the Cross for the redemption of many.  Yet, after the fact, the disciples will recall all that the Savior said in advance and will preach it to the multitudes and record it in their gospel.

Daily Prayer:  Lord Jesus, I must learn to accept that which You give me, because You know what is best for me.  Let me rest in You by faith so that I accomplish what You want for my life instead of making my own path in my flesh.  In Your holy name I pray Amen.

Luke 9:37-43 Jesus, The True Object Of Our Faith

On the next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met Him.  And a man from the crowd shouted, saying, “Teacher, I beg You to look at my son, for he is my only boy,  and a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly screams, and it throws him into a convulsion with foaming at the mouth; and only with difficulty does it leave him, mauling him as it leaves.  I begged Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not.”  And Jesus answered and said, “You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.”  While he was still approaching, the demon slammed him to the ground and threw him into a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the boy and gave him back to his father.  And they were all amazed at the greatness of God.

This is another account of the same event found in Mark 9.  The point Jesus is trying to make is that all things are possible to those who believe.  Essentially the father was telling Jesus that he is drawing for straws as to who can help the boy without regard to the fact that he is speaking to Jesus.  He is saying, if you can help the boy, would you.”  The question is not if He can help, instead does the father place his faith in Jesus who is worthy of his trust?  Once he comes that far, Jesus casts out the evil spirit and gives a clean bill of health to his son.

Daily Prayer:  Lord Jesus, how often we fall short of sure faith in you.  We error in trusting ourselves, even though we know our frailty.  Place in us the kind of faith that grows, faith in the One who is God’s Anointed.  Amen.

Luke 9:23-26 Jesus Must Be Preeminent In Your Life

And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.  For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.  For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

You will discover as you go through the Bible that the people of God do not want to be ashamed of by people who are important in their lives.  Here, Jesus says that if you are ashamed of Him before men, He will be ashamed of you before God.  Paul, the Apostle of Jesus Christ says the same thing to his follower Timothy in his epistle to him.  He tells him by letter to come to him, as he was imprisoned for preaching the gospel and he tells him not to be ashamed of him or of the gospel, but instead come to him boldly bring him the parchments and necessities of life and to do so without fear or regret.  In the same way, since you know the truth of the gospel (Good News) to not hide it as though you are embarrassed, but instead proclaim it because Jesus died so that men and women may know the truth and be set free from the sins that bind them.

Daily Prayer:  Lord Jesus, without fear, regret, or embracement I proclaim the Good News of Your gospel and let others know of Your saving grace.  Open their hearts and their minds and set them free because the victory is won.  In Your holy name I pray Amen. 

Luke 9:18-22 Peter's Confession & Jesus' Prophecy

And it happened that while He was praying alone, the disciples were with Him, and He questioned them, saying, “Who do the people say that I am?”  They answered and said, “John the Baptist, and others say Elijah; but others, that one of the prophets of old has risen again.”  And He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered and said, “The Christ of God.”  But He warned them and instructed them not to tell this to anyone,  saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and be raised up on the third day.”

Divine revelation is when God opens the hearts and minds of men to understand God’s message to us.  In our natural state, we are not able to grasp God’s truth, but when He opens the door of understanding, He makes perfect sense.  This is why Jesus contrasted the understanding of the world as opposed to the disciples who have been with Him.  Clearly the world did not perceive Him as the Son of God or the prophesied Messiah, but Peter did.  Jesus explained that this is because God permitted his understanding, but went on to say that He, the Anointed of God, has been chosen to die at the hands of the Temple leadership, but would be raised again to life making way for the forgiveness of sins.  Do you believe this?

Daily Prayer:  Open the eyes of my heart Lord so that we can see and understand You.  Unless You do this, we live in darkness and separated from You.  So give us understanding and faith so that we can proclaim Your Name and Your Word to a perishing world.  In Jesus name I pray Amen.