Luke 12:39-40

Keep your eyes open and your heart in tune with the Father.. for He will return and we need to be anxiously looking for Him :)

Knowledge of the time would lead to vigilance. But since the time is not known, constant readiness is essential.

Luke 12:39-40

⁹ But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. ⁴⁰ Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” 

Daniel 9:20-23

It is imperative that we learn to closely listen for and understand the voice of the Holy Spirit....especially as the time comes closer to the coming of the Lord. Without Him we will not see, without Him we will not hear. We, as believers in Christ, are a people chosen for just such a time as this....pray for Him to send out workers because He wants no one to perish by missing the Good News of His salvation.

Because the temple was in ruins, regular daily sacrifices were impossible. Nevertheless, Daniel observed the ritual of worship by praying at the hour of the evening sacrifice. Daniel’s prayer was his evening offering.

Daniel 9:20-23

²⁰ Now while I was speaking, praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God, ²¹ yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, reached me about the time of the evening offering. ²² And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, “O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill to understand. ²³ At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved; therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision: 

Isaiah 37:14-20

Trust God alone...end of sentence! When we ask believing that it will, it happens! God is  a rewarder of those who trust Him totally.

God’s gracious response was a direct answer to the prayer of a godly king. Although God can certainly work His will without our prayers, He has chosen to faithfully answer the prayers of His people.

Isaiah 37:14-20

¹⁴ And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord. ¹⁵ Then Hezekiah prayed to the Lord, saying: ¹⁶ “O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim, You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. ¹⁷ Incline Your ear, O Lord, and hear; open Your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God. ¹⁸ Truly, Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations and their lands, ¹⁹ and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were not gods, but the work of men’s hands—wood and stone. Therefore they destroyed them. ²⁰ Now therefore, O Lord our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the Lord, You alone.” 

Nahum 2:13

If God is against you....it doesn’t who matter is for you.

If God is for you.....it doesn’t matter who is against you.

Everything is in His hands!

Although the Babylonians conquered the city, they were only God’s instruments. Nineveh’s greatest foe was the Lord of hosts Himself.

Nahum 2:13

¹³ “Behold, I am against you,” says the Lord of hosts, “I will burn your chariots in smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions; I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers shall be heard no more.” 

Mark 2:27-28

It is right to do good on the Sabbath... it was made for man....ask for healing, provision and for the rain of the Holy Spirit to come down into our services and wash us clean. Ask in the name of the Son of Man who is Lord God almighty!

Jesus reminds His critics of the meaning of the Sabbath for humans and His own Lordship over it.

Mark 2:27-28

²⁷ And He said to them,  “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. ²⁸ Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.” 

The Gospel of Luke and God's intervention in the lives of His creation

God is a miracle worker....and to those who believe nothing is impossible! Whether it is physical or mental health, daily provision or spiritual rebirth the Trinity is within you to make you whole. Nothing is too small or too big for my God and He is a rewarder of those who put their faith in Him. The prayers of the faithful brings results....we need to put our petitions before Him and believe in His power to accomplish what we cannot!

Miracles highlight not only the authority of Jesus, but also the response of faith that God honors. Jesus commissioned His disciples to spread the word about God’s kingdom through preaching and healing. The feeding of the five thousand demonstrated Jesus’ ability to provide.

 You must believe in order to receive.

Luke 

The woman with the issue of blood:
8:43  And He said to her,  “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” 

Jairus’s daughter is raised:
8:50 But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying,  “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.” 

The twelve are sent to preach:
9:6 So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere. 

9:10 But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing. 

Five thousand are fed
9:16  Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude. ¹⁷ So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them. 

The Book of Luke

How ironic that I was given this on America’s Tax Day.....in a Christian nation our tax system should reflect His teachings......To those who are given much, much is required! Remember all things come from God....everything belongs to Him.

God hates legalism ⁴⁶ “Woe to you also, lawyers! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.

and hypocrisy 12:1 “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 

He wants us to use His light inside of us to help others and to give them hope.....³³  “No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light.

 God’s eye is always on on the plight of  the sinner, the poor, the oppressed and those whom society deems as lesser. It is all about fairness and the inherent value of all of God’s creation...He shows favor to no one! We are given the privilege of helping those He loves that society has rejected by our actions....by being doers and not just hearers of His word. 

The Pharisees were known for adhering to the Law. Jesus pointed out that the Pharisees concerned themselves with outward appearances and ritual cleanness, while what was inside, what really counts, was full of selfishness and evil. Practicing hypocrisy is senseless because eventually all deeds—both good and evil—will be exposed.  A person can become like light, a living picture of what God’s Word teaches, by concentrating on the light of the truth.

Luke 11:33-36

We need to let the light of Christ so shine before others that they are drawn to the truth.... God so loved man that He made a way where there was none, in Jesus Christ, to come to Him. Christ within us is the only hope of man. The illuminating light of revelation the Holy Spirit gives to His followers, the Body of Christ, is shown to others by our actions individually and as a Church.

A person who concentrates on what is good (God’s teaching) is healthy. But a person who focuses on what is bad (the false teaching of the world) is full of darkness. A person can become like light, a living picture of what God’s Word teaches, by concentrating on the light of the truth.

Luke 11:33-36

³³  “No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light. ³⁴ The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness. ³⁵ Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness. ³⁶ If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light.” 

Luke 11:37-42

Doing everything right for the wrong reason will not get you brownie points.....those works are not honored in God’s Kingdom. Showing others the love, fairness and mercy of God by our words and actions does!! God is an equal opportunity employer....He shows no partiality and He created all men equal.

Jesus pointed out that the Pharisees concerned themselves with outward appearances and ritual cleanness, while what was inside, what really counts, was full of selfishness and evil. The Law spoke of tithing all produce, but what constituted food was debated. Some Pharisees took the strictest interpretation and counted almost anything, including spices. However, they neglected two basic things that the prophets also had warned about: love and justice.

Luke 11:37-42

³⁷ And as He spoke, a certain Pharisee asked Him to dine with him. So He went in and sat down to eat. ³⁸ When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that He had not first washed before dinner. 

³⁹ Then the Lord said to him,  “Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness. ⁴⁰ Foolish ones! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also? ⁴¹ But rather give alms of such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you. 

⁴² “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. ⁴³ Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. ⁴⁴ Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like graves which are not seen, and the men who walk over them are not aware of them.” 

1 Corinthians 2:9

B*E*L*I*E*V*E....when we tap into the Holy Spirit of God, His heart, He brings the things of Jesus and salvation and reveals them to us. Other lessons are only learned through experience.

Only the Holy Spirit could reveal the truths of God. The first verb refers to innate knowledge; the second refers to experiential knowledge. We could never have discovered the mysteries of God or the benefits of Christ’s death by ourselves. But we can know them by experience because they have been freely given to us by God. 

1 Corinthians 2:9

⁹ But as it is written: 

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, 

Nor have entered into the heart of man 

The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” 

Mark 6:4-6

God......could only work a few miracles! He is a rewarder of those who believe in Him and in His power to accomplish what man cannot. In the measure that you believe you can receive from the very hand of God!!

A prophet is not without honor except in his own country is a maxim still repeated and still true today.

Mark 6:4-6

⁴ But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” ⁵ Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. ⁶ And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching. 

Jeremiah 44:7-10

The Lord corrects those He loves and in His mercy He gives us many warnings ahead of time. If we refuse His refining we will die in our sins. God is always willing to take us back into His fold when we humble ourselves, admit to our sins and ask forgiveness.

Jerusalem had been warned time and again by faithful and tireless messengers from God. The reference here is to the people’s disobedience in continually worshiping foreign deities. This willful, stubborn rebellion against God roused His anger. The present generation of Jews had learned nothing from the past failures of the nation. The people were not broken in heart, only more stubborn.

Jeremiah 44:7-10

⁷ “Now therefore, thus says the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Why do you commit this great evil against yourselves, to cut off from you man and woman, child and infant, out of Judah, leaving none to remain, ⁸ in that you provoke Me to wrath with the works of your hands, burning incense to other gods in the land of Egypt where you have gone to dwell, that you may cut yourselves off and be a curse and a reproach among all the nations of the earth? ⁹ Have you forgotten the wickedness of your fathers, the wickedness of the kings of Judah, the wickedness of their wives, your own wickedness, and the wickedness of your wives, which they committed in the land of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? ¹⁰ They have not been humbled, to this day, nor have they feared; they have not walked in My law or in My statutes that I set before you and your fathers.’ 

Jeremiah 39:15-18

It is all about trust! You must believe in your heart that God is a rewarder of those who place their trust in Him. In the amount that you trust Him is the amount that you can receive knowing that faith alone pleases Him. (39:11) Jeremiah was imprisoned by his enemies but given his freedom by the King .....(39:10) and the captain of the guard left the poor people, who had nothing, and gave them vineyards and fields....the favor of God is given to those who trust in Him.

Ebed-Melech, who had carefully rescued Jeremiah from the muddy cistern in the prison court (38:11–13), was promised safety and deliverance by the Lord because of his assistance to Jeremiah and because he had put his trust in God.

Jeremiah 39:15-18

¹⁵ Meanwhile the word of the Lord had come to Jeremiah while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying, ¹⁶ “Go and speak to Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Behold, I will bring My words upon this city for adversity and not for good, and they shall be performed in that day before you. ¹⁷ But I will deliver you in that day,” says the Lord, “and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid. ¹⁸ For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword; but your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me,” says the Lord.’ ” 

Hosea 10:2

The Book of Hosea gives us a clear and balanced picture of God. He loves His people and desires an intimate and vibrant relationship with them. He is jealous of their affections and tolerates no rivals. When they sin, He will discipline them as severely as is necessary. While God’s jealousy may seem inappropriate and His discipline may seem harsh, this divine reaction to His people’s sin is actually evidence of His love and commitment. He will allow nothing to ruin the relationship He has established and will do everything to preserve it. In the end, His devotion and mercy will win out, and His people will come to their senses, giving Him the love He fervently desires. The picture is of our God who loves us even as we stray away from Him and into sin. As Hosea bought back his wife despite her adultery, so God, through His Son Jesus, identified with our plight and lovingly paid the cost of our freedom with His blood. As the instruments of a great concert under the direction of a concert master, so the Holy Spirit blends together the lives of members of Christ’s church. 

The verb divided refers to Israel’s deceitful and hypocritical ways.  If one part of a person is set on God and the other is set on this world (see Matt. 6:24), there will be constant conflict within. 

We need to be of one mind, one spirit, in order to accomplish our purpose on earth.... to tell others of the salvation God gives in Jesus Christ. We need to filter all things through His great love. We deserve death but God loves us so much that His love covers our sins and gives us life.....go and love others as He has loved you.

Hosea 10:2

² Their heart is divided; 
Now they are held guilty. 
He will break down their altars; 
He will ruin their sacred pillars. 

Psalm 106

Without Gods’ mercy, without His grace, man would be swallowed up in the sins of the world and without hope. There is no one righteous, No. Not. One. With Christ there is hope that with the Holy Spirit within us, to help and fight for us, our life can be changed precept by precept and glorify God!

The words of appeal save us are buttressed with the words O Lord our God. Though the people had been faithless, the Lord was still their God. If they would return to Him, they would have a home in His mercy and a promise of eventual triumph.

Two Sides of the Coin 
“Think positive” is the message preached from many pulpits today. And for good reason: The message of salvation in Christ is good, positive news in a world that sometimes seems more and more depressing by the day.
However, before we can fully embrace the good news about God’s Son, we must first accept the bad news about our own sin. Psalm 106 is the flip side of Ps. 105. Both recall Israel’s history. But whereas Ps. 105 is an enthusiastic celebration of the Lord’s faithfulness, Ps. 106 focuses on the continuing unfaithfulness of His people. Still, the piece is not without hope: The Lord remains committed to mercy, forgiveness, and doing the mighty wonders necessary to sustain His wayward children. No wonder the psalm concludes with a blessing for the Lord “from everlasting to everlasting”.
If Ps. 105 stood alone, the forgetful student of history might assume that God swept His people into the Promised Land with no setbacks or opposition. But Ps. 106 puts things in perspective. As we look at that same history, it confronts us with the ugly face of sin and shows why people (and nations) so badly need forgiveness. Thus Ps. 105 and 106 show the two realities involved in salvation: sin and grace. Focusing on either one without the other will lead to distortion.

Psalm 106

⁴⁰ Therefore the wrath of the Lord was kindled against His people, 
So that He abhorred His own inheritance. 
⁴¹ And He gave them into the hand of the Gentiles, 
And those who hated them ruled over them. 
⁴² Their enemies also oppressed them, 
And they were brought into subjection under their hand. 
⁴³ Many times He delivered them; 
But they rebelled in their counsel, 
And were brought low for their iniquity. 
⁴⁴ Nevertheless He regarded their affliction, 
When He heard their cry; 
⁴⁵ And for their sake He remembered His covenant, 
And relented according to the multitude of His mercies. 
⁴⁶ He also made them to be pitied 
By all those who carried them away captive. 

Matthew 2:19-22

Our lives are orchestrated by the Lord.....we need to hear Him and trust that small still voice in order to be full participants of His will for our life. Even when we do not fully understand and in faith make a wrong turn He will make it work out for our good... Using it as a teaching lesson and blessing our efforts.

When Herod died, his kingdom was parceled out to his three sons: Archelaus, who ruled over Judea where Bethlehem was; Antipas, who became tetrarch of Galilee, Perea, Samaria, and Idumea; and Philip, who was tetrarch of Iturea and Trachonitis (see Luke 3:1). Like his father, Archelaus was violent and cruel. The Romans tolerated his savagery for ten years and finally deposed him in a.d. 6. after a Jewish delegation took their protest to Rome. Joseph, aware of Herod Archelaus’s reputation and guided by God in a dream, turned north to Galilee. Nazareth was the location of the Roman garrison in northern Galilee. Those who lived there were suspected of compromise with the enemy.

Matthew 2:19-22

¹⁹ Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, ²⁰ saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.” ²¹ Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. 

²² But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. ²³ And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”