Luke 16:24-25

Throughout the new and old testament sharing the gifts that the Father has given us is a command. Are we a Christian nation? We need to care for those who are unable to care for themselves....it is not called socialism it is called Christianity! Read the Book of Acts.

The rich man desired relief from his suffering. The standard by which the rich man treated others was applied to him. In his lifetime he lacked compassion, so now there was no compassion for him. 

Luke 16:24-25

²⁴ “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ ²⁵ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.

Mark 3:13-19

Jesus called and they answered....period. There was no hesitation in their response to Him. There are those who from the beginning follow God without ever doubting or questioning His existence in their life.....He is and always will be their great I AM.

Christ gave power or authority to these twelve apostles.The apostle Paul called this authority “the signs of an apostle”. Christ and the apostles authenticated their ministry through signs, miracles, and wonders.

Jesus gave Peter a new name because it was the Jewish custom to rename someone who had experienced a life-changing event. This renaming of the disciples has similarities to the renaming of Abram and of Saul. Jesus no doubt sent out His apostles in pairs as He did the 70 disciples in Luke.

Luke 10-2 After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. ² Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. 

Mark 3:13-19

¹³ And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him. ¹⁴ Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, ¹⁵ and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons: ¹⁶ Simon, to whom He gave the name Peter; ¹⁷ James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is, “Sons of Thunder”; ¹⁸ Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananite; ¹⁹ and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. And they went into a house.

Psalm 126

The Lord fulfills our dreams... When we humble ourself and return to God placing our trust in Him alone He will turn our personal trials and hardships into songs of joy. Our life can then be used for His good in helping others in similar situations. The harvest is ready. Joy in our salvation is our strength. Your past is never to bad to be used for His good!

The return from Babylonian captivity had been anticipated for so long that it seemed like a dream to the returnees. Some of the people had waited an entire lifetime. The joy of the people could not be contained; their praise to God was unstoppable. The mood is one of laughter and joy, of rejoicing in God’s salvation.The people who returned were a small percentage of those who had been exiled. Bring back is the beginning of the prayer that God would complete the restoration of His people to their land. Ultimately, this is a prayer for the coming of Jesus, who will complete God’s work among His people.

The people of Judah had gone to Babylon in tears. Yet their sorrow reaped tremendous rewards; the Lord came to the rescue of His humbled people. Upon their return to Jerusalem and Judah, they were reaping a harvest of rejoicing. 

Psalm 126

A Song of Ascents.

¹ When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion,

We were like those who dream.

² Then our mouth was filled with laughter,

And our tongue with singing.

Then they said among the nations,

“The Lord has done great things for them.”

³ The Lord has done great things for us,

And we are glad.

⁴ Bring back our captivity, O Lord,

As the streams in the South.

⁵ Those who sow in tears

Shall reap in joy.

⁶ He who continually goes forth weeping,

Bearing seed for sowing,

Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,

Bringing his sheaves with him.

Mark 3:1-5

Legalism or grace? Jesus come to earth with shouts of peace, mercy and grace and fulfilled the Mosaic Law that blocked man from entering into His salvation. God’s great agape love for His creation overcame the world that Satan ruled over making a way where before none had existed. FAITH alone pleases God! We need to make sure that in our Churches mercy always overrides our desire to judge. Grace you have been freely given....freely give that grace to others.

Christ put the meaning of the Sabbath to the test. Certainly it was more consistent with the intention of the law to restore this man’s afflicted hand, even on the Sabbath, than to destroy his hopes for the sake of keeping human tradition. The Pharisees did not respond, for they knew that they would condemn themselves.

Mark 3:1-5

3 And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. ² So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. ³ And He said to the man who had the withered hand,  “Step forward.” ⁴ Then He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they kept silent. ⁵ And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.

Habakkuk 3:17-19

No matter what life holds for me God will turn it for my eternal good...I will trust in the Lord...He alone is my strength! Even if the world as we know it falls apart I will be alright for God cares for those who put their trust in Him alone!

God will strengthen those who trust in Him (Psalm 18:32-33). He will give those who live by faith the same confidence that a surefooted deer has in climbing mountains (see Malachi 4:2). Like a victorious army, the righteous with God’s strength will occupy the high hills.

Habakkuk 3:17-19

¹⁷Though the fig tree may not blossom,

Nor fruit be on the vines;

Though the labor of the olive may fail,

And the fields yield no food;

Though the flock may be cut off from the fold,

And there be no herd in the stalls—

¹⁸Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,

I will joy in the God of my salvation.

¹⁹The Lord God is my strength;

He will make my feet like deer’s feet,

And He will make me walk on my high hills.

Psalm 18:32-33

³²It is God who arms me with strength,

And makes my way perfect.

³³He makes my feet like the feet of deer,

And sets me on my high places.

Malachi 4:2

²But to you who fear My name

The Sun of Righteousness shall arise

With healing in His wings;

And you shall go out

And grow fat like stall-fed calves.

Mark 1:29-31

Jesus heals us..... spiritually, emotionally and physically so that we can serve others! Jesus came to earth as a servant even though He was all man AND all God. He was busy with His Father’s business and we are to be also.

Jesus completely healed Simon Peter’s mother-in-law. Not only did the fever leave, but her strength was renewed so that she served Jesus and His followers.

Mark 1:29-31

²⁹ Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. ³⁰ But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once. ³¹ So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them.

Ezekiel 18:30-32

God doesn’t want anyone to die in sin and live eternity without Him....He created you and knew you from within your mother’s womb. He loved you so much that He gave His only begotten Son to die in your place. Think long and hard about the meaning of your existence. Accept the free gift He gives to you in Jesus Christ and let Him, through the power of the Holy Spirit, turn your life around to His glory!

Everyone is judged equitably and individually. God never enjoys condemning a person, but is just and righteous in dispensing His judgments.

Ezekiel 18:30-32

³⁰ “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways,” says the Lord God. “Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. ³¹ Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? ³² For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord God. “Therefore turn and live!”

Let your light so shine before men...

Do we want to be disciples for God.... those that give Him the honor and glory that He alone deserves? Then let our actions speak for Him......do good in the Holy name of Jesus! There is enough hatred in this world we need to show others the love and peace that reflect from our faith in God. He loved the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son that all (male, female, rich, poor, black, white, pink, republican, democrat) who believe in Him would have life and that life is eternal.

The believer does not have inherent light; rather we have reflective light. As we behold the glory of the Lord, we reflect it. Therefore, we need to make sure that nothing comes between us and the Lord’s light.

Matthew 5:16

¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:9

⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers,

For they shall be called sons of God.

God's redemptive plan for man

God wants no one to perish...no not one! There is no one righteous and we all need to come to God through the redemptive Blood of Jesus Christ there is no other way.

The older son proclaimed his righteousness and argued that justice had not been done. The younger son realized his own unrighteousness and his need for a Savior.

Luke 15:10

¹⁰ Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Luke 15:31

³¹ “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. ³² It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ ”

Jesus in the Book of Luke

 Jesus is the promised Messiah (1:31–35)

³¹ And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. ³² He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. ³³ And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”³⁴ Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” ³⁵ And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. 

the Son of God (9:35)

³⁵ And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!”

the Servant through whom God works (4:16–18)

¹⁶ So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. ¹⁷ And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:

¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,

Because He has anointed Me

To preach the gospel to the poor;

He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives

And recovery of sight to the blind,

To set at liberty those who are oppressed;

the Lord who is called to sit at God’s right hand exerting His authority and giving the Spirit to those who believe 22:69 

⁶⁹ Hereafter the Son of Man will sit on the right hand of the power of God.”

Though aspects of God’s plan are fulfilled in Jesus’ First Coming, other parts of the plan remain to be fulfilled when Jesus returns 21:34-36

³⁴ “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. ³⁵ For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. ³⁶ Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Philippians 1:9-11

911.....God answers our prayers for help.  PRAY!

Micah 6:8 “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?”

“Overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21)…be courteous, and maintain your dignity when you’re under pressure (Romans 12:10).

We need to humbly  pray for God’s guidance and be grateful for all that He has done for us. Salvation, God’s gift, was borne out of His agape love for His creation. God alone is in control  and The fruit of His Spirit is love.

Joy in the Lord is our strength.

The love that Paul sought for the believers is the highest form of Christian love, based on a lasting, unconditional commitment, not on an unstable emotion.The purpose of increasing in love, controlled by knowledge, is to be able to evaluate people and situations correctly.

Righteousness describes the source or the nature of the fruit, the behavior “fruit characterized by morally correct conduct.” 

Philippians 1:9-11

⁹ And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, ¹⁰ that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, ¹¹ being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Named for Philip II of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great, Philippi was strategically located on a major road, the Egnatian Way. Philippi became the leading city of Macedonia. In 42 b.c., the Romans granted Philippi the highest status possible for a provincial city, the status of a Roman colony.Their elevated status and wealth gave them not only confidence but a pride that bordered on arrogance.

The most prominent theme of the Epistle to the Philippians is joy, specifically the joy of serving Jesus. He saw God working through the difficult situations he faced. The church that Paul established in Philippi was a mixture of races, cultures, and social classes, although mostly poor, from its inception. 

Mark 3:1-5

WhatWouldJesusDo?....Do what is right for the right reason.....stand for the teachings of the Christ! There will always be those who disagree with you. It is always right to LOVE and to DO good.

The Sabbath controversy continued as Jesus visited the synagogue. The Pharisees, watched Him closely, not to hear the words of life but to accuse Him. Christ put the meaning of the Sabbath to the test. Certainly it was more consistent with the intention of the law to restore this man’s afflicted hand, even on the Sabbath, than to destroy his hopes for the sake of keeping human tradition. The Pharisees did not respond, for they knew that they would condemn themselves. Jesus demonstrated His righteous anger. He was grieved with sin but did not sin Himself by retaliating or losing control of His emotions.

Mark 3:1-5

3 And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. ² So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. ³ And He said to the man who had the withered hand,  “Step forward.” ⁴ Then He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they kept silent. ⁵ And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.

Daniel 11:1-3

God can and does use whomever He chooses to fulfill His plans we need to listen to the Holy Spirit as He leads us. Greater is He who lives in me than Satan that rules this world.

This is the same year as that of the revelation of the 70 weeks, 539 b.c.. At the beginning of the Persian administration, the divine messenger stood up to confirm and strengthen Darius. This suggests that though the kingdoms of the world are under demonic control, their human rulers can be delivered from that control and used for a higher purpose by God as He sees fit.

Daniel 11:1-3

11 “Also in the first year of Darius the Mede, I, even I, stood up to confirm and strengthen him.) ² And now I will tell you the truth: Behold, three more kings will arise in Persia, and the fourth shall be far richer than them all; by his strength, through his riches, he shall stir up all against the realm of Greece. 

Ezekiel 22:17-22

The Holy Spirit takes the truth of the Cross and the salvation that it gives to mere humans and embeds them into our spiritual DNA....we become the Body Of Christ. He removes the dross and replaces it with the cleansing blood of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and He gives us a new, tender heart for others!

These verses are primarily about God’s chastisement of His sinful people through the burning of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. Yet the verses also point to the fiery ordeals and trials that force all of us into a more perfect relationship with our Lord.

Ezekiel 22:17-22

¹⁷ The word of the Lord came to me, saying, ¹⁸ “Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to Me; they are all bronze, tin, iron, and lead, in the midst of a furnace; they have become dross from silver. 

¹⁹ Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Because you have all become dross, therefore behold, I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem. ²⁰ As men gather silver, bronze, iron, lead, and tin into the midst of a furnace, to blow fire on it, to melt it; so I will gather you in My anger and in My fury, and I will leave you there and melt you. ²¹ Yes, I will gather you and blow on you with the fire of My wrath, and you shall be melted in its midst. ²² As silver is melted in the midst of a furnace, so shall you be melted in its midst; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have poured out My fury on you.’ ”

Proverbs 25:4-5 

New King James:Take away the dross from silver,

And it will go to the silversmith for jewelry.

New International:Remove the dross from the silver, and a silversmith can produce a vessel;

New Living:Remove the impurities from silver, and the sterling will be ready for the silversmith.

English Standard:Take away the dross from the silver, and the smith has material for a vessel;

New American Standard:Take away the dross from the silver, And there comes out a vessel for the smith;

King James:Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.

Luke 15:8-10

You are valuable to God and heaven rejoices when we enter into His mercy and grace!

Luke 15:8-10

⁸ “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? ⁹ And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’ ¹⁰ Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Ezekiel 34:7-10

God protects all of His children who place their trust in Him. We are safe in His arms and those who come against them will ultimately be judged by Him.

The crimes of Israel’s leaders come under review before their punishment is pronounced.

Ezekiel 34:7-10

⁷ ‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: ⁸ “As I live,” says the Lord God, “surely because My flock became a prey, and My flock became food for every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, nor did My shepherds search for My flock, but the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock”—⁹ therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the Lord! ¹⁰ Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require My flock at their hand; I will cause them to cease feeding the sheep, and the shepherds shall feed themselves no more; for I will deliver My flock from their mouths, that they may no longer be food for them.”

Luke 15:1-7

Thank you Father that heaven rejoiced when You saved a sinner like me :)

The call to rejoice at finding the lost sheep would have been natural enough, since sheep were valuable property in the ancient world. Jesus compared the joy of finding a lost sheep to the joy of heaven over a sinner’s repentance. Persons who need no repentance is a rhetorical way of describing the scribes and Pharisees. A similar description is found in 5:31, where it is said that some do not need a physician. The scribes and Pharisees believed that they did not need to repent because they were not lost.

Luke 15: 1-7

Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. ² And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.” ³ So He spoke this parable to them, saying: ⁴ “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? ⁵ And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ⁶ And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ ⁷ I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.

Zechariah

Hope...Christ within the hope of glory! We must move our mindset from past failures and disappointments to the promises of God for salvation in Jesus Christ and the promise of the Holy Spirit given to guide and protect us when we accept His gift. With God...hope springs eternal!

Zechariah the Prophet

True religion, according to Zechariah, is not found merely in external acts of religious piety, but is based upon a personal relationship with God. Such a relationship with God should change one’s attitude to one’s neighbors. Like the prophets before him, Zechariah condemned the oppression of the widow, the orphan, the stranger, and the poor. As a preacher of righteousness, he called God’s people back to the virtues of justice, kindness, compassion, and truth.

Zechariah’s prophecies had two purposes. First, they challenged the returning exiles to turn to the Lord, to be cleansed from their sins and to experience again the Lord’s blessing. Second, Zechariah’s words comforted and encouraged the people regarding the rebuilding of the temple and God’s future work among His people.

Encouragement and hope are the underlying themes of the prophecies of Zechariah. The prophet Zechariah was one of the three prophets, along with Haggai and Malachi, who ministered to the exiles returning to Jerusalem. These exiles faced the ruins of what had once been a splendid city and a glorious temple. There was much to be sad about, but Zechariah encouraged the exiles with visions of judgment on Israel’s enemies and of the complete restoration of the city of Jerusalem. Yet the most thrilling vision of all was the prediction of a coming King—the Messiah who would bring eternal salvation and the promised eternal kingdom.

The name Zechariah means “Yahweh Remembers.” This powerful phrase communicates a message of hope: The God of Israel will mercifully remember His people. The prophet is identified as “the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo.” Iddo was among the heads of the priestly families that returned from Babylon to Judah. Zechariah, then, was a member of the tribe of Levi and probably served as both a priest and a prophet. He entered his prophetic ministry two months after his contemporary Haggai had concluded his first oracle.

This is the overarching theme of the book: The complete restoration of God’s people would occur in the redeeming and delivering work of the coming Messiah.