The Daily Dose

Marvelous Faith

Therefore, I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But speak the word, and my servant will be healed. Luke 7:7

I cannot express to you how important it is to speak God’s Word.  I know I am taking this very literal, but I believe the centurion was referring to Jesus speaking the Word of God concerning healing over his servant.  He had heard about Jesus’ ministry and how many people had been healed when Jesus spoke “the Word”.  He knew that Jesus’ words had power and were able to change circumstances.  He was prepared to set himself in agreement with Jesus’ words even to the point of carrying that word back without Jesus being present with his sick servant.  He understood from his own position as a centurion how authority worked and perceived it to be the same in the spiritual world.  He said, Speak the Word of God (give the order) over this situation and that word (the order will be carried out) will change the natural circumstances.  He so believed it that Jesus marveled at His faith.  Jesus basically said, “I have never seen anything like this before, anywhere.”

I consider how many times I have spoken exactly what I see over my circumstances instead of getting in agreement with what God says about the situation!  However, when I take it to God in prayer and wait to hear the response or scripture He leads me to about the situation, He gives me the words to speak/pray over the ailment.  If I don’t negate that word by speaking what I see in the natural, I can change what I am experiencing now by “speaking the Word of God, only.”  Then, every time I speak about the situation to any one or even think about it, I start thanking God that the scripture and “word” He has given me is at work and turning everything around for good.

This is so important!  You cannot speak God’s Word one day and then talk about how big your problem is the next day.  Just believe what God says and keep speaking His Word.  Even when Jesus heard the man say this, the scripture says He marveled.  He said he hadn’t seen such a great faith.  Marvelous faith!  Luke 7:9 says, When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, “I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!”   Whatever you do, keep speaking God’s Word on the problem and only God’s Word.  That is what marvelous faith looks like.  It takes hold of God’s promise and meditates it until it comes through to this natural seen world.

Today I want to encourage you to walk in marvelous faith by speaking the Word only.  Determine today, even before struggles come that you are going to speak God’s Words over any and every problem or stress life throws your way.  You may not have a choice in what comes your way, but you do have a choice in what you say.  Get in agreement with God’s heart and Word for your life and as you speak out the promises He has given to you, your life will begin to line up with it in every area of your existence.

Today’s scripture reading:  Luke 7: 1-10

1 Now when He concluded all His sayings in the hearing of the people, He entered Capernaum. 

2 And a certain centurion’s servant, who was dear to him, was sick and ready to die. 

3 So when he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to Him, pleading with Him to come and heal his servant. 

4 And when they came to Jesus, they begged Him earnestly, saying that the one for whom He should do this was deserving, 5“for he loves our nation, and has built us a synagogue.”

6 Then Jesus went with them. And when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying to Him, “Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof. 

7 Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 

8 For I also am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

9 When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, “I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!” 

10 And those who were sent, returning to the house, found the servant well who had been sick.

What’s in your heart?

 “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”  Luke 6:45

The words we speak in life are very important.  In fact, they are directing and steering the course of our life.  It’s true, you can verify this principle simply by taking a look at where you are in your life and identifying when you stated speaking the words that made the decisions to place you where you live and work today.   According to this verse in Luke, we speak out of what is in our heart in abundance.  Consider this: what we allow our heart to feed on are the things and attitudes that are growing inside of us and going to come out of our mouth.  This is one of the reasons it is so important to feed on the Word of God.  If I continually feast on the things of the world, that is what I will sound like and imitate.  Especially when pressure is on, whatever is in my heart will be magnified greatly when I am stressed and put to the test.

When Jesus was on the cross, He said, “Father, forgive them, they don’t know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34) Talk about pressure!  He was under the greatest amount of stress of all time, yet it was clear that love and forgiveness were in His heart.  Even though He had been wrongly accused, beaten, and then nailed to a cross, these words showed that He had no ill will in His heart toward any of His accusers or executioners.  His heart was pure and full of the love of God.  That didn’t just happen by accident.  He purposefully kept Himself unspotted from the world and even though He spent a lot of time with the people of the world He never allowed Himself to take on their attitude or words.  He only spoke what He heard from His Father through the Holy Spirit.

Because I used to work in the world and spend a lot of time around people who are far from God, I know how easy it can be to take on the complaints and sarcasm of those around you.  It’s almost like you cannot fit in if you don’t have that same outlook.  However, if you don’t allow those around you to influence you but commit to keeping your heart and thoughts unspotted, you will begin to enrich the hearts of those you are with instead of their toxic words corrupting you.  They will begin to see the light in you because you don’t speak and think like they do, but you let the love of God direct your words.

Today, I encourage you to fill up your heart with the words, thoughts and attitude of your heavenly Father.  You can do this by meditating on His Word which is His thoughts in written form.  As you meditate and learn the heart of God through His word, you will begin to take on His love and compassion for those you are around each day. In that way when those around you speak all manner of evil, take on the attitude of Jesus and say, “Father, forgive them, they don’t know what they are doing.” Then be the light wherever you are and lead others to the love of God through the treasure you have deposited into your heart, that is His Word.

Today’s scripture reading: Luke 6:43-49

43 “For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 

44 For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. 

45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

46 “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? 

47 Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: 

48 He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. 

49 But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.”

Give

Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. Luke 6:30

Yesterday as I wrote about being God’s ambassador by responding to others the way He does, the Holy Spirit showed me the answer to a question I have had for quite a while now.  I wasn’t even asking the question at the time, but the words jumped off the page and into my heart as I was reading through the dose before posting.

I have had the question many times, in fact every time that I see someone on the street asking for money.  How do I know when it is the right time to give and the right people to give to? I have struggled with this question many times to the point that I have prepared envelopes with funds in them to be ready when the opportunity comes, and the Holy Spirit is directing me.

When I read through yesterdays message, these words jumped off the page and into my heart in an instant, answered those questions and sealed my response to those I see from this day forward.  Give to everyone who asks of you.  How freeing this was to me after years of struggling with what the right thing to do is.  I don’t have to wonder if a person is worthy or deserving.  In fact, I am quite sure they are not.   Just as I was not worthy and deserving when He pulled me out of many pits that I had gotten myself into, these are people that are in trouble and many of them by their own doing.  That isn’t the point.  The point is that God wants to rescue them as much as He wanted to rescue me all those times when I made bad decisions.  Even today, I am not perfect and still mess things up, But my Father is faithful to comes running to the rescue every time I ask. He never tells me how underserving I am, He just scoops me up and carries me to safety! His love is so good!

So now I am prepared to give every time.  I have prepared a gift and message to give to those who ask.  They are thankful for the money and may or may not read the message that was attached, but that is not my place to judge.  I am doing my part and that is all I need to be concerned about.  I pray over that gift and that message for the Holy Spirit to draw them in and then the rest is up to Him.  I planted the seed of God’s love and watered it with my prayer. I believe He is powerful enough to reach through that gift into the heart of the receiver.  My perspective has changed so I know where and when to give. I give at every opportunity that is presented to me.  As much as I believe the Holy Spirit can reach their heart, I also believe that He has led me to them that day at the precise time that they are ready to receive His love.

Today I want to encourage you to give to everyone who asks.  When you see people on the side of the road begging, remember they are asking.  Be a blessing to them despite the predicament they are currently living in. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you with your own heart so that you can see these as hurting people in need of a Savior.  Make a plan ahead of time of how you will share God’s love with them.  Include a scripture or a tract with a generous financial blessing and help them to gain a new understanding that He wants to rescue them from the trouble they are in.  Be ready also, when others have a need, to help them get through their current struggle and use every opportunity of giving to others as a occasion to share God’s love and great salvation with them. Then you will be walking out the words that Jesus spoke when He said: It is more blessed to give than to receive. (See Acts 20:35)

Today’s scripture reading: Luke 6:37-42

37 “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 

38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

39 And He spoke a parable to them: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch? 

40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher. 

41 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye? 

42 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother’s eye.

Opposite World

_{But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Luke 6:35}

The next section of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount is what I like to call living in opposite world.  Jesus lists the responses we are to have when someone as doing wrong thing.  It is not the natural way to react when you are treated badly, but it is the godly way.  Take a look at the list below and see if there are some opportunities for improvement in your life?

Jesus went on to say that what credit is it to you if you love those who love you?  Even sinners and those far from God do that.  How are you any way different from the world if you only do good for those who are good to you? That is the same attitude those in the world have.  If you lend hoping to get it back, you are just like everyone else in the world.  But Jesus called His disciples to a higher standard of living, God’s standard.  He told them to love their enemies, do go and lend hoping for nothing in return.  Then their reward would be great and that is how they showed the world that they were children of the Most High God.  He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Jesus showed His disciples how to imitate Him by being merciful, just as God in heaven is merciful.

He wants the same thing for you and me today.  He wants us to be different than those who are without a Savior.  He wants us to lead people to His love by loving others and being gracious to the lost.   He wants us to be His representative in the world by displaying His way of caring for others and He wants us to do it by loving others the way He loves us.  This is what helps me remember that I am God’s ambassador in the earth.  I care and love others because of who I am in Christ Jesus, not because of who they are and how they behave in the world.  If I wait to see how others are going to treat me to decide how to respond, I give them the power to control my actions and reactions.  Likewise, if I decide ahead of time that I am going to love others because I represent the kingdom of heaven and want to be like my Father in heaven, I am the one that takes control of the situation and open up the door for God’s love to reach the hurting soul I am exposing that love to.

Today I want to encourage you to move to Opposite World.  Decide to take on the heart of God for others and begin loving the hurting and lost around you right now.  Don’t wait until you are in a bad situation to decide how you are going to teach others about right and wrong.  Instead, show them how right responds by loving them despite their behavior.  God isn’t asking us to make people do the right things.  He is telling us the way to be effective by loving, caring and forgiving like He does.  Only then will we open the way for the Holy Spirit to come into the circumstances to turn things around for good and not evil.

Today’s scripture reading: Luke 6:27-36

27 “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 

28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. 

29 To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. 

30 Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. 

31 And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.

32 “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 

33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 

34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. 

35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. 

36 Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.

Blessing vs. Woe

“But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. Luke 6:24

As I look at the list of Woes in this chapter, it makes me think of the story Jesus told about the rich fool.  It goes like this: The rich fool’s land produced a great crop so the man made a plan to pull down his current barns and build greater ones to store his harvest. Thinking he was set for life and could spend the rest of his days taking it easy by eating, drinking and being merry.  God had a different plan, and that very day the man’s soul was required to give his account for eternity.  He learned how foolish it was to store up treasure on earth instead of heaven.

Below is a list of the heart condition needed to receive God’s blessing vs. the heart that will receive the woe.  Keep in mind these are spiritual attributes, not physical.  These are attitudes that we walk out in life to either receive God’s blessing, if we keep in mind where all blessings come from.  The key is to live your live governed by a submitted spirit to God’s kingdom and His way of being successful. Hungry for spiritual growth and a deeper relationship with your Father in heaven.  Having a heart of love for the lost so great that it produces an urgency to pray for and lead those who have gone their own way.  Knowing that if anyone speaks evil of you it is because you are living life God’s way and it doesn’t make sense to those on the outside.

The complete opposite is true for those who are full of themselves thinking all that they have and all that they are have come about because of their own sweat equity.  They laugh at those who appear less fortunate and speak well of those who are seemingly growing in this world’s goods by their own strength.  There is no concept of the spiritual life and everything is based on the physical and outward circumstances never considering that there is more coming beyond this world.

Blessing                                             Woe

Poor                                                    Rich

Hunger                                               Full

Weep                                                  Laugh

Speak evil of you                               Speak well of you

Now it’s time to consider which one are you?  Do you believe that you are rich and successful because of your own labors and hard work ethic?  Do you think that you have gotten to the place you have in life by your own efforts?  Do you laugh at those who are struggling and don’t work hard to make it in this life.  Do you look for the approval of the “successful” in this world as a gage of how you are accepted and fit into society?

Hopefully you have come to the point in life that you recognize there is more going on here than what is seen by the natural eye.  You have humbled your spirit and become needy for the guidance of the Holy Spirit to take you through the mind field of the woe’s of life.  You are hungry for the heart of God and desire to step into the gifts and callings He has blessed you with.  You weep and lament over the condition of the world and seek out the ways that you can help in getting God’s work done here in the earth. You don’t despair when you are sometimes spoken evil of because you do things differently than the majority of the world.

Today I want to encourage you to empty yourself of the “successful” mentality of the world you live in.  Humbly yourself before you heavenly Father and make yourself available to partner with Him in rescuing those who are lost and deceived.  Become poor and needy for the Holy Spirit’s wisdom and direction and ask Him to give you compassion for people who are being led astray.  Step into all God’s blessings for your life by taking on a spiritual attitude that is focused on eternity instead of the temporal things we see in this life and use those blessings to bring even more lost ones back to the flock.

Today’s scripture reading: Luke 6:20-26

20 Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said: “Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

21 Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.

22 Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake.

23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! for indeed your reward is great in heaven, for in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.

24 “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.

25 Woe to you who are full, for you shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.

26 Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

Blessed

Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said: “Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Luke 6:20

This is going to sound strange and maybe even hard to believe, but I did not realize that the Beatitudes that Jesus taught His disciples were also written in the book of Luke.  I honestly just believed they were listed in Matthew’s gospel and that was it.  Certainly, I have read them in Luke before this time, but it never registered with me that this was the same event that gets so much attention in the book of Matthew.

It looks like the passage in Luke is a little different than Matthew’s account, but it is basically the same points since it is the same sermon.  It was Jesus first real teaching to the disciples other than what they had learned just by watching Him.  He began talking to them about the crowd of people that had gathered to receive healing from Him.

He taught them what it means to be blessed.  The word “blessed” is defined as happy, but it is the kind of happiness that comes from the spirit of a person, not from external things or circumstances.  It can also mean successful in attaining wholeness and contentment.  My own definition of blessed is: Empowered to be successful in all things.

As I read through the points of this sermon, I want to focus on Jesus was teaching His disciples where true joy and satisfaction come from in life.  By walking in this world according to these attitudes/principles, we also can walk out our days in today’s world in peace, joy and contentment despite the outward circumstances.

Jesus started this teaching by saying whoever is poor in spirit is happy, content and satisfied with life.  He doesn’t say those who are poor in external things and lacking in physical necessities.  He is talking about having a bankrupt spirit that recognizes its need for a Savior. When you come to the place in life that you recognize all that you are and all that you have is because of the grace of God and a Savior who loves you, you become determined to trust Him for every breath you take and every move you make.  You understand that you have been given life to complete an assignment here in this world and God has given you all the resources you need to fulfill that mission.  You no longer believe that you worked hard all your life to accomplish the things you have done.  You know that all that you are is because of your heavenly Father that loves you and has led you every step of the way.

The verse goes on to say when you are poor in spirit, you belong to the kingdom of Heaven and that is where your citizenship and home truly are.  Even though you are in this world called Earth, you have dual citizenship because you have only been sent here to work for a few years.  Your life is lived by the heart of God and His way of living successfully.

Today, I want to encourage you to be poor in spirit.  Take some time to talk to your heavenly Father about what He has brought you through in your life so far.  Thank Him for all He has given you and all He has led you through.  Let Him know that you recognize that His hand is the reason for all you have become so far.  Then spend some time talking to Him about what He will lead you to next and thank Him for always being involved in your life even the times when you didn’t realize He was looking.  Take some time to meditate what it means to be a citizen of heaven right now in this world even though you are not actually living there yet. Then, tell Him you trust Him to provide all you need to finish the course He has you on today.  You are blessed and you are empowered to be successful in all that He has called you to right here and now.

If you are only now recognizing you are poor in spirit and need a Savior, invite Him into your life today. All you need to do is ask Him in and He will fill your life up with peace, joy and contentment as you follow each step He leads. Pray this prayer today or one like it. Jesus will come into your life and enrich the poorness of it.

_{God in heaven, I know I’m a sinner and I need a Savior.  I want to turn away from my sinful life to the life You have planned for me.  Please forgive my sins, cleanse me from my past, and make me new today.  I know Your Son, Jesus died for me.  I believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead.  At this very moment, I accept, confess, and proclaim Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior . . . to be Lord of my life from this day forward.  I now have a right relationship with God my Father through this salvation in Jesus. I thank You for giving me Your Holy Spirit to guide me and to empower me to accomplish the things You have planned for my life in Jesus’ name, Amen}

Today’s scripture reading: Luke 6:20-23

20 Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said: “Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

21 Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.

22 Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake.

23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! for indeed your reward is great in heaven, for in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.

Seek to touch Him

And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.  Luke 6:19

Have you ever wondered why we sometimes hear great testimonies of healings and deliverance and then other times it seems like it just doesn’t happen for some people?  It is often explained away with the explanation that it wasn’t God’s will to heal or deliver certain people.  Maybe you have seen some great healings and some that didn’t get healed.  If feels like it is hard to make sense of it all so it must be all up to God, right?

The only problem with that way of thinking is there is no scripture to back that up.  There is no where in the Bible that someone came to God or Jesus, and He turned them away.  In today’s reading, right after Jesus selected the twelve that would be His closest students, He went on to start teaching them.  A great crowd gathered and there were many that came to Him who were diseased and tormented with unclean demonic spirits.  When they came to Jesus, He healed them all.  He didn’t turn any away or tell anyone they were to learn something from their affliction.  Healing and deliverance happened all through Jesus’ ministry and then after He left, they continued to happen through the Apostles.

The key is that the people who were suffering came to Jesus.  They called on Him for relief from their torment.  Today’s key verse says that they sought Him out to reach and touch Him because of the power that went out from Him.

He is still powerful today and still releases that power into the earth and even into people as they seek after Him, but we must go to Him with the issues before we can expect any answer to show up.  He is good and He wants good for all His people.  Sickness, disease and certainly demonic oppression are the result of sin in the world, not the result of God’s love for people.  His heart, His desire and His will have always been for His people to live in wholeness and divine health, but it is up to us to seek Him for it and take the steps of faith that we need to get to Him.

Today I want to encourage you to seek out your healing or deliverance by taking it to the Lord.  As you do, listen carefully for any steps or corrections that you need to make on your part.  He will give direction if there is something, but mostly, He just wants to set you free.  In the same way that we call on Him for salvation and He doesn’t turn anyone away, we can call on Him for the things we need including health and well being and He will not turn anyone away.  Seek Him out to touch Him today and receive all the goodness He desires to release into your life.

Today’s scripture reading: Luke 6:17-19

17 And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, 

18 as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed. 

19 And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.

He prayed all night

Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray and continued all night in prayer to God. Luke 6:12

I struggle with this portion of scripture.  I have questions like:  Did Jesus really need to pray all night before He chose His twelve disciples?  Didn’t He just know because God already knew?  He was God in the flesh, couldn’t He just pick the 12 out as He was calling them to follow Him?  I guess I thought that Jesus got the plan before He came to earth of what He was supposed to be doing here, not day by day.

This happened many times throughout the gospels when Jesus withdrew from the crowds to get alone with God.  The passage says He prayed, but I’m sure there was some fellowshipping going on as well as praise and worship.  It looks like Jesus, as a man, was required to have the same kind of relationship with God that we do as His people.  He was about to make one of the most important decisions of His ministry, and it seems appropriate that He spent a significant amount of time talking it over with His Father in heaven.

Every time I read this in scripture it is a reminder that if Jesus spent this time in pray and made it a priority, how much more do you and I need a quiet time with God each day.  As much as I push the importance of this time in my writings, I still find that on occasion, I start skimping on my time with God.  Whether it is because I slept late or had a busy morning and day, it is easy to let that time be the place that gets cut out of the schedule.  It doesn’t take long before I feel it though.  I start to feel distant from my Father and then I find it harder to discern His direction in my day-to-day activity.  Sometimes, I am just plain tired and think God will understand if I don’t give Him His place today.  The fact is, that I am tired because I am trying to do it all in my own strength and not relying on Him to take me through the day.

For me, the solution is easy to see, but harder to accomplish.  If I set an appointment with God at the beginning of the day and understand that my appointment with my Father is the most important time of my day, I can get back on track.  I take time to remember the richness of those quiet times with Him and the joy and peace that fill my heart as I press into His love and goodness.  I recognize the value of my relationship with Him and make it the priority of my life because He is the One holding it all together.  Many times, people get the idea that the time we spend with God is something that He requires.  The truth is, spending time with God is what I need to live a successful, peace filled abundant life in this world and my relationship with Him is what makes it worth living.

Today I want to encourage you to give God first place in your day to prepare you for the things to come and to strengthen you for the decisions you will need to make.  Make an appointment with Him and determine that you will keep it no matter what.  Recognize that this is the most important time of your day to bask and grow in the love He has for you.  Remember that if Jesus needed this time when He was here, how much more do you and I need it.  When we take time to get close to our Father, He takes time to pull us up closer.  Start today to put your relationship with Him above all others and then you will see your life begin to fall into the place and purpose you were created for.

Today’s scripture reading: Luke 6:12-16

12 Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. 

13 And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles: 

14 Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; 

15 Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot; 

16 Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot who also became a traitor.

To do good or evil?

Then Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy?”  Luke 6:9

Have you ever considered that not doing good is doing evil?  For example, if you have an opportunity to help someone, but the timing isn’t great for your schedule so you pass up the opportunity, you have done an evil work instead of a good one. What about if you see someone in need, but you feel they are undeserving of your gift or assistance to get them through another day?  Well, according to today’s reading, Jesus said it is one way or the other.  Another way you could put it is: Is it the right thing to do to do good for someone, or not do good for someone.  Plainly stated, passing up opportunity to do good is evil.

This reminds me of a scripture in the book of James that says: To him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. (See James 4:17) It sounds like this passage is saying if you know to do a good deed, and you don’t do it, you are sinning.  Ouch!  That is pretty cut and dry.

So, what is the solution?  I would say the simple answer is when you see an opportunity to do something kind or nice for someone, just do it.  Most of the time it doesn’t take up a lot of time.  What if you don’t feel like doing it?  That really doesn’t matter much.  Just consider that if you don’t do it, you are choosing to do evil instead. 

The apostle John put it this way: By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? (1 John 3:16-17) So now we come down to the heart of the subject.  It is all about love.  If we love others the way Jesus loves us, we will do good every chance we have.

Today I want to encourage you to check your love levels.  Ask the Holy Spirit to increase the love and compassion in your heart for others.  This is your true calling, and I promise that as you love the people around you, you will recognize purpose in your life.  Do good today and not evil by blessing people you meet.  Don’t pass up opportunities because of time or feelings.  As you do, you will not only be a blessing to others, you will also be a blessing to your Father in heaven.

Today’s scripture reading: Luke 6:1-11

1 Now it happened on the second Sabbath after the first that He went through the grainfields. And His disciples plucked the heads of grain and ate them, rubbing them in their hands. 

2 And some of the Pharisees said to them, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?”

3 But Jesus answering them said, “Have you not even read this, what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: 

4 how he went into the house of God, took and ate the showbread, and also gave some to those with him, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat?” 

5 And He said to them, “The Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”

6 Now it happened on another Sabbath, also, that He entered the synagogue and taught. And a man was there whose right hand was withered. 

7 So the scribes and Pharisees watched Him closely, whether He would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against Him. 

8 But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, “Arise and stand here.” And he arose and stood. 

9 Then Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy?” 

10 And when He had looked around at them all, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. 

11But they were filled with rage, and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.

New Wine

And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined. Luke 5:37

In the past, this passage has always been a struggle for me to understand. It has only been recently, that I now have a better grip on what Jesus was talking about. I think the trouble I was having with it was that I didn’t understand the old and new wineskin language because we don’t put wine into skins now, we use bottles. However, Jesus explains His example by saying the new wine will break the old wineskin because they are hard and brittle. New wine is put into new skin that will expand as the wine ages.

Now comes the big question, at least in my mind. What does this have to do with Jesus disciples fasting or not? In today’s passage, Jesus’ emphasis seems to be on the new part. He uses two different examples of new clothe and new wine. He is talking about something new going on.

In Jesus day, He was teaching them radically new ideas and the biggest was to love one another. The Hebrew culture had lived by the commands an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. There was no talk about love until Jesus came into the world. When He talked about the new tearing or breaking the old, He was telling them that there is something new going on. Jesus brought us the new covenant and in that He fulfilled the requirement of the old one.

This was very difficult for the religious leaders to accept in Jesus’ day. It reminds me of how things are today. With our culture shifting into the digital age, it can be hard for people who are not so inclined to accept the new “wineskin” of technology. First with the invention of electricity, motor vehicles, travel and telecommunications. Now with the internet, computers and cellular data.  These “wineskins” have made it possible to carry the gospel to the nations and increased the effectiveness of missions. There is no reason to think less of or look down on ministries that use various “skins” to get the message out. Our job is to pray for these missions and use the resources we have available to do our part.

Today I want to encourage you to talk to your Heavenly Father about the “wineskin” He would have you use to carry His good news of salvation to the world around you. What mission does He have in mind for you and what is He leading you to in the future? Carry the message of God’s love and salvation in whatever “wineskins” you have available to you.

Today’s scripture reading: Luke 5:33-39

33 Then they said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John fast often and make prayers, and likewise those of the Pharisees, but Yours eat and drink?”

34 And He said to them, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? 

35 But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days.”

36 Then He spoke a parable to them: “No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old one; otherwise the new makes a tear, and also the piece that was taken out of the new does not match the old. 

37 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined. 

38 But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved. 

39 And no one, having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, ‘The old is better.’ ”