The Daily Dose

Watch and Pray

Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Luke 12:37

This passage is a little disturbing to me, but mostly exciting.  It says that the Master (Jesus) could come back at anytime.  Then it goes on to say: don’t let Him catch you sleeping.  Not that I sleep in a lot, but there are occasions when I do get up later than usual.  It makes me consider, what are my priorities?

Today’s reading instructs us to be ready at any time, all the time for our Master to return.  If I think about how that would look, I of course, would be on my best behavior all the time, ready to be taken away with Him, but also ready for inspections and my life’s activities and responsibilities put in order.  Though it is a part of kingdom living to steward our time and property well, there are those times that my guard is down.

The passage commands us to pay attention by watching and praying. Yes, we see the things happening in the world today and hear how the evil seems to be growing, but that is not for us to focus on.  We are to watch and pray for His return and see that we keep our own “house” in order.  If we knew that He was coming back today, what would we be doing?  If we knew it was a week or a month from today?  I know for me; I would be making sure that His work and His plans were being done each day so that I would be ready when He did arrive.

That is how we watch and pray.  Watch that we are keeping God’s kingdom and righteousness first and number one priority and pray for the grace to lead others to watch and pray also.  Rescuing the lost and making His agenda our agenda.

Today I want to encourage you to watch and pray.  Watch, so that you are not caught off guard and unprepared when He comes.  Watch by seeking His plans first each day.  He wants to lead you in that perfect path of righteousness, but you must start out by fully trusting and following His lead each day.  Second, take time to pray.  Not just a quick “Good morning God, watch over me and protect throughout the day” prayer, but an earnest surrender to His plan for the day, kind of prayer.  Determine to accomplish down to the last detail your entire missions before He comes to take us all home.

Today’s scripture reading: Luke 12:35-48

35 “Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; 

36 and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. 

37 Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. 

38 And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. 

39 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.”

41 Then Peter said to Him, “Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?”

42 And the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? 

43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 

44 Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. 

45 But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, 

46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. 

47 And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 

48 But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.

Invest in your future

Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Luke 12:33-34

This passage was one of those elusive scriptures to me because I never considered that I had a “treasure”.  Treasure to me always seemed like something in a fairy tale or pirate story.  Silly right?  Finally, I realized that my treasure is what I value most.  When I began to think about what was valuable on earth like material things, as opposed to things valuable in heaven such as people and the good we do for others here in this world, then I started to get it.  That’s when I began to recognize how important it is to invest in my future . . . my eternal future.  But how?

Let’s examine the verses a little closer.  It says that your heart will follow where you put your treasure. So once again it is a step of faith. The first act is to intentionally lay up your “treasure” in heavenly things.  So first of all, determine what your treasure is.  The passage is talking some about your financial treasure because it refers to “things”, but it is not limited there.  Your treasure is where you put your time and energy also, which are even more valuable than your money because they are not replaceable.  Put your money, time, resources and efforts into the things of the Kingdom of God and before long that will be what you are most interested in and love. AKA where your heart is.   You will notice your heart following your “treasure”.  You will become increasingly interested in growing your heavenly account each day.

Revelation 14:13 says “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.” It is very interesting that though we cannot be saved or get into heaven by “good works” or by obeying a set of rules, this passage would indicate that good works are still important and will actually follow you into eternity.  That is, work that is done for the kingdom of heaven here on earth.  We’ve all heard the saying “you can’t take it with you”. Well according to God’s Word, there is something you can take with you, other people and good things done for them in the name of Jesus.

Today I encourage you to start investing in eternity and look for others you can bless and pray for.  Reach out and ask God to lead you to those good works that He planned for you before you were born.  Then begin to walk in them.  Instead of checking the stock market or your bank account each day to see how your investments are doing, start checking your heavenly account and adding to it daily.  Soon those will be the only investments you are interested in looking at because you heart will follow the action you physically put behind your faith.

Today’s scripture reading: Luke 12:29-34

29 “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. 

30 For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. 

31 But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.

32 “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 

33 Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. 

34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Don’t Worry

Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. 23Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.  Luke 12:22-23

Don’t worry?  Is this even possible?  In the world we live in today, how can we not worry?  Worry about keeping our job? Worry about our children growing up in godless society? Worry about contracting an illness or disease?  Certainly, God understands that things are a little stressful in day to day living right now?

Well, according to this passage, and this is Jesus speaking, we should not be worried about life.  In fact, this isn’t even a suggestion, it is a direct order.  He said don’t worry about if there will be food on the table of if I will have clothes to wear.  The reason is because life is so much more than eating and the latest fashions.  He goes on to say that God takes care of the birds and the flowers so how much more valuable are we to God than these?

Then Jesus asked if you can add to or change anything by worrying. He said that is what the godless nations of the world worry about.  Then, He gives us the key to success in life to having those needs and desires met. It is:  Seek first, that is before anything else, God’s kingdom and His righteousness in Christ Jesus.  As you do that, then all of the above things will be added to you.  That is a extremely awesome promise!!

Making God’s kingdom growth and progress should be our top priority everyday. Each morning when you get up, instead of asking “How can I make my life better and add to my domain?” We should be asking “What can I do to expand God’s kingdom and righteousness in the world?” This is our purpose in the place that we live in and this is God’s plan for our lives and the reason He gives us breath.

Today I want to encourage you not to worry about the things you need.  Instead, start the day off seeking God’s kingdom plan and receive His righteousness to accomplish it.  As you begin to line your life up with God’s agenda, all the other things will be added to you and fall into place.

Today’s scripture reading: Luke 12:22-31

22 Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. 

23 Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. 

24 Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? 

25 And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 

26 If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? 

27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 

28 If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?

29 “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. 

30 For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. 

31 But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.

Indestructible soul

“And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him! Luke 12:4-5

Your soul is indestructible!  That’s what Jesus said in today’s verses.  He is continuing on from yesterday’s passage about the hidden things.  The world is messed up, but we do not need to be afraid of it’s outcome or ours for that matter.   However, Jesus said what we should fear is the One who can destroy both soul and body.  Yet, surprisingly, most people in the world do not even consider God let alone fear Him.  We don’t need to look any further than the latest headline to see the evidence of that.

Jesus told a story in verses 13-21 about a rich fool.  The man had so much stuff, he had to expand his storage to hold all his goods.  Then he told himself he could take it easy because he was stocked up for many years.  Kind of like his retirement plan.  He planned to take it easy and enjoy his life.  The only problem with that was God came along and said, “You’re a fool, you should have considered what you were really put on this earth for, but because you have stored up many possessions, who knows who will get them now.  Tonight, I’m requiring your soul to give account of your life on earth.”

It didn’t matter what the man had accumulated during his lifetime, and it didn’t matter what he possessed at the end of his life.  What did matter was what he did with the life God gave and planned for him to live while he was on the earth.  The story is sobering and thought provoking mostly because it’s the same plan most people have today.  The world mentality is to work until a certain age, save up, retire and collect social security benefits, then enjoy their remaining days on the earth.  I’m not saying this concept is bad, we should be good stewards of the things and employment God gives us, but it is not all to be consumed and stocked up to see how early in life we can find our ease.   When Jesus told this story, he told them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”  Life is more than just accumulating wealth and things.  Goods and possessions are not bad in themselves, only when they become our life’s focus and ultimate goal.

Instead, let’s consider and realize that the time we are given here on the earth is the shortest time we will ever live.  This time up against eternity is almost invisible.  It is like a blip on a big screen.  This time does however, determine where and how our eternal soul will spend eternity.  The point is we do not need to be afraid of what is going on in the world today.  We do not need to be afraid that we will not have enough tomorrow and we do not need to worry that there will be no social security benefits by the time we are old enough to collect.  Instead, we should fear the One who can require our soul at any given moment and be focused on getting in line with the plan that He has for our days here on the earth.  That alone will determine how and where we spend our eternity.

Today I want to encourage you to consider where you are laying up your treasure.  Is your primary focus on storing up in your bank account so you can take your ease here on the earth? Or is your plan to walk out the full number of your days following the lead and plan of your Heavenly Father by completing down to the last detail the assignment He has for you?  Talk to God today and thank Him for the life and time you have been given to walk this earth.  Ask Him for the strength to walk out His plan and purpose for you here and determine to make all your days count for God’s eternal Kingdom!

If you have never received God’s gift of salvation and eternal life with Him, do that today by praying this prayer from your heart: ^{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 12:4-21

4 “And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 

5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!

6 “Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. 

7 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

8 “Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. 

9 But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.

10 “And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.

11 “Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. 

12 For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

13 Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

14 But He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” 

15 And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”

16 Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. 

17 And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ 

18 So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. 

19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” ’ 

20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’

21 “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

The Hidden Things

^{For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known.  Luke 12:2}

This chapter starts out with Jesus talking about the leaven of the Pharisees, which was hypocrisy. He told His disciples how even though it is not something you can see with the natural eye, you can see the results of it in their outward circumstances and activity.  He goes on to tell the disciples that everything that is covered will be revealed, everything hidden will be known and every word spoken in the dark or secret places will be heard in the light out in the open.

This is a huge revelation.  It means that God sees everything, which we already know with our minds, but if we begin to understand this truth deep inside, it brings peace and light.  God sees the plans and intent of His enemies and He sees what is happening around the world today.  He sees who is conspiring to impose their own agenda, and He knows who has a heart for His plan.

This is even something that we can be praying:  Father, reveal the hidden things and expose the secret plots and pursuits of the enemy and those working for him.  We can pray for things to be revealed and we can ask our Father to show us as His people the things we need to be praying and interceding for.

God knows what is happening in our world today.  He knows the meetings that are taking place behind closed doors.  He knows the schemes that are being devised by corrupt leaders and nations.  He knows that secrets are being discussed and military operations that are being developed to overturn governments.  His desire is for His people to step in and intercede for these things to be revealed.  God knows what is going on, and He wants to expose the enemy’s camp, but He waits on us to open the door by praying to create an entrance for His hand to reach through and His wisdom to be poured out on those who can do something about it.

This has happened many times throughout history.  Christians have prayed and God moved.  In times of war, God’s people have pressed into intercessory prayer and God has intervened time and time again.  In the Bible alone, there are hundreds of examples of God answering the prayers of His people on a worldwide level.  Examples such as delivering His people from Egyptian bondage, Joshua praying for the sun to stand still to win the battle, Paul bringing the gospel to the European nations just to name a few.  In more recent history, William Tyndale prayed for the king eyes to be opened to the need for a bible translated into English for all people to have their own Word of God.  Documented prayers were answered during World War II and don’t forget about the prayers that were lifted to remove the wall in Berlin and the fall of the communistic USSR.

Today, we can pray when there are meetings around the world that we know about instead of just letting things happen or play out.  In the world we live in, this is more important than ever.  Schemes and plots are being detailed out in secret every day.  We see the wickedness of the enemy covering this planet.  Our prayers can make a difference!  Make a plan to intercede for these things each day. Then we can truly be making a difference as we open the way for God to come in.

Today I want to encourage you to begin to pray out those secret things that are behind closed doors around the world.  Ask God to reveal the things that are hidden and plans that are being constructed and stop them.  Intercede for our towns, country and Earth so the hand of God can reach in and make things better.  Complaining or being afraid cannot help anything, but taking these things to God can make all the difference in the world.

Today’s scripture reading: Luke12:1-3

1 In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 

2 For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. 

3 Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.

Give

But rather give alms of such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you. Luke 11:41

In Today’s scripture passage, Jesus is having dinner at a Pharisee’s house where the Pharisee noticed that Jesus did not perform a ritualistic hand washing before eating. Jesus answered with a list of “woes” that were actually warnings to the entire group of Pharisee’s and lawyers that were there.  When He finished talking to them, you could probably assume He wasn’t invited back for dinner again.  In fact, the end of this passage says that from that point on, they were looking for reasons to accuse Him.

His list of complaints against the group included:

1. They made the outside of the cup and dish clean,

but their inward part is full of greed and wickedness. 

• They tithed mint and rue and all manner of herbs,

               and pass by justice and the love of God.

• They loved the best seats in the synagogues

               and greetings in the marketplaces.

• They were like graves which are not seen,

and the men who walk over them are not aware of them.”

• They loaded men with burdens hard to bear,

and they do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.

• They built the tombs of the prophets, and their fathers killed them.

Interestingly, as He listed off these offenses, He said two different times that giving would bring cleansing.  He implied that people’s purse strings/wallet are attached to their heart and when they gave freely, they were showing the pureness of their motives and that people are more important than money.  In the case of the Pharisee’s, He said they were greedy, wicked, lacking in the love of God, selfish, prideful, and dead on the inside.  He gave them the remedy and it isn’t the first time that He gave this prescription.  He said that giving alms/resources would make them clean and by giving the love of God to others they would be showing justice.

Giving was the answer to the Pharisee’s unclean intentions back then and it is the same for us today and it is meant for all areas of your life.  It is not just of your money and resources but it is also your love and kindness.  All in all, giving shows what is on the inside.  If you give generously of all areas of your life, your heart is pure and honest, free of suspicion and judgment.  You give because of who you are as a child of God not because of who the receiver is.  Yes, you give to help the poor, but your main motive is love. Simply put: Giving is loving.

Today I want to encourage you to purge out every unclean thing in your heart by giving.  Attach your wallet and everything else most precious to you to God and His purpose. Don’t corrupt your inward person by hanging on to what God meant for loving someone else.  Instead, commit all you are and all you have to His eternal purpose.  Begin to build God’s kingdom with all that is within you and with all you possess.  Make your resources and love count in this life and the next.  You have been given the answer and the power to purge out the uncleanness in your life and that answer is in giving as a child of God for His whole family’s kingdom.

Today’s scripture reading: Luke 11:37-54

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.”

45 Then one of the lawyers answered and said to Him, “Teacher, by saying these things You reproach us also.”

46 And He said, “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. 

47 Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. 

48 In fact, you bear witness that you approve the deeds of your fathers; for they indeed killed them, and you build their tombs. 

49 Therefore the wisdom of God also said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,’ 

50 that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation, 

51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the temple. Yes, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation.

52 “Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered.”

53 And as He said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to assail Him vehemently, and to cross-examine Him about many things, 

54 lying in wait for Him, and seeking to catch Him in something He might say, that they might accuse Him.

What are you filling up with?

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 11:36

Light or Darkness?  What’s it going to be?  What do you want your life to be full of?  Maybe I need to explain?  You are filling your life and heart everyday that you are alive.  What you look at, what you listen to and even what you eat influence and actually steer the course of your life.  For examples, if you are looking at and listening to the news or weather for hours each day, that will be what you want to talk about most.  If there is a certain food or dessert you eat often or even daily, that will be what you think about getting to when it is time to eat.  Your body will actually crave the things your give it whether it is the news, social media, chocolate cake or even the weather channel.  It is easy to identify if you are full of light or the darkness by listening to what you are talking about.  When your conversations seem to always be about the latest video you saw or the most recent movie or tv show, that is what is shining through.  If it is about the latest thing God is doing in your life and leading you to and through, now your light is really shining!

The good news is that you have a choice.  You can choose to look at God’s Word, listen to His messages and spend time talking to and with Him.  You have to the power to change and step away from the habits of binge watching and eating to intentionally fill up your life with the goodness of God.  It is up to you to shine bright the lamp of your life to lead others to the way the truth and light of God.

Jesus said in today’s scripture that when your light is shining with the love and goodness of God, you cannot hide it or put it under anything to keep the light in.  Light always outshines the darkness.  Light is substance and when you begin to let your life shine with the substance and evidence of God in your life, it will chase the rats away and draw the seekers in.  The light brings those who are searching for answers to you with their questions and their desire to have light also.

Today I want to encourage you to let the light of God’s love shine through your life.  Begin to fill up the space you used to fill with television, gossip and current events with quiet time with God, His Word and His goodness.  When you are driving in your car, don’t let the radio be your escape from reality, choose on purpose to listen to something that will make your light brighter.  Then when the people on the outside come to your brightness to see what it is about, show God’s love to them.  Don’t shine your light on their bad behavior, shine it on God’s unconditional love and desire to rescue them from the sin traps they are in.  Start today to fill up your eyes, ears and life with God’s Word, love and power so you can bring hope to those who don’t know how to get free from the darkness of this world that they are stuck in.

Today’s scripture reading: 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.”

Seeking a sign?

And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, “This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. Luke 11:29

Jesus’ ministry was starting to have a problem.  The crowds were growing and more people each day were coming to see.  The problem was they were coming because they wanted to see His signs and miracles.  They were not so interested in His words, and they didn’t have a heart to repent.  They came to be entertained and to witness His mighty power in action. 

On the surface, this doesn’t seem like a bad thing.  What ever it takes to get the crowds out to the service, right?  Well, according to Jesus, these were evil people seeking a sign. Jesus said what was important was that they would repent in the way that the corrupt city of Nineveh repented when Jonah preached to them.  Jonah didn’t come with signs and wonders; he came with a message and warning from God.  That was all that evil nation needed to repent.

I see this same thing happening today.  People come out to a service to be entertained.  They like the music or they want to see a show, but when it comes time for the Word and message from God, there is little interest and they check out. Sadly, the warning is the same today as it was in Jesus’ day and Jonah’s.  The truth is, it is not about going to a service to be entertained and checking it off the list as having done your religious duty.  Repentance is the key, and it is continual.  Yes, we repent and turn to God when we receive salvation, but then we continue to turn to Him to become more like Him.  The real reason we go to a service each week to hear the message that the Holy Spirit has prepared for us is so that we can line our lives up with His plan and His blessings.  Jonah was a great prophet, Jesus was even greater, but now we have the Holy Spirit whom Jesus Himself said was even better for us.  He can be with us always and that is Who our heart is to be reaching out for.  Our job at the weekend service is to fill up with the Holy Spirit and the love of God to be able to share them with the world around us the rest of the week.  I heard one pastor put it this way:  The weekend service is for coming together as God’s people to take a deep breath of His Word and goodness and then breathe it out the rest of the week wherever we go.  Then do it again the next weekend.  We are breathing God out to the world around us every day, but before you can do that effectively, you must inhale!

Today I want to encourage you to go to your weekend service each week.  Come together regularly with other believers to receive and fill up on the message of pressing in to know God more intimately.  Then release the filling into those you are with the rest of the week.  Let the time you spend in the congregation be the time that you turn all your attention to God’s great salvation and grace!  Don’t be going to be entertained or seeking a sign or wonder. Instead, make it a time to repent and growing stronger in your faith walk with Him.  Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which you have from God.  Make sure you are giving Him the space to fill you up. Ask yourself this question: Are you seeking a sign or a Savior?

Today’s scripture reading: Luke 11:29-32

29 And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, “This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. 

30 For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation. 

31 The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here. 

32 The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.

Hear and keep

^{But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”  Luke 11:28}

Have you ever made the decision to stop a certain bad habit in your life? Maybe it was biting your nails or saying a certain phrase.  Maybe it was something more substantial like a drinking or drug habit?  Maybe it was something like eating less or exercising?  What happened?  Many times, people talk about quitting something, and are even successful for a day or so, but when they get back into the space of time that was used to put the activity in, they end up falling back into that bad habit again.  It can become very frustrating and sometimes the pit of the pattern becomes even deeper and harder to get out of.  It can seem hopeless and useless to try again.

In today’s reading, Jesus talked about an evil spirit leaving a person.  I’m not sure how to relate to an evil spirit leaving, so I am going to equate it to a bad or destructive habit that is definitely in place because of an evil influence.  Jesus said that when it leaves, it cannot find any place to rest so it comes back with even more evil with it.  This is one of the reasons we can see people that seem to be rehabilitated, but after a short time they end up worse than what they were before the rehabilitation.

So why bother trying to change or what is the secret to true deliverance?  The answer is in what Jesus told the crowd back then.  He said those who hear the Word of God and then do it.  The key to overcoming those evil setbacks and practices that seem to grip our lives and not let go is to replace that negative routine with God and His Word.  There must be a plan in place ahead of time of what you will do to replace the undesired tendency with a productive pursuit instead.  Of course, replacing it with time spent with God and His Word is the best replacement, but if you have several gaps in your day, you can replace that down time that sucks you into wasted and useless things with pastimes that will grow you as a person and propel you into a stronger Christian.  Begin to make plans to read, journal or draw/artwork.  Maybe you need to become more active, so you plan to do things like walk, take a hike or do some laps at the mall.  You can even make yourself a bucket list and begin to do things you have always wanted to do, but never took the time to learn or go after.  You do not have to do this alone either.  Get yourself into a small group with your church or a serve team that will help you establish your goals and keep you accountable to accomplish them.

Mostly, this time is for turning away from the destructive pitfalls and walking toward a new direction that God has planned for you.  A better way that will lead you into His blessings.  As Jesus said: those who hear and keep God’s Word are even more blessed than the one who brought Jesus into the world. 

Today I want to encourage you to take a close examination into your daily activities and pursuits.  Are you chasing after the heart of God through keeping His Word or are you letting the habits and routines of life dominate your days?  Decide today to walk in all the blessings that God has planned for you and fill up the dead spaces in your heart with His life giving Word.  Make a plan to pursue all that God has for you and ask Him to help you find your community to maintain your blessed place.

Today’s scripture reading: Luke 11:24-28

24 “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ 

25 And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. 

26 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.”

27 And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!”

28 But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

Divided

But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls.  Luke 11:17

In today’s reading, Jesus was being accused of working for the devil.  He told the people there with Him that day about binding the strong man before you plunder his house, but He start by saying a kingdom that is divided against itself cannot stand.

This statement is true on every level.  Whether it is Satan’s domain or an earthly kingdom.  Unless a country is united and in agreement in laws and spirit, it will not last through the divisions.

It is the same in God’s Kingdom and although we know in heaven, there is complete agreement and His Kingdom rules overall.  However, His kingdom in this world is a little shaky.  Yes, the church body widely sends missionaries around the world to get the message of salvation to all, and we all worship the one true God in heaven.  It gets a little unstable when we argue over doctrines and procedures.  Many denominations raise these issues above the more important issue of God’s love and His provision through Jesus for our salvation.

Jesus said on many occasions that He desired mercy/compassion over rules.  His focus was always hurting people and He always started with love for others wherever He was.  This is where our focus as a body of believers needs to be.  We do not need to watch and criticize how others love and worship God and we do not need to govern the actions of other denominations to gage their spirituality.  Yes, our actions are important, but what is the most essential point is that we are walking in the action of love toward all people.

Today I want to encourage you to walk in agreement.  Live your life in agreement with God’s Word and walk out your days in agreement with His love.  When all believers of Salvation in Christ Jesus come together, the enemy will not be able to bind the strong church and the gates of hell will not prevail with divisions of denominations.

Today’s scripture reading: Luke 11:14-23

14 And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute. So it was, when the demon had gone out, that the mute spoke; and the multitudes marveled. 

15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.”

16 Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven. 

17 But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls. 

18 If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub. 

19 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 

20 But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. 

21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. 

22 But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils. 

23 He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.