Our God is a good God

Scripture: Luke 19:41-44 And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things [which belong] unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.

Observation: Here we see Jesus prophesying the destruction of Jerusalem which did occur in 70 AD. It is interesting that Jesus clearly linked the destruction of Jerusalem to the fact that they did not recognize that he was the Christ. There is a tendency in our culture to indict God, to say "how could a good and loving God do such terrible things". Clearly, thousands of infants and children lost their lives in horrible deaths when the Romans conquered Jerusalem. How could a good God do such a thing, or even allow it? Is not God sovereign? Notice Jesus' reaction as he prophesied the destruction. First he wept. This was not some divine retribution, where people sinned and God in his anger poured out his wrath on them. On the contrary, Jesus wept over the sin of the people of Jerusalem and the consequences that they would reap. But our good and loving God did not remove the consequences. Could he? Yes, but he would have had to gone against his own words when he established a covenant with Adam, which was renewed several times through Moses, Abraham, and others. God cannot lie, and if he would have forced his will on an unwilling Jerusalem, then he would have broken his word with them. And so, our loving father lets us suffer the consequences of our actions, because he created us like him ... with a free will. He created us sovereign, like he is sovereign. He weeps when we make mistakes, he helps us when we ask him to, but when we turn our backs to him, he allows us to make mistakes and suffer the consequences. He is also a redeeming God, he will take our mistakes and turn them into good if we ask him to.

Application: How then should we live? Since we serve a God who loves us, but loves us enough to let us suffer the consequences of our own mistakes? We have not, because we ask not. Let us always humble ourselves to God, ask him to help us and work in our lives. When we see the consequence of the fallen world we live in, let us not blame God... but rather let us ask for his redemptive power to make all things work together for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose. But what about the innocent, the children who suffer and die because of other people's sin. How can God allow this? We as God's hands and feet need to do everything we can to protect those who suffer because of others. And when we fail, let us not blame God, but rather let us ask his redemptive power to make things right and comfort those who are in need of comfort.


Prayer: Thank You Jesus for your love. Thank you for your grace and mercy. Thank you for each day we are given to serve you . Let us this day serve you with all of our hearts, souls, minds, and strength. Give us this day our provision. May your love conquer all. May your love deliver those in bondage. May your love guide me in each step I take this day. Amen.

faithful in the little things

Scripture: Luke 16:1-14: And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods. And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward. Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed. I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. So he called every one of his lord's debtors [unto him], and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord? And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore. And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light. And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true [riches]?And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.


Observation: At first it appears that Jesus is commending the steward for stealing from his master. However, as I understand the concept of stewardship in that day, the steward was entitled to do whatever he wanted to with the masters resources. The master's recourse, was to do as he did, and remove the steward's authority. Jesus used this concept of stewardship in other places for illustrations. It is liken to our relationship with Jesus Christ. Our lives are his, but he gives us full control of them and we are authorized to do whatever we want with them. But ultimately we will give an account to the master for our lives. The closest thing we have in our culture is a lease.

Application: Jesus is teaching us that we need to be mindful that our lease on life will be called. There is an end, and when that day comes we will give account for the things we have done. We need to be faithful in the little things, as well as the large.

Prayer: Thank you Jesus for the gift of life that you have given us. Let us savor and live life to the fullest for you. Help us to keep our eyes focused on you, and let us be about your business. Let us use the resources you have given us for your business, and not our own.

Jesus is here!

Scripture - Luke 10:17-20 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

Observation: The seventy disciples had just returned from ministering in various cities, and they were ecstatic that evil spirits and sickness were subject to their words, through the name of Jesus Christ. Wouldn't you be excited? How cool would it be to see the works of Jesus Christ being done through the words that came out of your mouth! It is interesting how Jesus responded when they told him this. He said that he saw Satan falling like lightning from the sky. When the disciples were miles away ministering in other cities, as they cast out a demon or healed a sick person, Jesus saw the battles being won in the spiritual realm. This somewhat analogous to a son calling up his father who lives out of town to tell him about the great baseball game that his team won, and the father telling him that he knew because he saw it all on television.

Application: In our lives with God, we tend to think in one of two ways. Either we think that God is somewhere out there, and we are somewhere else and that he is not really involved. Or we tend to think that God is micro managing all of our affairs, and if we could just fully submit to him that he would work great miracles in our lives. This scripture shows something different. Yes, the disciples did the works in Jesus Name, but Jesus was right there in the spirit. He was watching, authorizing, and ensuring that things spoken in his name came to pass. Jesus is active in our ministry, but Jesus is not ministering for us. We are ministering for him!

Prayer: Thank your Jesus that you have given us your name. We rejoice that you have given us authority on earth. Thank you that you never leave us. Let us trust in you in a new and deeper way this day. Amen!

The wrath of God

Scripture: Luke 9:54-56 And when his disciples James and John saw [this], they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save [them]. And they went to another village.


Observation: The disciples had assumed that Jesus would pour out his wrath on those who dishonored him. Their assumption was based on what God did in the past. He did destroy towns and people groups in the past. Why the change? Why was the ministry of Jesus different than the ministry prior to Jesus?

Application: Many people today make the same assumption that the disciples did. People assume that God is out to get somebody. People attribute natural disasters to the wrath of God. People go so far as the attribute the death of children to God's actions, and so on. Jesus clearly states that he came to save lives, not to take them. John 10:10 tells us that it is Satan who comes to steal, kill, and destroy, and that Jesus is come that we have life. The difference between the God of the old testament and the God of the new testament is the work of Christ at the cross. He took the wrath of God for us, and we are not subject to it any more. He gave his life for ours. The ministry of Jesus exemplified this fact.

Prayer: Dearest Jesus, thank you for what you did for us at the cross. Thank you for giving your life so that we can have an abundant life in you. Thank you for taking our punishment upon yourselves. Thank you that you became forgiveness for our sins. We accept you, and devote our lives to serving you with the honor you deserve.

Trust Him

Scripture: Luke 5:4-11 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. And they beckoned unto [their] partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw [it], he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: And so [was] also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.

Observation: Peter was a fisherman. Peter was also the owner of a fishing business. Peter was the boss. Peter knew fishing. Jesus was a carpenter, and a Rabbi. When Jesus told Peter to let down his nets, it did not make sense. And yet, Peter trusted Jesus. Jesus spoke to Peter through this act in a way that cut to his very soul. It showed Peter that Jesus was God. Only God could have done what Jesus did.

Application: Do we trust Jesus? Do we trust him with our business? Do we trust him with our families? Do we trust him with our ministries? Have we fully given our lives and livelihood to him? If we give our trust to him, he will show us that he is God in a way that speaks to our soul.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you that you love me. Thank you for this day that you have given us. Let me live my life this day for you, and only for you. Let me trust you with all that I have and all that I am. Let it all be yours. Let me decrease, so that you can increase. Amen.

Pray

Scripture: Luke 5:3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's,and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.

Observation: Often our understanding of scripture depends on our language. When we think of prayer, we think of someone bowing their heads, perhaps folding their hands or kneeling, and speaking reverently to God. The word "Pray" does not have that connotation at all. Here Jesus commanded them to push the boat out into the water so that he could preach.

Application: We should pray like Jesus prayed. When we pray, we should ask or command fully expecting that it be done, and if it is not done, we should make sure it gets done! When we are his, Jesus has given us authority to ask whatever we want in his name, and that it would be done! (John 15:7). Jesus didn't say " Oh heavenly father, if it be thy will, please move the boat out in the water" Rather he said, push the boat out into th water so that I can teach the people.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, Let us be one with you, and let us be in you and you in us. Let us pray with authority as your word says we should. Let our words be your words, and may you abide in us always. In Jesus Name!

The Powerful Word

Scripture: Luke 4:32 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power.

Observation - Jesus spoke with great power, and with the authority of all mighty God. Wouldn't you like to hear him speak? God in his sovereignty has preserved the words of Jesus, and we can hear them today... just as they did 2000 years ago.

Application - The words of Jesus, and the Holy Spirit as recorded in scripture carry the same power as when they were spoken and recorded. The word of God is powerful, and we, by his spirit, carry the same authority of Jesus Christ when we are in alignment with his word. As believers we should consume his word, and we should utilize his word for his purposes.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, I love you Lord. Keep me this day in the center of your will. Let me walk in your authority and power through your word and your spirit. Keep me humble, and yet let me walk with your authority. Amen