Tag: Luke

Daily Word

Luke 15

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Read Luke 15 – I had to catch my breath at verse 1, “Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach.”  It made me think of the late pastor Chuck Smith.  Once upon a time, church was a place where you put on your Sunday best and behaved.  He made church a place where the barefoot and broken could come and hear about our wonderful Savior, who leaves the ninety-nine sheep to search for the one(:4). 

The Word of God has the power to change a person; even the hardest of hearts can crack as love becomes a light.  We see three instances of great joy in our chapter – joy for the lost sheep who was found – joy for the lost coin that was recovered like a lost sinner who repents – and joy for the wild, rebellious, disrespectful son who came home.  All three are cause for great celebration on earth and in heaven.  Beloved, Jesus holds no grudges when a sinner repents.  When the lost are found, there is only joy and celebration! 

We also see the tragedy of the ‘good son’.  His heart was hardened and he was angry that there was a celebration for his brother who squandered his inheritance and abandoned the family…. Like the Pharisees in complaint that Jesus would associate with such sinful people(:2). 

Beloved, bitterness and unforgiveness is just plain ugly.  It will rule your heart and keep you from joy.  Notice the father left the celebration to pursue him(:28). 

Will you pray today:  Search me Jesus, and show me any root of bitterness or unforgiveness that you see – that I may confess it and be clean?  May nothing in my life hinder your joy from shining through me.  Amen 🏳🤲🙏💘🙏🤲🏳

Daily Word

Luke 14

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Read Luke 14 – Are you Christian-lite or Christian-LIGHT? 

Jesus challenges a leader of the Pharisees, and some experts in religious law, by asking about healing on the Sabbath.  He was at a dinner party in the Pharisees house at the time and continued to teach from that setting. 

He taught on humility (:7-14), as he watched the dinner guests competing for seats of honor, like Nascar drivers for the checkered flag (Nascar isn’t specifically mentioned in Scripture, I just wanted to give a shout out to my hubby and a few other fans). 

He taught on those who accept and those who reject the invitation to the banquet in the Kingdom of God.  Here’s where lite/light comes into play – are you too busy for God to use you?  Do you rest on your laurels and not think much about your faith in the day to day?  Or are you humble, hungry and eager to serve the Lord with all that you are? 

Jesus wants to know if you’ve counted the cost and are all in (:15-33)? 

“Salt is good for seasoning.  But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again?” :34.   Salt is amazing, it seasons food; it can preserve meat; it can add nutrients to soil, but flavorless salt is useless – even for the manure pile (:35).  

Beloved, live as the salt of the earth, making people thirsty for Jesus.  Live as the light of the world, shining for Jesus.🧂💡🍽💗🍽💡🧂

Daily Word

Luke 13 take 2

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Read Luke 13 again – Jesus, Jesus, Jesus – folks want to know what Jesus has to say.  Jesus is asked about the death and suffering of some Galaleans – and he answers with a question.  “Do you think that these Galaleans were worse sinners than all the other Galaleans because they suffered in this way?” :2  Then he gets right to the point, everybody dies, eternity matters more than death.  Jesus tells them: “Unless you repent, you too will all perish.”  He tells them twice (:3, :4)! 

Next, our tender and merciful Jesus heals a crippled woman who had been bent over for 18 years. The synagogue leader did not like this; he used the excuse of it being Sabbath, but it certainly revealed his ugly heart. Jesus pointed out that they untie their donkey’s and lead them to water, even on the Sabbath – and how much more the woman deserved to be untied from her condition(:16).  Jesus calls her a ‘daughter of Abraham’ – Beloved, this is precious!  The priest marginalized her for 18 years, and Jesus reminds him of her intrinsic value because of who she belongs to!  How about you?  Beloved, this is a beautiful illustration of the #2 commandment to love your neighbor as yourself.  The priest failed to do this, but Jesus did it with great love and respect. 

Jesus said we are to, “Work hard to enter the narrow door to God’s Kingdom, for many will try to enter and fail.”  He also says He wanted to gather the children of Jerusalem like a hen gathers her chicks, but they wouldn’t let Him(:34).  Beware of false teachers!  Woe to them, but also a warning to us. 

Beloved, do not take your faith lightly; be discerning; Jesus delights in an earnest seeker.❓💝😍🙏🥰💝💯

Daily Word

Luke 13

judyinthesky91

Read Luke 13 – Shhhhh.  Every now and then we need to shush and listen.  

Yesterday, I was chatting with a friend as she became increasingly anxious, trying to find an item that went missing.   It’s gone,  she concluded.   I encouraged her to stop looking,  rest, then pray.   She texted me later with a giant hallelujah and a photo of the item. 

Today, that’s Jesus’s advice to me. I’ve searched commentaries, I’ve written this post four different ways.   I just can’t figure out what to say.   So I’m going to try Luke 13 again tomorrow, expecting my own hallelujah,  close my Bible, and open my journal. 

Beloved, how do you know when it’s time to be still and listen?

Daily Word

Luke 12

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Read Luke 12 – It’s so much more than here and now. 

Jesus warns that hypocrisy and misplaced values will be revealed.  “The time is coming when everything that is covered up will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all.” 12:2 

Jesus give the example of the man who hoarded his possessions, then died.  “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” 12:21 

He warns that worry does not accomplish anything.  Isn’t that interesting?  Worry feels so necessary sometimes, but the truth is, “Who by worry can add a single moment to their life?” 12:25  And consider how worry shouts:  I DON’T TRUST YOU, LORD!!!!!  – Ouch!  Yes, Beloved, your time, your money, your concerns are best left in Christs care and control – set yourself free to store your treasures in heaven where no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it.  Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will be also(:33-34). 

Live close to Jesus, live dressed and ready for his return (:35-47).  And be prepared for the division that will cause.  Many people, even those closest to you, will stand against God.  Stay true, you know what lies ahead.  Sweet Jesus, his “terrible baptism of suffering” (:50) is close at hand, yet he is using his time to prepare us – are you listening?

Daily Word

Luke 11

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Read Luke 11 – It’s kind of like Africa – I went on holiday to Africa in 2017.  It was incredible.  Every day was the best day of my life!  I would lay down each night with such awe and joy, but also a pinch of sorrow that this “best day ever” was over.  What could the next possibly offer?  And then the next day would be a different flavor of “best day ever” too!  That’s how God’s Word is, each chapter is brimming with life – the life of Jesus brings such life, hope, joy and awe to mine!

Chapter 11 – wow!  It holds what we call THE LORD’S PRAYER, yet notice Jesus says this is HOW, and not WHAT, you should pray.  Beloved, model your prayers as Jesus teaches, do not recite verse :2-:4 impersonally. 

Verses :5-:13 further explain that your prayers should be relentless – Jesus says Keep on asking, keep on seeking and keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you.  That, beloved is permission to dream and dream big! 

The pharisees get themselves in more hot water throughout the chapter.  As you read it, think about the pressure your own pastor is under.  He must lead with impeccable integrity as the judgment for misleading people is not taken lightly.  Beloved, pray for your pastor and pray for yourself – Jesus says, “Make sure that the light you think you have is not actually darkness.” (:35)  Are your good deeds done to impress men?  Ask the Lord to show you what he sees. 

Beloved, may your lamp shine brightly!🕯💡🌞🙏🌞💡🕯

Daily Word

Luke 10

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Read Luke 10 – More than twelve.  Jesus sends out 70 (some texts read 72) other disciples to go into the towns and share the good news.

The twelve apostles were very special, but that did not exclude all the other followers of Christ from kingdom work!  People who go to church fall into one of two categories, family member or spectator.  These 70 were family members.  Jesus knew their hearts and knew they could be trusted to harvest the field.  He sent them out in pairs…. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says:  “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.  For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow, but woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!”  Beloved, don’t be a spectator.  There is great work to be done within the family of God, His church, be a useful worker, be one Jesus would choose to harvest His field. 

Verses :25-:27 remind us once again of the most important commandments:  “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.  And love your neighbor as yourself.” And the man Jesus is speaking to asks, “Who is my neighbor?”  Good question, right?  And Jesus’s response is wonderful because it crosses all social barriers and lifts up the individual.  The Samaritan man went to great personal lengths to care for the Jewish man.  See what Jesus saw and be the one who shows mercy. 

Finally, Mary sits at Jesus’s feet, taking in his every word, while Martha fusses over the details of dinner.  Beloved, don’t get fussy over details, sit at Jesus’s feet today.🏳🙌🏳📖🏳👆🏳

Daily Word

Luke 9

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Read Luke 9 – Jesus is RAD!  Maybe that sounds irreverent, but I just can’t think of another way to say it. 

Our chapter starts with Jesus calling and empowering the disciples to cast out all demons and heal all diseases (:1).  Beloved, whatever Jesus calls you to, he will equip you for. 

We get Luke’s version of what we read in John 6… remember, eyewitness account should always be slightly different.  If it is exactly the same, it screams of collaboration.  The feeding of the multitude with five loaves and two fish is told by all four gospel authors, but we are going to stay true to our ‘daily bread’ and focus on Luke.  Verse 11 shows us Jesus’s attitude.  He welcomed the crowd.  He taught and healed them, as he taught his own disciples about caring for others.  “You give them something to eat,”  Jesus tells the disciples… Our Savior is always inviting his beloved’s into the miracles! 

Verses :23-25 Jesus speaks about picking up one’s cross and following Him.  Picking up one’s cross is a one way journey. 

Verses :28-36 cover the transfiguration when Moses and Elijah appeared and spoke with Jesus in the presence of Peter, James and John.  Wow, right??? 

This is so rich and I have only scratched the surface.  Read on, Beloved, read on!

Daily Word

Luke 8

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Read Luke 8 – Sometimes God says no.   Sometimes we have expectations but the Lord’s purpose is different for us.  

The farmer plants seeds expecting crops, but not every seed thrives. Where did you fall in the seed parable(:4-:15).  It’s not too late to start taking care of your roots… get yourself in the ‘good soil’ of Jesus. 

The possessed man from Gadarenes was miraculously delivered from the legion of demons, and wanted to follow Jesus(8:26-38).  That seems noble, right?  But in verse :39 we learn Jesus sent him home telling him,  ” ‘No, go back to your family, and tell them everything God has done for you.’  So he went all through the town proclaiming the great things Jesus had done for him.” 

Do you ever get answers that are different from your expectations?   Do you respond with gratitude and obedience like the man did? Beloved, there is much more than this to be gleaned from our chapter,  happy reading!📖📖📖💖📖📖📖

Daily Word

Luke 7

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Read Luke 7 – It starts and ends with faith. 

Our chapter begins with the Centurion, who has faith that Jesus’s word will heal his servant, even without his presence. And ends with the fallen woman at Jesus’s feet, whose faith comes from her brokenness, leading to her grateful adoration. 

In between the two, our tenderhearted Shepherd, Jesus, sees a widow in such grief he revived her son from death right from the coffin! And Jesus has a fascinating interaction with the disciples of John the Baptist. It shows us that we can have questions. Jesus IS Messiah, Son of God, Son of Man.  He is Lord and Savior, and he welcomes questions.

Beloved, is your faith strong?   What questions will strengthen your faith? Where do you need Jesus to meet you?   Ask, seek, knock… Jesus loves you so fully!  💖