LUKE 11:1-28

LUKE 11:1-28

 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, " Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples." He said to them, " When you pray, say: " ' Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation. Then Jesus said to them, " Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ' Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.' And suppose the one inside answers, ' Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need. " So I say: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed. But some of them said, " By Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons." Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven, Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: " Any kingdom divided against itself will fall. If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim I drive out demons by Beelzebul. Now if I drive out demons be Beezebul, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. But if I drive demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. " When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder. " Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. " When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ' I will return to the house I left.' When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first." As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, " Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you." He replied, " Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."

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Take Heart!

Take Heart!

I like to watch birds at play, so years ago I built a small sanctuary in our backyard to attract them. For several months I enjoyed the sight of my feathered friends feeding and flitting about-until a Cooper's Hawk made my bird refuge his private hunting reserve.
    Such is life: Just about the time we settle down to take our ease, something or someone comes along to unsettle our nests. Why, we ask, must so much of life be a vale of tears?
     I've heard many answers to that old question, but lately I'm satisfied with just one: " All the discipline of the world is to make [us] children, that God may be revealed to [us]" ( George MacDonald, Life Essential). When we become like children, we begin trusting, resting solely in the love of our Father in heaven, seeking to know Him and to be like Him.
     Cares and sorrow may follow us all the days of our lives, but " we do not lose heart...For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far out weighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal"
     Can we not rejoice, then, with such an end in view?
    Lord, we do rejoice even in our struggles because we are rejoicing in who You are and Your good purposes for us. You are powerful, loving, in control, and eternal. We trust You and love You.
      Heaven's delights will for outweigh earth's difficulties.
Please also read 1 SAMUEL 13-14

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2 CORINTHIANS 4:8-18

2 CORINTHIANS 4:8-18

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. It is written: " I believed; therefore I have spoken." Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

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In Transition

In Transition

People post obituary notices on billboards and concrete block walls in Ghana regularly. Headlines such as Gone Too Soon, Celebration of Life, and What a Shock! announce the passing away of loved ones and the approaching funerals. One I read- In Transition-points to life beyond the grave.
    When a close relative or friend dies, we sorrow as Mary and Martha did for their brother Lazarus. We miss the departed so much that our hearts break and we weep, as Jesus wept at the passing of His friend.
    Yet, it was at this sorrowful moment Jesus made a delightful statement on life after death: " I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die."
    On the basis of this we give departed believers only a temporary farewell. For they " will be with the Lord forever," Paul emphasizes. Of course, farewells are painful,but we can rest assured that they are in the Lord's safe hands.
     In Transition suggests that we are only changing from one situation to another. Though life on earth ends for us, we will continue to live forever and better in the next life where Jesus is. " Therefore encourage one another with these words"
    It is because of You, Jesus, that we have hope and are sure of a forever life. We're grateful.
    Because of Jesus, we can live forever.
Please also read 1 SAMUEL 10-12

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JOHN 11:17-27

JOHN 11:17-27

On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. " Lord," Martha said to Jesus, " If you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask." Jesus said to her, " Your brother will rise again." Martha answered, " I know he will rise again in resurrection at the last day." Jesus said to her, " I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die. Do you believe this?" " Yes, Lord" she replied, " I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world."

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LUKE 9:32-62

LUKE 9:32-62

Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and two men standing with him. As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, " Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters-one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." ( He did not know what he was saying.) While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice came from the cloud, saying, " This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him." When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen. The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. A man in the crowd called out, " Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him. I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not." " You unbelieving and perverse generation," Jesus replied, " how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here." Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the impure spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father. And they were all amazed at the greatness of God. While everyone was marveling at all that Jesus did, he said to his disciples, " Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men." But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask him about it. An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. Then he said to them, " Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest." " Master," said John, " we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us." Do not stop him," Jesus said, " for whoever is not against you is for you." As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, " Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?" But Jesus turned and rebuked them. Then he and his disciples went to another village. As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, " I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus replied, " Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." He said to another man, " Follow me." But he replied, " Lord, first let me go and bury my father." Jesus said to him, " Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Still another said, " I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family." Jesus replied, " No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

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His Plan or Ours?

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Thursday, April 7, 2016

LUKE 9:18-36

Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, " Who do the crowds say I am?" They replied, " Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life." " But what about you?" he asked. Peter answered, " God's Messiah." Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. And he said, " The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life." Then he said to the all: " Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory of the Father and of the holy angels. " Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God." About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, " Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put three shelters- one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." ( He did not know what he was saying.) While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice camf=e from the cloud, saying, " This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him." When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen.

1 CHRONICLES 17:1-20

After David was settled in his palace, he said to Nathan the prophet, " Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent." Nathan replied to David, " Whatever you have in mind, do it, for God is with you." But that night the word of God came to Nathan, saying: " Go and tell my servant David,  ' This is what the Lord says: You are not the one to build me a house to dwell in. I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought Israel up out of Egypt to this day. I have moved from one tent site to another. Whenever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their leaders whom I commanded to shepherd my people, " Why have you not built me a house of cedar?" ' " Now then, tell my servant David, ' This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name like the names of the greatest men on earth. And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also subdue all your enemies. " ' I declare to you that the Lord will build a house for you: When your days are over and you go to be with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my love away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor. I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne will be established forever.'" Nathan reported all the words of this entire revelation. Then king David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said: " Who am I, Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? And as if this were not enough in your sight, my God, you have spoken about the future of the house of your servant. You, Lord God, have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of men. " What more can David say to you for honoring your servant? For you know your servant, Lord. For the sake of your servant and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made known all these great promises. " There is no one like you, Lord, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. And who is like your people Israel-the one nation on earth whose God went out to redeem a people for himself, and to make a name for yourself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt?

His Plans or Ours?

When my husband was 18 years old, he started a car cleaning business. He rented a garage, hired helpers, and created advertising brochures. The business prospered. His intention was to sell it and use the proceeds to pay for college, so he was thrilled when a buyer expressed interest. After some negotiations, it seemed that the transaction would happen. But at the last minute, the deal collapsed. It wouldn't be until several months later that his plan to sell the business would succeed.
    It's normal to be disappointed when God's timing and design for our lives do not match our expectations. When David wanted to build the Lord's temple, he had the right motives, the leadership ability, and the resources. Yet God said he could not undertake the project because he had killed too many people in battle.
    David could have shaken his fist at the sky in anger. He could have pouted or plowed ahead with his own plans. But he humbly said, " Who am I, Lord God... that you have brought me this far.? David went on to praise God and affirm his devotion to Him. He valued his relationship with God more than his ambition.
    What is more important-achieving our hopes and dreams, or our love for God?
    Dear heavenly Father, I commit all of my plans to You. Thank You for bringing me this far. You mean more to me than anything in the world.
     True satisfaction is found in yielding ourselves to the will of God.
Please also read 1 SAMUEL 7-9