LUKE 12:50 GOD-MAN ON A MISSION

GOD-MAN ON A MISSION

LUKE 12:50 (VOICE)

I have a kind of baptism to go through,

and I can’t relax until My mission is accomplished!

      What “baptism” was Jesus going to undergo? Why was He persistent in His march toward Jerusalem despite warnings that Herod would have him killed? Jesus was to be immersed, not in water but in all of our sin. He was to go through a relentless, purifying fire to burn away the sin of all who would believe and trust in Him. Why could He not rest until He fulfilled this purpose? Why was He determined to die on the cross in Jerusalem? This was the very reason He was born as the God-Man, the reason He was incarnated and sent to this earth. God the Father entrusted His treasured jewels to Jesus. If He, the perfect Passover Lamb, did not pay the price of our sin on the cross and enable the Holy Spirit to enter into our lives to refine us, we would remain as black lumps of coal unfit for the Kingdom of God. The God-Man was on a mission to redeem His people and transform us into precious, multi-faceted jewels who would radiate God’s glory, grace, and love to the entire world. Why was the God-Man set on accomplishing the mission that would cause Him to sacrifice His own life? Jesus was obeying His Father, keeping in mind the joy of the future Kingdom, being surrounded by brothers and sisters He had rescued by taking their place on the cross.

Hebrews 12:2

Looking unto Jesus

the author and finisher of our faith;

who for the joy that was set before Him

endured the cross, despising the shame,

and is set down at the right hand

of the throne of God.

PSALM 119:128 WHO WEEPS?

     Can we honestly say that we “hate every wrong path,” or must we admit that we are sometimes amused by them?  Take a moment to really think about the things we laugh at on television, radio, or the movie screen. When the cute little boy on the big screen lets out a string of cuss words, do we stop to think that a real child was taught those words as a part of his job?  Read over the following list taken from Galatians 5:19-21 and think about how many of them are glorified in books and on the screen for our entertainment: “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like…”

       Contrasted with those wrong paths, are the fruit of the Spirit, that we should be cultivating in our lives and the lives of fellow believers: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 6:22-23a).  Lord, turn us from exalting lawlessness and toward following your precepts.

Who Weeps?

(written after a sermon on Nehemiah 1

preached by James T. Draper in 1986)

Who weeps?  Who prays?  Who intercedes?

Who, on his knees, to the lord God pleads?

Who weeps?  Who prays?  Who cares today

that America has gone astray,

that sin runs rampant through our land?

Who will rise and take a stand?

Lord, You speak to me today.

“Rise and take a stand,” You say.

Teach me, Lord, to weep and pray,

confess that we have gone astray.

Can one woman intercede?

I stand to follow.  I know You’ll lead.

LUKE 12:40 ARE YOU READY?

ARE YOU READY?

This passage in Luke speaks of servants being prepared for their master to return from a wedding – having His house in good order, everything prepared, and waiting eagerly for His return. Jesus is our Master; and as His servants, we should be excellent stewards of all He has entrusted to us.  However, even more than that, the church is Christ’s bride anticipating the return of the Bride Groom to present us as “a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:27). A bride expends great energy to adorn herself splendidly and waits with butterflies in her stomach for the signal to march down the aisle to join her groom at the altar. How much effort do we put into preparing for our Bride Groom to return? Are we adorning ourselves with the fruit of the Spirit? Are we allowing the Holy Spirit to renew us, revitalize us, and purify us? Are we ready for the day that Jesus comes to get us and take us to the home He has prepared for us? (John 14:2-3)

PSALM 119:118 WEEDS

You will sustain me as you’ve promised in your word.          (Psalm 119:116)

No one or nothing can separate me from your love.               (Romans 8:38-39)

You will finish the work you have started in my life.             (Philippians 1:6)

By your Spirit and your word, I’m guided from above.           (John 16:13-15)

WEEDS

             Pulling weeds.  Sounds like an unpleasant job, right?  I enjoy pulling weeds. Why? Because I know that if I pull the few weeds that come up early in the spring, I can prevent having a yard full of weeds in the summer.  Oh yes, I use pre-emergent weed killer, and later distribute weed and feed all over the lawn and water it in well; but there are always a few weeds that escape the pre-emergent stage and are hard to kill once they are full grown.  Those are the ones that have to be pulled or dug out if I desire a flawless carpet of green, and I’ll probably have to do it all over again next year if not all of my neighbors tend their lawns.

        God is referred to as a husbandman or gardener in scripture.  He nurtures his garden, the church.  He sprinkles on the pre-emergent evil-killer, the law we are taught from our youth and the milk of the word we learn when we first come to know him.  Then he applies his weed and feed, his word preached and read that shows us the areas we need to yield to him so that desired growth occurs. Sometimes he pulls weeds.  He pulls weeds in our lives by removing things that hinder our walk with him.  He also pulls the stubborn weeds who never surrender their lives to him at all and “discards them like dross.”  He continues to work in our lives year after year to purify his garden.

        The next time you’re pulling weeds, remember to thank God for taking care of the garden of your life.  Allow him to remove the weeds of bad habits, and dangerous friendships as soon as he identifies them in your life.  Read the Bible and apply it in your life to prevent weeds before they emerge and stop the ones that are already growing.  Water it in by meditating on God’s word to you.  Thank him for weeding your garden when the influence of others leads you astray.  Thank him for continuing to work in his garden the church and specifically in that small plot of ground that is your own life. Thank God that you are firmly planted in his garden, and no weeds can ever choke you out!

LUKE 12:34 DREAM HOME

Dream Home

We invest not just our money, but our time, energy, and emotions in many things. A huge investment for many people is their home. There are so many TV shows about the ideal home, beach house, condo, or even apartment. Then there are the tiny homes that allow someone to have a place of their own right now while saving money for their future dream home.  However, how much do we invest in our forever home? No, we don’t open a savings account at the bank to save up for Heaven. But we invest in our heavenly home whenever our time, energy, emotions, or money are invested in God’s Kingdom here on earth. When our focus is on sharing the Good News of redemption through Jesus, discipling new believers, and ministering to our brothers and sisters in Christ, we are laying up treasure in Heaven. We cannot take our earthly wealth with us. In college, I was assigned a song to sing in recital lab that had the line, “You’ll have to leave it when the coffin lid’s on. You can’t take it with you, Brother Will, Brother John.” It was a good reminder to worry less about the things we have now and plan for the ultimate future. What can we take with us to Heaven? We take the people we led to a saving relationship with Jesus. We take the relationships we invested in here on earth. And each time we sacrifice here to further God’s agenda, Jesus lays up treasure for us in Heaven. Where is your heart? Are you totally focused on the here and now or are you seeking God’s will and way while you are traveling on earth and laying up treasure in your forever home? Are you anticipating eternity with great expectation because you know where your treasure is? Now that’s a dream home!

PSALM 119:111-112 LET ME NOT BE THE SAME

Let Me Not Be the Same

(Susie’s prayer upon returning

from Russia – 1997)

Lord, I pray that You’ll not let me 

take for granted the freedom I have 

to worship You,

To gather together with others

simply to praise Your name.

Lord, let me not be the same.

Let me be forever changed.

Help me to stand. Help me be bold.

Help me to make sure the message is told.

Help me to kneel. Help me to pray.

Help me to know the right words to say,

just what to say.

Help me live for You each day.

Lord, I pray for friends I made

in that land so far away.

Guard their freedom, Lord,

To gather together with others

simply to praise Your name,

To show that they’ll not be the same,

that they are forever changed.

Help them to stand. Help them be bold.

Help them to make sure the message is told.

Help them to kneel. Help them to pray.

Help them to know the right words to say,

just what to say.

Help them live for You each day.

Help us live for You, I pray.

       My friend Beverly told me I should pray about going with a group my pastor was taking to minister in Russia.  I told her there was no way I could afford to go, but that I would pray about it.  I prayed, “Lord, if you want me to go to Russia, make it obvious to me. Maybe you could drop the $2,500 in my lap.”  Just a few weeks later, my friend Brenda invited me to have dinner with her fiancé, his mother, and another friend of ours.  After we all gathered at her home, she announced that she no longer felt that she should go on the Russia trip since she and Chuck were getting married only a month before.  She said she had been praying about what to do with the money she had set aside for that purpose; and she believed God said, “Send Susie.” As you can clearly see, I had no choice but to obey God and go to Russia.

       In Russia I met people who had followed Christ even when the wicked set a snare for them.  I found people who were willing to take their lives in their hands to continue to lead others to the Lord.  I discovered people who truly understood that God’s word is a heritage to be treasured and enjoyed.  I saw children eagerly stand in line to get a Bible. 

       I went to Russia to share the gospel with children and teenagers and to minister to the Russian people.  Because of their ministry to me, I came away from Russia more determined than ever to set my heart on “keeping your decrees to the very end.”  May I never take God’s word for granted again!

LUKE 12:15 RENOUNCE OBESESSION OVER POSSESSIONS

RENOUNCE OBSESSION OVER POSSESSIONS

Speaking to the people, Jesus continued,

“Be alert and guard your heart from greed

and always wishing for what you don’t have. For your life can never be measured

by the amount of things you possess.”

Luke 12:15 (The Passion Translation)

And He said to them, Guard yourselves

and keep free from all covetousness

(the immoderate desire for wealth,

the greedy longing to have more);

for a man’s life does not consist in

and is not derived from

possessing overflowing abundance

or that which is over and above his needs.

Luke 12:15 (Amplified Classic)

The wealthiest people I have known would not appear to be rich to the casual observer. They lived in nice but modest homes, drove new but not outlandish cars, and even shopped at the same stores I did. These people were not defined by their riches, but they were defined by their generosity toward others. Commercials on TV, billboards, and ads in magazines try to tell us that we must have the latest gadget, the grandest car, and a home worthy of the cover of a magazine. They present these things as needs when they are clearly wants. We all want to improve our lot in life, and there is nothing wrong with working to better our situation. However, obsession over possessions leads to greed and many times to dishonest gain. The most admired people in my life are content with what they have whether they are rich or poor. They are thankful God supplies their needs (food, clothing, shelter) and rejoice in sharing with those less fortunate. Do I want to be known for having the most and best toys, or do I want to be known for having an intimate relationship with my Lord that overflows into caring for others? Lord, may I learn to be content in all circumstances. May I follow the example of the Apostle Paul:

I am not saying this because I am in need. I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances. I know how to survive in tight situations, and I know how to enjoy having plenty. In fact, I have learned how to face any circumstances: fed or hungry, with or without.

Philippians 4:11-12 (VOICE)

PSALM 119:103 CHEW ON THIS

Chew on This

      Meditating on God’s word is like eating a Bit-o-Honey®. You don’t swallow a Bit-o-Honey® whole, nor do you suck on it. If you just suck on one, you don’t get near as much flavor as you do from chewing it.  I like to chew it slowly and make it last as long as possible. And because it sticks to my mouth and teeth, I can taste Bit-o-Honey® long after the candy is swallowed.

      When I meditate on scripture, I chew on it.  I think about all the implications of what I’ve read.  I ponder what that passage means to me personally.  I pray about how to apply it in my life and how to share what I’ve learned with others.  I may pray that scripture on behalf of a loved one, putting his or her name in place of the pronouns or pray it for myself.  I consider the ramifications of obedience or disobedience to the commands found therein.  I link the passage I’ve just read with other similar passages that God brings to mind and fit it into the “whole counsel of God.”  I savor the promises I may have found.  I pray that the things I’ve learned will stick in my mind allowing me to enjoy the sweetness of God’s word again and again.

     If you desire wisdom and understanding, meditate on God’s word.  Pray for the Lord to teach you.  Slow down, take time, and think about what you have read.  Continue to think about it throughout the day.  Talk about it with another Christian.  Use a journal to record your thoughts and come back to them from time to time.  Memorize key verses that have meaning for you so you can continue to meditate on them. 

Meditate in the car, on the treadmill, or in the shower.  Plan a “date” with God when you can take your Bible with you to a park or some other quiet place and spend time talking to God (praying) and listening to God (reading his word and being still).  Take a break from the busy pace of life and invest some time in learning how to really live.  The return on that investment will be wisdom, insight, and understanding.  As the Psalm says, God’s word is “sweeter than honey to my mouth.”  Try chewing on a bit of that honey today!

Wisdom, insight, and understanding 

are the results gained from meditation. 

God's word leads us to the right path; 

His commands demand implementation.

LUKE 12:2 EXPOSED

EXPOSED

Luke 12:1b-3 (MSG) He said to them,

“Watch yourselves carefully so you don’t get contaminated with Pharisee yeast,

Pharisee phoniness.

You can’t keep your true self hidden forever; before long you’ll be exposed.

You can’t hide behind a religious mask forever; sooner or later the mask will slip

and your true face will be known.

You can’t whisper one thing in private

and preach the opposite in public;

the day’s coming when those whispers

will be repeated all over town.”

Jesus was speaking primarily to His own disciples, but that category includes you and me. In the previous chapter of Luke Jesus had just railed on the Pharisees and Scribes about their hypocrisy. They were supposed to be the religious leaders of the Jews, the examples to follow; but Jesus warned His disciples not to follow their example. Imagine if Jesus came today to say not to follow your preachers and teachers. Come to think of it, He might say just that about some of them. However, we are all supposed to be imitators of Jesus, exemplifying His love and grace. Therefore, we cannot point our fingers at televangelists with whom we disagree.  Note that we are not to be known for our holier than thou nitpicky adherence to every tradition or even every rule. When our focus, our inward motivation, is the two greatest commandments, people will see Jesus in us. What are those commandments?

Matthew 22:37-39 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

A person might be good at fooling people with a bright smile and pleasant words, but no one can fool God. One can observe laws and traditions, but inwardly be nasty. People think they can get away with saying one thing to your face and another behind your back. However, Jesus reminds us that God knows and sees all and eventually will reveal all to others. This was not a new concept:

Numbers 32:23b . . . ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out.

Remember when you were little and your mother always seemed to know when you had done something wrong even when no sibling had tattled? She seemed to have eyes in the back of her head and ears that could hear three rooms away. We can be sure that God’s eyes and ears are keener than Mom’s. He knows not only our actions but our inner motivations. It’s better to do a heart check on yourself now than to have all exposed by God later. This verse may help you decide to examine yourself:

Hebrews 4:13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.