cross

The Message of the Three Crosses

9:00 AM

 

Have you ever wondered why there were three crosses that fateful day and what was the significance of each? I hope you'll never look at the three crosses the same way again after today. 

 There was a hill just outside the city of Jerusalem known as Golgotha, which is often translated today as Calvary. Long ago the Roman soldiers raised three crosses on this hill and what happened next changed the world! 

Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”-Luke 23:32-34a

Most people like to focus on the center cross, but today, I'd like us to focus on all three, for each is very significant. 

“Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, ‘If you are the Christ, save yourself and us.’ But the other, answering rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you today you will be with Me in Paradise” -Luke 23:39-43


The First Cross was The Cross of Rejection 

"...one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, ‘If you are the Christ, save yourself and us.’

IF!? 
Such a small word, but so powerful here in this statement, for it holds the power to destroy a soul. It's clear in this thief's statement that his sins did not bother him even though he is about to die. He wasn't sorry for all he had done, but was simply searching for a way out of his predicament.  

Jesus, Himself was very clear when He said, "  “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6)

John once admitted in his gospel that there was plenty of evidence to point to Jesus as being the Messiah,  “And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:30,31) Yet men still reject Him in spite of the evidence even today. 


Max Lucado once wrote:

“You don’t turn your back on Christ, but you don’t turn toward him either.
You don’t curse his name, but neither do you praise it.”

Rejecting Jesus can seem very subtle at times, but The Bible is very clear- we are either for Jesus or against Him. We either believe or we don't believe. There has never been any middle ground. 


The Second Cross was The Cross of Repentance 


"But the other, answering rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.’ 


Notice this thief's faith and reverence in Jesus' presence in spite of all the pain he is in. He begins by recognizing Jesus as who He is,  “Do you not even fear God?”

  • And then immediately admits his own guilt when he says, “We receive the due reward of our deeds.”
  • He expresses his belief that Jesus was suffering “wrongfully”. But “this Man has done nothing wrong.”
  • He then openly confesses Jesus' deity when he calls Him “Lord.”
  • And lastly, we see genuine repentance and humility, “Remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

Here on this second cross is the perfect picture of repentance, for repentance is simply a change of heart. 2 Corinthians 7:10 says it best: “For godly sorrow that is in accord with the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation..." (AMP)


The Third Cross was The Cross of Redemption 


"'And Jesus said to him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you today you will be with Me in Paradise'” 


Someone once said that the greatest thing about this day is that there wasn't any miracles preformed that day. Jesus took on the weight of all our sins and died; paying sin's penalty for each of us. Here we have the picture of redemption. 


Jesus our Redeemer dying for the sins of the world. By His blood only we can be brought back to God. Ephesians 1:7 says, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”


It was a cross of suffering. Isaiah 52:14 tells us, "Just as many were appalled at Him—His appearance was disfigured beyond that of any man, and His form was marred beyond human likeness" (emphasis mine)

A cross of shame and reproach reserved for the vilest of criminals, and Jesus suffered the mocking and verbal abuse of the people who had come to witness His crucifixion that day.

Our Lord was under no obligation to pay our debts for all we have done. Someone had to suffer for sin, so he was willing. Peter reminds us, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the un-just, that He might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit”- 1 Peter 3:18


Why would Jesus choose to give up all the glories of heaven to come down to this sinful earth to die for our sins? 

I believe John said it best in  1 John 4:9-10, “In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

Each one of us must choose the cross we will look to, for along with the two criminals on either side of Jesus, we too must choose between two eternal destinies:

  • Eternal separation from God.
  • Or Paradise with Jesus
I pray you too will hear your Savior say, "One day you shall be with Me in paradise."

Blessings, 

Sue

Challenge for 2022

The Gospel of Second Chances

9:00 AM


 

Then seizing him [Jesus], they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance.  And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them.  A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with him.”

 But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him,” he said.

 A little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.”

“Man, I am not!” Peter replied.

 About an hour later another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.”

Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed.  The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.”  And he went outside and wept bitterly. - Luke 22:54-60

Have you ever made a promise and failed to keep it? Let another down? Swore you would never do something and then did that very thing you swore you'd never do?

If so, have you received the gift of a second chance? Do you know the power of being forgiven? If only Peter could have known then, how his story would be shared throughout history. His story that would bless and encourage millions who have failed in one way or another, that there is a gospel of second chances. 

Peter suffered the brokenness of sin, shame and guilt. The Lord had warned him, and even in Peter's determination, he had managed to fail Jesus anyway. Seeing Jesus look his way the moment he failed, must have crushed Peter's heart. 

 I have had moments like that. Moments when you realize that you've dishonored the Lord and let Him down. It could be something as simple as promising to spend time with Him each morning, in His word and in prayer, but I rolled over again for a few more minutes of precious sleep. 

I believe Peter's story of denying His Savior is our great reminder that our failures don't determine our future with our Lord. 

God can take those times we've fallen short and failed Him and make something good come from them. 

Notice this passage in Mark 16, 

As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.  But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”-Mk 16:5-7

Did you catch it? I must have read this passage hundreds of times, but didn't see this until recently. Look again at the command the angel gives to the women after Jesus has risen. 

But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” (v.7 emphasis mine) 

I never noticed before that the angel singles out Peter, rather than simply telling them to go tell the disciples. It's as if he is saying, "go tell the disciples and especially Peter...". It seems that all of heaven had watched Peter fall and fail to keep his promise to Jesus. And now all of heaven wanted to help Peter get back up. Or had Jesus specifically told the angel to mention Peter? Either way, Peter's relationship with Jesus needed to be restored. But that doesn’t apply just to Peter. I believe we all are important. We all matter to Jesus, and He wants to make sure our relationship with Him is blameless and untarnished.

While our failures are not part of His plan for us, He can take our failures, slip-ups, sins and shortcomings, and restore us back into His plan. 

Don't ever give up! Even though Peter was ready to, all of heaven was ready to help. Just as they are for each of us! Let your sin break your heart as it breaks your Savior, and then come back and openly confess it to the Lord and be restored. He will bless you and use you to bless others once you return to Him.

Blessings, 

Sue

Holy week

Holy Week Monday

8:13 AM




Today on Monday of Holy Week, Jesus returned with his disciples to Jerusalem. Along the way, he cursed a fig tree because it had failed to bear fruit. Some scholars believe this cursing of the fig tree represented God's judgment on the spiritually dead religious leaders of Israel. Others believe the symbolism extended to all believers, demonstrating that genuine faith is more than just outward religiosity; true, living faith must bear spiritual fruit in a person's life.

When Jesus arrived at the Temple, he found the courts full of corrupt money changers. He began overturning their tables and clearing the Temple, saying, "The Scriptures declare, 'My Temple will be a house of prayer,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves" (Luke 19:46).

On Monday evening Jesus stayed in Bethany again, probably in the home of his friends, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. 

Monday's events are recorded in Matthew 21:12–22, Mark 11:15–19, Luke 19:45-48, and John 2:13-17.

Luke

The Power of Persistent Prayer

8:41 AM

Have you been praying for something or someone for a long time, and nothing seems to be happening? It’s tempting to give up, isn't it? We can become discouraged praying for the same things over and over again and never seeing even a glimmer of hope. We can begin to doubt whether God’s going to answer us, or even if He’s listening to us at all.
 
I believe we all have prayers that continue to go unanswered and perhaps, if we're honest, we've been tempted at times to simply give up, or question our ability to pray. We know our God is able, therefore we must doing something wrong. Satan will always do his best to discourage us and keep us from persevering in prayer, which is why I believe stories like the Persistent Widow  (Luke 18:1-8), Hannah's Prayer for a Child (1Samuel 1), Elijah's prayer for Rain (1Kings 18:41-19:8) are placed within the pages of the Bible. 

God doesn't want you or I to quit praying! 

Simple as that, and wants you to know why it's important at times to persevere and not give up, for the most effective prayers in the Bible are those that persevered in prayer. In Psalm 55:16-17, David wrote: “I call to God, and the Lord saves me. Evening, morning, and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice.” David, was "a man after God's own heart" and he knew the importance of persisting in beseeching God.  Even Jesus demonstrates this for us on the night before He was crucified in the Garden of Gethsemane, (John 17)

So, why should we be persevering in our prayers, even when we don’t get an answer? There are at least four reasons I've been able to find.

1.) Persistent prayers prepares our heart for the answer.

I'm sure you're able to testify that at times, when we make a request to God, God often wishes to answer in a better way than we’ve prayed for. Therefore, I believe sometimes God denies our prayer requests because we’re thinking and asking too small. He wants to give us something bigger and better that will put His glory on display! But first, he has to prepare our hearts for it. So God uses delays in answering our prayer to help us grow, get ready, and prepare us for a bigger and better answers.


2.) Persistent prayer works to focus our attention.


God doesn’t need to be reminded! I believe it's more to remind us Who the source of our answers and all our needs is. If every prayer you ever prayed were instantly answered we might be tempted to look upon God as a Genie and fail to revere Him as we should. God wants us to reverence the Blesser over the blessings. 


3.) Persistent prayer clarifies our request.

A delayed answer gives us time to search within to see exactly what we are asking for and to refine our prayers if need be. I believe when we persist in prayer to your heavenly Father, it tend to separate the deep longings from mere whims. It’s not that God doesn’t want to answer our prayers, but He wants us to be certain of what we really want.


4.) Persistent prayer tests our faith.


James 1:3-4 says, “When your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing” (NLT). I believe God uses these times to grow our faith and those closest to us. Just think how Hannah's faith grew once her prayer was answered - enough to give her son Samuel back to God. Spiritual maturity comes from having our faith tested, one of the ways God’s going to test our faith is by delaying some answers to your prayers.


Finally, we need to remember while we are persisting in prayer that: 


  • God does hear our prayers. 
  • He knows our heart and our deepest longings.
  • He has our best interests at heart and see the big picture.
  • His answers are sometime, wait 
  • And sometimes His answer is no, but we can trust that it is only because He has something better in mind for each of us. 
I would love to hear your testimonies today to encourage others not to give up. Is there a request you waited a long time to receive an answer to? How did you feel when your prayer was answered? 

Is there a prayer you've given up on? One you haven't been persistent in praying?

Imagine for a moment what would happen if you gave up and in and stopped asking. Can we help you in persisting to pray?





Faith

Quality Over Quantity - Luke 17:5

11:00 AM


Luke 17:5

We live in a world which has a mindset that “more is better.” But Jesus says to walk closer to Him, we need to value quality over quantity. There were none closer to the Lord than the 12 men He handpicked to walk beside Him. For three years the disciples faithfully followed Jesus as He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and raised the dead. And still they cried out to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” Yet it wasn’t actually more faith they were seeking, but rather a deep, genuine faith that empowered them to fulfill all Jesus called them to do.


The disciples understood that faith is the Word of God in action. It is meant to be lived out, not left idle and stale. Because the deeper our belief and trust, the closer we are to God. Even the tiniest bit of genuine faith in the Lord, can produce amazing results in our life and in the lives of others. And that’s the kind of faith the disciples wanted. Because of their overflowing love and gratitude for their Savior, they wanted an active, deep faith. One that not only allowed them to walk closer to Jesus, but as did Jesus. Is that the faith you want? I do! So how can we have that kind of genuine faith? 


First through spending time in God’s Word. All relationships need nurturing. By feasting on the scriptures, we get to know who Jesus is and what He teaches. Another is through obedience. When we step out in trusting faith, obeying God’s will in all things, we learn to depend on Him completely. And third, we grow closer to the Lord by living out our faith for all to see. By loving, forgiving, and caring for others as Jesus does, we become living examples of our Savior in action for the world to witness.


Faith is the very foundation of Christian life. For as Hebrews 11:6 tells us, without it, it is impossible to please God. So today I challenge you to increase your faith! Pray that God puts a fire in your heart to take that small mustard seed, bury it deep in the soil of God’s Word, and watch it bloom into a faith of the highest quality! 


Anna

A Letter From Anna

12:00 PM

 



This week our study turns to Anna, an elderly prophetess from Jerusalem. Reading her story, and of Anna’s deep commitment to God, brought up memories of my own beloved Grandmother. A godly woman, my Grandmother would often send letters filled with faith and wisdom that comes only with age and a close walk with the Lord. And it got me wondering if she could, what kind of letter would Anna write? I imagine it might go something like this....


My dearest loved ones,


Oh how I’m bursting with joy to share the news! Finally after many years of waiting, God has given me the deepest desires of my heart. For today I saw the long awaited Messiah! A perfect little baby boy who will grow up to save the world!


Precious ones, God is so very good. He has blessed my long and faithful service to Him. As you well know, for many, many years I have been ministering before the Lord in the temple. My days and nights are filled with fasting, praying, and proclaiming His Word for all to hear. And although I’ve spent most of my life in the temple, I  must admit, sometimes it feels like just yesterday when I first came to the Lord’s house.


After seven years of marriage, my husband had passed. Broken hearted and at a crossroads, my Father Phanuel, wanted me to remarry. After all, that’s what a respectable Jewish woman does. But my heart wasn’t leading me to be a wife and mother. Instead it longed to dedicate my life in complete service to my God and His people. I guess you could call me a rebel, because that’s just what I did. And ever since, I have been joyfully working and waiting for prophecy to be fulfilled, and the promises of God brought to life. Which brings me back to why I’m writing. As I shared earlier, I have seen the Christ child! 


It was a day like any other. Mothers and fathers were arriving with their babies for the purification ceremony, as dictated by our culture. It’s always such a sweet sight to watch the proud families as they present their child to God, and the innocence and hope found in the faces of the newborns. As I was praying, I felt the Spirit lead me to go to the entrance of the temple. Once there, I saw standing before me, brother Simeon, a very devout man of faith. He was holding a baby and pronouncing great blessing over the child. Immediately my heart leapt with joy and tears streamed down my face, for I knew instantly that this was the promised Messiah! Praise sprung from my lips for the grace God showed me by letting me see His only begotten Son! 


Sweet sisters and brothers, I have heard that some of you have struggled with doubt, or in finding your purpose. Have you gone to God, asking for a heart of belief? Have you, in faith, laid your doubts at His feet? I Anna, prophetess from the tribe of Asher, can testify that every word of God rings true. I have seen His promises fulfilled before my very eyes. And if there’s anything I have learned in my 84 years it’s this. Believe! For each and every promise of God will come to pass. Finally, keep working for God’s kingdom. Because no matter who we are, or our age, when we live with an open heart, the Spirit will lead us to our calling. 


I’ll close now and with a heart of gladness, I thank God for each of you. “May the Lord bless you and keep you; Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” (Num. 6:24-26)


Chazak u'baruch, (Be strong and be blessed),


Anna





Faith

Mary, An Ordinary Girl Through Whom God Did Extraordinary Things

1:00 PM



At the tender age of 12 or 13, as Jewish custom dictated, Mary was betrothed in marriage to a man named Joseph. I often imagine the excitement she felt preparing for the upcoming wedding and starting this new chapter of her young life. Yet all of her dreams and plans came to a screeching halt when Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel. “Greetings, favored one!”, said the angel.  “The Lord is with you.” (Luke 1:28) As Mary was wondering who this man was and what he wanted, the angel shared something even more shocking! “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him, Jesus.” (Luke 1:30-31) 


Gabriel went on to tell Mary that this son Jesus, conceived through the power of the Holy Spirit, was actually the Son of God, and would sit on the throne of David, ruling forever! Imagine the thoughts, fear, and confusion swirling in Mary’s young mind! And yet even not fully comprehending the true depths of Gabriel’s message or what she would have to endure, Mary replied, “May it be done to me according to your word.” This young, innocent, girl, had a faith so strong, not only didn’t she hesitate to be used by God, she believed fully that God would provide all she needed to see His will done! And throughout her life and struggles, Mary relied on that faith to see her through. 


Oh how the momma’s heart in me sings with joy at the happiness Jesus brought to Mary’s life. The great love she felt holding Him in her arms, the excitement of watching Him grow, and the wonder of knowing He was her long awaited Messiah. And just as equally, my heart aches knowing that Mary witnessed the pain, betrayal, and sacrifice Jesus endured. And how torn her heart must have been as she watched her son nailed to the Cross. 


Bible scholars agree that Joseph had long since died before the death of Jesus. So near the end of her story, we find Mary widowed and grieving the loss of her child. Yet she is still willing to be used by God. For after the death of Jesus, it would have been custom for Mary to return home to be with her family; and the Bible tells us that Mary had other sons and daughters. ( Mark 6:3) Yet before He died, Jesus commanded Mary to go with the apostle John, and Mary followed. (John 19:26-27) It is widely believed that is there, in Jerusalem, where Mary stayed with the disciples working in the ministry up until her death.


Do you wish that you too could be used mightily by God, but wonder what He could ever do with someone like you? We need to remember that God didn’t choose Mary because she was the prettiest, smartest, or special in any way. He chose Mary because of her heart. 


Do you have the heart of Mary? The heart of Mary is open to receiving God’s calling. How is your prayer life? We can’t hear from God if the lines of communication aren’t open. The heart of Mary is ready to answer God’s calling. Are you ready, no matter the cost, to lay down your own plans to see God’s done? And finally, the heart of Mary is an obedient one. Will you follow where the God leads no matter where He takes you? 


The same words Gabriel spoke to that young Jewish girl he speaks to us as well. “Do not be afraid, for you have found favor with God.” (Luke 1:30) As followers of Christ we too are favored by God. So with the heart of Mary, be brave, be faithful, and be open to His calling. And watch how God, through little old you, does awesome and amazing things! 





Elizabeth

Believe And Obey, The Words Elizabeth Lived By

12:30 PM

 


Good morning and welcome to our study of the women in the Bible. As we dig into each of these remarkable women and their stories, I think you’ll find that even though they lived thousands of years ago, they have much in common with women of today. For they share the same struggles, triumphs, joys, and sorrows, that we all experience as women of God. So let’s start with Elizabeth. One of the greatest heroines of faithfulness and obedience the Bible has to offer.


Elizabeth is only mentioned in the first chapter of Luke. But even the little written tells us some amazing things about her great faith in God. Coming from a very prominent family descended from the line of Aaron, she married Zacharias, a priest from the division of Abijah. And Luke tell us that both Elizabeth and Zacharias were, “righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all of the commandments and requirements of the Lord.” (vs. 6) Yet even with their upstanding status before God they had no children, for Elizabeth was barren.


Year after year Elizabeth and her husband prayed for a child. And year after year their prayers went unanswered. Having struggled with infertility myself, I know how hard, painful, and confusing it can be waiting on God. Yet as the years passed and she grew older, even in her waiting, we are never once told that Elizabeth gave up on God or on her life serving Him. Instead she continued walking in obedience and trusting in whatever plans He had for her life. 


And as He so loves to do, God rewarded Elizabeth’s faithfulness when at the age of around 60, she became pregnant with a son. Not just any son, but the promised messenger of God who would proclaim the soon to be born Messiah and prepare the way of the Lord! (Isaiah 40:3-5, Malachi 3:1) Because of her great faith and obedience God not only blessed Elizabeth with a child, through her, He fulfilled a promise made to Israel hundreds of years before her birth. Isn’t that just like God! He loves to bestow upon His children blessings far greater than we could ever imagine!


Obedience is a theme running throughout the story of Elizabeth. Her entire life she was faithful to the Lord, no matter what. When her baby was born, the tradition of the time was to name the first male child after his father. But obeying what an angel had told Zacharias, she named him John. (vs. 13, 59-60) And in great joy she cried out, “This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to take away my disgrace among men." (vs. 25), “Elizabeth was rejoicing in more than just the fact that she was having a baby. She was rejoicing over the fact that even though she had lived with the sorrow of barrenness for many years—even into her old age—it turned out that God had bigger plans for her than she or anyone else could have imagined. It turned out that she held a very privileged place in God's providential history.”....bethanybible.org 


Are you in a season of unanswered prayer, stuck in God’s waiting room? Ask yourself these questions. Am I praying with persistence? When I pray is it with the intention of God’s will being done? Am I trusting in His perfect timing? While I wait am I still walking in faithful obedience? Will I accept His answer even if it’s no? And finally, will I remember to bless and praise the Lord when He does answer?


God has great and wonderful plans for everyone who, like Elizabeth, live in faithfulness and obedience. And all He asks is that we trust in His goodness, His love, and His perfect timing. His promise to each of us is this, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” So trust God and His perfect plan. For one day we too will be greatly rewarded for our faithful obedience. And we can join Elizabeth in joyfully saying, “Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.” (vs. 45)




End Times

Look Up! {Luke 21}

5:00 PM



Monday Feb. 3, “Walking in Wisdom”


When I visited New York City, one of my favorite sights was St. Patrick’s Cathedral. I was blown away by the size, beauty, and majesty of the church. I’m sure the disciples felt that same awe and amazement as they marveled at the Jewish temple with its exquisite stones, and many gifts dedicated to God. “The Jewish historian Josephus says that the temple was covered on the outside with gold plates that were so brilliant, when the sun shone on them it was blinding to look at. And where there was no gold, there were blocks of marble of such a pure white, that strangers from a distance thought there was snow on the temple.” (David Guzik)

So I can just imagine the shock and amazement of the disciples when Jesus says of the temple, “As for these things which you are looking at, the days will come in which there will not be one stone upon another which will not be torn down.” (vs. 6) Immediately they questioned Him asking, “Teacher, when therefore will these things happen? And what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?” (vs. 21:7) Jesus responds by giving a series of signs that would signal His return. “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be great earthquakes, and in various places plagues and famines; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.” (vs. 21:10-11) But more than just signs, Jesus next gives a series of warnings. Warnings of things the Lord says will take place before the day of His glorious return. 

Don’t Be Misled- Many false prophets will come in Jesus’ name saying, “I am He”! And deceitful date setters will cry, “The time is near”! (vs. 8) So how do we guard ourselves against such people? By knowing the Word of God. Whatever teaching we hear, the first thing we need to do is to go to the Bible and make sure it is line with scripture. For as 2 Peter 1:20-21 teaches, “Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit”. Measuring everything others say against what God says keeps us from falling prey to “wolves in sheep’s clothing”. (Matt. 7:10)

You Will Be Persecuted- “They will lay their hands on you”, and “Bring you before kings and governors for My name’s sake.” Following the Lord doesn’t ensure a life of peace. In fact, He says quite the opposite. He tells us that as Christians we will be betrayed, hated, and some of us even put to death. But to that Jesus says, “Do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell.” (Matt. 10:28) When persecution comes, as it undoubtedly will, we are to stand not in our own strength, but in His. Every tribulation is an opportunity to share the gospel. And Jesus says that if we trust Him, He’ll give us the perfect words to speak; words that no one will be able to refute. 

Be On Guard- Just like sprouting leaves in the spring assures us that summer will soon follow, Jesus warns that when we see the signs fulfilled, “Recognize that the kingdom of God is near.” (vs. 21:31) He cautions us to keep watching, praying, and most of all, to guard our hearts. “But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (vs. 21:36)  We need to keep our eyes on the prize, living in constant awareness of His soon return. For as Jesus declares, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.” (vs. 33)

With all of the anger and division in the world today, like King David, I too find myself crying out,”How long shall the wicked, O Lord, how long shall the wicked exult.” (Ps. 94:3) How much longer before God cries, “Enough!” Yet I do not despair. For far from the world falling to pieces, instead the pieces of God’s plan are falling into place. Time’s are, as Pastor Adrian Rogers once said, “growing gloriously dark!” The season of the Lord’s return is upon us! So be on guard! Look up! “Straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near!” (vs. 21:28)



Angie Benjamin

Jesus' Authority is challenged {Luke 20}

3:43 AM




The religious and political leaders question Jesus.
Now it happened on one of those days, as He taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes, together with the elders, confronted Him and spoke to Him, saying, "Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority?" (vs 1-2)
We read in the previous chapter how Jesus boldly entered Jerusalem and drove out the corrupt merchants from the temple courts. This action, made the religious leaders want to know what right or authority He had to do such things.

Jesus replied by asking them yet another question. 

Jesus was not trying to evade the question of the religious leaders. Instead, He used the question to explain who He is and to expose the hypocrisy of the leaders. If John was from God, then he was right in proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah-and if this is true, then Jesus had all authority.

Jesus then proceeds to tell them a story, a parable about a vineyard.

Then He began to tell the people this parable: "A certain man planted a vineyard, leased it to vinedressers, and went into a far country for a long time. Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that they might give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the vinedressers beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Again he sent another servant; and they beat him also, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. And again he sent a third; and they wounded him also and cast him out. Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. Probably they will respect him when they see him.' But when the vinedressers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.' So they cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and destroy those vinedressers and give the vineyard to others.”-(vs 9-16)

Through Scripture, a “vineyard” is used as a metaphor for the nation of Israel. In Luke 20, the crowd listening to Jesus’s parable would have recognised that symbol. With this story, Jesus proclaimed that if the Israelites rejected Jesus, the promises and inheritance of God would go to new owners. In other words, God was about to offer His grace, kindness, and salvation to the Gentiles. The chief priests, scribes, and elders reacted quickly, shouting, “That must never happen!” (v.16).

I think in all these cases the lesson is the same.

If we want answers from Jesus, we must deal rightly with the truth that has already been revealed. These men knew that John said Jesus was the Messiah, and were not willing to accept it. Are you willing to accept Him today? Are you willing to receive the testimony of His glory in your life??

For more on Luke chapter 20, you can follow this link for a previous study we made.

Looking forward to hearing your comments!

Have a blessed weekend
Angie

beggar

Luke's Lessons on Prayer {Luke 18}

10:00 AM

Scripture Reading: Luke 18


Is there something your heart is longing for? Perhaps something you've been praying for... for years! Have you entertained thoughts of giving up on asking?

"Maybe it's such a small thing in comparison to all that's going on in the world!" 
"Maybe I'm not worthy enough to be asking. Perhaps I'm not praying correctly. Perhaps He's not listening, or perhaps God doesn't really care."

If you've entertained any of these thoughts in the past, take heart, for you are not alone! Dr. Luke masterfully put this chapter together to deal with all these thoughts! He begins by giving us some guidelines and finishes up with a wonderful example of someone who put all of them to practice and was granted what he had longed for all his life.

First we must persevere in prayer and not give up! Luke uses the story Jesus told of the persistent widow and the judge who did not fear God. (Luke 18:1-9)
What is so haunting about this passage however, is Jesus' final question, "... when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” Will He find us faithful to the end; not willing to give up and in, but persevering; trusting and taking Him at His word?

 Secondly, we must pray humbly before God. Lowering ourselves in our own estimations and exalting God, and knowing that He is able. Luke uses Jesus' parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. (Luke 18:9-14)
Thirdly, we must come to Him full of faith and fully trusting Him like the children in Luke 18:15-17. Come with arms outstretched and our hearts and souls open, surrendered and wholly dependent on Him.
Finally, we must set Him above all else as illustrated in the story of the rich, young man. (Luke 18:18-30) He is to take preeminence in our lives; above everything else, for anything less would be asking Him to step off His thrown in our hearts to grant the things you're asking of Him. Is He your everything- your All in all? 

Luke then closes the chapter with the story of a blind man who sat by the roadside begging each day to demonstrate to us exactly what it will take to receive the things we've been praying for in Luke 18:35-43,
As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36 When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”
38 He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”39 Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”40 Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?”“Lord, I want to see,” he replied.42 Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” 43 Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.
__The blind man persisted in asking (calling out to Jesus) even though others were rebuking him for doing so. (verses 38-41) 
__The blind man humbled himself before Jesus, calling Him, Lord (v. 41)
__The blind man asked in faith, believing that Jesus was able to give him the sight he so desired. (v. 41)
__ The blind man left all else and immediately began to follow Jesus. (v. 43) 

 I like to think this was the man's message from that day forward:


Now, back to my original question... is there something you long for like this blind beggar? Has all that Luke put together in chapter 18 helped you to see what you need to do or keep on doing?

I pray we all will forever remember this chapter and one day, not only thank Dr. Luke for setting it all down on paper, but will share with him all that came about in each of our lives because we followed the example he set before us! 

Blessings,
sue