Luke 1: 1-4
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account ... Who from the beginning were eyewitnesses ... It seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it all out for you in order, most excellent Theophilus; so that you might know the exact Truth about the things you have been taught.
Doctor Luke was a man of science, who was very careful with discerning the Truth. Since "many" others had also compiled records of Jesus' life, Luke wanted his friend to be sure to know the actual Truth of all these accounts, many of which did not make it into Scripture because of inaccuracies. So he carefully investigated, interviewing the very people who were involved, to get down to the nitty-gritty of His life.
He wanted to make everything clear to his friend, and he also did so for all of us today, too.
O Father, You are so wise, so generous, so open with us. Thank You for having Luke state how meticulously he investigated to find out all the facts. Thank You for leading him in his search to write for all of us an accurate account of the Man Christ Jesus.
Thank You for leading Matthew, Levi the tax collector, who walked with Jesus, to show Him as our King, the King of Israel and the King of the World, and the Universe.
Thank You for having Mark, who travelled with Paul, and was personally acquainted with Jesus' family, for showing us how Jesus was our Servant, so we also will serve one another.
And thank You for having John the Beloved, who leaned close to Jesus at the Last Supper, laying his head on Jesus' breast, to record the life of our Lord God Himself in human flesh.
Thank You, Father, for overseeing the compiling of the New Testament with the very writings that will show us You and Your ways, to teach us how to order our thoughts, which direct our words and walk our daily lives.
Help us all to learn Your ways, think Your thoughts for us, use our words to build up others, and live our lives to Your glory.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, June 23, 2018
Friday, June 22, 2018
Abundant Life
John 10: 10
... I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.
When God made this Earth, He formed it and supplied it with everything we would need right here. He built into it an unlimited abundance of all the food, all the animals, all the resources we would want.
Then He gave us His rules and regulations on how to run the World to produce all this abundance, for our enjoyment, and derive our satisfaction in Him in providing it all. If only we would follow His ways.
When we buy a car, a book comes with it, explaining how to take care of it; what kind of fuel to use, how often to change the oil, how much pressure to put in the tires, etc. We can choose to follow the book, and the car will give us many years of use. Or we can ignore the book, and decide for ourselves what we want to do with it--and use the wrong fuel, never change the oil, etc--and it will not service our needs for very long.
Our problem is that we have not followed the directions we've been given to run the World, and people have been lied to, to think that there is a shortage of resources.
But more trees grow, more food grows, more animals are born and hatched, there's always more. And there is also no shortage of the creativity God put into Mankind, to take what God has made and use it to make all kinds of other things for our usefulness and pleasure.
So when we know God, learn Who He is, His character and personality; and we study His Word to learn His ways and follow them--then He will see to it that we can avail ourselves of all the abundance He built into this Earth for us.
Jesus came and showed us how to live our lives, then He died as our personal Sacrifice as the Lamb of God to atone for all our wrong choices, cleanse us of all the corruption and spoilage in our souls, send His Spirit to live in our spirit to make it alive, so that we will have His strength to follow His ways and experience all the abundance He wants for us right here.
Then to enjoy His very Presence forever, as He brings us to His home, in the New Heaven and New Earth, to live with Him and reign with Him.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
... I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.
When God made this Earth, He formed it and supplied it with everything we would need right here. He built into it an unlimited abundance of all the food, all the animals, all the resources we would want.
Then He gave us His rules and regulations on how to run the World to produce all this abundance, for our enjoyment, and derive our satisfaction in Him in providing it all. If only we would follow His ways.
When we buy a car, a book comes with it, explaining how to take care of it; what kind of fuel to use, how often to change the oil, how much pressure to put in the tires, etc. We can choose to follow the book, and the car will give us many years of use. Or we can ignore the book, and decide for ourselves what we want to do with it--and use the wrong fuel, never change the oil, etc--and it will not service our needs for very long.
Our problem is that we have not followed the directions we've been given to run the World, and people have been lied to, to think that there is a shortage of resources.
But more trees grow, more food grows, more animals are born and hatched, there's always more. And there is also no shortage of the creativity God put into Mankind, to take what God has made and use it to make all kinds of other things for our usefulness and pleasure.
So when we know God, learn Who He is, His character and personality; and we study His Word to learn His ways and follow them--then He will see to it that we can avail ourselves of all the abundance He built into this Earth for us.
Jesus came and showed us how to live our lives, then He died as our personal Sacrifice as the Lamb of God to atone for all our wrong choices, cleanse us of all the corruption and spoilage in our souls, send His Spirit to live in our spirit to make it alive, so that we will have His strength to follow His ways and experience all the abundance He wants for us right here.
Then to enjoy His very Presence forever, as He brings us to His home, in the New Heaven and New Earth, to live with Him and reign with Him.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, June 21, 2018
Our Words
Colossians 4: 6
Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt, so that you may know how you should respond to each person.
Salt is a flavor-enhancer, that makes bland food palatable. It is also a preservative, to keep the food from spoiling.
So our speech needs to be delicious and healthy; not have any corruption or obscenity, nor be insipid or bland.
O Father, how often have I just blurted out something without thinking, without seasoning my words with the salt of grace? Forgive me, Father, help me to repair what damage I have done in my relationships with my words.
Teach me to pause before I open my mouth, to consider the other's need, to say what would encourage them; instead of focusing only on myself.
Help me, Father; put Your kindness under my tongue and Your compassion in my heart. Give me Your stamina to do the work that is before me, and keep me constantly aware of Your holding me in Your hand.
Let my life and my words be a blessing to others You have put in my path, and draw others closer to Yourself through me, as Your channel.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt, so that you may know how you should respond to each person.
Salt is a flavor-enhancer, that makes bland food palatable. It is also a preservative, to keep the food from spoiling.
So our speech needs to be delicious and healthy; not have any corruption or obscenity, nor be insipid or bland.
O Father, how often have I just blurted out something without thinking, without seasoning my words with the salt of grace? Forgive me, Father, help me to repair what damage I have done in my relationships with my words.
Teach me to pause before I open my mouth, to consider the other's need, to say what would encourage them; instead of focusing only on myself.
Help me, Father; put Your kindness under my tongue and Your compassion in my heart. Give me Your stamina to do the work that is before me, and keep me constantly aware of Your holding me in Your hand.
Let my life and my words be a blessing to others You have put in my path, and draw others closer to Yourself through me, as Your channel.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
In Deed And Truth
I John 3: 18
Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and Truth.
John is addressing us as though we are still small tykes, which we are in God's sight. He's teaching us that mere words, nice conversation, is not the depth of the love we are to have for one another.
Yes, the right word at the right time can do wonders to encourage, but we are not to stop there.
Our love needs to have feet, to do for one another what we cannot accomplish on our own, by ourselves. And use it to communicate the Truth of God's character with our godly attitudes, and follow through.
Wash one another's feet.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and Truth.
John is addressing us as though we are still small tykes, which we are in God's sight. He's teaching us that mere words, nice conversation, is not the depth of the love we are to have for one another.
Yes, the right word at the right time can do wonders to encourage, but we are not to stop there.
Our love needs to have feet, to do for one another what we cannot accomplish on our own, by ourselves. And use it to communicate the Truth of God's character with our godly attitudes, and follow through.
Wash one another's feet.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, June 19, 2018
Fire And Water
Psalm 66: 10, 12
You have tested us, O God. You have refined us in the same way silver is refined.
... We went through fire and water, but you brought us out and refreshed us.
The people went through all kinds of terrors and dangers, and God saved them out of all of it.
God still saves His people out of all kinds of situations that squeeze us, pound us, and try to shred us. All the problems, sorrows, and pain of life.
Just like He did in the past, God doesn't keep us from going through it, but He protects us so that it doesn't harm us. Like Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego in the fiery furnace--all it burned was the bonds with which they were tied up.
Whatever I face in life, whether hot or cold, whether "fire or water," my Father is bringing me through, refining me like silver, like gold. His pressure is making me like a diamond.
O my Father, You have been with me very powerfully through so many trials and sorrows and problems and dangers. You have shown Yourself faithful in protecting me and carrying me through all these days.
You have brought me out and refreshed me, and You are still with me.
Thank You, Father, for being our good, good Father. You are our Abba, our Daddy, Who loves us with a Da-Da's gentle love. In Your wisdom You allow us to go through and be surrounded with all the evil and wrong in the World, and You protect us from being harmed by it when we walk with You, hand-in-hand.
O Father, continue to lead us, guide us, protect us, and teach us Your ways as we travel through this "vale of tears." This World is broken, and it has broken us, because we have broken it by our foolish choices.
You meant for us to follow Your ways that You designed into this Earth, but we have built our World on it in defiance and rebellion against You, the Maker and Creator. No wonder it doesn't give us the bounty You built into it for us.
No wonder we think that what we need is scarce, and to have something it must be taken away from someone else. This is our enemy's tactic to produce covetousness and greed, and it deceives us.
When we believe You and think Your thoughts toward us, and live our lives in obedience to Your precepts, then the result is that we will gain the bounty You put here for us.
Whenever Your people worshipped You, they enjoyed Your bounty. But our own hearts lie to us, along with this World we live in, and the enemy who wants to destroy us. That's why we need to be diligent to stay in Your Word, to nourish our souls and keep our real life healthy.
Father, You are great and wise and strong. You are just and kind. You have given us an endless bounty in this Earth You made for us, and You want to bless us with the great prosperity that brings us joy.
Let me prosper, Father, in all the ways You intend for us all: spiritually, relationally, physically, and even financially. You meet all my needs in every area of my life, and You even give me extras, that I haven't even thought to ask You for.
You are so generous, Father. Teach me to be more like You every day, and restrain my mouth and my thoughts to only promote Your good toward others in my life today.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
You have tested us, O God. You have refined us in the same way silver is refined.
... We went through fire and water, but you brought us out and refreshed us.
The people went through all kinds of terrors and dangers, and God saved them out of all of it.
God still saves His people out of all kinds of situations that squeeze us, pound us, and try to shred us. All the problems, sorrows, and pain of life.
Just like He did in the past, God doesn't keep us from going through it, but He protects us so that it doesn't harm us. Like Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego in the fiery furnace--all it burned was the bonds with which they were tied up.
Whatever I face in life, whether hot or cold, whether "fire or water," my Father is bringing me through, refining me like silver, like gold. His pressure is making me like a diamond.
O my Father, You have been with me very powerfully through so many trials and sorrows and problems and dangers. You have shown Yourself faithful in protecting me and carrying me through all these days.
You have brought me out and refreshed me, and You are still with me.
Thank You, Father, for being our good, good Father. You are our Abba, our Daddy, Who loves us with a Da-Da's gentle love. In Your wisdom You allow us to go through and be surrounded with all the evil and wrong in the World, and You protect us from being harmed by it when we walk with You, hand-in-hand.
O Father, continue to lead us, guide us, protect us, and teach us Your ways as we travel through this "vale of tears." This World is broken, and it has broken us, because we have broken it by our foolish choices.
You meant for us to follow Your ways that You designed into this Earth, but we have built our World on it in defiance and rebellion against You, the Maker and Creator. No wonder it doesn't give us the bounty You built into it for us.
No wonder we think that what we need is scarce, and to have something it must be taken away from someone else. This is our enemy's tactic to produce covetousness and greed, and it deceives us.
When we believe You and think Your thoughts toward us, and live our lives in obedience to Your precepts, then the result is that we will gain the bounty You put here for us.
Whenever Your people worshipped You, they enjoyed Your bounty. But our own hearts lie to us, along with this World we live in, and the enemy who wants to destroy us. That's why we need to be diligent to stay in Your Word, to nourish our souls and keep our real life healthy.
Father, You are great and wise and strong. You are just and kind. You have given us an endless bounty in this Earth You made for us, and You want to bless us with the great prosperity that brings us joy.
Let me prosper, Father, in all the ways You intend for us all: spiritually, relationally, physically, and even financially. You meet all my needs in every area of my life, and You even give me extras, that I haven't even thought to ask You for.
You are so generous, Father. Teach me to be more like You every day, and restrain my mouth and my thoughts to only promote Your good toward others in my life today.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Monday, June 18, 2018
Light Affliction?
II Corinthians 4: 17
For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.
Paul's sufferings often brought him close to death, yet he could say that they are "momentary," "temporary," and "light," not heavy. And they cannot even compare with the enormous weight of glory that we will be rewarded with, and will last forever, will never end.
It's like we're in school here. We learn lessons, we take tests, we go on field trips. But after we graduate and apply all the knowledge we learned in the fulfilling work we can now do, we can look back at the schooling, all the hard studying, hard tests, rugged terrain; and say it was all worth it.
Even more, when we've finished our course here and gone on to glory, we will be able to say with Paul, "it was nothing!" It was only through the hardship, the pain, the sorrow, that we learned how gentle, how healing, how soothing and comforting our God is.
And by it all we can learn to be to others how our Father is to us, showing the World His character and personality. His goodness and graciousness. How He loves all of us so freely and greatly.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.
Paul's sufferings often brought him close to death, yet he could say that they are "momentary," "temporary," and "light," not heavy. And they cannot even compare with the enormous weight of glory that we will be rewarded with, and will last forever, will never end.
It's like we're in school here. We learn lessons, we take tests, we go on field trips. But after we graduate and apply all the knowledge we learned in the fulfilling work we can now do, we can look back at the schooling, all the hard studying, hard tests, rugged terrain; and say it was all worth it.
Even more, when we've finished our course here and gone on to glory, we will be able to say with Paul, "it was nothing!" It was only through the hardship, the pain, the sorrow, that we learned how gentle, how healing, how soothing and comforting our God is.
And by it all we can learn to be to others how our Father is to us, showing the World His character and personality. His goodness and graciousness. How He loves all of us so freely and greatly.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, June 17, 2018
To Be Reconciled
Romans 5: 10-11
For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom we have now received the reconciliation.
When I reconcile my checkbook to the bank statement, if there is any discrepancy, it's my checkbook I change, not the bank statement.
And when we are reconciled to God, it is we who are changed, to become more like our Lord God.
God does not change. We do. We must adjust our thinking, our attitudes, our very lives, to conform to His ways.
O my Father, You are so good to us to show us Yourself and Your ways. Your ways, Father, are not our ways. Our ways focus on ourselves, and are selfish and self-centered. Your ways, Father, show us that our focus needs to be redirected to be on others, not ourselves.
O Father, I know that my own flesh draws me away from loving others the way You have loved me. My own heart lies to me when I feel hurt, or lonely, or deprived in some way. Help me, Father, to take my focus off of my own circumstances and see the needs of others around me.
You are so generous with me, Father, out of Your great riches in glory, and I thank You so much for Your tender care for me. Since You care for me, help me to care for others.
Teach me how to trust You so much that I won't need to focus on my needs at all, knowing that You are caring for me. Free me, Father to care for others, and to show them by my life and attitudes how You care for them, too.
Continue to reconcile my thinking processes and attitudes to conform to Your ways, Father, not the World around me. You began this good work in me, and You will continue to perform it until I am perfected on that Day our Lord and King returns to rule.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom we have now received the reconciliation.
When I reconcile my checkbook to the bank statement, if there is any discrepancy, it's my checkbook I change, not the bank statement.
And when we are reconciled to God, it is we who are changed, to become more like our Lord God.
God does not change. We do. We must adjust our thinking, our attitudes, our very lives, to conform to His ways.
O my Father, You are so good to us to show us Yourself and Your ways. Your ways, Father, are not our ways. Our ways focus on ourselves, and are selfish and self-centered. Your ways, Father, show us that our focus needs to be redirected to be on others, not ourselves.
O Father, I know that my own flesh draws me away from loving others the way You have loved me. My own heart lies to me when I feel hurt, or lonely, or deprived in some way. Help me, Father, to take my focus off of my own circumstances and see the needs of others around me.
You are so generous with me, Father, out of Your great riches in glory, and I thank You so much for Your tender care for me. Since You care for me, help me to care for others.
Teach me how to trust You so much that I won't need to focus on my needs at all, knowing that You are caring for me. Free me, Father to care for others, and to show them by my life and attitudes how You care for them, too.
Continue to reconcile my thinking processes and attitudes to conform to Your ways, Father, not the World around me. You began this good work in me, and You will continue to perform it until I am perfected on that Day our Lord and King returns to rule.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
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