Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Monday, January 25, 2016

January 25 - Luke 17

Sorry my routine got messed up this morning...

Today's reading - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2017&version=VOICE

11 Jesus was still pressing toward Jerusalem, taking a road that went along the border between Samaria (considered undesirable territory) and Galilee. 12 On the outskirts of a border town along this road, He was greeted from a distance by a group of 10 people who were under quarantine because of an ugly and disgusting skin disease known as leprosy.

Lepers (shouting across the distance): 13 Jesus, Master, show mercy to us!

Jesus: 14 Go now and present yourselves to the priests for inspection of your disease.
They went, and before they reached the priests, their skin disease was healed, leaving no trace of the disease that scarred them and separated them from the community.
15 One of them, the instant he realized he had been healed, turned and ran back to Jesus, shouting praises to God. 16 He prostrated himself facedown at Jesus’ feet.

Leper: Thank You! Thank You!
Now this fellow happened to be, not a Jew, but a Samaritan.


Jesus: 17 Didn’t all ten receive the same healing this fellow did? Where are the other nine?18 Was the only one who came back to give God praise an outsider? 19 (to the Samaritan man) Get up, and go your way. Your faith has made you healthy again.

I want to be the one who remembers to say Thank you!


Friday, January 22, 2016

January 22 - Luke 16

Today's Reading - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2016&version=VOICE


13 Imagine you’re a servant and you have two masters giving you orders. What are you going to do when they have conflicting demands? You can’t serve both, so you’ll either hate the first and love the second, or you’ll faithfully serve the first and despise the second. One master is God and the other is money. You can’t serve them both.

Thursday, January 21, 2016

January 21 - Luke 15

Today's Reading - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2015&version=VOICE


11 Once there was this man who had two sons. 12 One day the younger son came to his father and said, “Father, eventually I’m going to inherit my share of your estate. Rather than waiting until you die, I want you to give me my share now.” And so the father liquidated assets and divided them.

The older son didn't grasp the idea that his father liquidated assets and divided them. He could have do with those funds all he wanted. Plus as the oldest son the remaining estate was his as well.

How often do I forget that God has already given me everything I need?

Too often...

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

January 20 - Luke 14

Sorry I missed yesterday, the day got away from me...

But I'm back with today's reading...

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2014&version=VOICE

Some aspects of this chapter remind me of how good God is and Jesus' love for the down trodden.

Other parts of it are confusing to me, but one thing that is clear as day:

34 Don’t be like salt that has lost its taste. How can its saltiness be restored? Flavorless salt is absolutely worthless. 35 You can’t even use it as fertilizer, so it’s worth less than manure! Don’t just listen to My words here. Get the deeper meaning.

I don't want to be more worthless than manure.

Monday, January 18, 2016

January 18 - Luke 12

Today's Reading - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2012&version=VOICE



This is why I keep telling you not to worry about anything in life—about what you’ll eat, about how you’ll clothe your body. 23 Life is more than food, and the body is more than fancy clothes. 24 Think about those crows flying over there: do they plant and harvest crops? Do they own silos or barns? Look at them fly. It looks like God is taking pretty good care of them, doesn’t it? Remember that you are more precious to God than birds! 25 Which one of you can add a single hour to your life or 18 inches[b] to your height by worrying really hard? 26 If worry can’t change anything, why do you do it so much?


Friday, January 15, 2016

January 15 - Luke 11

Today's Reading - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2011&version=VOICE

Luke's version of the Lord's Prayer:

Disciple: Teacher, would You teach us Your way of prayer? John taught his disciples his way of prayer, and we’re hoping You’ll do the same.

Jesus: 2 Here’s how to pray:

    Father [in heaven], may Your name be revered.
        May Your kingdom come.
    [May Your will be accomplished on earth
        as it is in heaven.]
3     Give us the food we need for tomorrow,
4     And forgive us for our wrongs,
        for we forgive those who wrong us.
    And lead us away from temptation.
        [And save us from the evil one.][a]


I found it interesting that The Voice translated this line: Give us the food we need for tomorrow,
So I looked at the ESV which is a word for word translation of the Bible and found: Give us each day our daily bread,[b] The footnote however, reads: Or our bread for tomorrow

Not earth shattering or anything, just curious. I love this prayer, it reminds me that God is to be honored. God wants to work in our lives. He provides for our needs (not to be mistaken for our wants). He will forgive us as we've forgiven others. OUCH! Some days I'm not sure that's a good thing in my life. And we can ask Him to lead us away from temptation. Interesting it doesn't say we won't face them, but we can be led away from them.


Thursday, January 14, 2016

January 14 - Luke 10

Today's Reading - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2010&version=VOICE

Oh how often I'm a "Martha" busy doing things for the Lord rather than being a "Mary" and just spending time at His feet listening to Him...

38 Jesus continued from there toward Jerusalem and came to another village. Martha, a resident of that village, welcomed Jesus into her home. 39 Her sister, Mary, went and sat at Jesus’ feet, listening to Him teach. 40 Meanwhile Martha was anxious about all the hospitality arrangements.
Martha (interrupting Jesus): Lord, why don’t You care that my sister is leaving me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to get over here and help me.
Jesus: 41 Oh Martha, Martha, you are so anxious and concerned about a million details, 42 but really, only one thing matters. Mary has chosen that one thing, and I won’t take it away from her.

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

January 13 - Luke 9

Today's Reading - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%209&version=VOICE

52 He sent some people ahead of Him into the territory of the Samaritans, a minority group at odds with the Jewish majority. He wanted His messengers to find a place for them to stay in a village along the road to Jerusalem53 But because the Samaritans realized Jesus was going to Jerusalem, they refused to welcome them.
James and John (outraged): 54 Lord, do You want us to call down fire from heaven to destroy these people who have rejected You?[e] [Just as Elijah did.][f]
Jesus (turning toward them and shaking His head): 55 You just don’t get it.[56 The Son of Man didn’t come to ruin the lives of people, but He came to liberate them.][g]

Aren't you glad Jesus doesn't allow fire from heaven to destroy us when we rejected Him? Of course, one day that will happen, but until then we continue to share the truth of God's love to all. 

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

January 12 - Luke 8

Today's Reading - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%208&version=VOICE

This chapter is packed with so many things:


  • The Parable of the Sower (makes we ask myself, what kind of soil am I today?)
  • Jesus identifying who his real family (Mother/Brothers) are?
  • Jesus shows His authority over the environment as he calms the sea. (He shows he has peace in every situation and that he needs rest like we do)
  • Jesus shows His authority over evil. (And we see pigs would rather commit suicide than live with demons in them)
  • Jesus shows His authority over illness as well as his compassion. The woman was ceremonially unclean and shouldn't have been in the crowd. Surprised the religious leaders didn't have something to say about that.
  • And we see Jesus authority over death I believe for the first time in Luke. 
We need to be reminded that Jesus has authority over these things, he also gave us that authority as well. I know I'm not living up to that potential. Next question, how do I get there?

Monday, January 11, 2016

January 11 - Luke 7

Today's Reading  - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%207&version=VOICE

I love the story of the Centurion.  He didn't feel worthy to approach Jesus but his love for his slave prompted him to send messengers to ask for help. He also understood Jesus' authority. I had to ask myself as I read this "Do I understand God's authority?"

Then there is the widow who's son has died. Jesus felt compassion for her and raised her son from the dead.

And finally, Simon the Pharisee and the woman of ill repute. She knew what people thought of her yet she came to Jesus and humbled herself before Him. She found forgiveness.

Jesus does so much for these three people. In each example we see his compassion and his authority.

This reminds me as well, that our Lord is compassionate towards us and he has authority to heal and forgive our sins.

Friday, January 8, 2016

January 8 - Luke 6

Today's reading - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+6&version=VOICE

There are so many things in this chapter of Luke. Dealing with the Sabbath to our attitudes toward others that mistreat us. But I think for me, today, these verses sum up the chapter:

43 Count on this: no good tree bears bad fruit, and no bad tree bears good fruit. 44 You can know a tree by the fruit it bears. You don’t find figs on a thorn bush, and you can’t pick grapes from a briar bush. 45 It’s the same with people. A person full of goodness in his heart produces good things; a person with an evil reservoir in his heart pours out evil things. The heart overflows in the words a person speaks; your words reveal what’s within your heart.

Thursday, January 7, 2016

January 7 - Luke 5

Today's Reading - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+5&version=VOICE

Jesus and the Pharisees:

Pharisees (in low voices): What’s wrong with you? Why are you eating and drinking with tax collectors and other immoral people?
Jesus (answering for the disciples): 31 Healthy people don’t need a doctor, but sick people do. 32 I haven’t come for the pure and upstanding; I’ve come to call notorious sinners to rethink their lives and turn to God.
A reminder to us that we probably shouldn't spend all our time with "healthy" people. 

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

January 5 - Luke 3

Today's Reading - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%203&version=VOICE


We see John's ministry here as he confronts the religions people and all who come to see him.
I love this exchange:
John the Baptist: You bunch of venomous snakes! Who told you that you could escape God’s coming wrath? Don’t just talk of turning to God; you’d better bear the authentic fruit of a changed life. Don’t take pride in your religious heritage, saying, “We have Abraham for our father!” Listen—God could turn these rocks into children of Abraham!
God wants you to bear fruit! If you don’t produce good fruit, then you’ll be chopped down like a fruitless tree and made into firewood. God’s ax is taking aim and ready to swing!
People: 10 What shall we do to perform works from changed lives?
John the Baptist: 11 The person who has two shirts must share with the person who has none. And the person with food must share with the one in need.
12 Some tax collectors were among those in the crowd seeking baptism.[c]
Tax Collectors: Teacher, what kind of fruit is God looking for from us?
John the Baptist: 13 Stop overcharging people. Only collect what you must turn over to the Romans.
Soldiers: 14 What about us? What should we do to show true change?
John the Baptist: Don’t extort money from people by throwing around your power or making false accusations, and be content with your pay.
It appears that at least some of the people desired to change. Verse 9  is key to me - God wants us to bear fruit. That can look different for different people. It's up to me to determine what it looks like for me. 

Monday, January 4, 2016

Jfanuary 4 - Luke 2

Today's reading - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+2&version=VOICE


The story of Jesus' birth and his early life. The first that jumped out at me was verse 52: And Jesus kept on growing—in wisdom, in physical stature, in favor with God, and in favor with others.

A reminder that Jesus although fully God he was fully human and need to grow in wisdom.

Friday, January 1, 2016

New Year - New Start

On Wednesday I was driving to San Diego and thinking about the new year. As I always do I think about what goals I would have for the new year. More importantly how can I do better this year than I have the past two.  One thing that came to mind was the importance of scripture and prayer.  Those thoughts let me back to this site. So I'm back...

Starting with Luke and then moving on to Acts...

So here we are in Luke chapter 1 - This year I'm reading from The Voice:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+1&version=VOICE

Key verse that spoke to me verse 50:
Now and forever, I will be considered blessed by all generations. For the Mighty One has done great things for me; holy is God’s name! From generation to generation, God’s lovingkindness endures for those who revere Him