A Special Child Is On The Way

The Messiah will take care of our needs.

Isaiah 9:6-7  For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!

---

Into our cold dark world a child is born, not just any child, this child has very big predictions made about him. He is a child of great promise and expectations, he will bring change to our world, the prophecies about him say that he will be:

Ruler Forever

No more change in government and all of the change in policies and new laws that new administrations bring about. This government will be the last one and it will be fair and ethical too. (Rev 1:5)

Wonderful Counselor

Our Savior is a wise counselor, he knows what we need and he is generous to give it to us, it may not be what we want but he is the wise counselor and he knows what is best for us.

Mighty God

I cannot begin to comprehend that God became a little baby, he could have entered our world any way that he wished but he chose to experience life from our point of view. (John 10:30)

Eternal Father

Being a father here on earth is a temporary assignment, we are trying to do the work that the Heavenly Father has trusted us with. It is good for those that do not have an earthly father to remember that they are not fatherless.

Prince of Peace

Ever since the fall in the Garden of Eden the world has been looking for peace, we have tried every means possible, but there is only one way to know peace. Peace with God is possible because of Jesus (Rom 5:1).

We do not need to go anywhere else, every need that we have is realized in Christ alone, God has taken care of us for today and for all of eternity.

Philippians 4:19  And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

Thank you Lord for meeting my needs, thank you for offering me peace with you through your son Jesus.

Do You Know What Christmas Is All About

Linus will help us out.

Luke 2:8-14  That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them.

“Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased."

A Sign To Give Us Hope

Jesus birth is predicted, God will be with us in our world.

Isaiah 7:13-14  Then Isaiah said, “Listen well, you royal family of David! Isn’t it enough to exhaust human patience? Must you exhaust the patience of my God as well?

All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).

---

This was a tense time in the history of Judah, there was the potential for war with the allied forces of the king of Aram and the king of Israel. King Ahaz decided to rely on human strength and he bought protection from the king of Assyria.

Isaiah reminds Ahaz that his kingdom would be protected and urges Ahaz to ask God for a sign. Ahaz refused to ask for a sign so Isaiah gave him a sign anyway, this sign was a prediction of the coming Messiah.

The long awaited Messiah was to come from Judah, obviously that wouldn't be possible if some country annihilated the tribe of Judah, surely God would sustain her with his protection. Despite Ahaz's lack of faith and his disregard for God, the Lord would keep his covenant that he made to King David.

It is hard to imagine "God with us” that he could be walking the earth that he created. "God with us" should bring us a great amount of comfort but it could be a frightening thought as well. God want's to show his favor, love, mercy and protection but it could be that we have not been faithful to him and having "God with us" should make us very afraid.

Jesus is God with us

John 1:14  So the Word became human and made His home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen His glory, the glory of the Father's one and only Son.

Are you ready for "God with us?" This Christmas season can be the time for the Lord's favor to be upon you, will you be obedient to God and rely on him for your strength and protection? I need to trust in God, not on my own strength or on anybody else.

Thank you Lord for your concern for your people, your love is amazing, I pray that I will live all of my days walking with you, relying on your strength. Thank you for being with me and for the hope that your son gives us.

It's Christmas Time!

Thank God for the Savior!

Born unto us this day a Savior

Gifted from heaven to a manger

The hope of the world

A light for all mankind

All of the earth rejoice

So lift up your voice and

Sing out His praise

Born is the King, rejoice in the day

Make a joyful sound

Let His praise resound It’s Christmas

Goodwill to all the earth

And peace divine

All of the earth rejoice

It’s Christmas time

It’s Christmas time

Let's keep our focus on Jesus this Christmas and really take in the reason that we should all make a joyful noise and rejoice. It's time to celebrate so strike up the band and sing!

First Thanksgiving Day

A look back at Thanksgiving day history.

1 Thessalonians 5:18  Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

---

The first thanksgiving feast was celebrated in 1621 by the pilgrims of the Plymouth colony along with about ninety Indians. The Pilgrims had suffered through a devastating winter in which nearly half their number died. Without the help of the Indians, all would have perished.

After the first harvest, Governor William Bradford proclaimed a day of thanksgiving and prayer to God. The food, which was eaten outdoors, included corn, geese, turkeys, ducks, clams, plums, cod, bass, barley, venison and corn bread. The feast lasted 3 days, races and other games were played during the celebration. Though the exact date is unknown, the feast clearly took place in late autumn.

In 1623, a period of drought was answered by colonists with a proclamation of prayer and fasting. This prayer and fasting was changed to another thanksgiving celebration when rains came during the prayers. Later that year, Governor Bradford proclaimed November 29 as a time for pilgrims to gather and give thanks.

“Inasmuch as the great Father has given us this year an abundant harvest of Indian corn, wheat, peas, squashes and garden vegetables, and made the forest to abound with game and the sea with fish and clams, and inasmuch as he has protected us from the ravages of the savages, has spared us from the pestilence and granted us freedom to worship God according to the dictates of our own conscience.

Now I, your magistrate do proclaim that all ye Pilgrims, with your wives and ye little ones, do gather at ye meeting house, on ye hill, between the hours of nine and twelve in the daytime on Thursday, November ye 29th, of the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and twenty-three, and the third year since ye Pilgrims landed on ye Plymouth Rock, there to listen to ye Pastor and render Thanksgiving to ye Almighty God for all his blessings.”

- Governor Bradford November 29, 1623

Throughout American history, there were many thanksgiving proclamations and celebrations. In 1789 George Washington proclaimed a National Thanksgiving Day on the last Thursday in November, in honor of the new United States Constitution. Thomas Jefferson, the third president, later discontinued it, calling it “a kingly practice.”

But in 1863, Sarah Josepha Hale, the author of the poem “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” convinced Abraham Lincoln to proclaim Thanksgiving a national holiday. For the date she chose the last Thursday in November because of Washington’s proclamation. In 1941, it was officially changed to the fourth Thursday in November.

I Am Thankful For The People In My Life

God has put people in your life that you need to appreciate.

1 Timothy 2:1  I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.

1 Corinthians 1:4  I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus.

2 Thessalonians 1:3 Dear brothers and sisters, we can’t help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing.

---

The apostle Paul loved people, he looked out for the people that he came into contact with as he traveled and in the places where he lived for an extended stay. Paul's letters that he sent to the churches that he planted shows us that he loves people, he tells us in today's scripture that we need to pray for everybody, asking God to help them and to also thank God for them.

It is human nature to look out for ourselves and to neglect the people that God has placed in our lives. We think of ourselves a little too often and take people for granted or use them for our own gain, it is easy to complain about them and wish that they would behave better or do things the way we want but God tells us to treat them with the same grace that has been given to us.

I am thankful for my wife and kids

My family are the most important people in my life. Sometimes the least appreciated people in our lives can be the ones that matter the most. I try to live each day as the best husband and dad that I can be and look out for their needs and wants but I fall short and I need to say thank you to them for allowing me to be in their life, I hope that I am a  positive influence in their lives. The scripture that I am looking at today has shown me that I need to improve by praying for them more and "intercede on their behalf."

I am thankful for the pastors that God has put in my life

The Lord has placed some awesome men in my life as shepherds, men that have helped me to grow spiritually, men that I have served with in the church at home and on the mission field.

I am thankful for my friends and neighbors

I need to be thankful for every person that is in my part of the world. I need to encourage my brothers and sisters in Christ and I need to share the Lord to those that don't know him.

Lord help me to love people and appreciate them, help me to look out for their best interest and to be an encouragement to them. Thank you especially for my wife and kids!

So Much To Be Thankful For

Thankfulness is taught throughout the Bible.

The Bible teaches us to live a different lifestyle than the rest of the world. A lifestyle of thankfulness for all that God has done for us and an appreciation for those around us and for their generosity to us.

Most of us have the easy life and we don't have to look too far to find a truckload of things to be thankful for. We take so much for granted, look at the conditions outside of your comfort zone and see what its like in the world for somebody else.

The Bible has a lot to show us about thanks, here is a list compiled by Bible Study Planet:

Who Should Give Thanks:

- Believers: Ps 105:1; Col 3:15
- Angels: Re 4:9; 7:11,12; 11:16,17

Who Should We Give Thanks To:

- God and Christ: Ps 50:14/ 1Ti 1:12

How Should We Give Thanks:

- Through Christ: Ro 1:8; Col 3:17; Heb 13:15
- In the name of Christ: Eph 5:20

When Should We Give Thanks:

- Always: Eph 1:16; 5:20; 1Th 1:2
- Before receiving food: Joh 6:11; Act 27:35
- When we complete a task: Ne 12:31,40
- When interceding for others: 1Ti 2:1/ Phm 1:4
- When we pray: Ne 11:17; Col 4:2
- When we praise God: Ps 92:1; Heb 13:15

What We Should Give Thanks For:

- Everything: 1Th 5:18
- God’s holiness: Ps 30:4; 97:12
- God's goodness and mercy: Ps 106:1; 107:1
- For the gift of Christ: 2Co 9:15
- For Christ’s power and reign: Re 11:17
- For the working of the word of God: 1Th 2:13
- For victory over sin, through Christ: Ro 7:23-25
- For victory over death and the grave: 1Co 15:57
- For wisdom and might: Da 2:23
- For the triumph of the gospel: 2Co 2:14
- For our conversion: Ro 6:17
- For the faith of others: Ro 1:8; 2Th 1:3
- For other believers: 1Co 1:4; Php 1:3-5; Col 1:3-6
- For the nearness of God: Ps 75:1
- For appointment to spiritual service: 1Ti 1:12
- For all things: 2Co 9:11; Eph 5:20

Where We Should Give Thanks:

- In private worship: Da 6:10
- In public worship: Ps 35:18
Lord help me to always be grateful for all of your blessings and help me to be generous to others in need.

I Am Thankful For Answered Prayer

The power of prayer gives us a lot to be thankful for.

Psalm 107:19-22  “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.

20 He sent out his word and healed them, snatching them from the door of death.

21 Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. 22 Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving and sing joyfully about his glorious acts.

Psalm 107:28-32  “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.

29 He calmed the storm to a whisper and stilled the waves. 30 What a blessing was that stillness as he brought them safely into harbor!

31 Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. 32 Let them exalt him publicly before the congregation and before the leaders of the nation.

---

The most powerful answer to pray that I have witnessed recently is in the life of Pastor/Missionary Eddy Williams. After suffering a major heart attack and major setbacks he was able to return home after twenty-six days in the hospital just a few days ago. Here is where his story began as told by his daughter via Facebook:

On Monday night my Dad, Eddy Williams had a massive heartattack.  The awesome staff of St Joseph's Hospital did everything they could to repair the damage to his heart. They attempted to place a number of stints which unfortunately was unsuccessful. They attempted an angioplasty which also was unsuccessful. With these continued attempts to repair the blood flow to the right side of his heart more damage was done. Like a domino effect, everything they tried was not only failing but was causing more damage in the process.

At 2am Tuesday morning he was rushed into emergency bypass surgery. Needless to say, our family was devastated. After a total of almost 14 hours of surgery and numerous less than positive updates from the staff we met my Dad's surgeon.  Dr Sherman's message was a ray of sunshine after a night of fear. My Dad, the stongest willed man I know survived the surgery that statistically he had only a 5% chance of surviving... did I mention my Dad's amazing? :) Dr Sherman repaired much of the damage but even with this the right side of his heart is still not working. The doctors remain optimistic the heart will improve over a time of rest and healing.

The power of prayer was flexed all over the world as friends and family and complete strangers from every corner of the globe were crying out to God. Eddy was snatched from death's door (Ps 107:20) because God's people cried out in distress (Ps 107:19). God's people cry out and he answers! Eddy still needs more prayer for a complete healing as his heart still only functions on the left side but God has given us a lot to be thankful for.

Prayer shouldn't be neglected or abused, as a pastor recently said "prayer should be a wartime walkie talkie, not an intercom to the butler to come bring us something or to move the thermostat"

The Psalmist gives us instructions on what our response should be to answered prayer. We should be full of praise, we should offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, we should sing joyfully and we should do all these things out in front of everybody  as a testimony of God's goodness (Ps 107:21-22, 31).

I am thankful for prayer, the ability to talk to God and maintain a relationship with our creator and to know that he wants to hear from us and he wants to help us in our distress is a wonderful blessing.

Thank you Lord for prayer and the power that it brings into our lives.

I Am Thankful For God's Deliverance

The Lord helps his children to overcome.

Psalm 35:9 Then I will rejoice in the Lord. I will be glad because he rescues me.

10 With every bone in my body I will praise him: “Lord, who can compare with you?

Who else rescues the helpless from the strong? Who else protects the helpless and poor from those who rob them?”

Psalm 66: 8 Let the whole world bless our God and loudly sing his praises. 9 Our lives are in his hands, and he keeps our feet from stumbling.

16 Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he did for me. 17 For I cried out to him for help, praising him as I spoke. 18 If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.

19 But God did listen! He paid attention to my prayer. 20 Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer or withdraw his unfailing love from me.

---

God's children have an ally that looks out for their well being. He rescues us from the messes that we make and from the many problems that come from the world around us. We may think that we need to look out for our own interest and keep our guard up and take care of things in our own strength but as King David said in Psalm 44:6 "I do not trust in my bow; I do not count on my sword to save me." He knew that it is all about God's strength and not his own.

Our lives are fragile but thankfully we have God on our side, we are totally dependent on him, whether we want to be or not, we don't have a choice in the matter.

God does not give us unlimited access to his blessings, we do not get these benefits without some responsibility on our part, if we continuously have unconfessed sin in our life God may not answer when we pray for help. We don't get a blank check from him to run around and do what we want, expecting to continue to receive his blessings, he will not allow us to abuse him.

God has rescued us from every possible foe, even death has been destroyed because of God's love for us that sent Jesus to earth so that he could deliver us from our ultimate enemy.

Thank you Lord for all of the many ways that you have saved us, you have saved us from our own mistakes, from our enemies and you saved us from death.

I Am Thankful For God's Goodness

Everyday should be thanksgiving day.

Psalm 136:1-9,23-26 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. 2 Give thanks to the God of gods. His faithful love endures forever. 3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords. His faithful love endures forever.

4 Give thanks to him who alone does mighty miracles. His faithful love endures forever. 5 Give thanks to him who made the heavens so skillfully. His faithful love endures forever. 6 Give thanks to him who placed the earth among the waters. His faithful love endures forever.7 Give thanks to him who made the heavenly lights. His faithful love endures forever. 8 The sun to rule the day, His faithful love endures forever. 9 The moon and stars to rule the night. His faithful love endures forever.

23 He remembered us in our weakness. His faithful love endures forever. 24 He saved us from our enemies. His faithful love endures forever. 25 He gives food to every living thing. His faithful love endures forever. 26 Give thanks to the God of heaven. His faithful love endures forever.

---

It is way to easy to take our lifestyle for granted and to demand to have a better lifestyle every chance that we get. Our culture has taught us that we can get satisfaction and happiness from consumerism and it is tempting us to replace God and take him for granted.

We need to remember all of the ways that God has blessed us. We can learn about him through the example that we have in the Bible. His book is a love story, from cover to cover, it tells us about our creator and his pursuit for our hearts. We see his love in creation and we see it over and over again in his kindness to his people, his kindness that we still benefit from today, after all the Psalms tell us that God's "faithful love endures forever."

God has seen me through difficult times, he has always been faithful, whether I needed money, food or a close friend, I have never been for too long without the provisions that I needed. As blessed as we are we should make everyday be thanksgiving day.

We can see all of the ways that God blessed Israel, here are a few from Psalm 136:

• Brought them out of bondage (Ps 136:11-12)
• Gave them safety (Ps 136:13-15)
• Showed them the way(Ps 136:16)
• Proved to them that he is in charge and that he will judge his enemies(Ps 136:17-20)
• Give awesome gifts to his children(Ps 136:21-22)

We can expect the same care from him today!

God Provides For His Children

God has all of the details covered.

Luke 12: 6-7, 22-26, 31  “What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. 7 And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. 23 For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing.

24 Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! 25 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? 26 And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?

31 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.

---

The price on a bird in Jesus day was not very high, you could get five sparrows for two copper coins, they weren't valuable. Imagine God having time for them, it is amazing that God went into such minute detail about every little part of creation and even more amazing, he is still in control of all of the tiny details. How much more do you think that he must care for you?

Jesus wanted to prove to us that his children don't need to worry about everyday life, the stuff that can be so consuming that it takes all of our time away from what is really important.

When the Israelites left Egypt they didn't have a planning committee, there wasn't any preparations for the trip, they had to put their trust in God. Jehovah Jireh was their provider, he provided food in the wilderness (Exodus 16:13-18), he met all of the practical needs of his people (Deut 2:7), their clothes didn't even wear out (Deut 8:4).

Jesus promised that God will handle the details if I will seek after the kingdom, if I am seeking out God's will and work for my life it will take up all of the time that would have been spent worrying about stuff that doesn't matter. God is in control and there isn't anything that I can do to change what tomorrow will bring, whether it is sadness or joy, poverty or riches, it is all up to him.

Help me to leave the details in your hands Lord.

Obedience Brings Blessings

Doing what Jesus says has it's benefits.

Luke 11:27-28  As He was saying these things, a woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “The womb that bore You and the one who nursed You are blessed!”

28 He said, “Even more, those who hear the word of God and keep it are blessed!”

Luke 8:21 But He replied to them, “My mother and My brothers are those who hear and do the word of God.”

John 13:17  If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. 

---

Wouldn't it be great if you could guarantee that your life will be full of blessings? Well you can. There is a lifestyle that you can adopt that will insure that blessings will come your way.

Jesus gave us this equation, "obedience=blessings." He told us that if we hear the Word of God and do it then our lives will be blessed by it. It makes perfect sense, if you are pleasing somebody wouldn't they be more likely to want to do good things for you, it's the same way with God.

Doing what he says will bring blessings to us but that isn't our real goal, our obedience isn't a way to gain favor with God and get bonus points, nor is it a way to get God to love us more. Don't think that it is a means to obtain an easy life, it may be the exact opposite, your life could be much harder because of obedience. Our motivation for obedience isn't for earthly gain, instead it should be that we want to get to know God better and it should help me move a step closer to becoming more like him.

I need to become more like Christ everyday, my obedience will help me to be more like him and it will bring blessings into my life that will prove that I am in his family.

Thank you Lord for all of the blessings that you have given to me.

Clean On The Outside, Just Don't Look In There

What condition is your heart in?

Luke 11:37-41  As Jesus was speaking, one of the Pharisees invited him home for a meal. So he went in and took his place at the table.

38 His host was amazed to see that he sat down to eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony required by Jewish custom.

39 Then the Lord said to him, “You Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and wickedness! 40 Fools! Didn’t God make the inside as well as the outside? 41 So clean the inside by giving gifts to the poor, and you will be clean all over.

---

Most of us that have grown up in church have seen the ridiculous business meetings, the ones where the dumbest issues are fought for long and hard, most of the time the issue isn't anything that matters to God and yet the battle rages on.

Usually the problem is that we care too much about traditions and rituals. We would fit in just fine with the Pharisees that Jesus reprimanded for going through the motions with keeping rituals and the law but doing it all for the wrong motive.

I don't think that Jesus is endorsing the concept of eating with dirty hands but what he is saying is that the condition of your heart is so much more important. In the following scriptures of this chapter Jesus spoke out against the legalism and rituals that the Pharisees were using as a disguise, they looked like they had it all together but Jesus didn't see it that way. (Luke 11:37-54)

The condition of your heart is often displayed by the good deeds that you are willing to do, seeking justice and helping the poor is mentioned in these verses, love for people and giving them a helping hand rather than legalism and traditions are a good indication of the condition of your heart.

Focus on what's important

Micah 6:8  O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

The condition of my heart matters more to God than the traditions and rituals that I obey. I need to be authentic in my relationship with my Savior by loving people, justice, humility and mercy, after all those are the things that Jesus loves.

Help me to know the condition of my heart Lord.

Where Was Jesus Power Coming From

There are only two sources for this kind of power.

Luke 11:14-22  One day Jesus cast out a demon from a man who couldn’t speak, and when the demon was gone, the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed, 15 but some of them said, “No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons.” 16 Others, trying to test Jesus, demanded that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority.

17 He knew their thoughts, so he said, “Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A family splintered by feuding will fall apart. 18 You say I am empowered by Satan. But if Satan is divided and fighting against himself, how can his kingdom survive?"

John 8:12  “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

---

The reaction to Jesus' miracles were unbelievable sometimes, I remember the time that he healed the blind man and the Pharisees harass the man that was healed, this time a mute demon-possessed man is healed and again there isn't any joy. A miracle has just occurred and instead of a celebration there is a theological debate, the man just fades into the background as the crowd decides whether or not Jesus is working for the devil.

They knew that the power to do the things Jesus was doing could only come from God or Satan, the Pharisees cannot acknowledge that his power is from God so they have a problem, that leaves only one option and so they decide to say the power is from Satan.

The problem with saying that Jesus power is coming from Satan is that he and Jesus have never worked together to accomplish anything. How could the light of the world be working with power from the prince of darkness? Why would Satan go against one of his own? If it were not true then why would many of the demons fear Jesus and acknowledge him as the Son of God when they met him?

There was another group of people in the crowd besides the group that debated about the source of Jesus power, this group wanted Jesus to do some more miracles to test Jesus. Didn't they see enough evidence already?

It may be more clear to us looking back at history than it was to the people that were around Jesus during his ministry, there is a lot of benefit in seeing the bigger picture. We don't know how we would of reacted to Jesus ministry and whether or not we would have acknowledged that his power is from God.

I need to be careful to acknowledge his power all around me everyday.

You are an awesome, powerful God! It is wonderful to know that you are in control and that Satan has been defeated.

The Lord's Prayer

An example for us to learn from.

Luke 11:1-4  He was praying in a certain place, and when He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples.”

2 He said to them, “Whenever you pray, say: Father, Your name be honored as holy. Your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone in debt to us. And do not bring us into temptation.”

---

One time when Jesus was praying his disciples were close by his side, but it seems that they could not hear him praying, so they asked him to teach them to do it.

Jesus starts his sample prayer in a way that was strange to the Jews, this was a new concept to them, for them to refer to God as a father wasn't something that they did. God is supposed to be approached with awe and reverence yet he is also our loving father, but they had never viewed God in that way. They didn't realize that talking to God can be just as personal as talking to an earthly father can be.

The priorities in Jesus prayer made it clear that praying isn't a multipurpose tool in your pocket that we can whip out to save the day, notice that it's all about God first and then our needs. But look at the needs that Jesus mentions in this prayer, his list of stuff to ask for is much different than ours is, he asks for enough bread for today, forgiveness of sins and to keep us from temptation. Too many of our prayers are a check list of things that we don't really need.

"Prayer is the language of a man burdened with a sense of need.”

- E. M. Bounds

I need to be careful about my attitude in this area. Praying is part of a close relationship with God, I need to have respect for who he is and spend time listening to him rather than controlling the relationship myself.

You are awesome God, thank you for your Word which teaches us how to relate to you, thank you for allowing me to call you Father. Help me to pray as I should, focusing on you, focusing on my real needs and the needs of others.

So Much Work To Do

It is a good choice but discipleship and worship trump serving.

Luke 10:38-42  As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. 40 But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”

41 But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! 42 There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”

John 12:2-3  So they gave a dinner for Him there; Martha was serving them, and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him. 3 Then Mary took a pound of fragrant oil, pure and expensive nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped His feet with her hair. So the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

---

Mary and Martha both loved Jesus, their story really is a love story, both ladies were very devoted to what they were doing because of their love for Jesus but still, one of them wasn't doing the preferred thing at that moment.

Martha called Jesus the Messiah just before her brother was brought back from the dead (John 11:27), she was a true believer but she had her priorities mixed up. Jesus is right there in the house with her on two different occasions and both times she chooses to serve. On the same two occasions Mary chose to focus on discipleship and worship rather than working.

The first time that Mary sat at Jesus feet it was like any disciple or follower would, all of the rabbis at the temple had followers that sat at their feet and learned from them, Mary was interested in discipleship rather than serving. The second time that she was at Jesus feet was when she has her own worship service as she anointed Jesus feet with expensive perfume.

There are three good choices, serving, discipleship and worship, we have to make up our minds what the best choice is, which one will be our priority. It seems like it is the same as when the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth about love. Paul said that faith, hope, and love were all good but he made it clear that love was the greatest. (1 Corinthians 13:13)

Any pastor would be thrilled to have a church full of "Mary's and Martha's." The work would be getting done and there would also be lots of discipleship and worship. Service is wonderful to have but it is even more important to chose to worship Jesus and learn to be more like him. After-all Jesus himself told us to go and make disciples and to teach them, he didn't say go and make people that will serve (Matthew 28:19-20). There are a lot of lazy people in the church that need to be serving but their problem is that they probably are not worshiping or growing either.

Serving in my local church is important but I need to keep my priorities straight and remember that worship and discipleship are a notch above serving.

Help me Lord to serve you with my priorities in the right order.

How Generous Will I Be

The good Samaritan's charity presents the innkeeper with a choice.

Luke 10:34-35  Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him.

35 The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’

---

My previous post was the parable of the good Samaritan, we looked at the story the way that it has always been viewed with the focus on the Samaritan. While I was working on the post it occurred to me that I have never heard anyone talk about the innkeeper.

It dawned on me that the innkeeper has been given an opportunity, the Samaritan has begun a good work and he has asked the Jewish innkeeper to complete the rehab on the injured man and after promising to repay him for his expenses, the Samaritan leaves. We don't know what the innkeeper did but we do know that he has options, he can take care of the Jew that was beaten or he can take the money from the Samaritan and do nothing.

If he decides to care for the man, the innkeeper could:

• Keep a running tab of every single expense, he could be honest but legalistic about everything that it cost him. 
• Be a thief and inflate the bill, he could make it look like the guy received the best care and that he was living in luxury.
• Be like the Samaritan man and practice generosity as well.

The innkeeper could have looked out for himself and padded his own pockets as his reward for being bothered with this guy or he could be as kind as the good Samaritan was and help without any restrictions.

God wants me to be honest and to be generous in love and mercy, I need to be aware of the opportunities that come my way everyday.

Choose To Be Generous

When we see bad things happen it's an opportunity for generosity to shine through us.

Luke 10:30-37 Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road. 

31 “By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. 32 A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side. 33 “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. 

34 Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. 35 The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’ 

36 “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. 37 The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”

---

Jesus is still talking with the religious leader from yesterdays post that asked him what the most important command is. Jesus told him that he needs to love God and love his neighbor and then he asked Jesus a follow up question, "Who is my neighbor?" It sounds like this guy's question that he really wants to know is, "How small of a group of people do I have to be generous to?"

Jesus answers the question with a story that, like all good stories, included a crisis situation and a hero. There were three men that were presented with the opportunity to prove their compassion, two of them should have been friendly by the world's standards but they were not, and then there was the one that could have easily justified why he didn't help but instead he was the one that did.

All of them came across the same exact circumstances and they all made a decision. Two of them were very religious people, these two choose to take the easy way out and step away from the guy that was hurt, imagine being this guy and looking up and seeing your pastor and one of your deacons go walking by without giving you any help, it would definitely be time to go to a different church.  

The third guy which happened to be a Samaritan allowed his trip to be delayed, took the risk of being attacked by the same bandits and he gave up some of his belongings to administer first aid. He was generous in giving of his treasure and time and he did it for somebody that he wasn't even friends with, the Samaritans and the Jews were enemies, Jesus really proved his point in this parable by having the nice guy be the Samaritan.  

We need to love across borders and social boundaries, there shouldn't be any limitations on who we will go to and give generously, I am not too good that I shouldn't assist anybody that I can help. Jesus modeled the highest level of generosity for us:

2 Corinthians 8:9  You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor

Generosity is a quality that a Christ follower must have, Christ example to us makes it clear, he came to earth and gave generously everyday. I need to follow his example and be more compassionate and generous daily.

Lord, help me to be less selfish and think of others I need to meet some needs today.

The Golden Rule

God loves us and expects our response to be love for him and our neighbors.

Luke 10:25-28  One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?” 27 The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” 28 “Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!”

1 John 4:7-12  Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 12 No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.

---

The rule keepers had a question for Jesus, they always had questions to throw at him, they were trying to get him to say something that they could use against him. Imagine having the most awesome teacher in the world standing right in front of you and instead of asking a really sincere  question, truly wanting to know what his answer is, instead you show disrespect for the teacher and what he has to say.

The Pharisees came to Jesus with questions that were designed to build a case against him, this guy knew what the law said (Dt 6:5, Lv 19:18) and he was smart enough that he probably already knew the answer to his own question. He didn't know it but he had asked the most important question that we that we all need to know the answer to.

It's easy to summarize all of the Old Testament laws with Jesus statement to love God and love your fellow man. Such a simple rule and yet the religious leaders are still burdening the people with a long list of requirements.

God is the source of love, imagine what this world would look like without love, if God had never given us love we would be living a desperate, sad existence. We must not withhold love from everyone around us! If we are truly grateful for what has been done for us then we will not be able to refrain from showing his love to everyone that we can.

Help us Lord to love you more and to show it by loving others.

You might like to read:
Are You God's Friend   //  I Am Loved Unconditionally  //  We Love Because He First Loved Us