My time in actual devotions was short today as I continued my preparation for leading the church body in communion tomorrow.
My passage was Luke 10:38-42. This is a very interesting conversation between Jesus and Martha after she had invited Him into her home to teach to those who were with Him. Martha had a sister, Mary who lived with her. While Jesus was teaching, Martha was running all around trying to finalize all the preparations for hosting all that were in her home. Rather than help Martha with all of these preparations, Mary was sitting at the feet of Jesus listening to His teaching. Martha was so frustrated with Mary not helping her that she went to Jesus to get His help in petitioning Mary to help her – Jesus’ response was priceless.
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:41-42 [ESV]
I literally chuckled to myself when I read this but after thinking about what Jesus was saying, I became quite convicted about what I let come before my time at the feet of the Lord (in my quiet time with Him each day). “One thing is necessary, and Mary has CHOSEN the good portion…” There is no doubt that what Martha was doing was important but listening to the Lord was more important still. It will be awfully hard to say ‘Yes’ to that other thing that is vying for my time before my time with the Lord in His word each day.
And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” Luke 10:25-28 [ESV]
Some see this passage as a formal commendation of the way of works. If you want a way of salvation by doing works, this is it (with the implication that you won’t be able to do it). It is more likely that it is a word against faith-by-works. It is not what we do, considered as a work that counts toward merit, that matters, but our attitude. If we really love God in the way of which Jesus speaks, then we rely on him, not ourselves. This kind of love is our response to God’s love for us, not the cause of his acceptance of us. Jesus is not commending a new system of legalism different from the old one, but pointing to the end of all legalism. The lawyer wanted a rule or a set of rules that he could keep and so ‘merit ‘deserve’ eternal life. Jesus is telling him that eternal life is not a matter of keeping rules at all. To live in love is to live the life of the Kingdom of God. When we recognize the importance of the realm of the soul and spirit; if that area is sound, our whole person is well. Our attitude towards God determines the rest. If we really love Him, we love our neighbor too.
If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Luke 10:22 [ESV]
I LOVE this! It is through Jesus and only through Jesus that people come to know the Father as He is.
When I look back on my life as a believer, I can see that I could never have known the Father until I had the Son IN me and I IN Him. When I read God’s Word and the Living Word speaks to me through the interpretation the Holy Spirit gives me, I am able to see the character and person of God. I see His mercy, kindness, grace, love, and holiness. This knowledge leads to a Fear of the Lord because I have been given a glimpse of the Father through the person of Jesus.
Application:
It is only through a consistent closeness with Jesus that I can know the Father. There is a really important word in the verse above -> “Chooses”. Jesus has to Choose to reveal the Father to me…this needs to become part of my prayer routine…to ask Jesus to reveal the Father. The more I know God in all three persons, the more I will live with my view and focus on the hope of Heaven to come. I will also be more aligned to what the Lord’s direction in my life.
First day back to work after vacation and it was definitely a case of “the Monday’s”. Working to get back in the rhythm of normal daily life. Yesterday’s sermon on “Green Pastures” by Pastor Steve was exactly what we needed returning from a good vacation away but looking toward the busy couple of weeks ahead. Marianne’s photography business is doing very well and she is almost full up with work for this summer’s Senior Portraits run. On top of that we are coming up to seeing Bella off on a world wide missions trip for 6 months and the rest of the kiddos starting school…however, that also means its Football Season!
My reading today was Luke 10:13-20 where Jesus talks about unrepentant cities and the cost of rejecting His gospel when it comes by way His messengers. My focus though was drawn to these verses:
And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”
Luke 10:18-20 [NKJV]
As the 70 returned from their missions that Jesus sent them out on, they were talking about all that they were able to do in Jesus’ name; including the demons being ‘subject to them’. Jesus talks to them about this ability and power He has given them but then He is quick to remind them not to let this go to their heads…no, rejoice in that their reward and security are in heaven. Jesus wants their attention to be on the things that last rather than the earthly things. Even the people they prayed over and saw delivered from demons would still one day pass-away. Jesus wants His church’s perspective to always be centered on pointing people to the hope of being with Christ forever. There is work to be done and God gives us the calling and wisdom to execute the building of His Kingdom here on earth….but we should ever have our view in our windshield be the life in heaven that is awaiting us.
Today my reading in Luke 9:57-62 was all about the 3 men that either asked to follow Jesus or were asked by Jesus to follow Him. In each instance there was an earthly mindset applied the ‘drop it and go’ mindset Jesus was looking for. At the end of the day, the Kingdom of God waits for no one. God is building His Kingdom right now…am I a part of that building or am I still focused on the earthly things that distract me under the sun?
And it happened, as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”
So they answered and said, “John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again.”
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Peter answered and said, “The Christ of God.” Luke 9:18-20 [NKJV]
As I was reading this passage today it just made me think about how our world constantly tries to come up with someone Jesus is other than the Messiah. Even here ‘The Messiah” was not one of the ‘persons’ the disciples rattled off as who people said He was. It is just too hard to come to terms with Who Jesus is as the Messiah…because what it would mean is that people would have to admit that He is the answer, that He should be the person that they should worship, that He is exactly Who He says He is. The day will come when every knee will bow and worship Jesus for Who He truly is.
God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name, which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth.
Philippians 2:9-10
Application:
QUESTION: Am I already acknowledging Jesus and bowing to His name even now…before He returns in person? I am convicted by the fact that there are actions/times in my life that relegate Jesus to being ‘resurrected prophet’, ‘John the Baptist’, or ‘Elijah’. That He does not own the throne of my life…because in those places I have a different name on that throne. Between the sermon this morning by Pastor Koby and now this time in God’s Word, I need to not live for every day but to live for “Well done good and faithful servant”. This means living and making the most of every 5 minutes, an eternally focused 5 minutes.
For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written: “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’” So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.
Today was a mixed bag. It started out with me needing to go into work for a bit. We had a late breaking software change that was going to be a good win if it worked but we needed to have the confidence we didn’t break something else before Monday. In order to keep from my team having to come in before a super busy week, I chose to go instead. It paid off and the Dev Team was able to fix a pretty nasty bug in the experience. Picture below is me in the empty building at work this morning.
But then I came home and released Marianne to get started on a bunch of work that had been piling up on her and I took the Littles. Bella is still not feeling well so she was in bed and Sophie was spending the whole day with a neighborhood friend. What we decided to do was both good for me and for the Littles. They came with me for a little ‘Twighlight Golfing’. We had a wonderful time and the girls really enjoyed the cart and looking for golf balls. The pace of play was pretty bad so we joined up with Mr. Steve who was really nice.
For there were about five thousand men.
Then He said to His disciples, “Make them sit down in groups of fifty.” And they did so, and made them all sit down.
Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude. So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them. Luke 9:14-17 [NKJV]
The miracle of the feeding of 5000 is a little crazy. First, the Bible says that it was about 5000 men, but we are pretty confident that there were women and children with them…but let’s just stick with 5000 for a minute. Jesus tells the disciples to have all of the people to sit down in groups of 50…this is 100 groups! Just picture this in your mind’s eye, on a hillside with 100 groups of 50 people. Just the orchestration of making this group separation happen is pretty crazy.
The other thing that stood out to me was that Jesus looked up into Heaven. I used to kind of get on myself for looking up into heaven during worship or even when I pray sometimes. The reason for getting on myself is because God is right in my heart with me; the Holy Spirit dwells within me. I don’t need to look up to Heaven because He is right here. But seeing Jesus do this helps me to see that prayer and worship can also be focused on the Trinity. The Holy Spirit lives within me here on earth, but we together can petition, serve, and address God the Father and Jesus the Son in Heaven. There is something quite powerful about this if you keep it within that context.
Application:
First off, the feeding of the five thousand is a continuation of yesterday’s points about Jesus’ caring heart and tenderness He shows us. Second, Praying and Worshiping while looking up to Heaven is a powerful acknowledgement of the situation of our earthly state with the Holy Spirit; and the Father and Son being in Heaven. The Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf and the Son represents our needs/situation to the Father. Then through the Holy Spirit, God sends us comfort, peace, wisdom, knowledge, and strength. So, gazing up into Heaven during worship and prayer is 100% appropriate in my book.
The last two days have been a crazy ramp to next week where we will have our GOV customer with us witnessing the testing of the product we are building. My team is the one who plans and executes that testing…will be a stressful week.
And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done. Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing. Luke 9:10-11 [NKJV]
This is time right after the apostles had returned from their missions journey where the Lord had given them power over demons and the ability to heal. This is one of those passages where you see the tender heart of Jesus our Savior. Read the above passage again and think of that Man standing at the right hand of the Father in Heaven representing us and our needs.
He took them aside privately (intimately). He wanted personal alone time with His friends and disciples to hear their stories and encourage them after their travels. Somehow the multitudes of people who had been following Jesus got wind of where He was with the disciples and they came to Him. He then promptly shoo’d them away and went back to spending time with His friends….nope, that not what happened. He received them, spoke to them about the Kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing.
Application:
When Jesus told the disciples that He would send a helper, this is how I think the Holy Spirit wants to be with us. He receives us when we follow and seek Him out. He reveals things about the Kingdom of God through His Living Word as we read our Bibles. He heals our hearts and gives us peace when we need it. This is the Holy Spirit inside of us Who is available when our inner spirit seeks to commune with Him. I need to constantly remind myself that this picture of Jesus above in the passage is Who the Holy Spirit is for me in this life under the sun.
First day back to work after a 4-day weekend…Meh. I really enjoyed being off. Lots of time with my kiddos and Marianne and I could have used more. I needed to be back to work though as the next 10 days are going to be quite crazy and busy.
Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
Luke 9:1-2 [NKJV]
On the topic of ‘Spiritual Gifts’ comes a lot about what God’s Word has to say, as well as a lot of opinion around the Christian community on said gifts. Pastor Steve’s rollup on gifts over the last 2 weeks of June was really good and essentially nets out to be a couple of takeaways.
Gifts given by the God are rare
Gifts are always for the Glory of God alone
Gifts are always given by the God at His discretion
Gifts edify/build up the church body
Here we see the extension of abilities to the Disciples by Jesus for the work of ministry. JESUS GAVE THEM POWER to do these things. They did not get these powers by just following Jesus. Like Jesus, the Spirit will give gifts to facilitate ministry and to equip for specific tasks. The focus of the Disciples in this commissioning was to take care of both the spirit (through the Gospel and casting out demons) and the body (by curing diseases). There is nothing said of personal edification or anything…in fact Jesus sent them on their way with no provisions for themselves…. everything would be provided by God through hospitable people in each town that would accept them.
Application:
Firstly, I need to always bump up the presence of supposed gifts with the backing of scriptural support. When it happens, it will fit within the takeaways above. Secondly, God provides when He is using me in the furthering/building of His Kingdom. He equips: I just need to BELIEVE and be OBEDIENT to what He is calling me to do.
Today was all about the 4th of July Parade in Bothell, WA. Marianne did such an awesome job grabbing us some great seats in the shade and we were able to cheer on the Cedar Park Christian Cheer Team as they walked the route. Great memories created today. Thats Bella doing a heart with her hands, Prim standing to her right, and Sophie is in the back of the group pulling the wagon with her hand in the air.
While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher.”
But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.” Luke 8:49-50 [NKJV]
See, I can only get a few verses each day before the Lord gives me a new primary takeaway, I feel I must absorb and apply. Today is no different.
“While He was still speaking…” is when He was telling the woman who had the Blood disorder that her faith had healed her and to go in peace. So the feeling is that these things are happening right after each other in a quick-fire kind of way. You must notice that Jarius says nothing here…Jesus doesn’t let him get a word in (right after the messenger brings word that his daughter had already passed away). I can see Jesus turning his attention to Jarius and holding His hand up saying [Ben’s paraphrasing and color added], “Don’t lose it, don’t worry or be afraid…Just believe. Your daughter will be made well.” As we follow the rest of the story, that promise is made good on by Jesus telling the girl to get up and she does.
Application:
The order of events here are 1) Jarius comes to plead with Jesus (falling at Jesus’ feet even) to save his daughter who is dying, 2) Jesus’ journey through the city is interrupted by a lady touching His cloak and Jesus stopping to address her, 3) a messenger comes and says that Jarius’ daughter is dead, 4) Jesus comforts and reassures Jarius that his daughter would be made well, and 5) Jesus comes through on that promise…but there are two words that Jesus presses in His reassurance to Jarius, –> “only Believe“. This same set of steps happens all the time to us. So, how do I apply “only Believe” in my earthly walk? I Believe that what God is doing is to bring about His good will and purposes. That when I pray, I pray believing that God’s best outcome for my situation will prevail — this may not be the outcome I am looking for; but it is the outcome leading to the completion of His will on this earth in my set of circumstances. I can’t lose heart; I must keep faith in the moments.
