Today’s Reading: Luke 13:10-17, 22-30, 14:1-6, 18:9-14

One Sabbath day as Jesus was teaching in a synagogue, he saw a woman who had been crippled by an evil spirit. She had been bent double for eighteen years and was unable to stand up straight. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, “Dear woman, you are healed of your sickness!” Then he touched her, and instantly she could stand straight. How she praised God! – Luke 13:10-13

If you have ever pulled your back out or had back pain, you quickly empathize with this woman. 18 years of back pain, 18 years of looking at the ground when she walked. Yes, I imagine her response was absolutely to praise God! Can you picture it? She is standing tall with her arms lifted high above her head, thanking God for freedom and healing! SHE KNOWS! She knows the difference Jesus has made in her life and SHE KNOWS who is responsible!

You KNOW her pain and you probably KNOW this story, but do you KNOW the One who healed her? Not everyone knew God the way this woman did. Not everyone praised God for His faithfulness. Some were too caught up in rules and too distracted by the WHEN to focus on the WHO.

“There are six days of the week for working,” [the leader in charge of the synagogue] said to the crowd. “Come on those days to be healed, not on the Sabbath.”

But the Lord replied, “You hypocrites! Each of you works on the Sabbath day! Don’t you untie your ox or your donkey from its stall and lead it out for water? This dear woman, a daughter of Abraham, has been held in bondage by Satan for eighteen years. Isn’t it right that she be released, even on the Sabbath?” – Luke 13:14b-16

Jesus cared more about the one suffering than he did about the religious regulations and opinions of the religious leaders. He healed the woman on the Sabbath while teaching in the synagogue, right there for all to see. Shortly after this, on another Sabbath day, Jesus healed a man while he was eating dinner in the home of a leader of the Pharisees. Scripture says the people were watching him closely, but this did not keep him from touching the man with swollen arms and legs, healing him of his discomfort (Luke 14:1-6).

“Which of you doesn’t work on the Sabbath? If your son or your cow falls into a pit, don’t you rush to get him out?” – Luke 14:5b

Time and time again, Jesus showed who he was. The people had the choice to get to KNOW him, to focus on the man and see him as their Savior. We have that same choice. Jesus wants us to KNOW him – to have a personal relationship with him instead of a religion and set of rules.

Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few be saved?”

He replied, “Work hard to enter the narrow door to God’s Kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail. When the master of the house has locked the door, it will be too late. You will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Lord, open the door for us!’ But he will reply, ‘I don’t KNOW you or where you come from.’ Then you will say, ‘But we ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ And he will reply, ‘I tell you, I don’t KNOW you or where you come from. Get away from me, all you who do evil.’” – Luke 13:24-27

It takes more than being actively involved in a church or giving your time and resources to a good cause. We were created to have a relationship with our Creator. We can be of great importance to the church and still miss out on the narrow door to God’s Kingdom.

But isn’t that why we do this? We get up every morning and find a quiet spot to get to KNOW our Savior. “My Morning Coffee” time is not about the caffeine, it is about waking up in God’s presence and getting to KNOW Him – humbly listening for Him to teach us and willing to obey what He commands.

“Some who seem least important now will be the greatest then, and some who are the greatest now will be least important then.” – Luke 13:30b

Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’

“But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” – Luke 18:9-14

“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never KNEW you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’” – Matthew 7:21-23

Do you KNOW Him? Are you eager to know Him more? Let’s enjoy a second cup of morning coffee and ask God to help us know Him more, creating a desire in our heart to truly get to know Him.

Today’s Reading: John 9 & 11:1-44; Luke 11:33-36

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?”

“It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.” – John 9:1-5

Don’t we ask this same question all the time – Why has this happened? How could God allow this? Why is this person going through such a difficult time? Our hearts break when we watch those we love get sick; we fall to our knees when a diagnosis changes our lives forever. What did we do? Why has God allowed this suffering? We cannot see the road ahead of us through the pain and tears. What is ahead appears so dark; it is not a journey we want to walk and we beg God to take it away!

Jesus says – I am the light of the world. I will shine my light in the darkness that surrounds you. This has happened so the power of God can be seen in him – in you!

Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva and spread the mud over the blind man’s eyes. He told him, “Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam” (Siloam means “sent”). So the man went and washed and came back seeing. – John 9:6-7

Later, after the man had been questioned by the Pharisees, Jesus found him and asked him, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

Then Jesus told him, “I entered this world to render judgment – to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.” – John 9:35-39

How often do we think our faith is strong until something tragic happens and then we realize we do not have enough faith to get us through this difficult time – we realize we are blind and we need Jesus, the Light of the World, to give us sight. We want to believe – Lord, help us to believe! Strengthen our faith and shine your light into our situation.

Mary and Martha asked similar questions of Jesus when their brother died. They were grieving and begging Jesus to explain himself – to do something!

Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask.” – John 11:21-22

When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.” – John 11:32

Before arriving, Jesus had told his disciples, “Lazarus’ sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this” (John 11:4). Later, at Lazarus’ grave, Jesus said, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.” Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in grave clothes, his face wrapped in a head cloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!” (John 11:40-44).

Why has this happened? So that we can see – so that we can see the Light of the World and believe, so that we can see the glory of God! Perhaps this prayer is for you today:

Heavenly Father, thank you for hearing me. I know that you always hear me but sometimes I need to remind myself that you are listening, that you love me and have not abandoned me. God, when I feel like darkness is closing in around me and my heart is breaking, please give me sight! Light of the World, wrap your arms around me so that I can see YOU in the midst of all that is happening around me. Show me your glory! Please do something so miraculous that it can only be explained as you and your power and to your glory! Help me to believe, give me the MIRACLE OF SIGHT today. Then fill me with your light, so that I can be radiant for you today. Amen.

“No one lights a lamp and then hides it or puts in under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house.

Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. But when it is bad, your body is filled with darkness. Make sure that the light you think you have is not actually darkness. If you are filled with light, with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant, as though a floodlight were filling you with light.” – Luke 11:33-36

Today’s Reading: Luke 12:1-2, 22-59 and 13:1-5; Matthew 23:37-39; Luke 13:31-35

At this point, the crowds following Jesus were huge! Luke described the crowd as thousands of people milling around and stepping on each other. Picture the chaos of the Taste of Chicago or the crowds that gather when the President comes to town. In the middle of this large crowd, Jesus turned to his disciples and began to teach them. I wonder how caught off guard they were. Here they were surrounded by the masses, who were all there to hear from Jesus, and he was taking the time to huddle up with them and teach them.

Jesus knew something they did not know. He knew their time together was drawing to an end. He knew the plot against his life was building strength and he knew what was coming. But his disciples were not ready. There were things he needed to say – things they needed to hear – and he was not going to wait another minute to tell them.

Beware of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. What they are planning and what they are whispering in dark corners will soon be revealed for all to see. Do not be afraid of them. Fear only God, who holds your future in His hands. Do not be afraid and do not worry.

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

Jesus knew those who were plotting to kill and destroy would turn their focus on his disciples after he was gone. They would not be content with killing Jesus, they would keep targeting their envy until all Jesus’ followers stopped speaking of him. He did not say to his disciples “if”, he said “when”. And he said – Do not worry. Do not be afraid.

“And WHEN you are brought to trial in the synagogues and before rulers and authorities, don’t worry about how to defend yourself or what to say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said…” – Luke 12:11-12

“That is why I tell you NOT TO WORRY about everyday life – whether you have enough food to eat or clothes to wear. For life is more than food, and your body is more than clothing. 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! Can your worries add a single moment to your life? And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?

“Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” – Luke 12:22-34

Jesus wanted them to understand that he was leaving them and they would need to be responsible servants while he was gone. He was leaving them behind with a job to do. It would not be easy but he wanted them to understand his instructions and be prepared for what was ahead. He was moving their focus from the kingdoms of the world to the Kingdom of God.

“…When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.” – Luke 12:48b

Just as Jesus was warning of the crisis that was ahead, news came that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices in the Temple. This did not happen because the worshippers were sinners or deserved death. No, we are all in need of repentance and persecution can happen to any of us.

These verses remind me of the recent tragedy in Charleston, South Carolina, when a young man opened fire in a small group Bible study, killing nine people. It is in moments like this that we need to remember Jesus’ advice to his disciples. It is in the midst of the chaos and crowd that we need to HUDDLE UP and listen carefully to what Jesus is saying:

Do not fear what people can do to you, fear only God.
Do not worry about your everyday needs, but focus on God and His Kingdom.
Do not be confident in what this world has to offer and store up earthly treasures, but understand they can all be gone in a moment.
Pray God will give you a heart that desires the treasures of Heaven.
Until Christ returns, be a faithful servant and carry out the work He has given.

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.” – Luke 12:31

Today’s Reading: Luke 10:38-42, 11:37-54, 12:13-21

Brothers and sisters. There is something unique in our relationship with our siblings. We grow up playing together, laughing at one another, and fighting with each other. In today’s passages of scripture, we see two encounters Jesus has with siblings having a difficult time getting along – two sisters and two brothers.

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. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. 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.”

But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.” – Luke 10:38-42

Focus on self – Martha was distracted by her own efforts to do a good thing but the focus somehow moved from the good thing she was doing to WHO was doing the good thing – herself. Martha’s focus was on the amount of hard work SHE was doing.

Focus on others – Martha then became distracted by the lack of work that her sister was doing. Even though Martha was the one who had invited Jesus into her home, she had expectations on the other people around her. Her focus was on what other people were not doing.

Focus on Jesus – It was not enough that Martha had invited Jesus into her home. It was not enough that Martha was working hard for Jesus. What Jesus desired of Martha was for her to spend time with him – for her to sit at his feet, as Mary was doing, and listen to all he wanted to teach her. Jesus wanted her to sit in his presence and focus on him and, by doing so, build her relationship with him.

Then someone called from the crowd, “Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father’s estate with me.”

“Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” – Luke 12:13-21

Focus on self – How much can I accumulate? How much can I gain? How comfortable can I make myself? Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.” – Luke 12:15

Focus on others – How much more does he have than I have? It’s not fair! He has more than I do! Look what he is doing with his money. This is what I would do if I had that kind of money…

Focus on God – Be rich in God and in your relationship with Him instead of focusing on earthly gain.

“Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” – Luke 12:21

Jesus called the Pharisees and religious leaders out on the same kind of misdirected focus. They were focused on the outside instead of the inside. They were focused on tithing but ignoring justice and the love of God. They were caught up in the glory of their religious position instead of positioning themselves to get to know the Savior (Luke 11:37-54).

God, create in me a desire to want more of you and only you. May the luster of earthly treasures lose its shine where my heart is concerned. Create in me a heart that is generous and not greedy. May I be so filled with your Spirit that I only wish well for others. May I be more concerned about sitting at your feet and storing up a rich relationship with you than I am about anyone or anything else around me. May my focus today be on you, God, and may that focus show me the needs of others around me so that I can be used by you. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Luke 10:1-37

Forgiveness. Freedom. Mercy. Let us consider the freedom we experience when we choose forgiveness and mercy. What would our life look like if we consistently let forgiveness flow and LET MERCY SHOW? What would it sound like to truly let freedom ring?

“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” – Matthew 6:14-15

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” – Matthew 5:7

Mercy is, by definition, forgiveness. Merriam-Webster defines mercy as compassion, especially towards someone who has offended you, or compassionate treatment of someone in distress. If we want to experience mercy in our lives, we need a heart that is merciful toward others.

Not one of us is perfect. We have all sinned and we are all in need of a Savior – of mercy extended beyond what we deserve. It is this mercy that allows us entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven and the opportunity to begin experiencing eternal life right here on earth – mercy extended to us because we have a heart that extends mercy toward others.

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?”

The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” – Luke 10:25-29

The man understood that he was to love God and he knew who God was. That part was easy. But how does Jesus define “neighbor”? The people who live by me? The people I work with? My family and members of my Church? The man was essentially saying to Jesus – define for me “neighbor” so that I can, by process of elimination, understand who is not my “neighbor”.

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.

“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. A temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.” – Luke 10:31-32

If either of these men who worked in the temple came in contact with a dead body, they would be considered “unclean” and temporarily unable to serve in the Temple and offer sacrifices to God. Helping this man who was so close to death was risking ritual impurity.

Do I help the one if it means I cannot help the masses? How often do we use this as an excuse for not reaching out to someone in need? God, I’m so busy reaching out to those to whom you have called me. You must plan for someone else to help this person in desperate trouble because you have already given me this other call. We excuse ourselves from responding to one person by reminding ourselves of how much good we are doing in the lives of other people. We give ourselves permission to turn our back on one person’s need by focusing on the ministry we prefer. Lord, forgive me. I am so guilty of this.

“Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. 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. 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.’

Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.” – Luke 10:33-37

To truly be a follower of Jesus, we must be willing to go where He leads and do as He tells us to do. It is in those moments when we choose restoration and LET FORGIVENESS FLOW that Jesus draws us closer to Him. It is in those moments when we choose compassion and LET MERCY SHOW that we learn what it means to truly love our neighbor. It is in those moments when we stop seeing the reflection of past mistakes and sins, that we truly will LET FREEDOM RING.

Today’s Reading: John 7 & 8

Forgiveness. Freedom. Mercy. Let us consider the freedom we experience when we choose forgiveness and mercy. What would our life look like if we consistently let forgiveness flow and mercy show? What would it sound like to truly LET FREEDOM RING?

The Jewish leaders were so caught up on where Jesus had come from and from whom he had been born that they were missing who Jesus was and from whom he had been sent. They tried to use this information to prove that he was not the Messiah. They knew where Joseph and Mary were from and they knew that Jesus had grown up in Galilee so they assumed he was also born in Galilee. They actually used the argument that, if Jesus truly was the Messiah, he would have been born in Bethlehem as the Scriptures clearly state (John 7:42). They were making accusations without having all the information, something I am afraid I have been guilty of at times.

While Jesus was in the Temple, he called out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I come from. But I’m not here on my own. The one who sent me is true, and you don’t know Him. But I know him because I come from him, and he sent me to you.” – John 7:28-29

Let’s keep in mind that the Pharisees and Jewish leaders knew who Jesus’ mother was when we consider what they did next. They probably knew she was found to be with child before she was married to Joseph. John tells us that these teachers of the law were trying to trap Jesus when they brought to him a woman who had been caught in adultery. They were waiting to see if Jesus would be faithful to the law of Moses, which demanded she be stoned.

…but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “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.” – John 8:6-12

We continue today to judge one another by where we came from, who our parents are and by the sins of our past. The enemy wants to define us by these things so that he can convince us that we belong to the sinful world and not to our Heavenly Father. If he can convince us of this, it is easier for him to convince us that sinning is simply a part of who we are and where we came from.

But Jesus says – I know who you are and what you have done. Go and sin no more. You don’t have to continue to walk in darkness if you follow me for I am the light of the world. If you will walk in my light, you will truly experience life. Jesus went on to explain you will also experience true freedom if you follow his teachings instead of remaining a slave to sin.

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free…I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.” – John 8:31-32,34-36

Freedom – freedom from who the world wants us to be, freedom from who others define us to be, and freedom from our past mistakes and sins.

In anger, the people asked Jesus, “Who do you think you are?” They also asked him where his father was and then made the statement, “We are not illegitimate children! God himself is our true Father” (8:53,19,41). Oh yes, they knew what they were doing when they brought to Jesus a woman caught in adultery. What they didn’t know is who Jesus truly was and to whom he belonged.

When others try to define you by where you came from or try to condemn you with what is in your past, remember who you truly are – You are a child of God, forgiven and set free from sin. When the enemy tries to pull you back into a life of sin, remember who you truly are – you are no longer a slave to sin but a part of God’s family forever. You have been set free from the past, free from sin and you are a faithful follower of Jesus.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 17:22-27, 18:15-35; Mark 9:30-32, 11:22-25; Luke 9:43b-45

Forgiveness. Freedom. Mercy. As we enter into this week’s holiday celebrations, let us consider the freedom we experience when we choose forgiveness and mercy. What would our life look like if we consistently LET FORGIVENESS FLOW and mercy show? What would it sound like to truly let freedom ring?

If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two or three witnesses. If the person refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.

“I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” – Matthew 18:15-20

Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.” – Mark 11:22-25

Here are two separate moments in which Jesus coupled the issue of forgiveness and restoration with the idea of our prayers being answered. UNFORGIVENESS BLOCKS OUR PRAYER LIFE. God’s plan is for us to be all about forgiving others and bringing restoration into relationships that are strained or in need of resolution. I am to walk into these situations in strong faith that God will be in the middle of it all, that He will be with us through our attempts at restoration. Our own forgiveness depends on our commitment to forgiving others, not just in our hearts but through necessary conversations.

“Pray like this:
Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.

“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” – Matthew 6:9-15

Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”

“That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.” – Matthew 18:21-35

Jesus lived out this kind of forgiveness. He knew he was going to be betrayed by one of his closest followers, one of the Twelve. He knew he would be handed over to those who were plotting against him. He knew he would be killed and how significant his death and resurrection would be to the forgiveness of all. Yet he lived an example of being a good citizen, paying the Temple tax in order not to offend those who were going to be instrumental in his coming death.

Father, reveal in me any unforgiveness . Strengthen my faith to believe that you will be with me in any attempt I make to restore a relationship or extend a hand of forgiveness. May the words coming out of my mouth reflect a heart of forgiveness – not bitterness, unforgiveness or gossip. Make me uncomfortable with any relationship or situation in which you want me to seek restoration. Transform my mind, precious Lord. May my life be described as FORGIVEN and not UNFORGIVING.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 8:18-22, 18:1-5, 19:1-2; Mark 9:33-41, 10:1; Luke 9:46-62

Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed? If anyone is ashamed of me and my message, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in his glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels. I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Kingdom of God.” – Luke 9:23-27

TURN FROM YOUR SELFISH WAYS.

What great advice for the disciples and what great advice for us today. The disciples did not quite get this lesson the first time they heard it, just as we struggle to overcome our own selfish tendencies day after day.

Then his disciples began arguing about which of them was the greatest. But Jesus knew their thoughts, so he brought a little child to his side. Then he said to them, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me also welcomes my Father who sent me. Whoever is the least among you is the greatest.” – Luke 9:46-48

Every year during baseball season, Scott and I have the same debate – Which major league baseball team is better, the Chicago Cubs or the St. Louis Cardinals? It seems obvious to me which team is the best, yet every year the Cardinals and Cubs fans spend hours arguing over which is the better team and which is the better ballpark. Now this rivalry between sports teams is all in fun and simply a part of the American culture, but what Jesus is warning us about here is a different kind of pride.

DO NOT THINK TOO HIGHLY OF YOURSELF.

Before you dismiss this thought too quickly, take time to allow the Holy Spirit to remind you of the last time you assessed someone before really getting to know them. We often judge others by their appearance or their financial situation or their family heritage. This mindset of considering ourselves to be better than other people can and will get in the way of us truly following Jesus.

John said to Jesus, “Master, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he isn’t in our group.”

But Jesus said, “Don’t stop him! Anyone who is not against you is for you.” – Luke 9:49-50

We cannot pick and choose WHERE we go if we are sincerely following Jesus wherever He is at work.

We cannot pick and choose WHO we minister to if we are sincerely following Jesus to whomever He is leading us to.

We cannot pick and choose WHAT we do if we are sincerely following Jesus doing what He wants us to do.

We cannot pick and choose WHEN we follow Jesus so that it only fits into our schedule where it is convenient, giving Jesus only our leftover time.

As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.”

But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.” – Luke 9:57-62

Chris Tomlin wrote a song that speaks of this kind of commitment – a song of turning from selfish ways to complete surrender. Chris explained the song’s meaning: “The chorus of this song makes some pretty bold claims. Who you love, I’ll love. How you serve, I’ll serve. Where you go, I’ll go. Even if I lose my life, I’ll follow you. While those words might be a true expression of the heart, when we hear them coming out of our own mouths, it should still be a little sobering. Are we really considering the implications of what we’re saying?…” [www.songfacts.com]

Can we sincerely say this is our song to Jesus today? Are we willing to love, to serve, to go, to lose? Are we truly willing to follow?

Lord, I pray that the Holy Spirit will reveal in me today any selfishness or pride. I pray that I will recognize the moments when I think too highly of myself. I long for complete surrender to follow you wherever you may lead.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 17:1-20, 18:6-10; Mark 9:2-29, 42-50; Luke 9:28-43a

Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed, and his clothes became dazzling white, far whiter than any earthly bleach could ever make them. Then Elijah and Moses appeared and began talking with Jesus. – Mark 9:2-4

WOW! What an experience for these three disciples. They were chosen by Jesus for this moment in history and they watched. They paid attention and experienced God!

Then a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son. Listen to him.” – Mark 9:7

Pay attention. Listen. You have been chosen for this moment and for the rest of your life. The disciples were not the only people paying attention, anticipating what Jesus might do next.

At the foot of the mountain, a large crowd was waiting for them. A man came and knelt before Jesus and said, “Lord, have mercy on my son. He has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.” – Matthew 17:14-16

My heart breaks for this father. Can you picture it? Start with a beautiful mountain and a crowd of people waiting in anticipation to hear from Jesus. A man comes and surrenders himself to Jesus by falling to his knees. He pleads for the life of his son. He has tried to receive help from Jesus’ followers but their lack of faith has left him disappointed, so he goes directly to Jesus for help.

As a parent, it is painful to consider what this man must be feeling. His son is sick and there’s nothing he can do to help him – nothing but fall on his knees before the one man who he believes can free his son from this illness that takes over his body. If the boy has often fallen into the fire or water, as the scripture says, his parents have rescued him and saved his life time after time. Imagine the burns that they have had to treat or the water they have had to push out of his lungs in order to keep him alive. They know they have done all they can do and what they now need is divine intervention.

This father is much like others we have watched fall on their knees before God and beg for the healing of a family member. Watching their loved one suffer feels much like “going through the fire”. Ever felt like you were drowning? Stress and pressure from life’s circumstances pile up around you and make it hard for you to breath. “I’m drowning here, Lord! Please save me!” Hear the desperation of a believer in Jesus crying out to be rescued – crying out for healing, begging for escape.

Jesus said, “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” – Matthew 14:17

“Bring the boy here to me.” Can you hear it? It’s the HOPE of a father as he runs to get his son. I imagine the words of Jesus were still ringing in his ears and bouncing around his heart as he returned to Jesus with his precious son.

Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment the boy was well.

“You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.” – Matthew 17:17-20

Oh, give us a stronger faith, Lord! Strengthen the faith of your Church and your followers. May we humbly fall on our knees before you, believing that nothing is impossible for you. May we empty ourselves of any thoughts that we are capable of helping others without you.

FIRE & WATER – What kind of fire is life throwing you into? What situations or circumstances are you drowning in? Let’s shift thoughts here and consider how often the fire and water are simply the result of our own sinful decisions. There are times when the fire and water in our life are undeserved and times when they are the natural consequences of our own arrogance and selfishness.

After healing the boy, Jesus spoke of fire and water in the context of punishment or consequences for our sins.

About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”

“What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting. So if your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut if off and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand or one foot than to be thrown into the eternal fire with both of your hands and feet. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.” – Matthew 18:1-10

Precious Father, may our hands and feet be your instruments today. May we be expressions of your love to those around us. Empty us of any arrogance or thoughts of what WE can accomplish so that we can humbly kneel before you and believe in faith that today YOU will do great and miraculous things among us! May our faith help others to find you and may we never do anything that would cause someone else to stumble in their journey to you. We pray all of this in your precious and holy name, Amen.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 16:5-28; Mark 8:14-9:1; Luke 9:18-27

Later, after they crossed to the other side of the lake, the disciples discovered they had forgotten to bring any bread. “Watch out!” Jesus warned them. “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

Then at last they understood that he wasn’t speaking about the yeast in bread, but about the deceptive teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. – Matthew 16:5-12

Have you ever met someone who takes everything you say literally? The use of sarcasm goes right past them and they look at you with a puzzled expression, trying to figure out why you said what you said. Then there is that person that uses the term “literally” while exaggerating, making their statement near impossible. For example, “I have literally told you this a million times!” Oh, if they only literally understood the definition of the word “literally”.

The disciples were struggling with distinguishing when Jesus was speaking to them in literal terms and when he was speaking figuratively. He spoke to them often in parables but here they are once again missing the meaning of what Jesus is trying to teach them because they are thinking in human terms instead of spiritual concepts.

Jesus understands their misunderstanding and so he patiently goes back to square one with them:

“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
“Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”
Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”
Simon answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being…” – Matthew 16:13b-17

You can almost hear Jesus patiently saying – Okay, I was just checking to make sure you remember who I really am because it seems to me like you still do not get it. How often do we need reminded of who God is when we are going through a time of uncertainty? Our heavenly Father is revealing Himself to us if we will simply look beyond our earthly understanding to see things from God’s perspective. Peter had to learn that lesson…again.

When they arrived in Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Jesus, and they begged him to touch him. Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. Then, spitting on the man’s eyes, he laid his hands on him and asked, “Can you see anything now?”

Then Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes again, and his eyes were opened. His sight was completely restored, and he could see everything clearly. – Mark 8:22-25

Jesus knew that the disciples’ understanding was blurry, just like the man’s vision. He had taken them from complete darkness to a fuzzy understanding. Now it was time to speak plainly. Now it was time for Jesus to reveal to them what was ahead.

From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples PLAINLY that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead.

Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.” – Matthew 16:21-23

My prayer for all of us is that God would reveal much to us today. I pray that God will help us to see beyond our limited, human point of view to His heavenly perspective. I pray for moments today when we are reminded of whom we serve and how powerful He is. No situation or circumstance is too big for Him. Precious Heavenly Father, give us eyes to see beyond our human point of view and increase our understanding of how things look from YOUR perspective. We love you and we trust you today – literally! Amen.