Brothers and Sisters 😊

📖 In Luke chapter 11 today we see the disciples sincerely inquiring how they should pray, and Jesus responding that they should pray believing the beautiful reality about the true heart and nature of God, not as an evil tyrant or harsh taskmaster, but rather a faithful and overflowing fountain of goodness and generosity toward His children…

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks will receive, and the one who seeks will find, and the one who knocks it will be opened” (vs 9,10).

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Q. How encouraging is it to know that the sovereign and majestic God who is in full control of every molecule in the universe, and holds all things together by the power of His will, has warmly and graciously invited us to communicate with Him despite all of our past sinfulness and wrongdoing against Him?

🙏 Heavenly Father, thank you so much that we not only have complete access to your throne of grace, but because of Jesus costly sacrifice at the cross we can have the fullest confidence that you will never withhold even one good thing from us when we pray – We praise you today that you are for us and not against us, and that you who did not spare your own Son but gave Him up for us all, will also with Him graciously give us all things…

✝️ “What earthly father among you if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then having the capacity for evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the perfect and righteous Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭11:11-13

Brothers and Sisters 😊

📖 In Luke chapter 10 today we see the clear distinction between Gospel grace and man’s religion, as Jesus relays the parable of the good Samaritan and breaks down the pride of the lawyer scribe who was hell-bent on self justification instead of merciful restoration through Christ alone…

“And behold, a lawyer stood up to put Jesus to the test, saying, ‘Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?’ Jesus said to him, ‘What is written in the Law? How do you read it?’ And the scribe 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 Jesus said to him, ‘You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live” (vs 25-28).

Q. Have you ever believed that you could obey the commandment of love toward God and your neighbor well enough to qualify yourself to inherit eternal life?

Q. If we all fall short of meeting God’s perfect standard of love, what hope do we have to be reconciled to, accepted by, approved of, forgiven, favored, adopted, blessed, treasured, and eternally loved by Him?

(GOT JESUS)!

🙏 Heavenly Father thank you so much for sending your Son to give us an eternal right-standing with you, as Jesus lived the perfect life we could not live, and died the painful death on the cross that we deserve – Please empower us by your Spirit to respond with a life full of gratitude toward you, and merciful love toward others, because of your amazing Gospel of grace toward us…

✝️ “And Jesus said, ‘Which of these men proved himself to love his neighbor well? “The scribe replied, ‘The one who showed him mercy and compassion.’ And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭10:36-37‬ ‭

Brothers and Sisters 😊

In Luke chapter 9 today we see a lifesaving promise from our gracious God about proactively seeking His glory instead of our own, and also a firm warning to fight our carnal tendency to idolize the things of this world…

“And Jesus said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it” (vs 23-24).

Q. Is it legit to believe that because of the fallen nature of mankind, the human heart (like an idol factory) is so drawn to the here and now that often times we can’t see the heavenly forest through the earthly trees?

Q. When it comes to the concept of holding temporary things loosely, and storing up our treasures in heaven – where do you stand?

🙏 Heavenly Father I confess the many times I have not made you my priority, even though you made it a priority to redeem a broken and rebellious sinner like me – Thank you so much for sending your Son Jesus, who willingly gave up His life so that we could have the greatest of all gifts.

🙏 Lord Jesus we praise you today for “Setting your face (like flint) toward Jerusalem” even to death on the cross for all who would put their trust in you! Please help us never be ashamed of sharing the good news of your Gospel, and living a life of full-time allegiance and loyalty to you – You are so worth it, and we will never regret it…

✝️ “For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭9:25‬ ‭

Brothers and Sisters 😊

📖 In Luke chapter 8 today we see the powerful and compassionate heart of God, as Jesus graciously brings new life to many troubled souls, and transforms His female image bearers into beloved and treasured daughters of the Most High Father…

“Casting out their demons and afflictions” (vs 2),

“Encouraging and illuminating Mothers and Sisters” (vs 21),

“Healing her chronically ill condition as she touched the hem of His garment” (vs 44),

and “Raising Jairus’s young daughter from the dead” (vs 54).

Q. Has anyone else experienced the honor, privilege, and overwhelming joy of watching their daughter come to put her trust in Christ?

🙏 Heavenly Father thank you so much for using storms, trials, thorns, and sufferings as a means of grace that result in the humbling salvation of your people.

❤️ Big time shout out today to Lora Lisa Swart, my beautiful daughter and blossoming child of God – by His grace you have not given up during life’s difficult battles…

🙏 Lisa, may you look to Jesus above all else for your identity, purpose, joy, and fulfillment, and continue to respond to His kindness with true faith and repentance for the good of your soul and the glory of God…

✝️ “And Jesus said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well, go in peace.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭8:48‬ ‭

Brothers and Sisters 😊

📖 In Luke chapter 7 today we see a transformational example of God’s sovereign and gracious plan to rescue people from every tribe, tongue, and nation on earth, as the gentile Roman centurion shows great humility and strong faith in the deity and power of Christ…

“And when Jesus was not far from the house, the centurion sent his friends out to Jesus with this message, ‘Lord, do not trouble yourself to come any farther, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, nor am I worthy to come to you. But say the word only and I know that my servant will be healed” (vs 6-7).

Q. In light of our past rebellion and defiance against God, is anyone else feeling great gratitude and affection for our Savior because of true and liberating “Amazing Love” lyrics like these…

“I’m forgiven because Jesus was forsaken, I’m accepted because Jesus was condemned, Now I’m alive and well, God’s Spirit is within me because Jesus died and rose again”?!!!

🙏 Heavenly Father thank you so much that by your grace you have grafted wild and unworthy olive branches into the True Vine, and have transferred lost and needy sinners like us out of the domain of darkness and into the Kingdom of your beloved Son.

🙏 Lord Jesus we praise you today that just as you granted abiding faith to the Roman centurion so long ago, you have performed an eternal healing miracle in our lives as well, ransoming and redeeming a people for your own possession both now and forever…

✝️ “And Jesus said, the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. Blessed are those who are not offended by me.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭7:22-23‬ ‭

Brothers and Sisters 😊

📖 In Luke chapter 6 today we see Jesus firmly relaying the radical contrast between the hearers and the doers of His Word, and the subsequent consequences for both…

✝️ “Why do you call me Lord and refuse to do what I say? Everyone who hears my words and does them is like a man building a house who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose against that house it could not shake it because it had been well built…But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When a stream broke against it immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great (Luke 6:46-49).

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🙏 Lord Jesus we praise you today that you have broken the power of sin through your costly sacrifice on our behalf – Please grant us wisdom and repentance that our choices and the trajectory of our lives be honoring and obedient to you, keep us close to you good Shepherd, and let us not be ignorant of the adversary and his ways, means, purposes, and devices of robbing us…

Q. Has the adversary or your flesh ever tempted you in these ways…

1. Satan’s first strategy will be to get you to doubt God’s word (Gen. 3:1).

2. He will then lure you away from fellowship (Heb. 3:12-15) and away from church (Prov. 18:1; Heb. 10:23-24).

3. He will try to exploit your natural weaknesses and tempt you to run to extremes (Matt. 26:33-35).

4. He will tempt you to care too much for your reputation (Luke 6:26) or too little (1 Tim. 3:7).

5. He will tempt you to prize your ministry over your family (1 Tim. 3:4-5) and your personal life (1 Tim. 4:16), or he will tempt you to value your family over Christ (Luke 14:26).

6. He will tempt you to rely on your own resources (1 Chron. 21:1; John 15:6), to avoid suffering (Matt. 16:22-23), or to compromise your convictions to evade persecution (Gal. 6:12).

7. He will tempt you with unbelief (Matt. 13:19; cf. Ps. 3:1) and despair (Ps. 73).

8. He will tempt you to trust your own righteousness (Luke 18:9-14), even the smallest sliver (Gal. 1:8-9; 5:1-4).

9. He will tempt you with money (Matt. 13:22; 26:15; 1 Tim. 6:9), fame (Matt. 4:6; John 5:44), sexual pleasure (1 Cor. 7:5; 10:8; 1 Tim. 5:1), or a life of selfish ease (Luke 12:13-21).

10. He will tempt you to grasp for authority (1 Tim. 3:6; 3 John 1:9), mistake harshness for good leadership (2 Tim. 2:24) or selfish ambition for wisdom (James 3:14-16).

11. He will bring about physical difficulty in order to tempt you to curse God (Job 1:1-22).

12. He will tempt you to believe false doctrine (2 Cor. 11:14) and try to deceive you with lies (2 Tim. 2:13-14).

13. He will accuse you and tempt you to doubt the sufficiency of Christ’s atonement (Rev. 12:10).

14. He will tempt you to satisfy your desires with lesser things rather than valuing God supremely and trusting Christ alone for the fulfillment of those desires (Matt. 4:4).

15. He will tempt you to seek your inheritance now rather than suffering well in trials and waiting for God’s timing and reward (Matt. 4:9).

16. He will tempt you to vindicate yourself in front of an unbelieving world (Matt. 4:6), or he will tempt you to do righteous deeds for the praise of men (Acts 5:3; cf. Matt. 6:1).

17. Your enemy is on constant prowl (1 Pet. 5:8), so be vigilant and consistently seek God in prayer – hearing Him, obeying Him, and loving Him always because He first loved you.

Brothers and Sisters 😊

📖 In Luke chapter 5 today we see Jesus displaying His deity as He miraculously fills the fisherman’s nets (vs 9), cleanses the leper (vs 13), reads the minds of the scribes and Pharisees (vs 22), forgives the sins of the paralytic man (vs 24), and calls lost and needy sinners to repentance (vs 31).

Q. Is there any more comforting reality and truth than the (unbreakable) promise of eternal unity with Christ, and close personal (irreversible) friendship with Jesus Immanuel (God with us), as He showcases His awesome power over creation, and reveals His compassion and love for His people?

🙏 Heavenly Father thank you so much for drawing us to yourself and opening our eyes to the beauty, majesty, and glory of our Great Physician and King Jesus Christ.

🙏 Lord Jesus, in light of your amazing grace and our blood-bought souls, and because of your once-for-all atoning sacrifice on our behalf, let our daily response to your true identity and overwhelming power be like that of all the forgiven sinners in this chapter…

✝️ “Amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, ‘We have seen extraordinary things today!”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭5:26‬ ‭

Brothers and Sisters 😊

📖 In Luke chapter 4 today we see Jesus in the early stages of His earthly ministry returning to His hometown of Nazareth, visiting the sanctuary, and reading from the scroll of Isaiah…

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, and He has anointed me to proclaim the Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (vs 18-19).

Q. Can you imagine being in the synagogue on that day and realizing that the one who is reading the 700 year old prophecy scroll is reading about Himself, and you are looking face-to-face at the promised Messiah telling you straight out that He has arrived and is standing right in front of you?!!!

Talk about a jaw-dropping, awe-inspiring day!

🙏 Heavenly Father thank you so much that one day soon the ultimate jaw-dropping, awe-inspiring day will occur, as all who have put their trust in you will also be standing face-to-face and marveling in front of Christ the risen Lord and King – And by your grace we will be like Him, free from sin, shining like the stars in heaven, and forever focused on you in eternal praise, worship, and adoration…

✝️ “Jesus rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him, marveling. Then He said to them, ‘Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭4:20-21

Brothers and Sisters 😊

📖 In Luke chapters 1–3 today we see the Spirit of God ordaining and gifting the skillful writer and physician (Luke), attesting to the truth concerning Jesus of Nazareth, and relaying many infallible proofs of His deity and promised redemption for all who would believe on His name and put their trust in Him…

“I give you an orderly and eye-witness account of the Messiah’s accomplished ministry, so that we may have certainty concerning the person and work of Jesus Christ”,

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people and forgiven them of their sins” (Lk 1:68),

“Fear not, for behold I bring you Good News of great joy that will be for all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord!” (Lk 2:10-11),

“Jesus, when He began His ministry was about 30 years of age…and when He was baptized, the heavens were opened and the Holy Spirit descended on Him like a dove, and a voice came from heaven saying, “You are my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased!” (Lk 3:21-23).

🙏 Heavenly Father thank you so much for revealing to us the reality and true nature of the greatest story ever told, and for graciously weaving our lives in union with Jesus the Christ – For we are the blessed recipients of His world changing mission to save a lost people for the glory of God…

✝️ “Because of the tender mercy of our God, the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness, and salvation to those that dwell in the shadow of death…and He will guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Luke 1:78-79

Brothers and Sisters 😊

📖 The book of Mark comes to a close today in chapters 15 and 16, as the quintessential elements of the true Gospel message unfold in the work and person of our humble servant King and victorious risen Lord, Jesus Christ…

The Crucifixion…

“And from the sixth hour to the ninth hour there was darkness over the whole land, and Jesus uttered a loud cry, ‘Father forgive them for they know not what they do’, and breathed His last. Then the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” (Mk 15:33,38).

The Resurrection…

“Entering the tomb they saw an angel dressed in a white robe, and he said to them, ‘Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified, He is not here but He has risen!”

(Mk 16:5-6).

The Ascension…

“So then the Lord Jesus, after He had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.”

(Mk 16:19).

🙏 Heavenly Father we thank you so much for your merciful plan of salvation – graciously sending us Jesus, our great Rescuer, Redeemer, and Savior!

🙏 Lord Jesus we praise you today for your all-sufficient and finished work on our behalf, and for calling all who have put their trust in you to an awesome life purpose and great commission – May we consistently make much of your name and bring you glory, and honor, and praise forever…

✝️ “And Jesus said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the Gospel to the whole creation!”

Mark 16:15