Category Archives: God

This Man Has Done Nothing Wrong — Reflections on Luke 23

Posted on by
Reply

We are familiar with the account of Jesus’ birth. We are also familiar with the accounts of Jesus’ death. The familiarity sometimes produces a carelessness in our approach to God. It is very true that Jesus loves us. This is why He came. Sin had separated us from God, who loves us so very much.

Jesus takes sin very seriously. He knows that our sin is what keeps us from experiencing Him and His love. It keeps us from being close and connected to Him. Jesus took sin so seriously that He was willing to suffer and die a horrendous death on the cross. He took upon Himself the punishment we all deserve for the sin in our lives. As the thief on the cross pointed out.

”We (himself and the other thief) are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man (Jesus) has done nothing wrong.”“

Luke 23:41 NIV

Jesus had done nothing wrong… He knew the only way we could be free of sin and it’s destruction was His sacrifice.

Jesus took sin seriously, but do we? We come to Him desiring for our lives to be bettered by Him, but freedom from sin comes through the cross. When we receive Jesus’ forgiveness and cleansing we then need to follow Him further to the cross. At the cross we die to ourselves, we die to sin so we can be alive in Him. Sin destroys! I ask you as Paul did, “How can we who are dead to sin live any longer there in?” Romans 6:2.

The Baby we celebrate this time of year came with a mission to destroy the power of sin. He lived His life on earth to fulfill the mission of the cross. As we receive the gift of Christmas— Jesus’ salvation, may we continue to follow Him from the manger to the cross where sin must die.

The God of the Living – Reflections on Luke 20

Posted on by
Reply

Christmas is about HOPE. Hope is the confident expectation of good. Jesus came as a baby to bring hope into a world that was darkened by sin and filled with death and separation.

The baby born at Christmas, Jesus, is the victor over death, and in today’s passage He proclaimed truth about who God is.

”He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”“

Luke 20:38 NIV

God is the God of the living. This year these words mean a lot to me. The older I get the more people I love have died. I suppose this trend will continue until I join them or Jesus comes. But for those who are in Jesus, death is not the end. Jesus proclaimed “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.” John 11:25 NIV.

Because of Jesus, I can confidently expect good even when faced with death. Because even though the ones around me die or I die, death is not the end. Jesus came so I could truly live!

Praise God who is the God of the living!

Two Masters – Reflections on Luke 16

Posted on by
Reply

What is created does not get to define itself. The creator defines His creation. He knows its purpose and proper use. For example, my vacuum cleaner cannot declare that it wants to be a refrigerator and then that is what it becomes. Cooling food is outside of what its purpose is and its proper use.

God is our creator. Because of sin, we tend to think the opposite — we create ourselves:

1. God created us to depend on Him. Once again we tend to think we are fine on our own doing our own thing.

2. God created us to be ruled by Him. However, we believe the opposite. We think we do what we want, when and how we want to.

We look around and see there has to be a God. So we want Him in our lives: His goodness, His blessings, His peace, and His joy. BUT, we do not relinquish the control of our lives to Him so He can work all these things into us.

Living like this will not work. It only makes us miserable because we are not living how we are created to live, owned by Him — His treasured possession.

Jesus warns us of trying to live the double life — for God and for Ourselves. He says it cannot be done. (This is reflected in our relationship with money- it’s pursuit and how we spend it.)

”“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”“

Luke 16:13 NIV

There is only one way to peace, love, and joy, surrender to God!

Jesus Welcomes Sinners- Luke 15

Posted on by
Reply

”Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

Luke‬ ‭15‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus loves the lost and broken. He rejoices over the rebel who returns home. He “welcomes sinners.”

What comfort to know this is true! Because I have easily fit into each of those categories. I have been the lost sheep who intentionally wandered. I have been the lost coin that the angels of God rejoiced over when I finally repented and was found. I have been the prodigal who demanded my way and ended up eating “pig slop” instead of the spiritual food that God generously provides to those who dwell in Him as His child.

Indeed, Jesus “welcomes sinners!” And I am grateful. He welcomed me!

In Invitation to Dine- Reflections on Luke 14

Posted on by
Reply

When I was in college, I went to Florida to visit my brother on my spring break. He was an officer in the Navy. During that visit I got the opportunity to dine in the officers mess on the ship he was assigned to, as his guest. The room, the special china for the officers, and the enlisted wait staff added to the whole experience. It felt like such an honor, especially for a small town Missouri girl.

In today’s reading, Jesus was invited to a prominent Pharisee’s home to eat. During that meal, one of the guests said, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” (Verse 15)

Jesus replied to this man with a parable regarding a feast. The guest who were invited were too busy to come. They had their own lives and agendas to pursue. So the master throwing the banquet sent out the invitation to those who would have never been invited to a banquet of honor – “the poor, the blind, and the lame.” (Verse 21). In fact, he wanted his banquet full so he sent his servants out with the invitation to the “roads and country lanes.”

Many do not realize how blessed they would be to attend the marriage supper of the Lamb. They spurn the invitation to the most important banquet they could ever attend. 33 years ago when I was invited by my brother to tour his ship and eat in the Officers Mess, I could have turned it down, but I would have missed the opportunity of a lifetime.

A banquet of much more significance is being prepared. Our attendance is of the upmost importance. Our host wants His table to be full. It is prepared for the disciples who follow Jesus.
Will we leave our ways behind in order to respond and simply come?

“In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot help my disciples.”

Luke 14:33 NIV

The Influence- Reflections on Luke 13

Posted on by
Reply

Jesus preached the good news of the Kingdom of God and taught about wherever He went.

He compared it to a mustard seed. A tiny seed that when planted grows to tree that birds can perch in. He also compared it to yeast that works its way into the dough and takes effect on it. The Kingdom of God grows and it influences everything it comes in contact with.

This should be the reality of it in our lives. Jesus and His kingship should grow and influence every aspect of our lives. This growth and influence will overflow onto all those around us. As it does, we will experience what the people of Jesus time did when they encountered Him. They “were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.” (Verse 20)

We will be delighted too!

The Influence- Reflections on Luke 13

Posted on by
Reply

Jesus preached the Good News of the Kingdom of God and taught about it wherever He went.

He compared it to a mustard seed. A tiny seed that when planted grows to tree that birds can perch in. He also compared it to yeast that works its way into the dough and takes effect on it. The Kingdom of God grows and it influences everything it comes in contact with.

This should be the reality of it in our lives. Jesus and His kingship should grow and influence every aspect of our lives. This growth and influence will overflow onto all those around us. As it does, we will experience what the people of Jesus time did when they encountered Him. They “were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.” (Verse 20)

We will be delighted too!

All We Need- Reflections on Luke 13.

Posted on by
Reply

Jesus came so we could know God in an intimate relationship with Him.  He has given us all we need to have that relationship. 

He taught us to pray.

”He said to them, “When you pray, say: “ ‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation. ’ ”“

Luke 11:2-4 NIV

He encourages us to ask our Father in heaven to give us the Holy Spirit to live within us and fill us to overflowing. 

”If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”“

Luke 11:13 NIV

He tells us we are “blessed” – happy- when we hear the word of God and obey it. Verse 28. Because He knows our obedience to His Word will keep us free from the sin that separates us from Him.

God wants us to be close to Him. We can choose to be close to God in an intimate relationship that gives us freedom, joy, and peace.  Jesus provided a way for us to experience this through His death, burial, and resurrection.

Or we can choose to live apart from Him — Never seeking Him in prayer or in His Word, no relationship with the Holy Spirit, following our own desires. 

He loves us so and offers us His life for our own good! We get the choice to go His way or ours.

We choose. 

What Matters Most- Reflections on Luke 10

Posted on by
Reply

Busyness… This chapter gives accounts of the disciples going out proclaiming the Kingdom of God and healing the sick in all the towns and places Jesus was about to go. AND the account of Jesus spending time at Mary and Martha’s house. Martha was so busy cleaning and cooking as Mary sat at Jesus feet listening to Him.

In all the effort and work that went on in this chapter, two things were pointed out to be the MOST important:

1. Your names are written and Heaven.

2. Sitting at Jesus feet listening to what He says.

Those two things are still the most important for us.

To have our names written in Heaven is to belong to Jesus, to have our names written in the book of life. (Revelations 20:15).

To know Jesus is to be near to Him and listen to what He says — have an intimate relationship with Him. It is knowing Him, His word, and spending time in prayer.

We can accomplish much in this life that will only burn up and be gone. May we choose what will be eternal — Jesus Himself.

“The Way of the Cross”

Posted on by
Reply

Today’s reading is Luke 9.

Crowds were following Jesus everywhere. They wanted to experience His healing touch and to hear His words.

When Jesus and His disciples were in private, Jesus asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?” The disciples said, “John, Elijah, the prophets of long ago come back to life.” Jesus asked “But what about you?”

What we think about who Jesus is, is important. If He is “God’s Messiah,” the King of Kings, then He deserves the place of King within our hearts.
As Lord and King, Jesus tells us how we are to follow Him.

”Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.”

Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭NIV‬‬

We must abandon our ways, take up Jesus’s way and follow Him! Jesus’s way is the cross. The cross requires total surrender of ourself (death of our independent ways) so Jesus can live in us.

The crowds, who followed Jesus, could only experience Him from a distance. It was the ones who were His disciples that got to experience His intimacy and friendship.

This is true of us today. We can know about Jesus from a distance, or we can know Him intimately. But we must come to Him on His terms— the cross. His disciples will take up their cross and follow Him.