New Beginnings in The Book of Acts (Chapter 1– Soon to Come)

Posted on January 1, 2025 by Janet

Acts 1 The New Beginning

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”” Acts 1:8 NIV

Acts begins where the Gospel of Luke left off. For 40 days after His resurrection, Jesus appeared to the disciples and spoke to them about the kingdom of God. Could you imagine what the disciples had witnessed with their own eyes? They had seen Jesus as the soldiers arrested Him in the garden. They had seen Jesus as He was beaten and nailed to a cross. They had seen Him as He breathed His last breath. Then they had seen the empty tomb! They had seen Him, in His risen form, as He showed them the nail prints in His hands. They had shared meals with Him, listened to Him teach them, and then they saw Jesus as He ascended into heaven!

But in all this, Jesus instructed them to wait. Jesus wanted to empower them to be “witnesses.”

Jesus had already told them that the Holy Spirit was going to come. Jesus came to us as “Emmanuel, God with us”, but the Holy Spirit would come to begin something new — God IN us!

Jesus said “… in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit…” (verse 5) The disciples obeyed the words He spoke to them. They went to the upper room and were “constantly in prayer.” (Verse 14)

The New Beginning was soon to come!

How Could I Not Worship?

Posted on October 29, 2024 by Janet

“Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.” Revelation‬ ‭5‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I love this scene of worship recorded in the Word. For one moment when I read it I get a small picture of the reality of what is going on right now in heaven.

This morning I have been reminded of how I have been invited to join that chorus.

“But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.” Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭22‬-‭24‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus opened the door for me join in, but how many time have I sat down with my Bible to “do” my quite time and only read the Word.

I know I have limitations. I live in a fallen world, but I must never forget that I have the invitation to come. I, at any time, can join the heavenly worship that goes on day and night.

There is a quote that says we are to “Come to God with God in mind.” The time I spend with God each morning really isn’t about me. It is about Him. I must come desiring to experience Him!

Each morning I am like Zacchaeus who climbed the sycamore tree to see Jesus. When I sit down in my chair and open His Word, I want to see a glimpse of Him. But Jesus is always so much more than I could ever ask, think, or imagine. He wants me to come down from my sycamore tree because He wants to “stay at my house” (Luke 19:5). My response can only be like Zacchaeus’s was — receive Jesus joyfully!

When I sit down in the early morning to spend time with Jesus, may I always be reminded who I am welcoming into my life. May I join in with the heavenly chorus worshipping Him. It is there that I get a glimpse of Jesus and the invitation to sit down with Him. So I may live as one with Him, listening to His Word.

Worship ushers me in to time with Him in His Word. Time that is not like any other. I miss it all if I come just to read a short devotion and mark off my religious box. He has come to stay at my house to be with me! How could I not do like Zacchaeus and “receive Him joyfully?” How could I not, if only for a few moments, join the heavenly chorus in my worship of Him?

Christmas — God’s Invitation to Experience Him — Luke 24

Posted on December 24, 2023 by Janet

There is something about a newborn baby being held upon your chest— the sweet smell, the warm cuddles, the tiny cries. The experience of holding your own is like none other.

At Christmas we celebrate the arrival of Jesus the newly born King and the experience of Him as He walked upon the earth 2000 — miraculous touch upon those He healed, the sound of His voice speaking the truth on a hillside, His laughter, His compassionate tears. Yes, Jesus was God’s invitation for us to experience Him!

Even in Jesus’s death we were invited to experience God — a voice crying it is finished, darkness, the earth shook, the temple veil torn. Then Jesus defeats death by His resurrection and once again the disciples were invited to experience Him.

“While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”“ 
Luke 24:36-39 NIV

Look at me, touch me, and see! Experience Me as the Risen King!

Jesus is still inviting us to experience God! This is the very essence of the story of Jesus we read in the Bible. It is what we celebrate at Christmas, Jesus our Emmanuel — God with us!

His invitation has been sent to us — Come, see, feel my touch, experience and know Me!

This Man Has Done Nothing Wrong — Reflections on Luke 23

Posted on December 23, 2023 by Janet

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 December 20, 2023 by Janet

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!

Hanging on Every Word He Says — Reflections on Luke 19

Posted on December 19, 2023 by Janet

“All the people hung on his words.”
Luke 19:48

Can you imagine what it would have been like to sit and listen to the very words of Jesus coming from His mouth? Can you picture His eyes as they would meet your own eyes as you sat in the crowd?

It must have been amazing to be there during the days He ministered in Jerusalem. Crowds followed Him everywhere He went. Perhaps they desired to just to hear His voice, or it could have been to experience His healing touch. Whatever the reason was Luke wrote that the people “hung on His words.” They simply could not get enough.

Jesus is the same today as He was then.

He longs to be the desire of our hearts and for us to “hang on every word” He says. He still speaks and He still invites us to come.

We can still experience Him!

Like a Little Child – Reflections on Luke 18.

Posted on December 18, 2023 by Janet

I’ve been an adult long enough that I forget at times what it was like to be a little child. I believe that’s why God gave me Grandkids. When they come to visit, their mom unbuckles then from their seat belt and helps them into the house. They may be hungry so I fix them Granny’s special, waffles. They know they need to listen and obey what we tell them. They ask for what they need and enjoy spending time being held and loved on. They don’t worry about who will be the next president or how much money their parents have in the bank. They know they will be taken care of.

In today’s chapter Jesus talks about little children. He said the Kingdom of God belongs to “such as these.” He goes on to say:

”Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”“ Luke 18:17 NIV

It is important that we are like a little child in relating to God. It is the only way we can receive the Kingdom of God. As a little child totally depends on his parents, we must totally depend on God. As a little child totally obeys his parents, we must totally obey God. As a little child totally submits himself to his parents, we must totally submit ourselves to God. When we do, we will live in security, free of the cares of this world. Because we know our Heavenly Father loves us!

May we come to God as a child!

Two Masters – Reflections on Luke 16

Posted on December 16, 2023 by Janet

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 December 15, 2023 by Janet

”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 December 14, 2023 by Janet

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

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Category Archives: Gospel of Luke