Thu, Apr 30th - 11:11PM

Luke 7:18-35

 18: And the disciples of John shewed him of all these things.
   19: And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?
   20: When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?
   21: And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight.
   22: Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.
   23: And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
   24: And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
   25: But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings' courts.
   26: But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.
   27: This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
   28: For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.
   29: And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.
   30: But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.
   31: And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like?
   32: They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept.
   33: For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil.
   34: The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!
   35: But wisdom is justified of all her children.

The Pharisee were not interested in the teachings of either John or Jesus.  In their eyes they were already justified before God.  But in reality they were far from God.  They were more interesting in protecting the benefits that came with their position of authority then in truly serving God.  How many people today have the same self righteous attitude that they really don’t need Jesus?

Mon, Apr 27th - 11:10PM

Luke 7:11-17

 11: And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people.
   12: Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.
   13: And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.
   14: And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.
   15: And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.
   16: And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.
   17: And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judaea, and throughout all the region round about.

We worship a all mighty God.  All things are in his hands.  Nothing can separate us from the Love of God not even death.  Satan is a powerful foe but our God is mightier then him.  The world is full of heartbreak and hard times but God sees us in our time of need and always has compassion on us.  Thank God for his love and compassion.

Sun, Apr 26th - 6:40PM

Luke 7:1-10

1: Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum.
   2: And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die.
   3: And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant.
   4: And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this:
   5: For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue.
   6: Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof:
   7: Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed.
   8: For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
   9: When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
   10: And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick.

What a comparison between this Roman officer and most of the Jewish leaders Jesus had dealt with.  Jesus had performed miracles in front of the Jewish leaders and they refused to believe.  This Roman officer had only heard about Jesus but yet he believed he had the power to heal his servant.  The Jewish leaders refused to recognize the authority of Jesus.  The Roman who represented the real authority in Israel recognized the authority of Jesus.  Jesus constantly admonished the Jewish leaders for exalting themselves above the people.  The Roman officer showed humility an admitted he wasn’t worthy to meet Jesus.  The Jewish leaders often showed no compassion to their own people.  The Roman officer had been kind to the Jewish people and had shown compassion for his servants.  Because the Roman officer showed faith, humility, and compassion Jesus heard his request.  People often complained that they feel God doesn’t hear them.  Well I believe God always hears us but maybe the reason he doesn’t always respond is because we don’t follow the example of this Roman.  We don’t have faith or we demand of God instead of humbly asking of God or we ask for the wrong reasons.

Sat, Apr 25th - 7:04PM

Luke 6:46-49

  46: And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
   47: Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
   48: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
   49: But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

Jesus is the rock in which we build our foundation on.  When we follow the teachings of Christ and follow his will our foundation is strong and we will survive the storms of this life but when we refuse to follow the teachings of Christ and try to make our own way we can’t survive the tough times because we have no foundation to stand on. 

Sat, Apr 25th - 12:42AM

Luke 6:43-45

43: For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
   44: For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.
   45: A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

We have all heard the expression “action speaks louder than words.”  You might fool people for a little while and you can never fool God.  Your actions are going to tell where your heart is.  If you truly are interested in serving God you will show that desire.  If you say you want to serve God but instead of spending time with God you spend your time drinking, partying or whatever you spend your time on then your actions show what your real interests are.  A person who is truly interested in serving God will spend his time trying to fulfill the will of the Father. 

Thu, Apr 23rd - 11:34PM

Luke 6:37-42

 37: Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
   38: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
   39: And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?
   40: The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.
   41: And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
   42: Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye.

These are some of the most misused verses in the Bible.  What was Jesus saying?  Are we not to judge at all?  In other places in the Bible we are told to be aware of false teachers.  How are we to tell if someone is a false teacher if we don’t judge?  We have to judge whether this person is preaching the truth or not don’t we.  I think what Jesus is saying here is don’t be hypocritical.  Don’t go around pointing out the faults of others.  None of us is perfect.  We all have our weaknesses.  We all have our faults.  We are being hypocritical when we judge people on their faults when we have our own to overcome.  When I say these are misused verses I was talking about people who use these verse to say we shouldn’t call people out for teaching false doctrines or promoting sin. 

Thu, Apr 23rd - 12:12AM

Luke 6:27-35

  27: But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
   28: Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
   29: And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also.
   30: Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.
   31: And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
   32: For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.
   33: And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.
   34: And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
   35: But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

Love your enemies.  This idea must of blown the Jews away.  The Jews at this time were under the control of the Romans, a people which they despised for their harsh treatment.  The Jews were hoping for a Messiah that was going to overthrow the Romans but instead Jesus told them to love their enemies.  As Christians we are often at odds with people of different beliefs but we can disagree with someone without being hateful.  It is because that we do love them that we try to show them the error of their ways.  If you truly love your fellow man you would want them to know the truth of the Gospel and have the same life giving relationship with God that you have. 

Tue, Apr 21st - 11:23PM

Luke 6:17-26

17: And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;
   18: And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed.
   19: And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.
   20: And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.
   21: Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.
   22: Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.
   23: Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.
   24: But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.
   25: Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.
   26: Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

These verses are known as the beatitudes.  They are promises of what awaits believers that are faithful and a warning to those who are not.  Believers have a better life awaiting them, while non-believers have judgment awaiting them.  Notice the promises are all to come.  Jesus proclaimed that believers will face persecution and hard times here on earth but we know we have a better life waiting for those who remain faithful.

Sun, Apr 19th - 12:43AM

Luke 6:12-16

 12: And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
   13: And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;
   14: Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew,
   15: Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes,
   16: And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.

Who was these 12 men Jesus called to be apostles.  They were fisherman, a tax collector, and other ordinary men.  They were a pretty rough crew.  They all had their flaws.  Peter was quick to put his foot in his mouth.  James and John tried to exalt themselves above the others.  Thomas would forever be known as the doubter.  They all betrayed him in one way or another but these are the men that God chose.  God knows the heart.  God knew what these men were capable of.  God has a purpose for each and everyone of his children.  We just have to be faithful and allow God to show us his purpose for us and we have to fulfill this purpose.

Sat, Apr 18th - 12:38AM

Luke 6:6-11

  6: And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered.
   7: And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him.
   8: But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth.
   9: Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?
   10: And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other.
   11: And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.

The Pharisees were so consumed with protecting their rituals and their positions of authority that they were missing the big picture.  In front of their eyes the Son of God, the Messiah they had been waiting for, had performed a miracle but yet they were more concerned on rather Jesus had broken one of their laws.  I said there laws because what did Jesus ask them?  Is the Sabbath to do good or evil.  God is not interested in ritualistic worship.  He wants honest heart felt Holy Spirit led worship. 

Tue, Apr 14th - 11:16PM

Luke 6:1-5

 1: And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through the corn fields; and his

disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands.
   2: And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days?
   3: And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungred, and they which were with him;
   4: How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone?
   5: And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

The idea of the Sabbath was to be a day of rest and a day set aside to worship God.  Jesus and his disciples hadn’t broken the law, just the extreme interpretation of the law by the Pharisees.  The Pharisees thought an extreme following of the law established their righteousness, while in reality their hearts were far from God.  God is not interested in a ritualistic style of worship.  The Bible says those that worship him must do so in spirit and in truth.  God wants a personal relationship with us.  A relationship established through his Son, Jesus Christ.

Mon, Apr 13th - 4:04PM

Luke 5:33-39

33: And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink?
   34: And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?
   35: But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.
   36: And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old.
   37: And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.
   38: But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.
   39: No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.

The teachings of Jesus was something new and the religious leaders were having hard time grasping the teachings of Jesus.  The Jewish religion by this time had grown into a ritualistic following of traditions established by the Jewish people themselves.  Unto the laws of Moses had been added dozens of man made laws that sometimes provided loop holes around the laws of Moses.  Being a follower of Christ is not about following a set of rituals in hope of being good enough to make it to heaven.  It is about having a personal relationship with God through his Son Jesus.  It is about accepting Christ as our Savior and following his teachings.  I aint saying there isn’t sin.  But we know when we sin we can have forgiveness through our advocate Jesus Christ.

Sun, Apr 12th - 4:39PM

Luke 5:27-32

27: And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me.
   28: And he left all, rose up, and followed him.
   29: And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them.
   30: But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?
   31: And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.
   32: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Those that think they are well have no need for a doctor, only after we realize we are sick do we seek a doctor.  Those that think they are already righteous don’t seek a Savior, only those that realize they are sinners and in need of a Savior seek a Savior.  So many people don’t seek Jesus because they believe they don’t need him.  One of the ideas of Universalism is that since Jesus died for the whole world we don’t need him as a personal Savior.  This kind of thinking is leading people to hell.  We all have to realize we are sinners deserving of death and our only hope is salvation in Christ and accept him as our Savior.  Just like Levi we have to leave our old life behind and follow him. 

Sat, Apr 11th - 4:00PM

Luke 5:17-26

 17: And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.
   18: And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him.
   19: And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.
   20: And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.
   21: And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?
   22: But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts?
   23: Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?
   24: But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.
   25: And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.
   26: And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day.

Our sins can only be forgiven by the blood of Jesus.  This is the purpose he came to earth and died on the cross for.  No priest or any other religious figure can erase our sins and offer us salvation.  Our sins are forgiven when we confess our sins and we ask in the name of Jesus for forgiveness.  This is a personal interaction between us and the Son.  The book of Hebrews describes Jesus as our high priest making intercession for us with God.  In the Old Testament the high priest would offer a sin sacrifice for the sins of the people.  Jesus became the sacrifice for all of mankind on the cross.  That is why it is only through him that we can have forgiveness of sins and salvation.  Your priest can’t offer you forgiveness, neither can Buddha, any Hindu god, or any other pagan deity.  It is only through Christ and Christ alone that we can have the forgiveness of sin.

Fri, Apr 10th - 7:59PM

Luke 5:12-16

 12: And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
   13: And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him.
   14: And he charged him to tell no man: but go, and shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
   15: But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities.
   16: And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.

In Jesus day a Jew would never touch a leper.  A leper was considered unclean and was made an outcast.  But Jesus touched this man and healed him.  Jesus didn’t bring his ministry to the rich and powerful, he brought his message to the poor and hopeless.  He offered these people something they had never had, hope.  Most of the people I talk to who reject personal salvation through Christ do so because they refuse to admit they need a Savior.  In their eyes they have no need for a personal Savior.  Either they are Universalists who don’t believe in Christ as a personal Savior or they reject the idea of salvation outright.  Well I know who I was before I met Christ and the difference he made in me.  It often takes a person hitting rock bottom when they have lost all their pride and arrogance to admit they are in need of a Savior.  I have seen drug addicts and alcoholics all accept Christ but very few who in their eyes are good people.  It is their own self righteousness that keeps them from admitting they need a Savior.  Until you admit you need a Savior you will never know him as the Savior.

Fri, Apr 10th - 12:44AM

Luke 5:1-11

 1: And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,
   2: And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.
   3: And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.
   4: Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
   5: And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
   6: And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.
   7: And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.
   8: When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
   9: For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:
   10: And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.
   11: And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.

God has a purpose for all of his believers.  He never called anyone to be a mere pew warmer.  We have to be faithful to God and let him show us what that calling is.  This is the point in another story, the story of the talents.  But today we are discussing the calling of Peter, James, and John.  All of these men were just simple fisherman.  In their day religious leaders underwent years of schooling under rabbis.  But Jesus didn’t call any of these men to be his disciples.  Jesus wasn’t looking for men of knowledge he was looking at the heart.  The disciples all had their faults but God knew their hearts and what they were capable of.  Don’t ever think you are not good enough or smart enough to serve God.  God wants people with a willing heart and faithful attitude.  Trust God and you will be amaze in what can do through you.  Can you imagine the impact we could have in this world if every believer got off the pew seat and put their faith to practice.  Could you truly imagine that?

Wed, Apr 8th - 8:45PM

Luke 4:42-44

42: And when it was day, he departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them.
   43: And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent.
   44: And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee.

Jesus was sent to preach the good news throughout Israel.  The Jews were the children of God, the Gospel would be brought to them first.  But the majority of the Jews rejected Christ and had him put to death.  After his death the disciples were given the instructions to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles and throughout the world.  Today we are to continue this mission.  We are to continue to bring the message to the lost until Christ’s return. 

Tue, Apr 7th - 11:09PM

Luke 4:38,41

 38: And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon's house. And Simon's wife's mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her.
   39: And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them.
   40: Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.
   41: And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ.

Satan and his demons could not stand against the power of God.  They knew Jesus was the Son of God.  Satan is a defeated enemy.  But Satan is a determined enemy, he might be defeated but he aint going down without a fight.  But we know we worship an almighty God, no disease and no enemy can stand in his way, whether they be spiritual or physical.  The end of the battle is already written in the Bible and we know his will will be done you just have to decide what part you are going to play.  What side are you on in this battle.  There are no neutrals.  You are either with God or against him and you can read in Revelation what awaits those that are not with him.   

Mon, Apr 6th - 8:37PM

Luke 4:31-37

 31: And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days.
   32: And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power.
   33: And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice,
   34: Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.
   35: And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not.
   36: And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out.
   37: And the fame of him went out into every place of the country round about.

Many people know who Jesus is but they don’t know him.  This demon knew who Jesus was and knew he was the Son of God but he know him.  Knowing who Jesus is not enough.  We have to know him.  God wants a relationship with us.  A Father to children relationship, a Savior to the lost relationship.  Many people are cultural Christians.  They grew up in a Christian cultural, maybe attended church everyone once in while, maybe celebrated Christmas or Easter and they think this makes them a Christian.  A Christian is a person that has been born again and washed in the blood of Christ and is a disciple of Christ.  A disciple is a person who actually puts the teachings of Christ into practice. 

Sun, Apr 5th - 10:13PM

Luke 4:16-30

16: And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
   17: And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
   18: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
   19: To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
   20: And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
   21: And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
   22: And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son?
   23: And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.
   24: And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.
   25: But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;
   26: But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.
   27: And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.
   28: And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,
   29: And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.
   30: But he passing through the midst of them went his way,

They were listening intently to Jesus until the message hit home.  The Jews considered themselves the children of God and all other nations inferior and unclean.  When Jesus pointed out that God had in the past acted on behalf of the Gentiles this angered the Jews.  These acts took place during a time of great wickedness in Israel and God had turned his back on Israel and punished them for their sins.  Jesus was implying that the people of Israel where just as evil now as then and God was about to once again turn from Israel and this time turn to the Gentiles.  Which of course was going to happen with the death of Jesus on the cross at the instructions of the Jewish leaders.  Instead of listening to the message and turning from their wickedness the Jews became anger and tried to kill Jesus then.  But it wasn’t his time yet.  If you study Old Testament history you will find that the Jews had killed almost every prophet God had sent them and now they wanted to kill his Son.  People don’t want to hear about sin and repenting.  That is why Universalism, Liberal Christianity, and New Age Doctrine is so popular.  They lie and tell people there is no consequence for sin, no coming judgment of God, and no eternal punishment.  Just look at televangelists, why are most so popular?  Most preach a watered down feel good message about blessings and prosperity.  How often do you here them preach salvation in Christ only and the message of repentance.  How many mega-churches would empty out if some old country fire and brimstone preacher got on the stand and preached a real message of salvation and sin?

Sun, Apr 5th - 12:43AM

Luke 4:14,15

 14: And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.
   15: And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.

After being baptized and defeating Satan in the wilderness he is now ready to begin his ministry.  There was no doubt that Jesus would defeat Satan.  Satan is a defeated foe.  He has to know the outcome that is awaiting him but he is still a powerful foe just like a defeated enemy that fights to the bitter end.  The ministry of Jesus should be an example to all that wish to enter the ministry.  Before entering the ministry we have to fight off all the snares of temptation that might give a foothold to our enemy.  As leaders of the church we have to set the example for a victories ministry that Jesus did.  He resisted temptation and served God humbly, living to do the will of the Father.  Those in the ministry have to be ready to sacrifice so much to further the cause of the Gospel. 

Sat, Apr 4th - 12:40AM

Luke 4:1-13

 1: And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
   2: Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.
   3: And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.
   4: And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
   5: And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
   6: And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
   7: If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.
   8: And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
   9: And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:
   10: For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:
   11: And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
   12: And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
   13: And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.

Many people claiming to be Christian choose to deny the existence of Satan.  Well I have a question.  If Satan isn’t real then who was Jesus tempted by?  Satan is very real and mentioned in the Bible several times.  So is hell and the coming judgment of God on this world.  Many also choose to deny the Bible as the word of God but how did Jesus reply to Satan?  It is written.  The Bible is our manual on living as a Christian.  Take the time to study it for yourself.  You will find the answers to all things in the Bible.

Thu, Apr 2nd - 10:57PM

Luke 3:23-38

 23: And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,
   24: Which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Janna, which was the son of Joseph,
   25: Which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Amos, which was the son of Naum, which was the son of Esli, which was the son of Nagge,
   26: Which was the son of Maath, which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Semei, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Juda,
   27: Which was the son of Joanna, which was the son of Rhesa, which was the son of Zorobabel, which was the son of Salathiel, which was the son of Neri,
   28: Which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Addi, which was the son of Cosam, which was the son of Elmodam, which was the son of Er,
   29: Which was the son of Jose, which was the son of Eliezer, which was the son of Jorim, which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi,
   30: Which was the son of Simeon, which was the son of Juda, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Jonan, which was the son of Eliakim,
   31: Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David,
   32: Which was the son of Jesse, which was the son of Obed, which was the son of Booz, which was the son of Salmon, which was the son of Naasson,
   33: Which was the son of Aminadab, which was the son of Aram, which was the son of Esrom, which was the son of Phares, which was the son of Juda,
   34: Which was the son of Jacob, which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of Abraham, which was the son of Thara, which was the son of Nachor,
   35: Which was the son of Saruch, which was the son of Ragau, which was the son of Phalec, which was the son of Heber, which was the son of Sala,
   36: Which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of Sem, which was the son of Noe, which was the son of Lamech,
   37: Which was the son of Mathusala, which was the son of Enoch, which was the son of Jared, which was the son of Maleleel, which was the son of Cainan,
   38: Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.

Luke details the ancestry of Jesus all the way back to Adam.  There is a purpose for this.  According to prophecy the Messiah would be a descendant of David and of the tribe of Judah which Jesus was through Joseph.  Luke also takes the ancestry back to Adam.  It is through Adam that sin entered into the world but it is through Jesus that sin was conquered. 

Wed, Apr 1st - 11:08PM

Luke 3:21,22

 21: Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,
   22: And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

Everything written in the Bible has a purpose.  Jesus knew who he was.  He knew he was the Son of God.  This is written for our purpose.  This is written that there should be no doubt whatsoever that Jesus is the Son of God and that he was performing the will of God.