Category Archives: Luke

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The Real Gold Standard

Read: Luke 6

“Do to others as you would like them to do to you.” (Luke 6:31)

It has been called “The Golden Rule.” It is the ethic of reciprocity, the basis of all human rights.  You can find its roots in the Old Testament (Leviticus 19:18 & 34) and it appears in various forms in practically every culture and religion known to man.

The Golden Rule is so universally embraced, at least in theory, because it originated with God.

So what if we actually began to live our lives by that ethic?  What if the Golden Rule became our “gold standard for life”? Can you imagine how life on Planet Earth might change if enough of us got together and bound ourselves to this rule for living?  Think of how your own private world would drastically improve if you treated everyone as you would want them to treat you!

Re-read the verses in Luke 6:27-43 and you will get a glimpse of the kind of things that would happen:

  • You would encourage and edify even those who irritate you!
  • You would pray for those who hurt you!
  • You would offer reconciliation to those who have injured you!
  • You would do good to those who have done bad!
  • You would be generous with everyone—friend, foe, and those in need!
  • You would criticize others less and work on you more!
  • You would be kind even to those who are ungrateful and evil!
  • You would prove yourself to be a true child of the Most High in word and in deed!
  • What would happen if you did that?  The world would be a much better place, that’s what!

Sounds like a good plan to me!  How about you?

“Kindness is in our power, even when fondness is not.” ~Samuel Johnson

What If God Took Over?

It is much easier, especially with this “rule for life”, to be a hearer of the word only, and not a doer. You and I live with a fallen nature that is self-centered, easily offended, and prone to hurt others in order to protect ourselves, yet we are called to live out the infinite values of God’s kingdom. We cannot do that on our own; we need God’s help.  But he has promised to help.  So take a moment to ask for divine assistance, and then look for ways to live out the Golden Rule in your every waking moment today.

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Yes, Master!

Read: Luke 5

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.” Simon replied, “Master, we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” (Luke 5:4-5)

From the very moment Jesus first called him to follow, Peter demonstrated what it meant to be a true disciple. In so doing, the response of this very first disciple established the essential benchmarks for would-be disciples in every age.

To begin with, Peter exhibited a fair amount of holy discontent with his current experience. Peter could have rejected Jesus’ command to recast his nets, and we would have understood that response. He had worked hard the previous night. He had already tried what Jesus was suggesting, with no results. He had “been there, done that.”

Yet Peter was ripe for something new; he wasn’t satisfied with the way life had been working out for him. Despite his best efforts, past experience had left him empty; the old way hadn’t worked. So to keep doing the same thing yet expect different results would have been pure insanity. Peter wanted more, so he was willing to let go of the past and risk the adventure of something new in order to follow Jesus.

As Peter’s experience demonstrated, both literally and figuratively, you cannot set sail for new horizons of faith and stay tethered to the shore of what you know. Holy discontent calls you to let go, and set sail!

With holy discontent nudging his soul, Peter quickly subjugated his feelings to his faith. He was tired, his muscles ached from a night of tossing out and dragging in those heavy Galilean fishing nets. He had worked his fingers to the bone picking out the weeds, untangling the tangles and mending the rips that were caused by snagging rocks instead of fish. To make it even worse, there was nothing to show for all that effort. Peter just wanted to get to the local pub, unwind with his buddies before heading home to crash for the night, catch a few winks and then get up early the next morning  to go through the same routine yet again.

Peter had neither the physical nor emotional strength for another fishing expedition. Yet there was just something about this amazing man named Jesus who had the audacity to ask Peter to do what he had already been doing that caused his faith to rise. In that moment, Peter made a life-altering decision to grab his “want-er by his will-er” and do what Jesus had commanded.

True discipleship demands that you give your faith the authority to rule your feelings.

That’s what Peter did. He simply obeyed. That’s the bottom line of authentic discipleship. Peter was willing to take Jesus at his word and just do it. Without argument or delay, he took action, and the result was a miraculous catch. Suddenly where there had been emptiness and barrenness, there was fullness and fruitfulness—the reward of obedience.

That is what Jesus is asking of us today. We must allow the Spirit of God to foment a holy discontent with the emptiness and barrenness of our lives. We must take our feelings and enslave them to whatever faith is requiring of us. And then we must simply, purely, quickly and completely obey. That is true discipleship.

If we will just do that, a miraculous provision of holy contentment will be ours!

“Beware of reasoning about God’s Word—obey it.” ~Oswald Chambers

What If God Took Over?

Pray this simple prayer of discipleship, if you dare: “Lord, whatever you ask me to do, I will do it!”

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Fame-Worthy

Read: Luke 4

Then Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit’s power. Reports about him spread quickly through the whole region. He taught regularly in their synagogues and was praised by everyone. (Luke 4:14-15)

People want to be famous these days, but mostly for the wrong reasons. Celebrity has ascended the throne as the latest false god of our culture, and her worshipers would do just about anything for their fifteen minutes in her glow—sacrificing their dignity, risking life, limb and reputation, even selling their own soul.

If you think I am overstating my case, just watch any one of the fifty or so reality shows to choose from on any given night now and what you will see is a whole bunch of folks vying for fame—for doing absolutely nothing fame-worthy. If that doesn’t do the trick, turn the TV on to a talk show or listen to the callers on talk radio offering their mindless drivel, hoping, I suspect, to get their brief spot in the spotlight. Or just watch the evening news as a reporter brings an on-location piece, and as the cameraman pans the scene you’ll witness at least a half-dozen goofballs pushing their mugs into the camera.  Feeding the cravings of these fame-addicts, unfortunately, is a mindless media all too happy to oblige, treating these folks as if what they are doing or what they have to say will actually add something of value to our world.

Now don’t get me wrong; fame itself isn’t bad. In fact, it might surprise you that fame of the human variety is mentioned a great deal in the Bible.  Do a word search on your favorite Bible program by typing in “fame” or “famous” and you will see a long list of men and women who achieved renown in Israel.  No, fame isn’t all bad, but there is a better way to achieve it. Just notice how Jesus attained it in Luke 4.

The setting for this chapter is the launching of Jesus’ public ministry. He has been baptized in both the Jordan River and in the Holy Spirit (Luke 3:21-22), which was followed by forty days in the wilderness resisting the temptation of the devil (Luke 4:1-13). Now ready to launch his ministry as Israel’s Messiah in the power of the Spirit (Luke 4:14), Jesus went into their synagogues to teach the Word, heal the sick, and deliver those who were oppressed by demonic spirits. And, we are told, wherever he travelled, Jesus utterly amazed the people of Israel:

“News about him spread through the whole countryside.” (Verse 14)

“He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.” (Verse 15)

“All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips.” (Verse 22)

“They were amazed at his teaching, because his message had authority.” (Verse 32)

“All the people were amazed and said to each other, ‘What is this teaching? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!’” (Verse 36)

“And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area.” (Verse 37)

How did Jesus become famous? He was full of the Spirit’s power and overflowing with God’s grace! That is probably not what you were expecting, but it is the best way to attain the kind of fame that really counts. The right way to fame is by allowing the Holy Spirit to empower you and then just going about your day exuding the grace of God in every circumstance. And because we live in such a graceless world, when one of God’s servants spreads a little Divine grace around, people will notice them.

Get filled with the Spirit to the point that his grace is spilling out of your life and people will begin to talk about you, too!

“The lust of fame is the last that a wise man shakes off.” ~Tacitus

What If God Took Over?

Whether you get noticed or not, ask the Holy Spirit to fill you today—and then let grace overflow from your life.  I’m guessing others will notice, since there won’t be much grace coming from other sources.  Most importantly, heaven will notice—and you’ll add to your fame there.

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Baptism By Fire

Read: Luke 3

John answered their questions by saying, “I baptize you with water; but someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” (Luke 3:16)

John the Baptist launched his ministry as the forerunner to the Messiah with preaching the likes of which people had never heard before.  His messages were so confrontational and penetrating that the crowds were convicted to the core of their being. People from every dimension of Jewish society began to repent and return to the God of Israel.  Israel was in the midst of a great revival.

This spiritual awakening was so powerful that people began to wonder if John himself was the long-awaited Messiah.  But John quickly put those rumors to rest by letting them know that his ministry was simply to lead people to repentance in preparation for the Messiah.  It would be the Messiah’s ministry that would empower them with the very Spirit of God.

The Message version of Luke’s account offers this rendition:

“I’m baptizing you here in the river. The main character in this drama, to whom I’m a mere stagehand, will ignite the kingdom life, a fire, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. He’s going to clean house—make a clean sweep of your lives. He’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he’ll put out with the trash to be burned.”

The ministry of the Messiah was not simply to announce and launch the Kingdom of God on Planet Earth, it was to so immerse his followers in the Holy Spirit that they themselves would embody the words and carry out the works of Jesus, and as the King’s agents, extend his Kingdom “to the uttermost parts of the earth.” (Acts 1:8, KJV)

Now the real question for those of us reading these words today is this:  Is the baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire something you just read about historically, or is it an experience that is personal and fresh in your life today? The truth is, despite all the misgivings and discomfort modern Christians may have about this baptism with the Holy Spirit, we cannot simply erase this important dimension of Christ’s ministry from the pages of Scripture.  To paraphrase D.L. Moody, to remove the work of the Holy Spirit from the Bible is like using a sundial by moonlight.

Jesus is still the baptizer with the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is still the one who empowers believers to do words and works of Jesus. And Paul’s question to the Ephesians in Acts 19:2 is as critically important for you today as it was for them nearly 2,000 years ago:  “Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?”

If you haven’t, perhaps you should spend some time with the Great Baptizer and ask him for the Holy Spirit and fire.  Jesus himself has said,

“I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be
with you forever—the Spirit of truth … For everyone who asks
receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks,
the door will be opened...how much more will your
Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit
to those who ask him!”
(John 14:16-17, Luke 11:10 & 13)

“Spirit filled souls are ablaze for God. They love with a love that glows. They serve with a faith that kindles. They serve with a devotion that consumes. They hate sin with fierceness that burns. They rejoice with a joy that radiates. Love is perfected in the fire of God.” ~Samuel Chadwick

What If God Took Over?

Ask the Lord to give you a fresh baptism of the Spirit and fire, to cleanse and empower you so you can embody his words and carry out his works in your world.

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Something To Think About

Read: Luke 2

“But Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.” (Luke 2:19)

The King James Version says “Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.” That statement has always intrigued me, and I am not exactly sure what it means. Something similar is stated again at the end of the chapter in verse 51 as Luke gives us a glimpse into the life of Jesus as a growing boy at about twelve years of age.

“But his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.”

We don’t know a great deal about Jesus’ early life beyond what we read here, but to say the least, it must have been quite interesting for Mary to be the mother of God. I think it is safe to say that, on the one hand, Jesus was like any other baby who needed to be changed, cried when he was hungry, developed a cute little personality as the months passed by, and became an inquisitive little boy.

On the other hand, he was the Son of God. Angels attended his birth, shepherds came to worship him, wise men from afar brought him expensive gifts, prophets prophesied over him during the customary temple ceremonies, and at age twelve, he carried on a spirited dialogue with the intelligentsia of his day during a family visit to the temple.

I am sure that most mothers and fathers would have bragged incessantly and shamelessly to the neighbors about their son’s many outstanding qualities and unusual experiences. But not Mary; she simply treasured all these things that were said about Jesus and all the things that Jesus did as he grew, and pondered them in her heart. In other words, she gave them a lot of thought; she kept them between herself and her Lord.

That is not such not a bad idea, is it? You probably ought to do that a lot more often.  Me, too!  Rather than blurting out everything that happens to you or happens in you, perhaps you ought to just meditate on some of those experiences and keep them between the Lord and you.

When someone comes to you with a “word from the Lord”; when you have a dream that seems to have an unusual spiritual dimension to it; when you have an extraordinary encounter with God … when you are not quite sure how to respond to these experiences, why not just treasure them and ponder them in your heart. Keep them between you and your Lord, and over time just watch to see how God uses them.

I have a feeling that this, in part, is how we grow deeper in our spiritual lives. Likewise, I would not be too surprised to find out that when we give in to our need to blurt out all of these holy things to anyone within earshot, we have spent the entire capital of that experience, and it will go no further than that.

Something may happen in your life this week that will be of a truly rich nature. Ask God for the wisdom to discern if that experience is of the kind that should simply be treasured and pondered in your heart.

Something to think about, isn’t it?

“How pleasant, how delightful, to sit alone and in silence, to converse with God, and so to enjoy the only chief good, in whom all good things are found!” ~Thomas A` Kempis

What If God Took Over?

Pray this prayer of surrender:  “Lord, teach me to understand the difference between the things that need to be shared and those experiences that are so rich they are meant only to be shared between you and me.”

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God Never Forgets

Read: Luke 1

Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy: “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his people.” (Luke 1:67-68)

Over the years the church has given Zechariah’s song the title, “The Benedictus,” or The Blessing. The lyrics of this brief song, which we read in verses 67-79, were sung by one of the proudest and oldest first time fathers of all time. But more than being just a happy little diddy from a happy ol’ daddy, Zechariah verbalizes two timeless and timely truths about God’s character that you and I probably need to hear again today.

First, we are reminded that God never breaks a promise! John’s birth was living proof of God’s faithfulness. In his song, Zechariah belts out to all who will listen, “Blessings on the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has turned his face towards his people and has set them free!” (v. 68. J.B. Phillips)

God keeps his promises—every one of them. He can’t help himself; it is just his nature. He had promised through the prophets a redeemer for Israel hundreds of year before, and 400 silent years had passed since the last prophet Malachi had uttered the oracles of God until the time the angel Gabriel revealed God’s plan to Zechariah. Though God’s promise had been ever so slow in coming, it was nonetheless fulfilled.

Zechariah’s song reminds us that even though God may be slow, he is never late!

Second, God never forgets. The name “Zechariah” meant “God remembers”. And in his song Zechariah exploded with the joyful realization that God does remember: “God has remembered his oath…” (vv. 72-73)

Zechariah must have been discouraged. He was a priest of a nation that had turned its back on God. He and Elizabeth, whose name meant “the promise of God”, had been faithful to God all their lives—they had lived up to the meaning of their names. Yet God had neither blessed them with a son nor had wayward Israel been delivered from its oppressive foreign enemies. However, Zechariah fiercely clung to this truth: Our Creator remembers! God knows who we are, where we are and what we need. He remembers us. He remembers his promises, and God graciously acts at the proper time. Perhaps Zechariah remembered those moving words God spoke to Israel in Isaiah 49:15-16,

“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.”

Zechariah leaned into that promise, and he found a blessed truth that you, too, may need to lean into today: God can’t forget!

Tom Sutherland was taken hostage by radicals in the Middle East and held in captivity for four years in the mid 1980’s, mostly in solitary confinement. He existed in deep darkness during that long ordeal.  Sometimes he could hear the captor’s radio when they tuned it to the BBC, and Tom would listen intently hoping and praying to hear his name mentioned on a newscast. But he never heard it, so he figured that people back home didn’t even know he was alive, much less imprisoned.

Finally, Tom was released. He flew back to the US and landed in San Francisco, and he was amazed as he got off the plane to see a huge crowd, people waving signs, cameras, reporters, and TV lights. He turned to his wife and said, “There must have been a famous person on this plane with us. See if you can spot them.”

She said, “Tom, they’re all here for you!” At that, Tom broke down and cried like a baby.

After he regained his composure, he said, “I thought everybody had forgotten me…I felt abandoned…I didn’t think anybody cared. Thank God I was wrong.”

If you are reading these words today and feeling a little forgotten by God, thank God you’re wrong! Zechariah reminds you from first hand experience through his song that God remembers you and will fulfill every single one of his promises to you at the proper time!

So be faithful!

“God often gives in one brief moment that which He has for a long time denied.”  ~Thomas A` Kempis

What If God Took Over?

What are you waiting on God for?  Are you getting discouraged that the answer hasn’t come.  Are you a little upset, even angry with him that he hasn’t provided what you’ve asked for?  Make this declaration of trust in God as an act of faith right now:  “God, I believe in you, I trust your timing, I declare your love, and I wait patiently for your answer.”

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Hitting Them Where It Hurts

Read Revelation 16

“Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the
seven angels, ‘Go, pour out the seven bowls of God’s
wrath on the earth.’ The first angel went and
poured out his bowl on the land…”
(Revelation 16:1-2)

Thoughts… The earth is going to hell in a handbasket! Just you wait and see.

Now don’t get me wrong—I love our planet. My primary pathway of worship is through nature. I love the outdoors and I feel closest to God when I am in the wonder and beauty of his creation. I love the smell of a cedar forest, hiking through the awe-inspiring majesty of the redwoods, rafting Class 5 rapids on a pristine mountain stream, gazing at the unmatched wonder of a Pacific sunset, gazing at the Milkyway Galaxy on a clear night from the Arizona desert…

You’ll get no argument from me that God was at his finest when he created the earth.

But have you noticed in the last few years how man’s appreciation for the beauty of nature has turned to earth-worship. Stewardship of the environment has turned to radical environmentalism. Eco-terror is on the rise. The new political muscle of the green movement now thwarts common sense use of the earth’s resources at every turn.

We are living in a time when man worships the creation more than its Creator.

So we shouldn’t be surprised that when God brings final judgment on the wickedness of mankind, he will hit where it really hurts—in the very area where we have become most idolatrous: The earth.

The very planet that is now worshiped is going to take a beating. God will give the seven angels who administer his judgment power to harm the earth. Plagues will break forth, the oceans will become polluted like never before, rivers and streams will turn putrid, global warming will become global baking, the cosmos will be darkened without remedy, massive earthquakes will destroy great portions of the developed world and everyday weather patterns will become man’s worst enemy.

In short, God will turn the physical world upside down as punishment for those who have chosen to worship it over him.

Keep that in mind in the coming years as the environmental movement grows stronger and stronger, when it turns from a movement into a religion, when you will face increasing pressure to bow at the alter of environmental consciousness, and when coercion and isolation are imposed on those who do not take such a view of the earth. That day is coming friend, so don’t be caught off guard.

But keep in mind also that God will take down this altar of idolatry like he has with every other god and godless system in the past that has set itself against him. God will tolerate no other god before him.

“You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make
for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above
or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall
not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the
LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the
children for the sin of the fathers to the third
and fourth generation of those who hate
me, but showing love to a thousand
generations of those who love me
and keep my commandments.”
(Exodus 20:3-6)

Prayer… Lord, you are the Creator of all. You alone are worthy to be praised and adored. I give you glory and honor, and I worship you in the splendor of your creation. You rule and reign over all that exist. You are Lord of all!

One More Thing… “Now if I believe in God’s Son and remember that He became man, all creatures will appear a hundred times more beautiful to me than before. Then I will properly appreciate the sun, the moon, the stars, trees, apples, as I reflect that he is Lord over all things. …God writes the Gospel, not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars.” — Martin Luther