Category Archives: Luke

Posted on

The Proof Is In The Pudding

Real Repentance Requires Radical Realignment

Repentance is not simply an expression of regret over a wrong and a request to be forgiven for the offense; it is that, but it is more. Repentance is a change of direction that involves our heart (godly sorrow), our words (confession) and especially our behavior (righteous living). Repentance is not so much a noun, it is a verb — and action word — and it is the only pathway to God’s great grace.

The Journey: Luke 3:7-8

When the crowds came to John for baptism, he said, “You brood of snakes! Who warned you to flee God’s coming wrath? Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.”

One thing about John the Baptist—he was certainly no dispenser of cheap grace. Nor was he too concerned with being seeker sensitive. He was a preacher of repentance, and when people came looking for forgiveness of their sins, John forced them to show proof of their spiritual sincerity. Mr. Warm-and-Fuzzy, that John guy!

Actually, as tough as he was, John was doing people a huge favor. That’s because, no matter how you sliced it, the catalyst for reconciliation with God was authentic repentance. It still is! You cannot get right with God, be in a loving relationship with him, and live under his blessing without first having come to grips with your sinfulness through genuine, Biblical repentance. That’s why John made such a big deal about it.

Repentance is not simply an expression of regret over a wrong and a request to be forgiven for the offense; it is that, but it is more. Repentance is a change of direction that involves our heart (godly sorrow), our words (confession) and especially our behavior (righteous living). Repentance is not so much a noun, it is a verb—and action word, and the action it requires is three-fold:

First, in our understanding, it involves the knowledge of our sin that leads to a change of mind. Not a wishy-washy, double-mindedness, but a rational intellectual growth that our previous mindset was dead wrong and it must be replaced with new and right thinking. In other words, the first step in true repentance involves rational awareness of wrongdoing and recognition that spiritual cleansing and behavioral change is required.

Second, true repentance involves our emotions. We must feel what our mind recognizes. We must feel the pain, disappointment and sorrow of offending God, and not just sorrow for getting caught. The fear of being exposed and the fear of punishment are motivations that only lead to inauthentic repentance—which is no repentance at all.

And third, true repentance involves appropriate action that springs from what our mind recognizes and what our heart feels. In fact, the word repentance — it is metanoia in the original Greek text of the new Testament—means a change of course; literally a 180-degree shift in our thinking and in our behavior. There is nothing like changed and consistent behavior to powerfully communicate authentic repentance before God. Or, as John would say, when it comes to true repentance, the proof is in the pudding:

Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.

Remember, you cannot earn your salvation, but you are certainly called to give effort to it!)

A Simple Prayer To Be More Like Jesus:

God, give me a spirit of true repentance. Help me to realize how much my sin offends your holiness, give me to courage to change, and take me to a deeper appreciation for just how great your grace truly is to cover even my greatest sin
Posted on

The Spirit of Simeon

How Long Are You Willing To Wait On God?

If you simply look at the lives of those whom the Bible presents as examples of God-honoring faith, you will notice that one of the outstanding characteristics of their lives was their willingness to wait on God for the fulfillment of his promises. They prayed – and didn’t give up. They obeyed – and didn’t grow weary. The expected – and didn’t lose heart. Which begs the question: How long are you willing to wait for the fulfillment of God’s promises in your life? Biblical waiting – your willingness to pray, expect, trust, obey, and in general, live a God-honoring life in the meantime – will in the end be the very thing that determines the strength of your faith, which is the greatest treasure you can offer to God.

The Journey: Luke 2:28-29

Simeon took the infant Jesus in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace.”

I can just imagine this old, weathered prophet, Simeon, moved by the Holy Spirit, running up to Mary and grabbing the baby Jesus from her arms. Perhaps Mary and Joseph were a bit stunned; maybe they were about to call for the temple guard to arrest this crazy old man, but before they could react, Simeon burst forth in a loud prophetic praise to God,

“…dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation…”

Then as suddenly as he took the baby, Simeon gently laid Jesus back into Mary’s arms. He pronounced a blessing upon the young parents, uttered a few esoteric words, then turned and made his way through the curious onlookers. As Simeon walked away, he shouted his praises to God, and as suddenly as he had appeared, he was gone from the temple—and from any further mention in the Bible.

Not much is known about Simeon. Christian tradition suggests that he was very old—over 100 years of age. We don’t know for sure, but because of his eagerness to die, that would be a logical assumption. We’re told in Luke 2:25 that he was looking for the “consolation of Israel”—a reference to the messianic hope of the Jewish nation. Then as we dig a little deeper into this passage, Luke 2:25-35, we actually begin to learn a great deal more about this otherwise obscure man:

  1. We learn that he was a man who was dedicated to the ways of God — “devout and righteous”. (Luke 2:25) Simeon had a consuming passion for God.
  2. We also discover that he was a man who was led by the Spirit of God — “The Holy Spirit was upon him… revealed to him by the Holy Spirit… Moved by the Spirit.” (Luke 2:25-27) Simeon had a unique connection to God.
  3. We likewise find that he was a man who was obedient to the will of God — “He was waiting for the consolation of Israel. It had been revealed to him that he would see it in his lifetime.” (Luke 2:25) Simeon had an unbending dedication to the plan of God.
  4. We then see he was a man who was committed to speaking the truth of God — “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many…And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” (Luke 2:34-35) Simeon had an unwavering commitment to speaking the prophetic Word of God.

Now this might seem like nothing more than otherwise unimportant and uninteresting biographical information on this old prophet, but there is something instructive here for you and me. You see, Simeon’s story has been included in Holy Scripture to remind us that God is still looking for people with the spirit of Simeon—people who are equally dedicated to the ways of God, who have learned to be led by the Spirit of God, who are obedient to the will of God, who will speak the Word of God, and who are willing to wait unwaveringly on God.

If you simply look at the lives of those whom the Bible presents as examples of God-honoring faith, you will notice that one of the outstanding characteristics of their lives was their willingness to wait on God for the fulfillment of his promises. They prayed – and didn’t give up. They obeyed – and didn’t grow weary. The expected – and didn’t lose heart. Which begs the question: How long are you willing to wait for the fulfillment of God’s promises in your life? Biblical waiting – your willingness to pray, expect, trust, obey, and in general, live a God-honoring life in the meantime – will in the end be the very thing that determines the strength of your faith, which is the greatest treasure you can offer to God.

Those are the kind of people for whom God is looking, through whom God will speak and to whom God will fulfill his promises.

Will you be that person?

A Simple Prayer To Be More Like Jesus:

God, give me the spirit of Simeon. Grant me the heart to seek, the passion to obey, the courage to speak, the patience to wait.
Posted on

Something To Think About

It Is Always Better To Ponder Than To Pontificate

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, and 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.

The Journey: Luke 2:19

But Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.

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 the age of 12.

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, had to be taught the ways of the family, 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, holy men and women prophesied over him during the customary temple ceremonies, and he carried on a spirited dialogue with the intelligentsia of his day during a family visit to the temple when he was just twelve years old.

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, wouldn’t you say? We probably ought to do that a lot more often. 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, and 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. Thomas A` Kempis once wrote,

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!

Some of the things that may happen in your life this week 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!

A Simple Prayer To Be More Like Jesus:

God, teach me to understand the difference between the things that need to be shared and those experiences that are so rich that they are meant only to be shared between you and me.
Posted on

God Will Never Forget You

Just One of the Many Great Things About God

If you are reading these words today and feeling that God has forgotten you, thank God you’re wrong! The fact is, you have his undivided attention. And while your circumstances and your feelings may lead you to believe that you are being neglected, the truth is, God is at work on your behalf. So just be faithful, for God often gives us in one brief moment that which for a long time he has withheld.

The Journey: Luke 1:67-68

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.”

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 ditty 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.

Yet Zechariah 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 remember the words of 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.”

God can’t forget!

You may remember the name of Tom Sutherland. He 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 is 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! As Thomas A` Kempis said, “God often gives in one brief moment that which He has for a long time denied.”

So be faithful!

A Simple Prayer To Be More Like Jesus:

God, I choose to believe in you, I choose to trust your timing, I choose to declare your love, and I choose to wait patiently for your answer.
Posted on

Your Confidence In The Authority Of God’s Word

The B.I.B.L.E – Yes, You Can Stand Upon The Word Of God

Do you want indestructible joy, unshakeable faith, and unyielding security in your life? Make the Bible your all-sufficient, all-consuming standard of faith and conduct. Psalm 119:89 says, “Your word, O LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.” Stay faithful to God’s Word. Read it every day with an open-mind and a willing spirit, and God will speak to you through the pages, and as you obey it, he will direct your steps along the paths of righteousness all the days of your life.

The Journey: Luke 1:1-4

Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

I think it is not only very interesting, but quite instructive, the great lengths Luke went to in setting up the veracity of his account of the life, ministry, miracles, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He wrote his gospel initially for a Gentile seeker by the name of Theophilus, and he wanted to prove beyond a shadow of doubt that his witness to all that was Jesus was believable, verifiable, and worthy to stake one’s life and eternity upon.

And, by the way, each of the biblical writers had the same motive in their painstaking effort to write the truth about God and from God that is contained in the sixty-six books of the Bible. The Apostle Paul stated it the most forcefully,

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Unfortunately, we live in an age when the cultural (and godless) philosophies of secularism and relativism are trying to do away with any transcendent source of truth, in particular the Word of God. And even worse, a growing number of so-called Christians are buying into those philosophies. But here is the cost of not having any values and standards of truth: the culture will collapse…or be held in the bondage of darkness, ignorance and satanic domination. The divorce rate will soar, violence and abuse will escalate, children will rebel, families will collapse and as a result, society will rot.

It shouldn’t surprise us that this is the very condition our society now finds itself in as a result of rejecting the Bible as our God-breathed sources of truth. Look at what God’s Word predicted a long time ago:

  • Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is ignorance of God, crime runs wild.”
  • Isaiah 5:20 prophesied, “Destruction is certain for those who say that evil is good and good is evil; that dark is light and light is dark.”
  • Proverbs 29:18 gives this sobering reminder: “A nation without God’s guidance is a nation without order.”

All of that is happening right before our eyes. Even before the Proverbs were penned and Isaiah prophesied, the Psalmist asked, “When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3)

There is way you can have an unshakeable faith that endures and thrives during chaotic and insecure times. Jesus said you can “know the truth and the truth will set you free.” There is truth, it is knowable, and when it’s fully embraced will give you ultimate freedom.

And the very first step toward an enduring faith and unlimited freedom is for you to make the Word of God your standard of faith and practice!

Jesus said in John 17:17, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” When Christians reject the sinful and godless practices of their culture and begin to build their lives on the B-I-B-L-E, the one & only standard of truth, blessings come to the nation and people find their way to Christ and eternal life. Paul reminded Timothy, “There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (2 Tim. 3:15 Msg.) Make the Bible your standard of faith and practice and here’s what you’ll get:

  1. It will reveal God’s plan and power for your salvation. Romans 1:16 says, “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.”
  2. It will provide nourishment for your spiritual growth. (Without it…spiritual crisis) 1 Peter 2:2 says, “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation.”
  3. It will guide you in these chaotic times. Psalm 119:105 & 130 reminds us, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.”
  4. It will provide your defense against the devil’s attack. Ephesians 6:17 exhorts, “Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
  5. It will train you in righteousness. Psalm 119:9, 11 points out, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word…I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Hebrews 4:12 teaches, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart”
  6. It will give you an eternal perspective. Romans 15:4 says, “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.” Timothy Dwight said, “The Bible is a window in this prison-world, through which we may look into eternity.”
  7. It will be a source of indestructible joy. Jeremiah 15:16 says, “Your words are what sustain me. They bring me great joy and are my heart’s delight.”

Do you want indestructible joy, unshakeable faith, security and satisfaction in your life? Make the Bible your all-sufficient, all-consuming standard of faith and conduct. Psalm 119:89 tells us, “Your word, O LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.” I love the Apostle Paul’s words to his protégé, Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:14-16,

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Did you catch that? The Holy Scripture is able to make you wise for salvation. In other words, there is nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Paul also says that it is through the Scripture that you are equipped for every good work—it is through the Word of God that you are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for you to do.

Stay faithful to God’s Word. Read it every day with an open-mind and a willing spirit as you allow God speak to you through the pages of his Holy Word. As you spend time with the Bible, let me suggest the following that will enable you to have a life changing encounter with God:

  • Meditate on it! Don’t just read it to get through it—spend time letting it soak into your spirit.
  • Memorize it! The Psalmist said, “Your word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11)
  • Master it! Be a student of the Bible. Get a graduate degree in Scripture. As Paul said to Timothy, “Study to show yourself a workman who needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV)
  • Minister it! Do something with it. Apply it in your everyday life. As James said, “Don’t merely listen to the word. Do what it says!” (James 1:22)

A Simple Prayer To Be More Like Jesus:

God, I believe your Word. The B.I.B.L.E is the book for me. I will stand upon your Word each and every day from here until the day you call me home.
Posted on

Beware the God of Money

You, Wealth, God and Eternity

Jesus talked more about money than about heaven or hell. The focus of many of his parables was that very subject. So was the subject of a good number of his teachings. That’s because Jesus fully understood the death-grip money could have on the human soul. Greed, materialism, selfishness, competition, worry, just to name a few, and worst of all, the love of money, always crowd out our love for God along with the joy and hope we have in him.

Enduring Truth // Focus: Luke 16:11

And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?

It has been said that Jesus talked more about money than about heaven or hell. Many of his parables centered around that very subject, as did his other teachings. That’s because Jesus fully understood the death-grip money could have on the human soul.

Whether or not there was (or is) a literal god of money, I don’t know. Some have supposed that is what Jesus referenced when he spoke of “mammon”. But for sure, the love of money leads to all sorts of problems in this world, and in our lives: Greed, materialism, selfishness, worry, just to name a few. Worst of all, the love of money always crowds out the love of God. That is why Jesus said in Luke 16:13 (NLT),

No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

In other words, we are to love God and use money—not vice versa.

Yet as critical as what Jesus said about God and money is, there is yet another facet to this teaching that you as a Christ-follower need to understand: How you use money now will have a direct bearing on the Kingdom authority God wants to release to you in this life, and in his eternal kingdom. That is what Jesus meant in Luke 16:11 when he said if you can’t be trusted with wealth in this world, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?

How you are handling your wealth—your money, home, cars and possessions—is not just isolated to the physical world of the present. It is, in reality, a test-run that will determine the extent to which God will entrust to you authority in realms much more important—the spiritual realm of the Kingdom Life now and the eternal realm of the ageless world to come.

Ask yourself this question today: Who has me? Money or God? Am I loving God and using money? Or in reality—and just take a look at your checkbook register or your Quicken summary if you are unsure what reality is—are you bowing at the altar of Mammon?

Thrive: Offer this prayer: “Lord, help me to use my money, to the very last cent, in a way that is pleasing to you. When I stand before you some day, may you say of me that I loved you and used money to store up wealth in the eternal kingdom.”

Posted on

God, Thank You For Sending Your Son

52 Simple Prayers for 2018

We desperately need a Savior—one who will deliver us from our sinful nature and from this sinful world: “Gabriel said, ‘You are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.’” (Matt. 1:21) We desperately need a Christ—one anointed as our Messiah to redeem us and bring us into right standing with God: “In him we have redemption.” (Eph. 1:7) And we desperately need a Lord—one who has rulership over our lives and our world: “And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” (Luke 1:33) In Jesus, God gave us One who is Savior, Christ and Lord.

A Simple Prayer For Christmas Joy:

Jesus, you are Savior — through you all my sins are gone. Jesus you are Lord — sovereign over all that will happen in my life today — good or bad. And Jesus, you are Christ — God’s anointed for my life. For that, I choose to be joyful in you. Amen.