Fatally Right

Luke 14: Now it happened, as He went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they watched Him closely. ² And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy. ³ And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”

⁴ But they kept silent. And He took him and healed him, and let him go. ⁵ Then He answered them, saying, “Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?” ⁶ And they could not answer Him regarding these things.

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After the rededication I felt something needed to change in my life. I decided not to do certain things I categorized as “sin.” I did notice positive changes in my life so I decided to “make” others do the same.

When they did not respond well, I pointed out what the Bible said about the topic at hand. Not only did they stop listening to me, they went further in the opposite direction I was trying to steer them to.

• There have been many times when I judged people’s actions.
• There have been many times when I watched people to see if they were doing as “I” expected them to do.
• There were times when I thought “If people would just follow every word in the Bible, then they would be fine.”

Incapable of being righteous, the church leaders placed heavy burdens on the people to be “perfect” according to their made up rules. When JESUS went to their house and healed on the Sabbath, there was no rejoicing over another human who was made whole. There was silence. JESUS then challenged their interpretation of the law of the Sabbath and further silenced them.

• JESUS wants me to study HIS word in order to bring people together.
• JESUS wants me to understand HIS grace in order to restore people back to HIM.
• JESUS wants me to learn of HIM so I can grasp the grace and mercy HE has shown me.

Knowing the Bible is one thing, knowing why the Bible is here is another. Simply put, GOD recounts how HE has shown love to a world HE cursed. With Satan’s decision to “be GOD”, Satan was thrown out of heaven to the world, and he tried to ruin humans. GOD has already redeemed mankind through JESUS and desires my free will to choose HIS gift of grace.

• Are you full of pride that you have reduced a few sins?
• Are you fooling yourself about your righteousness?
• Can you seek grace and mercy even for those you feel do not deserve it?
• Will you seek restoration versus segregation today?

Too Busy

Luke 13: ³⁴ “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing! ³⁵ See! Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”

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Bored was a mild word for how I felt. With nothing to do, in a town I did not want to live in, I felt stranded more than bored. I got another job and moved. I did this again and again until I was extremely busy. “Would you like to serve the poor and the lost?” someone asked, in so many words. “I’m too busy” I thought to myself.

• There are times when I am too busy for GOD.
• There are times when I am too overwhelmed to listen to GOD.
• There are times when I am too frustrated at others to hear what GOD wants me to say to them.

JESUS feels sad for the society and lifestyle people sought. Instead of being able to hear GOD, they wanted to follow the rich and powerful people of Jerusalem. These ungrateful politicians would kill anyone who stood in the way of their “power.”

• JESUS cries over me when I forget “I” am made for HIM.
• JESUS weeps over me when I think “my” life in “mine.”
• JESUS laments over me when I blame HIM for “my” situation rather than listening to HIM.

“How often I wanted” were the hurt words JESUS uses to express just how deeply concerned HE felt for those who would eventually kill HIM. HE feels the same for me when I seek HIM in my own way, get disappointed and leave HIM, only to fill my life with timewasters.

GOD wants me to seek HIM in spite of my situations. If I am “bored” HE wants me to fill my life with HIM so I can reach others. The same goes for when I am scared, hurt, angry or any other distracted state. GOD loves when I seek HIS people. HE is my healer.

• Where are you right now?
• Are you too busy blaming GOD or are you seeking HIM?
• Will you turn your face to HIM and open your heart to the thankfulness HE has in store for you today?

True Power

Luke 13: ³¹ On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, “Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You.”

³² And He said to them, “Go, tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.’ ³³ Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.

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Threats from a bully ruined yet another day, only this time is frightened the entire school. Somehow, the rumor of another school coming to ours to start fights, was taken seriously. “How am I going to get home?” I thought to myself.

• There have been many humans who threaten other humans.
• There have been times when the powerful try to force their power on other humans.
• There have been situations that seem wildly out of hand.

There were church leaders who believed in JESUS, but feared for HIS life, for they did not truly know who HE was and is. They said “Flee, for Herod wants to kill YOU.” JESUS called Herod a fox and expressed HIS power as GOD. Why didn’t JESUS fear for HIS life?

• JESUS knew when HE was going to lay HIS life down for me.
• JESUS knew the date, time and location of HIS death, and still faced it for me.
• JESUS knew HE had all power, yet HE chose to lay it down for me.

Fire from heaven sounded like a great idea as a quick judgment on Herod’s threat. That’s probably what I would have done. BUT JESUS showed restraint, which is the true power. HE allowed HIS own creation to murder HIM even though HE committed no crime or sin. But what about the bullies I face.

On my walk home, I was scared but I believed I would be protected. The school let us out a few minutes early and I could feel a weight lifted from my fear. Daily it seems like there is a threat on my peace, BUT GOD is there to protect my soul with HIS true power.

• Are you down?
• Did humans threaten your plans and now you don’t know what to do?
• Can you give GOD more credit for loving you and believe HE is protecting you today?

But I went to Church

Luke 13: ²² And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. ²³ Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?”

And He said to them, ²⁴ “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. ²⁵ When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’ ²⁶ then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ ²⁷ But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’²⁸ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. ²⁹ They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God.³⁰ And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last.”

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Returning back to church was a serious mind-shift. A taste of the “good life” made me want more. When I went, I could feel a bit of a conflict. I enjoyed the sin I was doing and figured I could balance the sin by attending church. I mean, everybody’s a sinner, right?

• There were times when I sought to be at “church” instead of seeking GOD.
• There were times when I did “churchy” stuff instead of seeking GOD.
• There were times when I listened to sermons instead of seeking GOD.

JESUS says the most frightening words in the Bible to me. HE says there are plenty of people who claim to be with HIM yet HE will say “Depart from ME, for I do not know you.” The argument will be, “But we ate the bread and drank the juice of communion and listened to countless sermons.”

JESUS then insisted that people from all over would enter HIS kingdom, but those who sought to be first would not.

• GOD says to me “Seek MY kingdom even when it is not popular.”
• GOD says to me “Stop playing “church” and truly seek MY face.”
• GOD says to me “People are far more important to me than jobs, houses, cars, vacations and worldly pleasure.”

The world says “obtain a lot, eat a lot and pleasure yourself a lot.” Then the world lies and says It’s alright to join the crowd. BUT GOD says, “Seek MY kingdom first.” Each day, I should look for the person GOD has sent to me. If no one is there then I should ask “Who do YOU want me to go to?”

Living for GOD is a very “narrow” decision. It is not gimmicky, nor is it manipulative. GOD wants me to truly give and that doesn’t always mean giving to support salaries. HE wants me to pray and not always for buildings. GOD wants me to seek those who reject HIM. This is a very narrow path. I am grateful for GOD.

• Are you going to church as a habit or to seek GOD?
• When you attend church is it to seek the “brand” or to seek the lost?
• Is GOD asking you to step up to do something entirely different for HIM, yet you are refusing HIS calling?

Filled Up

Luke 13: ²⁰ And again He said, “To what shall I liken the kingdom of God? ²¹ It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.”

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In a hurry, I placed the gas container in the back seat of my car. Unfortunately the rubber gasket was missing which left the top loose and a little spilled out as I turned the corner sharply. Those few drops made the entire car smell.

• Sometimes a little can be a lot.
• Sometimes it only takes a little of something to take over everything.
• Sometimes just a tiny amount matters.

JESUS says a rather confusing analogy about the kingdom of GOD. HE compares it to leaven or yeast, that a woman baking bread, places in the mixture. Only three measures were used to permeate the entire batch. What does HIS analogy have to do with me and my problems?

• GOD says to me “The kingdom of heaven grows because of ME.”
• GOD says to me “Once MY presence enters you, I will fill you up.”
• GOD says to me “I AM the great I AM who is made of the FATHER, the SON and the HOLY SPIRIT, three in one.”

Such few words describe so much. GOD’s kingdom is growing exponentially in spite of any force trying to stop it. HIS kingdom cannot be yielded in any way. HIS presence inside of me saves me eternally. That cannot be changed. When I ask for more of HIS kingdom, HE give it to me generously.

• Are you seeking the world’s kingdom or GOD’s kingdom?
• What is permeating your thoughts and actions?
• Are you bearing fruit for GOD or does your mind get torn apart with the today’s problems?
• Can you allow a little of GOD to permeate your entire life by letting go of your worries today?

Growing

Luke 13: ¹⁸ Then He said, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? ¹⁹ It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.”

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Furious, I stormed into the grocery store. I grabbed whatever I was purchasing and went to the counter. The cashier looked at my face and did not bother to say anything but the amount owed. Silently I paid and left.

• There are times when I show my anger to many people.
• There are times when I show my disappointment to many people.
• There are times when I show my hatred, fear, lust, prejudice and greed to many people.

JESUS describes the kingdom of GOD as a mustard seed planted in a garden. This seed grew and became a large tree for which many birds nested in its branches. How does a seed parable apply to me?

• GOD says to me “Each day you plant something whether you like it or not.”
• GOD says to me “You can sow seeds for MY kingdom or sow seeds for yours every day.”
• GOD says to me “You are MY seed and I plant you where I need you, for the time I need you, and I will grow you into a large tree.”

Each and every day I have a choice to make. I can make people miserable and adversarial or I can choose to be with people and show them GOD is in control in spite of my problems. Even my absence speaks volumes and plants a seed. Once I realize GOD has placed me somewhere for HIS purpose, it makes me think differently.

Wicked people aren’t as wicked and the argument I was about to jump into doesn’t seem worth winning when I choose GOD. Showing GOD’s love is important to HIM. When I choose to do so, especially when I don’t feel like it, HE grows me beyond my belief.

• What seeds are you growing?
• Are you making many people miserable around you?
• Can you choose to have GOD grow you to a point where you are growing other people for HIS purpose on a daily basis?

Control Freak

Luke 13: ¹⁴ But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, “There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day.”

¹⁵ The Lord then answered him and said,  “Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? ¹⁶ So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” ¹⁷ And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.

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“Look at the people singing the song wrong. Some people aren’t even singing. Why are we singing this song anyway. I wonder if I should put in a few suggestions for some “better” songs” were the flood of thoughts at the beginning of the church service.

• There are times when I think I have all the answers.
• There are times when I think I know better than those around me.
• There are times when I am distracted by “form.”

One of the church leaders barked out a rebuke towards JESUS for healing on the Sabbath. JESUS immediately calls him a hypocrite and had to show how ludicrous his thinking was. Should “form” be placed over following the SPIRIT? This was the gist of JESUS’ reply.

• GOD wants me to bring others to HIM and so they can have their own relationship with GOD.
• GOD wants me to stop trying to control people into how they serve HIM.
• GOD wants me to allow HIM to grow people so they can see HIS marvelous power.

Worshiping, learning and serving are all extremely important to GOD, but not as important as I can sometimes emphasize to others. When I get to the point where I am criticizing how much or little someone prays then I suddenly fall into the hypocrite category JESUS spoke of.

GOD is the only ONE who can see if someone is truly worshiping HIM or not. HE would rather have me praying for the population who is rejecting HIM all together than focusing on correcting a believer’s pattern of church attendance. GOD gives grace, not control. HE allows me to be as wild as a tornado without sending me straight to hell. I am grateful GOD guides others and me.

• Is someone worshiping GOD wrong?
• Do you notice what others are doing wrong when they are supposedly serving GOD?
• Can you reduce your judgment on others and allow GOD to lead you to people who really need HIS live today?