The Light Of Love

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How do you help God draw people from darkness to light?

Some gentile converts to Judaism were among those who had come to Jerusalem to worship during the annual Passover festival (188). They went to Philip, one of the twelve witnesses, and said, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.” Philip went & told Andrew, and the two of them went & told Jesus.

But instead of responding directly to this request, Jesus took Philip, Andrew & and the people surrounding them in a different direction, saying:  “The hour has now come for me to receive great glory.  A grain of wheat remains no more than a single grain, unless it’s planted in the ground & dies.  And when it dies, it becomes a plant that produces many more grains.

“Anyone, who chooses to love his worldly life, will ultimately lose that life.  But anyone, who chooses not to love his worldly life, will preserve his heavenly life — which will continue forever, even after physical death.

“Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me.  My servants must be with me wherever I am. God will honor anyone who serves me with such dedication.

“I admit, my heart is troubled, but does that mean I should ask God not to make me go through this hour of suffering?  No, I came among you for this exact purpose – to go through this hour of suffering.  My prayer is that God will bring glory to his name.”

Then a voice was heard  from heaven, speaking, “I will bring glory to my name!” Some in the crowd who heard the voice said it was thunder, while others said, “An angel spoke to him!”  But Jesus said to them all, “That was the voice of God, speaking to you!  When I am lifted up on the cross, in order to draw people to God, that’s when Satan is going down.”

Jesus was referring to his impending execution.  Some in the crowd vaguely got this & questioned Jesus: “Our law says the Messiah will live forever. How, then, can you say that you will be lifted up on a cross? Who do you think you are?”

Jesus replied, “My light will be with you a while longer. Continue in this light, so darkness will not overcome you, because if you’re in the dark, you’re lost.  Trust in my light while you have it, and always be people who share my light.”

After this, Jesus went off by himself for a while.

LORD, please help us to love sharing the light of Your love.

How do you help God draw people from darkness to light?

(188) John 12:20-36

Judas Iscariot

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When you’re ignoring God’s Holy Spirit, how do you reconnect?

Later that evening, Jesus again told his chosen witnesses (187), “In two days, during the Passover Festival, I will be arrested & sentenced to be executed on a cross.”

At the same time, the chief priests & the elders met together in the palace of Caiaphas, the High Priest; they plotted to arrest Jesus & arrange for his execution. “We must not do it during the Passover Festival,” they said, “or the people will riot.”

Meanwhile, Satan had begun to control the thoughts & feelings & actions of Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve chosen witnesses.

Ignoring the promptings of the Holy Spirit, Judas offered to betray Jesus to the chief priests & the officers of their temple guard. They were very pleased, so they agreed to pay Judas thirty silver coins for doing this.

The agreement was made, and Judas started looking for an opportunity for the officials to arrest Jesus, without the people knowing about it.

LORD, please help us to love relying on Your Spirit, against our sin.

When you’re ignoring God’s Holy Spirit, how do you reconnect?

(187) Matthew 26:1-5 & 14-16, Mark 14:1-2 & 10-11, Luke 22:1-6

Loving & Helping

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Who needs love & help ?  How can you love & help them?

Jesus gave his chosen witnesses another insight about how to stay ready for his future return to the earth (185).

“When I return as king with my angels, I will sit on my royal throne and all the nations will be gathered before me. Then I will divide them into two groups, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. I will put the sheep on my right and the goats on my left.

“Then I will say to the people on my right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by God; inherit the kingdom which has been prepared for you ever since the foundation of the world, because:

• I was hungry & you fed me.  I was thirsty & you gave me a drink.

• I was a stranger & you welcomed me in your homes.

• I was naked & you clothed me.

• I was sick & you took care of me.

• I was in prison & you visited me.’

“But these righteous people will answer me, ‘When, Master, did we ever see you hungry & feed you, or thirsty & give you a drink? When did we ever meet you as a stranger & welcome you in our homes, or find you naked & clothe you? When did we ever see you sick or in prison, & visit you?’ And I will reply, ‘Whenever you did this for one of the least of my brothers or sisters, you did it for me.’

“Then I will say to those on my left, ‘You are under God’s curse and must go away to the eternal fire, which has been prepared for Satan and his evil spirits — because I was hungry but you wouldn’t feed me, thirsty but you wouldn’t give me a drink; I was a stranger but you wouldn’t welcome me in your homes, naked but you wouldn’t clothe me; I was sick & in prison but you wouldn’t take care of me.’

“But these selfish people will answer me, ‘When, Master, did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and refuse to help you?’ And I will reply, ‘Whenever you refused to help one of the least of my brothers or sisters, you refused to help me.’

“Then these will be sent off to eternal punishment, but the righteous will go on to eternal life.”

LORD, please help us to love loving & helping people in need.

Who needs love & help ?  How can you love & help them?

(185) Matthew 25:31-46

The Stronger Man

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How do you rely on God to cast out evil spirits that are stronger than you?

Another time, Jesus expelled an evil spirit that had kept a man from talking (132).  When the evil spirit was gone, the man began to talk!

The crowds were amazed at this miracle.  But some of the people repeated the slander of the Pharisees: “It is Satan, the chief of the evil spirits, who gives Jesus the power to expel evil spirits!”

Jesus had heard this charge from the Pharisees before, so he repeated his earlier response, again shredding their flimsy logic: “If a country divides itself into opposing forces which fight each other, then that country will fall apart. If a family divides itself into opposing forces which fight each other, then that family will fall apart. It’s the same with Satan; if his forces are divided & fight each other, then his power will not last.”

Because some Jews were also known for casting out or exorcising demons, Jesus added:  “Besides, if you’re right in saying that Satan is the source of power to expel evil spirits, then that means your followers are channeling Satan’s power whenever they expel evil spirits.  Yet, you insist that your followers do not expel evil spirits by Satan’s power.  So it’s OK for you to believe that I don’t either.

“Here’s the truth: it is by God’s power that I expel evil spirits, proving that God’s kingdom has already come among you.

“Just consider this illustration.  Whenever a strong man, with all his weapons ready, guards his own house, then all his belongings are safe. But, when a stronger man attacks him & defeats him, he carries away all the weapons the strong man was depending on, and all his belongings, too.

Jesus concluded: “The simple truth is that I am stronger than Satan.”

LORD, please help us to love finding all our strength in You.

How do you rely on God to cast out evil spirits that are stronger than you?

(132) Luke 11:14-22

Joyful Obedience

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How has obeying Jesus increased your joy?

When the 70 witnesses returned from the work that Jesus had assigned them, they were filled with great joy (128).  “Master,” they said excitedly to Jesus, “Even the evil spirits obeyed the commands we gave them in your name!”

Jesus replied, “Indeed, I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven!

“I have given you authority to overcome all the power of Satan.  You could even walk unharmed through a nest of snakes or scorpions.

“But don’t be joyful simply because the evil spirits obey you.  Instead, be joyful that you will live with God forever in heaven!”

Then Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit & he prayed, “Father, God of heaven and earth, thank you for showing to humble people things you have hidden from proud people. This is just as you have always planned.

“And thank you, Father, for giving  all things to me.  No one here really knows me except you, and no one here really knows you except me.  But now, these people — who joyfully embrace what I teach them — are also getting to know you!”

Then Jesus turned to the witnesses and said to them privately, “To see these things about God is an awesome blessing for you!  Many prophets & kings wanted to see what you see, and to hear what you hear, but they could not.”

LORD, please help us to love the joy of obeying You.

How has obeying Jesus increased your joy?

(128) Luke 10:17-24

Who’s Your Daddy?

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What helps you live as God’s child, instead of as Satan’s child?  

Some of the Pharisees who heard Jesus teaching began to believe in him (122).  But then Jesus said to them, “You are really my friends, only if you obey my teaching.  The more you live according to God’s truth, the more you’ll be set free.”

Some of those, who had been inclined to believe in Jesus, missed the point & were offended by his statement. “We’re descendants of Abraham,” they said indignantly. “We’ve never been anyone’s slaves. What do you mean when you tell us we’ll be set free?”

Jesus answered, “Good question.  I understand that you are Abraham’s descendants. But you must understand that Anyone-Who-Sins is a slave of sin.

“A slave isn’t really part of a family, but a son belongs to a family forever. Since I am God’s son, if I set you free from your slavery to sin, you will be truly free forever.”

Then Jesus turned the tables: “Because you do not accept my teaching, you have decided to kill me. I teach you what God has shown me, but you do what your father has shown you.”

“Our father is Abraham,” the Pharisees replied. “If you were really Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “you would do the same things that he did. All I have ever done is to tell you the truth I receive from God, yet you’re trying to kill me. Abraham never did anything like this. You are doing what your father did.”

“God himself is the only father we have,” the Pharisees answered, “and we are his true sons.” Jesus said to them, “If God really was your father, you would love me, because I came from God to be here with you. I didn’t come just because I wanted to; God sent me.

“You don’t understand me because you don’t want to understand me. You are the children of your father, Satan, and you do whatever he commands. But Satan has always been a murderer and a liar; there is no truth in him.

“When Satan tells a lie, he’s only doing what comes natural, because he is a liar by nature.  What’s more, Satan is the source of all lies.”

LORD, please help us to love living as Your children.

What helps you live as God’s child, instead of as Satan’s child?  

(122) John 8:30-44

The Birth Of Faith

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When did God bless you with faith?  How is God growing your faith?

As they went on to the territory near the town of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asked his chosen witnesses, “Who do people say I am?” “Some say John the Baptizer,” they answered. “Others say Elijah or Jeremiah or some other prophet.” (107)

“What about you?” Jesus asked them. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the son of God!”

“Peter,” said Jesus, “God has truly blessed you with this faith.  On the foundation of your faith, I will build my church, my family of believers.  Not even Satan & the kingdom of hell will ever be able to overcome you!  In this faith, you will speak with the authority of the kingdom of heaven here on earth.  What you faithfully forbid here will be forbidden there; what you faithfully permit here will be permitted there.”

Then Jesus told his students not to tell other people that he was the Messiah.  But, from then on, Jesus began to be more open with his students about his plan: “I must go to Jerusalem, where I will suffer much at the hands of the Jewish religious leaders.  They will even have me executed.  But three days later I will rise & live again!”

Peter got stuck on the execution part of the plan & exclaimed, “May God forbid this, Master!  May God never let this happen to you!”  But Jesus rebuked Peter: “When you think that way, you’re actually working against me, just like Satan.  You’re looking at things from a human perspective instead of from God’s perspective.”

LORD, please help us to love growing in faith.

When did God bless you with faith?  How is God growing your faith?

(107) Matthew 16:13-23, Mark 8:27-33, Luke 9:18-22

Holy Spirit Versus Evil Spirit

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What does following the Holy Spirit look like in your everyday life?

Some people brought to Jesus a man who was blind & couldn’t talk, because of an evil spirit (94). Jesus expelled the evil spirit, so that the man was suddenly able to see & talk!

The crowds were all amazed at what Jesus had done. “Could he be the Messiah?” some asked.  When the Pharisees heard this, they began repeating their earlier slander: “Jesus expels evil spirits from people only because Satan lets him.”

In reply, Jesus repeated his earlier assertion that he was expelling evil spirits from people only because God let him.  “If a country divides itself into opposing forces which fight each other,” Jesus said, “that country will fall apart. If a family divides itself into opposing forces which fight each other, that family will fall apart. It is the same with Satan; if his forces are divided & fight each other, his power will not last.

“It is God’s Holy Spirit, who gives me the power to expel evil spirits, which proves that God’s kingdom is already here. In order for anyone to expel evil spirits which have been sent from Satan, it is first necessary to overcome Satan.”

Suddenly, Jesus turned the tables on the Pharisees, saying: “Anyone who is not for me is really against me; anyone who doesn’t help me gather people into God’s kingdom is really keeping people out of God’s kingdom. People can be forgiven all the evil things they may say or do. But whoever consistently refuses to be led by the Holy Spirit cannot be forgiven & will be condemned by God!”

Jesus then explained to the crowds an essential way to tell if people are being led by the Holy Spirit.  “To have good fruit you must have a healthy tree; if you have a sick tree, you will have bad fruit. A tree is known by the kind of fruit it bears.

“With people, it works the same way; our mouths speak what is in our hearts.  A good person speaks good words out of the treasure of good things in his heart.  A bad person speaks bad words out of the treasure of bad things in his heart.

“On the day of judgment, everyone will have to give account for every useless word he has ever spoken!  Your own words will be used to judge you — either innocent or guilty.”

LORD, please help us to love being led by Your Holy Spirit.

What does following the Holy Spirit look like in your everyday life?

(94) Matthew 12:22-37

Stories About Seeds & Weeds

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Do you focus on the weeds around you, or on the sun above you?

Jesus then told another story to emphasize that God is working out his purposes, even when we do not fully understand how this is happening (82).

“A man scatters seed in his field. He sleeps at night, and he works during the day.  And all the time, his seeds are sprouting and growing, even though he doesn’t fully understand how this is happening.  The plants grow and bear grain naturally. First the tender stalk appears, then the budding head, and finally the full head of grain. When the grain is ripe, the man starts cutting it with his sickle, because harvest time has come.”

But Jesus also wanted to teach them that we must always remain diligent in cultivating our relationship with God.  So he told them this story:

“A farmer sowed good seed for his wheat crop in his field. One night, when everyone was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. When the plants grew and the heads of grain began to form, the weeds grew up, too. The farmer’s servants came to him and asked: ‘Where did the weeds come from?’  The farmer replied, ‘It was an enemy who did this.’ ‘Do you want us to go and pull up the weeds?’ they asked. ‘No,’ he said, ‘because you might accidentally pull up some of the wheat when you’re pulling up the weeds.'”

“‘Let the wheat and the weeds grow together until harvest. Then I’ll have the harvest workers pull up the weeds first, tie them in bundles and burn them.  Afterwards, they will gather the wheat and put it in my barn.'”

Later, after the crowds had left, Jesus explained this story about the seeds & weeds to his students.

“The farmer who sowed the good seed is me.  The field is the world.  The growing stalks of wheat represent you people who serve God.  The enemy who sowed the weeds is Satan, and the weeds represent people who serve Satan instead of God.  The harvest will come at the end of time, and the harvest workers are my angels. 

“As the weeds in the story are gathered up and burned in the fire, the same sort of thing will happen at the end of time: I will send out my angels to gather up intentional sinners who will be thrown into the fiery furnace, where they will cry and grind their teeth in perpetual pain.

“Then God’s servants will shine like the sun in God’s kingdom.”  And, as he often did, Jesus concluded: “Pay careful attention to what God is saying to you!”

LORD, please help us to love keeping our focus on You.

Do you focus on the weeds around you, or on the sun above you?

(82) Matthew 13:24-30 & 34-43, Mark 4:26-34

A Story About Seeds & Soil

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What might help you pay closer attention to God?  

One day Jesus taught the people beside Lake Galilee.  Many people there lived by various kinds of farming, so Jesus used a farming story about seeds & different kinds of soil to present his message (81).

“Once there was a farmer,” Jesus said, “who went out to plant some grain seed.

• As he spread the seeds over the field, some of them fell on a hard path, and the birds came and ate up those seeds right away.
• Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where there was very little soil.  The seeds sprouted, but — because the soil wasn’t deep enough to support strong roots — the sprouts were soon burned up by the sun.
• Some of the seeds began to grow into healthy plants, but they grew among thorn bushes which choked them so they were unable to bear any grain.
• But, some of the seeds fell in good clean soil, where the plants sprouted, grew and bore fruit.  Some plants had thirty grains, others sixty grains, and others a hundred grains.”

Jesus concluded, “Pay attention to what God is saying to you!”

Later, when most people had gone away, some of Jesus’ friends asked him why he used stories to teach. “In my stories,” Jesus replied, “you are receiving the keys to living in God’s kingdom here on earth.  But many people, who don’t care about God’s kingdom, will hear my stories & never understand them at all.  God really wants you to understand these stories.”

Then Jesus explained, “In this story, the farmer is anyone who shares God’s message.

• Some people are like the hard path; as soon as they hear the message, Satan comes & takes it away. It’s like it goes in one ear & out the other.
• Some people are like the rocky ground. As soon as they hear the message, they receive it gladly. But, when trouble or persecution comes because of God’s message, they abandon God immediately.
• And some people are like the thorn bushes. They hear & receive the message, but it’s gradually choked out — by their worries, by their love of money & by other desires — so they never bear any grain, but instead remain unfruitful.
• However, some people are like the good clean soil. They hear the message, receive it & live their lives by it, and so they bear fruit —  some a little grain, some even more grain, and some a lot of grain.”

Jesus wanted to emphasize that it’s important for his students to share God’s message, just as it’s important for the farmer to sow the seed.  So he said, “Does anyone ever put his lamp under a basket or under the bed? Doesn’t he put it on the lamp-stand? In the end, God will be the judge of how people share his light.”

Jesus then repeated, “Listen to what God is saying to you! Pay attention to what you hear. The same rules you use to judge others will be used by God to judge you, but with much more serious consequences.”

And Jesus concluded: “The person who pays close attention to God will grow into a stronger relationship with God. But people who don’t pay attention will find their relationships with God withering away.”

LORD, please help us to love paying attention to You & living for You.

What might help you pay closer attention to God?  

(81) Matthew 13:1-23, Mark 4:1-25, Luke 8:4-17