God will provide all our needs

Verses: Luke 9 : 10 - 17

My thoughts about the verses:

God will provide your needs if you trust in God.  The problem that we fall into is that we think God can only do so much.  We run into situations where we feel that what we need is something that we must help God achieve.  When in actuality God can do everything if we just let God.

We can understand the disciples.  Here they are in this very deserted place.  They had gone out to talk and pray with your teacher then all of a sudden all these people show up.  All of a sudden you know that you have to let the people go because there are no provisions.  Yet, Jesus says feed the people.

Now the disciples in their logic sense decide that there is no way that they could feed the masses. Did Jesus want them to go to the town to buy food.  For they knew all they had were five loaves of bread and two fishes.  Jesus was teaching not only the disciples but all of us that God can take whatever is given and makes it more than enough.  We can never do more than God can do.  Yet, we are asked one thing and that is to trust God.

Jesus takes the gifts that are given and feeds all five thousand men.  There is so much left over that 12 large baskets are filled with the leftovers.  The people were completely filled with started with only 5 loaves of bread and two fishes.  Yet, that is all that Jesus needed to make what seemed impossible possible.

What can we take from this today.  First we must be willing to accept the power of God. Secondly, we must offer our gifts and tithes to God.  Realizing that it doesn't matter how small the gifts is that we have to offer God can turn it into just what is needed.  We must not hold back our goods thinking it is not enough.  We must freely give so that God can use our gifts.  God will use what the Christian freely gives to feed those that need the gift, both spiritually and physically.

Prayer:

Dear God we thank you for all that you give to us.  We thank you for using our gifts to help others. We ask that you be with us as we go throughout each day.  Help us never to be afraid of stepping out of our comfort zone.  Help us give freely.  We ask you to use us to reach others.  In your name we pray.  Amen

Questions:

Have you ever doubted that what you can give God is not enough?  Have you turned over your needs to God?  Have you ever wanted to help others but fear you cannot do it?  Are you ready to allow God to use you wherever you are in your life?

The disciples are sent to witness to other towns

Verses: Luke 9 : 1 - 9

My thoughts about the verses:

I think of these verses as the disciples first on the job training.  Jesus is there if they have questions. Yet, they are sent on their own to represent God.  They are giving the power of healing.  They go from one town to the next spreading the good news.

Jesus gives them specific instructions.  First they are not to take anything with them.  When they enter the town they are to find a home to live in and teach from. If the city does not accept them they are to leave the town.  As they leave the town they are to shake the sand off their feet so they can show that they are marked.  This also ensures that they do not take the issue with them into the next town.

You can imagine Herod as he hears this.  Isn't it bad enough that I had John running around telling the stories of the Messiah coming.  Jesus is running around healing people and spreading the good news about the love of God.  Now there are twelve men that are spreading the news.  The word is getting spread not only near but far.  This has to stops I have to meet this man that has caused this.

Haven't we all been in situations in our life that we feel the calling of God.  We are so excited that we charge out to spread the word.  We meet people that accept us in and let us share.  Then we meet those people that do not want to hear what we say.  It is at those moments that we start wondering if we are doing the right thing.  We start to hesitate when it comes to sharing the news.

Jesus wants us to know that we are not to worry about those that will not accept us.  We are to continue serving God and those that hear the news will hear it.  Never feel rejected personally when someone does not listen or notice your witness.  Instead walk freely knowing that there are so many waiting to see Jesus in you.

Prayer:

Dear Risen Savior thank you for loving us.  Thank you for calling us to serve you.  Help us reach those people that will hear the good news.  Help us as we are rejected by individuals.  We ask that you keep our mind and heart focused during those times of rejection so that we may continue your good work.  In the name of the Risen Savior we pray.  Amen

Questions:

Do you feel God calling you to service?  Have you turned your life over to God?  Have you been rejected by people whom you share the good news with?  What can you do to help others find the salvation of turning to God?  Are you willing to serve God no matter what the outcome will be?

Faith versus Hope

Verses: Luke 8 : 40 - 56

My thoughts about the verses:

There are two stories in this part of the text.  I often think that this was done so that God could show how powerful Jesus was.  You have to have faith that the issues you have will be erased once you give things over to God.  Yet, there is also hoping that things will change.  These are not the same but go hand in hand.  I believe that these two types of emotions are exhibited in this story.

The first story that I want to talk about involves hoping things will get better.  Jairus was hoping that Jesus could heal his daughter.  He had heard the stories and wanted Jesus to come to his house to save his only daughter.  He had heard the stories of great healings and was turning to Jesus for one last final straw.  He was hoping by bringing Jesus to his daughter that she would be healed.

Yet, as he is taking Jesus to his daughter a large crowd gathers around Jesus.  At that moment a woman who had been sick for many years reached out and touched the hem of Jesus's garments. She was immediately healed from her sickness.  Jesus wanted the crowd to see the difference between hoping something would happen and having faith that it will happen.  He stops and says someone has touched me.  The disciples are stunned there are so many people here in the crowd anyone could have touched Jesus.  Yet, Jesus said someone has touched me  because I felt my healing power leave me.  At this point the woman steps forward and says I did.  Jesus said it is your faith that made you whole.

Now with all this going on a messenger comes to Jairus and tells him that his daughter has died. There was no reason to bring Jesus to the house because it was too late.  Yet, Jesus looks at Jairus and says if you have faith she will be healed.  When he reached the house James,  John and Peter and the parents went into the house.  Through Jairus's faith Jesus brought his daughter back from death.

It was through faith that both of these miracles happened.  As we can see there is a big difference between hoping something will happen and having faith that it will happen.  I think about all the people that have ever bought a lottery ticket that are hoping that they win.  In the back of their head they know it is a long shot.  Yet, they dream that it will happen and their life will change forever.

At the same time I think about those that have been very ill and find healing through Jesus.  They are not hoping God will heal them instead they have faith that God will heal them.  It might not be exactly the healing that they were hoping for.  Yet, through faith they receive the healing they need.

Prayer:

Dear God we thank you for hearing our prayers.  We thank you for being with us as we walk on this Earth.  Help us to understand that you can do all things if we just turn it over to you.  Help us move from hoping something will happening to having faith that it will happen.  In the name of the Almighty we pray.  Amen

Questions:

Are you hoping your life will change?  Are you dreaming and wishing for things to come that will make your life easier?  Are you living a life of faith?  Do you know that if you give it to God it will happen?  Are you willing to give yourself wholly over to God so that you can receive the blessings God wants to give you today?

Jesus heals those that have Faith

Verses: Luke 8 : 26 - 39

My thoughts about the verses:

We have to imagine the seen for a second.  You have this man that is not clothed.  He is not in his right mind.  He is wandering around the tombs.  When he sees Jesus he immediately says this is the Messiah and asks Jesus not to torment him.  When Jesus asks his name he says that he is Legion.

The name is important because it signifies that the man was possessed by many demons.  When I think of this I think of someone that has a Psychological illness.   This is the only way my mind can wrap around what is happening.  If you have ever met someone that has a mood disorder then you know what I am talking about.  One day they are calm the next day they seem to be out of their head.  If given the right medications they can be on an even keel for a long time.

So here stands Jesus and the demons know that Jesus is going to heal this man.  They knew who Jesus was.  They beg him not to send them into the abyss.  Jesus hears their pleas and sends them into a herd of swine.  Now they could have stayed there yet, the swine rush over a hill and fall in water and drown.

The swine herders see what happen and they run and tell the people in the city.  When the people arrive they see the man fully clothed and in his right mind.  They become fearful of Jesus and ask him to leave.  It was their fear and misunderstanding of what had happened that drove them out of the city.  Yet, I have a gut feeling that the man was chosen because how strong a witness his healing would make to the community.  I can see him spreading the good news from that moment on.

Have you ever been afraid that you will never get over the illness you have in your life?  You have a fear that drives you to act irrationally and consumes ever part of your waking hours.  You are so worried about getting well that you lose touch with reality.

We have all been there at one point or another.  We are so afraid that we will not get well that we forget to hand it over to God.  We also are under the assumption that we know what we need to get well.  when in reality only God knows what we need.  We must have faith that God will take care of us.  Once you turn your problems over to God the thing that you most need to get well will occur.  Accept through faith that God knows what you need and you will receive it.

Prayer:

Dear God we thank you for you powers of healing.  We thank you for carrying us when we run from you.  thank you for patiently waiting as our faith grows stronger.  Help us find the faith that we need to trust wholly on you.  Help us give our troubles over to you so that we may find the peace we truly need.  In the name of the Great Physician we pray.  Amen

Questions:

Are you struggling today with the hand that the world has dealt you?  Are you worried that God isn't listening?  Is it time to turn your life fully over to God?  Do you have faith in the healing powers of God?  What must you do today to allow God to take charge of your life?

Jesus calms the storm

Verses: Luke 8 : 22 - 25

My thoughts about the verses:

I thought back to a few years ago and a rain storm that I will not forget.  I had just gotten to work and had to go to a different building for a class.  As I started walking down the street the clouds began soaking the ground.  It only took a few short minutes and I was soaked to the bone.  The storm was over yet so many were affected.  I had two cars that had been flooded an office that had water in it.  Yet, just like God calmed the storm for the disciples so did the rain end for me.

I believe that we all have storms that enter our lives.  Not storms of rain and wind, but times of trouble and pain.  We have times that put our faith to the test.  Times that the only solution is putting our trust in Jesus.

It wasn't that long ago that I was faced with my illness taking a big part of my life away.  I was sick all the time.  I was losing by balance.  The doctors told me I could no longer drive.  I couldn't handle work any longer.  I felt useless and my spirit was pretty low.

Then one day I can to understand that what I was going through was not a test of faith.  I was going through an opportunity to grow in my faith.  God wasn't challenging me as whether I believed and trusted.  Rather I was being encouraged to hand the storm of my life over to the only one that could help.  In my weakest of moments I was my strongest.  Not because of my own strength.  Jesus was carrying me through those moments.

The storms haven't completely stopped in my life.  I still am not where I was before my illness took over and may never be there health wise.  Yet, the searching in my heart has ended.  I learned how to reconnect with the one that was carrying me.  I learned that it could become a partnership if I only allowed it.  God could control the wind as I steered the boat.  I was not alone in my journey I was experiencing life in a new way.

Haven't you been there before?  Struggling and thinking does Jesus care.  Your mind is so full of panic and pain that you do not know where to turn.  Then something happens a tiny voice inside of you says give it over to God.  When you respond almost immediately you feel calmness come over you.  You may still be in the heart of the problem yet you know inside that you and God are going to make it through it.  You do not know where the wind will finally take you but you know that God is taking care of that part of the storm.  Your part is to sit comfortably in the arms of God and be carried to the destination that God has for you.

Prayer:

Thank you for being with us in all things.  Thank you for calming the storms of our life.  Help us understand that we do not have the answers.  Help us turn to you when the storms of life begin. Help us lean on you so that we can walk stronger.  In your Holy Name we pray.  Amen

Questions:

Have you tried to weather the storms of life by yourself?  Have you turned your troubles over to God?  Have you felt the calmness that comes from letting God carry the weight?  Are you still holding onto something that you need to turn over to God?