Monthly Archives: December 2016

What could be better than that? (Luke 18:19-30) December 21, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Psalms 146-148

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Luke 18:19-30
Jesus: Why did you just call Me good? No one is good but God—only God. You know what the Hebrew Scriptures command: “Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal; do not bear false witness; honor your father and mother.”
Public Official: I’ve already been doing these things—since I came of age.
Jesus: One thing you still lack—one thing; sell all your possessions and distribute the proceeds to the poor. Then you will have treasure in heaven. Then you can come and follow Me.
The man heard these words and sadness came over his face, for his wealth was considerable.
Jesus: What a hard thing it is for those with much wealth to enter the kingdom of God! In fact, it would be easier for a camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle than it would be for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God!
Listeners: Then who can be liberated?
Jesus: Remember, what is humanly impossible is possible with God.
Peter: We have left our homes and followed You.
Jesus: I’m telling you the truth: there is nobody who leaves his house or wife or siblings or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God who will not receive more than he has given up—much more—in this age and in the age to come. He will receive eternal life.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

As I read these words of Jesus, my mind slipped away to the presents I need to wrap and get under the Christmas tree. Then I thought about all the materialism that creeps into our lives without our even thinking about it. I like to give gifts to those I love and see the excitement on their faces when they open those mementos we distribute at different holidays. But we’ve gotten a little out of hand with the commercialism these days. Christmas decorations went on sale in July and August this year in some of the stores in San Antonio and by the end of October all that was left of Christmas decorations were the leftovers. Pretty sad, isn’t it? Not even Christmas and I’ve started seeing Valentine’s Day advertisements and goodies starting to fill the shelves in the stores.

It’s a hard thing for those with much wealth to enter the kingdom of God! But I’m not wealthy, you scream. I don’t think I am either, but then as I look around the world I find that we really are wealthy in this country. There are very, very few really poor in this country, and we have some pretty good programs to help those who are truly poor. The programs don’t let you afford alcohol or cigarettes at $10 a pack or dinners out or a lot of other things we in this country have come to think of as necessities, but the programs will take care of true necessities, food, shelter, and clothing.

Then, as I thought about these words I thought about the thousands who take that last verse out of context and declare that if you’re living for God, you should name what you want and He’ll give it to you. No Christian should want for anything. The name and claim it bunch. That’s not what Jesus says here. Because Jesus says we will receive much more than we have given up in this age and the age to come doesn’t mean we will live in luxury or drive new cars or always have plenty in our bank account.

Look back at the verses just before this one. Sure He says God will give much more in this age and in the age to come, but look at the warning right before this. “What a hard thing it is for those with much wealth to enter the kingdom of God! In fact, it would be easier for a camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle than it would be for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God!”

Why would Jesus give us great wealth and put us at great risk of losing our soul forever? Can a rich person make it into the kingdom? Yes. Nothing is impossible for God, but Jesus points out that it is hard. It is improbable. Why? Because the rich look to themselves for everything instead of looking to God. Food is bought, not sought from God. Shelter is bought, not sought earnestly in prayer. Work is provided to others, not sought for themselves. Health is paid for through the wisest physicians and best medicines, not petitioned in prayer. The rich too often think themselves self-reliant instead of relying on God, the real source of all things.

So why would God put us in that position? Why would He purposely challenge us in a name it or claim it religion if He knows most will succumb to the temptations wealth brings and loose their salvation because of it? No. God will give us something better. He’ll give us Himself and He’ll give us eternal life with Him. What could be better than that? 

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Traits of a child (Luke 18:16-17) December 20, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Esther 1-5

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Luke 18:16-17
Jesus: Let the little children come to Me. Never hinder them! Don’t you realize—the kingdom of God belongs to those who are like children? You can depend on this: if you don’t receive the Kingdom as a child would, you won’t enter it at all.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

If what Jesus says is true, then we need to figure out how a child would receive the Kingdom, don’t you think? So what might that be like? How should we approach the Kingdom and live each day in anticipation of God’s presence with us?

We have a tendency to think if we know about something that’s good enough. So child educators will start spewing the four learning styles and tell you every child has a favored learning style – visual, auditory, tactile, or kinesthetic. They will tell you if you can figure out which style a child favors and use that style of instruction, he or she will learn faster and retain more. So is receiving the kingdom about getting the learning style right? Figuring out how best you learn and then learning all you can about the kingdom? Maybe a little, but I don’t think that’s what Jesus was talking about.

I think Jesus looked around at the characteristics of the three and four year-olds around Him and recognized the traits child developers enumerate today. Characteristics like expansive, boasting, joyous, exuberant, adventuresome, energetic, bossy, and enthusiastic. Sure, some of those might not sound like the best traits to show Christ-likeness, but it’s who we are. We are sometimes boastful and bossy. Admit it. God knows it. We know it. When we admit it, God can help us do something about it.

But when we receive the kingdom like children, we begin to think big. We don’t confine God to our little box of what we think He can do. Children let their imagination go and “the sky is the limit” so to speak. Bigger is better for them. Nothing is impossible, because God is bigger than anything and everything. In a child’s mind, He can fix any problem just because of His size if nothing else.

And listen to a child describe God. Talk about boasting about the Creator. Just let them loose and see where their stories take them. Remember when Jesus told the Pharisees that if the crowd didn’t praise Him the rocks would cry out? Well, just listen to what a three or four year-old will say about God. It will amaze you if you just let them talk. Their insights about who God is and what He can do will startle you as they mix what they believe with the fantasies they have heard. Darth Vader will have no chance against God. Nor will Luke Skywalker or Yoda or any other fantasy character as they blend their imagination with what they know about the Creator who speaks to them.

Children are happy even in dire circumstance. They try new things. They have more energy than parents and grandparents can believe. They are like energizer bunnies and just keep going and going. Everything is awesome to them because everything is new to a pre-schooler. The world is a world of wonder for them. And they are anxious to learn about this wonderful world we live in.

Children want to play with children. It make take them a few minutes to warm up, but if parents will leave a room full of kids alone, you’ll find they are pretty inclusive and will get along pretty well in a short time. We are the ones that usually get in the way. Three and four year-old kids don’t care about color or gender or language or nationality. They just learn to play with each other.

Pre-schoolers ask the same “why” question over and over until they understand the answer. They want to know things. So they ask until they do. If you repeat the same answer in the same words they don’t understand, they will ask the same question again until they get an answer with concepts they understand. It’s just the way of a three year-old.

So Jesus looked around at the children in the crowd and told the adults, including us, we need to receive the kingdom the way they do. We need to see God as really big. Bigger than any problem we might face. Bigger than any task He gives us. Bigger than anything we can imagine. He is God, so don’t put Him in a box and limit Him in any way. Come to Him with enthusiasm and energy. He will help you with the energy part, but you need to bring the enthusiasm. And why wouldn’t we? He is our Creator and lets us come into His presence without destroying us! He welcomes us into His house. Can you imagine that? No ruler on earth does that for everyone, but the Creator of the universe does. So show some enthusiasm when you come to the kingdom.

Then, like a child, don’t be afraid to ask those questions. God isn’t afraid of them. He doesn’t shy away from our questions. He wants us to learn about Him and to know Him intimately. How else can we do that if we don’t ask questions? He’ll answer. When you come to God as a child, I can guarantee an adventure! And I can guarantee joy. There might be some sorrow and pain and struggle along with it, but their will be joy because God lets us participate in His kingdom. What else could we want?

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

God is God, and we are not (Luke 18:10-14) December 19, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Deuteronomy 29-31

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Luke 18:10-14
Jesus: Imagine two men walking up a road, going to the temple to pray. One of them is a Pharisee and the other is a despised tax collector. Once inside the temple, the Pharisee stands up and prays this prayer in honor of himself: “God, how I thank You that I am not on the same level as other people—crooks, cheaters, the sexually immoral—like this tax collector over here. Just look at me! I fast not once but twice a week, and I faithfully pay my tithes on every penny of income.” Over in the corner, the tax collector begins to pray, but he won’t even lift his eyes to heaven. He pounds on his chest in sorrow and says, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!”
Now imagine these two men walking back down the road to their homes. Listen, it’s the tax collector who walks home clean before God, and not the Pharisee, because whoever lifts himself up will be put down and whoever takes a humble place will be lifted up.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

Jesus words are especially important for us in our society. We somehow miss the boat today on humility. We talk about it. We tell each other we are humble. We seem to think it’s important. But our actions to often say something very different when we get around those who are not like us. We tell ourselves we are not like the Pharisee. We know we are sinners and don’t measure up to God’s standard. But does it end there? Is God just interested in what we think about our spiritual welfare when we talk about humility?

As I look at all the different denominations and all the different religions that spring up around me, I wonder how humble we really are. We may think everyone in our congregation is on an equal footing, but how about those that attend that church down the street? Why can’t we get along with others? I’m equally guilty sometimes. I must pass fifty churches on my way to my own every Sunday morning. But I don’t stop at any of them. I don’t know who the pastor is at most of them. I’m not sure if I know anyone who attends most of them. I assume I know what some of them believe, and because of my pastoral studies, I think I know the differences between my denomination and theirs for the most part.

But I have to admit, except for the weekly food pantry that several community churches around my church participate in with us, it’s been a long time since I’ve set foot in one of those other churches around me. It’s been a long time since I’ve gotten an invitation to any of those churches around me. It’s been a long time since I’ve invited all those churches to join mine in a spiritual event that will pull us together as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Do I think my denomination is better than theirs? The doctrine in my church fits my personal beliefs better, but quite frankly, I think all of us are doing church wrong these days. As I read and re-read the New Testament and the writings of those early church leaders, those services don’t look anything like our services today. I think maybe the churches in China or Kenya or Iran or Pakistan come a lot closer to doing church right than we do in this country. Those churches don’t much care about denomination. They are born out of persecution and thrive because of their determination to live for Christ even in the face of death.

If ISIS showed up at my church’s doorstep this Sunday, I’m not sure how many of those in my congregation would stick around to lose their head for Christ. A lot say they would, but when the knives come out and blood starts flowing, I’m not so sure about those Christians in name only any more. I expect there would be some mass exodus out the back doors if the choice was denounce your faith or lose your life. I expect it’s the same in your church. You probably don’t want to hear that or admit that, but I’m afraid it’s true today. We like the sound of the words, but we don’t want to make the sacrifice necessary to really be like Jesus.

So now that I’ve bashed all of our churches, all our denominations, what do we do? Where should we go? If all the churches are full of hypocrites, should we stop going and start another church? No. Jesus didn’t stop going to the temple because there hypocrites and sinners there. He just worshiped the way He knew the Father wanted Him to worship. Like that man who prayed humbly and recognized his broken state. Our churches are full of sinners and hypocrites and that is a great thing. Where else can they hear the message that God loves them and has a better way of life for them? Go, worship, be an example to others of how to live like Jesus. But to do that, you must live like Him. And to do that, it takes a lot of soul searching and letting Him have complete control of your life. Something that’s not always easy in a world that tells us we are the number one and can do anything we set our mind on.

Well, let’s get real, I will never be number one and neither will you. God will always hold that place whether you give it to Him or not. And you can not do anything you set your mind to. Only God can do that because He is God and we are not. Now, any questions?

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Will anyone have faith? (Luke 18:2-8) December 18, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – 3 John

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Luke 18:2-8
Jesus: There was a judge living in a certain city. He showed no respect for God or humanity. In that same city there was a widow. Again and again she kept coming to him seeking justice: “Clear my name from my adversary’s false accusations!” He paid no attention to her request for a while, but then he said to himself, “I don’t care about what God thinks of me, much less what any mere human thinks. But this widow is driving me crazy. She’s never going to quit coming to see me unless I hear her case and provide her legal protection.”
Did you catch what this self-assured judge said? If he can be moved to act justly, won’t God bring justice for His chosen people when they cry to Him day and night? Will He be slow to bring them justice? Mark My words: God will intervene fast with vindication. But here’s the question: when the Son of Man comes, will He find anyone who still has faith?

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

Jesus poses a very sobering question to those gathered around Him that day. “When the Son of Man comes, will He find anyone who still has faith?” He just used Lot, Abraham’s nephew, as an example of the widespread sin that caused God’s judgment to fall on Sodom and Gomorrah those centuries earlier. Remember the story?

Two messengers from God came to Abraham to tell him that God was about to destroy the city in which Lot and his family resided. Abraham pleaded with the messengers and asked if there were 100 faithful individuals in the city, would God spare the city? God accepted the change and Abraham continued to plead with God and lower that number until God agreed that if even 10 righteous men could be found in the city of Sodom, the city would be spared. But not even 10 could be found.

I sometimes wonder what would have happened if Abraham had asked if God would spare the city if he volunteered to take God’s message to the city and preach in the streets. I wonder if Abraham offered to tell God’s story to any who would listen in those great cities if God would have delayed His judgment against them. We will never know, but we do know that not 10 righteous could be found among all the citizens of that vast populace. God rescued Lot and his daughters. But even Lot’s wife turned back toward Sodom and was destroyed because of her lust for the sinful pleasures of the city instead of her love for God and obedience to His commands.

I’m writing from the seventh, perhaps now the fifth or sixth largest city in the United States today. And I wonder, if God’s messengers were to come to this city, how many righteous men would He find? There are churches everywhere. There are people who sit on the pews of those churches every week, sometimes several times a week. But how many are really righteous and doing all that God asks of them? How many really stand up to the scrutiny of the messengers if God were to send them into the city to examine our hearts today?

I think the people in Sodom and Gomorrah were surprised that God found them sinful and evil. I think most thought they were okay with the Creator. I think most attended their worship services regularly. No doubt few, if any, worship the God of Abraham, but some may have said they did. Some probably heard Lot’s words when he told them how he gained his wealth and came to live in the plains of Sodom and Gomorrah. Some probably even added a prayer to this God of Lot’s so that He wouldn’t be left out in their pantheon of gods to be honored and worshiped. They thought they were okay.

I think our cities today are in much the same place Sodom and Gomorrah were. We abuse physically, emotionally, and spiritually those that come to our cities. We laugh at those who contend that Jesus is the only way to heaven. We push aside those that dare to tell us how to act and speak and love our fellowman. We think those that really follow God’s rules a little on the insane side. Surely God doesn’t expect us to follow those archaic laws in this modern era. Things have changed. He can’t expect us to worship Him like Abraham and David and Daniel. That was Old Testament stuff. We have been enlightened in this age, right?

Not so fast. We haven’t changed. We have the same DNA. We have the same basic desires as our ancient ancestors. We need food and shelter just like they did. We want to be loved and we want to love just like our forefathers. We have this spiritual makeup that craves to worship something whether we want to recognize it or not. Oh, we have new toys and disguised idols rather than gold and silver images of some deity, but if you watch our behavior, we have raised a lot of things as our gods today. Jobs, houses, sports, money, leisure, even our families tend to get our worship instead of our Creator. We set things up as gods and worship them as surely as those in ancient times bowed to those wood and gold and silver icons.

So Jesus question today is as critical as it was 2,000 years ago because God will come as He did in the days of Noah and Lot. “When the Son of Man comes, will He still find anyone who has faith?”

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Get ready now! (Luke 17:22-37) December 17, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Acts 25-26

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Luke 17:22-37
Jesus (to His disciples) Days are coming when you will wish you could see just one of the days of the Son of Man, but you won’t see it. People will say, “Look, it’s there!” or “Look! It’s here!” Don’t even bother looking. Don’t follow their lead. You know how lightning flashes across the sky, bringing light from one horizon to the other. That’s how the Son of Man will be when His time comes.
But first, He must face many sufferings. He must be rejected by this generation. The days of the Son of Man will be like the days of Noah. People were eating, drinking, marrying, and being given in marriage. Everything seemed completely normal until the day Noah entered the ark. Then it started raining, and soon they were all destroyed by the flood.
It was just the same in the days of Lot. People were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building, and carrying on business as usual. But then came the day when Lot left Sodom—a different kind of rain began to fall, and they were all destroyed by fire and sulfur falling from the sky. That’s how it will be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.
When that day comes, if you’re on the housetop, don’t run inside to try to save any of your belongings. If you’re in the field, don’t bother running back to the house. Remember Lot’s wife. Turning back is fatal for those who do so. If you try to hold on to your life, it will slip through your fingers; if you let go of your life, you’ll keep it. Listen, on the day of the Son of Man, two people will be asleep in bed; destruction will take one and the other will be left to survive. Two women will be grinding grain together; destruction will take one and the other will survive. Two men will be working out in the field; destruction will overtake one and the other will survive.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

I was just thinking about what normal meant in Noah and Lot’s days and what normal means today. God sent the flood to destroy all humankind except Noah and his family because of what was normal for the people around Noah. He sent fire and sulfur falling from the sky to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah destroying those two cities and the plains where they existed because of what was normal for them. God said they had become a stench to Him because of their evil practices so He wiped them out.

Jesus at various times during His ministry warned of the coming wrath that will come because of the evil that will sweep across the earth. Well, I think we are just about there. Take a look at our normal today. Our selfish desires have driven us to the point that anything is okay. We tolerate aberrant behavior and call it everything but sin. We even let our government dictate that sin is okay and encourage us to support it.

Surely not, you say. Just take a look around you. Read the papers and the laws that have sprung up in recent years that fund actions and behaviors that clearly go against God’s word. What else would you call it? Sin has run rampant in our country and around the world. Revivals are unheard of in our land today. Church attendance is down and many services are pretty shallow, more entertainment than worship. Message tickle our ears with things we want to hear instead of the words we need to hear to convince and convict us and help us realize our fallen state.

I think Jesus saw the same signs in Rome and Jerusalem and Galilee. The degradation has continued. We keep sliding further toward our own destruction because we fail to give God the worship He is due. We forget that He is God and we are not. We try to satisfy that God-sized hole in our heart with everything but Him. It won’t work, but we try. But just as in Noah’s day and in Lot’s day, God will finally decide enough is enough. He will finally decide His children do not need to suffer under the hands of evil people anymore. He will finally decide He has given enough grace and will call an end to time.

It will happen in an instant, Jesus says. You won’t be able to climb down off the ladder if you’re working off the ground. You won’t be able to make it to the house if you’re out working in the yard. You won’t have time to go anywhere or do anything because His coming will happen faster than you can blink. As fast as the speed of light, He will come, take His own, and be gone. it will all be over. Judgment will come. Your standing with God will be fixed at that point and He will judge you for what you believe now, not that day. Everyone will believe on that day. Everyone will bow before Him on that day. Everyone will acknowledge that He is God and Lord and Master on that day. But if you don’t believe before that time, it will be too late.

Like in the days of Noah or the days of Lot, normal was evil. Normal opposed God’s laws. Normal tried to substitute things other than God to satisfy a spiritual need only He can satisfy. Normal then sounds a lot like our normal today. We live in a dangerous time. Not from the threat of the evil around us, but because if your heart is not right with God, there might not be much time to make it right. The flood came without warning. People wanted in the ark then, but God had shut the door. Fire and sulfur fell from the sky and there was no where to run.

We don’t know what it will be like when God comes again, but it will be fast and violent and there will be no escape for those He does not take with Him. Get ready now.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

The borderless kingdom (Luke 17:20-21) December 16, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Revelation 12-17

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Luke 17:20-21
Jesus: The kingdom of God comes—but not with signs that you can observe. People are not going to say, “Look! Here it is!” They’re not going to say, “Look! It’s over there!” You want to see the kingdom of God? The kingdom of God is already here among you.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

I have a passport with the United States of America stamped on the front of it. And embossed on every page is a flag of the country. That’s where I was born and raised. It’s the country where I vote and own property and when I fill out any kind of questionnaire, I declare the United States as the place of my citizenship. I know the words to the country’s national anthem and the pledge of allegiance to the flag that represents our nation. I know the Preamble to the Constitution that sets the foundation for governance of our country that puts the power and authority for its governance in the hands of the people through our individual right to vote. I understand much of the Constitution and the amendments that have been added to it through the years. Although, I admit, I don’t understand some of the current interpretations given by some of the lower and higher courts we have heard lately.

I love the country in which I was born. In fact, in 1976, I took an oath to defend that Constitution against all enemies whether they are external or internal to the nation when I accepted my commission in the United States Army. That oath is still current because that commission never expires for officers whether on active duty, reserve, or retired. Unless the commission is revoked by the President or Congress, the commission and my responsibilities to the nation remain valid. That’s why military officer retirees retain their titles after retirement. Their oath of office never expires, only their tour of duty changes.

I say all of that to point out that I can point to a lot of physical things that describe the place where I live. If you live in some other country and have citizenship in some other country, you can do the same. I take pride in being an American and I hope if you live in another country, you take as much pride in your country as I do in mine. It is important that we support the community in which we live. I’m a firm believer that if you really don’t like what our Constitution says or the way our government is established, then leave. Find another place to live. Don’t change our Constitution. Just find another country whose governance fits your style of government and be happier. Don’t change mine.

See, there are some people who are content to live in dictatorships because they have no responsibility then in determining the success or failure of the nation. The leadership is to blame for its success or failure. Period. There are some who, instead of a republic like ours, want a completely democratic form of government. In a nation of 370 million people, a total democracy just wouldn’t work, quite frankly. Nothing would ever get done if we had to vote on every bill, every budget, every item that came before our congressmen and other elected officials. But in some small nations, tribes, and clans a democracy can work on a small scale.

Why do I talk about all these political constructs? To tell you that none of these mean anything to God. He doesn’t care if we live in a republic, a democracy, a dictatorship, a theocracy, or chaos. He doesn’t care what kind of government surrounds us because all of them here on earth are poor substitutes for the kingdom He first envisioned for us and the one that awaits those who recognize Him as king. His kingdom has no physical boundaries. You won’t find the kingdom of God outlined on any map. You can’t find it listed on any legends or indices. You can’t drive to it or sail to it or fly to it. You can’t put the kingdom of God on your vacation list or find any pamphlets telling you about real estate for sale there.

Jesus warns against anyone trying to tell you where it is. Because if they tell you, they are lying to you. Because no one knows the kingdom’s physical location. It has no physical location because it is everywhere. It is here. It is where God is. And Jesus said where two or three are gathered in His name, He is there with them. So there is the kingdom of God. He also said He lives in us, so there is the kingdom of God. Where is it? Here, in me and in you. It’s all around us, shaping us, convicting and convincing us, guiding us, making us into the people God wants us to become.

The flag of God’s kingdom? There isn’t one except the banner that says Jesus is Lord. The national anthem? Maybe the Hallelujah Chorus. The pledge of allegiance? How about, I surrender all? God’s kingdom is very different than anything on earth because it isn’t physically here on earth. It is where God is, but then He is everywhere. Unbounded by space and time. Now go figure out the dimensions of His kingdom and try to point to its borders. Not possible, is it?

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Improve your health, give thanks (Luke 17:17-19) December 15, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Song of Songs 3-4

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Luke 17:17-19
Jesus: Didn’t all ten receive the same healing this fellow did? Where are the other nine? Was the only one who came back to give God praise an outsider? (to the Samaritan man) Get up, and go your way. Your faith has made you healthy again.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

You’ve probably heard about gratitude journals and attitude of gratitude and keeping a disposition of thankfulness and how these things can keep your mood elevated. You’ve might have read some of the current studies that medical science has performed that show these things have real merit in changing a persons mood in positive ways and they shown it by the presence of those hormones and enzymes in the brain that elicit those responses when we show gratitude for the things around us instead of complaining about our circumstances.

It’s taken a long time, though, for science to catch up with what Jesus taught us 2,000 years ago with these 10 men and what Paul told us to do when he said to be thankful in everything. But we’ve forgotten the lesson too often. We don’t hear too many thank yous anymore. We’ve come to think that people owe us kindness. We think people owe us service. We think people owe us just about anything we get. But you know, they really don’t.

That paycheck you get, perhaps you did things to earn it, but did you ever think about the fact that you are pretty fortunate to have a job? Look at the number of people just in this country that are without work. I know, you’ll tell me the unemployment numbers are better than they have been in a while. But that number is deceiving. Take a look at the tax roles. We have a smaller percentage of people paying taxes than we have since we started paying taxes. That should frighten you a little. That means a greater percentage of people are either not working or are making too little to pay taxes, which means they are at the poverty level. So how about being grateful for that paycheck and the ability to pay taxes.

What about that raggedy old car that you wish you could afford to trade. We think we deserve a new one, right? Well, if you’re car moves on its own, that’s better than walking, right? Besides, a raggedy old car is probably better than a crippling car payment when the economy is doubtful, right? So how about some thanks for that piece of junk that sits in your driveway and gets you to work every day.

Then there’s that neighbor or co-worker that just drives you nuts. You can’t get away from them and they tell you the same stories every time you see them. It seems like such a waste of time when they come by, but you grit your teeth and patiently listen to the same story again and smile and act like it’s the first time you heard it to be polite. But what if you had no friends. What if you lived all alone with no one that called or visited or cared. What a lonely pitiful life that would be because God made us for relationships, not to be alone. So how about a little thanks for that annoying neighbor as you put them in the proper perspective.

And then there is salvation. Can you think of what God did for you and not be thankful? When things begin to get tough here, just think about what’s ahead. We are promised an eternity with Jesus if we have let Him into our hearts. He died for just that purpose. He gave Himself so we can live with Him forever. He came to pay the penalty for our sins so they might be forgiven and our guilt might be swept away. If that doesn’t make you thankful, then what will? We no longer carry the sins that keep us from God’s presence. They are removed and cast away as far as the east is from the west.

I like the way David said that in the Psalms. I’m not sure David understood the north and south poles and the fact that when you got to the north pole you could go no farther north. From that point you can only go south. And from the south pole you can only travel north. But when you travel east or when you travel west, you just keep on going like the Energizer bunny. You never stop, there is no end. And that’s just how far God casts away our sins when He forgives us.

Paul told us to be thankful. Jesus told us to be thankful. Science tells us the benefits of being thankful. Have you figured out yet that giving thanks, being grateful for even the little things is good for your health. So turn up that thanks meter and improve your health today.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

You can eat later (Luke 17:7-10) December 14, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Psalms 143-145

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Luke 17:7-10
Jesus: Imagine this scenario. You have a servant—say he’s been out plowing a field or taking care of the sheep—and he comes in hot and sweaty from his work. Are you going to say, “You poor thing! Come in and sit down right away”? Of course not! Wouldn’t you be more likely to say, “First, cook my supper and set the table, and then after I’ve eaten, you can get something to eat and drink for yourself”? And after your servant has done everything you told him to do, are you going to make a big deal about it and thank him? I don’t think so! Now apply this situation to yourselves. When you’ve done everything I’m telling you to do, just say, “We’re servants, unworthy of extra consideration or thanks; we’re just doing our duty.”

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

We get pretty disturbed today with a story like this one. Slavery is not something we think very highly of and we fought an internal battle that almost destroyed our fledgling democracy with the question of slavery as one of its major issues. Today slavery still goes on in the world. I’m not sure we will ever stop it as long as there are people who want cheap labor and there are people that can be exploited to perform that labor.

We talk a lot about human rights and anti-slavery laws both in the United States and internationally, but it still happens. Thousands of women and young boys are sold into the sex trafficking world every day and become slaves to their masters. Imprisoned by fear, drugs, abuse, they cannot escape their plight without considerable help from the outside. But those the hope that it will come is dim because the people that buy their wares are not interested in seeing them freed. They just want their own desires satisfied.

So we cringe as a society when we hear this story. But in Jesus’ day, as in most of the world two hundred years ago, slaves were a common sight. Men, women, and children belonged to others as property. Sometimes they became slaves voluntarily to pay the debt they owed and it was the only way they could relieve themselves of the debt. Sometimes it was the price of one king conquering the military force of another. The subjects of the vanquished became the slaves of the victor. But whatever the cause, men, women, and children found themselves subject to the commands of the master who owned them.

We might get a glimpse of what Jesus was talking about if you think about going to your favorite restaurant instead. You’ve sat down at a booth and can see the hot line from the kitchen. The waiter brings you a glass of water and a menu. He takes your order, but then sits down at the table across from you and begins to eat his lunch. In a few minutes the chef puts your food on the hot line under the lights to keep it warm and signals your waiter that your food is ready. But instead of getting your food, he keeps eating, pulls out his smartphone and reads a few messages. He sends a few texts and then goes and gets a piece of pie for dessert. All the while, your food is getting either nice and soggy or overdone under the warming lights.

Would you tell the waiter he was doing a good job? Would you leave him a generous tip? Would you ask specifically for his table the next time you come because he has become your favorite waiter? No, of course not. If you haven’t already said some choice words to the young man, you’ll probably want to see the manager on the way out and give him your opinion of his worthless wait staff. You might even ask for a refund on your meal since you had to watch it ruin under the warming lights while your waiter enjoyed himself eating on your time.

The waiter should have served you first, right? Customers first in the customer service world, right? Pay attention to those who are paying your salary, right? The waiter obviously didn’t get the memo on what his duties and responsibilities were. He should have been happy to have a customer sitting at one of his tables. It meant money was coming into the restaurant. It meant he would get paid for doing his job and if he did it well, he would probably get a tip from his customers. Besides, he took the job. If he didn’t want to wait tables and serve people, he shouldn’t have taken the job in the first place. But he did and now he was shirking his responsibilities.

It’s a good thing he wasn’t a slave. He’d be beaten or sold or just killed. As a waiter, if this was a normal pattern, I expect he won’t be a waiter very long. He’ll probably find himself on the outside of that restaurant pretty soon. But if he wants to keep his job, he’d better shape up.

So what about our responsibilities as Christians? We have duties and responsibilities God gave us when He commissioned us to go make disciples. Should we complain about it? Take a lesson from the slaves and the waiter. If you don’t like what He asks you to do, remember who He is and who you are. That should put things in perspective pretty quickly. It’s time to serve, you can eat later. 

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

So just believe (Luke 17:6) December 13, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Nehemiah 10-13

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Luke 17:6
Jesus (pointing to a nearby mulberry tree): It’s not like you need a huge amount of faith. If you just had faith the size of a single, tiny mustard seed, you could say to this huge tree, “Pull up your roots and replant yourself in the sea,” and it would fly through the sky and do what you said. So even a little faith can accomplish the seemingly impossible.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

Jesus talks about faith a lot. And He talks about how little faith it takes to have incredible miracles take place around you. So what is it about us that keeps us from exercising that kind of faith and seeing miracles happen today? Have we become so sophisticated in our understanding of science that we no longer believe in miracles? Do we not believe that God is still God and can twist and turn the laws of science to do what He wants the way He wants?

When you think about it, that’s really what miracles are all about. Miracles are things that seem to break the natural laws of chemistry and physics that we think govern the physical realm in which we live. God heals when doctors say there is no hope or heals faster than the medical profession says is possible. God creates assets or puts them in place in ways that seem to defy all the rules bankers and economists use in their profession.

At the beginning of creation, God put all those laws of science in place. Can’t He bend them if He wants? Can’t He set aside a rule He made or bend it to His will? He is God and existed before any of those rules came to be. He’s the One who put them in place. So if He put them in place, surely He can change them if He wants. He can use them to fit His needs. He can suspend them to make miracles happen for us. And what does it take? A little faith. Jesus says it takes faith the size of a mustard seed.

Some people tell me they just don’t have enough faith, but everyone has faith. We just don’t put it in the right thing. We have faith the sun will come up. We have faith the earth will still be spinning tomorrow. We have faith our car will start (usually). We have faith the lights will work when we flip the switch. We have faith we will get a paycheck from our employer. We have faith the government will still be in place tomorrow. We have a lot of faith.

Except for the first two about the sun coming up and the earth spinning, a lot of people around the world may not have much faith in those things. But in the United States we do. Why? Because we have experience that has shown us these things are true. But quite frankly, it’s not our experience, but the experience of thousands of others that stand together to help us have faith that these things will be true for us tomorrow.

The same is true for our faith in God. Countless have gone before us and experienced God’s goodness. They have watched Him perform miracles for His children. They have seen His faithfulness and know that He cares for us. Thousands can testify to His love and His hand at work in their lives in so many ways that can only be explained as the hand of God. That empiracle knowledge should give us confidence that translates into faith. We can believe that God will work on our behalf when we exercise faith in Him.

Faith is really that simple. It’s just a question of what we put our faith in. I’d rather put my faith in God than my car. He is certainly more reliable than my car. And my lights go out every once in a while in a storm. God never does. He’s always there in the storms of life. He never quits. He never rests. He listens to our prayers and cares for us as His dear children because we are.

Faith in Him is what He requires. Just believe. That’s all. From the deepest part of your heart believe He is who He says He is and will do what He says He will do. Believe He is God. Creator. Savior. Redeemer. Believe He came and lived with us for a time in an earthly body and died on a cross for your sins and mine. Believe He rose from the dead to demonstrate His power over death and the grave. Believe Jesus, God’s Son, lives forever, one with the Father and Spirit, interceding for us. Believe. Trust Him with your life. Thousands and thousands have gone before you trusting Him and believing in Him. Their testimonies join together and give us confidence that God will not fail us either. So just believe. 

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Don’t be a tempter (Luke 17:1-4) December 12, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Deuteronomy 26-28

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Luke 17:1-4
Jesus (to His disciples): You can’t stop temptations to do wrong from coming. But how tragic it will be for the person who becomes the source of the temptation! It would be better if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
So each of you needs to be careful. If your brother sins against you, confront him about it, and if he has a change of mind and heart, then forgive him. Even if he wrongs you seven times in a single day, if he turns back to you each time and says he’s sorry and will change, you must forgive him.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

These can be really hard words for us if we take them to heart. We have a responsibility to teach those that come behind us. We’re supposed to make the world a better place. Jesus told us to teach others the practices He taught us. But He tells us in this discourse that if we cause others to fall because of following our example, it would be better if we were to drown in the sea. Those are pretty harsh words, but Jesus usually meant what He said.

If I’m the source of temptation for someone, then I must answer for not only my wrongs, but the temptations that led my brother astray as well. Does that seem fair? It doesn’t matter whether we think so or not, Jesus made the declaration and He will be the One standing at the Judgment bar at the end of time. So we ought to pay attention to what He says.

So what does that mean for us? Does that mean that we can never have fun and must spend all our time at the church participating in religious activities so we don’t tempt our brothers. I don’t think so. The Pharisees spent most of their time at the temple and synagogues, but got blasted about their unfaithfulness to God. They thought they were doing things right, but these words were pointed directly at them and their hypocrisy. They lost their way. They got caught up in their religion instead of in their relationship with God and man. Don’t cause others to fall.

So we can lead others astray doing good things if we leave God out of the equation. If we don’t build those good deeds on the faith in Christ that drives them, they can lead to eternal death and destruction as surely as murder and theft and adultery will. Doing good is right and proper, but there must be something behind it. Even the most evil people do good sometimes. They just have the wrong motive behind their good deeds. They do good things for something in return, not to glorify God and share His love with others.

Does making sure we don’t tempt others mean we can never have fun? Absolutely not. Some of the most fun I’ve had is in a crowd of Christian friends. And without the alcohol and drugs or other mind altering paraphernalia, we remembered everything that happened the next day! I can’t say that about some of the non-Christian friends whose parties I attended. After a few too many drinks they had a hard time remembering what they said or did the night before and didn’t want to do anything but sleep the next day. I think Jesus had a great time with His friends. I think He enjoyed life immensely. So, no, we don’t have to be a perpetual sour puss to keep others from being tempted.

Does it mean we can never associate with other sinners? I don’t think so. That’s not what Jesus taught us. He ate with sinners all the time. That’s one of the things the scribes and Pharisees kept bringing up as proof He must not be the Son of God. He kept talking with people they would never talk to because of what they did. Jesus ate with tax collectors and prostitutes, no less. But how else will they get God’s message unless we befriend sinners? That doesn’t mean we behave the same way they do, but we certainly should be their friend.

So what does Jesus mean when He tells us not to tempt others? How can we live life in such a way that we don’t lead others astray or become a stumbling block for them as they journey through life. I think it’s a simple answer but not always an easy path. The answer is live like Jesus. But the only way to do that is to let Him be in total control of your life. And that’s not always easy. He will have you going places and doing things that are against your nature. He will put you in situations where you are uncomfortable. He will put words in your mind that He wants you to share that you would rather not come out of your mouth because you don’t not what will happen when you speak them.

When you let Jesus rule your life and do what He asks you to do, you don’t need to worry about making anyone stumble. You don’t need to worry about being anyone else’s tempter. Just live like Jesus. Simple answer, tall order until He become the absolute Lord of you life. Try Him on for size. You’ll see for yourself.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.