Tag Archives: actions

Share with your enemies (Luke 6:32-36) October 4, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – 2 Chronicles 11-15

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

Today’s Devotional

Luke 6:32-36
Jesus: Listen, what’s the big deal if you love people who already love you? Even scoundrels do that much! So what if you do good to those who do good to you? Even scoundrels do that much! So what if you lend to people who are likely to repay you? Even scoundrels lend to scoundrels if they think they’ll be fully repaid.
If you want to be extraordinary—love your enemies! Do good without restraint! Lend with abandon! Don’t expect anything in return! Then you’ll receive the truly great reward—you will be children of the Most High—for God is kind to the ungrateful and those who are wicked. So imitate God and be truly compassionate, the way your Father is.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

Don’t you love it when Jesus gives us these nearly impossible tasks to perform? It’s easy to love those that love you back. I like being around those that think the way I do and act the way I do and believe the way I do. I like being around those that I know will accept the things I say without getting riled up, angry, and ready to strike back because of their different beliefs. I like giving to those that appreciate the thoughts that stirred up the gift because of long term relationships and the love and friendship that has developed over time.

But that’s not what Jesus calls us to do, is it? His implication in these verses is pretty clear. Do all those things with people that love you back is no big deal to God. He wants us to get uncomfortable and reach the world. He’s given us the mission the Israelites failed to complete.

Remember the covenant with Abraham? God told him that if he fulfilled his part of the covenant, all the nations would be blessed through him. The problem is that Abraham didn’t keep his part of the covenant. He went to Pharaoh during a couple of famines and told him that Sarah was his sister instead of his wife to keep from getting killed. He didn’t trust God to protect him from the power of Pharaoh. His children and their children did the same. They didn’t trust God to protect them or supply their needs or give them the strength at the right time to deal with the situations they faced from time to time.

By the time Jesus came to earth in the flesh, Israel was well known as a monotheistic society, but they hoarded their faith rather than sharing it. All the nations around them knew they didn’t worship the pantheon of gods they did, but the Jews didn’t share the message of salvation God told them to share. They kept it to themselves and guarded their precious information jealously. So Jesus came to share the message personally. Then after His crucifixion and resurrection, He gave us the mission of sharing His new covenant with all people who will believe that He is the Son of God and came to offer us salvation.

The point Jesus made emphasizes presenting the message to all people. Not just the ones we like. Imagine what our condition would be if Jesus shared the message with only those who He liked and liked Him. He didn’t have many friends while He was with us. Crowds gathered around Him, but in terms of real friends, He had Lazarus, Mary and Martha, most of His twelve disciples, and maybe a few others, but there were not scores of people He could really call friends when He walked the earth with us.

Still Jesus shared the message and not only did He share the message, but He saved His enemies as they discovered the truth of who Hie is. We were all His enemies when He called to us to share His message of grace and mercy and hope. We were anything but friends when our sins put Jesus on the cross, yet He still gave all He had for our salvation. He gave Himself. He died for us as the perfect sacrifice to pay the penalty we should pay for our sins against God.

So when we think about what He’s done for us when we were still His enemies, we can see that Jesus meant what He said when He said to love our enemies and to do good for those that would harm us. Jesus lived by the implications in these verses. He loved those who hated Him. He did good for those who tried to kill Him. He gave expecting nothing in return. In doing so, some who heard His message believed Him and gained eternal life. Some took up the mantel He gave them and shared the message with others and His kingdom is growing.

So the question for us is, will we follow Jesus’ example and love those who hate us and still share His message with them? Will we do good for those who would try to harm us and share the message with them? Will we give expecting nothing in return and share the message with a world that needs Jesus more than they know. When we share His message with that attitude and those actions behind it, people will listen. They will find that you live by a different set of rules. You live by kingdom rules instead of world rules. You live by rules that seem upside down from those they live by. Yet they will either be drawn to the message or hate you all the more.

That’s the reaction the kingdom message brings. But our mission is to share it. With everyone. So what are you waiting for? Get started. 

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.

Let others see that you forgive (Luke 5:22-24) September 26, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Numbers 25-28

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

Today’s Devotional

Luke 5:22-24
Jesus (responding with His own question): Why are your hearts full of questions? Which is easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven” or “Get up and walk”? Just so you’ll know that the Son of Man is fully authorized to forgive sins on earth (He turned to the paralyzed fellow lying on the pallet), I say, get up, take your mat, and go home.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

Have you discovered yet that it’s easier to say something than it is to live it? If you haven’t learned that truth, you just haven’t lived very long or you don’t talk to anyone or something. Everyone knows it’s easier to talk about something than it is to do it. It just is.

I learned that lesson again recently when I undertook the task of building a pergola on our back porch. I did a lot of research, read a lot of different how-to web sites, looked at a lot of different designs. I drew out a simple blue print and figured out how much material it would take and made sure I had the right tools to do the job. Simple, right?

Then the lumber company delivered the 1,800 pounds of cedar it would take to put that monstrosity in the air. First, there was the fourteen gallons of stain it took to prepare the wood before I made the first cut. I figured it would be a lot easier to stain the wood at waist level before construction than after it was in the air (and a lot easier to clean up any mess I was sure to make in the process, too). By the end of the staining, I thought I had done some work, but that was only the beginning.

Yep, talking about something is significantly easier than doing it. And talking about doing something you can’t see is easier than talking about something you can see. It was much easier to promise to research the building of the pergola than to build it. The research was mostly in my head with just a few notes and drawings on a few pieces of paper. But the physical pergola that you can actually see and touch, that was a lot more difficult to put in the air.

So everyone understands when Jesus asked His question of the Pharisees, “Is it easier to say to this man, ‘Your sins are forgiven or take up your mat and walk?’” Things you can’t see are so much easier to promise than things you can see. Still, Jesus knew what He could do and made His most important promise to the paralytic first. “Your sins are forgiven.”

Those words are easy to say. In fact, it’s easy for us to say the words to someone else. “I forgive you.” It’s easy to put those three words together and project them toward someone who has wronged you. But can you make that promise in a way that is visible to the one to whom you project them? Can you say the words and mean them when the pain for the wrongs done still lingers? Jesus did. He forgave the paralytic his sins knowing he would carry the man’s sins to the cross and die for them.

We can say the words pretty easily, just like I could say I would build a pergola on my porch. But the proof is in the seeing. The paralytic knew what happened right away because he felt the guilt of his sins melt away with the words Jesus spoke. No one else knew the proof right away because they couldn’t see the evidence. It was only as he lived his life and they could see the joy in his face that they could see the evidence of what Jesus had done for him. But just because others couldn’t see the results right away, didn’t mean the work hadn’t been done.

It’s like my pergola. If I hadn’t done the research and planning, I wouldn’t have bought the right amount of wood and hardware and stain. As it turns out, I over estimated by two and a half gallons of stain and four pieces of lumber. That’s enough to touch up all the ends I cut, that I haven’t stained yet, and maybe enough to build a bench attached to the rail at the edge of the porch. You couldn’t see the planning except by way of the end result. Neither could you see Jesus’ forgiveness expect by way of the end result of the paralytic’s joy in his freedom from the guilt of his former sins.

Jesus wanted others to know He never lied and had the power to do what He said He could do, though. So He did something others could see, not just hear about. Like my building the pergola, so others could see it when they sit on the porch instead of me just talking about it, Jesus healed the paralytic so the Pharisees knew He could do what He said He could do. He did what seemed impossible. He healed a man who could not help himself, physically or spiritually.

So, like Jesus, when you forgive, do so in a way that others can experience and know you’ve forgiven. Let them see the truth of what you say and not just hear the words.

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 tell, just do! (Matthew 8:4) February 7, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Romans 11-12

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

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 8:4
Jesus: Don’t tell anyone what just happened. Rather, go to the priest, show yourself to him, and give a wave offering as Moses commanded. Your actions will tell the story of what happened here today.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

How many times do we use our words to explain what happens to us in our religious experiences instead of our actions? We declare to the world, “I’m a Christian.” We say the right words and attend the right churches. We tell others of our generosity and our faith. We talk about our prayer life and our study. We have a lot of words we share with others and sort of brag about our relationship. I think that’s what Jesus warns against as He shares this instruction with the leper after his miraculous cleansing that day.

The law required a specific action when a leper’s spots disappeared. The Levitical requirement said the person marched himself to the priest and the priest determined if the spots were indeed gone and he was healed. It was the priest’s training and experience to validate the healing. Then the healed person gave a wave offering of thanksgiving to God in recognition of His hand at work in the healing process. The law was clear and so Jesus tells the man to just carry out the law’s requirements.

Just do what you should be doing as a child of God. Follow His instructions. Read His manual and do what it says. That’s enough. You see, the man won’t have to tell anyone he’s been healed. When he goes to the priest to show himself as the law requires, the priest will make the declaration. The former leper won’t have to shout to the world that he’s clean, the priest will do it. He won’t have to make a sign that says, “I’m not a leper. I’m cleansed of my disease. I’m one of you.” The priest, the authority, the one who sees him will know he has been cleansed of his leprosy and make that judgment for him and make that declaration to the world.

All the leper needed to do was praise God for what happened in his life.

That’s exactly what Jesus wants us to do as we come to Him for our spiritual cleansing. I shouldn’t have to scream out to the world that I’m a Christian. In fact, my having to tell someone that I’m a follower of Christ negates my testimony in some sense. See, my life should reflect Him in such a way that others will make that declaration for me. I shouldn’t have to tell anyone. Others should see by my actions that I belong to Him. Just like the leper that went to the priest and by his actions others learned he was no longer diseased, others should see I am no longer spiritually diseased with sin because of my actions in the world. Others should see that I am so changed by the power of Christ that death no longer holds its reign over me and I live according to the hope of Jesus’ resurrection power in my life.

It shouldn’t take my words, my verbal testimony, to make others believe I am a Christian. If that’s the only method I have to convince people of my loyalty to Christ, then I’ve missed it. I’ll be like those who at the judgment cry, “Lord, Lord, didn’t we do miraculous things in your name?” But Jesus said, “Depart from me, I don’t know you.” It’s the quiet, gentle, unassuming, behavior, the fruit of godly, obedient service, that others will see and know we are followers of Jesus. It’s the love of God we share with His family and even with our enemies that will demonstrate we know and are driven by the dictates of our Savior.

But then, don’t forget the last thing Jesus told the cleansed leper to do. It’s one thing to let others see your good works and for them to give glory to your Father in heaven. But Jesus also told the healed man to give that wave offering of thanksgiving to God. That’s something we need to keep in mind always. Paul says to give thanks in everything. He says to rejoice always and to emphasize how important rejoicing is to the Christian he repeated his admonition in Philippians. Give thanks for what God has done for you.

When we come to Jesus and He forgives us of the sin in our hearts, when He cleanses us from all our unrighteousness, when He covers us with His blood and redeems us, how can we not thank Him? How can we not lift our voice in praise to Him and give Him glory and honor and praise? But do we? Do we start our day thanking Him for the honor of being one of His children? Do we open our eyes with the thought of what privilege we have to belong to the King of kings and Lord of lords? Do we take that first conscious breath of the morning thanking Him for the opportunity to live this day with His grace and mercy?

Live each day in a state of gratitude for what God has done for you. When you accept Jesus as Lord of your life, when you let Him cleanse you, and fill that God-sized hole in your life, how can you help but rejoice in everything? He will not forsake us. He will be with us always. In the toughest times, we know we are not alone. He is with us and in us. Let you actions declare for themselves who you belong to in this world. And give thanks for what God does for you each day.

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.

Judgment is for your actions (Ezekiel 18), September 2, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Ezekiel 18

Set – Ezekiel 18; Revelation 7

Go! – Ezekiel 17-19; Revelation 7

Ezekiel 18
1 The word of the Eternal came to me with a message.
Eternal One: 2 Why do you people continually quote this proverb about Israel:
Fathers have eaten sour grapes,
and their children’s teeth are set on edge?
3 As surely as I live, I, the Eternal Lord, declare you will not quote this proverb in Israel anymore. 4 For every living being belongs to Me—parent and child alike. You will die for your own sins, not because of what your ancestors did. 5 Imagine a righteous man who always does what is right: 6 First, he worships Me exclusively; he doesn’t feast at the heathen shrines atop mountains, nor does he worship idols as others do in Israel—he won’t even look at them! Second, he does not sleep with his neighbor’s wife or have sex with a woman when she is menstruating. 7 Third, he does not persecute or abuse anyone; he gives back a debtor’s collateral and does not seize poorer men’s property. Fourth, he tends to the poor; he clothes the naked and gives his bread to the hungry 8 and doesn’t charge those poor people who borrow from him interest or keep their profits. Fifth, he is law-abiding; he does not participate in wrong deeds and is fair toward all others. 9 Sixth, he is obedient to Me, living by My statutes and faithfully keeping My laws. This man who is righteous—he will surely live.
10-11 Now suppose this righteous man has a violent son. The son is a killer and does wicked things that the righteous father has never done: He worships other gods, feasting at the heathen shrines atop mountains. He defiles his neighbor’s wife. 12 He abuses the poor and persecutes the needy. He seizes property and keeps a debtor’s collateral. He looks up to breathless idols, worshiping them. He breaks the law and commits shocking deeds. 13 He charges those who borrow from him interest and makes excessive profits. Do you think the wicked son will live? Of course not! Because he has done all of these shocking things, he will be put to death, and it will be his own fault.
14 Now, suppose the wicked son has a son of his own, and this son watches his father’s vile lifestyle and chooses not to do as his father has done: 15 He worships Me exclusively; he doesn’t feast at the heathen shrines atop mountains, nor does he worship idols as others do in Israel—he won’t even look at them! He does not defile his neighbor’s wife. 16 He does not persecute or abuse anyone; he gives back a debtor’s collateral and does not seize poorer men’s properties. He tends to the poor; he clothes the naked, gives his bread to the hungry, 17 does not participate in wronging the poor, nor does he charge those who borrow from him interest or make excessive profit. He is obedient to Me, faithfully keeping My laws and living by My statutes. This man who is righteous will not die for his father’s sins. He will surely live. 18 But his father will surely die for his own wicked deeds—taking advantage of the poor, seizing property from poorer Israelites, and refusing to do good for his people.
19 So why do you ask, “Why is the son not also punished for his father’s guilt?” Don’t you see? The son did not commit his father’s sins. The son chose to do what is just and right by remembering and following My laws, so he will surely live. 20 The person who sins will die. The child will not be punished for the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent be punished for the guilt of the child. The righteous will be credited with righteousness. The wicked will be charged with wickedness.
21 But there is good news even for the wicked. If the wicked turn away from their sins, choose to uphold My laws, be honest, and live a righteous life, then they will surely live. They won’t die. 22 I won’t remember any of their previous wrongs against them because of the right things they have done. They will surely live. 23 Do I enjoy watching the wicked die? No. I, the Eternal One, would prefer for the wicked to stop doing the wrong things they do and live. 24 If the righteous stop doing what is right, choose the sinful path, and commit the shocking things the wicked do, do you think they will live? Certainly not! I won’t remember any of their righteous deeds because of all the unfaithful and wicked things they do. They will surely die.
25 You say, “The Lord’s way is not fair at all!” Hear Me, people of Israel: You think My way is unfair? You are the ones with unjust ways! 26 If a righteous person turns away from the right path and chooses to act wickedly, he will die for it. He will die because of the sin he committed. 27 But if a wicked person turns from the wicked path and chooses to be honest and live a righteous life, he will end up saving his life! 28 Because he thought about his wrongs and turned away from the wicked things he’d done, putting them behind him, then he will surely live. He will not die! 29 Yet the people of Israel continue to complain, “The Lord’s way is not fair at all!” You think My way is unfair, people of Israel? Don’t you think you are the ones with perverted ways?
30 Therefore, people of Israel, I will judge each of you according to what you have done. Repent! Turn from your wicked ways so that your sins do not trip you up! 31 Get rid of all your wicked ways! Acquire a new heart and a new spirit! Why would you choose to die, people of Israel? 32 I don’t enjoy watching anyone die, so turn back to Me and live!

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Ezekiel’s call to the people of Israel ends with this question, Why would you choose to die? It’s still the right question to ask yourself and all those around you. You have a choice. At the end of time, when I’ve come again to call an end to this decreped, sinful world, I will conduct a judgment on each individual. You will not answer for your parents lives, nor will you answer for what your children do. You will answer only for yourself. But I will judge you. You probably know where you stand with Me if you take a quick inventory of your heart. I don’t keep those secrets from you. But I can also put you into a right relationship with Me if you’ve drifted away. Just call on Me and then follow My directions. Pretty simple instructions. Not always easy in this world, but simple instructions to follow. 

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.

Pentecost, more than a feast day (Acts 2/1-21;43-47), Jan 26, 2015

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Today’s Podcast


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Today’s Devotional

Today’s background scripture comes from Acts 2
Pentecost had come and gone countless times for the Hebrews through the centuries. People came from everywhere to Jerusalem to celebrate Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost. The day commemorates the giving of My Law to Moses on Mount Sinai. But after My Son returned to heaven, My Spirit came as He promised. What better day than Pentecost for Him to settle upon the hearts of men and women ready to receive Him fully?

Some special things happened that day that many concentrate on when talking about Pentecost, the sound of rushing wind, the flames of fire on each person in the room, the languages spoken and heard by each person in the crowd. Certainly, those things should not be forgotten. They were important in letting both those present and future generations know something different, wonderful, and miraculous happened when My Spirit came to inhabit hearts. But the audible and visible signs of the day were not what made Pentecost special to Me.

What made Pentecost special were the changed lives seen by everyone around them. Luke recorded some of those changes in later verses of the second chapter of Acts, often overlooked because of the spectacular events in the opening verses. But I want you to think about the real change and what I find most important.

Luke describes an intense sense of togetherness among all who believed. Did you get that? No fighting each other, no gossip among that group, no back-biting or slander. They had an intense sense of togetherness. That’s My Church! They were generous with their material goods helping not only their fellow believers, but others in the city in need. They were unified in worship in the temple – day after day! They enjoyed each other’s company and shared meals together, opened their homes to each other, shared each others burdens, joys, and sorrows. Luke describes My newly filled people with glad and generous hearts enjoying the goodwill of all the people of the city.

Why did they enjoy the goodwill of the others? Because they were genuine in their generosity, genuine in their compassion, genuine in their love. How can they exhibit those characteristics in an occupied city whose leaders a few weeks early killed their Savior? Because My Son lives…forever! And My Spirit, His Spirt, We, now lived in them. We can live in you, too. If you let Us. You can experience the same genuine joy they did on that Pentecost day Luke describes in his letter to Theophilus describing the acts of the apostles. As promised to Joel, My Spirit is poured out for the asking. But like any gift, He must be accepted into your life. Do it today.

Today’s Scripture

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Acts 2:1-21; 43-47
Set – Exodus 15; Acts 2
Go! – Exodus 14-16; Acts 2

Acts 2:1-21; 43-47
1When the holy day of Pentecost came 50 days after Passover, they were gathered together in one place.

2 Picture yourself among the disciples:

A sound roars from the sky without warning, the roar of a violent wind, and the whole house where you are gathered reverberates with the sound. 3 Then a flame appears, dividing into smaller flames and spreading from one person to the next. 4 All the people present are filled with the Holy Spirit and begin speaking in languages they’ve never spoken, as the Spirit empowers them.

5 Because of the holy festival, there are devout Jews staying as pilgrims in Jerusalem from every nation under the sun. 6 They hear the sound, and a crowd gathers. They are amazed because each of them can hear the group speaking in their native languages. 7 They are shocked and amazed by this.

Pilgrims: Just a minute. Aren’t all of these people Galileans? 8 How in the world do we all hear our native languages being spoken? 9 Look—there are Parthians here, and Medes, Elamites, Mesopotamians, and Judeans, residents of Cappadocia, Pontus, and Asia, 10 Phrygians and Pamphylians, Egyptians and Libyans from Cyrene, Romans including both Jews by birth and converts, 11 Cretans, and Arabs. We’re each, in our own languages, hearing these people talk about God’s powerful deeds.

12 Their amazement becomes confusion as they wonder,

Pilgrims: What does this mean?

Skeptics: 13 It doesn’t mean anything. They’re all drunk on some fresh wine!

14 As the twelve stood together, Peter shouted to the crowd,

Peter: Men of Judea and all who are staying here in Jerusalem, listen. I want you to understand: 15 these people aren’t drunk as you may think. Look, it’s only nine o’clock in the morning! 16 No, this isn’t drunkenness; this is the fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel. 17 Hear what God says!

In the last days,
I will offer My Spirit to humanity as a libation.
Your children will boldly speak the word of the Lord.
Young warriors will see visions,
and your elders will dream dreams.
18 Yes, in those days I shall offer My Spirit to all servants,
both male and female, and they will boldly speak My word.
19 And in the heaven above and on the earth below,
I shall give signs of impending judgment: blood, fire, and clouds of smoke.
20 The sun will become a void of darkness,
and the moon will become blood.
Then the great and dreadful day of the Lord will arrive,
21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
will be liberated into God’s freedom and peace.

43 Everyone felt a sense of awe because the apostles were doing many signs and wonders among them. 44 There was an intense sense of togetherness among all who believed; they shared all their material possessions in trust. 45 They sold any possessions and goods that did not benefit the community and used the money to help everyone in need. 46 They were unified as they worshiped at the temple day after day. In homes, they broke bread and shared meals with glad and generous hearts. 47 The new disciples praised God, and they enjoyed the goodwill of all the people of the city. Day after day the Lord added to their number everyone who was experiencing liberation.

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.