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Are there any Christians out there? (Luke 12:31-34) November 17, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Ecclesiastes 7-8

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

Today’s Devotional

Luke 12:31-34
Jesus: Since you don’t need to worry—about security and safety, about food and clothing—then pursue God’s kingdom first and foremost, and these other things will come to you as well.
My little flock, don’t be afraid. God is your Father, and your Father’s great joy is to give you His kingdom.
That means you can sell your possessions and give generously to the poor. You can have a different kind of savings plan: one that never depreciates, one that never defaults, one that can’t be plundered by crooks or destroyed by natural calamities. Your treasure will be stored in the heavens, and since your treasure is there, your heart will be lodged there as well.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

Where is your heart? We want to immediately say, “My heart is in heaven. My treasure is there. I’m completely devoted to God. There is no question about it.” But I’d like you to stop and think hard today about that question. Where is your heart, really?

This election cycle has given me an opportunity to watch the behavior of a lot of people who proclaimed heaven as their home. Yet as I’ve read some of their Facebook dialogue and listened to their speech when it comes to one party or another in this crazy campaign, I’ve got to tell you, I’m not sure they are on their way there. I’m not sure the Father would be very happy with the words they say about their neighbors or the actions they take against those they have proclaimed as enemies in this political battle.

Quite frankly, neither candidate has character worth emulating. President-elect Trump has several lawsuits still active against him because of some fairly shady business deals in his past. His treatment of women earlier in his life leave much to be desired. He is pretty flamboyant and certainly isn’t Christlike in his actions in dealing with others from what we see on the surface.

Secretary Clinton is no better. She clearly lied to Congress in her testimony about her emails and her private server as evidenced by the deluge of information that has come out through both conservative and liberal press and her own staff. Her staff releases information about her abusive tongue and as with Mr. Trump, she is far from displaying any kind of Christian behavior unless it is for a photo op.

Is that judgmental? Okay. It is. Evidenced by public behavior on both their parts. Wake up America! Neither candidate would be convicted in court of being a Christian according to God’s word. They just don’t stack up to the changed life Jesus talks about when He talks about the transformation He make in a person’s life when we give ourselves fully to Him. So there it is. We did not have Christians to choose from and we did not elect a Christian leader. We are not a Christian nation and have not been for decades.

But that’s okay. Jesus didn’t live in a Christian nation either. He lived in Judea under the rule of Rome. I’m not sure there has ever really been a Christian nation because as Jesus told Pilot, His kingdom was not of this world. We don’t belong here. When we give ourselves to Him, we gain citizenship to a different world, His kingdom. We become foreigners to this place. So why do we let the affairs of this world distract us so much when we don’t belong here?

Should we vote? Yes. Should we support a candidate? Yes. Should we pray and get involved in things that will make a difference in the welfare of others as we continue on this earthly journey? Yes. We are to be good citizens as long as we are here. But we should not get so bent out of shape when things don’t go the way we think they should. God gives promotion, not men Proverbs tells us. God allows elections to go the way they go. But we are citizens of heaven. We know the final outcome and need not worry about the things of this world.
God is still on the throne and none of the actions and activities that happened in the last week caused even a tremble in His throne room.

As Christians, we have an opportunity to bring unity to our world. We can show the world that all the craziness that is happening around our nation and our world is just that – craziness. This rampant fear and mourning and protest and pandering and maneuvering going on is just insane. God is still in charge despite what anyone else might think. As Christians we have an opportunity to get that message out and bring peace to those who are wallowing in this insanity. God is still in charge. Not Trump, Not Clinton, Not Obama, Not Congress. No one but God.

The question is whether we put our trust and treasure in Him so we have something that will last or will we be like the crazies in the street and just let everything go up in smoke. It’s time we show what it means to have our hearts in heaven and let the rest of the nation see what peace looks and feels like. So, are there still any Christians out there that can show the rest of the nation God’s way of peace and joy at the end of the 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.

There’s a party coming! (Luke 12:35-48), Jan 12, 2015

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Today’s background scripture comes from Luke 12:35-48


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Many around you will say, “There is plenty of time to get right with God. He said He was coming back 2,000 years ago and He hasn’t come back yet. I can always start living right next year.”

My Son told those who would listen a parable about masters who returned unexpectedly or thieves that came in the middle of the night. You probably don’t know much about masters and servants where you live. In Jesus’ time on earth, people understood the parable clearly. Perhaps today, I would use a story about a company owner or a store manager and his employees, instead.

How well does the assistant manager perform when the manager is on vacation? What does he find if he comes back early? Or you probably hear about thieves that break in and steal things a lot. Well, maybe that has become so common place you no longer hear much about it. But if the owner knew the time a thief were coming and convinced the police or his neighbors of his coming, the owner would prepare and the thief would not break in.

My Son said He would come back at a time only I know. It’s like the weddings in ancient Israel. Sons prepared a home for their bride and the marriage took place only after their father saw their son could care for his bride in his new home. My Son is still prepare a place for you. When I tell Him it is ready for you, I will tell Him to come and get you. Then He will split the sky like a lightening bolt and in the blink of an eye He’ll bring His bride home with Him forever.

You will never know when I send Him. He will come like the unexpected manager or the thief in the night. Like Jesus told those who listened to His parable 2,000 years ago, be ready, you don’t know when he’ll come. You don’t want to miss that party!

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Luke 12:35-48
Set – Genesis 29; Luke 12
Go! – Genesis 29-30; Luke 12

Luke12:35-48
Jesus: I’m not just talking theory. There is urgency in all this. If you’re apathetic and complacent, then you’ll miss the moment of opportunity. You should be wide awake and on your toes like servants who are waiting for their master to return from a big wedding reception. They’ll have their shoes on and their lamps lit so they can open the door for him as soon as he arrives home. 37 How fortunate those servants will be when the master knocks and they open the door immediately! You know what the master will do? He’ll put on an apron, sit them down at the kitchen table, and he’ll serve them a midnight snack. 38 The later he comes home—whether it’s at midnight or even later, just before dawn—the more fortunate the alert servants will be.

39 In contrast, imagine a complacent, apathetic household manager whose house gets robbed. If he had been aware that thieves were waiting in the bushes and what hour they were coming, [he would have watched and][a] he never would have left the house! 40 I’m trying to tell you that these are times for alertness, times requiring a sense of urgency and intensity, because like the master in the first story or the thief in the second, the Son of Man shows up by surprise.

Peter: 41 Lord, I’m not sure if this parable is intended only for us disciples or if this is for everyone else too.

Jesus: 42 Imagine the stories of two household managers, and decide for yourself which one is faithful and smart. Each household manager is told by his master to take good care of all his possessions and to oversee the other employees—the butlers, cooks, gardeners, and so on. 43 One servant immediately busies himself in doing just what he was told. His master eventually comes to check on him 44 and rewards him with a major promotion and with more responsibility and trust. 45 The other household manager thinks, “Look, my boss is going to be gone for a long time. I can be complacent; there’s no urgency here.” So he beats the other employees—the women as well as the men. He sits around like a slob, eating and getting drunk. 46 Then the boss comes home unexpectedly and catches him by surprise. One household manager will be fortunate indeed, and the other will be cut into pieces and thrown out.

47 Now if a servant who is given clear instructions by his master doesn’t follow those instructions but instead is complacent and apathetic, then he will be punished severely. 48 But if a servant doesn’t know what his master expects and behaves badly, then he will receive a lighter punishment. If you are given much, much will be required of you. If much is entrusted to you, much will be expected of you.

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.