SLAVES TO WHAT (Luke 6:5-9)?
"The Son of Man is no slave to the Sabbath; He's in charge." Am I slave to discipline? Am I a slave to ritual? Am I a slave to ministry? I must ask myself the same questions that Jesus asked the Pharisees. What suits you? Doing good or doing something that is not good? Helping people or leaving them helpless? What stirs in me?
AN INVITE TO WHAT?
What a huge decision to choose 12 men to follow Him, even knowing one would betray---wouldn't do it well at all. Even Jesus chose followers who would fail. Jesus did not bring out the best in Judas. Wonder why? He allows each of us our own decisions---won't force Himself on anyone. What a God! What a Saviour! And the fact that He spent the whole night in prayer makes me want to go pray. But if I am ever A.D.D., it's during prayer. How do you spend the night in prayer? This is a beautiful invitation written to me to come to Him in the midst of my needs and just talk to Him. I think at times I've wrongly believed that it's going to happen whether I pray about it or not---fatalistic.
HOLDING ON TIGHT TO WHAT (6:21-23)?
You're blessed when you've lost it all. God's kingdom is there for the finding...You're blessed when the tears flow freely, joy comes with the morning. Be glad when you respond with truth for even though others may not like it, God does. All heaven applauds.
TROUBLE AHEAD WHEN (6:24-26)?
Trouble ahead if you think you have it made.
Trouble ahead if you're satisfied with yourself.
Trouble ahead if you think life's all fun and games. There's suffering to be met, and you're going to meet it.
Trouble ahead when you live only for the approval of others. Your task is to be true, not popular.
ARE YOU READY FOR THE TRUTH (6:27-34)?
Let your enemies bring out the best in you, not the worst.
Respond with the energies of prayer.
Stand and take it.
Practice the servant life.
Live generously.
Ask yourself what you want people to do for you.
Help and give without expecting a return.
Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults.
Don't condemn those who are down.
Be easy on people; you'll find life a lot easier.
Give away your life; you'll find life given back with bonus and blessing.
WHAT AM I DOING WITH THE WORD OF GOD?
Luke 6:45 "It's who you are, not what you say and do, that counts. Your true being brims over into true words and deeds." You're polite with your words but don't do as I tell you. God's Words are foundation words, words to build a life on (6:47). "If you work the words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who dug deep and laid the foundation of his house on bedrock. When the river burst its banks, nothing could shake it; it was built to last. But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don't work them into your life, you are like a dumb carpenter who built a house but skipped the foundation. When the swollen river came crashing in, it collapsed like a house of cards. It was a total loss."
DO I KNOW A PLACE OF HOLY MYSTERY?
When Jesus saw the Widow of Nain, his heart broke. She had recently buried her husband---now her only son. He touched the coffin and the dead son began talking. The widow was at the right place, a divine divide---from death to life. "They all realized they were in a place of holy mystery, that God was at work among them (7:17)."
DO I KNOW I'M FORGIVEN?
Jesus ate at the home of a Pharisee. And it was a harlot who anointed his feet with expensive perfume and dried them with her hair. His response to her and to you and to me in the midst of our sin:
She was forgiven many, many sins, and so she is very, very grateful (Luke 7:47).
You're blessed when you've lost it all.
ReplyDeleteGod's kingdom is there for the finding.
You're blessed when you're ravenously hungry.
Then you're ready for the Messianic meal.
You're blessed when the tears flow freely.
Joy comes with the morning.
22 -23"Count yourself blessed every time someone cuts you down or throws you out, every time someone smears or blackens your name to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and that that person is uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—skip like a lamb, if you like!—for even though they don't like it, I do . . . and all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company; my preachers and witnesses have always been treated like this.
I love that part about skipping like a lamb. That is about the last thing I feel like doing when I am hurt or discredited. However, Jesus said "Heaven applauds." We are in good company!
ReplyDeleteHow amazing to remember all the saints who have lived. They were tested and have gone on to their reward. How amazing it will be to meet Jesus and the saints someday in Heaven.
It is like a great cheerleading squad in the sky. We are never alone!
There's really nothing to add--I love the places your hearts are touched here.
ReplyDeleteLuke 6:36 – “Live out this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we're at our worst. Our Father is kind; you be kind.”
Better than any self-help book, better than traditional wisdom, better than man’s best—living out our God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us. These words in chapter six of Luke are life and breath—everything!
"To you who are ready for the truth, I say this: Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst." Luke 6:27.
ReplyDeleteI am 54 years old.
Even at my age, this command is hard.
You would think that I would have mellowed through the years, and I have. I've never been a woman who has a personality trait that rhymes with witch.
But I do have a sense of justice that can rise up in me. I'm trying to work on that.
I came out of a 26 year marriage to a man who was addicted to anger outburst. I learned to be very careful about how I responded to his moods. Mostly I learned to stifle my feelings and please him to keep peace. When I took up for myself or my children, I had to do it with a knowledge that I was going to be punished.
After coming out of that marriage, I had a hard time knowing who I was and how to have an opinion or a desire.
That is one thing that my husband now was so kind to me about. He wouldn't accept it when I would answer his question about where would I like to eat dinner with "I don't care. Where would you like to eat?"
He would say, "No. Where do YOU want to eat dinner." And he had no idea how that set me free! To have a choice! And not be in trouble...
Even though we are going through a time of great pain in our relationship right now, I still love so many things about him.
When we have someone who is an enemy in our life, we have to be willing to learn a lesson because of their friction. Difficult people are in your life to work something OUT in you that needs to be worked out. It's not about them...it's about the Christlike response you have towards them.
But it is so very hard treating your enemy with love. I fail at this. Only Christ can perform this great work in us.
I've gone on after my abusive husband's controlling ways, and found other's in my life that I've been able to see how they operate and not let them have power over me...either they turn you into a doormat, or a word that rhymes with witch.
I don't want either of those in my life! I want to learn to love my enemies. I'm experiencing that right now in the middle of my marriage crisis right now. I choose love. I choose to not keep a record of wrongs. I choose to forgive. I choose to learn all I can about Jesus and how He reacted to those who were spiteful to Him...and be the better woman just like He is the better Godman.
It feels so good to move beyond the doormat personality or the witchy personality. But I am still a work in progress. Always will be until the day Christ calls me home.
You've moved way beyond, Deborah. Way beyond. You are always so ready for truth. I just sent you a card that said Psalm 51:6 on it. Even before I read this today. It is truth that has sunk way deep in your heart. And will continue as you hold fast to Him in faith. You are! You will!
ReplyDeleteDeborah, what a journey you have been on. You are right--you had a choice to be about you or be about God and you have moved by His Grace straight toward Him, much to the His Glory. You demonstrate that it is possible to do the impossible when Christ is on your side. You're a blessed woman, even when tears flow. Love your heart, my friend. Thank you for telling your story--it's so interwoven in His.
ReplyDeleteIsn't that the best verse...letting our enemies bring out the best in us...?
ReplyDeleteOnly God can do that work in us.
Annette and Bev, thank you. I appreciate the words and the beautiful verse. I miss you pearls.