Monday, April 8, 2013

Apply This to Your Life Today

"And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise" - Jesus - Luke 6:31

Saturday, April 6, 2013

Hidden in My Heart

"So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work." (Nehemiah 4:6; NKJV)

Friday, April 5, 2013

He is Willing

Luke 5:12-14; NKJV

12 And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean."

13 Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." Immediately the leprosy left him. 


14 And He charged him to tell no one, "But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded."

The man full of leprosy learned that Jesus was willing to cleanse him of his leprosy.

Jesus would have men who are full of sin learn that He is willing to cleanse them of their sin...

Thursday, April 4, 2013

The 2nd Adam and the Devil

Luke 4:1-13; NKJV
 

1 Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.

3 And the devil said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread."

4 But Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.'" 

5 Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil said to Him, "All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. 7 Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours."

8 And Jesus answered and said to him,  "Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.'" 

9 Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. 10 For it is written:

'He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you,'

11 and,

'In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.'" 

12 And Jesus answered and said to him, "It has been said, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.'" 

13 Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.

1.  The 1st Adam met the Devil in a beautiful garden and surrendered to him.

2.  The 2nd Adam met the Devil in an unsafe, barren wilderness and overcame him.

Find spiritual life in the 2nd Adam and overcome the Devil through Him (see Romans 5:12-21).


Wednesday, April 3, 2013

All Flesh

Luke 3:4-6; NKJV
 

4 as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying:

"The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
'Prepare the way of the Lord;
Make His paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled
And every mountain and hill brought low;
The crooked places shall be made straight
And the rough ways smooth;
6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'"


Luke is the only gospel to quote "And all flesh shall see the salvation of God" from Isaiah 40:5.  He is communicating the universalism of the gospel.  There is no kind of person the gospel cannot reach.

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Simeon: Seeing, Holding, Receiving

Luke 2:25-35

25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 


26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 

27 So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law,

28 he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:

29 "Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace,
According to Your word;
30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation
31 Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,
32 A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel."


33 And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. 


34 Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, "Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against 

35 (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

Seeing, Holding, Receiving

1.Simeon saw Jesus.
2.Simeon held Jesus.
3.Simeon received Jesus.

Seeing, Holding, Receiving

1.I want to be seen by Him.
2.I want to be held by Him.
3.I want to be received by Him.

Monday, April 1, 2013

The Son of the Highest

Luke 1:26-33

26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 


27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. 

28 And having come in, the angel said to her,"Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!" 

29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 


30 Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 

31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. 

32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 

33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end."

The time has come for Jehovah to rule over His people through a son of David.  This son of David would be different from the other descendants of David.  This son of David would also be the son of God.