God Speaks
Jesus Goes about Teaching, Healing and Warning–Calling for Repentance
Verse of the Day: “But unless you repent, you too, will all perish. . . . When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing. . . . Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. (Luke 13:5b, 17, 22 NIV 2011)
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Watch TBR Day 299
We Respond
Luke 12
Reflection: Luke 12 contains several admonitions from Jesus to His followers: Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees. Fear only God. Acknowledge Christ before men. Don’t be like the foolish rich man. Do not be anxious or worried. Be ready for the Lord’s return. Be sensible and responsible. Expect division but handle it in a godly manner. Correctly interpret the times. Do your best to settle disputes peaceably out of court.
Prayer: Dear gracious God who instructs Your laborers, You warned us to beware of the leaven (prideful sin) of the Pharisees. This meant for us to both avoid and expose the hypocrisy of those who pretend to be virtuous but are not. Please give me the courage to stand up and express my high regard for You. When I focus on not displeasing (fearing) You, I won’t need to fear anything else, even death and hell. I want to acknowledge Jesus Christ is Lord to as many people as I can. Keep me from being like the foolish rich man who only focused on things here on earth. You tell me not to be anxious or worried. As an example, since You take care of the birds and the flowers, You promise to take care of me as well. By Your grace, I will get ready for the Lord’s return by making Jesus my treasure and the Kingdom of God my top priority. I can’t be sensible and responsible over others without the help of the Holy Spirit. There is so much division in this community, nation, and world today. But with You empowering us, we can handle it in a God-honoring manner. Please help Christian leaders in every area and level of society to correctly interpret and act regarding the signs of the times. You’ve told us to do our best to settle disputes peaceably out of court. [Is that because even the courts will be so divided and corrupted that they will not be able to judge righteously?] Whatever happens, to YHWH be the glory. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will ask God to expose the hypocrisy in my own life, then seek His help in taking action.
- I will draw courage from the Lord to stand up against a specific wrong He shows me.
- I will speak out and give credit to God for the blessings He has given me as well as sharing them with others.
- I will seek to settle a dispute peaceably out of court.
Luke 13
Reflection: Jesus called people to repent or perish (to be eternally separated from God). God is willing to grant people time to repent (turn to Him). In that day, many Jews believed that bad things only happened to bad people. That is why Jesus asked if they thought that those who had been killed in the fall of the tower in Siloam were the worst sinners. But Jesus used this news story to get people to think about their need for repentance. Jesus heals on the Sabbath. Jesus again gave a living example of setting someone free from the control of Satan. Although the people saw the event as a reason to rejoice, the synagogue rulers saw it as challenging their power and authority. The Kingdom of God starts small but grows until it is strong enough to benefit others. The way of the Kingdom is directly opposite of the way of this world. The gate is narrow and difficult, and those who are prominent will be replaced by those who will humbly follow Christ. Jesus loved the people of Jerusalem, but they rejected Him.
Prayer: Dear Father God, You are the One who initiates repentance. Individually and collectively, people need to repent. After giving a couple of examples of tragic deaths, Jesus, You asked, “. . . don’t you realize that you also will perish unless you leave your evil ways and turn to God?” Please, in Your great mercy, give us another chance just like the landowner with the fig tree. Holy Spirit, please convict people of sin, righteousness, and judgment as Jesus said You would in John 16:8. You have every reason and right to “cut us down”, but I beg You based on Jesus’s suffering and death to give us another chance. Holy Spirit, throughout history You have brought revival (a great turning to God) to thousands of people in hundreds of locations. We desperately need You to do it again. As with the woman who was bent over, we need Your power to straighten us out. Like her, we need to be set free from the bondage of Satan. The demonstration of Your grace will result in much rejoicing, praise, and thankfulness to God the Father. Only the blood of Jesus can cancel the guilt of our horrendous sin. You love has provided the cure for our deepest hurts and needs. Help us to receive it. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will thank God for having received the gift of rescue from the guilt and power of sin that Jesus has provided for me.
- I will talk with my friends about doing so as well. [Be specific.]
- I will pray for my friends to receive the gift of salvation in Christ as well. [Be specific.]
- I will plead the Name and blood of Jesus over my unsaved family members. [Be specific.]
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.