God Speaks
Jesus Uses Examples, Healing and Parables to Teach About the Principles of the Kingdom
Verse of the Day: [Jesus] said to them.”You are the ones who justify yours in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is God’s sight. (Luke 16:15 NIV 2011)
Read or listen on BibleGateway.com
Watch TBR Day 301
We Respond
Luke 16
Reflection: The parable of the dishonest manager was not meant to approve cheating, but to call Jesus’s followers to be alert to the ways of the world and to combat them with even more powerful truth. Although the Jewish laws were good and given by God through Moses, Jesus came to fulfill them and replace them with the kingdom of God which was far better. Jesus’s statement regarding divorce and remarriage seems abrupt and out of place here. Perhaps it is meant to illustrate the permanence of the Mosaic law as foundation for the kingdom of God, as the marriage covenant is the foundation of a good marriage and family life. Jesus’s comments on the rich man and Lazarus illustrate that those who live in ease and self-indulgence now (apart from God) will suffer the consequences in eternity. Those who suffer distress and ill-treatment now will receive comfort and acceptance in the presence of God forever. Only truly believing the One who rose from the dead can save us.
Prayer: Dear Father in Heaven, thank You for being the true source of wisdom and discernment. Please help Your people to expose evil and replace it with the good that comes from You. Train us to be faithful in the little things so that we will be equipped to be faithful in the big things. Move us to serving You and others rather than money and ourselves. Bring us as a culture back to the Judeo-Christian principles on which this nation was founded. Especially, Lord, reestablish families and local communities focused on the goodness and peace that comes from You, not on violence and destruction that comes from the enemy of men’s souls. I humbly ask that many who are oppressed by him now be rescued so that they spend eternity enjoying comfort and acceptance forever with You. 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 confess my deceptive practices to the Lord and others so that I can know I am forgiven.
- I will seek God’s wisdom in dealing with business affairs and personal relationships.
- I will search out biblical principles and apply them in my daily life.
- I will stand up for the rights and freedoms that God has given us whenever I see someone being deprived of them.
Luke 17
Reflection: Enticing or causing someone else to sin is taken very seriously by God. If anyone who sins against us repents, we are to forgive them even if it is seven times a day. The apostles asked You to increase their faith, but it is not the size of our faith that matters, but the “size” of the God we trust. Workers should not expect their bosses to serve them but faithfully and humbly carry out their duties without expecting thanks; however, those in supervisory roles should show appreciation for faithful service. Atta-boys go a long way in ensuring cheerful service. The point of the report of Jesus cleansing ten lepers is that only one returned to thank Him and praise God, and he was not even one of God’s chosen people. We, whom God has chosen and adopted, need to demonstrate continual gratitude. In no way do I deserve the blessings God has bestowed on me. The Kingdom of God will be obvious to all but totally unexpected with most people just going about their daily lives. When we see the body of Christ (the church) being attacked by dark forces from many directions, we will know that the end is near.
Prayer: Dear Father God, thank You for forgiving my sins on the basis of Jesus’s suffering and death. Please help me to be aware of doing or saying anything that would entice or cause anyone else to sin. Please help me to be quick to forgive anyone who repents of sinning against me, because Christ died for their sins as well as mine. May my faith increase as I witness the greatness of my God.
I declare that any faithfulness on my part is only because You, Holy Spirit, initiated and carried it out through me. I thank You, Lord, for all the ways You are healing me and those I care about. We don’t deserve Your loving provision and healing, but You give it anyway because that is who You are. You are love. Establish Your kingdom rule in our hearts. I want to preserve my life so I completely give it over to You, Lord. Your body (those who trust and obey You) is being attacked from many directions and in many locations around the world. The end must be near. Come, Lord Jesus, come soon. 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 make me aware of any way in which I might be leading someone to sin and to help me stop and lead them to righteousness instead.
- I will purposely forgive ______ (a specific person) for sinning against me.
- I will write a thank you note to God and keep it in my bible to remind me to be grateful for His blessings.
- I will pray daily and watch for the Lord’s return.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.