Tag: faith

Morning Reading: Luke 11:14-28 NLT – Kingdom signs

Reading: Luke 11:14-28 NLT

One day Jesus cast out a demon from a man who couldn’t speak, and when the demon was gone, the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed, but some of them said, “No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons.” Others, trying to test Jesus, demanded that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority.

Kingdom-of-GodHe knew their thoughts, so he said, “Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A family splintered by feuding will fall apart. You say I am empowered by Satan. But if Satan is divided and fighting against himself, how can his kingdom survive? And if I am empowered by Satan, what about your own exorcists? They cast out demons, too, so they will condemn you for what you have said. But if I am casting out demons by the power of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. For when a strong man like Satan is fully armed and guards his palace, his possessions are safe— until someone even stronger attacks and overpowers him, strips him of his weapons, and carries off his belongings.

“Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.

“When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, searching for rest. But when it finds none, it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ So it returns and finds that its former home is all swept and in order. Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before.”

As he was speaking, a woman in the crowd called out, “God bless your mother—the womb from which you came, and the breasts that nursed you!”

Jesus replied, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.”

Prayer: Lord Jesus – Give me the heart… mind… authority… and power of Kingdom citizenship. May I live in the reality of your rule and reign in this present evil age… even as I look forward to the totality of your rule and reign in the glorious age to come. Help me to be a doer of your Word… and not a hearer only. For your name’s sake. Amen.

Spiritual Song: “Let Your Kingdom Come” (Hillsong YouTube)

Joy of my days, You are my strength / Here I am sheltered in Your hand / Light of the dawn, power of the sea / Deep in Your heart, You carry me

Song of my heart, breath of my soul / You are my reason and my all / Lord of the earth, fire of the stars / Jesus my life is where You are

May our worship be Your throne / For the praise of Your glory forever / In this holy place / Let Your will be done

May Your praise be lifted up / Let us join with the praises of heaven / To the ends of the earth / Let Your kingdom come

Morning Reading: Luke 11:1-13 NLT – shameless persistence

Reading: Luke 11:1-13 NLT

Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

Jesus said, “This is how you should pray: “Father, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. Give us each day the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation.”

Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’

And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’

Knocking-at-the-doorBut I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.

“And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

“You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”

Prayer: Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory forever. Amen.

Hymn: “The Lord’s Prayer” – (YouTube)

3rd Sunday of Lent – Romans 5.1-11 NLT – friends of God

Reading: Romans 5.1-11 NLT

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

He calls me friendWe can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.

Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation.

For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

Prayer: Heavenly Father – It truly is amazing that you love me and claim me as your friend. Lord Jesus – Thank you for dying for me – a sinner condemned unclean – so that friendship with God became possible. Holy Spirit – Give me endurance in my problems and trials… and build strength of character in me… so that I may joyfully enter into the hope of your salvation… and honor Jesus in all things. Amen.

Spiritual Song: “I am a friend of God” – Israel Houghton (YouTube – Chris Tomlin)

Who am I that you are mindful of me / That you hear me, when I call / Is it true that you are thinking of me / How you love me, it’s amazing (Who am I Lord)

I am a friend of God / I am a friend of God / I am a friend of God / He calls me friend

God Almighty / Lord of Glory / You have called me friend

Morning Reading: Luke 10:38-42 NLT –

Reading: Luke 10:38-42 NLT

As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home.

image
Martha & Mary
He Qi 2002
click on picture link to gallery

Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”

But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Prayer: Lord Jesus – So many distractions… so little time to listen to you. Help me to put you at the center of everything I do. I love you, Lord. Amen.

Spiritual Song: “Jesus Be the Center” – Israel Houghton, Micah Massey & Adam Ranney

Morning Reading: Luke 10.25-37 NLT – show mercy

Reading: Luke 10.25-37 NLT

One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”

Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?”

The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

“Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!”

The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

"Good Samaritan"He Qi (2001)
“Good Samaritan”
He Qi (2001)

Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.

“By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.

“Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’

“Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked.

The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.”

Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”

Prayer: Lord Jesus – Forgive me. I confess that I am more like the disinterested passers-bye than the good neighbor. Soften my hard heart… and open my eyes to the plight of those around me. And give me a willingness to respond with kindness and mercy. Make me more like you… so that I might honor you in all things. Amen.

Hymn: “There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy” – Frederick W. Faber (1862)

Souls of men, why do you scatter / like a crowd of frightened sheep? / Foolish hearts, why do you wander / from a love so true and deep?

There’s a wideness in God’s mercy / like the wideness of the sea, / and forgiveness in his justice / sealed for us on Calvary.

There is plentiful redemption / in the blood that has been shed: / there is joy for all the members / in the sorrows of the Head.

For the love of God is broader / than the measures of man’s mind; / and the heart of the Eternal / is most wonderfully kind.

But we make his love too narrow / by false limits of our own, / and we magnify his strictness / with a zeal he will not own.

If our love were but more simple / we should take him at his word; / and our lives would be illumined / by the goodness of our Lord.