Month: July 2019

And he told them this parable: ‘The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’’
Luke 12:16-17

Jesus opens His parable with a story of blessing – a man’s field has produced a record yield. He has a wonderful problem in that he doesn’t have room to store his harvest. It also indicates God has blessed him before, stating that he is a rich man. What is he to do?

When we are blessed with abundance, what do we do? Hopefully we thank God and seek His will for the gift we have been given. We are quick to turn to God for help and comfort in hard times, but when we are successful and full, do we give Him the glory?

The children of Israel were warned ‘When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God’ (Deuteronomy 8:10-11). We must be careful not to fall into this trap either, thinking that we have accomplished something on our own. Scripture tells us ‘Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.’ (James 1:17). God is good all the time; we must recognize His generosity and give thanks.

Gracious God, we have been blessed beyond anything we deserve. Help us to use Your gifts for the good of everyone and to remember that everything comes from You. Amen.

And he said to them, “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.”

Luke 12:15

Greed is a form of selfishness and selfishness separates us from God and our neighbors. It is the exact opposite of the behavior and relationship Jesus teaches us. This “me first” concern can place everyone in conflict as we try to grab things before others get them.

Jesus warns in this scripture that “life does not consist in the abundance of possessions”, that the things we have do not define us. Our scramble to own things is an example of our desire to be in control, which caused our fall in the first place. If we would trust God and allow Him to direct our lives, the urge to have anything else but an honest relationship with Him will disappear.

It is difficult to let go of our need for things, but things don’t love us and can’t give us the satisfaction that connecting with God and our brothers and sisters will give. Let’s look carefully at our needs and not allow the temptation of wanting useless possessions to distract us from God’s path. Our lives can be richer than we imagine!

Gracious God, help us to see the blessing of relationship with You and others over the lure of greed for things. May we be more concerned about the needs of the world than our own selfish desires. Amen.

Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?”
Luke 12:13-14

We sometimes think that Jesus came to settle our differences and make everything right. While He is concerned with how we treat each other, He also makes it clear that we are responsible for our behavior. Jesus teaches us the lessons, we must learn and apply them in our lives. He has not come to judge us – yet!

In this week’s scripture (Luke 12:13-21), we will hear how our behavior toward each other affects our relationship with God. It deals specifically with our drive for possessions and financial success, warning that we can get so wrapped up in our “stuff” that we lose sight of what God calls us to do. The old hymn “God of Grace and God of Glory” tells us we must guard against “our wanton, selfish gladness, rich in things and poor in soul.”

Jesus isn’t saying money is bad, but that it is often a source of conflict among us, as in the two brothers mentioned in the opening verse. We often want what others have, and Jesus warns against that as well. So is Jesus being unfair by not stepping in on this disagreement? Not at all, He is teaching us that there are more important things for us to focus on than our money and our possessions. He calls us to look beyond our human desires and hear God’s plan for us.

Loving Lord, our struggle to obtain earthly success often overshadows Your offer of eternal life. Help us to see the truth that nothing we have now will matter later, and to place value on what is truly meaningful – our connection to You. Amen.

In our scripture this week (Luke 11:1-13), Jesus is teaching the disciples a variety of lessons. On the surface, it’s about their request that He teach them to pray. On a deeper level, He shares a way to grow closer to God through group and personal conversations.

He also teaches that prayer is a gift in itself, given that we might share with God, and hear His response. Prayer is a tool that allows us to be part of corporate worship with God’s people as well as speaking directly to Him alone. In those days, as in some cases still, it was necessary to go through “channels”, various levels of different representatives, before you could gain access to the one in charge…if you could speak to them at all!

Communication with God isn’t like that – Jesus taught us that we can go to Him without the need for anyone else to relay our message. As His children, He has given us the gift of speaking to Him about anything, anytime and anywhere. Paul writes we are to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17), which sounds difficult but indicates the level of connection we are able to have with God. Use the direct line we have been given to be in relationship with Him always!

Gracious God, You not only allow but invite us to speak to You directly through prayer. Help us to use this wonderful gift effectively and often to maintain our relationship and share Your love among our brothers and sisters. Amen.

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say: “‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’” Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need. “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Luke 11:1-13

Jesus has taught us many lessons about prayer throughout this passage. He gave His disciples (and us) a prayer that can be recited, but it is also a guide for our communication with God. While the wording of the version in Luke may not be as familiar as the version in Matthew 6:9-13, we can see the same intent in both.

Indeed it seems Jesus intended us to pray this differently according to our needs and situations. God wants us to share what we feel about ourselves and our cares, our concern for others and the world. He wants our prayers to be personal. Praise and adoration using old familiar terms are not wrong, but a heartfelt expression of our joy, our pain and our desire to be close to God are said best in our own words.

Consider starting or ending your time with Him using The Lord’s Prayer, but including your own conversation with God as the body of your prayer. We know God is never surprised by what we ask and share, but when it comes from our lips and our hearts, it draws us closer to Him and enables us to wait patiently for His answer. As we have learned, there is never a wrong way or wrong time to pray, but we can grow in our faith through honest, personal prayer.

Heavenly Father, we are thankful that Jesus gave us an example to follow, in prayer and in life. Help us to love You better through time spent together, and let us better love our neighbor in response. Amen.

“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Luke 11:11-13

Jesus uses unusual comparisons to explain how much God wants to give us good gifts. He asks what parent would not give their child what they asked for, giving them something awful instead. This shows us the nature of God’s love for us, His desire to connect with us and for us to share that love with all His children.

Jesus teaches that through prayer we are enabled to receive the Holy Spirit, the gift of God’s presence with us. Feeling God close to us every day helps us to be strong in His love and to go in His spirit to those who are in need. God uses us as His representatives to reach out to others.

When we ask God for something in prayer, we aren’t telling Him anything He doesn’t already know. God makes us part of the process and often sends us as a result. Through obedience to His will, you may be the answer to someone’s prayer today!

Loving Lord, we are humbled to be part of Your work here on earth. Help us to be of service to others, showing that Your love and mercy are for everyone. Amen.

“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”
Luke 11:9-10

In this section Jesus tells us we need to be actively involved in our relationship with God, being intentional in our faith. We know we can’t “earn” our way to salvation, but God wants us to be partners in His work. Jesus teaches that we must use what we learn, not just hear it and store it away.

Asking God for what we want in prayer is encouraged, but we must understand the lesson in it – God doesn’t just grant our every wish and whim, He responds to our prayers by teaching us what He would have us do, which is not always what we ask. By going to the Lord in prayer we become more attuned to His will for our lives, better able to be useful in the Kingdom work.

Ask Him for the things you want and then listen for what God intends you to do. Through prayer we are connected and guided, blessed with the gifts we need, and led to the tasks to which we are called. God answers prayer in ways that work for all His creation.

Gracious God, we are grateful that we can come to You in prayer, seeking Your way for our lives. Bless us in the work we do, that all the world may know Your love. Amen.

Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.
Luke 11:5-8

Jesus tells us this story, which may be a little difficult for our modern understanding. Who knocks on their neighbor’s door at midnight to borrow bread for a guest? This short parable, coming right after The Lord’s Prayer, seems out of place, but as always, Jesus has a lesson for us.

This is intended to show us that it is not wrong to ask for things, especially when our request is for others, as in this story. The person makes the request honestly, not asking for more than needed, and is persistent in his efforts until successful. Jesus says this honesty and persistence is needed in our faith and our prayers.

When we come honestly to God in prayer, we can expect our relationship to grow as we hear His Word. God doesn’t always answer immediately nor grant every request we make – God is God and we are not. However, by being persistent in our prayers, we grow closer to God and His plan for our lives. Spend time in prayer today, asking for what you need and feeling the love spending time with God brings.

Loving Lord, we pray for our wants and needs, for ourselves, our friends, our world. Help us to hear Your answer, the guidance we need every day, and go into the world to do Your will. Amen.

He said to them, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.'”
Luke 11:2-4

Jesus taught His disciples this prayer as an example, one they could pray themselves, and to teach them what prayer was about. The main lesson isn’t so much what we say or how we say it, but that we connect with God to share. It’s all about relating to Him on a regular basis.

Jesus taught us that praying together in worship was important, and private prayer as well. He said that we are able to ask God for what we need – our daily bread and forgiveness for sins. God is ready to listen and respond whenever we come to Him in prayer, already knowing what we will ask, but making us part of the process through prayer.

Is prayer a regular part of your daily life? If not, this simple but profound prayer can be a starting point. Go to God with the things that burden you and leave them with Him through prayer.

Heavenly Father, sometimes we don’t know how or where to begin with our prayers. Help us to understand there’s no wrong way or wrong time to pray. Amen.

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
Luke 11:1

In just this single verse we hear several things – prayer was important to Jesus, and His disciples wanted instruction on prayer. There are many examples in scripture of Jesus praying. He was in prayer in the garden when the mob came to arrest Him (Luke 22:41-42), and He prayed for us even as He was crucified (Luke 23:34).

Jesus knew the power of prayer and gave His disciples the instruction they needed. As we explore the whole scripture passage for this week (Luke 11:1-13), we will learn as they did from His example and teaching. Prayer is simple and difficult at the same time.

Many people seem intimidated by prayer and often decline when asked to pray in public. Jesus understands our reluctance, but He wants us to be connected to God through prayer as He was. God wants us to bring everything to Him, our wants and needs, our joys and fears.

Heavenly Father, help us to know Your love through our prayers. Teach us the peace that comes through conversation with You, and let us practice it regularly. Amen.