Meditating The Word

Episode 229: Luke 24

Today's meditation is on Luke Chapter 24
I try to imagine being one of the women who went to the tomb early that Sunday morning. Expecting to anoint Jesus' lifeless body with spices, only to find the stone rolled away from the entrance of an empty tomb.
I can imagine the confusion compounded with grief. Even though he said he would rise again... even though they had witnessed many miracles during his ministry on earth... 
And suddenly two men appear clothed in dazzling robes. I'm sure I would have fallen on my face before them terrified too. 
Why look among the dead for someone who is alive? I serve a risen savior. I serve a living God. He conquered death and the grave.
I can only imagine the excitement as they ran to tell the disciples what had happened. Only to be met with disbelief. 
Then Jesus himself appeared to two of his followers walking along the road and they didn't recognize him. They told him everything that had happened, the crucifixion, the resurrection. 
I would like to think I would have recognized him. I would like to think I would have believed. Why do we find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures? Everything was clearly predicted... from his birth, to everything he would suffer, to his death on the cross, to his resurrection and entering into his glory. 
Oh, to have been there as Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
My eyes have been opened, and I recognize him throughout scripture and in my life today. My heart burns within me as I study God's Word. He has given me peace and given me faith that is stronger than any doubt that may come. 
I am filled with joy and wonder. He has opened my mind to understand the Scriptures. And he has commissioned me to proclaim his message in the authority of his name to all nations. There is forgiveness for all who repent. And he has sent the Holy Spirit, just as Father God promised. Holy Spirit has filled me with power from heaven. I have been blessed beyond measure. 
Until next time, be blessed and be a blessing. 
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Episode 228: Luke 23

Today's meditation is on Luke Chapter 23
Such love, such sacrifice, is hard to comprehend. The Romans found no fault in him. How could they, he was faultless, the spotless Lamb of God. 
Mocked, ridiculed and beaten, he was sentenced to die by crucifixion between two thieves while an insurrectionist and murderer was released in his place. 
My Jesus was forced to carry his own cross until he collapsed beneath it's weight and loss of blood from his wounds. 
Still, his thoughts were not for himself. He asked the women who followed him, weeping, not to cry for him, but for themselves and for their children. 
And as he hung on the cross, he asked Father God to forgive those who were carrying out the execution and casting lots for his clothing. 
He bore all of my sickness, all of my shame, all of my sin. He died so I could live.
He was not just the King of the Jews, he was and is the King of everything. 
The sun stopped shining and darkness covered the land for three hours. Then as he committed his spirit to the Father and breathed his last, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 
There is no more separation between me and Father God. Jesus, the perfect sacrifice, restored me to right standing with the Father. He gave me entrance to the Holy of Holies. I am in awe of his amazing love and grace.
Until next time, be blessed and be a blessing.
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Episode 227: Luke 22

Today's meditation is on Luke Chapter 22
Passover. The festival commemorating the Jews salvation from the death angel by applying the blood of the lamb to the three parts of their door frames. And the type and shadow of the coming Lamb who would be slain and whose blood would save me. 
It's difficult to understand how Judas could have betrayed Jesus after being one of the twelve. But I wonder how many times, in small ways, I have also betrayed my Savior. Maybe I haven't sold him for 40 pieces of silver, but he died for my sins.
By his blood, I was cleansed. By his broken body, I was healed. He gave his life for mine. And he asked that I remember by drinking wine and breaking bread until he returns. 
The wine symbolizes the New Covenant. A better covenant based on better promises. An agreement confirmed with Jesus blood which he poured out as a sacrifice for me. 
In this world, kings, leaders and great men lord it over their people, and yet they are called "friends of the people". But Jesus has called me out of the world, called me to be different, set apart. I gladly take the lowest rank and serve my fellow man. Jesus himself came not to be served, but to serve others. 
My faith will not fail. And I will do everything I can to strengthen others. I will not give into temptation.
Jesus prayed fervently, asking Father God if there was any other way, to take the cup of suffering away from him. But he was willing to do whatever the Father asked. 
May I also give up my will and live my life as God wills.
Until next time, be blessed and be a blessing.
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Episode 226: Luke 21

Today's meditation is on Luke Chapter 21
One of the most important principles of God's Kingdom is giving. God loved me so much, he gave his only Son, Jesus, as a sacrifice to ransom me from the death I deserved. If Jesus was willing to give up his very life for me, then certainly I should be willing to give him everything I have. Everything belongs to God anyway, so how silly would it be for me to give a tiny part of my surplus, when he willingly gave his all for me. 
The time is coming when the world as we know it will be destroyed. And by reading scripture and studying the words of Jesus, I can know the signs that the end is near. 
Many will come in his name, claiming to be the Messiah and saying that the time has come. But I won't believe them. Even in wars and insurrections, I will not panic. I know these things have to take place first, and the end won't immediately follow them. Already, I see nations at war with nations, kingdoms at war with kingdoms. There are great earthquakes, famines, plagues and pandemics. And there will be great, miraculous signs from heaven.
There will be a time of great persecution. Christians will be dragged into the courts and prisons, and stand trial before kings and governors, because they follow Jesus. But this will be a great opportunity to tell them the Good News of the Gospel. If I am persecuted for my faith, and made to stand trial, I will not worry about what to say, for I know that God will give me the right words and so much wisdom that none of my opponents will be able to reply or refute me. 
Even if those closest to me, my own flesh and blood, betray me, or I am hated because I follow Jesus, I have this promise: Not a hair of my head will perish. By standing firm, I will win my soul.
When Jerusalem is surrounded by armies, I will know that the time of its destruction has arrived. The faithful will flee. It will be the day of God's vengeance. Jerusalem will be trampled down by unbelievers until their time comes to an end. 
There will be strange signs in the sun, moon, and stars, roaring seas and strange tides. The heavens will be shaken. And then everyone will see Jesus coming on a cloud with power and great glory. So when all these things begin to happen, I will stand and look up, for my salvation is near!
Just as leaves on a tree signal that spring has arrived and summer is near, by these signs I will know that the Kingdom of God is near. Heaven and earth will pass away, but God's words will never disappear.
So I will keep watch. I won't let my heart be dulled by parties or by the worries of this life. I will not let that day catch me unaware, like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth. I stay alert at all times. And pray that I might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before my Lord Jesus.
Until next time, be blessed and be a blessing.
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Episode 225: Luke 20

Today's meditation is on Luke Chapter 20
Jesus said he only did what he saw the Father do and only said what he heard the Father say. I do my best to do the same and make God's Word the final authority in my life.
Father God sent prophets and teachers, but they were ignored and even killed. Then he sent his son to tell the good news about the Kingdom. He too was killed, crucified on a cross like a common criminal. 
He was the cornerstone who was rejected. The lamb who was slain so that I could have everlasting and more abundant life.
Even though I am not part of this world, while I am in it, I have a responsibility to follow the laws of the land, as long as they do not conflict with God's law. I respect those in offices of authority. I obey the laws. I pay my taxes. And I give God all the honor and the glory. I obey his commandments and I give him a tithe of my first fruits.
I am a child of God, a child of the resurrection. I serve a living God, and he is the God of the living, for to him and through Jesus all are alive. 
Jesus sits at the right hand of Father God and will remain there until all of his enemies have been made a footstool for his feet. 
In the meantime, I am careful to not be taken in by false teachers, nor do I seek the acceptance and respect of my fellow man. I do not covet the important seat in church or the place of honor at banquets. I do not pray long prayers in public, but separate myself and pray to Father God in private. 
I am content to humble myself before God and man. It is only his acceptance that I seek. 
Until next time, be blessed and be a blessing.
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Episode 224: Luke 19

Today's meditation is on Luke Chapter 19
I know there are those who look at my past and wonder how I could possibly call myself righteous. But Jesus came to seek and save the lost. He came to save me. He offered me salvation, his righteousness, and all I had to do was accept and receive it. 
I showed myself a true child of Abraham by repenting of my sins and following Jesus.
Jesus expects me to be a good steward until his return. He has entrusted me with many things... the authority to overcome evil in his name, gifts of the Holy Spirit, and even earthly wealth. He expects me to increase, not decrease or even stay the same. 
If I prove to be a good steward of what he has put in my charge, he will reward me with even more. To those who are faithful and use well what they are given, even more will be given. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. 
My savior is a just and worthy King. I sing my highest praises to God for King Jesus. Heaven's peace and glory from the highest realm came down to us.
If I did not praise him the very rocks would sing out his praise. And I will not let the rocks cry out in my place.
His way is the way to peace. He is my hero. I am awestruck and hang on every word he says.
Until next time, be blessed and be a blessing.
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Episode 223: Luke 18

Today's meditation is on Luke Chapter 18
I will always pray and never give up. I know that God will give justice to my prayers if I only believe and do not stop believing. My continued prayers do not change God, because he never changes, but my persistent prayers change me and they change my circumstances. When Jesus returns, he will find that I am standing in faith on God's promises. 
I do not have confidence in my own righteousness. When I pray, I thank God for having mercy on me and for adopting me into his family through the blood of Jesus. I humble myself before God, and let God do the exalting.
I humble myself like a child. For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like little children. I can only enter into the Kingdom Realm when I receive it with childlike faith.
God alone is good. There is nothing I can do to earn entrance to the Kingdom or to earn eternal life. Still I obey his commands as I was taught from a child. 
I do not trust in earthly riches, but store up treasure in heaven. I am willing to give up everything I have if it is required to follow Jesus. 
There is a tendency to put faith in the temporary riches of this world, and that makes it difficult to enter into the Kingdom Realm. But God's Kingdom operates in a different economy. Things that are humanly impossible are possible with God. 
So, I will not allow myself to become attached to anything or anyone. If God requires it, I will give up house, brothers, sisters, parents or children for the Kingdom, and I know that I will be repaid many times over in this life and will have eternal life in the world to come.
Jesus is asking, "what would you have me do for you?" He is ready and willing to give me the desires of my heart. I only have to ask in faith. 
Until next time, be blessed and be a blessing.
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Episode 222: Luke 17

Today's meditation is on Luke Chapter 17
There are bound to be things that will cause people to stumble. So I am careful not only to not stumble, but also to not cause someone else to stumble. I would rather be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around my neck than to cause someone to spend an eternity in hell. 
I am alert to the condition of my brothers and sisters in Christ. If I see them going in the wrong direction, I cry out and correct them. If there is true repentance on their part, I forgive them. Even if they sin against me seven times in a day and come back to me saying they repent, I will forgive them. No matter how many times in one day. If they say, "I'm sorry, I am changing, forgive me", I will forgive them each and every time. Even if it takes great faith for me to do so. 
Jesus said if I have the faith like a grain of a mustard seed, I can say to a tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will respond to my faith and obey me. So in faith, I speak to the obstacles in my path and command them to move, and they do.
I do not expect accolades or thanks for doing my duty. I am a faithful servant of God, undeserving of special praise. I am just doing what is expected of me and fulfilling my duties.
I will praise God in a loud voice and throw myself at his feet and thank him for all that he has done for me. 
It is only by his grace, accessed through my faith, that I have receive salvation and my life has been made whole. 
God's Kingdom does not come simply by obeying principles or waiting for signs. The Kingdom is not discovered in one place or another. God's Kingdom Realm is already here. It's right in our midst. And I have access to it through Jesus who sits at the right hand of Father God. 
Even though I have a great passion within me to see Jesus face-to-face, when someone tells me "Look, he has returned" or "There he is" or "Here is the Messiah" I won't go running off with them. I know the voice of the Lord. His return will burst forth with the brightness of a lightning strike that shines from one end of the sky to the other, illuminating the earth.
Just as it was in the days of Noah, and in the days of Lot, it will be when Jesus returns. People will be eating, drinking, marrying, buying and selling, planting and building, totally unaware of what is coming. And in the blink of an eye, everyone and everything they have built will be destroyed. 
When Jesus is revealed, no one should try to save any possessions or look back at what they have. Lot's wife looked back, and became a pillar of salt. 
I am not obsessed with being secure in this earthly way of life. I know that will only lead to losing it all -- including my life. But I willingly let go of my life and surrender to God and in so doing, I discover true life. 
Until next time, be blessed and be a blessing. 
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Episode 221: Luke 16

Today's meditation is on Luke Chapter 16
I am a child of the light. I am honest in my dealings, but I am also shrewd in dealing with the world around me. I use the wealth of this world to demonstrate my friendship with God by winning friends and blessing others. Then, if it runs out, my generosity will provide me with an eternal reward. 
I faithfully manage the little things I have been given, and God will see to it that I am promoted and trusted with greater responsibilities.
When I handle the riches of this world with integrity, God entrusts me with the eternal treasures of the spiritual world. 
I prove myself faithful with what belongs to others, and I am given wealth of my own.
I cannot serve two masters. For I would hate one and love the other. I would be devoted to one and despise the other. My choice between God and the wealth of this world is no different. So I will enthusiastically love God and serve him alone. He has already made provision for everything else that I need.
I do not strive to look spiritual in the eyes of others. God sees what is inside of me. He knows my heart. I approve of what God approves, and I despise what God despises. 
My heart burns with passion for the Good News of God's Kingdom. I delight in God's Word and in doing good for others. It will do me no good to store up wealth here on earth, and not use my resources to help others. It would be foolish to trade the comforts of paradise for the temporary luxury of this world.
Until next time, be blessed and be a blessing. 
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Episode 220: Luke 15

Today's meditation is on Luke Chapter 15
Jesus never sent away the tax collectors or the most rank sinners, or even the hypocritical teachers and religious leaders of the day. Everyone was welcome to gather around and listen to him as he taught. 
Just as a shepherd with a hundred lambs would leave the ninety-nine to find the one that was lost, he looked for anyone who was ready and willing to repent of their sins and follow him. As a shepherd would joyfully carry the found lamb back on his shoulders delighted, all heaven rejoices anytime a lost sinner repents and is saved. 
If I had 10 valuable silver coins and lost one, I would search my entire house and diligently look in every nook and cranny for that one lost coin. And when I found it, I would celebrate. God responds the same way every time one lost sinner repents and turns to him. He says to all his angels, ‘Let’s have a joyous celebration, for the one who was lost, I have found!’  There was a time when I squandered the inheritance Jesus won for me. I turned my back on God and lived recklessly. And when I hit rock bottom, I finally came to myself and realized what a fool I had been. My Father is the Creator of the Universe. He has more than enough for all his children, and everyone who abides with him has plenty to spare. They lack nothing. 
So I repented and turned back to God. I confessed my sins. I would rather be a servant in the house of the Lord than to be left out on my own. 
Father God was waiting and watching. When I took that first step back toward him, he came running. In great compassion, he raced to meet me. He swept me in his arms, hugged me dearly, and kissed me his tender Fatherly love. He placed his robe of righteousness on my shoulders. He gave me the seal of sonship and the authority that comes with it. And heaven celebrated because the lost had been found. 
Father God is always with me, right by my side. Everything he has is mine to enjoy.
Until next time, be blessed and be a blessing. 
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