TO AND FROM

READING: LUKE 12:42-48

Verse 48: “...For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.”

Most people will readily embrace the part of this verse that relates to much being given. On the other hand, many will be less enthused about much being required of them. Here is an example. I have observed teenagers in a situation where they could earn privileges by improving their performance of assignments. They consistently worked with diligence to gain these advances. Then, as they would begin to benefit from their rewards, something would happen. They would begin to realize that added privileges also involved greater responsibilities. However, they often lacked the maturity to master new responsibilities. This would result in loss of their privileges, until they became prepared to fulfill the responsibilities. The lesson they had to learn, sometime requiring multiple iterations, illustrates  the point made by the Lord Jesus in the verse above. As Christians, just as we expect to receive much from our positioning in the Kingdom of God, we must also expect to give much. Those teens were developed by their process of natural living. How much blessing there is for us in our spiritual and supernatural preparation. That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. Why do some people conclude it is not worth the effort it takes to get more?

2. What is currently required of you?

WHAT?

READING: LUKE 12:8-12

Verse 12: “For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

In this passage Jesus is speaking of times of accusation and trial, when His followers must appear before authorities. The encouragement of the Lord for such times is to not worry about what to say or how to answer. He says the Holy Spirit will in that very hour teach those who are in need what they are to say. Not many of us come under formal accusation and trial, but we do face milder versions of this type of demand in our lives. These are times when we feel that we need a defense. We need to say something to alleviate the pressure of wrongness or even guilt that is coming against us. Sometimes we hasten to defend ourselves. At other times the pressure may leave a person unable to produce any adequate response. We need to be able, even in our daily situations, to have the confidence of supernatural help for godly responses when we need them. This is an expectation for more than just escaping the situation, but one that will permit us to honor God. As we look to the Holy Spirit to shape our thoughts and responses, He will teach us what to say. That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. What would this kind of Holy Spirit teaching be like, what would happen?

2. Is there any way you should be preparing for such situations?

JESUS HAS THE ANSWER

READING: LUKE 12:15-21 

Verse 15: “And He said to them, ‘Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.’”

Jesus was thoroughly and completely equipped for His ministry upon the earth. He was prepared with all wisdom, knowledge and understanding. He was able to solve any problem presented to Him, and confounded those who made the mistake of attempting to use trick questions against Him. However, Jesus did not use His perfected abilities to limit Him to the role of problem solver. Instead of merely solving problems and pumping out solutions, He addressed the heart level conditions that were the source of people’s struggles. His response in verse 15 above is an example of this. Leading up to that comment made by the Lord, He had met a man who felt wronged in the division of an inheritance. This man wanted Jesus to settle his issue, but the Lord refused to address the problem that he presented. Instead He warned the man about jealousy and greed. Jesus went to the heart of the man’s situation. He still does the same for us in ours! Although this quality of the Lord may frustrate people at times, it actually serves the very best purposes possible for our wellbeing. It means that the Lord Jesus ministers to us not based on our human understanding of our needs, but on His perfect and ultimate understanding of our needs. That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. Why do people measure their value by their possessions?

2. How does the Lord measure our value?

FRIENDSHIP

READING: EXODUS 33:1-11

Verse 11: “So the LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend...”

For any Christian the statement above provides a glorious prospect, and one that would be happily and gratefully received. To be so close to God as to be treated as His friend seems like a blessing that could not be equaled. Therefore, it is wonderful to know that the privilege of divine friendship was not limited to Moses. God has provided it for all who come to Him through His Son, our Savior. We are told in John 15 that we are friends of the Lord when we respect His commands. Then, even more powerfully, Jesus has said to us, “but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father, I have made known to you.” What was limited to Moses in the Old Testament is, under the new covenant, generously given to all who will receive. How good it is to know we can be friends with God! That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. If you were placed in a face to face situation with the Lord, what would happen?

2. Why do you think God would choose to receive people as friends instead of just merely subjects?

WHO DUN IT?

READING: 1 JOHN 1:5-10

Verse 9: “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 

People are at times reluctant to accept responsibility for their sins. Sometimes they will blame others. After his sin Adam said to God, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” His statement sounds as though Adam was saying he would not have sinned if God had not given him Eve, or Eve had not given him the fruit. At other times people try to use ignorance to excuse sin. In Exodus 32:24, Aaron made a golden idol in the form of a calf. He said that the people gave him gold, he threw it into the fire and this calf came out. It was all mysterious to him. That’s like saying, “I was just walking down the street minding my own business, and all of a sudden sin had happened. It wasn’t my fault.” Contrary to these examples, the Bible requires that we take responsibility for our sins. We are promised that our confessed sins will be forgiven. Our Savior paid the price for those sins so that we can have forgiveness as a gift. We are able to benefit from this gift when we take responsibility and receive it according to God’s provision. That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. What limit is established for the amount of unrighteousness that will be forgiven?

2. What happens to those who do not take responsibility?

DAY BY DAY

READING: JOHN 2:1-10

Verse 1: “On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.”

The second chapter of John begins with the verse above. At first glance the third day may appear to mean the third day of the week. It actually refers to the third day of the ministry of the Lord. On the first two days He powerfully called five of His disciples to follow Him. On the third day He accomplished His first miracle. There was immediate urgency as Jesus went about His calling. It is reminiscent of the Genesis account of creation in that every day was important and intentional, having specific purpose. As that is seen in the Bible, it can also be seen in the life of every Christian today. Each day is significant as ordained by the foreknowledge and will of God. The Holy Father and Lord of all does not waste time! We tend to emphasize the occurrence of dramatic events in our lives and their impact. However, the powerful reality is that God’s ministry to us fully abounds every day of our lives, even in what is routine in nature. That means every day is immanently significant. We can live each day in a manner that causes increase to the Kingdom of God and glorifies the Lord. That’s a thought – about God’s word.

RESPONSE

1. What is it that causes each day to be important?

2. How can living lives of daily importance be accomplished without stress and pressure?

TODAY IS OUR DAY

READING: LUKE 19:41-44

Verse 42: “saying, ‘If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.’”

Luke, Chapter 19 describes the triumphant entry of the Lord Jesus into Jerusalem. He wept over the city as He drew near it and spoke the words in verse 42 above. In their day they didn’t know the things that made for their peace. Also in this our day, many make choices that deny them the things that make for peace. If they would only accept the truths of God, their peace would be assured. Instead of that their decisions to not know and accept God’s truths automatically relegate them to deceptions. There have been horrid examples of this. For example, people have committed suicide because they have been deceived to believe it would lead them to a higher form of life. We know that higher form of life does exist, but only for those who are saved. Regrettably, however, those who were deceived lacked the revelation to know that it comes only through the Lord Jesus. In other words, they did not know the things that could have made for their peace. Jesus taught those things. He said, “...in Me you may have peace...” The conclusion that must be reached, is that Jesus is our peace. That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. What deception can you identify that keeps people from their peace?

2. What must follow salvation for growth in the things that make for peace?