I have Secondary Progressive MS and have lived with the disease for twenty seven years. I have been under the care of a physician and neurologist for the past thirteen years. To this day, the only treatment that I have received is medication to relieve pain. Every two weeks, $300 is spent at the Pharmacist. I take high levels of…
In my Bible reading this morning, Luke 6:17-46Luke 6:17-46
English: World English Bible - WEB
17 He came down with them, and stood on a level place, with a crowd of his disciples, and a great number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases;
18 as well as those who were troubled by unclean spirits, and they were being healed.
19 All the multitude sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.
20 He lifted up his eyes to his disciples, and said,
“Blessed are you who are poor,
For yours is the Kingdom of God.
21 Blessed are you who hunger now,
For you will be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now,
For you will laugh.
22 Blessed are you when men shall hate you, and when they shall exclude and mock you, and throw out your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake.
23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven, for their fathers did the same thing to the prophets.
24 “But woe to you who are rich!
For you have received your consolation.
25 Woe to you, you who are full now!
For you will be hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now!
For you will mourn and weep.
26 Woe, TR adds “to you” when TR adds “all” men speak well of you!
For their fathers did the same thing to the false prophets.
27 “But I tell you who hear: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you.
29 To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer also the other; and from him who takes away your cloak, don’t withhold your coat also.
30 Give to everyone who asks you, and don’t ask him who takes away your goods to give them back again.
31 “As you would like people to do to you, do exactly so to them.
32 If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
33 If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
34 If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive back as much.
35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil.
36 Therefore be merciful,
Even as your Father is also merciful.
37 Don’t judge,
And you won’t be judged.
Don’t condemn,
And you won’t be condemned.
Set free,
And you will be set free.
38 “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be given to you. literally, into your bosom. For with the same measure you measure it will be measured back to you.”
39 He spoke a parable to them. “Can the blind guide the blind? Won’t they both fall into a pit?
40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.
41 Why do you see the speck of chaff that is in your brother’s eye, but don’t consider the beam that is in your own eye?
42 Or how can you tell your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck of chaff that is in your eye,’ when you yourself don’t see the beam that is in your own eye? You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck of chaff that is in your brother’s eye.
43 For there is no good tree that brings forth rotten fruit; nor again a rotten tree that brings forth good fruit.
44 For each tree is known by its own fruit. For people don’t gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.
45 The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings out that which is good, and the evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings out that which is evil, for out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks.
46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do the things which I say?
WP-Bible plugin, (Day 7 in the 30 Day Challenge) I read about a time in Jesus life when people were traveling a great distance just to get close enough to receive physical healing. Jesus had Rock Star appeal. Crowds of people were pushing towards him just so that they could reach out and touch him.
While all the screaming and pushing was happening, Jesus seemingly ignores all the chaos and decides that this was a good moment to teach his Disciples about living a completely different life.
Jesus says something like this. “Real life happens when you are poor. It’s a whole lot better than if you are rich. Do you see all these people pushing toward me, they are crying out my name, trying to push through just so they might touch me. Look in to the crowd, you don’t see any rich people, healthy people and those that have it all together. Why not, because they have all their comfort here on earth. Why would they need me.”
The point of Jesus’ story was not about the rich and healthy, it was about the quality inside of people. The quality of humility.
A humble person will see their own problem. It will become very evident to them. They will reach out for help. Fortunate are those that reach out to Jesus.
It’s as though Jesus is saying, “You will recognize my followers because they are not filled with pride, always pointing out the faults in others. My followers find their own faults and reach out to me for healing.”
My point and challenge: If you have been busy pointing fingers at others, change the direction of your heart and start reaching out to Jesus and show him the sins and faults within you.
Life Principle: It’s tough to reach out to Jesus and crave comfort in this world at the same time.
Click on the Forum Icon. I would love to hear your thoughts.
2 Kings 6:8-232 Kings 6:8-23
English: World English Bible - WEB
8 Now the king of Syria was warring against Israel; and he took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp.
9 The man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, Beware that you not pass such a place; for there the Syrians are coming down.
10 The king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of; and he saved himself there, not once nor twice.
11 The heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said to them, Won’t you show me which of us is for the king of Israel?
12 One of his servants said, No, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedchamber.
13 He said, Go and see where he is, that I may send and get him. It was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.
14 Therefore sent he there horses, and chariots, and a great army: and they came by night, and surrounded the city.
15 When the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an army with horses and chariots was round about the city. His servant said to him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
16 He answered, Don’t be afraid; for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.
17 Elisha prayed, and said, Yahweh, Please open his eyes, that he may see. Yahweh opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
18 When they came down to him, Elisha prayed to Yahweh, and said, Please smite this people with blindness. He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
19 Elisha said to them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek. He led them to Samaria.
20 It happened, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, Yahweh, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. Yahweh opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.
21 The king of Israel said to Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I strike them? shall I strike them?
22 He answered, You shall not strike them: would you strike those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.
23 He prepared great provision for them; and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. The bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.
WP-Bible plugin
Sometimes I don’t see what other people see. I look or listen to what they are talking about, but i just don’t get what they are talking about.
Heidi & I used to go for walks. When we get to the far destination destination of our walk, before turning around, it was very important for Heidi to touch the marker. When we used to walk on the river dyke, we had to touch a sign before turning around. When walking on a road, we would have to touch a stop sign before turning around. I just don’t get the concept. I didn’t see what she saw. I could have easily walked near the sign and then turn around.
We were reading in a book the other day that described 14 ways to bring joy to your life. One of the ways was this: “Relish in the afterglow of your workout.” I don’t see what he saw in that quote. When I worked out, I didn’t have an afterglow.
The same can happen in the matters of faith. Some people are able to see things others can’t. They are able to see only what the average person sees with human eyes while others talk of having a clearer perspective of what God wants us to see.
The purpose of today’s message is to help us have eyes of faith. We want to see what God sees.
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