Category Archives: Gospel of Luke

A Certain Widow

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Luke 21

Luke 21 (NKJV) 1 And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, 
2 and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. 
3 So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; 
4 for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.”  source

The Text does not say just any widow but a certain widow. A poor widow. This is what we know about her. A Certain Poor Widow that Gave. 

And from this, I see that GOD pays attention.
The Penman, Luke, was not moved to tell us her name but he did use the word certain. Meaning GOD knew for certain who she was.
And surely there were other widows in Jerusalem. But this certain widow GAVE.  She gave out of lack, not plenty.  Others made much noise as their coins flooded the coffers. (Perhaps the Temple Vessels looked something like these pictured – or not.)
Her offering likely made little noise.  She quietly gave all she had. 

And GOD noticed. 

I think He still does. 

Luke 13

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Luke 13.

Yeshua told a parable or two in His three and half year preaching ministry. In one of those parables, He told a story that would tend to make one think that there is stuff that GOD does not know. But wait. Doesn’t He know everything? How can He know everything and not know everything? Easy. HE is GOD.

I understand it this way, for now. I am confident I will understand it fully when I see HIM in Eternity.

Beginning in verse 24, Yeshua tells a parable to answer a question one of the many who followed Him from place to place asked, “Lord, are there few who are saved?” We ask the same question today. 
He replied, (pardon my paraphrase) a Master of the house got up and shut the door.
This reminds me of a Galilean Wedding; where the Groom finally comes for the Bride and they go into the House for the Marriage Supper, and the Door is closed. Only the Attendants on the premises at the time the Door is shut go into the House for the Marriage Super. Those who come after are denied access. There is a movie that explains this amazingly well.

25 When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’  source 

What does Jesus mean, I do not know you, where you are from? 

I understand it this way. Marriage is a covenant.
We think of it today as a contract which is sad indeed.
GOD is interested in covenants.
A covenant is about Relationship.
A contract is about performance. As long as you perform well, I’ll abide in Contract. 
See what I mean?

And the question was Lord, are there few who are saved? 
What a question! 
I think yes. Yes in comparison to the whole, few are saved. 
Why? Because few accepted (and few continue today to accept) the INVITATION to come to the Wedding.

But how can GOD know and not know? Easy I think. 
Those in the Master’s House are known because they are in the House; they are in COVENANT with GOD. He knows them IN COVENANT. 
I know a few people but I only know JT in the marriage covenant. 

So does Jesus know you in Covenant or as one of the many who keeps saying, no thank You? 

Day 14

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Day 14 of The Giving of Thanks.

White Stones.  I am giving thanks for white stones today. White stones spread in a garden spot and JT who worked so diligently to make it happen. Flowers on clearance and flowers to bloom in the Spring.  

Luke 12:28 (NLT) 28 And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? source

Ezekiel 36:35 (NLT) 35 And when I bring you back, people will say, ‘This former wasteland is now like the Garden of Eden! The abandoned and ruined cities now have strong walls and are filled with people!’ source

Revelation 2:17  (NKJV) 17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” ’  source

 

 

 

ANYONE

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Have Christians strayed from Scripture?
Have Christians adopted the world’s ways of addressing human maladies and injustices?

When Yeshua walked the sands of Judea in His GODMAN body the Romans were cruel and dictatorial, intoxicated with power. They beat, killed, and taxed the Jews to poverty and that was just for starters. Yet in Scripture, I find no recordings of Yeshua organizing groups to march in the streets with signs and angry shouts; nor kill Roman officers, loot, or burn Roman businesses. (No. I am not saying Christians are doing the latter.) Neither have I found it recorded that He instructed His disciples to do so. There was that time Peter got heated and afraid and sliced off a man’s ear and Yeshua immediately put it back and instructed Peter otherwise. (Check it out at Luke 22:49-51 and John 18:10-11) The Bible tells me Jesus went about preaching His Gospel, feeding the hungry, healing the sick, and fellowshipping with A N Y O N E who wanted His company.

How are we stacking up? 

I Too

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How beautiful is this?! Take a look with me at Matthew 11.

Verse 2. John is in prison. Actually, it is most likely a dungeon – dark, dank and other things . . .  .
This follows his having preached at the Jordan and having baptized Yeshua there; the Holy Spirit having given testimony that this Yeshua was indeed The Son of the Living GOD; having proclaimed that the Messiah had arrived.  (See Luke 3:22)

And so in verse 3, John has sent messengers to ask JESUS a question.  “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”

In verse 4 Yeshua gives a response for the messengers to take back to John.

And in verse 7 JESUS begins speaking to the crowd about John. Does He ridicule or belittle John? Let us see.

7 Now as they were leaving, Yeshua began to talk to the crowd concerning John. “What did you go out to the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 No? So what did you go out to see? A man dressed in finery? Look, those who wear finery are in the palaces of kings! 9 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, even more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written,

‘Behold, I send My messenger before You,
who will prepare Your way before You.’

11 “Amen, I tell you, among those born of women, none has arisen greater than John the Immerser.  . . .  source

Not a word of condemnation! Not a word of disparagement. So unlike what we do!

Instead, He said in part:

A prophet? Yes, I tell you, even more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send My messenger before You, who will prepare Your way before You.’  11 “Amen, I tell you, among those born of women, none has arisen greater than John the Immerser.  . . .

 

Do you hear it? Do hear the compassion? Do you hear the love in His voice? Do you hear GOD speaking?

I do and I am so grateful. This is a warm and soft and welcomed blanket rested lovingly around me. My soul is comforted because I too have doubted. I too have been afraid and more. And with this passage, I know GOD is not mad at me. He loves me. And He loves you too just as much!

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