So we’ve officially reached the end of Luke.  Yes, you’ll probably notice that I’ve skipped a lot, but these studies are just pieces of what I study.   Hopefully you’re reading along and not just relying on MY goofy interpretations of these passages  With that said go check out the last chapter (you can find that HERE).  We’re done with the passover meal, done with Jesus getting arrested, Peter denying Jesus, Jesus’ trial, Jesus’ death on a cross, and some of Jesus’ return to his followers.  In this read he returns to a couple of believers walking down the road, and then eventually a large group of believers (like I said, go read it for yourself)..

This is Luke’s closing scene, the end of his investigation on Jesus’ life.  The end of his “careful summary” for us, “to reassure us of all we were taught”.  I’m sure many people walk away from this ending with many different takes (which there should be).  I think this return is the reason Christianity is in existence with such a wide level of exposure.  How encouraging must it have been to not only have JESUS show up (in some sort of heavenly/earthly flesh) three days after his death, but on top of it have him declare “with my authority take this message of repentance to all the nations, there is forgiveness of sins for all who turn to me, YOU are witnesses of all these things.”  Talk about cementing a faith!!  Not only were these believers obviously already believers, but to have THIS event occur must have been truly life changing.  Like, to the point that we comfort seeking (too much God in my life is radical) americans can’t even fathom.  This was SO life changing that these believers dedicated THEIRS to “take this message of repentance to all the nations”.  How humbling to read this.

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First off, I’d like to say thank you to everybody that offered encouragement in regards to my post yesterday.  I received emails that ranged from Health Insurance advice, all the way to a trip to Chicago.  This is a great group of friends, and ultimately a great family.  I love you guys, and love what this community is becoming (just wish there would be more discussion below ).  You are all a great encouragement to me, and all not only push me to a greater knowledge of our Creator, but SHOW me a greater knowledge of HIS love.

Alright, lemme dry my eyes and we’ll get on our way.  We’re up to chapter 22 in our journey through Luke. This is a pretty amazing chapter where Jesus and his disciples share their last supper.  I read through this event in each of the Gospels several times this morning, and am honestly really floored with the experience these disciples must’ve had.  I think we often forget that they didn’t realize this was the end.  To them they’ve been apart of a wonderful ministry for the past three years.  One which has caused them to leave their families, jobs, possessions, etc. in order to follow Christ.  To them, they are in the “prime of lime” (whoever can get this quote reference gets a special gift from me ).  I don’t know why, but for some reason this supper just seems all the more special with this in mind.  JESUS obviously knew what would be happening, and it was clearly special to him “I have looked forward to this hour with DEEP LONGING, anxious to eat this passover meal with you before my suffering begins” (Luke 22:15).

I’d obviously recommend checking this passage out on your own, as my study today isn’t really focusing on the main message.  The title of this study kind of …KEEP ON READING »

So this morning I did a little study, a LOT of prayer, and a LOT of talking with the wife (it was a good morning).  Just to fill everybody in, Lisa was let go from her job yesterday.  Actually a LOT of people were let go from their jobs yesterday (apparently they’re “restructuring”).  For those of you who don’t know, Lisa was a MAJOR contributor to our household income.  She was also THE contributor of our health care

So where do we go from here?  We trust in God!  That’s honestly all that we can do.  If you read through my last couple of weeks of studies you’d see that the main things that have been on my heart are perspective and distractions.  I think that God is continuing to mold us THROUGH this trial.  A job is just a job, things are just things, money is just money, but a relationship with God is NOT just another thing to add to our list.  He is our world, He is MY world, He is the Creator and reason we’re here on this earth.  Yes our lifestyle is going to have to change, and yes we’re going to have to be more reliant on God (big time), but is that a bad thing?  We’ve been praying for God to get rid of our distractions, and reorient our perspective in order to see HIM FIRST!!   Thank God for answering that prayer!  I’m excited to see what He has in store for us.

So with that said, please pray.  Not only for us (it’s do or die time with my businesses), but also for Lisa’s fellow employees.  It’s really, REALLY sad what this company has done to them (some with only a year left till retirement), so I pray that through this SOMETHING positive can come from it.

Love you all, see ya tomorrow

Today I’d recommend reading all of chapter 21.  Since it’s an entire chapter, obviously I won’t be able to type it out on here.  BUT, it’s good context for the verses we’ll be studying.  This is Jesus’ most vivid description of both the coming persecutions and ultimately his return.  At first glance this may seem like a pretty gloomy description, a pretty rough future for us Christians.  But ultimately don’t these events (no matter how much persecution they might entail) signify His return?  Instead of worry and fear, shouldn’t they bring us great joy?  When we see these events starting to unfold, which many of them have already occurred (goes to show everything is run on God’s timing J), we should be comforted in knowing we are right in line with God’s plan.

Alright, lets focus on Jesus’ words AFTER giving this description:

“Watch out, don’t let me find you living in careless ease and drunkenness, weighing your hearts down with profitless activity, and the worries of this life.  Don’t let that day catch you unaware, as in a trap.  For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth.  Keep a constant watch.” (Luke 21:34-35)

This is one of those verses that really fires me up.  It really tends to put things into perspective doesn’t it?  Jesus says, “don’t let me find you screwing around living for yourself and this world, don’t let me find you wasting your life on worthless activity, or worrying about things that should be reserved for those who know no better. “.  Jesus is saying to LIVE LIKE EVERYDAY IS THE LAST.  Sounds cliché I know, but it’s ultimately what he’s stating.  We learned back in …KEEP ON READING »

Oh Zacchaeus.. Sunday schools love him don’t they?  The little Danny Divito looking guy that climbs up a tree to see Jesus, probably offers one of the most vivid short stories in the bible.  It’s an incredible example of how to truly give your life to God isn’t it?  If you haven’t read the story in awhile (or just plain don’t remember it), check er out below..

“Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. ² There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. ³ He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. ⁴ So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way.

⁵ When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.”

⁶ Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. ⁷ But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled.

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^“18 Once a religious leader asked Jesus this question: “Good Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”  ¹⁹ “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “Only God is truly good. ²⁰ But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother.’^[a]”  ²¹ The man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.”

²² When Jesus heard his answer, he said, “There is still one thing you haven’t done. Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”  ²³ But when the man heard this he became very sad, for he was very rich. ²⁴ When Jesus saw this,^[b] he said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God! ²⁵ In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”

²⁶ Those who heard this said, “Then who in the world can be saved?” ²⁷ He replied, “What is impossible for people is possible with God.” ²⁸ Peter said, “We’ve left our homes to follow you.”  ²⁹ “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or …KEEP ON READING »

^“9 Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: ¹⁰“Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! ¹² I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’

¹³ “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ ¹⁴ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For the proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored.”

This topic is honestly tough for me.  Anybody who spends any amount of time with me probably knows my struggles with praying in public.  I just can’t do it.  I feel like I’m constantly praying to those around me rather than the God of this universe (kind of a big contrast).  I’m trying to impress, not glorify.  Therefore, I refuse to pray in public  Hopefully this is something that I can eventually work through, but for the time being, I don’t feel it would be right.

The pride of the pharisee obviously got in the way of any sort of relationship with God.  He did not go to the temple to actually pray to God, but rather announce to all within earshot how awesome he was.. I don’t know if he saw it as a contest with the tax collector or what, but the flawed worldview is …KEEP ON READING »

¹ One day Jesus said to his disciples, “There will always be temptations to sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting! ² It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause one of these little ones to fall into sin. ³ So watch yourselves!

“If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive. ⁴ Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive.”

⁵ The apostles said to the Lord, “Show us how to increase our faith.”

⁶ The Lord answered, “If you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘May you be uprooted and thrown into the sea,’ and it would obey you!

⁷ “When a servant comes in from plowing or taking care of sheep, does his master say, ‘Come in and eat with me’? ⁸No, he says, ‘Prepare my meal, put on your apron, and serve me while I eat. Then you can eat later.’ ⁹ And does the master thank the servant for doing what he was told to do? Of course not. ^{10 …KEEP ON READING »}

The passage is too long for me to put up on here, but go check er out HERE!! (You realize you have to go read it right?  Otherwise the rest of this study won’t make sense)..

We’ve all seen him.  He lies on a pile of newspapers on a downtown sidewalk, walks around with a garbage bag in a shopping cart, or asks for change in the subway.  He sells flowers at the rt 48 interstate, or washes your windshields with newspaper at a gas station.  You know I don’t need to keep on going because you’ve already got a specific in your head, you already have somebody pictured.  I don’t know about you, but as I see him I hear voices.  ”It’s his own fault” they say, “he’s chosen that way of living”.  ”He should go and get a job, if we give him money he’ll just go spend it on alcohol.”  Those communities of makeshift tin shelters aren’t just reserved for overseas anymore.  They’re all over, yes… even in America.  They have been born into debt, and in debt they will probably stay (for we have NO IDEA what it’s like to live like that).

So with that said, we all know Lazarus, he is our neighbor.  Some of us may be defined as rich, well dressed and well fed, and will walk past him without even noticing.  Others of us may not be considered rich, but compared to Lazarus we’re well off.  He would be glad to change places with us, and I’m sure we’d be …KEEP ON READING »

So I have been sitting here meditating on this passage for about two hours now.  My mind hurts!!  Read it for yourself, I’ll then give my thoughts, and hopefully you will as well..

Luke 16:1-9 – “Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’

“The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg— I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’

“So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’

‘Eight hundred gallons of olive oil,’ he replied.
“The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred.’

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