“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” ~Jesus

Tags

God's Goal, Jesus, Jesus Sayings, Love, Luke 6, Obedience

Why? The words of Jesus haunt me. Why do I pretend that he is my Master and then not obey him?

As parents, we know the frustration of asking our children to do something, only to discover they have completely ignored us.

• Listen and do: You can almost hear the frustration in Jesus voice over the issue of listening and doing. This is key. It is useless to listen only. Obedience must follow.
• My mission is to love. That is it, plain and simple. I really don’t have any other job. That is God’s goal for me.
• Love lays a solid foundation for everything else in life. It will stand the test of time. It will earn my God’s favor.

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.”

Source: Luke 6:46, 49

May I have a well built house. May I put into practice what Jesus says. God has a goal for me. My job is to believe, be obedient and have faith.

"Your task is to be true, not popular." ~~Jesus

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Jesus, Jesus Sayings, Luke 6, Popularity, Truth

Being true to Jesus runs counter to our culture. Of course, being true is exactly how Jesus lived. Jesus calls for a radical commitment. He is truth.

Jesus knows that there’s trouble ahead when you live only for the approval of others, saying what flatters them, doing what indulges them. Popularity contests are not truth contests.

Jesus challenges me to live and say the truth. He does not demand I be popular.

May I win the truth contest.

Your task is to be true, not popular.” ~~Jesus (Luke 6:26 The Message)

“It’s who you are in your heart, not what you say and do, that counts.” ~Jesus

Tags

Fruit, Heart, Jesus, Jesus Sayings, Luke 6

I don’t like wormy apples. No one does. It is just not right. The ultimate gross out for sure.

I love fresh, juicy apples. So, I must begin with my heart. I want healthy fruit.

So what is in my heart? Do I long for what counts? Am I starting with what matters and working from there?

May I have healthy fruit that comes from a pure heart. May my true being spill forth from my heart.

You don’t get wormy apples off a healthy tree, nor good apples off a diseased tree. The health of the apple tells the health of the tree. You must begin with your own heart. It’s who you are in your heart, not what you say and do, that counts. Your true being brims over into true words and deeds. Luke 6:43-45

“Be easy on people; you’ll find life a lot easier.” ~Jesus

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Condemn, Criticism, Easy, Jesus, Jesus Sayings, Judging, Luke 6

Jesus is clear. Judging and focusing on what people are doing I don’t care for will bring the same thing back to me. Jesus leads me to see the good things someone is doing not what they aren’t doing.

So, do I want an easier life? Of course I do.

Then I should be easier on my family, friends and co-workers. Not always easy to do but His Spirit gives me power to do what I can’t do naturally.

Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults—unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don’t condemn those who are down; that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people; you’ll find life a lot easier. ” Luke 6:37 (MSG)

“I’ll give you a new heart. I’ll put a new spirit in you.” ~God

Tags

Ezekiel 11, Good Heart, Jesus, Luke 6, Luke 8, Messiah, New Heart

Heart, dedicated, caring and committed

We have good news. God has made a promise to us and has entered into an agreement with us through the amazing work of Jesus. Our hearts are good. This is stunning because daily, minute by minute, our enemy lies to us causing us to believe it is not true.

I must get this in my  core. I have been given a new heart through the gift Jesus has given me. It is true. Do I believe it? Do I act like I believe it?

God has called us to do amazing things but they can’t be done if we live in guilt and shame. God will not seem good. He will seem aloof.

God speaks to us in our heart. He can do this because he has given us a new heart, free and clean from guilt.

Do we believe God? Do we know our hearts are good? What would our life look like if we lived that reality every minute of every day?

Well, tell them this, ‘This is your Message from God, the Master. True, I sent you to the far country and scattered you through other lands. All the same, I’ve provided you a temporary sanctuary in the countries where you’ve gone. I will gather you back from those countries and lands where you’ve been scattered and give you back the land of Israel. You’ll come back and clean house, throw out all the rotten images and obscene idols. I’ll give you a new heart. I’ll put a new spirit in you. I’ll cut out your stone heart and replace it with a red-blooded, firm-muscled heart. Then you’ll obey my statutes and be careful to obey my commands. You’ll be my people! I’ll be your God! (Ezekiel 11:15-17)

 

Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. (Luke 6:44-45)

 

The seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop. (Luke 8:15)

“God Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.” ~Jesus

Tags

Jesus, Jesus Sayings, Lend, Love, Luke 6, Reward

God is good all the time

Sometimes I am so very tempted to get upset with the “ungrateful”. OK, truth be told, I do get upset. I succumb to the temptation. I feel justified.

I blessed them and they didn’t respond. I gave and they weren’t thankful. I go out of my way and they don’t notice. How righteous I feel. What is wrong with them?

Oh my goodness. What is wrong with me? Really. I have been ungrateful to my heavenly Father. What is God’s response?

God’s response is to show me mercy. Our Father’s response is to be kind and to  love me. God lavishes His gifts on me. God puts His best clothes on me. God gives me my inheritance early. Jesus prepares a feast for me. Jesus goes to find an amazing ring and put it on my finger.

God does good, is good and is in a good mood. Our Father doesn’t get offended at all. He is God. He is stunningly great.

How amazing? Amazing gifts in spite of my ungrateful heart. He is absolutely perfect.

May I be merciful like my heavenly Father. REALLY.

My reward will be huge. I will be His son.

Here are the key ideas:

1. We need to go beyond what is normal and live an extraordinary life of love.
2. God’s goal for us is that we love ungrateful and evil people.
3. God is in a good mood and loves us even when we aren’t grateful for what he does for us every day.

If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Luke 6:34-36

 

Should I be the judge?

Tags

1 Corinthians 4, James 4, Judge, Love, Luke 6, Matthew 7, Romans, Romans 14

This theme seems very clear. There isn’t too much to be added here. 8 very specific references citing Jesus, Peter and James. Should I be the judge? The early disciples of Jesus clearly understood what Jesus expected of them. This is important.

God’s goal is for us to focus on love. That is our clear mission. To judge takes us away from that. Love is number one. Love is all important.

• Matthew 7:1 Do not judge, or you too will be judged.
• Matthew 7:2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
• Luke 6:37 Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
• Romans 14:4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
• Romans 14:10 You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.
• 1 Corinthians 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.
• James 4:11 Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.
• James 4:12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?