Following the ONE who Speaks Life

Reading in Luke 9:18-36, Jesus ask this question to His disciples, “Who do the crowds say I am (v.18)?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life (v. 19).” Then He asked the Disciple who they thought He was and this is when Peter answers, “You are the Christ of God (v. 20)”.

At this time, Jesus announces to His disciples that the Christ of God will suffer a painful death on the cross but will be raised to life on the third day. He also lays out the requirements of one who wishes to follow the Christ of God. A person must deny themselves and take up the cross daily to follow Him (v. 23).

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Think of ideas and ways we can deny ourselves and follow Jesus today. What is in our heart comes out in how we live. The scripture tells us to love God first and second to love our neighbor as ourselves. A way to step ahead is to study the life of Christ and work to apply faith, hope, and love in our everyday experiences. Without following Jesus, there is doubt, negative thoughts, and discontent.

Another part of this passage is the transfiguration of Jesus. He takes Peter, John, and James with Him to pray up on a mountain. While praying, the appearance of Jesus changes and His clothes become as bright as a flash of lightening (v. 29). Moses who represents the Law, Elijah who represents all prophets, and Jesus who would eventually fulfill the law met to discuss His coming death on the cross (v. 31).

Father God as we pray this day, let it be Your will and not our own will that is done. Let us be patient, listen to Your directions, and follow with determination. We praise You and pray for devotion to Your purpose. A purpose that is greater than ourselves that we can contribute to by eagerly sharing the Good News with others.

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Multiplying What We Have

Give what we have to Christ and He will multiply what we have so that all our problems and all our needs are satisfied. He’s with us fixing problems at work, at home and wherever we are with the strength to lead, the might to uphold, and the wisdom to guide. Take inspiration from today’s video: How Great is Our God – Chris Tomlin.


So in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. – Romans 12:5

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Lesson in Leadership

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The twofold ministry of the disciples described in Luke 9:1-17 were to drive out all demons and to cure diseases (v. 2). Many leadership principles can be learned in this passage. They include planning, organizing, directing, problem solving, and teamwork.

Jesus had put a lot of planning into His ministry because there was a need to carry out the works of the ministry after His death. He organized the ministry with twelve disciples to carry out the mission. Then, Jesus delegated power and authority to the Twelve to preach the gospel and to heal the sick.

The disciples reported back to Jesus their leader. This time there was a problem of being able to feed five thousand people who had followed them to listen about the kingdom of God. The disciples then followed the instructions of Jesus as He gave directions to solve the problem.

For many of us, the demands of our day seem much greater than our supply. We all have a limited amount of time and resources but we can find help from each other. The family unit is set up as a way to give each other help. Just like Jesus depended on the Twelve for assistance, individuals within a family contribute to support each other.

This day with God, we are thankful for this lesson in leadership found in this passage. We pray for ideas in our society to help families meet their needs and ways to share these ideas. Just like in today’s passage as Jesus distributed the workload to the Twelve, help us all participate in being a part of fulfilling the needs of God’s family by feeding souls.

 

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Questions for Reflection for Study of Luke 9

Over the last few weeks in the study of Luke, written about were some thoughts and ideas that we can apply as we journey through life. God has unlimited power and this power is demonstrated in the actions of His Son. When we see and hear that positive results occur, then we become a believer. As our belief grows, it is then clearly revealed in our hearts as faith.

The world can be a confusing place but can be made clear if the proven way is followed. This is the right way and God’s way. The positive information of God’s Word helps us to see more clearly and do things as they ought to be done. The plan of life that Jesus teaches is the proven way that leads to freedom. A couple of weeks ago, the United States honored veterans on Veterans Day. There actions define courage and have paved the way to freedom.

One question we tried to answer over the last few weeks was how can we show the same attitude towards others as Jesus did during His ministry? We can start by seeing potential in others and being motivated to action by deep respect for Jesus as Teacher. With a desire to help others accept His love, let us pray for openness, humility, and a loving attitude.

The word of God planted in a soul with integrity is like seed planted in fertile soil that flourishes into a banner crop. In getting our heart ready to be receptive to God’s Word, find a place and time where there are no distractions. Have a desire to hear from God, escape the distractions of the world, be still, and just listen to God’s voice.

Written about over the last few weeks was how Jesus showed authority over all phenomena. The lesson learned is that we can take in the Word to help us put into practice the teachings of Jesus. We can trust instead of worry and fill each day with obedience, gratitude, and humility. Each day with God, we can be energized by knowing that Christ has authority over all realms; He is before us and within us.

Jesus did out of the ordinary things but knew that the credit belonged to the Father. The miracles happened before and they will happen again. We can just be a part of the crowd or we can reach out and “touch Him” by faith; being recharged with power and new life.

Bible study and prayer should be a top priority in our life. That’s why I’ll be continuing the study in the book of Luke next week and sharing a few thoughts. Each of the studies are designed to help apply our faith in the work place, at school, or at home. You can keep up with my spiritual journey by clicking http://wp.me/1ar6D

Have a great weekend my friends! As the journey through God’s Word continues, below are questions for reflection for the study of Luke 9 which will help focus some thoughts to share in posts over the next few weeks.

Luke 9:1-17
What is the twofold ministry of the twelve? What leadership principles can you learn from this passage? List areas in your life where the demands seem much greater than your supply. What help do you find here?

Luke 9:18-36
What are the various opinions of Jesus’ identity? What are the requirements of one who wishes to follow the Christ of God? In what ways will you deny yourself and follow Jesus today? What effect does the transfiguration have on the development of the three disciples’ understanding and character? In what ways has God recently enlarged your understanding of Him? How has this understanding been revealed in your character?

Luke 9:37-62
What do the disciples know about Jesus (v. 20)? How does the statement of Jesus in verse 44 contrast with their expectations? In what ways does individual and group pride distort what you and others know about God?

The above reading plan will be used as I share over the next few posts. It’s important to have a plan. I’m thankful that Jesus is God’s plan for us and by accepting Him as Savior; we have taken the steps necessary to make this day with Him amazing! At this link: God’s Plan for Us, is a post about accepting God’s plan or reaffirming our “YES” for Christ.

Feel free to respond with a short note or a comment about any of the questions above. Also, I welcome any other thoughts or ideas, favorite inspirational videos, photos, or favorite Bible verses. Just add them to the comments or to a Facebook page I’ve set up at this link: This Day With God.

Resources and Supplementary Helps Used in Posts
Adeney, Carol. This Morning with God. Downer Grove Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1978
First United Methodist Waco Podcast
Christ Notes
Family Times
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Doing Out of the Ordinary Things to Help Others

In the post Give Others a Recharge, I wrote about two miracles of Jesus. He was doing out of the ordinary things to help people but gave credit to the Father. The miracles happened and they will happen in the future. We can just be a part of the crowd or we can reach out and “touch Him” by faith; being recharged with power and new life.

Let us praise Him just as this song: All Creatures of our God King – David Crowder. 


Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. – Philippians 2:3

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