11th Week Luke 4-8

Please click on the blue title for the video that will begin the week.  

Monday, Luke Chapter 4

Luke 4

Verses 4,8,12

Jane Jones

Verses 4,8,12: "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone.'"

"It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.'" "It says: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'"

THOUGHT

Have you ever been tempted? We face temptation every day. It may be as small as a cookie jar, speeding, spending money, or as big as stealing, coveting, and fighting. It is tough to stand our ground and tell Satan, "Get thee behind me, Satan." Jesus wondered in the desert for forty days and nights and was tempted by the devil. Even when we are alone in God's sanctuary, we are faced with the threat of the devil. Often we are tempted not through our weaknesses, but through our strengths. We must not trust in our own powers because we feel little need of God. To avoid this trap, we must realize that all our strengths are God's gifts to us, and we must dedicate those strengths to his service. Stand firm. Stand the test. Do as Jesus did. Avoid temptation and Satan's strong hold.

PRAYER

Lord, I pray that our family can stand tall and firm in the face of Satan, the threat of the devil.  I thank You, God, for the hedge of strong and mighty angels which You have set around our family, keeping us safe from all hurt, harm, temptation, and danger-spiritually, as well as physically.  I thank You that they watch over us, protect us and fight for us. We love You, Jesus. AMEN

Tuesday, Luke Chapter 5

Luke 5

Verse 11

Jane Jones

Verse 11:  “Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.’ So, they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed Him.”

THOUGHT

Have you ever thought about the disciples and their journey with Jesus?  I have.  I just can’t imagine dropping everything in life at a fixed moment and stepping out in faith to leave everything behind and walk by faith.  It would require leaving behind your spouse, children, family, and friends.  Everything that your life evolved around.  WHAT COURAGE!  WHAT FAITH!  It is a reminder of what our priorities need to be: First Christ, then spouse, then children, and then family.

This was the disciples’ second call.  After the first call, (Matthew 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-20), Peter, Andrew, James, and John had gone back to fishing.  They continued to watch Jesus, however, as He established His authority in the synagogue, healed the sick, and drove out demons.  Here He also established His authority in their lives. He met them on their level and helped them in their work.  From this point on, they left their nets and remained with Jesus. 

For us, following Jesus means more than just acknowledging Him as Savior.  We must leave our past behind and commit our future to Him.  Have you made that commitment yet?  If not, do it today.

PRAYER

Father God in Heaven, we come in the Name of Jesus praying that we may grow into disciples like Peter, Andrew, James and John.  May we be willing to ‘catch men’ and leave our desires on the shore and follow You.  AMEN

Wednesday, Luke Chapter 6

Luke 6

Verse 45

Jane Jones

Verse 45:  “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.  For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.”

THOUGHT

After reading this verse, the question for today is “What is in your heart?”.  If your heart were to say something, “What would it say?”.   

STORY TO SHARE:

     “After their meeting ran late, five out-of-town sales men hurried as fast as they could to catch their train.  As they raced through the terminal, one inadvertently kicked over a slender table on which rested a basket of apples.  It belonged to a ten-year-old blind boy who was selling apples to pay for his books and clothes for school.  The salesmen clambered aboard the train, but one felt compassion for the boy.  He asked his friends to call his wife and tell her he would be late getting home.  Then he jumped off the train and returned to where the boy was standing.

     As the salesman gathered up the apples scattered across the floor, he noticed that several were bruised or split.  Reaching into his pocket, he said to the boy, ‘Here’s twenty dollars for the apples we damaged.  I hope we didn’t spoil your day.  God bless you.’  As he walked away, the boy called after him, ‘Are you Jesus?’”

How do our interactions with others reflect the character of Jesus?  When was the last time we stopped to help another person in need?  How do you feel when you show compassion to someone else?  What things are in your heart-good things or bad things?  

PRAYER

Lord, we ask that Your extravagant love would flow through us each day to touch those around us.  May we be examples of ‘Jesus at work’ because our hearts are full of ‘good things’.   In the Name of Jesus.  AMEN

Thursday, Luke Chapter 7

Luke 7

Verse 13

Jane Jones

Verse 13:  When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.”

THOUGHT

The woman that the Lord is referring to in this verse is a widow who had lost her husband and she was mourning the death of her only son.  The crowd of mourners would go home, and she would be left penniless and alone.  The widow was probably past the age of childbearing and would not marry again.  Unless a relative came to her aid, her future was bleak.  She would be an easy prey for swindlers, and she would likely be reduced to begging for food.  

But the Lord had compassion on her.  I just love it that he said, “Don’t cry.”  Jesus has the power to bring hope out of any tragedy.  We can accept God’s gift of life, praise God for it, and use our lives to do His Will.  I’m sure the son and his mother left that day praising and glorifying the Lord.

The Lord is a gracious God.  He will respond to the sounds of your cries as He did to this widow… “Don’t cry.”

PRAYER

Lord, we thank You for Your compassion and the gift of life.  May we never fail to praise You for it, and, in return, may we live our lives to do His Will.  AMEN 

Friday, Luke Chapter 8

Luke 8

Verse 16

Jeanie Boldt

Verse 16:  No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. 

THOUGHT 

Since I am many miles away from my granddaughters, I was worried that they would not remember me from meeting time to meeting time. I came up with the idea of singing a song to them on the phone and whenever I visited. The song is “This Little Light of Mine". I sang all the verses and told them to shine all over Wichita. When I would sing this to them over the phone, Tanya would say that they were smiling. (Maybe just to make me happy). 

Well, family, when the light of the truth about Jesus illuminates us, it is our duty to shine that light to help others. Our witness for Christ should be public, not hidden. We should not keep the benefits for ourselves alone but pass them on to others. So, shine all over SEATTLE, EAGAN, JEFFERSON, HUDSON, LAPORTE CITY, IOWA CITY, WICHITA, MINNEAPOLIS and OMAHA!!!!!!!! 

It is up to each of us!!!! COME ON FAMILY!!!!!! 

PRAYER 

Father God, I just pray that we are so full of the love of Jesus that when bumped, we spill out all over those we come in contact with. May we be a beacon of light that is so bright that people will want to know why we shine.  Thank You for the Holy Spirit that glows inside and is the igniting part. May we continue to grow in our faith so that our light only becomes stronger and brighter. In the Name of Jesus.  AMEN

Pictures from the Mount of the Beatitudes where Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mound. (2019)