The day with dianne Louise

Someone in the crowd said to Him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." "Friend, " He said to him, "who appointed Me a judge or arbitrator over you?" He then told them, "Watch out and be on guard against all greed because one's life is not in the abundance of possessions." Luke 12:13-15 Interesting! That a man would try and use Jesus for his own ends. Apparently the rabbis settled such disputes. The man, obviously the younger brother, sought Jesus to arbitrate on his behalf. However, Jesus recognised the motivation was greed. Do we, today, name greed as it is, or do we coat it with white wash and call it ambition, justice, fairness? Do we go deep enough to recognise our motives are lusts for wealth, or do we justify their presence? Jesus has no problem going to the heart of the matter and calling greed for what it was. He goes on to tell a parable about greed to get the point home, I wonder if it did or if another pers...

"And I say to you, anyone who acknowledges Me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the Angels of God, but whoever denies Me before men will be denied before the Angels of God. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. Whenever they bring you before synagogues and rulers and authorities, don't worry about how you should answer. For try a Holy Spirit will teach you at that very hour what must be said." Luke 12:8-12 I think that being acknowledged before the Angels would be a desirable position to be in, for they who know you will work for your good, because you have favour on you. Conversely, being denied before Angels would not be good at all, it would be like being given a banishment notice to a dry and dusty land. The next verse shows how much Jeus honoured the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit only ever did good and made Jesus known, here He was given highe...

" indeed the hairs on your head are all counted. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows! " Luke 12:7 This morning I covered the verses from 4-7 but as I reviewed the scripture tonight I was impacted on loving a newborn baby so much that you would want to count all its hairs, let alone be able to. I remember that love, seeing my children then my grandchild, my heart grew in size as it flooded with love for this tiny creature, so perfect and needing so much care. We are encouraged to have faith like little children. Last night on Facebook someone put up a video of a baby meeting paper for the first time and it's reaction as the baby's father began to tear strips off the paper. The baby giggled uncontrollably, it's joy knew no bounds. There was no question as to it trusting and loving his daddy in return. Our daddy wants such a relationship with us, His love is the same and more for us as earthly father's have for their infant children. The jo...

And I say to you, My friends, don't fear those who kill the body, and after that can do nothing more. But I will show you who to fear: Fear Him who has authority to throw people into hell after death. Yes, I say to you, this is the One to fear! Aren't five pennies sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God's sight. Indeed, the hairs of your head are all counted. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows! Luke 12:4-7 There is much violence in our world. We see the rise of family violence and the killing of women and children or men taking their own lives and that of their children, we see evil men slaughtering thousands all in the name of their god and the lust for blood is not abated. In America the gun lobby is preventing the disarmament of its population believing it is the right of the people to bear arms. Yet bent and twisted young men go into schools and kill all those who have hurt them. In Australia we do not bear arms, yet feel ve...

In these circumstances, a crowd of many thousands came together, so that they were trampling on one another. He began to say to His disciples first: "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisee's, which is hypocrisy. There is nothing covered that will not be uncovered, nothing hidden that won't be made known. Therefore, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and whatever you have whispered in an ear in private rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops." Luke 12:1-3 I am quite capable of being a hypocrite, how about you? Just when I think I am going well and keeping my tongue under wraps I find myself judging someone else because they do something I would never do. I did it today. I met a lady I have not seen in a long while and we got talking about our dogs. She was telling me about how her dog is snappy and before I knew it I was telling her the woman I walk with has a dog like that which she allows to walk off the lead. I am constantly...

As He was speaking a Pharisee asked Him to dine with him. So He went in and reclined at the table. When the Pharisee saw this, he was amazed that He did not first perform the ritual washing before dinner. But the Lord said to him: "Now you Pharisee's clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and evil. Fools! Didn't He who made the outside make the inside also? But give from what is within to the poor, and then everything is clean for you. But woe to you Pharisees! You give a tenth of mint, rue, and every kind of herb, and you bypass justice and love for God. These things you should have done without neglecting the others. Luke 11:37-42 The Pharisee invited Jesus in. Jesus came in and did something he did not expect and then Jesus took up the challenge, He confronted first. It was not the Pharisee's best day in one respect but if he could humble himself and receive the truth spoken, the best day. Jesus tells the Pharisee that the Father cre...

Your eye is the lamp of the body. When your eye is good, your whole body is also full of light. But when it is bad, your body is full of darkness. Take care then, that the light in you is not darkness. If, therefore, your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in darkness, it will be entirely illuminated, as when a lamp shines its light on you. Luke 11:34-36 Our eye is so important. What we see and allow affects us. What are you reading? Wha t are you watching? Are you enjoying seeing a couple commit adultery, why are you watching it? By watching it you give it authority to exist. If you are watching a man thieving from his employer or kill his family and neighbours, why are you watching that and calling it fun?  If I am given a book and it errs into these areas, I put it down, not matter how new the book or how compelling the story. If there is foul language I put it down. If people post this sort of thing on Facebook, I hide it and eventually if they keep it up, we are f...

No one lights a lamp and puts it in the cellar or under a basket, but on the lampstand, so that those who come in May see the light. Luke 11:33 Jesus said He was the 'light of the world.' The truth of this gospel has been hidden at times, there have been great periods of darkness, oppressive rulers have arisen and attempted to stamp out the light, but they failed. The more they attempted to drive out the light, the brighter it shone. The religious leaders thought that by crucifying Jesus that would solve the problem, but He was the spark that entered the dry grass and the truth ran like wildfire. We have a task. As Christians we are to shine our light, so that others may come in when they see the light. Have you ever had a dream in which you are lost and can't find your way back to something or someone? I just awoke from such a dream. I have a young woman who works for me who has a small son. In my dream they lived across the street from me. She had asked me to go across an...

As the crowds were increasing, He began saying: "This generation is an evil generation. It demands a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Ninevah, so also will the Son of Man will be to this generation. The queen of the south will rise up at the judgement with the men and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and look- something greater than Solomon is here!" Luke 11:29-31 We have to accept the fact that there is a rebuke for unbelief. Jesus highly commended those who believed, especially those who were Gentiles. I can see He respects the believing heart, it is close to Him. As I believe and choose to press in, I am His delight. Whilst I cannot earn salvation, I can earn respect and favour by my faith. The same opportunities are available to us all but many choose unbelief and to be ruled by this present darkness instead of the word of God. His kingdom i...

As He was saying these things, a woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, "The womb that bore You and the one who nursed You are blessed!" He said, "Even more, those who hear the word of God and keep it are blessed!" Luke 11:27,28 As a mother I am pleased and honoured when my children and grandchildren do well in the Lord, however Jesus was saying to the woman, yes, that is true but it will not benefit if, even being my mother, if My mother fails to hear what I am saying and then learn and keep the word. This scripture provides a check to the deification and worship of Mary. Mary was a mere human being who was honoured with a task, birthing and raising the Son of God. When He started His ministry she would then be challenged with the truth He spoke. If she received it gladly she would have been saved but if she rejected it, she would have been lost. We know that Jesus' family were a part of those who rejected His teaching and it wasn't until af...

"When an unclean spirit someone out of a man, it roams through waterless places looking for rest, and not finding rest, it then says, "I'll go back where I came from. After returning, it finds the house swept and put in order. Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and settle down there. As a result, that man's condition is worse than the first." Luke 11:24-26 Jesus is here teaching the arrogant listeners who claimed he cast out demons by the power of Satan himself. They themselves cast out spirits, or at least their sons did. They were so confident in themselves and condemning of Jesus that they failed to see that without the power of God a person who had demons cast out would end up worse than before. The clean vessel needed filling with the Spirit of God and this was the only safety. They failed to see this. Today we still see evil spirits cast out and with correct teaching about Christ they do not need to fear being ...

Now He as driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon came out, the man who had been mute, spoke and the crowds were amazed. But some of them said, "He drives demons out by Beelzebul, the ruler of demons!  And others, as a test were demanding of Him a sign from heaven.luke 11:-16 What sort of heart behaves like this? I have seen it many times. This heart lives throughout the centuries. When William Wordsworth was fighting to set the slaves free, he fought it for years in the parliament. A hardened heart that rails against that which is good and kind and lovely, all because it hates the light and loves the sin. Last night I watched the Australian of the year awards here in my country. People from the communities, states and nation who have served our marginalised or made breakthroughs in medical endeavours are candidates. Yet each, I am sure, when they began they would have faced opposition and hard hearted community members when stood against goodness and change. The crowd r...

What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will you Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him? Luke 11:11-13 This scripture is important to us, and was to the disciples. Jesus would later tell them to tarry in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit was poured out upon them. They were told to wait, not how long, just wait, until. In our time people who seek the Holy Spirit, some in trepidation, some with doubt, need to heed this scripture. If we seek the Holy Spirit, we will receive the Holy Spirit, not a counterfeit. It is interesting that this scripture wraps up the teaching on prayer. Jesus starts by telling the disciples the Lord's Prayer, then encourages them to persist in prayer and lastly tells them that they can expect God to give them what the ask for. Up until verse 13 we could a...

He also said to them: "suppose one of you has a friend and goes to him at midnight and says to him, "Friend, lend me three loaves of bread because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I don't have anything to offer him. Then he will answer from inside and say, "Don't bother me! The door is already locked, and my children and I have gone to bed. I can't get up to give you anything." I tell you, even though he won't get up and give you anything because he is his friend, yet because of his friends persistence, he will get up and give him as much as he needs. So, I say to you keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find, keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you. for everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened." Luke 11:5-10 As I read this I am challenged. I know God loves me, but I also know I have unanswered prayers. This scriptur...

He was praying in a certain place, and when He had finished, one of Hus disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught His disciples." He said to them, "Whenever you pray, say: Father, Your name be honoured as holy. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone in debt to us. And do not bring us into temptation." Luke 11:1-4 Now, if you were Jesus, when would you teach your disciples to pray? In fact when would you instruct them about the importance of prayer? I would have thought it would have been one of the first lessons. Jesus  Himself did not bring it up, the disciples did. Interesting!!! The disciples wanted to know how to pray because of two things: John the Baptist's followers already had been taught and secondly they saw Jesus praying. Human nature is such that it wants to be sure it is not missing out. I love the simplicity of this prayer: Father I want to ...

While He was travelling, He entered a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who also sat at the Lord's feet and was listening to what He said. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, and she came up and asked, "Lord, don't You care that my sister has left me to serve alone? So tell her to give me a hand." The Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her." Luke 10:38-41 Martha welcomed Jesus into her home. It is interesting that it was called Martha's home. Martha and Mary lived with their brother Lazarus, but he is not mentioned here. Martha must have been the eldest sister. It was customary that the women waited on the men. In the normal sense of the word, Martha was not wrong in wanting her sister to help her. Yet Jesus' reply cut through to the real issue wi...

Just then an expert in the law stood up to test Him. "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "What is written in the law?" Jesus asked him. "How do you read it?" The man answered: "Love the Lord your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself". "You have answered correctly", Jesus to.d him. "Do this and you will live." But wanting to justify himself, the man asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbour?" Luke 10:25-29 Oh how we love to justify ourselves! Why do we do it? We do it because we place so much treasure in self-effort. We have such a desire to be 'right,' that we step out in the flesh to prove our own 'goodness.' Why? So we don't, really, need to repent and accept the teaching of Jesus, all of it and humble ourselves and obey. Fortunately for us, and for the man, Jesus goes on to teach the parable about...

In that same hour He rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to infants. Yes Father, because this was Your good pleasure. All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son desires to reveal Him." Then turning to His disciples He said privately, "The eyes that sees the things you see are blessed! For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see the things you see yet didn't see them; to hear the things you hear yet didn't hear them." Luke 10:21-24 I am so grateful that Luke wrote that Jesus 'rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said....' Luke brought the Holy Spirit into things as he was the writer of the book of Acts, he was with the disciples in the spreading of the gospel and saw, first hand, the moving of t...

The seventy returned with joy saying, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your name." He said to them, "I watched Satan fall from heaven like a lightning flash. Look, I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy; nothing will ever harm you. However, don't rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." Luke 10:17-20 We often do not know the effect our obedience has on the kingdom of darkness. Obedience and submission to the teachings of Christ are the way to release the power of God. The kingdom of God is: righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirt. If our obedience releases peace and joy and true righteousness into our darkened world, won't those around us rejoice, for we bring them good? As I walk close to the Lord I see myself painting my world with the blood of Christ. I am redeeming it, one piece at a time and cleansing the atmosphere. Conversely if I...

"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you Bethesdia! For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes!" But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgement than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will go down to Hades! Whoever listens to you listens to Me. Whoever rejects you rejects Me. And whoever rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me." Luke 10:13-16 Jesus had just commissioned the 70 disciples and instructed them how to behave when they were received and when rejected. Chorazin and Bethesdia were cities near Capernaum where He spent most of His time ministering. It is surprising that Jesus spoke thus about Capernaum, considering the miracles done there. However, here we are learning a lesson: God's standards and ways of thinking are not ours. When He looks at a city and how it responds to Him He sees whether there is arrogance and sel...

After this, the Lord appointed 70 others, and He sent them ahead of Him in pairs to every town and place where He Himself was about to go. He told them, the harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the lord of the harvest to send out workers into the harvest. Now go; I am sending you out like lambs among wolves." Luke 10:1-3 These disciples were like the forerunners, yet they were healing the sick, unlike John the Baptist. Yet, Jesus was coming after them. If they were preparing e way and healing was a part of this, what was Jesus going to do? I suggest that healing is the opening up of a soul, next comes discipleship, learning to abide. Jesus said the harvest is plentiful, and it is. It is us who need to be in the right place, with the right heart. Tonight I had conflicting interests: another Skate Park event and something I really wanted to do, join the Astronomical Society. However, I knew where I needed to be and am so glad I chose to be totally present...

As they were travelling on the road someone said, "I will follow You wherever you go!" Jesus replied to him, "Foxes have dens, and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head." The to another He said, "Follow Me." "Lord," he said, let me first go bury my father." But He said to him, "Le there dead bury their own dead, but you go and spread the news of the kingdom of God." Another also said, "I will follow You, Lord, let me first go say goodbye to those at my house." But Jesus said to him, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God." Luke 9:57-62 These people were not wanting to do a quick goodbye, they were throwing up delay tactics. It is like us saying, "Not yet Lord, let me finish my working life then I will go and spread your word." We can be so entangled in the affairs of men that we fail to start the affairs of God. What is ...

When the days were coming to a close for Him to be taken up, He determined to journey to Jerusalem. He sent messengers ahead of Him, and on the way they entered a Samaritan village to make preparation for Him. But they did not welcome Him because He determined to journey to Jerusalem. When the disciplines James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do You want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?" But He turned and rebuked them, and they went to another village. Luke 9:51-55 The Samaritins worshipped at Mount Gerizim instead of Jerusalem and perhaps they took offense that He wanted to not share this with them. John and James were know for their fiery tempers, they were nick named 'sons of thunder!' I wonder if they were red heads? This passage comes after Jesus has rebuked the disciples for arguing about who was the greatest and also wanting to rebuke a man who was casting out demons in Jesus' name but not being one of heir pack. They were on a journey...

John responded, "Master, we saw someone driving out demons in Your name, and we tried to stop him because her does not follow us." "Don't stop him, "Jesus told him, "because whoever is not against you is for you." Luke 9:49,50 This comment of John comes after Jesus teaches His disciples about being humble, like little children. You know how, when you don't get it, you bumble on with something totally irrelevant and make yourself look like mud? Well! Here we have a classic example. Prior to teaching about being humble, the disciples were fighting over who was greatest. Now, this comment seems to follow on from that train of thought: "Look how good we are Jesus, we stopped a misuse of power, out power." This comment relays that John did not fully comprehend the message given, he was still, somewhere else. In fact he was in the wrong place. You could be forgiven for saying: "And Jesus gave these guys the authority and responsibility for...

Then an argument started among them about who was the greatest of them. But Jesus, knowing the thoughts of their hearts, took a little child and had him stand next to Him. He told them, "Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes Me. For whoever is least among you-this one is great." Luke 9:46-48 For an adult to recognise a little child, they have to stop and become present, to welcome like Jesus meant. I see children bearing the brunt of parental impatience and ignorance. I see children whose parents withhold  love because they do not conform to how they want them to behave. Little people need respect and attention and a refusal to become annoyed at their attempts to upset. I have a grandson who loves to shock. His parents fall into his trap, but I don't and we get on fine. I have an advantage of being Nan and not mum, my age helps, I've been around the block a few times and seen it all. Also I am not distracted, I can afford to be focussed, I am not wash...

While everyone was amazed at all the things He was doing, He told His disciples, " Let these words sink in. The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men." But they did not understand this statement; it was concealed from them so that they could not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask Him about it. Luke 9:44,45 Scripture tells us that God does conceal things but it is our job to search it out. I wonder if the disciples would have been able to comprehend if they sought the answer. They were afraid to ask Him, because, perhaps they did not want their bubble to burst, they were enjoying the heyday. I know, myself, I struggle to understand things, but also know at I have to seek God for the answers. Not having answers bothers me, in matters that really interest me. As to why people have behaved in the past, I wonder but have not asked. We have a planetary alignment going on as from tomorrow and I am full of questions: where is the best place to see this phenomeno...

The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met Him. Just then a man from the crowd cried out, "Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, because he is my only child. Often a spirit seizes him; suddenly he shrieks, and it throws him into convulsions until he foams at the mouth, wounding him, it hardly ever leaves him. I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they couldn't." Jesus replied, "You unbelieving and rebellious generation! How long will I be with you and put up with you? Bring your son here." As the boy was still approaching, the demon knocked him down and threw him into severe convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, cured the boy, and gave him back to his father. And they were all astonished at the greatness of God. Luke 9:37-43 The disciples who had only just prior to this returned boasting how he demons were subject to them. In other gospels they ask Jesus why they could not cast the demon out and he tells them,  tha...

"I  tell you the truth: there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God." About eight days after these words, He took Peter, John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. As he was praying the appearance of His face changed, and His clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly two men were talking with Him- Moses and Elijah. They appeared in glory and were speaking  of His death, which He was about to accomplish in Jerusalem. Peter and those with him were in a deep sleep and when they became fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who were standing with Him. Peter said to Jesus, 'it's good for us to be here! Let us make three tabernacles for You, one for Moses and one for Elijah'- not knowing what he said. While he was saying this a cloud appeared and overshadowed them. They became afraid as they entered the cloud. Then a voice came from the cloud, saying: "This is My Son, the Chosen One, listen to Him!" A...

Then He said to them all, " If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me will save it. What is a man benefited if he gains the whole world, yet loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in glory and that of the Father and His holy angels.  I tell you the truth: there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God." Luke 9:23-27 This is serious stuff! What does denying myself daily look like? I'd say any indulgence in fleshly living. This also includes self-righteousness and religiously. We can take the flesh by going to the gym and going on a diet, but we need to harness the mind, the will, the emotions, we need to follow the Spirit of God not the Spirit of self. We cannot live a life of 'not being able to live withou...

While He was praying in private and His disciples were with Him, He asked them, "Who do the crowd say that I am?" They answered, "John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, that one of the ancient prophets has come back." "But you," He asked them, "who do you say that I am?" Peter answered, "God's Messiah!" But He strictly warned and instructed them to tell this to no one saying, "The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and scribes, be killed and raised on the third day." Luke 9:18-22 To be the only ones to recognise Jesus as Messiah set the apostles apart, this would make them feel special. Yet they too did not understand that the Messiah must suffer and be rejected. The Messiah was believed to be someone who would rule with authority. Jesus alone knew the path He must take. Just as Satan had tried to tempt Him with rulership over the whole world, Jesus' disciples would...

When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus all that they had done. He took them and withdrew privately to a town called Bethsaida. When the crowds found out, they followed Him. He welcomed them, spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and cured those who needed healing. Late in the day, the Twelve approached and said to Him, "Send the crowd away, so they can go into the surrounding villages and countryside to find food and lodging, because we are in a deserted place here." "You give them something to eat, " He said. "We have no more than five loaves and two fish, they said, unless we go and buy food for all these people." Then He told His disciples, "Have them sit down in groups of 50 each." They did so and had them all sit down. Then He took the five loaves and two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them. He kept giving them to the disciples to set before the crowd. Everyone ate and was filled, then they picked up 12 ba...

Summoning the Twelve, He gave them power and authority over all demons, and power to heal diseases. Then He sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. "Take nothing for the road", He told them, "no walking stick, no travelling bag, no bread, no money; and don't take an extra shirt. Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there. If they do not welcome you there, when you leave town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them." So they went out and travelled from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing everywhere. Luke 9:1-6 At last it was the disciples turn. They had travelled wih Jesus and watched how he operated. We could safely say He started the same way, we know He now had a contingent of women travelling with Him, providing for His needs. This would be a challenge to the disciples faith. It had nothing to do with their own ability to provide, only God's. They would also learn a lesson i...

Just then a man named Jairus came. He was a leader of the synagogue. He fell down at Jesus' feet and pleaded with Him to come to His house, because he had an only daughter about 12 years old,  and she was at death's door. Luke 8:41,42 Jairus probably knew Jesus as He had preached in the synagogues in the area. I wonder how he had treated Jesus, had he scoffed or did Jesus impact on him in some way, challenge his faith? Jesus would have recognised him. I wonder how humiliating it was for Jairus to kneel before Jesus, in front of all his congregation and admit His lordship over sickness and disease? What made God single out Jairus for the miracle he was about to witness? What restraint he would have needed knowing his daughter was at death's door and now there was a crowd making it difficult for Jesus to move along the road. I know if it was me and my daughter was dying I would have been very impatient with the people, but we don't see this here.  I remember a time when m...

Then the people went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man who the demons had been cast out of, dressed and sitting at His feet in his right mind.  And they were afraid. Meanwhile, the eyewitnesses reported to them how the demo possessed man was delivered. Then all the people of the Cesarea region asked Him to leave them, because they were gripped with great fear. So getting into the boat, He returned. Luke 8:38,39 The commotion caused by a heard of pigs screaming with demon possession racing down the hill and plunging into the sea, would have been awful. In my younger days I dated a farmer and was with him when he castrated the piglets, their squealing was deafening. They were used to one man being possessed and living in the tombs, but here he was, clothed and sane, sitting at peace. They had tried for years to restrain him, to control him, and a stranger arrives and does, in a few minutes, the very thing they had tried to do for decades.  Their ...

One day He and His disciples got into a boat, and He said to them, "Let's cross over to the other side of the lake." So they set out, and as they were sailing He fell asleep. Then a fierce windstorm came down on the lake; and they were being swamped and were in danger. They came and woke him up, saying, "Master, Master, we're going to die!" Then He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waves. So they ceased, and there was a  calm. He said to them, "Where is your faith?" Luke 8:22-25 Today at the top of Australia a passenger on a boat saw this. I wonder what was going through his mind? The report said this was a cyclone but a man who witnessed the storm said it was a dust storm that had been blown out to sea from land. It is spectacular isn't it? Now, Jesus told His disciples, "Let us cross the lake." He did not say lets go to our death. He planned on going to the other side. They could quieten their fear and trust Him, because th...

Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and they could not meet with Him because of the crowd. He was told, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see You." But He replied to them, My mother and My brothers are those who hear and do the word of God." Luke 8:19-21 Here Jesus was challenging another custom of the family honour system. Today, we have just experienced Christmas and it is a time when it is expected that family gathers together. Yet because of this expectation a lot of strife emerges. People who don't like each other gather in one room and after a few glasses of alcohol they start telling one another why they don't like each other and fights erupt. Jesus' brothers did not believe He was the Son of God and we assume His mother did, however this scripture challenges that line of thinking. This would have been embarrassing for Jesus' family, a rock of offense even. I wonder how they took these words and the fact that the...

No one, after lighting a lamp, covers it with a basket or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand so that one who come in may see the light. For nothing is concealed that won't be revealed, and nothing hidden that won't be made known and come to light. Therefore take care how you listen. For whoever has, more will be given to him; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will b taken away from him. Luke 8:16-18 Verse 16 begs me to share my light, the new life and the new revelation of God that I have found. I cannot hide this light as it will come out eventually. So that those who are outside of Christ may come in. Next we are admonished to take care as to how we listen. Listening is an art, often we are consumed with our own self-talk, worries and concerns. Yet if we lay them aside and keep our eyes on Jesus, when He speaks we can hear, truely hear. It is importent that I hear what He is saying and not contrive a different answer. For if I do that then I a...

As a large crowd as gathering, and people were flocking to Him from every town, He said in a parable: "A sower went out to sow his seed. As he was sowing, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Other seed fell on the rock; when it sprang up it withered, since it lacked moisture. Other seed fell among thorns; the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. Still other seed fell on good ground, when it sprang up, it produced a crop ; 100 times what was sown." As He said this, H calls out, "Anyone who has ears to hear should listen."  "This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. The seed along the path are those who have heard and then the Devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. And the seed on the rock are those who, when they hear, welcome the word with joy. Having no root these believe for a while and depart in a time of testing. As for the seed...

Then one of the Pharisees invited Him to eat with him. He entered the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. And a woman in the town who was a sinner found out that Jesus was reclining at the table in the Pharisee's house. She brought an alabaster jar of fragrant oil and stood behind Him at His feet, weeping, and began to wash His feet with her tears. She wiped His feet with her hair, kissing them and anointing them with the fragrant oil. When the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, "This man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what kind of woman this is who is touching Him- she's a sinner!" Jesus replied to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." "Teacher," he said, "say it." A creditor had two debtors. One owed 500 denarii, and the other 50. Since they could not pay it back, he graciously forgave them both. So which one of them will love him the more?" Simon answered, "I suppose the ...

To what then should I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to each other: "We played the flute for you, but you didn't dance; we sang a lament, and you did not weep! For John the Baptist did not come eating bread or drinking wine, and you say, "He has a demon!" The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, "Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners! Yet wisdom is vindicated by all her children." Luke 7:31-35 Jesus is telling us about the hardness of our heart here. If we have a religious bent we are inclined to be judgemental and the centre of our judgement is ourselves. We establish ourselves as God and all things filter through us. Someone who is aesthetic we consider weird and someone who is free we consider a sinner. Why I am just right I am, I am. Ha ha! The above scripture points out how fickle this judgement is. This person...

After John the Baptist's messengers left, He began speaking to the crowds about John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A man dressed in soft robes? Look, those who are splendidly dressed and live in luxury are in royal palaces. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes I tell you, and far more than a prophet. This is the one written about: 'Look I am sending My messenger ahead of You; he will prepare Your way before you." Luke 7:24-27 John had begun to doubt Jesus was the Messiah because he found himself in Herod's prison and the Jewish people were looking for a deliverer, as was John. So, John's disciples publically challenged Jesus and He did not retaliate or defend Himself, in fact He honoured John. Jesus had a grasp of a reality that John did not share. Jsus has a grasp of a reality we do not share. Remember we are offended when our expectations are not met. The problem was John and in our world the problem is us. It may have been har...

Soon afterwards He was on His way to a town called a Nain. His disciples and a large crowd were travelling with Him. Just as He neared the gate of the town, a dead man was being carried out. He was his mother's only son, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the city was also with her. When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said, "Don't cry." Then He came up and touched the open coffin, and the pallbearers stopped. And He said, "Young man, I tell you, get up!" The dead man sat up and began to speak, and fear came over everyone, and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has risen among us," and "God has visited His people." This report about Him went throughout Judea and all the vicinity. Luke 7:11-17 Compassion heals! As God's people we can ask Him for His heart of compassion and lay hands on the sick. Every time I have sensed God's compassion for a person I endeavour to pray for them and I have seen miracles...

When He entered Capernaum, a centurion's slave, who was highly valued by him, was sick and about to die. When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to Him, requesting Him to come and save the life of his slave. When they reached Jesus, they pleaded with Him earnestly, saying, "He is worthy for You to grant this, because he loves our nation and has built a synagogue." Jesus went with them, and when he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to tell Him, "Lord, don't trouble Yourself, since I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not come to You myself. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under my command. I say to this one, 'Go!" And he goes; and to another, 'Come!' And he comes; and to my slave 'Do this!' And he does it." Jesus heard this and was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following Him, ...

"Why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and don't do the things I say? I will show you what someone is like who comes to Me, hears My words, and acts on them: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. When the flood came, the river crashed against that house and couldn't shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears and does not act is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The river crashed against it, and immediately it collapsed, and the destruction of that house was great. Luke 6:46-49 There are a few things that are given in this passage: We all hear We all build The storms do come. We can hear and not listen. There are times, especially first thing in the morning, I want my coffee and space to seek God. Visitors who love to pounce and prattle find me a poor listener at that time. Yet I must put time aside for both so that both get a good hearing. If I go into someone's home and th...

"A good tree doesn't produce bad fruit; on the other hand, a bad tree does not produce good fruit. For each tree is known by its own fruit. Figs aren't gathered from thorn bushes, or grapes picked from a bramble bush. A good man produces good out of a good storeroom of his heart. An evil man produces evil out of the evil storeroom, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.  Luke 6:43-45 I grew up in a small town and both my grandmother home and our home had fruit trees. Our fruit trees were the best. I remember the day we moved to our home, the previous owners had a vegetable garden as well as many fruit trees. My parents had five children at the time and did not care for a vegetable garden but kept the fruit trees. My mother would tend the fruit trees, I should say, the peach and apricot trees, the rest were left to their own devices. In all we had: fig, peach, apricot, plum, Apple and persimmon. The peaches were large, their name was Yellow Mundy. They were th...

He also told them a parable: "Can the blind guide the blind? Won't they both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher. Luke 6:39,40 I have a blind dog, if I move furniture and add furniture she is lost and needs my help. If I was also blind we would struggle. My dog relies on my eyes. Doing bible school is good but so is experience in the word. I remember as a pastor trying to help people going through a marriage break up, we did our best but lacked understanding, I now have understanding and empathy because of my experience. People who have the letter of the scripture can think a scripture should fix things, but there is a presence in the scripture that fixes things. Unless we can connect with the author we remain lost and in pain. Healing takes time, a lot longer than we are willing to allow. Samuel's mother knew the truth, when she was unable to have a child she went to the temple to pray, she was s...

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you; a good measure- pressed down, shaken together, and running over- will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you." Luke 6: 37,38 Do you want a good life? Do not judge or condemn, instead forgive, give grace to others, give God room to convict, give generously and good will come back to you. In the measure you give, it will be given to you. So simple! Yet it can be frustratingly hard to accomplish, especially if you try and do it yourself, in your own strength. If we are abiding in the Lord, then we have the strength, the attitude and the grace. Do you know that frustration comes when our expectations differ to God's and other peoples? If we are on the same page as the Lord, then we will cog back our expectations to 'God is good!' And leave it at that. Everyone wil...

"But I say to you who listen: Love your enemies, do what is good to those who hate you,  bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If anyone hits you on the cheek, offer the other also. And if anyone takes away your coat, don't hold back your shirt either. Give to everyone who asks you, and from one who takes your things, do not ask for them back. Just as you want others to do for you, do the same for them. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do what is good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is gracious to the ungrateful and evil. Be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful." Luke 6:27-36 What Jesus is saying flies in the face of our culture. Now, if a man makes a...

Then looking up at His disciples, He said: "you who are poor are blessed, Because the kingdom of God is yours. You who are now hungry are blessed,  Because you will be filled. You who now weep are blessed, Because you will laugh. You are blessed when people hate you, When they exclude you, insult you, And slander your name as evil because of the Son of Amn. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! Take note- your reward is great in heaven, for this is the way their ancestors used to treat the prophets." Luke 6:20-23 In Matthew it is recorded that Jesus used the words: poor in spirit, and hunger and thirst after righteousness. The gentle are added in Matthew, as are the merciful, the pure in heart and  the peacemakers. See Matthew 5:3-10 What was  Jesus doing? Gently He was pulling them apart, like you do an orange, lovingly and deliberately so that they could learn a new truth, the truth of the kingdom of God. If we are really to be palatable to this world we live in we need...

After coming down with them, He stood on a level place with a large crowd of His disciples and a great number of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and from the sea last of Tyre and Sidon. They came to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases; and those tormented by unclean spirits were made well. The whole crowd was trying to touch Him, because power was coming out from Him and healing them all. Luke 6:17-19 Jesus was prepared, He had spent the night in prayer on the mountain. He was filled to the brim with the Holy Spirit and power. The crowd consisted of disciples, Jews and Gentiles. I know that if I heard Jesus was nearby, I would be there. I love being where He is. I especially love being prepared for where He is and what He brings to me. Last night I had my Chinese visitors, they were very impressed that I still had my 84 year old mother and that she still drove a car. We made pizza together, Alice's mother handles pastry well and brought me more of her beautiful cooking....