Lesson 991

(Lesson 991)(05-31-14) Luke 12:35-40

"Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not."

Today's lesson tells the followers of Christ to be always prepared for His second coming and to live our lives as if He will return today.
Throughout history there has been much speculation about when Jesus will return to reclaim the earth and to exercise His judgment against those whom have died in His grace.

Today's lesson very plainly tells us that the time of His return will NEVER be known by anyone other that God the Father.
Jesus did, however, tell us that there would be signs we could observe to know the day of His return was near; "And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." (Matthew 24:3-36)

Many of the things Jesus descrpbed in this quote have already occurred during my lifetime.

What a glorious and blessed day that will be for those of us whom have accepted His loving grace and placed our faith in Him.~

Lesson 990

(Lesson 990)(05-30-14) Luke 12:13-34

"And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

Today's quote relates a lesson on faith, straight from the mouth of Jesus Christ, that challenges and decries a great part of today's, so called, "Christian" philosophy.

By speaking to His disciples, applying a parable, Jesus perfectly described one of the most pronounced failures of modern "Christianity", that being it's total lack of demonstrated faith.

To those "Christians" who would "save up" for tomorrow by amassing great wealth and then stashing it in investments and savings accounts (new barns) so as to amass even more, Jesus said; "Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on." Jesus very directly commanded His followers to rely on Him, by faith, to provide even the clothes we wear on our backs.

Those who keep building "new barns" within which to store more and more earthly goods demonstrate a total lack of faith in the straight forward promises made by Jesus Christ Himself. Many of those totally disobedient "Christians" also occupy the best pews in today's "churches" every time the doors swing, while loudly and hypocritically AMENing every aspect of this very lesson every time it is taught.

As Jesus made so very clear in today's lesson, there will be a time when our souls will be demanded of us. The strength of our faith will be exposed for what it truly is.

Living a pretend life of obedience to the gospel of Christ will make for a losing situation when we face the judgment seat of Christ.

We should all take the time to reassess our priorities and rededicate ourselves, by FAITH, to the pure gospel of Christ. We must all humble ourselves and not let wealth, or lack thereof, stand between us and our service to God.

We should remember who Jesus is and what He is to us. We should remember that the words He said are meant to be taken seriously and applied accordingly each and every hour of our lives.

As for me, with a choice between "rainy day" money in the bank and an eternity with God, I'm taking the promise of a secure eternity made by Jesus Himself, every time.~

Lesson 989

(Lesson 989)(05-29-14) Luke 12:4-12

"And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven. And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say."

In this lesson, Jesus, knowing that the leaders of the Jews, the Romans, and Herod himself, were all out to kill Him and destroy His Church, He assured His disciples that although they might be captured and thrown before the courts, they had nothing to fear because the Holy Ghost would always be there to protect them, even to the point of providing the words they would need to say in their own defense.

That same protection is ours for the taking today if we will only place our faith in Jesus Christ. If we have, and are willing to demonstrate, total faith in Him, we need never fear anything.

God knows us all, and as is said in today's quote, he knows the number of hairs on our heads. So, He won't forget us when we are in need. He remembers the sparrows, and they are far less important to Him than we.

There was a time when it seemed impossible there would ever be a day when Christian people, right next to home, would be threatened because of their belief in Jesus Christ. Sadly, there are many places in the world today, not that far from our homes, where that security no longer exists except as it is afforded us through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Although it is not our charge to change the morality of the world, it is incumbent upon us to defend our own faith, the only way we will ever be able to do that is by leaning totally upon the power of the Holy Ghost through faith in Jesus Christ, our Redeemer.~

Lesson 988

(Lesson 988)(05-28-14) Luke 12:1-3

"In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops."

This is one of my favorite bible lessons and is one very closely reflective of today's, so called, Christian authority.

Jesus said; "Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy." In essence, He warned His disciples not to be taken in by the smooth talkers who have always held the reins of "religious" authority and who give the outward appearance of perfection while inwardly they are consumed by evil intent.

Those of us who take up the cause of Jesus Christ should also beware of the "Christian" hypocrites, we should arm ourselves against them with absolute bible truth.

Today's Christian should; Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness." (2 Timothy 2:15-16)
Jesus went further in today's lesson saying; "For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known."

Just as Jesus exposed the hypocritical Pharisees, those today, who by pretense, use the word of God for their own personal gain, will also be exposed and judged accordingly.

A hypocrite who knows the will of God and abuses it can do hundreds of times more harm to the cause of Jesus Christ than one who is totally ignorant of God's word.~

Lesson 987

(Lesson 987)(05-27-14) Luke 11:37-54

"And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat. And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner. And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness. Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also? But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you. But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them. Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also. And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers. Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres. Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute: That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation. Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered. And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things: Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him."

In today's lesson, when the Pharisee challenged Jesus as to why He had not washed His hands before eating, according to the law and custom of the Jews, Jesus took the opportunity to expose the hypocrisy of the Jewish religious leadership.

He explained that, although they took great pains to leave the outward appearance of following the letter of the law, in truth, they were wholly corrupt and full of evil intent.

Jesus openly charged those leaders, as a people, with the collective murder of many of God's prophets, from Abel all the way through Zacharias. Not only had they betrayed the covenant with God, they had made themselves a stumbling block before those who were earnestly seeking God's grace.

Many of our modern "religious" representatives, and "Church" leaders, are guilty of conducting themselves in the exact same way as did those lawyers, scribes, and Pharisees of Jesus' day.

They present a beautiful picture on the outside, never missing an opportunity to warm the padded pew, while being inwardly rotten to the core.

As is said in today's quote, the Pharisees, scribes, and lawyers, sacrificed small, insignificant things of themselves while demanding all others to sacrifice the more precious and costly things. As we learned in a previous lesson, some even sold sacrificial animals, for profit, inside the temple.

I believe the warning Jesus gave to those Jewish religious leaders should also be given to the vast majority of today's "religious" leaders, those who elevate themselves above the rest of us while passing judgment on those who do not walk their falsely conceived and hypocritical line.
Paul put it very well when he said, "But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way."(Romans 14:10-13)
Unlike the Pharisees of old, and the hypocrites of today, as children of God, we should ALWAYS remain humble in our worship and spiritual efforts. We should ALWAYS raise those around us above our own station, so as to present ourselves as true Christians in the manner laid out for us by Jesus Christ Himself.~

Lesson 986

(Lesson 986)(05-26-14) Luke 11:29-36

"And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light. The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light."

In today's lesson Jesus rightly described the leadership of the Jews of His day, as an "evil" generation.

The Jewish people, throughout their history, had so distorted and disobeyed God's laws so as to completely destroy the covenant Abraham had made. They had continually chased after and worshiped idols. They had perverted God's laws to fit their own power hungry, greedy agendas.

Jesus gave the examples of how Solomon, blessed with the infinite wisdom, had so impressed the people of his generation that they had followed Him without question. He told how that, because of Jonas, the people of Nineveh had repented their evil ways and turned back to God.
Jesus explained how, even though He is the all powerful, omniscient Son of our creator God, mightier than any of the prophets, the Jews of His day still refused to believe in Him.

Just as the ancient Jews had Jesus' physical presence, we today, have His wisdom and power through the presence of His Holy Spirit. We also have every word of His gospel message.

Jesus said we are not to accept then sit down with His grace, we are to remove the "bushel" that hides it and broadcast our faith to all who will listen, every waking minute of every day.

We should be very conscious of the fact that just like the ancient Jews, most of the earth's population today, even those who take on the mantel of "Christianity", still choose to distort the pure gospel of Christ by parsing His words to suit personal agendas. Those who might be guilty of practicing such distortion either don't realize, that by doing so, they reject Jesus and His loving grace, or they just don't believe enough to care.

Jesus said that those who believed Jonah's warning and repented would rise up to judge those who had not.

The sad reality is that the judgment facing those who reject the saving grace of Jesus Christ is horribly worse by comparison to any judgment that could be delivered by the people of Nineveh.

Those who reject Jesus and His soul saving sacrifice will be damned for eternity.~

Lesson 985

(Lesson 985)(05-25-14) Luke 11:27-32

"And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it."

Today's quote provides much of the foundation for the erroneous adoration and worship of Mary, the virgin mother of Jesus, within the Roman Catholic "Church".

We should take notice that it was only a woman in the crowd who rose and said; "Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked." Jesus gave no such blessing.

As a matter of fact, He very clearly rebutted the woman's blessing of Mary when He immediately said; "Yea RATHER, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it."

Jesus said the truly blessed were those who heard His word and believed in Him.

In Matthew 12:47-50, Jesus also made it clear that those who believe in Him take precedent over His own family. Mary, His earthly mother included: "Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother."

As we see in this lesson, Mary, the woman so many Catholics wrongfully pray to today, means less in the sight of God than those of us whom have placed our faith in Him Through Jesus Christ.~

Lesson 984

(Lesson 984)(05-24-14) Luke 11:14-28

"And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered. But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils. And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven. But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth. If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub. And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges. But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you. When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it."

Today's lesson is a complicated one, and one that can very easily be misunderstood so as to appear to teach the wrong message. Maybe we can help clarify the intent of what Jesus said in this lesson.
While studying the New Testament, some forget that Jesus was dealing with the Jewish people except on very few occasions. In today's quote, He preaches to the Jews directly, but is preaching to, and about, the future generations of His Church as well.

Jesus was explaining to those Jewish doubters that He, Himself, was indeed the promised Messiah and that He, through His upcoming soul redeeming sacrifice, had come to fulfill the old law of the Jews for all who would believe in Him.

In the first part of the lesson, some of the Jews accused Jesus of casting out devils through the power of, and on behalf of, Satan. Jesus explained that it wouldn't make any sense for Satan to cast out his own devils. And that if he did, it would only take from his own power.

In reference to the coming of His Church and its power over the law, Jesus then preached a message of warning, straight at the Jewish leadership, using the an analogy of the "strong man".

The "strong man" represented the Jewish nation under the law, the even "stronger", much more powerful man, represented Jesus Himself and the Church He would establish.

Jesus explained that by the power and authority of God, through His death, burial, and resurrection, He would take all power and authority as spiritual leaders, away from the Jews, and give it to the Gentiles and His Church.

Jesus fulfilled the Law of Moses in ever aspect, He lived the perfect, sinfree life. He fulfilled the ritual water immersion requirement when He had John "baptize" Him. He fulfilled the requirement of a blood sacrifice when He was crucified.

This lesson foretold God's taking all power from the Jews and giving it explicity to the Church that Jesus established.

There is one final point that should be made. Jesus made this statement toward the end of today's quote; "He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth."

I believe this statement still applies to the many different "Christian Churches" today. There is today, just as there was in Jesus day, only one truth. It is the duty of every believer to find it. "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." (Matthew 7:13-15) ~

Lesson 983

(Lesson 983)(05-23-14) Luke 11:5-13

"And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?"

In today's lesson Jesus makes a comparison between the love of an earthly father and that of God, our Heavenly Father. He said, in essence, that the way we demonstrate the love we have for our own children pales in comparison to the way God is prepared to demonstrate His ultimate love for us.
This lesson again confirms the promise that, if we believe in Jesus Christ and put our ALL our faith in Him, what ever we ask from Him, He will provide, just as He said; "And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened."

What a wonderful promise.~

Lesson 982

(Lesson 982)(05-22-14) Luke 11:1-4

"And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil."

In today's lesson, Jesus taught His disciples, and thereby us, how to pray. As and example, He gave us what we now refer to as the "Lord's prayer".

In Matthew 6:5-8, relating to this same lesson, Jesus went further with His instructions: "And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him."

In this quote, Jesus makes it very clear that His followers are NOT to pray in public. Yet today, in every "Christian" denomination, that I'm aware of, public prayer is invariably offered as a part of the regular "church" ritual, several times during a service.

Some attempt to defend this action by saying that Jesus was not so much giving prayer instruction, as much as He was ridiculing the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. That is patently wrong! Jesus very clearly condemned public prayer in "church" when He said, "thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues". We all know a synagogue was, and still is, a Jewish "church".

The glorious part of today's lesson is what Jesus promised in the last part of the quote from Matthew 6, "your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him."

In today's lesson Jesus gave us a model around which we should mold our prayers. He also told us, in the Matthew account, exactly how and where we should pray to be effective with our prayers, so as to assure ourselves that we get the answer we desire. Jesus said: "But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."

The prayer of an individual believer is not to be heard by anyone other than the Father through the Son.~

Lesson 981

(Lesson 981)(05-21-14) Luke 10:38-42

"Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

This lesson is the perfect example of how important it is, in the eyes of Jesus, that we abandon everything in our personal lives, even to the ignoring of physical pain, to pursue the duty Christianity requires of us.

I know of none, including myself, that go to the extent Jesus insisted upon. This is the very reason we suffer through so many things in life, if we only could muster the faith to step out and do His will, we would be blessed beyond belief.~

Lesson 980

(Lesson 980)(05-20-14) Luke 10:25-37

"And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise."

Today's lesson is one of my favorites and one of the most ignored in the New Testament among many modern "Christians".

Jesus said, on many different occasions that we who follow Him are bound by two commands that within them encompass all others: "The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these." (Matthew 12:16-19 in part.)

The story of the "Good Samaritan" very clearly demonstrates that our neighbors are anyone we will ever meet, even our enemies.

According to Jesus, if we know someone is struggling, no matter who it might be, we are to help.

Sadly, many have become like the rich man Jesus describes in this parable: "And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry."

Jesus warned the selfish in Matthew 12:20, "But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?"

It it is at all possible, Christian people should always freely extend a helping hand to anyone who needs it. If you have nothing, offer an humble prayer, if your faith is sufficient, the outcome is guaranteed by Jesus Christ Himself.~

Lesson 979

(Lesson 979)(05-19-14) Luke 10:21-24

"In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see: For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them."

In today's quote, Jesus said, "For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them."

This lesson clearly tells us that the Apostles of Jesus witnessed things that no other human being had ever witnessed before. They were so blessed as to see, first hand, the humanly impossible miracles that Jesus made happen.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to have Jesus present today so that He could do the miraculous things He did back then, and so that all those who refuse to believe in Him today could see, first hand, that He is indeed the Son of God? Wouldn't Jesus in person be a wonderful tool for those of us who wish to spread the knowledge of His amazing grace?

We should remember, WE DON'T NEED JESUS TO BE PRESENT WITH US IN A PHYSICAL BODY!

If we truly believe in Him and believe His promises, we have Him and His omniscient power, at our command, right here with us every minute of every day.

All we need to do is call on the power of the Holy Spirit through His name, having absolute faith that He will hear and answer our prayers, and His strength IS our strength.

Sadly, we don't have the courage to test our faith to the extent of moving sycamore trees or mountains.

Our faith is so weak we seldom test it at all.

We are, however, not the only believers to demonstrate weakness of faith. Jesus reprimanded His Apostles almost daily for their lack of faith. When Peter, the first Apostle chosen, walked toward Jesus on the water, Having Jesus standing right there with him, he allowed his faith to waver and began to sink, and would have, but Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him.

Although, if our faith were sufficient, we could walk on water today, we have the same blessed assurance that was extended to Peter because his faith was weak.

Just as Jesus did when Peter began to sink, when our faith wavers, He will ALWAYS reach out and pull us back to safety if we only believe in Him.

Just imagine, knowing that Jesus is always with us in Spirit, what we could accomplish if we had the faith of a grain of mustard seed.~

Lesson 978

(Lesson 978)(05-18-14) Luke 10:13-20

"Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell. He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me. And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven."

In today's lesson Jesus warned about the wrath of God that would come upon the cities in which His word had been preached and ignored. Then, He warned that God would be more lenient upon those who had not heard His word His word at all, than He would be toward those who had indeed both heard His word, and rejected it.

In the latter part of the lesson, Jesus reaffirms His promise to give His followers the power they would need to overcome any obstacle that might confront them as they traveled to spread His blessed word.

In the last sentence of the lesson, Jesus told His disciples not to be happy about the fact that He had given them the powers, but to rejoice because their names were written in heaven.

This lesson also directly applies to those of us who are followers of Christ Jesus today.~

Lesson 977

(Lesson 977)(05-17-14) Luke 10:1-12

"After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way. And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house. And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again. And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city."

This lesson makes two important points that relate to Christianity today. First, we are reminded that when take on the responsibility of spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, we are to rely on nothing other than our faith to sustain us.

Secondly, Jesus told His disciples, as well as those of us who believe in Him today, how we are to treat those people who refuse to listen to the word of God.

We are to walk away from them and ignore them as if they do not even exist.

Sadly, many of today's "Christians" falsely believe they must force others to adhere to the standards Jesus set for us. Some even go to the extreme of trying to enact laws to apply that force. That is simply wrong!

Just as Jesus very clearly put it, "But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city."

We are clearly to leave judgment to God and go on about the business of spreading the the good news of God's saving grace to those who are willing, and want to hear it.

I know it's really hard not to pound the gospel into friends, neighbors and family around us who appear to be walking themselves straight of into hell with their behavior, but just as is made so vividly clear in today's lesson, we are to leave them alone. We are NOT to preach to those who don't choose to listen.

The following is what Paul, Christ's Apostle to the Gentiles, said about those who condemn the actions of those around them, "Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; FOR THOU THAT JUDGEST DOEST THE SAME THINGS. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? (Romans 2:1-3)~

Lesson 976

(Lesson 976)(05-16-14) Luke 9:57-62

"And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

Today's is a very powerful lesson for all of us who claim to have taken on the task of following after Jesus.

As is made so blatantly clear in today's quote, there is NO looking back when it comes to putting our lives into the hands of God through faith in Jesus Christ.

To demonstrate the kind of faith required to redeem our eternal souls, we must keep our faces forward always and look neither backward nor sideways in our pursuit of life. God will provide for our every need, just as He promised He would, so long as we ask in the manner He laid out for us.

The explanation of today's "Christian" condition is laid our very well in James 4:2-3, "Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts."

While explaining what would come of increasing our faith and keeping our faces forward, Jesus said, "If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you."(Luke 17:6)

What a promise.~

Lesson 975

(Lesson 975)(05-15-14) Luke 9:51-56

"And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village."

Today's lesson demonstrates the compassion Jesus felt, even for those who disagreed with Him and did not want Him among them.

This is also a lesson that should be applied to the lives of modern Christians. We should indeed, as Jesus did, have respect for the feelings and decisions of others, even when we might consider them to be wrong.

Should we always stand up for our Christian principles as they apply to our own lives? Absolutely! Should we try to force those principles on those who are unwilling to accept them?NO!

When confronted with the contention, Jesus simply selected another place to prepare for His sacrificial ordeal so as not to cause problems in the Samaritan village.

Therefore, when we our efforts in life are met with defiance, instead of forcing the issue, we should simply find another way.~

Lesson 974

(Lesson 974)(05-14-14) Luke 9:49-50

"And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us. And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us."

This is yet another very short message that bears a very powerful lesson to those of us who currently claim to be the Christian people.

As we all know, there are literally thousands of religious groups all of whom consider themselves to be the one true representative of the Church Jesus established during His ministry.

After many years of careful and prayerful bible research, and having studied the tenets of many "Christian" isms (periodically attending the gatherings of some), I have found that there is much basic philosophical disagreement even among those who most adamantly define themselves as a unique group with no brand.

As Jesus was preparing for His sin remitting sacrifice and the total upheaval of all Jewish tradition, anything positive that was done or said by anyone, be they friend of foe, must have been a good thing in His eyes. Sadly, that is not the case and cannot be applied today. Jesus, through His teachings and the whole of the New Testament, left us with a clear and distinct doctrinal foundation upon which His Church was to stand. All others are a stumbling block.

Jesus made very clear the doctrine that was to be taught and the purpose of the Church when He made this demand of the first twelve members, He said, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, *baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." (Matthew 28:19-20)

We should all get back to the basics of real Christian doctrine and pull together for the common good and eternal wellbeing of those who are otherwise lost and without hope.

It would be a wonderful thing if all who claim "christianity" in the twenty first century was "for us".~

*The word "baptizing", as it is applied in the above quote, simply means 'immersing' there is no water medium implied.

Lesson 973

(Lesson 973)(05-13-14) Luke 9:46-48

"Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest. And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by him, And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great."

Today's is another lesson that is short on words but gigantic in its importance to both the disciples of Jesus then, and Christianity as a whole today.

Jesus clearly defined how those who believe in Him, then and today, are obligated to view those around us.

Jesus said, "Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great.". By saying this, unlike some mistakenly contend, Jesus was not talking about children in necessarily the literal sense, He was referring to anyone who is incapable of properly caring for themselves. Jesus was, in essence, demanded that His followers take care of the weak.

If the money raised in the name of the Lord were to be spent making sure children don't go to bed hungry instead of being wasted on building multi-million dollar "churches" and the comforts of pompous "televangelists", what a wonderful world this could be.

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." (Matthew 22:37-39) ~

Lesson 972

(Lesson 972)(05-12-14) Luke 9:37-45

"And it came to pass, that on the next day, when they were come down from the hill, much people met him. And, behold, a man of the company cried out, saying, Master, I beseech thee, look upon my son: for he is mine only child. And, lo, a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crieth out; and it teareth him that he foameth again, and bruising him hardly departeth from him. And I besought thy disciples to cast him out; and they could not. And Jesus answering said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and suffer you? Bring thy son hither. And as he was yet a coming, the devil threw him down, and tare him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him again to his father. And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God. But while they wondered every one at all things which Jesus did, he said unto his disciples, Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men. But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying."

Today's is another lesson concerning the power of faith. As is demonstrated in the quote, Jesus' disciples could not remove the demon that possessed the young boy.

When this was brought to Jesus' attention, He sternly warned them saying, "Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men." Jesus was telling them that soon they would be without Him and then they would be left entirely to their faith.

We today should also let this lesson "sink into" our ears. Those of us whom have been saved by the grace of God have been given an awesome power through the Holy Spirit! We, through Him, are able to accomplish whatever we wish to be done, so long as our wishes are within the will of God.

In Matthew's account of the event mentioned in today's lesson, when asked why the disciples could not remove the devil, Jesus said, "Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you." (Matthew 17:20 in part)

What should be taken from this lesson today is that those of us who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, should exercise the power of the Holy Spirit, through the practice of our faith. We should use it toward the furtherance of God's word and will, and toward the betterment of all humanity. ~

Lesson 971

(Lesson 971)(05-11-14) Luke 9:28-36

"And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering. And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias: Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him. And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said. While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud. And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him. And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen."

In today's lesson, speaking to Peter, James, and John through a voice from the cloud and in the presence of Moses and Elias, God further confirmed that Jesus is His Son and that the Apostles were to hear and learn from Him.

It is very important to note that even after waking to find Jesus in an aura of glory, and standing with Moses and Elias, Peter, having no clue as to what was transpiring, offered to build monumental tabernacles in honor of the three. It is apparent by the context of this lesson, that Peter, in spite of having already said that Jesus was the Son of God, had not yet grasped the profoundness of the situation. Peter demonstrated his lack of faith by honoring Jesus in the same manner he would honor a prophet and not as the Son of the Highest. Peter did not yet fully understand that Jesus was truly God in the form of a mortal man.

By speaking from the cloud and confirming Jesus, God reminded Peter and the others that a new law and a new way had been revealed which would come with the sacrifice of His only begotten Son.

After hearing God's commanding voice from the cloud Peter and the others began to realize what the meeting was all about and therefore kept it all secret until Jesus had completed His sin remitting sacrificial ordeal.~

Lesson 970

(Lesson 970)(05-10-14) Luke 9:23-27

"And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels. But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God."

In today's lesson, Jesus gave directions to His Apostles, demanding of them absolute devotion.

As was discussed in yesterday's lesson, special attention must be paid to whom Jesus made these demands.

He was speaking directly to the twelve Apostles. These twelve had been hand selected by Jesus to have a special place in the history of Christianity. They were also given the power of the Holy Spirit, to heal and perform miracles, before He (The Holy Spirit) had descended upon the Church at Pentecost.

Those twelve were very unique in that Jesus exempted them from the Law of Moses in many ways, while they were still bound in many others. For example, Jesus would not allow them to preach to Gentiles, or even go into their lands.

Therefore, as some claim, the redeemed today are NOT subject to the absoluteness of the demands Jesus made upon His Apostles in today's lesson. Although we are to indeed, to live out our lives fully devoted to God through Jesus Christ. We are not bound to the rigid standards set forth in this lesson by Jesus.

We, those of us whom have been saved by grace, have had our sins remitted by and through the sacrifice made by Jesus. Our actions are "justified" by His grace.

In the latter part of today's lesson, Jesus went on to tell His Apostles, knowing that Judas would betray Him and not be a part of the twelve when the Holy Spirit descended on His Church, that SOME of them would be present when the Kingdom of God appeared. (Matthew would take Judas' place among the Apostles and was present with the eleven at Pentcost.)

As we know, the Church began when Jesus selected, and ordained, Peter as the first Apostle. Therefore Peter was the first member of the Church, the others being ordained and added as they were selected.

The Church was restricted to Jesus and the twelve Apostles until the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. That is the reason for the rigid demands Jesus placed upon His Apostles.

As we will learn, as these lessons progress, the Church expanded by several thousand on that same day.

To sum up, I say again, it is very important to pay close attention to the context of any New Testament lesson, and to whom it was originally addressed.~

Lesson 969

(Lesson969)(05-09-14) Luke 9:18-22

"And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am? They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again. He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God. And he straitly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing; Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.

In today's lesson Jesus, for the first time, admits to His Disciples that He is the Son of God. He goes on to tell them not to mention that to anyone else.

Jesus did not want the people to learn that He was indeed the promised Messiah until after He had completed His soul saving sacrifice and had ascended back to heaven.

It would be the duty of His Apostles to spread the good news of redemption after Jesus had gone back to be with the Father.

Had all the people known Jesus was the promised Redeemer too soon, it could have caused those who followed Him to disobey the Law of Moses, which remained in full effect until Jesus had completed His sin remitting sacrifice and fulfilled that Law for all who would believe.

There are many today who contend that Jesus taught Christianity, when in fact, He did not. He could not have since there could be no Christianity until after He had accomplished His divine mission, His death, burial, and glorious resurrection.

This lesson demonstrates that we should always study whatever each individual lesson in the New Testament within the intended context. We should likewise pay special attention to whom each individual lesson is addressed. Remembering that Jesus taught secrets to His Apostles, and parables to the masses.

Much of the New Testament was written to the Jews only, much was written to the unknowing, and much was written only to the members of Christ's Church. It is up to us to discern the difference.~

Lesson 968

(Lesson 968)(05-08-14) Luke 9:12-17

"And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place. But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people. For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, Make them sit down by fifties in a company. And they did so, and made them all sit down. Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude. And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets."

Today's quote relates the miracle of the "five loaves and two fishes" wherewith Jesus fed about five thousand people.

This lesson again demonstrates the awesome power of Jesus Christ, and the awesome power that is granted, by faith, to all of us who believe in Him.

I have no doubt, that having sufficient faith, the children of God could work the same miracle today. ~

Lesson 967

(Lesson 967)(05-07-14) Luke 9:6-11

"And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing every where. Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him: and he was perplexed, because that it was said of some, that John was risen from the dead; And of some, that Elias had appeared; and of others, that one of the old prophets was risen again. And Herod said, John have I beheaded: but who is this, of whom I hear such things? And he desired to see him. And the apostles, when they were returned, told him all that they had done. And he took them, and went aside privately into a desert place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing."

In today's lesson, after having John the Baptist beheaded at the whim of his niece, Herod's fear that John would return and work God's wrath against him, caused him to send spies to find out who Jesus really was and what He was all about.

Herod knew John the Baptist was a messenger from God, yet he needlessly had John killed.

The killing of John the baptist started the long and miserable downfall of Herod, he would go on to be a part of the crucifixion of Jesus and then later die a horrible death. As history records it, he was literally consumed by worms.

God's vengeance against Herod came, but it was much later in life than Herod suspected it would be.

What I believe should be taken from this lesson is the fact that, one might get away with defying God and abusing His children for a long time, but eventually, His mighty hand will even the score as was the case with Herod.~

Lesson 966

(Lesson 966)(05-06-14) Luke 9:1-5

"Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece. And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart. And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them."

This is another lesson on faith, and that very much pertains to today's "Christians".

To those disciples Jesus sent out to teach, He made specific requirements. After He had empowered them to work miracles in His name, He specifically told them to make no plans for the trip, nor were they to take the necessities of life; Jesus said, "Take NOTHING for your journey". They were simply to leave everything, having faith that what they would need would be adequately provided, even down to the words they were to say.

Ironically, one of the most favored sayings, among today's "Christians", is; we must put away money for a "rainy day". Does that philosophy line up with what Jesus required of His disciples, His teachers? No! To "save" for a "rainy day" demonstrates an outright and overt absence of faith! Now, am I saying we shouldn't keep an extra loaf of bread in the breadbox? No! Jesus did not require His disciples to empty their pockets, He commanded that they/we, His messengers, not "save up" for things that might later confront us, we are to go about having absolute faith that God will fulfill our every need, as they arise.

Does all this mean that Christian people are denied the ability to attain wealth? NO! Jesus guarantees wealth to those place their faith in Him; "Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, But he shall receive an hundredfold now IN THIS TIME, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life."

What a promise! Whatever we give of ourselves toward the furtherance of God's word will be returned a hundred times over.

Therefore, because of our faith in the promise of Jesus Christ, being wealthy should be a characteristic of Christian people.

There is NO limit to our horizons so long as we believe in Jesus Christ and trust Him with our lives.~

Lesson 965

(Lesson 965)(05-05-14) Luke 8:49-56

"While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master. But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole. And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden. And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise. And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat. And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done."

Today's lesson is another example of the amazing life and soul saving power of faith in God through Jesus Christ.

There didn't appear to be anyone present, among those who had gathered, at the girls home who demonstrated enough faith to help the girl, therefore, Jesus raised the young girl from the dead expressing His own faith in God that His wishes would be fulfilled.

This lesson tells us that anything we, as born again children of God, ask through Jesus Christ, will be given to us by God the Father, just as He resurrected that young girl because of the faith of Jesus.

We, the children of God, have the power at our command to control every bad thing that is thrown at us, if only we exercise our faith in God through His Son, Jesus.~

Lesson 964

(Lesson 964)(05-04014) Luke 8:40-48

"And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him. And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus' feet, and besought him that he would come into his house: For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him. And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched. And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me. And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him and how she was healed immediately. And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace."

Today's lesson is another demonstration of how faith, when it is called upon, can do anything we can require it to do.

The woman mentioned in today's quote, absolutely believed that if she could only touch Jesus she could be cured, and by acting on that belief, making her way through the crowd, the woman was healed.

This lesson again shows us that if we simply reach out to Jesus demonstrating our ultimate faith in Him, He will justify our sins. In doing so, He will make us "whole" and provide us with the righteousness God requires of those who will live with Him in heaven throughout eternity.

"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:4-9)~

Lesson 963

(Lesson 963)(05-03-14) Luke 8:26-39

"And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee. And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not. (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.) And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him. And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep. And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them. Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked. When they that fed them saw what was done, they fled, and went and told it in the city and in the country. Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. They also which saw it told them by what means he that was possessed of the devils was healed. Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear: and he went up into the ship, and returned back again. Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying, Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him."

Today's lesson demonstrates how the demons that possessed a tortured man immediately recognized Jesus as the Son of God and knew He had the power to do with them as He pleased.
The people who witnessed the miracle that destroyed the demons became afraid of Jesus and asked Him to leave their land.

This lesson makes me wonder how we would react if someone today, simply by willing it to happen, removed the evil that continually plagues us. The truth is, if we truly believe in our Lord, Jesus Christ, and call upon the power of the Holy Spirit, we too can eternally do away with the evil that haunts us.

The promise and power of prayer of those who are sanctified is awesome, "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." (James 5:16)

How do we become "righteous" enough for our prayers to be faithfully answered, "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his FAITH IS COUNTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS." (Romans 4:5)~

Lesson 962

(Lesson 962)(05-02-14) Luke 8:22-25

"Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth. But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him."

Today's lesson is a short and simple one. In it, Jesus demonstrates His awesome power by commanding the wind and sea to calm, and it did.

Jesus, by His example, assured His followers of His divine authority over the elements.

When Jesus asked, "where is your faith?", He implied that if only if only His Apsotles had commanded the sea and wind to stand still, while being confident in faith that they would obey, they too could have calmed the elements.

We today, who have believed in Jesus Christ, have access to that same power through the gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, "if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done." (Matthew 21:21 in part)

Any obstacle that might stand in from of God's people today can be easily removed simply by relying on the power of the Holy spirit to move it out of our way.~

Lesson 961

(Lesson 961)(05-01-14) Luke 8:19-21

"Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press. And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee. And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it."

In today's lesson, Jesus assures His listeners that every soul who is willing to hear the word of God, and then act upon it, will indeed be His brother's and sisters, the children of God.

Although Jesus made that comment to a Jewish audience, it also equally applies, under the new law of faith, to every soul alive today.

If we are willing to take our bible and learn what God demands of us, and then actually do what He demands, we will become the children of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ Himself.

Now, what does God's word demand of us, so far as our own salvation is concerned? There are many who will say that He demands that we must first confess our sins and repent them, we must then have ourselves baptized in water, after completing these steps, they say we must live completely above sin for the rest of our lives, or be sure to ask forgiveness every time we "sin. They say we must do all these things in order to maintain our "child of God" status. That assertion is simply, and very sadly, wrong.

In truth, there is only two things a lost soul need do to fulfill the demand Jesus made in today's quote. That is, "thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man BELIEVETH UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:9-10 in part) After we have given out souls to Christ, our faith becomes our righteousness before God.

Further, "Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his FAITH IS COUNTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS." (Romans 4:4-5)

There are NO hoops to jump through to become a child of God, one must only do what Paul said in Rom. 9:10.

Are we to, or can we live without sin after we have become the children of God? Can the "sins" we commit after salvation re-condemn us? The answer is an emphatic NO! In the first place, those of us whom have been born again cannot sin, "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." (1 John 3:9)

We are sealed by the Holy Spirit (God in the Spirit) and cannot become lost again under ANY circumstance. "grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." (Ephesians 4:30 in part)

As is said in today's quoted lesson, If we indeed "hear" God's word, and "do it", we will all be brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ for the rest of eternity.~