Luke 9

18 Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?”

20 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”  Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.”

The most important question we can ponder.  Who is Jesus.  The answer has huge ramifications.  I also find it curious that Jesus seems interested in the rumors from the crowds.  I can picture myself asking that question......what kind of leader do people say I am?  What is my reputation as a designer?  those sorts of things.  When you are acting as a leader, you don't always feel like you know the reality of how people perceive you.  Obviously, Jesus already knew how the people felt about him.  I'm sure that made him both happy and sad.  I think he was asking the first question, in preparation for the second.  He is asking his 12 if they are "all-in" yet.  You've seen all this miraculous stuff.....what say you?  Where is your heart?

tp

ps.  We are taking our family vacation tomorrow and next week, so I probably won't be posting.  But, keep moving forward.  I will catch up with the blog when I return.  

Keep your roots growing in the fertile dirt!

Luke 8

12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.13 Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

If I'm honest with myself......I think I have attributes of all these.....everyday.  The key is to focus on Jesus, and the fact that I know for certain I can't do it right without him.  I will never be good enough to say, "I'm the seed landing in good soil."

I don't like the first line that talks about the devil.  That makes it sound like he has the power to keep me from God.  I don't believe that.  I believe that God has infinitely more power, and wouldn't let that happen.  

Luke 7

The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy[a] are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.

talk about a drop the mic moment.  That pretty much sums it up.  What else could you possibly ask for?

The story of the sinful woman anointing Jesus really makes me think.  To me, the moral of the story is that we should keep our focus on him.  If we do, the rest either doesn't matter or will fall into place.  Her entire world, it sounds like, was Jesus in that moment.  She wasn't distracted by the commotion she was causing.  She wasn't deterred by the looks and grumbles that had to be coming her way.  She was only concerned with serving, praising, worshiping, anything she could......to Jesus.  That full commitment.

Luke 6

45 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

I can tell you when I notice nasty things coming out of my mouth, or I see the shock on Kim's face as I say something.....those are the times when I'm not connected.  I've been slacking on my studies, or just haven't been as conscious of God as I should be.  I completely relate to this verse.  When I'm straight...good things come through me.  When I'm not COMPLETELY plugged in, the world seems stronger and I start to give in.

tp

Luke 5

My observation today is not around a specific verse, but  more of a characteristic that I see coming through in this chapter.  It seems that every time someone comes to him with complete humility, falling on their face in his presence, his heart breaks for them.  He heals the leper....he heals the paralyzed man....he calls Levi (Matthew).  All 3 of these men were suffering afflictions of a broken world.  2 were physical and one was mental....but all were in desperate need of a Savior.  Along comes Jesus and these men were smart enough to recognize him.  That's step 1.

Application:  Recognize him when he comes around.  Then act accordingly to him.  Treat him, or the situation or the person you are seeing him within, with the reverence and humility that he deserves.

tp

Luke 4

This one runs rapid fire style, just like Mark did.  Lots of action and lots to be glossed over or studied.  The verse that caught my attention today was this.

13 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.

It occurs to me that the evil one doesn't spend all of his time trying to trip me up....he look for the opportune moments.  Just like he did here.

I'm not sure if I asked this question last time we went thru this book, but how did the information about the tempting get to Luke?   It must have been Jesus telling the story about his experience in the wilderness.  It doesn't say anything about others being with him, so it would have just been Jesus and Satan together.....no witnesses.  So, Jesus must have been recounting the story for his followers.  Interesting...

Luke 3

7 John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.

Strange take away today.  These couple of sentences reminded me of thing Jesus said.  I think he used the exact line "...brook of vipers."  He also talked several times about producing fruit, whether it be fruits of the spirit, or of the fig tree in the courtyard.  John the Baptist and Jesus were definitely connected in a way I can't understand.  But, again....the plan is perfect.

23 Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph.

This line is strange.  I know what the author is saying, but its a funny way to say it.   To those around him, Joseph appeared to be his father, but in reality his father was God.

tp

Luke 2

29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
    you may now dismiss[d] your servant in peace.
30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,
31     which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and the glory of your people Israel.”

This is a bit of a different take today.  I want to look at Simeon for a minute.  Here is a guy that was full of faith.  He had been waiting for this moment all his life.  To finally see the fruition of God's promise to you, personally.....must be an amazing thing.  I love how his language reflects his reverence for his God.  I wonder what was unique about Simeon.  Why did God promise that he would see the savior before he died.  Was there something significant about Simeon, or that prophesy?  I dunno

small take.
tp

Luke 1

41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit

I started in on Luke this morning.  A couple of things struck me.  1st is how often in the bible God gives babies to people far beyond the years of child bearing....and that child is of great significance.  It happens over and over. Second, is the verse above, it makes me think of the pro-life fighters.  To think the baby in the womb isn't really human until it's born....and then you read this! Unborn John recognized Mary!  That's incredible to me.  Makes me think of when Kim was pregnant with Max and we went to a KC and the sunshine band concert.  He was dancing in there like crazy.  Funny to think about.

anyway.  Nothing earth shattering today.  just observations
tp

Mark 16

Quick chapter today....quick take.

5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side

Does this imply that we will all be young in the heaven?  Wouldn't that be great?  I'm picturing a perfect looking dude here.  Pure white clothes.  Perfect creation of God.  

But go, tell his disciples and Peter

Interesting verse.....how he separates Peter from the rest of the disciples.  hmmm

tp

Mark 15

I don't have a verse today.  More of a overall reaction to reading it.  I found it to be WAY to sterile, today.  The scripture tells that darkness came over the land from 12 to 3.  But, there has to be more to the story.  Where the people running around, all freaked out by this?  What was the reaction?  Where they drawing a connection between the darkness and the crucifixion?  How far did the darkness reach?  When the temple veil tore, was there loud thunder?  I think I remember reading that in Matthew.  This is the single biggest event in human history since the creation of the world.  I want more!  At the moment of his death....everything changed for all of us.  He took it all.  All of our crap.  He took it!  The penalty for everything that had gone wrong, and everything that would ever go wrong.  He took it all.  He righted the ship in this very chapter.  The broken world now has a path to perfection.  I just can't read thru that in one 10 minute passage.

It leaves me feeling sad and grateful for his grace and love.

tp

Mark 14

51 A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, 52 he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.

So I have never noticed these verses before and for some reason they caught my eye.  It seems so random.  So I have spent the last 20min researching this and you cannot believe the volumes of material written on this without a consistent conclusion.

Cameo by Mark himself, angel, symbolism related to death because the linen was a burial garment.  I really don't know what to make of it or why my eyes were drawn to it today.  I'm rambling waiting to see if something that I have read resonates with me.  The word used to describe the garment apparently shows up 3-4 times in Mark, so what I don't know.

So nothing is coming to me, but I don't believe the words are just randomly placed.  God has a reason, maybe for someone who has studied more in depth than me?  Sharing a connecting thread back to Adam and Eve, or a symbol of death and resurrection.

no conclusions today from me.  
knut

Mark 13

2 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard! Be alert[e]! You do not know when that time will come.

No great take here.  I use to be very fascinated with the end times and all the clues God gives us in the bible to know when those times are near.  But these days I don't consider it much because as he says here no one but him knows when the moment will occur.

So what is most important is that we are prepared at all times.  How would I feel if he showed up today?  Not simply do I believe, but would He be pleased with me and how I have been using the life he gave me?  Would he find me in the middle of something pleasing to him or would I feel embarrassed by how I was spending my time when he showed up?  

maybe I need to be acting more urgently, like I truly believe today could be that day?

knut

Mark 12

There's a mountain in here!  So many aspects to talk about.  How smart Jesus is...and how he continuously puts the words of the religious leaders against themselves.  How wise his words are.  How they are no doubt he speaks from a larger perspective than ours...infinitely larger.

Here's my verse.

29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.[e] 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’[f] 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[g]There is no commandment greater than these.”

I love that.  Its so clean and easy.  Love God with all you have.  Love others.  boom!  that's it.  Do that, and you are there.  That's really what this entire book boils down to.  (by book, I mean the bible)

tp out

Mark 11

What strikes me today isn't a particular verse.  Its just a sense of how quickly things changed.  Jesus went from being hailed as the King (which is how he should have been treated) to being questioned and ultimately killed.  In the immortal words of Anchorman, "that really escalated quickly."
In his royal entrance to the city, Jesus was being treated as an earthly king.  In thinking about that....I can't help but think even that wasn't nearly enough.  We are talking about the Son of God!  The "most high".  The Savior of all mankind.  What kind of a reception should he get?

Then to step into application for a second.  If all of those words that I just wrote, are true......how do I treat him?  Do I give him his just due?  Do I give him the reverence and awe inspired wonder that he so richly deserves?  Or do I spend more time questioning his authority?  Its a concept for me to spend some serious time thinking about.  If I believe what I say I believe....then.......having said that, I know I can't give him what he deserves.  That's the grace he gives me if my heart is in him and visa versa.

tp

Mark 10

Again, we have rapid fire story telling.  Bouncing from one thing to the next.  I find myself wanting a little more on each lesson/story.  But, the author is simply recording the events.  He isn't adding color commentary.  

27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

This is the verse that I hang my hat on.  I can't do it.  I know I can't.  I need his help and his intervention....just to help me qualify.


The beginning talks about Divorce and a lot of people get caught up in this.  I think they twist it around to mean something that is easy for us humans to understand....but, here's what I think it means.
Anything that we do that is outside of God's original plan and design....is sin.  Sometimes it is intentional disobedience....sometimes it is a factor of living in a broken world.  I think sometimes it can be a good thing that you are trying to do....but, if its not God's plan, or even against his plan.  Then in his eyes its sin.  Does that make sense?  I could be completely off the deep end here.  I do believe that divorce is sin....but, I think the reason its sin is because it goes against God's design and original plan.  I don't think it condemns you forever.  It is no worse an offense than gossiping about someone, or with-holding your talents for what God intended them to be used for.
What do ya think?

tp