Luke 16

Faithful: The Almighty has shown us what is good and what He requires of us (Micah 6:8). Money, often said to be at the root of evil, is a stewardship. It is not a measure of life.

“He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much.”          Luke 16:10 nas

Mammon is personified as an idol that can live in the heart. It is often used as a word to describe wealth.

A steward is a manager of someone else’s wealth, business or possessions. As  believers, everything we have belongs to our God. Actually, the world and everything in it is His (Psalm 24:1). God Almighty is within his rights to judge mankind simply on the basis of how we have managed what He has entrusted to us. It does not belong to us, it will not be ours when this life is over. It will all go back to the owner, possibly to be entrusted to someone else because believers have something even better waiting for us in the Kingdom of God.

Chapter 16 opens with a story for the disciples of Y’shua-Jesus about stewardship; management of the Almighty’s world. (Luke 16:1-8) His conclusion, aside from the weirdness of praising an unrighteous thief, is that wealth may be used to make friends because money IS going to fail (and we are so close to a world financial crash as I write this). Be faithful! If you just have a little bit to work with, be faithful. If you manage an estate that the world drools over (an Americanism meaning to want something with all your soul), be faithful. None of it is yours! Beloved Bride of the Son of God, in Yeshua’s name, all that is His will be yours …if you are faithful. If you are not faithful you will not be entrusted with anything in the age to come.

Faithfulness vs service: I need to start by remembering that I am not called to Messiah (Christ) to be his servant. I am His betrothed Bride! He did not buy a slave with his blood, he set Bride free to be one with Him. I am to be faithful. My faithfulness may involve service, but it is by grace (lovingkindness) instead of effort. Effort is part of serving but the effort is not what brings the reward. Faithfulness is.

The second story, is told to the Pharisees who love money (Luke 16:14) about a man who used the wealth he had control of for his personal pleasure while a man at his gate suffered the worst sort of impoverishment. There is no indication that one man was good and was rewarded with wealth and the other was poor and was punished with poverty. Wealth and poverty are only opportunities to be faithful. One of the men was faithful, one was self-indulgent even though he could daily, easily, see an opportunity to practice kindness at his own gate.

Both men die and find themselves in very different circumstances. The thirst from the midst of the fire prompts the former rich man to worry about his family and how they are living. The answer of eternity is both simple and shocking. The rich man, longing for his brothers to repent, believes that a supernatural visit from one who has gone to the other side of eternity will shock his brothers to change their lives before it is too late.

The answer?

“If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.”     Luke 16:31

You cannot scare someone into Eternal Life. Supernatural power is not about ghosts or spiritual encounters. Real power is in The Word of God, the Bible. It is in the Torah (the Law) that we sometimes hear has been nailed to the cross and no longer applies. It is found in the prophets who long ago spoke for YHVH (the LORD) and it is alive and speaks clearly to us now in the Spirit of Y’shua, the Living Word of God made flesh.

By the way, in case you too believe that others can only believe if someone comes back from the dead… Jesus did just that.

I’ve heard people say that they need a sign before coming to Salvation. The word of God and even their wonder IS the sign. I’ve heard it said that giving large donations to a ministry will bring blessing to you. Lazarus (the poor man) had NOTHING to give EXCEPT faithfulness. Blessing came to him when he left this life. (Luke 16:19-31) I am reading into the story, but my guess is that the wealthy man gave plenty of tax-deductible donations and political gifts to those who could make his own life better. His end, his eternity, was misery.

God has shown YOU in His word, the Bible, what is good and what He expects of you. Justice, mercy and a humble life with God. (Micah 6:8) That is at least a good place to start. The details are found between Genesis 1:1 through Revelation 22:21. Too much to take in? Too hard to understand? That is why you have the Holy Spirit of God living in you, to sort it all out for you. That is why you have grace, because God loves every step you take toward Him. Because even your life is a stewardship. You get it right when you receive him without looking back.

Comfort and Joy

Debs in Everett, Washington; December 16, 2019

 

Luke 15

Something lost is is found. Something precious to you, something of value.

A shepherds income is not in the ewes but in the lambs. If one goes missing then the search is on. (Luke 15:3-7) A woman lost a tenth of her income. She needs it for what lies ahead. She searches. Suddenly it shows up and she has a party to celebrate. Can you relate? (Luke 15:8-10) This story isn’t about you or what is valuable to you. That is just the set up to help you understand your value to Ab’ba, the Father.

“…kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost but now he is found.” so the party began.         Luke 15:23-24 nlt

Luke 15:11-32 YOU, when you return to the LORD, are of greater value then a lamb or money. Your value is found in the Father’s heart. When you come back to Ab’ba, you are celebrated! Rare food is served because of you! Your Pappa in heaven throws a party to celebrate YOU! Come home.

Comfort and Joy,

Debs in Everett, Washington; December 15, 2019

 

Luke 12

Luke 12:35-38 nasu
Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit.  “Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks.  “Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them.  Whether he comes in the second watch, or even in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.

The world hates Jesus but He loves! He loved during his days of sandals on dirt, He loves now… and the world still hates. I needed His touch yet felt unworthy, but He saw me and touched me…. and I praise him! So many of us need a touch in these last days. Out of nowhere a tree falls on a car and the driver has to be flown to Harberview. A sister in Messiah is in and out of hospital, apparently because her own immune system attacks her instead of disease, our children are caught up in the sin that we have been redeemed of. What should we do? There is an answer in Luke 12, it is a good place to start.

Debs in Everett, Washington; December 12, 2019 ….tough day today. Couldn’t sleep last night, couldn’t stay awake today. Encourage me.

2022 in Troy, Montana.

Luke 11

Teach us to pray… Chapter 10 gave us a glimpse of the Master at prayer. The disciples want to know how to pray like their Lord. So do I.

“Father, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon.      Luke 11:2 nlt

First things first. We all have our list of what we want but before you consider what you want, consider who you are talking to. Almighty YHVH (God) Keep His Name holy. His Name is more valuable to Him then His word…. and His word is immensely important to Him. His Name is the wedding gift that He gives to you, keep it precious.

May Your kingdom come soon. This phrase always strikes me as odd. I would think that we would pray, may I come quickly to the kingdom, but no, it is the other way around. It comes to me. May it come quickly! It is what we live for, it is what we have arranged our life around (hope you knew that).

Now we pray for ourselves as “spiritual beggars” 1. Give us each day the food we need, and 2. forgive us our sins, as 3. we forgive those who sin against us. And 4. don’t let us yield to temptation.” You can find his expanded teaching on prayer in Luke 11:5-13.

The Spirit of the Lord YHVH is upon me, because YHVH has anointed me to bring good tidings to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;     Isaiah 61:1 rsv+

One day He cast out a demon from a man. (Luke 11:14-26) Everyone thought the man was mute (unable to speak) but it turns out that it was actually the demon squatting inside of him that was mute. The moment Y’shua-Jesus kicked that imp to the curb, the man found his voice! The crowd was amazed! But even in their amazement, they did not all understand what just happened.

Some of the amazed crowd thought anyone with the power to toss out a demon must serve a powerful dark spirit themselves. But with a play on words, Y’shua (Salvation) set them straight. I’ve been told that the Hebrew word that is translated “divided against itself” is a play on Beelzebul, the very spirit of darkness they accused Him of serving. To sort out their confusion, they demanded a sign to prove who he is. What they missed was that the exorcism, casting out the demon, WAS the sign.

But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.     Luke 11:20 nas

The Bible version I normally use, the New Living Testament, has dumped “the finger of God” for a phrase the editors believe is easier to understand. Even so, I would like to spend a moment on the phrase, “the finger of God. All of my examples are from the New American Standard Update, nasu, latter known as the English Standard Version, esv.

• Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, ” This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he did not listen to them, as the LORD had said. Ex 8:19 nasu
• When He had finished speaking with him upon Mount Sinai, He gave Moses the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written by the finger of God. Ex 31:18
• “The LORD gave me the two tablets of stone written by the finger of God; and on them were all the words which the LORD had spoken with you at the mountain from the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly. Deut 9:10

Then, from the book of Daniel… a king throws a party where they drink too much. They get so controlled by the alcohol that the king thought it would be kewl to drink from the Temple cups that had been captured from Jerusalem while praising his own wicked spirits. (this is the truth behind Ephesians 5:18)

• Suddenly the fingers of a man’s hand emerged and began writing opposite the lampstand (the Menorah) on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, and the king saw the back of the hand that did the writing. Then the king’s face grew pale and his thoughts alarmed him, and his hip joints went slack and his knees began knocking together. The king called aloud to bring in the conjurers, the Chaldeans and the diviners. The king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, “Any man who can read this inscription and explain its interpretation to me shall be clothed with purple and have a necklace of gold around his neck, and have authority as third ruler in the kingdom.” Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the inscription or make known its interpretation to the king. Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, his face grew even paler, and his nobles were perplexed.  Dan 5:5-9

Now back to Luke where Y’shua tells us that He casts out demons by the finger of God. (11:20) It represents the presence of the Almighty. That presence is why Y’shua said the kingdom of God has come upon them. They go together. Where the Kingdom of God is, there is God in the midst. It is why we pray, “Thy Kingdom come,” We want the presence.

This mid section of chapter 11 speaks of those who demand a sign. There are no signposts TO the kingdom when you are standing on the main plaza of the Kingdom already. If you do not know that you are there or if you do not trust that you have entered the kingdom, you have a different sort of problem.

Of eyes and light (11:34-36) I personally do not think that Y’shua speaks of physical eyes in 11:34

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might Ephesians 1:18-19

I personally believe the eyes are our spirit eyes. Don’t take that too far, the occult likes to mess with this idea also, they always do. But, it is enough for me to know that he has given me eyes to see what cannot be seen with physical eyes.

And the light?

In Him (Y’shua) was life, and the life was the Light of men. John 1:4

The eyes see the kingdom because we have the light of life.

Finally (what a crazy long chapter!), A Pharisee asks the Lord to lunch.

I need to remember that His wisdom constantly amazed those who had spent wealth and time to learn the details of their religion. I suppose that it was because of His wisdom that the Pharisee was shocked that Y’shua plopped himself down to sup without practicing the ritual cleansing rite. When he points out that the rituals are just an outward show that have no meaning to the inner kingdom man, they take offense. (the outer show is all they have) Their lawyers, who have joined them for lunch, proclaimed that to offend the host was to offend them as well. (I can feel a grin coming… except for the state of an unsaved person). Y’shua has a list of personalized insults for the lawyers. (11:37-54) This is the turning point. Now, you are either for him or you are against him. The Pharisees and lawyers waste no time showing that they are against him.

What is a believer to do? Pray… pray that His name is honored above all names. Pray for the presence of His Kingdom, Pray for your needs to come from him that you are not dependent on anyone else, pray for the forgiveness of your sins and to forgive those who sin against you. It is how we walk in Him, guided by his finger, his presence, until he comes for us. Stand firm!

Comfort and Joy,

Debs in Everett, Washington; December 11, 2019 …suddenly wondering if signs direct you to the kingdom but the finger of God directs you for the kingdom? Just thinking.

Luke 10

We get to see what Y’shua-Jesus prayed! He is often recorded going away by himself to pray, but it is rare to get to read what he prayed.

At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said, “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever; and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way.”          Luke 10:21 nlt

What sparked this spontaneous joy? Seventy-some disciples were sent out to different places with the gospel of the Kingdom of God. They went places that Y’shua himself would soon go, with instructions that are similar to the instructions of Luke 9. When they came back together they had a testimony time.

When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!”     Luke 10:17

They get it! Y’shua answered them by saying,

“I saw Satan fall from heaven like lighting! Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.”     Luke 10:18-20

And that is when He began to pray in the Joy of the Spirit! Even knowing the coming horror of the cross, he rejoiced, not at victory over the dark spirit enemy, but over YOU! You who believe, who are born anew and whose name is in the roll, the Lamb’s book of life, as citizens of heaven. It is enough!

But what else is in this chapter?

Verses 25-29 Love the Lord with all your heart, mind and soul and love your neighbor as yourself. It was a Torah teacher who identified these words of God as the most important in Torah. Y’shua commended him for his answer. But he went a bit farther. Luke tells us that he wanted to “justify his answer.” He asked, “who is my neighbor?” Whoops. Look around you. Who has the Almighty put you next to? Who do you see? That is your neighbor. It will not always be your dear friend who needs you or someone in your fellowship. It will be someone you must give of yourself to in Yeshua’s name, someone who will take without being able to give back. You are serving them in His name, for him, as Yeshua’s ambassador. That is the point of the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37)

Then we see overworked Martha come to the end of her rope. “LORD! Please tell my sister to get up from sitting at your feet to come help me feed this crowd who follows you!” He who feed 5,000 from two loaves of bread and five fish rebuked Martha for thinking that feeding the assembly was her burden when that was not how he had asked her to serve him. Mary chose to sit at his feet and hear. It is absolutely OK for the work of the Almighty to be hard work. That point was made in the Parable of the Samaritan. Hard work is good work if Ab’ba (the Father) gave you that work. But if you run ahead of the Lord and just start giving what you are good at without waiting for Him to tell you to do it, there is a very good chance that you will loose your joy, and it is the Joy of the LORD that gives us our strength to serve Him. Nehemiah 8:10

So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest… Luke 10:2 This chapter is not just about getting to see Y’shua pray or about doing the right or wrong thing in service. It is about prayer. PRAY! The Lord challenged his disciples to not bring money with them on their mission (he was not against it, he was supported by others), they were not to bring a back pack of survival gear, don’t bring extra shoes or chat it up with peeps you meet on the road, maybe so that they do not feel obligated to care for you (Luke 10:4) What did he expect them to do? How would they accomplish their mission?

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do and he will show you which path to take. Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the LORD and turn away from evil.      Proverbs 3:5-7

The life of a believer is a life of dependence of Y’shua. Sometimes I am Martha, sometimes I am the scribe who doesn’t want to dirty her hands with the wounded. But every now and then, I know what it is like to be Mary or the Samaritan. He fills me with JOY and the Joy brings the power of the Holy Spirit. And someday, there will be a testimony time with Jesus, who is patient with us when we fail but crazy with Joy when we submit. What an awesome day that someday will be!

Comfort and Joy,

Debs in Everett, Washington; December 10, 2019

2022 near Troy, Montana.

Luke 9

John the Baptizer taught that the One who came after him would “burn the chafe with unquenchable fire.” His were sweet words to a bullied people. Someday that will happen, but Ben Adam (The Son of Man) was not there to judge and destroy people but to show us The Way and the power of love.

Now while the people were in a state of expectation and all were wondering in their hearts about John, as to whether he was the Christ, John answered and said to them all, “As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”           Luke 3:15-17 nasu

Chapter 9 begins with the twelve apostles being given power and authority over demons and diseases, because the battle is not against flesh and blood but wicked spirits. This battle seems supernatural but the true demonstration of supernatural power is found in the instructions Y’shua-Jesus gave them for mission.

TAKE NOTHING FOR THE WAY (journey)

• 1. No staff
• 2. No backpack
• 3. No bread
• 4. No money
• 5. Not even a change of clothes.
• 6. Stay in whatever house you enter — stay there (no up-grades) until you move on.
• 7. If they do not receive you, shake off their dust as testimony (fate sealed)

WHO IS Jesus? Suddenly, we are invited to think again about this question. It troubled Herod, whose steward was married to a follower of Y’shua-Jesus 8:3.

The 12 return to testify of their mission before they all quietly go to Bethsaida for a retreat, but the multitude were desperate to be with Him. Their hunger for truth was a test.

FREELY YOU RECEIVE, FREELY GIVE
Send them away to feed themselves; but Y’shua said, you feed them. Instruction 3 & 6 are supernatural no matter the scale. Impossible for us to do, but Jesus! Welcome the stranger, practice hospitality. But how? Give what you have to Y’shua, the supernatural is His realm.

9:18-27 answers Herod’s question.

The Mount of Transfiguration: after 8 days (a new beginning) during prayer (or a nap) the kingdom of God was manifest. “Listen to My beloved Son” Moses & Elijah suddenly disappear! Only Y’shua remains.

They return to the 9 who did not come away to pray, who couldn’t use their authority over demons… PRAY BELOVED! We are nothing without it!

On the way to Jerusalem they thought to stop in a town that rejected them. The Son’s of Thunder wanted to call down fire to destroy them. Remember Rule 7? We are not fighting or judging flesh and blood, we walk the way of Love. My guess is that the 3 who asked to follow Him were from the city John & James wanted to burn. Rejection is never the end of the story!

Comfort and Joy!

Debs in Everett, Washington; December 9, 2019

December 9, 2022 from Troy, Montana.

Luke 8

Jesus began a tour of the nearby towns and villages, preaching and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom of God.     Luke 8:1 nlt

He spoke life, people kept leaving the towns and cities to hear him again. His message was the Kingdom of God.

The Kingdom of God is like…. a farmer who went out to scatter seed… He spoke of Good Seed and explained that the seed is the Word of God, The Torah given on Sinai. Somehow Y’shua-Jesus himself is the Word of God. But instead of paper and ink, housed in a tent (tabernacle), the Word is housed in flesh, We know that word as Y’shua (Salvation), commonly called Jesus in English. “The Word of God made flesh,” amazed people when he was a child (Luke 2) but he did not change people until the Spirit (breath) of God came on him at his baptism.

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.     John 1:1-5

The parable of the seed speaks of the condition of those who hear the word of God. Faith is good soil for the seed to flourish in.

The lamp is light that illumines the place where it shines, not light that is hidden.

The intimate family of Y’shua are not flesh and blood but are believers who hear God’s word and obey it.

Y’shua spoke to huge crowds, they adored him! They came from everywhere to be close to Him… but there was one isolated man, whose life choices had caused him to become a squatting place for a multitude of evil, dark spirits. He had forsaken a nice home and clothes for an existence among tombs that made his demons comfortable. He could not be controlled because his demons were in control. For this one man, Y’shua left the adoring multitude to cross a stormy, life threatening sea. There were no adoring crowds in Gerasenes. Instead he was met by a screaming, naked man, who stank of death. So many before Y’shua had attempted to bring some kind of control to the man’s life. They failed miserably. Y’shua came to set him free and to bring life.

What had this man’s parents thought? Had they prayed for the man? Scripture is silent about them. Did he have a wife or children? Sisters or brothers who remembered the boy before he became this man? Again scripture is silent. All that Luke tells us is that the demons were released into a heard of pigs and immediately destroyed themselves and the pigs. But what became of the man?

He wanted to follow Y’shua wherever he went. Following Y’shua this time meant to, “Go back to your family, and tell them everything God has done for you.” As John Piper says, the Madman became a hometown missionary. Want to serve Jesus? Tell him how you long to go with him, he will show you what to do. Seed planted,

Back across the Lake, this time to a desperate father on behalf of his dying little girl. The crowd came to see the show, but on the way, a woman who had gone broke trying to regain her health, suffering from an ailment that kept her socially unacceptable, simply reached out in faith and touched Him. Immediately she was healed.

Let me go sideways for just a moment. This woman had been sick for as long as the child had been alive. Her disease was expensive. It had plagued her for 12 years!, she could not go out into public. She would contaminate anyone who came near. She could not have company, because she would contaminate her company. She could only transfer her wealth to doctors who had no compassion or cure. She clung to the Word of God that day,

To you who fear my Name shall the sun (illumination) of righteousness arise with healing in its wings…     Malachi 4:2

In His wings; The tassels of his prayer shawl are “the wings” of the prayer shawl. The woman, by faith, believed that there would be healing for her years of suffering if she simply reached out and touched the “fringe of His garment.” In such a crowd she would need to keep her presence a secret or she would have rocks thrown at her to discourage her from coming too close to the crowd. But there is another, bigger problem. By touching Y’shua, she transferred her uncleanness to him. How could he  now heal the child as one who is unclean? There are no secret believers. Despite how ridiculous it seemed to Yeshua’s closest companions, He insisted that power went from Him and He wanted to know who it went to.

Twelve years is a long time to be treated without any compassion for something you did not ask for in life. In fear, not expecting anything kind from the Lord’s words. Trembling, she confessed it was her, and he flooded his love on her. “Daughter, your faith has made you well, go in peace.” But just as this daughter of Israel was healed, the daughter of Jarius died.

Don’t bother the teacher they said. But Y’shua said, “Don’t be afraid, stand firm (have faith) and she will be healed.

They were all healed that day. The lonely demonic mad man, the socially rejected woman, and a little girl who probably spent most of her time in bed alone in her room. The crowds went to Jesus, but he went to those who could not come to him. Three seeds planted.

What is it that you are desperate for, that you do not deserve, that society rejects you for, even blames you for? Something that you have traded all your wealth to rid yourself of? Jesus sees you, he hears your prayer. He keeps you until the right moment. He will never leave you or forsake you.

Comfort and Joy,

Debs in Everett, Washington

2022 in Troy, Montana

Luke 7

Soon afterwards (After healing the centenarian’s servant with out being there) He went to a city called Nain; and His disciples were going along with Him, accompanied by a large crowd.  Now as He approached the gate of the city, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a sizeable crowd from the city was with her.      Luke 7:11-12 nasu

A multitude followed the Lord of life.
A multitude followed a funeral procession.
What an amazing contrast!

There were no sermons, no opportunity to perfect their witnessing skills, just the Lord of Life, who had compassion on a mother, weeping for her lost son. Had she come to an understanding that her prayers for the salvation, the healing of her son were now useless. Had she offered to serve the Almighty in some way if only He would restore her beloved? Did she do everything in her power to keep hope alive? What would I do? What have I done in prayer and worthy living for those I love? One day the object of her loving devotion slipped away with his last breath. There was nothing left for her but tears.

Jesus felt compassion for her. I know he heard her desperate prayers. I know that the Lord of Life hated the power of death, he knew her before their paths crossed and they met for the first time that day in Nain. But this was not the first time he felt compassion for her. “…ARISE! And Salvation (The Hebrew meaning of Y’shua) gave him back to his mother! Glory to YHVH!

But John the Baptist went to prision John knew Him, they were 2nd cousins. While both of these men were still in their mother’s wombs, John lept for joy when he heard the voice of Mary. (Luke 1:41) But  John expected “One who will baptize with fire.” (Matthew 3:11) The compassionate Lord of Life did not fit John’s preconceived idea of Messiah. Y’shua did what only He can do, and the imprisoned baptizer would hear and believe by faith… as all of us must. Then He spoke of John’s natural greatness and the almost unbelievable truth that vilest sinners, who are washed in the blood, are greater in the kingdom of God then the natural man who worked to live a righteous life. How can that be?

LOVE.
Who loves more? The sinner with a deep unpayable debt or the conscientious righteous with a small debt (maybe hoping his good out weighed the sin)? We who are forgiven most, love most. Your faith (amen to Scripture) saves, not your natural ability to live a right life. Love lavishly, as you have been loved.

Comfort and Joy,

Debs in Everett, Washington; December 7, 2019

2022, Now on the outer edge of Montana

Luke 6

He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?     Micah 6:8 rsv

Before jumping into Luke 6, I want to go back to something someone pointed out to me (and I wrote in the margin of my Bible but failed to give credit to the person who showed this to me)

Then Jesus went to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and taught there in the synagogue every Sabbath day. There, too, the people were amazed at his teaching, for he spoke with authority.  Once when he was in the synagogue, a man possessed by a demon–an evil spirit– cried out, shouting “Go away! Why are you interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are–The Holy One of God!”
But Jesus reprimanded him, “Be quiet!Come out of the man,” he ordered. At that, the demon threw the man to the floor as the crowd watched; then it came out of him without hurting him further,
Amazed, the people exclaimed, “What authority and power this man’s words possess! Even evil spirits obey him, and they flee at his command!”     Luke 4:31-36 nlt

Then Luke adds…

The news about Jesus spread through every village in the entire region.     Luke 4:37

After the news got around…

One day while Jesus was teaching, some Pharisees and teachers of religious law (religious law is not Torah, but what is called “oral torah”) were sitting nearby. (It seemed that these men showed up from every village in all Galilee and Judea, as well as from Jerusalem.) And the Lord’s healing power was strongly with Jesus.     Luke 5:17 and following

Y’shua-Jesus did not face opposition until the religious muckty-mucks came to hear Him with their doctrines and traditions. They had come so far from what Moses delivered on Sinai that they could not even recognize the prophet who would be like him. Suddenly, eating from the edges of the field (gleaning which was allowed in Torah) became a violation of rest on the Sabbath. Y’shua healed a man on Sabbath, and rage instead of joy came from the big-wig religious who came to see if this Y’shua was under the proper authority… their authority.

He (Y’shua) looked around at them one by one and then said to the man, “hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! At this, the enemies of Jesus were wild with rage and began to discuss what to do with Him.     Luke 6:10-11

We have seen this before…

Again, the LORD said to him (Moses), “Put your hand into your bosom.” And he put his hand into his bosom; and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous, as white as snow.  Then God said, “Put your hand back into your bosom.” So he put his hand back into his bosom; and when he took it out, behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh.  “If they will not believe you,” God said, “or heed the first sign (staff that became a serpent), they may believe the latter sign.      Exodus 4:6-8 rsv

Sadly the Pharisees and scribes did not respond any better then Israel in the days of Moses.

One day soon afterward, Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night.     Luke 6:12 nlt

The result of His prayer vigil was confidence in choosing twelve ambassadors (apostles). Then, while the multitude pressed in on Him to hear the word, to touch Him for healing (and he did heal everyone), He turned to the disciples and told them …what is good and what the LORD requires of you… (Micah 6:8).

You can expect a biological life of poverty, hunger, and weeping. REJOICE! You will be filled and your tears dried because the Kingdom of heaven is YOURS! The rich? they already have their reward. The fat and prosperous? Hunger will be their reward. Laughter will become weeping.  But Y’shua told us to LOVE everyone, not just our fellow believers. Do not judge how they got where they are (remember Job?) Just love them the way you would want to be loved if the shoe were on the other foot. (an Americanism for you living in someone else’s life)

Did Y’shua come to destroy the Jewish religion? Did he come to start a new religion? I’ve heard good arguments both ways. Here is what I do know, you must be born again (John 3:16). You are filled with The Spirit that cannot be contained in traditional religion no matter what your church or synagogue is. What is alive and active will not be contained in a dead skin of religion. Do you walk away from your religion? I cannot answer that question. That is between you and the Almighty. What I do know is wherever two or more born-again believers gather together, Y’shua is in their midst (Matthew 18:20). Does that describe your church or synagogue? Follow Jesus!

Comfort and Joy

Debs in Everett, Washington; December 6, 2019

December 6, 2022 in Troy Montana

Luke 5

The Word must have spread like wildfire, if Jesus puts his hand on you, you will be healed and free from oppression!

While the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and laying His hands on each one of them, He was healing them.           Luke 4:40 nasu.

“The multitude pressing on Him” must have been an understatement. Fishermen, who were busy earning a living from uncooperative fish, were too tired and busy to “press in” on the preacher. What an encouragement, He came to them! This popular guy wanted to use their business… which had to be great for business! Except that now He was telling them how to do their business. Their customer base, who found Him to be awesome, were watching. So they used their equipment to do business His way.

I have to say, that Y’shua-Jesus has blessed me, even when I was far less then enthusiastic. All I had to do was stop rolling my eyes long enough to obey. We’ve never done it that way, but at your word (i.e. this is on you)… success brought a confession of sin, and they left the business behind to follow Him.

He touched another leper and he was cleansed… We’ve never done it that way before. Everyone craved a touch from his hand!

Pharisees and the Essines did not allow the lame into fellowship, taking Lev.21:18-24 farther then the context suggested. Certainly the preacher would agree with them. The whole multitude were so anxious for his touch that they refused to make way for the men carrying their lame friend to Y’shua. They found another way. Your sins are forgiven… We’ve never done it that way before.

Levi, the despised tax-gather was called to follow Him. He expressed his joy with a party to introduce his friends to Salvation. The religious saw Y’shua with those they counted as the scum of the earth. Scandalous! We’ve never done it that way before.

When they couldn’t shame him away from the lowlife, they changed tactics. The religious fast in order to offer righteous prayer. But Y’shua eats like the common people… We’ve never done it that way before.

Then the parable. The old isn’t repaired by the new, it isn’t filled with the new spirit. Many are content with the old & offended by the new. It’s like nothing you’ve ever experienced before! Follow Jesus.

Comfort and Joy

Debs…. already feeling much better, hope it was just a 24 hour thing… in Everett, WA; December 5, 2019

December 5, 2022, Now worshiping in Troy, Montana