John 10,  Luke 10-11
November 2, 2014

Not that it has anything to do with devotions today, but it snowed for the first time this season last night.   Winter always surprises me when it comes.  I know it's coming, I am always getting prepared, but the day it begins snowing always comes as a surprise.   I somehow never have everything done I wanted to do before it snowed.
Someday Jesus is coming, and for as much as we have heard about Him, it will come as a surprise.   My hope is that unlike the advent of winter, I will have no regrets when the Master returns concerning my work and my witness.

John 10
I spoke of this yesterday in my devotions, but because the verses are about the same topic, I mention it again.  Many faiths profess to guide us to heaven.  Some even accept many of the teachings of Jesus, and several share our love of (part of) the Holy Bible.  However, there is only one faith that proclaims Jesus as the Messiah, the One and Only Son of God, and that is Christianity.   According to this passage, only those who call upon the name of Jesus as God will be saved.   Now, there are Jews who choose not be known as Christians, because of the atrocious acts against their race during the Crusades.  I don't blame them.  They believe in Jesus as the Messiah, and refer to themselves as Messianic Jews.   I do believe that they will be saved..in fact as the Bible is truth, they are ahead of the rest of us.   First the Jews, then the Gentiles.    So if anything, it would be better if we were referred to by their title, instead of vice versa.   Anyway....only those who believe in Jesus are getting in.  Period.    Every time I say that or preach that it riles someone up....but it is true...think about it.

Luke 10-11
Just as Jesus sent out the 12 to do miracles, now He sends out either 70 or 72.   Going two by two, and traveling to all the towns where he would soon be visiting.  That equals 35 or 36 towns.  I say that to acknowledge that Jesus is on the move.  He isn't letting any grass grow under His feet.

Also, the empowerment of the 72 tells us that the miracles weren't just for the 12.  Many people could be given the gift of healing or casting out demons, and the Holy Spirit has in fact continued to give those gifts to many people up to today.

Yet we aren't to gloat or even rejoice over these miracles, we should rejoice over something far more important..that our names are recorded in the Book of Life.   Unless our name is written there, we don't enter in.

I don't dare to skip over the passage about Mary and Martha.  For as much of a fuss we make over this passage, it seems to occupy a very small space in the Bible.   I relate more to Martha, and of course I recognize that I need to slow down (or stop) more often.   I also know that if we all were Mary, the laundry wouldn't ever be done, and sermons wouldn't be written or delivered, etc.   So somewhere in between there is the place we should live.   Taking time to hear from the Lord, and doing enough..but not overdoing.

Luke 11
Teaching on prayer:
Jesus didn't seem to mean that we were to use only these words as an incantation.  Rather, we should pray for daily needs, and daily assistance.  And praise should be part of our prayer life....even the beginning of our time in prayer.   Sin occurs and sadly, reoccurs....so we should often make confession and petition for forgiveness part of our prayer time.

The lamp of the body.
If our eyes receive good things (scripture, clean thoughts) we will be filled with good actions, which will be seen by all.   If not, they will see darkness through us (evil deeds, compromise, duality) and our witness will be even worse than if we didn't profess to believe.

Six woes  (three for Pharisees, and three for teachers, or experts)
Hypocrisy     They were faking it.    It's not listed as a "woe", but it is a condemnation.
1. Legalism     they performed the religious act, but didn't own it in their mind and spirit.
2. Pride    they wanted to be seen and credited for what they did.
3. I have no idea what sin it is be an unmarked grave.....   I would have to study that further.
4.  Making Salvation difficult, and not helping others.   Jesus said that His yoke was easy, and His burden was light.
5.  Harming or celebrating what is wrong.  I'm not sure, but it seems the intent of a tomb would be to celebrate the person...like the monuments we build for past presidents.   Somehow the tombs they built were not seen by Jesus in the same way.    In any case, we shouldn't ever call attention to evil intent as if something good had happened.
6.  finally, failure to relay to the people the truth.   If as teachers and preachers we don't instruct in an effective manner, or even worse, we obscure the truth....we grieve the Lord.    Our goal should always be to speak the scriptural truth, without adding or altering it based on our bias.

PR