Luke 15:12 – “The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that will belong to me.’ So he divided his assets between them.”

Luke 15:31 – “Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and everything that belongs to me is yours.”

As I read, prayed, and contemplated the Word of God today, the reality of “awareness” filled my consciousness.   Awareness?  The two brothers in Luke 15 provided the platform to tie the ends together and see a liberating and yet alarming reality.

Both were granted their share of the inheritance.  One knew what he had and wasted it. The other did not comprehend his inheritance, and it benefited him nothing. He lived in lack, sitting on a stack of money.  Not to make this about money, he failed to enjoy the benefits of the kingdom and lived as a hired hand, not an owner.  Verses 12 and 31 make it clear.  It was his, but he could not see that reality. He was waiting for a handful when he lived in a houseful.

We are often the Prodigal and waste in extravagance God’s goodness.  We become our focus.  Luke 15:12 addresses that lifestyle and mindset.  At other times, we are the elder brother and papers in the palace. God has given us great and precious promises, but they are someday promises to us, not present realities.

Luke 12:32 is germane. ” Do not be afraid, O little flock; for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.”    Luke 12:34 is the key to understanding. Our heart’s longing reveals what our treasure is.  This is not about material things but eternal things.  If we have treasure in heaven. If we focus on the kingdom, we will be enabled to enjoy the bounty of the earth, let us.

Here’s a caution that is almost an aside. Luke 13:6-9 informs us that unfruitfulness has a time limit.  Then, verses 23-24 let us know that doing religious stuff does not get us in the door to God! Our hearts’ longing defines us by what we do and how we think.  Be neither the Prodigal nor the son in the house who never possessed his possessions. We do that with Gifts of the Spirit as well as the material.

Lord, help us to embrace Your promise so we can be harvesters in Your kingdom.

Luke 8:25 – “And Jesus said to them, Where is your faith?”

As I prayed, read, and pondered the Word of God today, a question caused unrest in my spirit. I was challenged greatly.  The question will linger for days as I unpack the revelation contained therein and surrender to the challenge.

The question came from Luke 8:25 – “And Jesus said to them, Where is your faith?”  The winds of adversity were threatening them, and they did what all good disciples would do: they asked Jesus for help.  He helped them, then chided and challenged them with this question.

Is it the where of location?  Is it a question of existence?  Was it that he was saying, “I don’t see it, so where is it?”  On the other hand, could it be a question of object?  What is it in? What is the focus of your faith?  Maybe it was both!

Sometimes, we unintentionally put our faith in some future events.  When this happens, then I’ll fulfill my purpose.  When my ship comes in.  When this or that happens, then… Is that faith in God or faith in an object or event that may or may not become a reality?

Faith that releases power is the faith of the woman who touched His garment.   It is the faith of the 3 Hebrew children that says, no matter what, we won’t bow.   It is the faith of Daniel.  It is the faith of Elijah to decree rain with almost nothing visible.  It is not faith in faith, or in some event or object, but in God alone.

According to the Word of God, we have all spiritual blessings in Jesus.  He has supplied all our needs according to His riches in glory. He is God!  When we hope in something or fear something, that object or event becomes our Lord. That makes it an idol and destructive.

Ecclesiastes 11:4 speaks to this. “He who observes the wind shall not sow; and he who regards the clouds shall not reap.”  Waiting on God is good, but delaying waiting on the when of fantasy destroys hope, purpose, and credibility. Where is our faith? If it is in anything but God alone, we may reach our journey’s end waiting. How will we then answer the question about fulfillment of purpose? Where is our faith?

Lord, help us to locate and identify our faith and place it completely in You!

Luke 6:41 –  ^“Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to see the beam of wood in your own?”

Exodus 16:4  – “Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people will go out and gather the amount for each day, so that I may test them will they walk in my law or not?”  

As I read, prayed, and mused on the Word of God today, God’s unfathomable mercy filled my heart and mind. His long-suffering patience, mercy, and love are off the charts. I’m grateful but awed beyond measure.

Israel watched God’s amazing miracles yet allowed their flesh and human reason to pollute their progress and prevent their attaining their purpose. God’s incredible mercy was nowhere more apparent than in the declaration found in Exodus 16:4. God told Moses that He was going to provide for them regardless of whether they kept His laws or not! That is Amazing Grace!

That Grace should make us gracious.  That Mercy should cause us to be merciful. That Patience should compel us to be patient. Sadly, it does not happen too frequently.  

In Luke 6, we have the life guides of Jesus called the Beatitudes.  We see the Law of Harvest in what we do, including judging others and criticizing. In Luke 6:41, Jesus gives a revelation we need, but too often we fail to heed. “Why do you see the splinter in your brother’s eye, and do not see the beam in your own eye?”

We criticize and judge others, failing to look in the mirror. We openly attack others as flawed, yet fail to consider that we are flawed, too. Who among us is perfect? We need mercy, and to receive mercy, we must be dispensers of mercy. How grateful we are is revealed in our treatment of others.

 All judgment and criticism should be done from a position of facing God’s mirror of our own hearts and lives. What is God’s desire? Restoration! What is our desire? Self-elevation? Verse 45 is a key. How we treat others, view others, and judge others reveals what is truly in our hearts. The overflow of the heart reveals the true condition of the heart.

Psalm 51:10-13 is my prayer.  Lord, always help us to be conscious of our own flaws and Your immeasurable grace, and make Luke 6:31 our rule of life – “Just as you want men to do to you, do to them likewise.” We are forgiven because we are flawed, so how can we not be merciful to others who are flawed?

God’s Grace and Mercy overwhelm me! I am overjoyed but awed!

May the Amazing Grace of God make us Gracious!

Exodus 16:1-4  “When they journeyed from Elim, the entire company of Israelites came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their exodus from the land of Egypt. ² The entire company of Israelites murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. ³ The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat, when we ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger!  ⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people will go out and gather the amount for each day, so that I may test them. Will they walk in my law or not?”

As I read, prayed, and mused on the Word of God today, God’s unfathomable mercy filled my heart and mind.  His long-suffering patience, mercy, and love are off the charts.  I’m grateful but awed beyond measure.

Israel watched God’s amazing miracles yet allowed their flesh and human reason to pollute their progress and prevent their attaining their purpose. God’s incredible mercy was nowhere more apparent than in the declaration found in Exodus 16:4. God told Moses that He was going to provide for them regardless of whether they kept His laws or not! That is Amazing Grace!

That Grace should make us gracious. That Mercy should cause us to be merciful. That Patience should compel us to be patient. Sadly, it does not happen too frequently.

In Luke 6, we have the life guides of Jesus called the Beatitudes. We see the Law of Harvest in what we do, including judging others and criticizing. In Luke 6:41, Jesus gives a revelation we need, but too often we fail to heed. “Why do you see the splinter in your brother’s eye, and do not see the beam in your own eye?”

We criticize and judge others, failing to look in the mirror. We openly attack others as flawed, but fail to consider that we are flawed too. Who among us is perfect? We need mercy, and to receive mercy, we must be dispensers of mercy. How grateful we are is revealed in our treatment of others.   
All judgment and criticism should be done from a position of facing God’s mirror of our own hearts and lives. What is God’s desire? Restoration! What is our desire? Self-elevation?

Verse 45 is a key.  How we treat others, view others, and judge others reveals what is truly in our hearts. The overflow of the heart reveals the true condition of the heart.

Psalm 51:10-13 is my prayer. Lord, always help us to be conscious of our own flaws and Your immeasurable grace, and make Luke 6:31 our rule of life – “Just as you want men to do to you, do to them likewise.” We are forgiven because we are flawed, so how can we not be merciful to others who are flawed?   I am overwhelmed by God’s Grace and Mercy! I am overjoyed but awed!

May your day be joyous and your vision be filled with God’s goodness!

Revelation 1:10, 17 – ¹⁰ I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day when I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet… ¹⁷ When I saw him I fell down at his feet as though I were dead, but he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid!  I am the first and the last…”

As I read, prayed, and pondered the Word of God today, my heart was drawn to Revelation 1:9-18 and especially verses 10 and 17.  John was in the Spirit and heard God’s voice.  When he saw Jesus, it was so moving; he fell at the Lord’s feet and received God’s life-infusing touch!  He was transformed mightily.  We need that today!

• Today’s Church is engaged in the greatest warfare of human history.
• Today’s Church is facing enemies in areas many never dreamed would become a reality.   We are facing pressures to a degree and at a rate that exceeds our measures.
• Today’s Church (Body of Christ) and its message are being maligned and threatened from the outside and within the ranks of “Christianity.” Lies, innuendos, half-truths, and haphazard living are creating a crisis in the church!

It is time that the Body of Christ exposes the devil for who and what he is.  It is time for the Body of Christ to come to a life-altering knowledge of Jesus and learn to fully manifest Him, bringing every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

• We Need Reality – Knowing Who God Is.
• We Need Reliability—Knowing What God Does.
• We Need Restoration—Becoming Who God Says We Are.

All of us need external help; we are not islands and cannot make it alone.  The devil is relentless in his desire and pursuit to destroy the Church, but we have the Spirit and Power of God available to us!  That strength is learned, embraced, and implemented in times of being ‘Shut in With God.’

• We Need the LORD’s Touch that comes through a Vision.
• We Need the LORD’s Touch that communicates His Purposes. 
• We Need the LORD’s Touch that is embodied in His Word.

God wants us to be free of Fear.  Free from the Fear of Life.  Free from the Fear of Death.  Free from the Fear of Eternity.  Therefore, my prayer is, LORD, restore us with a Vision, a Touch, and a Word.  Help us to crave Your Presence so much that we long to be “Shut in With You!”

God bless you as you spend time in His presence!  It will liberate you like nothing else!   Have a fantastic day in Jesus!