Luke 22:14-20 – “Now when the hour came, Jesus took his place at the table and the apostles joined him.  ¹⁵ And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.  ¹⁶ For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” ¹⁷ Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves.  ¹⁸ For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” ¹⁹ Then he took bread, and after giving thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you.  Do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁰ And in the same way he took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”

As I read, prayed, and pondered the Word of God today, Luke 22 was part of my reading.   The Lord’s Supper reminded me of that mighty weapon and worship tool that believers too often neglect, misuse, or underuse.

The Body of Christ is a significant emphasis in Scripture.   Understanding the Body of Christ (physical and universal) is essential for victory.   

Discord within the Body of Christ (the Church) opens the door for the devil to work.  Unity in the Body of Christ (Church) binds the forces of darkness and opens the door to the provisions of the New Covenant.   

Each time believers gather at the Lord’s table, they declare their unity and Covenant relationship with the Lord and with one another.   Failure to properly discern the Body of Christ means betraying each other and dishonoring the Cross.   It causes division and violates the terms of the Covenant (love one another).  Instead of bringing Covenantal Blessing, it brings Covenantal Judgment.

The New Covenant Table of the LORD becomes God’s altar, where we renew, recommit, reinforce, and remind ourselves of the Cross and all that was provided. 

The Body of Jesus (physical) now in Heaven guarantees that God’s full atonement has been completed, accepted, and extended to us.  It is the guarantee that our bodies will be raised and glorified.  It is the guarantee that, as His wounded body is now fully healed, ours will be healed, physically on earth and eternally in heaven.

The Blood is our guarantee that forgiveness is ours.   Authority over all the forces of darkness is ours.   Grace to overcome has been granted, and we are more than conquerors in Him.

Communion is an act of worship that reminds us of the Cross and the totality of Christ’s victory.   It is also an act of warfare, binding the forces of darkness and linking us to the New Covenant.  It is a demonstration of faith, enabling us to embrace the provisions of the Cross.   The New Covenant brings us into the Everlasting Covenant that will endure for eternity.

We fight now with the weapons provided, and Communion is a spiritual weapon of warfare through worship.  Understanding the Cross and the Body of Christ is essential.  As we participate, we demonstrate confidence in His provisions at the Cross.  By expecting His Promises to be manifested, we become overcomers and testimonies to the world.

The Body and Blood are essential for full victory in this life.  They are so important and powerful that misuse and misapplication have dire consequences, but right practice has amazing provisions and blessings.

We are overcomers, not overcome, victors not vanquished, and triumphant, not triumphed over.  Victory in Jesus!  Utilize all the weapons in your arsenal.

May the rich presence of the LORD flow freely into your life as you embrace the Body of Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to implant you in the designed and desired spot for your assignment!

Ecclesiastes 3:11 – “God has made everything fit beautifully in its appropriate time, but he has also placed ignorance in the human heart so that people cannot discover what God has ordained, from the beginning to the end of their lives.”

As I read, prayed, and meditated on the Word of God today, the Book of Ecclesiastes led me down several meditative paths of enlightenment and understanding.  I will be contemplating those nuggets for some time.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 contains some thought-provoking insights.  “God has made everything fit beautifully in its appropriate time…”   That is easily digested.   Then he says, “BUT (that always opens the door to something deeper) He has also places ignorance in the human heart…”

Wait?   Did God make people ignorant?  Read on, “SO THAT (Explanation) people cannot discover what God has ordained, from the beginning to the end of their lives.”

Wow!   God keeps us in the dark as to His foreordained plans.  Why?  Why would God not clearly show us His plan and purpose for us?  That would make it easy if we knew at the beginning our purpose, path, and destiny, right?   It would be easy to plan and chart our course in life, right?

Well, no!    It forces us to seek Him and rely on His guidance.   It enables us to build or grow faith in Him as we encounter the unexpected and the unrevealed.   We learn the value and power of effectual and fervent prayer.   We learn the value of studying His Word.    We realize the need for personal intimacy with Him.   We discover the impossibility of life without His Holy Spirit to guide us.

God knows but only shows us glimpses to establish us in the faith.  If He showed us everything from the start, we would be in danger of falling prey to pride.  We would never pray and exercise faith.  Sometimes, not knowing is the best thing because it forces us to seek and trust Him.

Ecclesiastes 2:26 – “For to the one who pleases Him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy…”    Contrast that to the lost in the remainder of the verse.   “BUT to the sinner, He gives the task of amassing wealth – only to give it to the one who pleases God.”

We don’t know about tomorrow, but God does.   We don’t always have the things we need, but God does.  We have a God who knows the end from the beginning.  He is the same past, present, and future.   So don’t fret over not knowing or even by the surprise events – God is still on the Throne and promises never to fail us.

I hope I have not messed with your theology too much, but that is what the Bible declares.   The Key is to Trust God in Everything and All the Time!

Luke 13:6-9 –  ^“Then Jesus told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it and found none.  ⁷ So he said to the worker who tended the vineyard, ‘For three years now, I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and each time I inspect it I find none.  Cut it down!  Why should it continue to deplete the soil?’ ⁸ But the worker answered him, ‘Sir, leave it alone this year too, until I dig around it and put fertilizer on it.  ⁹ Then if it bears fruit next year, very well, but if not, you can cut it down.’”

The Gospel of Luke held my attention as I read, prayed, and mused on the Word of God today.  As usual, the Holy Spirit addressed several areas for my consideration and development.  

One that challenged me deeply was Luke 13:6-9, the story of the unproductive fig tree.  The owner of the vineyard is God, but the fig tree has multiple possibilities.   It could be Israel.   It could be the church.   It could be us.   Three years could be a reference to the earthly ministry of Jesus or simply a reference to a time of normal development that was expected to result in fruitfulness.

The worker could easily be a reference to the ministry of the Holy Spirit and Jesus.  The thing that challenged me was that there is a limit to God’s patience in our being nonproductive for the kingdom.

We are here for a purpose larger than ourselves.   Our existence is not random.   Each of us has a call, a destiny, a purpose, and the gift(s) to fulfill that purpose.  We are God’s Fig Trees.   

Remember Jesus’ reaction to the fig tree that appeared to be fruitful but had no fruit?   We mistakenly equate fruitfulness with exploits and great works praised by men.   

We are members of the Body of Christ with specific functions to perform.   The hand, the eye, the knee, the foot, the heart, the ear, and even the armpit have a beneficial purpose and function.  God does not need, nor does He want us to all be an eye, etc.  He wants us to be what He created us to be and utilizes the abilities He has put in us for that purpose.

We are living stones.  That is wonderful, but terrible at the same time.  A natural stone stays where it is placed, never complains, and aspires for a more desirable position, visibility, and recognition.  Living Stones have a bad habit of aspiring for a position not designed for them.  They don’t stay where they are put.

The body cannot function at its peak performance and productivity unless each body part is in its proper place, performing its designed function.

We are God’s “Fig Trees,” and our assignment is to produce the “figs” He purposed us to produce.   No one may ever call your name publicly, but if you are producing the figs you were designed to produce, you will be praised in heaven.  “Well, done will be your recognition!”

Don’t allow old slew foot to bring condemnation, telling you that you should do or be something.  Ask God what body part you are and where your placement in His building is, and with contentment and confidence, Bloom where you are planted, and the fruit you are designed to produce will be realized.

Rather than fretting over, “What’s my gift?”   Seek Him; what you are designed to be will become clear as you see Him.  He will open your heart, mind, and eyes to realize what truly draws your heart and what you do well.

Do not predetermine what you think gifts are.    If it’s to smile and spread cheer, rejoice!  If it’s baking cookies, rejoice!   If it’s intercession, rejoice!  Be who you are and give that to Him.  He will produce the fruit in you.  Cooperate with the Holy Spirit as He prunes and fertilizes you.  You are one of God’s fig trees and have one job – fruit, the fruit He determined for you to produce.  Never compare yourself to someone else; just be!

May the fruit of your life be manifest for all to see and impact your environment and the Kingdom of God!

Luke 9:23 – – “Then He said to them all, If anyone wants to become my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”

As I read, prayed, and meditated on the Word of God today, several thoughts permeated my consciousness: God’s call to salvation, God’s provision for living, and the visible manifestation of confidence through a relationship with God.

Luke 9:23 addresses the issue of discipleship, which involves dethroning self and enthroning Jesus.    It is to resign as Lord of our lives and receive Him as Lord. It is to take up his cross daily.   Each day requires consideration of what it means to follow Jesus fully.   It is to determine that we will give our whole self to Him today.

Luke 12:27 – “Consider how the flowers grow; they do not work or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these!”

The natural growth process of the flowers is contrasted with human effort.   The next verse solidifies the reality that if we trust God, He will provide for our needs.   If we try to do it ourselves, we experience the frustration, stress, and pressure of image and possessions. 

In verse 31, we have the answer, “Instead, pursue His Kingdom (Him), and all these things will be given to you as well.”   There is a place for labor, but at the end of the day, it is not our efforts but His grace that provides what we need and more.

In verse 35, He says, “Get dressed for service and keep your lamps burning…” In His care and provision, live daily in the confidence of His supply.

Then, we see the visible demonstration of confidence that flows out of our relationship with Jesus in Luke 9:16, “Then, He took the five loaves and two fish and looking up to heaven. He gave thanks and broke them.” How does that visibly demonstrate confidence?

The posture in prayer is revealing.   Do we bow our heads or look at our feet?   Jesus lifted His head and looked up to heaven.   He knew the Father was listening to him and had accepted him.   We tend to hope to be heard and accepted.   If we ask another human for something, do we look down and ask sheepishly or look them in the eye and ask boldly, hopefully, and confidently?   It all depends on our relationship and our security and confidence in that Relationship!

We are encouraged to come boldly before the throne because we are IN Him.   Let’s begin to live as children of the King and with the confidence He brings. We can trust Him. 

Be Bold Because God Loves You!   You are Redeemed and Transformed!

Luke 3:7-9 – “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.  And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.  ⁹ The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

As I read, prayed, and considered the Word of God today, the condition of the heart, the evidence of faith, and transformation filled my consciousness.

John the Baptist in Luke 3 was baptizing large crowds, and some religious leaders came to be baptized.  John said something that today’s church would say was too harsh.   He called them snakes and said, “Therefore, produce fruit that proves your repentance…”   We know that it is not works that save us, but grace and faith, so that sounds contradictory.  However, if a person truly repents, a transformation occurs on the inside that is visible on the outside.

In Luke 5:36-39, we see this in a little different light.  New patches applied to old garments reveal what many try to achieve spiritually.  They take the new (gospel message) and try to add it to their old lifestyle—no change of heart.   

Then he spoke of the wineskins.   Again, some try to have God’s new wine operative in their unchanged lives.   In verse 39, we see the key: “No one after drinking the old wine wants the new, for he says, “The old is good enough.'”

Not only do we have to be transformed on the inside in salvation, but we also have to be flexible and pliable—moldable with a constant flow of God’s grace and Spirit.  Too many become satisfied with the status quo rather than seeking the continuous flow.  The transformation of our lives is reflected in our words.  What fills our hearts overflows in our words.  Words and actions are reflection pools.

What is in our hearts?  Do our lives reveal a changed heart?  What percentage of the time do we reflect a changed life?  Total transformation produces a continual overflow.

LORD, I pray that You will be manifested in us and represented by us.

Take the beatitudes of Luke 6 as your promise and measuring rod.  Make Luke 6:38 your daily activity.  Remember the words of Jesus in Luke 6:43-46.  What we are is reflected in the fruit we produce.  Fruit is not faked; it is produced.

Victory is our promise, and fruit is responsibility.  Fruit comes from the tree, and the tree is either a redeemed heart or a carnal mind. 
Be victorious!

May your day be filled with His Presence, and your Transformation be complete!