Verse of the Day 4/21

Through the Bible - 2 Samuel 1-3, Luke 19:11-27

 

Good morning,

For today's verse we'll go back to Luke 18 to the second parable on prayer.  The previous parable from Monday spoke of the widow giving the unjust judge a black eye.  Reading today's verse may hit us right between the eyes.

 

Luke 18:11The Pharisee took his stand ostentatiously and began to pray thus before and with himself: God, I thank You that I am not like the rest of men--extortioners (robbers), swindlers [unrighteous in heart and life], adulterers--or even like this tax collector here.

¹²I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I gain.

¹³But the tax collector, [merely] standing at a distance, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but kept striking his breast, saying, O God, be favorable (be gracious, be merciful) to me, the especially wicked sinner that I am!  - Amplified Bible

 

The Amplified Bible uses the word "ostentatiously" to describe the Pharisee's stance,.  Read Merriam's dictionary definition for the word, " marked by or fond of conspicuous or vainglorious and sometimes pretentious display".

The prayer was all for show.  Not only that, John MacArthur points out that "by exalting his own works, the Pharisee revealed that his entire hope lay in his not being as bad as someone else.   He utterly lacked any sense of his own unworthiness and sin." 

 

Contrast the "sinner", a man who was willing to face the reality of his sin, whose only response could be coming to Christ in humility and repentance.

Most of us will probably admit saying prayers in one form or another that resemble the pharisaical attitude, thinking that our prayers deserve to be heard over someone else's because in our judgment we are not like "the rest of men".

 

Rabbi Nichonias' prayer (about 70 AD) highlights the attitude, "I thank you, Lord my God, that you have set my lot among those who frequent the synagogue rather than those who sit on the street corners.  I run my cause for the life of the world to come, while they are heading for the abyss."

 

We may change the statement to the golf course or ball field instead of the street corner, but the attitude of the heart is still the same.

 

What should we be doing, how should we be praying instead?

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV
Luke 18:9-14

 

The Story of the Tax Man and the Pharisee

 

He told his next story to some who were complacently pleased with themselves over their moral performance and looked down their noses at the common people: "Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax man. The Pharisee posed and prayed like this: 'Oh, God, I thank you that I am not like other people — robbers, crooks, adulterers, or, heaven forbid, like this tax man. I fast twice a week and tithe on all my income.'

 

"Meanwhile the tax man, slumped in the shadows, his face in his hands, not daring to look up, said, 'God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner.'"

 

Jesus commented, "This tax man, not the other, went home made right with God. If you walk around with your nose in the air, you're going to end up flat on your face, but if you're content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself."

 

(from THE MESSAGE)

Verse of the Day 4/20

Through the Bible - 1 Samuel 29-31, Luke 18:35-19:10

 

Good morning,

On Sunday evening at 6:59 eastern time Jean and I became grandparents for the second time.  Little Tyler Jeffrey Lutsch came into the world, the child of my daughter Laurie and her husband Jeff.  He was loved immediately.  What a blessing.

For today's verse we'll go to Luke 18 which was yesterday's New Testament reading.

Luke 18:15 People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.    NIV
When little Tyler came into the world, he didn't do anything on his own to earn the love of his parents, grandparents and many others.  He was loved first.

This story is one that is told in each of the gospels.  In Mark it is a picture of Jesus' humility, gentleness, and open welcome to children as they are.  In Matthew it is a message of conversion, where He says 'whoever does not change and become like little children.'

Henry Wansbrough writes, "Luke has yet another lesson.  There is no interest in the spiritual qualities of the candidate for the kingdom, for he says the 'even brought babies to him', using a word which indicates a new born babe.  His interest, therefore, is in the helplessness of the candidate; the candidate can contribute nothing at all.  No one can earn entry into the kingdom.  This passage, then, joins those which surround it: in the previous passage the tax collector in prayer can only plead his lack of qualities and his guilt.  In the following passage we are told that no human being can earn entry into the kingdom."

The Message, below, says that these children, those who come to Him in childlike faith are the kingdom's pride and joy.

My prayer for Tyler is that some day that he would approach the Saviour in simple childlike faith.  May God bring him His faith, hope and love in his life at an early age.  May we not put obstacles in the way.

Thank you Lord for your wonderful gift.

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV
Luke 18:15-18

 

People brought babies to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. When the disciples saw it, they shooed them off. Jesus called them back. "Let these children alone. Don't get between them and me. These children are the kingdom's pride and joy. Mark this: Unless you accept God's kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you'll never get in."    (from THE MESSAGE)

Verse of the Day 4/19

Through the Bible - 1 Samuel 27-28, Luke 18:15-34

 

Good morning,

Yesterday's New Testament reading in Luke 18 brought us two parables on prayer.  For today's verse we'll go to the first parable in the chapter on the unjust judge.

The widow in the parable was relentless in her requests to the unjust judge. The judge finally approved  her requests with the following reasoning.

 

Luke 18:4 'Though I do not fear God nor regard man,  5 yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.'"  NKJV

The word used for "weary me" literally means "hit under the eye".  You might say that the judge finally did the right thing to avoid a "black eye" in public opinion.  Can't you see politicians and judges today doing the same thing?  They won't grant a request based on it's merit's but for fear of public opinion. 

 

Luke 18:7And will not [our just] God defend and protect and avenge His elect (His chosen ones), who cry to Him day and night? Will He defer them and delay help on their behalf?

⁸I tell you, He will defend and protect and avenge them speedily. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find [persistence in] faith on the earth?  - Amplified Bible

Some compare God to the unjust judge, that is not the point of the parable.  The Amplified Bible does a good job a assessing the situation.  If even an unjust judge will grant a positive response to a persistent petitioner,  how much more will God do for His people?

 

Read the passage below from  The Message.  Can you see the point in relation to today?  How many people are demanding their rights from the political arena but don't fear God or make their requests to Him?

The parable ends with a question, will Jesus see such persistence in prayer when He returns during the time of the church as it faces persecution?

Blessings,
Mike

mikevw@bellsouth.net
mikesvotd.blogspot.com

Luke 18:1-9

The Story of the Persistent Widow

18 Jesus told them a story showing that it was necessary for them to pray consistently and never quit. He said, "There was once a judge in some city who never gave God a thought and cared nothing for people. A widow in that city kept after him: 'My rights are being violated. Protect me!'

"He never gave her the time of day. But after this went on and on he said to himself, 'I care nothing what God thinks, even less what people think. But because this widow won't quit badgering me, I'd better do something and see that she gets justice — otherwise I'm going to end up beaten black and blue by her pounding.'"

Then the Master said, "Do you hear what that judge, corrupt as he is, is saying? So what makes you think God won't step in and work justice for his chosen people, who continue to cry out for help? Won't he stick up for them? I assure you, he will. He will not drag his feet. But how much of that kind of persistent faith will the Son of Man find on the earth when he returns?"    (from THE MESSAGE)

Verse of the Day - weekend 4/18

Through the Bible - 1 Samuel 22-26, Luke 17:1- 18:14

 

Good morning,

As we've been going through the gospels we've considered many parables and will continue to do so in the coming months.  For this weekend's verse we'll go to Matthew where we see that in speaking in parables Jesus is actually fulfilling prophecies.

 

Matt 13:34 All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, 35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:

 

"I will open My mouth in parables;
I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world."    NKJV

These parables Jesus uses common, mundane, everyday experiences to reveal profound truths that go beyond our common reasoning.  Someone has said that a parable is an "earthly story with a heavenly message."

 

Scott Anderson writes, "parables withdraw the light from the rebellious at heart who hate the truth, and give light to those who believe and love the truth.......... The parables of Jesus are actually designed to help us see whether illuminating grace is  on the move in our lives...... Parables function as little tests of faith, beckoning us to see and believe and obey the truth of the Storyteller."

 

The parables should stir us to as questions such as: am I open to His teaching?  Am I happy to follow His instructions?  Am I really interested in His truth?  Will I allow it to have an impact on my life, my actions? Do I have the eyes that want to see and ears that want to hear His words of life?  Am I embracing Christ as the ultimate good of the gospel today?  These are questions that should be going through our minds as we read the Bible every day, perhaps especially in the parables.

As we go through the gospels and read the parables of Jesus, may we slow down and consider some of these questions.

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV
Matt 13:34-36

 

Prophecy and the Parables

 

34 All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, 35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:

 

"I will open My mouth in parables;
I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world."    NKJV

Verse of the Day 3/16

Through the Bible - 1 Samuel 10-21, Luke 16:14-31

 

Good morning,

I'm sure that you are aware that yesterday was tax day.  A fitting verse for the day and the tax season is Rom 13:6,  "Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority."  NLT

 

There has been a lot of talk and debate in the news and in politics lately regarding taxes and the rich and the poor, this concerns all of us.  But what is important for us as Christians is how we look at "our money" and the accompanying traps that often come along with excess.

 

Luke deals with the subject of riches in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus in today's reading.  It's another parable that you can ponder from several different perspectives.  Luke masterfully describes the situation and allow us to "read between the lines", to see below the surface.

Commentator Henry Wansbrough writes, "The story is the perfect illustration of the reversal proclaimed in Luke's beatitudes and woes: ' Alas, for you who are rich; you are having your consolation now.'  This is made explicit in verse 25, when Lazarus' has the consolation promised in the beatitudes.

For today's verses we'll go to the heart of the parable.

 

Luke 16:24 "The rich man shouted, 'Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.'

 

25 "But Abraham said to him, 'Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides, there is a great chasm separating us. No one can cross over to you from here, and no one can cross over to us from there.'    NLT

Even now, "on the other side", the rich man reveals his heart.  He still sees Lazarus as a servant, not a "co-heir" or brother in Christ.

 

Wansbrough continues, "When both men get to the far side - note; the poor man's name means 'God is my help' - the rich man is splendidly unrepentant.  He still claims to be part of the 'Chosen People' by calling out, 'Father Abraham', forgetting that John the Baptist has told us that it is not enough to claim Abraham as father (Luke 3:8 yesterday).  He still treats Lazarus as a servant who can be summarily sent as a messenger to render small services."

 

Lazarus had God as his help in life and after.  The rich man had his wealth as his help.  As is often said, you can't take it with you, it will not help you on the day of judgment.

 

Read the rest of the parable.  There is much to consider starting with "wasting our days" versus "redeeming the time".  What speaks to you?

 

The attitude and the heart of the rich man can be seen all around us today, hopefully not in ours.

 

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV
Luke 16:19-17:1

 

The Rich Man and Lazarus

 

"There once was a rich man, expensively dressed in the latest fashions, wasting his days in conspicuous consumption. A poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, had been dumped on his doorstep. All he lived for was to get a meal from scraps off the rich man's table. His best friends were the dogs who came and licked his sores.

 

"Then he died, this poor man, and was taken up by the angels to the lap of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell and in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham in the distance and Lazarus in his lap. He called out, 'Father Abraham, mercy! Have mercy! Send Lazarus to dip his finger in water to cool my tongue. I'm in agony in this fire.'

 

"But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that in your lifetime you got the good things and Lazarus the bad things. It's not like that here. Here he's consoled and you're tormented. Besides, in all these matters there is a huge chasm set between us so that no one can go from us to you even if he wanted to, nor can anyone cross over from you to us.'

 

"The rich man said, 'Then let me ask you, Father: Send him to the house of my father where I have five brothers, so he can tell them the score and warn them so they won't end up here in this place of torment.'

 

"Abraham answered, 'They have Moses and the Prophets to tell them the score. Let them listen to them.'

 

"'I know, Father Abraham,' he said, 'but they're not listening. If someone came back to them from the dead, they would change their ways.'

 

"Abraham replied, 'If they won't listen to Moses and the Prophets, they're not going to be convinced by someone who rises from the dead.'"    (from THE MESSAGE)

Verse of the Day 4/15

Through the Bible - 1 Samuel 18-19, Luke 16:1-13

 

Good morning,

In Luke's gospel there is a continuing theme which is described in more detail in the gospel of Mark.  Luke often uses a warning to repent, a warning about the use of money, and pointing to Jesus.  We saw this in yesterday's parable of the prodigal son, where instead of pointing directly to Jesus, the son was shown the love of the Father.

 

For today's verse we'll go back to Luke chapter 3 where John the Baptist, the forerunner, preaches the same message.  Read the passage and look for the same points.

 Luke 3:8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 9 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."   NKJV

Wansbrough writes that "John's warning is that it is not enough simply to be members of that people, children of Abraham.  Some of the trees may be dead wood which needs to be cut out.  In the final harvest there will be chaff fit only for burning, as well as good fruit.  For the chaff it will be a day of disaster.  This warning against complacency is still relevant for Christians today."

 

The same applies today.  Complacency in our faith should not be an option for us.  We are not saved to take our inheritance, to go off and live our lives, for ourselves.  It's not a matter of what church we belong to as much as it is a matter of our relationship to Christ or the Father as depicted in yesterday's parable.  If we've wandered, the Father is waiting for us to return with the same type of heart as the prodigal son.

 

Another thing that you see in Luke and in the gospels in general, is that of serving in humble obedience.  It's turning to Christ with the attitude of the son yesterday who turned back to the father willing to be considered as a servant but received back as a son.  From that point on his desire would be to bring glory to the father.

John shows the proper attitude of the heart in John 3:30 " He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less."  NLT
It should be the attitude of any Christian preacher, teacher, parent or mentor.

Blessings,
Mike

mikevw@bellsouth.net
mikesvotd.blogspot.com

Luke 3:7-17

When crowds of people came out for baptism because it was the popular thing to do, John exploded: "Brood of snakes! What do you think you're doing slithering down here to the river? Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to deflect God's judgment? It's your life that must change, not your skin. And don't think you can pull rank by claiming Abraham as 'father.' Being a child of Abraham is neither here nor there — children of Abraham are a dime a dozen. God can make children from stones if he wants. What counts is your life. Is it green and blossoming? Because if it's deadwood, it goes on the fire."

The crowd asked him, "Then what are we supposed to do?"

"If you have two coats, give one away," he said. "Do the same with your food."

Tax men also came to be baptized and said, "Teacher, what should we do?"

He told them, "No more extortion — collect only what is required by law."

Soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?"

He told them, "No shakedowns, no blackmail — and be content with your rations."

The interest of the people by now was building. They were all beginning to wonder, "Could this John be the Messiah?"

But John intervened: "I'm baptizing you here in the river. The main character in this drama, to whom I'm a mere stagehand, will ignite the kingdom life, a fire, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. He's going to clean house — make a clean sweep of your lives. He'll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he'll put out with the trash to be burned."
(from THE MESSAGE)

Verse of the Day 8/14

Through the Bible - 1 Samuel 15-17, Luke 15:11-32

 

Good morning,

Yesterday we considered what it should mean to us  that the Lord is "your" God, and how amazing it is that He should die for us.

For today's verse we go to today's Bible reading and one of the most read, quoted, and studied "short stories" of all time, The Prodigal Son.  The story is told with a fine balance of contrasts away and back, the breaking and mending of relationships, and the son losing everything then receiving everything.  All of this is centered around the son's repentance.

The son represents us and the father represents God.  Today's verse is the background for the song "When God Ran".

Luke 15:20 "And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.    NKJV
As the son dejectedly and apprehensively walked along the dusty road his father saw him on the horizon.  What does he do for this son who had rejected him and wasted all that he had given him?  He runs to him, not worrying about the lack of dignity in that culture, of  running.  When he catches up with his son, he interrupts the prepared speech and hugs and kisses him.  He shows him that he still loves him and restores the relationship with forgiveness and assurance by giving him a ring.

The older son is jealous and objects.  But as the celebration begins without the older son the father leaves his place at the head of the table in to go out and to try to reassure his older son, to take away his resentment. 

Henry Wansbrough writes, "To the hurtful jibe of "this son of yours" he replies gently with "your brother".  A less generous story would have finished with a sharp contrast in the father's attitude to the two brothers and would have left the self righteous brother to swelter in his own resentment.  But this Father's affection is so limitless that even such behavior must be drawn back into love."

Consider your emotions and how you have fit into this story.  May you realize how the Father has loved, has run to you.

Blessings,

Mike

mikevw@bellsouth.net

mikesvotd.blogspot.com

 

Luke 15:11-25

 

The Parable of the Lost Son

 

11 Then He said: "A certain man had two sons.  12 And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.' So he divided to them his livelihood.  13 And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.  14 But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.  15 Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.  16 And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.

17 "But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!  18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,  19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants."'

20 "And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.  21 And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

22 "But the father said to his servants,'Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.  23 And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;  24 for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' And they began to be merry. NKJV