Excel Still More

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Good morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:
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Luke 9

This chapter features interactions between Jesus and His disciples. He sends out the twelve to work miracles and proclaim the kingdom. He later challenges them to feed the multitude before doing so Himself. He asks them who they believe He is. They call Him “the Christ of God.” They understand this, but they struggle to see that His mission demands His suffering and death. All who belong to Him must be willing to make sacrifices. Along the way, Jesus is transfigured on the mountain as His Father speaks from heaven! But His disciples still have much to learn. At times they lack faith to cast out demons and get distracted in arguments about who is the greatest. Jesus teaches them that full submission is required to be mighty in His kingdom. 

Jesus’ followers are a lot like us: they have their ups and downs. They can go from casting out demons to being unsure how to feed hungry people. They can be taught that the kingdom is a place of self-sacrifice, and then continue their argument about who is the greatest. Peter sees Jesus shine on the mountain, and he follows that with comments that suggest he understands very little. They can preach the all over to save Jews, and then they ask Christ if they should destroy a village of Samaritans who disregarded Him. They are like us, and we can take comfort in that. Jesus was so patient with them, as He is with all of us. 

Gracious Lord, we thank You today for the incredible patience Jesus has with His people. We, like the first-century followers, engage in the work, deny ourselves, and listen to Your Son with all our heart. And like them, we sometimes lack courage, get distracted by pride, and overreact to situations in a way that shows immaturity. He was so patient. And we praise You in gratitude that He continues to be patient. We know He will not tolerate excuses and split devotion. Please forgive our moments of weakness and help us firm up our resolve to serve Your beloved Son.

-       The 12 apostles worked miracles but later had issues with pride. What does that say about our need to grow, no matter who we are?

-       The Son of Man would have to die to save others. Is it unreasonable for Him to demand sacrifice on our part to carry out His work?

-       God said, “This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!” For you, today, how will you honor this command of the Father?  

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Good morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:
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Feel free to reach out with any questions: [email protected]

Luke 8

This is my favorite chapter in all the Gospels! Jesus tells His iconic parable of the Sower and the seed. The road, the rocky soil, the thorns, and the good soil represent four different states of the human heart. Only the fourth soil is fit for His kingdom, which represents a soft heart that is not distracted by temptation, worries, or wealth. What follows are four miracles that demonstrate the scope of Jesus’ authority. He calms the sea, showing His power over the natural world. He drives out the demons, revealing He controls the spiritual world. He heals a woman who suffered for twelve years, showing He can heal the human body. And he raises a girl from the dead, exerting His control over the eternal spirit!

The main point of the parable of the Sower is to “take care how you listen.” If we fail to listen, nothing changes. The message will get lost even as we listen if we also hear the noise of temptation, worry, or the love of money. Jesus is worthy to be heard and followed completely, above all else. And He has proven exactly why we should be fully committed to Him. He controls nature, and questions why disciples fear the wind and waves. He controls the spiritual world, and demons cower to His will. He can heal our bodies, and He will raise us from the dead and direct our souls to heaven if we live with full faith in Him.

Benevolent Father, thank you for the Sower and the seed. Thank You for sending Jesus and for the life-changing gospel that has been shared with the world. We pray to hear Him and to let the gospel saturate our hearts and be central to our lives. And we pray for the boldness to share it with others. He is glorious. He controls the physical world, the spiritual world, our bodies, and our souls. There is no escape from His rule and will. We pray that we never attempt to flee Him but live always at peace in His arms. 

-       How do you regularly evaluate which type of heart you are developing? How do you strengthen your faith over fear, temptation, and worry?

-       Jesus expected His disciples to trust Him in the storm. This is easier said than done, but how do you do that when times are tough?

-       Jesus raised children from the dead in consecutive chapters. How does His power to resurrect impact the way you live each day?

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Today, we discuss short interviews conducted with two older men, ages 89 and 82. They have common approaches to life and aging, and they are reaping the benefits. You, too, can make simple decisions today to make the twilight years bright, joyful, and strong. It will take costs today, but those will pay off exponentially in years to come. Invest in your body, in your relationships, and in being a person of honesty and integrity. May God bless you with many years in those endeavors.  

If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:
 Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)
Spiritbuilding.com - (premium quality paperback)
Youtube Video Introducing the Content
Feel free to reach out with any questions: [email protected]

Sponsors: 
Jon Cunningham, Owner, Cunningham Financial Group
Website:  www.cunninghamfinancialgroup.com   
Phone:  205-326-7364

Tyler Cain, Senior Loan Officer, Statewide Mortgage
Websites: https://statewidemortgage.com/
https://tylercain.floify.com/
Phone: 813-380-8487

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks!

Good morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:
Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)
Spiritbuilding.com - (premium quality paperback)
Youtube Video Introducing the Content
Feel free to reach out with any questions: [email protected]

Luke 7

A Gentile centurion sends for Jesus to come to heal a highly regarded slave. He notes that Jesus has the power to heal without being present. Jesus marvels at the Gentile’s faith and heals his servant. Jesus later sees a funeral procession and feels compassion for a widow who lost her son. Jesus raises the young man from the dead and the people marvel! John the Baptist sends his followers to investigate these things. It was time for Jesus to increase while John decreased. Even so, Jesus speaks highly of John and his work. The chapter concludes with Jesus at a Pharisee’s house. A woman comes and tearfully wipes Jesus’ feet with her hair. Her humility outshines the Pharisee’s pride, and Jesus forgives her sins because of her faith. 

The characters in this chapter demonstrate the power of humility to access the blessings of Christ. The centurion sent for Jesus and considered himself unworthy for Jesus to come to his house. The Lord marveled at his faith and blessed him. John the Baptist is decreasing, even as he sends disciples toward Jesus. He knew his role and gave his life for the work. Meanwhile, the Jewish leaders keep accusing Jesus and judging others. Our identity comes down to two life pathways: the Pharisee, who invited Jesus in but showed Him no respect; or the sinful woman who cried for mercy at Jesus’ feet. We can sit in pride and be lost, or we can bow in humility and receive mercy. 

All powerful Father, we give all praise to You for Your glory and might. Lord God, help us to take all limitations off our belief. Like the centurion, help us to believe in the limitless scope of Christ’s authority. When we hurt like the widow who lost her son, or the woman at Jesus’ feet, lead us always to Him for help. We know we cannot be humble with others until we first are humble before our King. Father, challenge us directly to become more lowly before Him. Give us grace to live every day in peace with Jesus Christ. 

-       Jesus marveled at the centurion’s great faith. How can you have faith like this man in your life? Is it possible for Jesus to marvel at you?

-       The Pharisees deflected from their weaknesses by judging others. Do you ever do that? How do you prevent that behavior?

-       Jesus said those who are forgiven much, love much. Have you been forgiven much? According to Jesus, what should that mean?

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks!

Good morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:
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Luke 6

The Pharisees continue their attacks on Jesus. They see His disciples picking grain heads on the sabbath and accuse them of breaking the law. Later, Jesus heals a lame man on the sabbath, and the Jewish leaders are enraged. In neither case has Jesus or His disciples done anything wrong. The hard hearts of the Pharisees are the problem. Following this, Jesus turns His attention to His ministry. He prays all night and then selects the twelve apostles. He works many miracles. He then gives the sermon on the mount. The focus here is on sacrifice in the kingdom, love for your enemies, and being fair in judging others. Jesus is addressing matters of the heart. To hear Him and obey Him is to build on an indestructible foundation. 

The Pharisees turned their traditions into laws they bound on others. But Jesus alone creates laws for His people, and He is always right. We would do well to always acknowledge and understand those things. The greatest way to get out of a cycle of judgment is to get on mission. Jesus turned to recruiting workers, helping people, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom. These acts are great examples to help soften our hearts toward others. But we must practice what we preach: making sacrifices for the kingdom’s sake, loving even our enemies, being merciful to others, and evaluating ourselves before critiquing others. These things come from the heart, and our hearts must be shaped by Jesus.  

Tender Father, You have shown so much love in the life of Your Son. He led and fed His disciples. He healed the lame and forgave the penitent. He never let the religious leaders get in the way of His mission to seek and save the lost. It is a joy to serve a courageous and loving Savior. Help us to love Him, to hear Him, and to obey them. Give us opportunities today to be humble in spirit, to love our enemies, to be merciful to others, and to withhold unfair judgment. Establish us on the Rock. 

-       It is tragic to think of what the Pharisees missed out on in Christ in the name of their pride. How can you make sure to never be like them?

-       Jesus’ teaching is so counterculture: woe to the rich, love your enemies, give to others. Are you ready to be transformed for His name’s sake?

-       The words you say come from your heart. This can be good or bad. How do you purify or soften your heart to help control your speech?

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks!

Good morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:
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Luke 5

This chapter opens with three miracles of Jesus: filling the fishermen’s nets with fish, healing a man filled with leprosy, and healing and forgiving the man who is lowered down through the roof. These works of God are among people of faith, as the result of faith, and lead to powerful results. The fishermen leave their nets and follow Jesus. The healed leper tells others about Jesus. The lame man goes away on foot, but most importantly he has his sins taken away. Amid this wonderful time, the Pharisees begin questioning Jesus. They accuse Him of blasphemy for forgiving sins. They question Him for eating with sinners at Matthew’s house. They wonder why His disciples do not fast. Jesus explains that these are to be times of joy and feasting!

There is a great amount of faith and humility in these events. Peter says, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!” The leper implores Jesus saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” And the lame man tasks several friends to tear a hole in the roof of a house to see Jesus. This contrasts strongly with the jealous, suspicious, self-centered Pharisees who looked for reasons to disbelieve. That group spent time fasting in sorrow when they should have been rejoicing in Jesus. Which of the contrasting groups best describes us? As disciples forgiven by Christ, we should be the most joyful, thankful, and evangelistic people on earth. 

Dear Father, what a joy it must have been to sit and hear Jesus preach, to watch Him fill nets and cure leprosy, and to see Him forgive sins and sit with sinners to save their souls. Thank You for preserving these stories in the Bible so we can learn of His mighty works. We call upon Jesus’ name for healing. But even more so, we ask for Him to forgive our sins. Help us to be so grateful for that gift that we tell others. And keep us rejoicing and feasting, even in the face of trials.

-       There is action by the faithful in all our stories today. What action will you take today because Jesus is the Healer and Forgiver?

-       Jesus touched a leper, and later He dined with sinners. What does this teach you about how deeply Jesus cares for the hurting and the lost?

-       Jesus teaches it would be inappropriate to fast in sorrow while He is with them. Is He with you? So, should we be fasting or feasting? 

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks!

Good morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:
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Luke 4

The Holy Spirit leads Jesus into the wilderness. He fasts for forty days and faces intense temptation from the devil. Satan asks Jesus to turn rocks into bread, to accept kingdoms from the devil, and to jump and challenge God to catch Him. On each occasion, Jesus quotes scripture, gives credit to God, and refuses to fall in the face of temptation. Following this, Jesus comes to Nazareth, enters the synagogue, and asks to read from the book of Isaiah. He reads about the favorable year of the Lord and proclaims that the time has come! They doubt Him and even try to drive Him off a cliff! Jesus goes to Capernaum, where He is better received. He preaches the kingdom of God and casts out demons and heals many.

The devil uses three common tools to tempt Jesus: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life. This is how he tempted Adam and Eve in the beginning, and this is how he tempts us. Jesus uses faith, scripture, and wisdom to reject him, and we can do the same in His name. Jesus is the anointed One, and our Helper, and has ushered in a favorable age of victory over the devil. Jesus has proven His power in the wilderness, but also in casting out demons, healing the sick, and proving His limitless might. Even the demons proclaim Him to be the “Holy One of God.” How much more so should we?   

Gracious Lord, thank You for the example Your Son set for us in His ministry. Help us to be more like Him and see through the devil’s common and carnal tools of temptation. To choose Satan is to reject Your Son, and we pray to flee evil and cling to Christ. Jesus brought us freedom from captivity and has shown us that He controls the spiritual and physical world. It is sad to see His hometown drive Him out. Please help us to always be humble and in awe of Him and to never push our King away.   

-       Have you tried categorizing temptations? When you feel it coming, identify if Satan is tempting your eye, your flesh, or your pride.

-       Jesus’ hometown could not accept that He was God’s one and only plan to save them. Do you accept and embrace that fact today?

-       What does it say about Christ’s glory that even the demons fear and confess Him as God? How must your faith be better than the demons?

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks!

Good morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:
Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)
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Feel free to reach out with any questions: [email protected]

Luke 3 

John the Baptist’s ministry begins as he preaches “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” He fulfills Isaiah’s prophecy as the one to come and to “make ready the way of the Lord.” John speaks against many who come to be baptized, calling them “a brood of vipers” and instructing them to bear fruit in repentance. They want baptism, but they are not interested in fleeing from sin. John explains to them that true repentance means treating others fairly. Before John’s arrest, he speaks of the mighty One who would come after Him bringing baptisms of the Holy Spirit and fire! He then baptizes Jesus, as the Spirit descends on Him and God speaks about Him from heaven! The chapter ends with the genealogy of Jesus back to Adam. 

Three ideas from John’s ministry set the tone for Jesus’ teaching: baptism, repentance, and the forgiveness of sins. We must be baptized in water to have our sins washed away. Jesus’ baptism sets an example for us. But we must also be willing to turn from sin, so that, by the planning and grace of God, our sins are forgiven. This choice is crucial as Jesus would bring two baptisms: the Holy Spirit in association with salvation or fire bringing destruction. The genealogy of Jesus is important because it proves Him to be the fulfillment of prophecies by connecting Him to both David and Abraham. He is God’s choice from the beginning to be our Savior. 

Great God, You have the right to demand anything in order for us to become Your children. You have told us to believe in Jesus, to repent of our sins, and to be baptized in water. Thank You for showing this to us and teaching us how to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. John was arrested for preaching these things. Help us to be bold in proclaiming this soul-saving truth to others. Jesus is the descendant of David, the seed of Abraham, Your plan for our salvation from the beginning. We praise His mighty name. 

Thought Questions for the Day:

-       Many Jews desired baptism but were unwilling to repent. Are you willing to not only be baptized but continually turn from your sin?

-       When John teaches on repentance, he speaks of how we treat others. Is charity, fairness, and kindness to others important fruits of faithfulness?

-       Jesus was baptized, and then He began His ministry for God. How should we follow His example in baptism and in what comes after?

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks!

If you are looking to live a worry free life, consider these things:

1) Make things right with a fellow believer. You need each other.

2) Be about God and thankful to God ALL the time. Don't just reach out when you are in a pinch. 

3) Think on spiritual things. Read the word. Have bible discussions.

4) Practice what you read. Pick at least one action item per day.

5) Find contentment in the nearness of Christ. His strength is aways enough.   

If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:
 Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)
Spiritbuilding.com - (premium quality paperback)
Youtube Video Introducing the Content
Feel free to reach out with any questions: [email protected]

Sponsors: 
Jon Cunningham, Owner, Cunningham Financial Group
Website:  www.cunninghamfinancialgroup.com   
Phone:  205-326-7364

Tyler Cain, Senior Loan Officer, Statewide Mortgage
Websites: https://statewidemortgage.com/
https://tylercain.floify.com/
Phone: 813-380-8487

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks!

Good morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:
Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)
Spiritbuilding.com - (premium quality paperback)
Youtube Video Introducing the Content
Feel free to reach out with any questions: [email protected]

Luke 2

Joseph and Mary travel to Bethlehem for a census. Jesus is born there in a manger since the inn is full. An angel appears to shepherds proclaiming Jesus as the “Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” A multitude of angels then appear praising God! The shepherds visit the family and report these wonderful things. After eight days, Jesus’ family takes Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord at the temple. A righteous man named Simeon prophesies that Jesus would be a light even to the Gentiles. Twelve years later, the family comes to Jerusalem for the Passover. When they leave for home, Jesus stays behind and astonishes the teachers in the temple. His parents return for Him, but He explains He must be in His Father’s house.

Jesus returns to Nazareth with his parents after the Jerusalem event. His parents did not understand what was coming, but His mother treasured all of this in her heart. She knew how special He was. This chapter is filled with prophecy and proclamations about the greatness of Jesus. We should treasure all of this in our hearts as well. The angels appear and praise God for the “peace on earth” that Jesus would bring. In the temple, Simeon holds Jesus in his arms and says to God, “My eyes have seen Your salvation.” They believed He was God’s gift to change the world. We know of His birth, His death, and His resurrection. We should openly proclaim His glory even more! 

Heavenly Father, world history has two halves: before Jesus was born, and after. Thank You for blessing us to live in the days after Jesus came. So much anticipation and hope were tied to the coming of the Messiah. And by Your grace, He has come. May His worthiness dominate our hearts, and may He be “good news of great joy” every day of our lives. As a child, He wowed the teachers. His wisdom exceeds all men, including us. Help us to humbly be in awe of Him, to study His teachings, and to surrender our lives to follow Him. 

Thought Questions for the Day:

-       God’s only Son was birthed in a barn. What does that teach you about where and how God might begin wonderful things?

-       Simeon prophesied Jesus would be the Light for Jews and Gentiles. How has God had your salvation in mind since the beginning?

-       In His youth, Jesus prioritized the temple over traveling with His family. How does this foreshadow the message of the kingdom?