Mike Kines

Luke 9:18-45 (2)

Luke 9:18-27

The Lord Jesus asked his disciples who the people said he was. His disciples replied that some thought he was John the Baptist, or that he was one of the prophets of old returned. The Lord Jesus then asked them who they thought he was. Peter replied that the Lord Jesus was the Christ. When he made this confession the Lord Jesus instructed his disciples not to tell anyone. He then predicted he would be handed over to die and that he would rise again on the third day. He taught his disciples to take up their cross and follow him. He taught them if they wanted to gain life then they should lose their life for his sake. He taught them if anyone was ashamed of him and his words he would be ashamed of them before the heavenly Father and the angels. He concluded by saying that some of the disciples present would see him coming in his kingdom.

A man has a choice to worship the Lord or to worship himself. If he worships the Lord then he must deny himself and take up his cross. The Lord Jesus showed us the way to live for God. It is by giving away our life for God. In the Lord's case this literally meant that he would die on the cross. For us, many times this means we live for the Lord Jesus instead of living for ourselves. In the same way that Abraham offered Isaac to God we are to offer our heart and lives to God. We should be willing to go all the way with God and die if that is the will of God. As far as Abraham was concerned Isaac was dead but God raised him from the dead in a figure. He stopped him from offering his son and instead God offered his only begotten Son Jesus Christ in our place. God provided himself as the Lamb.

The impact of this upon us was to set us free from living for ourselves. If we only live for self then in the end we will lose everything. We will be castaway. Look at that word "castaway" here.

Luke 9:25, "For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?"

Men who do not follow the Lord Jesus dedicate their entire lives to gaining the world. They live their entire life according to the principles of the world system, hoping for provision, hoping for protection, hoping for prestige and glory. But what do they get? In the end they lose their life. When they stand before God they will have nothing but vanity to show for themselves.

The only way to live is to die to self and instead live for the Lord Jesus Christ. Follow the example of the Lord Jesus Christ. Humble yourself and be obedient to death even the death of the cross.

Luke 9:28-36

This account of the transfiguration of the Lord Jesus was recorded in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. This was a significant event in the life of the Lord Jesus. Peter later mentioned this again in his epistle. This was a life changing experience for the disciples. The Lord Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him up on the mountain to pray. While he was there he was changed. His face was changed and he glowed with a heavenly white light. While he was there two men appeared in glory with the Lord Jesus. These men were Moses and Elijah. In my opinion, these two men were the same ones there when the Lord Jesus ascended into heaven, and will be the two witnesses in the book of Revelation. I also think they might have been the two men at the tomb of the Lord Jesus when he was resurrected.

Peter suggested the creation of three tents, one for the Lord Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. Somehow he knew who these men were without having met them previously. This gives us a clue as to how things will be in the kingdom of God. We will know each other. We will know the Lord and we will know one another. A cloud appeared and the voice of God the Father spoke, proclaiming that the Lord Jesus was God's beloved Son and to hear him. Listen to the Lord Jesus! Listen to the Lord Jesus! This is what we are called to do. We are called to hear the voice of the Lord. This was the advantage of someone like Mary over her sister Martha. She had the spiritual discernment to know what was the most important thing to do. May God give us the discernment to know what is the best thing we can do with the life we have been given. Listen to the Lord Jesus.

Christ died for our sins. He was buried. He rose again on the third day. Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord Jesus will be saved.

Luke 9:37-45

When the Lord Jesus and his disciples came down from the mountain of transfiguration they were confronted with a father who had a son possessed by devils. This father had already asked the Lord's disciples to help him and they were unable to cast out the devils from this boy.

I'm not sure who the Lord Jesus was rebuking when he said "faithless and perverse generation" but I assume this was directed at the disciples who were unable to help the man.

Even in the presence of the Lord these devils tried to act up but the Lord Jesus rebuked them, cast them out, and healed the boy completely. He then gave the boy back to his father. Everyone there was amazed at the mighty power of God displayed through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Right at that moment the Lord Jesus turned to his disciples and told them that the Son of Man would be delivered into the hands of men. Why did he say this? I think he tried to wake them up to get serious about their spiritual walk. He would only be with them a short season of time. He had a mission to go to Calvary and had only a short time to teach them.

He rebuked them to make them humble themselves and get serious about their spiritual life. The Lord Jesus rebuked the churches in Revelation chapters 2 and 3 in a similar manner. He said that everyone he loved he chastened and rebuked. We are to be zealous for the Lord and repent.

It is possible for a Christian to go a long time without any spiritual power in his life. Instead of living in spiritual defeat the Lord Jesus called us to get rid of all compromise in our life. He wants us to have a red hot burning faith in God and to get rid of all compromise. We may need to fast and pray to build this spiritual fire in our life. In another places where this same story was retold the Lord Jesus told his disciples that some demons can only come out by prayer and fasting.

Rid your life of all compromise. Remember to lay aside every weight and every sin which so easily besets you. Do not be like Israel at the foot of the mountain waiting for Moses to come back. Do not give in to the flesh but instead walk in the Spirit as you wait each day upon the Lord. Do not give in to impatience. Do not allow yourselves to give in to discouragement or unbelief. He that will come will come and will not delay. Cast not away your confidence today. Endure until the end.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mikekines.substack.com

Luke 9:1-17 (1)

Luke 9:1-6

The Lord Jesus sent out his twelve apostles to preach, proclaim, drive out devils, and heal sick people. He gave them specific instructions on what equipment to use, where to stay, and how to respond to people who rejected their ministry. The Lord did not leave out any details when he instructed his apostles in their ministry.

My take here is that I need to be ready to receive specific instructions from the Lord on how to conduct myself, on how to serve in ministry, and how to live for him. He is my provider, my protection, and my portion forever. Therefore I should listen to his instructions even when it comes to such mundane things as equipment used in ministry and how to conduct myself in ministry.

This principle holds for the faith of the Christian. We should live in accordance with God's instructions to us through the Holy Bible. We are to carefully read the instructions in the New Testament on how we should live and then conform our lives to those instructions.

The following passages provide some straight forward instructions on Christian living: Romans 12-15, Galatians 5:16-26, Ephesians 4:17-6:9, Philippians 4:4-9, Colossians 3-4, 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12, 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22, 2 Thessalonian 3:6-15, Titus 2-3, James (the entire book). These are just samples. There is a lot more in the New Testament, including the teachings of the Lord Jesus in the gospel accounts.

Luke 9:7-9

Herod killed John the Baptist. He heard rumors about the Lord Jesus and was told this might be John the Baptist risen from the dead, or it might be Elijah come back from heaven, or it might be one of the other prophets. Notice how people in those days believed the same kind of things people do today. They believed people could rise from the dead. This was seen clearly in the ministry of the Lord Jesus because he raised people from the dead. The widow's son from Nain, Jairus' daughter, and Lazarus were just three examples I can think of.

Herod was perplexed. This is how the world feels about Christians. They are perplexed. This explains the anger, the mocking, the minimizing and unbelief. You can't really put a Christian into a box, but unbelievers do this non-stop. They can't be happy until they have labeled and categorized a Christian. Why? Because Christians perplex them. It causes unbelievers mental anguish to think about Christians. Almost always the world reacts to Christians with a negative response. Rarely do you find someone who does not believe in God who has something positive to say about Christians. When you do, it is because they are trying to pretend they are magnanimous in order to feel good about themselves.

Herod was perplexed. I've suffered for a long time with the confusion of other people around me. Unbelievers just do not know what to do with a real Christian. They can feel the spiritual life in the Christian. They can smell the fragrance of the Lord in the Holy Spirit filled Christian. It is not an aroma they like very much. It reminds them that they are going to die. It reminds them they will give an account for all of their sins. It reminds them they have appointment with God to keep.

Christ died for our sins. He was buried. He rose again on the third day. Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord Jesus will be saved.

Luke 9:10-17

When the apostles returned to the Lord Jesus after their missionary journey he brought them aside privately to a desert place near Bethsaida. However, the general population heard of his location and came out to him. He taught them about the kingdom of God and he healed people. Eventually the disciples came to the Lord Jesus and asked him to send the crowds away so they could get food and shelter. The Lord Jesus turned this around and told the disciples to give the crowd food. They protested and said they only had five loaves and two fishes. The Lord Jesus told the disciples to make the people sit down in groups of fifty. Once this was done the Lord Jesus took the bread and fish, blessed it, and with it he fed all of those five thousand people, and there were twelve baskets of food left over which the disciples collected.

There are multiple thoughts and lessons which we can glean from this account of the Lord Jesus feeding the five thousand people. One thought I have, first of all, is a simple fact: God is my Provider. The Lord Jesus is my Provider. Psalm 23:1, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want".

The Lord Jesus taught his disciples to pray to the Father and say, "Give us this day our daily bread." God is our provider. He gives us everything we need in order to live on this earth. The Lord Jesus taught his disciples to seek first God's kingdom and his righteousness and all these other things (material things we need for life) would be added to us.

Another thought I have is that those who were in the ministry serving the Lord Jesus did not really have much compassion for the people. They wanted them to go away. Perhaps this lack of compassion arises from a lack of faith. They did not see the five loaves and two fish as enough food to feed the multitude of people. However, in the hands of the Lord Jesus, that little bit of food became enough to feed that entire multitude of people. When we give the Lord Jesus what we have then he can take it and multiply it and feed many people. Don't ever feel like you don't have anything to offer the Lord or other people. Sometimes just a word of encouragement or comfort can make all the difference.

This account described a miracle of God's provision. Do you need a miracle today? Do you need God to provide a need in your life? Ask the Lord Jesus and see what he will do for you.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mikekines.substack.com

Luke 8:22-56 (2)

Luke 8:22-25

The Lord Jesus demonstrated his authority over the raging seas. The Lord Jesus is King over all creation. Jesus Christ is God. He is the Savior, and he is the Lord, and he is the King. He demonstrated his authority and power over creation.

Notice the Lord Jesus told his disciples they would go to the other side of the lake. If they listened to him then they would not have thought that they would perish. They would have known that no matter what the circumstances appear that they would make it to the other side. Some people teach that the Lord Jesus rebuked them for a lack of faith because he expected them to rebuke the seas. I don't believe that. Instead, I think he rebuked them for not remembering what he said. He said they were going to the other side. The Lord Jesus was the one who rebuked the sea. They did right going to him for help but their attitude of fear had to be corrected. We should go to God in our difficult situations in life, but go to God with faith. Go to the Lord like the shunammite woman, and say, "All is well."

God is in control of the raging seas. He reigns as King over the flood. He reigns as King forever.

Luke 8:26-39

After crossing the sea the Lord Jesus and his disciples landed where they met a man who was possessed by a legion of demons. The Lord Jesus demonstrated his authority over the powers of darkness by driving out this legion of demons. The demons went into a herd of pigs and drowned in the sea. The man was thankful and wanted to follow the Lord Jesus but the Lord told him to go home and tell his family how God had mercy on him.

What always stands out to me in this account is how Jesus exposes the system which the powers of darkness use. Jesus demanded to know their name. They said "Legion" because there were great numbers of them. Through this we understand the system the powers of darkness use is based on making a name for themselves and bringing numbers underneath a name they create. This is also seen in the account of the tower of Babel and is also exposed by the Lord Jesus when he said the Antichrist would come "in his own name". This is the basis for how the world system operates. Men exalt their names and bring numbers of men under their name to create satanic power. This satanic power provides them with provision and protection and portion independently from God. The world system is a counterfeit of the attributes of God.

I look forward to the day when the Lord Jesus will drive out every demon off this earth. One day all of the powers of darkness in the air will be driven out and the atmosphere will be completely cleansed from their influence. I look forward to God's Kingdom coming on this earth. I look forward to God's will being done on earth as it is in heaven.

Luke 8:40-56

The Lord Jesus and his disciples returned from across the sea. They were welcomed back and the Lord Jesus was approached by Jairus, the ruler of a synagogue. He asked the Lord Jesus to save his daughter because she was dying. On the way to help Jairus the Lord Jesus encountered a woman who touched the hem of his robe and was healed from a bleeding disease. She was healed immediately. At first the Lord Jesus didn't know exactly who touched him but she came forward and made a full confession. The Lord Jesus said her faith made her whole and to go in peace. He continued on with Jairus and raised the little girl from the dead. The Lord Jesus insisted that she was sleeping and was not dead, but he also said this about Lazarus who was clearly dead. When Jesus spoke to the little girl her spirit returned so it was clear she was dead, even though Jesus said she slept. The early church used this same way of describing physical death as "sleeping". The Lord Jesus raised the little girl from the dead and gave her back to her parents. The Lord requested that they keep this incident quiet and not talk about it.

The main idea I get from this passage is that Jesus has authority over life and death. He is the giver of all life. The Lord Jesus said he is the resurrection and the life. There are several examples in the gospels where the Lord Jesus raised someone from the dead. This girl was one example. Lazarus was an example. There was also a young man from Nain whom the Lord raised from the dead. Probably there were other examples that occurred where the Lord Jesus raised people from the dead. In my opinion, I think the Lord still raises some people from the dead. There are a lot of testimonies you can listen to online where people died, had an encounter with the Lord, and then returned to life to tell others about heaven, or hell, or a message from the Lord.

The entire Christian faith rests upon the fact of the resurrection from the dead. Read 1 Corinthians 15. Paul made it clear that our faith rested upon the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. If people cannot be raised from the dead, or if there was no after life, then there is no Christian faith. But, hallelujah, Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. There is plenty of evidence in the Bible for this, and there is historical evidence that a person can research if they are interested.

Christ died for our sins, he was buried, and he rose again on the third day. Call upon the name of the Lord Jesus and be saved today.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mikekines.substack.com

Luke 8:1-3

Here was an example of when women were included in the ministry of the Lord Jesus. From the beginning the Lord Jesus included men and women in the work of the gospel. The apostle Paul later expounded on this in his letters and it would benefit churches, men, and women greatly to study what Paul says to men, women, and the role we each take in family, work, and in the church. These women accompanied the Lord Jesus and ministered to him out of their resources. However, all of the twelve apostles of the Lord were men. There were different roles. How difficult it would be for those apostles if the women were not there performing their role. The apostles were not better than these women. It was the women the Lord Jesus first appeared to after his resurrection. The Lord honored women many times in the Bible. There were women mentioned in his genealogy. Here were women, mentioned by name, recorded in the gospel account. There was a woman named Mary who anointed the Lord Jesus for his burial and he said her story would always be told anywhere the gospel was proclaimed. My point is this: those in the world who say that Christianity is against women are wrong. Christianity is the greatest thing that ever happened for women. It is the Lord who showed the world the value and the beauty and the importance of women.

We all have different roles as men and women. We are different. God created us different. There are men, and there are women, and we are separate, different, and important in each of our own roles.

Christ died for our sins. He was buried, and he rose again on the third day. Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.

Luke 8:4-15

It is true that not everyone will benefit from hearing the word of God. The Lord Jesus taught in his parable that people hear the word according to what was already in their heart. In order to hear God's word in such a way that brings fruit our heart must be prepared. We should pray and ask the Lord to give us a heart that can hear his word and can receive and keep the word and that can then produce fruit in our life. The goal of God's word in us is to bear fruit through us to benefit others. God's word is like a seed planted in the ground. The purpose of that seed is to be planted, to die in the earth, and then to resurrect with life in order to bring forth life for others. This is what we see in the life of Jesus. He gave himself upon Calvary so through his death and resurrection we can receive eternal life by faith in him.

Not everyone who heard the Lord speak could understand what he said. Some heard the Lord with joy but lost the word because the enemy came and stole it away. Others heard and received but produced nothing because of hardship and suffering. Others did not benefit because they were distracted by the world system. The cares of life choked the word. Others heard God's word in a good heart and produced fruit. There was a one in four chance of bearing fruit when hearing the word. It took a humble and obedient heart to benefit from hearing the word.

I think one purpose in telling parables was to actually protect people from being accountable for knowing things they would never believe. The more a person understands about the Bible the more accountable they become. I pray that what I learn from God I will obey and put into practice. I pray I can bear the fruit which God looks for in the life he gave me.

Christ died for our sins. He was buried. He rose again on the third day. Everyone who calls upon the name of Jesus will be saved.

Luke 8:16-18

The Lord wants us to share with others what he gave us. We should share our testimony of how the Lord Jesus Christ saved us. Along with that testimony be careful to share the scriptures which show other people how they can be saved. I always share 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 and also Romans 10:9-13 with people. These are basic scriptures which outline the gospel and how to be saved.

The gospel in our hearts is a bright shining light. However, if we never open our mouth and share the word with others then we are hiding the light. At some point we need to be bold and share the Lord Jesus with other people. We need to let other people know we are Christians, we love the Lord, and let other people know how they can be saved. Without the word of God there is no way a person can move from darkness into the light.

I had people when I was a young man who were faithful to share God's word with me. I had my mom, a teacher in high school, and several people I worked with in different jobs who were faithful to the Lord and shared the gospel with me.

I'm thankful for the years I had when I was a young Christian to share my testimony with people. I had the chance to share my testimony with churches, schools, in jails, in prisons, and on the streets. Those were glorious days for me. I let my light shine day after day.

We go through different seasons in life when we are more active letting our light shine. My hope and my prayer is that I may inspire you today to let your light shine for Jesus. Let us make the best use of the opportunity we have to witness, share God's word, and proclaim the good news that Jesus saves!

Luke 8:19-21

This was also recorded in Matthew 12:46-50 and Mark 3:31-35. The fact that this specific incident was repeated three times in the gospels show there was an important truth here. What was important in this? The natural family of the Lord Jesus was contrasted with the spiritual family of those who hear and obey God.

The most painful lesson in my life took place in the context of family. Most of the people in my family do not know the Lord Jesus. Over an extended period of time of many years I shared scripture, the gospel, and my testimony with each one of them. I did this as the occasion arose and also in a systematic fashion.

As I've gotten older I realize the best thing I can do is pray for them. I see our roads are slowly but surely separating from one another. A spiritual reality is taking shape in front of my eyes. I can only explain this by putting it into the form of a metaphor. It is like walking down a road. When you are young you walk on the road with people in your family. However, when you are born into the family of God you start walking a different road than people in your natural family. Someone who is truly born again will have an intense desire to bring his natural family into this spiritual road. I remember this was an intense longing for me when I was young. I spent long periods of prayer when I cried and wept and prayed for my family.

Over decades I've seen the hardness of unbelief confirm them in the concrete of self worship and turning their back on the living God. It truly gives me pain. I cannot bear to continue to keep up some kind of pretend relationship with them. They refuse to relate to you on the basis of truth and think you hate them because they can't understand why you cannot agree to relate to them on the basis of their delusions and deceit.

The Lord Jesus never gave in to this. He refused to relate to his family on the basis of their opinions or thoughts or feelings. His relationship with everyone was based on truth. If anyone rejected the truth he could not reach them. He is the Truth. When Jesus lives in your heart the truth lives in you. You can no longer walk on the same road as those who do not believe in the Bible. It is impossible. It is not because you don't want to or because you hate your family. It is because there is a literal, spiritual wall that is growing thicker and taller and wider and it cannot be crossed.

How can two walk together unless they be agreed?

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mikekines.substack.com

Luke 7:36-50

The forgiveness of her sins was evident because of the love she showed towards the Lord Jesus. Someone who experiences the forgiveness of their sins will love the Lord Jesus with all their heart. This is an automatic response to the grace of God and the forgiveness of sins. This woman had something which Simon the Pharisee did not have. Her sins were forgiven. Her faith made her whole in Christ Jesus.

The Lord Jesus knew the thoughts of these religious men. Even before they said anything he knew what they were thinking. The Lord knows our thoughts. He can see what we are thinking and knows what is in our heart even before we ourselves know.

The Lord Jesus forgives our sins. When we receive the Lord our heart overflows with thanksgiving and love and worship. She worshiped the Lord Jesus. This is the desire and the response of every soul who has been in the presence of the Lord Jesus. You cannot touch him and not love him. When he heals you, and forgives you, you will love him forever. He is worthy of all the glory, all the honor, and all the praise.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mikekines.substack.com

Luke 7:18-35

John the Baptist had a full revelation of who Jesus Christ was. John was there when the Lord Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River and the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus in the form of a dove. John the Baptist was there when a voice from heaven said that Jesus was his Son. John saw this, he heard it, he believed it. He confessed that Jesus Christ was the Lamb of God. So what was happening when John sent messengers to Jesus to ask him if he was the one or should he wait for someone else?

This showed the humanity of John the Baptist. This showed us that when we suffer like this our faith can be shaken. The enemy can attack us and attempt to take away our faith in the Lord Jesus. However, the Lord was gracious and sent a word back to John to encourage his faith. Look at the evidence. See what Christ has done. See what he did in the Bible. See what he did in your life in the past. Don't forget what God already revealed to you. It is easy to forget. It is easy to let go of what you know is true, especially during times of intense suffering. This should be a warning to us that we need to hold steadfastly to everything the Lord spoke to us. Hold on to everything God revealed to you through his word. Do not forget and do not let go of God's word to you.

The Lord Jesus sent a word of encouragement to John. Then he spoke to the crowd around him. Those who already humbled themselves and were baptized by John gladly heard the word of the Lord Jesus. Those who did not humble their hearts or confess their sins would not hear the word of the Lord Jesus. The Lord ended this exhortation when he said that no matter how a messenger of truth presented himself to the world that the world would always reject the truth. John came in one manner and Jesus in another manner. But it did not matter how they spoke or presented themselves. They both spoke the truth and both were rejected by those who refused to humble themselves.

Sometimes the prophet of the Lord would be rebuked by the world. They accuse him of being unloving or too hard on people. They would criticize the man of God's methods! But this was just their way of rejecting the truth of what the prophet spoke. He spoke the truth but they rejected his words when they said that they don't like the way he spoke. They were only deceiving their themselves when they did this. They were not deceiving the Lord. The Lord knew their hearts and he saw the pride in them.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mikekines.substack.com

Luke 6:46-49

Our life is compared to building a house. What kind of foundation did you build on? If the Lord Jesus Christ is the foundation of your life then you have a sure foundation. When you stand before the Lord on judgment day this foundation will stand and your spirit will be saved.

The apostle Paul seemed to build on this analogy in 1 Corinthians 3 when he talked about building upon the foundation. With what material did you use to build with? Do we build on the foundation of the Lord Jesus with obedience to him? Do we walk in the Spirit and produce the fruits of the Spirit? Or do we profess our faith in Christ and yet continue to walk in the flesh like the rest of the world?

It is possible for a man to be a Christian and to walk in the flesh. He will lose his reward and inheritance if he does. We must learn to build on the solid foundation of obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ. We must learn to put his word into practice in our every day lives. This is only possible by the power of the Holy Spirit. We must yield ourselves to the Lord by abiding in the gospel, by staying in his word, by staying in prayer. Then we will have the spiritual strength to obey him and to walk in his word. Then we will build a life which will stand up against the fires of judgment at the judgment seat of Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:11-15, "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."

2 Corinthians 5:8-11, "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences."

Christ Jesus died for us upon the cross of Calvary. He gave his life as a ransom, a substitute, for us. If we will believe and receive we will escape the wrath of God. If you do not believe you will face the full wrath of God's fist of judgment one day. Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved.

Luke 7:1-10

The Lord Jesus commended the faith of the Centurion. He also commended the faith of a Gentile woman who had faith in him. These were people outside the house of Israel but knew that the Lord Jesus was the Messiah and could heal them of their problems.

In this case the Centurion had a servant who was sick and about to die. The Centurion sent his request through the Jewish leaders. These Jews wanted to help him because he loved the Jewish nation and built a synagogue. Notice this man's faith in the God of Israel was expressed through a practical demonstration of good works. As a result, the Jews reasoned with the Lord Jesus that this man was "worthy" of his help. This is an interesting insight because it showed the importance of living our faith in front of others and not just talking about faith.

After he sent the Jews to intercede with the Lord Jesus he then sent friends to stop Jesus from coming to his house. In the first case he sent the Jews to bring the Lord Jesus to him. Then it seems he changed his mind and sent friends to tell the Lord Jesus not to come to his house but rather speak a word and his servant would be healed. This showed the progress of receiving revelation. He knew the Lord Jesus could help him. Then he realized what he needed was the word of the Lord and his problem would be solved.

This is the place I believe the Lord is bringing me to. God wants me to walk by faith in his word. He wants me to stand upon his word, his promises, and claim his word as my own. He wants me to believe in his word and experience God's power in my life to heal me, set me free, to bring joy instead of mourning, and to bring victory. I believe we can be overcomers today in Christ Jesus. I believe God is calling me and others to take our stand upon his word and proclaim the victory we have in the Lord Jesus Christ. Satan and all his devils are defeated. Sin is no longer my master. I belong to the Lord Jesus Christ now. My life is in the hands of my Creator the Lord Jesus Christ.

Christ died for our sins. He was buried, and he rose again on the third day. Call upon the name of the Lord Jesus and be saved from self, sin, the world, the devil, and from a lake of fire.

Luke 7:11-17

The Lord Jesus demonstrated he had power over death. He raised the dead son of this widow from the village of Nain. He met the funeral procession as it left town and caused them to stop in their tracks. He spoke to the dead man and he sat up and was alive. No doubt the people who saw this were thunderstruck with terror at the power of God demonstrated at the word of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus gave the young man back to his mother and thus restored hope in this present life to her and also to him.

How many people did the Lord Jesus raise from the dead? There was Jairus' daughter, and Lazarus who was the brother of Mary and Martha. The Lord Jesus demonstrated on several occasions his power of life over death. The Lord Jesus said he was the resurrection and life. Anyone who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ received eternal life.

The Lord Jesus destroyed the power of death. He rose from the dead on the third day and demonstrated that he had all power and authority in heaven and on earth and under the earth. Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

You can have eternal life today. Call upon the name of Jesus and ask him to raise you up from the dead and give you new life. 2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mikekines.substack.com

Luke 6:37-42

When I read this it reminds me of how the Lord Jesus reproved the spiritual blindness of the religious leaders and told his disciples to avoid them. He said they were blind leaders of the blind and both would fall into a ditch. When I read this it helps me to discern the religious spirit which controls people. What is this religious spirit like? It judges others but is unable to see that it does the same thing that it condemns in other people. It condemns others and cannot see that God condemns it for the same things it condemns other people for. This religious attitude causes people to be blind to their own condition. Instead, it brings pride which blinds a man to his own moral and spiritual condition. It can easily see the faults and failures in other people but is incapable of seeing the same faults and failures in its own life.

I believe the Lord wants us to help our brother with the mote in his eye. However, we cannot help someone if we have the same problem in our life. I think people desire to preach, counsel, or help others but they are not free in their own life. They are bound up with sin, unbelief, idolatry, covetousness, immorality, and yet they want to help other people. This is religion. It is hypocrisy. We must be completely free and filled with life before we can free someone else and impart spiritual life. We must be completely free in Christ. God places us in Christ. He unites us together with him in crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection. It is only by abiding in the gospel that we are set free and it is only when we walk in victory we can help other people see the truth and be set free as well. This requires dying to self and allowing the Holy Spirit to live through you. When you do this you are not focusing on judging or condemning others. Instead, you discern the problem and come alongside the brother with love and compassion to help him be set free.

Praise the Lord for setting us free from self, from sin, from the world, and from the devil. Christ died for our sins, he was buried, and he rose again on the third day. Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord Jesus will be saved.

Luke 6:43-45

In the last section the Lord Jesus warned us about judging people. However, in this section we are called to use discernment in dealing with people. There is a negative type of judging that we are to avoid. That kind of judging is tied together with a blindness of one's own sin and faults. However, the discernment described in these verses is completely necessary if we are ever to help others and help ourselves avoid people who would corrupt us.

The Lord Jesus taught us with the analogy of trees and their fruit. A tree brings forth a specific kind of fruit. A bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree bears good fruit. If you hear bad things coming out of a person's mouth consistently then you know the heart of that person is bad. If you constantly hear good things coming out of a person's mouth you know that person is good.

Even in this, however, you need to discern between things that are "carnal" good things, and what is "spiritual" good. Many people nowadays are into positive confession, but they have no grasp of the truth of the bible at all. They may say positive words but the spirit and heart behind what they say is covetousness and self worship. It takes the wisdom of the Holy Spirit to discern these things. This is why we can NOT rely upon our natural understanding of people to know what is good and bad. We must rely upon the Holy Spirit to show us the kind of fruit a person has.

Churches are filled with crowds of people. Look at mega churches. Would you say they are bearing good fruit or bad fruit? How do you discern what is good fruit? Is great numbers of people an indication of good fruit? Many times it is not. There were many people who followed King Saul and died with him. Was King Saul good because many people followed him?

When you hear the gospel of Jesus Christ coming out of people consistently you can know they are good. The gospel is this. Christ died for our sins, he was buried, and he rose again on the third day. Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Preach to men and tell them they are great sinners, and Jesus Christ is a great Savior. We are wrong in every way. But Jesus is right in all of his ways.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mikekines.substack.com

Luke 6:27-36

Here was the way of the Christian life in relationships with other believers and with unbelievers. We should not retaliate or seek revenge against people who sin against us. Instead, we love people, pray for them, and bless them. Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil by doing good. The Lord takes care of people who hurt us, or harm us, or steal from us, or take advantage of us. Leave that to the Lord. Do not worry about your life. Be prepared to lay your life down and love people even those who hate you. You will find people hate you simply because you are a Christian. Don't be surprised by this. Don't be surprised when people speak evil of you simply because you are a Christian. Love your enemies. Do good to them. Pray for them. Ask God to bless them with the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Sooner or later you will have people take advantage of you because you are a Christian. This might be money, or your time, or your life in some way. Don't begrudge people when they take your time, or resources, and never pay you back. Trust in God with your life and resources. Don't hold on to your life or resources but let it all go. God will take care of you.

The ability to love your enemies is supernatural. The strength to love people like this can only come from God. This is not human or natural love. Human and natural love runs out of energy quickly. God's love, however, endures forever. God puts his love in our heart by the Holy Spirit. Romans 5:5, "And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."

This scripture reminds me of the testimony of Corrie ten Boom. Her family was killed during World War 2 but after the war she preached the gospel to the people who killed her family. She had a guard in the concentration camp where her sister was killed who attended one of her meetings and he became a Christian. Corrie did not have the human strength to love this man but when she reached out her hand by faith she was filled with the Holy Spirit and enabled by God to love the one who participated in destroying her family. This love comes from God. This is the love of Jesus Christ which he makes available to us if we receive it by faith. By faith we love our enemies. By faith we pray for those who take advantage of us.

Christ died for our sins. He was buried. He rose again on the third day. Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord Jesus will be saved.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mikekines.substack.com

Luke 6:20-23

The Lord Jesus said those who are poor, and mourn, and are cast out and called evil for his sake were actually blessed. Why are we blessed? Because we have a great reward in heaven. Those the Lord Jesus blessed were not living their best life now. Their life, instead, was hid with Christ in God. Their life would begin in heaven, not here on this temporary life. In the next verses the Lord Jesus would pronounce woes on those who were living for the here and now. Those who are poor, and hungry, who mourn, and who are cast out for the Lord's sake are to rejoice and dance for joy. When we rejoice in the midst of our sufferings we are truly blessed by God. Our reward is great in heaven.

Let us not live for the here and now. Instead, let us make up our mind that we are living for heaven. We were taught by the Lord Jesus to store up treasures in heaven and not on earth. Our goal is to live for God's kingdom and not for this cursed world system that we are caught in now. Don't live for the world system. Don't set your heart on riches for they will fly away like a bird with wings. Don't live for yourself. Don't worship your own self or glorify your own self. Instead, glorify God. Give praise to God. Don't praise yourself. Don't pat yourself on your back. Instead, give God glory and honor and praise.

Luke 6:24-26

The Lord Jesus turned the thinking of the world system right side up. He overturned the tables of our natural, worldly thinking.

He pronounced woes on those who were rich. Think about this for a minute. The biggest and most powerful churches in America preach the opposite of what the Lord Jesus plainly taught. The Lord Jesus pronounced woes on the rich. Yet the most powerful Christian churches in America preach the exact opposite of this.

How is this possible? We are truly living in the last days. These are perilous days when men are lovers of their own selves. The Lord Jesus pronounced woe upon those who were living for the current, present temporary life in this body. He said those who are full now will be hungry in the next life. Those who laugh now in the present life will mourn and weep in the life to come. If you were popular and made a great name for yourself and all men spoke well of you? It was because you were a false prophet. You were a false preacher. You were a false teacher. Think about that for a minute and let that sink in. That should put the fear of God in our heart. We should realize that we need to flee from the religious Babylon that is American churches.

Our natural, default mindset is to worship men who make a name for themselves. We praise men who do well for themselves in this world system. We seek to be like them and to follow them. Why? Because the heart of man is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. We need the Holy Spirit to expose the idolatry, covetousness, and unbelief which exists in our hearts. We are natural worshipers of self. We need the Holy Spirit to convict us, correct us, and help us to see clearly what we are and who God really is.

May the Lord take these few verses and open the eyes of our spirit so we can understand how holy, awesome, and powerful the Lord Jesus Christ is. May God open our eyes so we will fear the Lord and depart from evil. Let us humble our hearts, and repent, and ask the Lord to grant us grace so we can walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mikekines.substack.com