Pastor Mike Impact Ministries

By Michael L Grooms

A daily chat with Pastor Mike and other resources to encourage listeners to connect with the Word of God and grow in their faith.... more

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November 28, 2024 Psalm 100 - A Psalm of Thanksgiving
A
Psalm of Thanksgiving
Psalm
100
“Make
a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands! Serve the LORD with gladness; Come
before His presence with singing. Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who
has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His
pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with
praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the LORD is good; His mercy
is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.”

Today,
on Thanksgiving Day, we are going to jump ahead to Psalm 100. It is interesting
to note that this is the only Psalm that has the title “A Psalm of
Thanksgiving”. It is thought that David
is the writer of this Psalm even though we don’t have his name in the
title.

Some
believe that Psalm 100 is the doxology to the previous Psalms of 93 to 99 that
prophetically proclaim that Jehovah is King. If you take the time to read all
of these Psalms together, you will see a wonderful picture of the Lord coming
to judge the earth and setting up His kingdom.

Psalm
98:1-3 summarizes this beautifully: “Oh, sing to the LORD a new song! For He
has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the
victory. The LORD has made known His salvation; His righteousness He has
revealed in the sight of the nations. He has remembered His mercy and His
faithfulness to the house of Israel; All the ends of the earth have seen the
salvation of our God.” Then in
verses 8-9, it concludes with: “Let the rivers clap their hands; Let the
hills be joyful together before the LORD, For He is coming to judge the earth.
With righteousness He shall judge the world, And the peoples with equity.”

In
the Old Testament the common Hebrew could never go into the Holy of Holies,
where the Presence of Jehovah dwelt on the Mercy Seat over the Ark of the
Covenant. The Gentile was not even
allowed to go into the courtyard of the Tabernacle or Temple. But Calvary has changed all that for the
person, and any and everyone who will accept the perfect sacrifice of the Lord
Jesus Christ.

“All
the earth”, that is
everyone can join together to make a “joyful noise or shout” to the
Lord! Because of our grateful hearts knowing our sins are forgiven we can “serve
the Lord with gladness”. We serve
and surrender our all to Him not because we are forced to do so, but because we
want to!

We
are so happy serving Him wherever He sends us that we can’t help but sing! Happy and fulfilled people are a singing
people! Our music is a reflection and
response to the true condition of our hearts and lives! We can’t help but sing when we sense His
presence in our midst!

The
only way to “know that the LORD, He is God”, is to have relationship
with His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus prayed this in John 17:3, “And this is
eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom
You have sent.” In John 10, Jesus proclaims that He is the Great and Good
Shepherd Who laid down His life for the sheep. He is the gate, the only door,
through which we can enter to find “green pasture” and enjoy “abundant
life” forever! (John 10:9-11).

“We
are His people and the sheep of His pasture”!
What else can we
do but be thankful and praise Him with our worship in adoration and song. We bless Him because He has blessed us! No
matter what happens good or bad in our lives, He is always good, and His mercy
is everlasting! Sounds like the last
verse in Psalm 23, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days
of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever”!

You
will never have to worry about anything changing concerning God’s love, His
mercy, His faithfulness, His goodness, and His grace, because “His truth
endures to all generations”. God
doesn’t love anyone else more than He loves and cares for you today! So today, take time to worship and thank Him!

God
bless!
...more
6min
November 27, 2024 Psalm 20:1-5 - "The Name of the God of Jacob Defend You"
David’s entire
life involved conflict. When he was a
shepherd, he was fighting with lions and bears. As a teenager or young adult,
he fights a giant named Goliath. He
becomes a commander in Saul’s army and leads men into battles day after day.
When he flees from Saul for ten years he daily is in danger of losing his life
hiding in caves and in the wilderness. Now David is king of Israel with an
established and flourishing kingdom but he still has surrounding nations
attacking him.

If there is one
thing David has learned through all the adversity and conflict he has faced in
his life, it is that there is no victory without the Lord’s help! And he knows that it comes from praying and
seeking Jehovah’s aid!

Too many people
get saved thinking it will get them out of their trouble. But God never
promised us that the Christian life would be a bed of roses! Actually, we have be warned by the Savior
Himself that “in this world we would have tribulation.” We are at war! Life is a constant battle for
the believer! Even when Israel crossed the Jordan River into the Promise Land,
they still had battles to fight!

But we have
been assured of victory because we have a Leader, the Lord Jesus Christ, who
has already “overcome the world” (John 16:33). He has already won the victory over sin,
death, hell and the grave, by His death and resurrection! Through Him we are now more than conquerors
(Romans 8:37-39). We stand in His
victory and having done all we stand (Ephesians 6:10-18).

We often feel
so unworthy and weak as we face our daily battles that it is hard to pray and
seek the Lord’s help. Moses wasn’t feeling so strong and confident when he was called
to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt. He wasn’t sure he could defeat the
most powerful king of his day, the Pharaoh of Egypt. So, when God appeared to
him at the burning bush, He assured Moses that He was “the God of Abraham, the
God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”

This was to
remind Moses of the character and attributes of the kind of God that was
calling and helping him. As the God of Abraham, we learn our God is sovereign
wants us to trust Him by faith! As the
God of Isaac, we learn that God has given us a great inheritance simply because
we are His child! As the God of Jacob,
we are assured that no matter how miserable a failure we are, how weak we are,
how deceitful or sinful we have been, God still desires to be “our God”.

I’ve said for
years, that if God can be the “God of Jacob”, He can be my God. He can be the God of anyone who will submit
to Him as Jacob finally did in Genesis 32 at the Jabbok River, and where God
changed his name to “Israel”. No doubt,
this is why the “God of Jacob” is mentioned some 23 times in the Bible.

So, when the
people were praying for their king in Psalm 20:1-5, they pleaded for the “God
of Jacob” to defend him. David was a
great king, but he wasn’t perfect and had made some terrible mistakes and
committed some awful sins. But the “God
of Jacob” was his God and despite his weaknesses and failures, he could be
assured that God would be his defense!

My friend,
today the name of the “God of Jacob” will come to your aid and you can be
assured, “That those who know His name will put their trust in Him and He
will not forsake those who seek Him!” (Psalm 9:10)

God bless!
...more
6min
November 26, 2024 Psalm 22 - A Prayer and Plea for God's Help
Tuesday November 26
Dear
Friends,
Starting
today, and for the next seven to eight days, I will not be able to do a new
pastor’s chat each day from the Gospel of Luke. I will be away from my office
in Sneads Ferry NC and will be visiting with family and friends in the Roanoke
VA area for the Thanksgiving Holidays. During this time, I will continue to
post a series of chats that I did a couple years ago from the Book of Psalms
starting in Psalm 20.
The brief title of Psalm 20 tells us that this Psalm was written by King David
and was given to the “Chief Musician” to be sung by the choir of Israel. Over
the years I have often used this Psalm to encourage people to pray and believe
that the Lord will answer their plea for help in the times of their troubles.
I’ve signed many notes and letters with Psalm 20:4-5 after my name. “May He
grant you according to your heart's desire, And fulfill all your purpose. We
will rejoice in your salvation, And in the name of our God we will set up our
banners! May the LORD fulfill all your petitions.”
Psalm 20 is a prayer and a plea for God’s help before the battle, while Psalm
21 is the praise after the victory in battle. In verses 1-5, the people pray
for their king, David, who will be leading them into battle. Notice the words
“we and you”. In verses 6-8, David the king encourages the people to trust in
Jehovah for victory and not in chariots and horses like the other nations did.
In these verses notice the words, “I, we and they”. Both the king and the
people speak in verse 9, where "the king" is Jehovah God, The King.

The psalm begins and ends with a plea for God to hear them as they pray and to
give victory to the army of Israel (vv. 1, 9). The anointed king was the very
life and breath of the nation (Lam. 4:20) and the lamp of Israel (2 Sam.
21:17), and the enemy soldiers would make him their special target (1 Kings
22:31).

Those who have problems with the military aspects of some of David's psalms
should remember that David went to war only when the enemy attacked Israel. He
did not invade other nations just to gain territory, and he was fighting the
Lord's battles (1 Sam. 17:47; 25:28; 2 Chron. 20:15). The covenant God made
with David (2 Sam. 7:11) assured him of victory over his enemies. In this
regard, David is a picture of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Commander of the
Lord's armies (Josh. 5:14-15), who one day will ride in victory against the
armies of this world (Ps. 45:3-7; Rev. 3:14; 17:14; 19:11-21).

As I have read the Psalms, and the many prayers and pleas for God’s help in the
times of trouble, I have pictured the reality of the daily battle that we all
fight as believers against the devil and demonic forces, against the world and
its allures of pleasures and wealth, and even the battle against our own flesh
(Rom 7). Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:11-13: “Put on the whole armor of God,
that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not
wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers,
against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of
wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God,
that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to
stand.”

We are reminded in 2 Corinthians 10:3-6, “For though we walk in the flesh,
we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not
carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments
and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing
every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to
punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.”

This Psalm is a great prayer
and plea for God’s help, and to believe and trust the LORD for victory every
day. May the Lord help you today to “fulfill your purpose”, and answer “all
your petitions”!

God
bless!
...more
6min
November 25, 2024 Luke 8:1-3 - Providing for Jesus
Luke 8:1-3 begins with Luke giving a short summary of the
ministry of Christ. “Now it came to pass, afterward”. He seems to refer
back to what had already taken place in chapters 6 and 7 with Jesus and His
disciples leaving Capernaum and going to Nain and raising the dead man and upon
returning to Capernaum He has the dinner with Simon the Pharisee where the sinner
woman of the street washed His feet.
In these three verses of Luke is a summary of some of
Christ's ministry which is not reported in detail in Luke. Again, it appears that
Jesus left Capernaum and, “that He went through every city and village”. (v.
1). This speaks of Christ's Galilean ministry. Christ covered a lot of
territory in His ministry. Multitudes had opportunity to hear Christ, but most
of the people did not receive His ministry well.

Yesterday we talked about the message of His ministry. He
preached “the glad tidings of the kingdom of God.” Then Luke tells us of
the supporters of His ministry. Both men and women aided Christ in His
ministry. He needed supporters as He traveled over the countryside. They could
help in the common chores of providing meals, taking care of clothes, and other
common duties that would be a distraction and hindrance to Christ's ministry if
He had to do them Himself. Two groups of supporters are noted.

First, “the twelve disciples were with Him”. When
Christ chose the twelve, it is specifically stated that one reason He chose
them is "that they should be with him" (Mark 3:14). While they
could handle some of the common chores of traveling, they would also give Him
spiritual fellowship. And of course, they were listening and learning about the
“Kingdom of God” and how they would be the ones to continue to share this
message of “glad tidings” to the world after Jesus had gone back to
heaven.

Secondly, we are told about, "Certain woman... who
provided for Him from their substance" (Luke 8:2, 3). Besides the
twelve disciples, there were women who also supported Christ. Three women are
listed by name. Of these three, we know Mary Magdalene best. She seems to have
come from Magdala, a village on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. That
village was noted for its dye works, woolen goods, and trade in the pigeons and
doves needed for the sacrificial offerings as required under the Mosaic Law.
Magdala, moreover, was also known for its moral corruption. Mary grew up in
that place and fell prey to evil spirits. Her case was hopeless, until Jesus
came and set her free. She became the Lord's devoted follower.

All we know of Joanna is that she was the wife of Chuza, a
court official. Some scholars think that he was the man whose son Jesus had
healed with a word at Cana (John 4:46-54). In any case, Chuza was connected
with Herod Antipas. Some people have suggested that it was Joanna who quickened
Herod's interest in Jesus.

As for Susanna, all we know about her is her name. It means
"lily." Jesus said that a lily is arrayed in splendor far beyond the
glorious raiments that Solomon wore. Luke says that there were "many
others" in addition to these three women. In the crowning day, when
the books are opened and the names are read aloud, these women will receive
their reward, as will all of those who have followed in their path.

Luke informs us that they, “had been healed of evil
spirits and infirmities" (Luke 8:2). All three of these women had been
helped by the wonder working power of Christ. Mary Magdalene had seven demons
cast out of her. She was a really bad case, but Jesus removed the demons, and
out of gratitude she became a faithful follower and helper of Christ. Joanna
and Susanna were also helped by the healing power of Christ. Their infirmities
are not specified but their healing prompted their serving of Christ.

Today, the Lord still needs His redeemed people to both share
His message and give our support so that we can go into “every city and
village” of the world. Are you sharing and giving?

God bless!
...more
5min
November 24, 2024 Luke 8:1-3 - "The Glad Tidings of the Kingdom of God"
One of the major themes in Luke 8 is how to get faith and
use it in the everyday experiences of life. In the first section of verses 1-21,
Jesus laid the foundation by teaching His disciples that faith comes through
receiving the Word of God into an understanding heart. In the second part,
verses 22-56, Jesus put them through a series of "examinations" to
see how much they had really learned. Most of us enjoy Bible study, however, it
is in the tests of life that faith really grows, and we get closer to Christ.

Everybody lives by faith in something or someone. The
difference between the Christian believer and the unsaved person is not that
one has faith and the other does not. They both have faith. The difference is
in the object of their faith, for faith is only as good as the object. The
Christian believer has put his faith in Jesus Christ, and he bases that faith
on the Word of God. In Hebrews 11, we are told of the great exploits of faith
through the lives of the Old Testament heroes. Then in Hebrews 12:2, we are
exhorted to continuously be “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of
our faith”.

In Luke 8, Jesus leaves His ministry headquarters in Capernaum
and continues “preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of
God, going “through every city and village” in the northern
Galilean region.
The words "preaching and bringing the glad
tidings" are translated from one Greek word which is the word from
which we get our English words evangelize, evangelistic, evangelist, and
evangelical. The "glad tidings" was that Jesus provided a way
to enter the kingdom of God.

The kingdom of God is an interesting phrase that is used
often in the New Testament. The phrase “kingdom of God” occurs 68 times in 10
different New Testament books. Acts 1:3 tells us that during Jesus forty days
of ministry to His disciples after His resurrection that “He spoke of those
things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” Acts 28, the very last chapter
of the Book of Acts, also mentions how Paul’s messages centered around “the
kingdom of God” (v. 23), and in the very last verses, Acts 28:30-31, “Paul
dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to
him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern
the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.”

It might be interesting to note that the phrase “the kingdom
of heaven” occurs only 32 times in the New Testament, and only
in the Gospel of Matthew. Many Bible scholars believe that both terms are
speaking of the same thing and are considered to be synonymous.

The main thing we should take from all this is that in John
3, in Jesus’ discourse with Nicodemus, Jesus makes it very clear that the only
entrance into the “kingdom of God” is by being born again. "Except
a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God"
(John 3:3), and “he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5).
Without a spiritual rebirth we can neither see nor enter the kingdom of God.

The “kingdom of God or heaven” is basically everything
that has to do with God and His rule over everything. A kingdom has a king!
Jesus is the King of God’s kingdom. That is why when Jesus showed up on earth
and began His ministry, He was preaching that “repent for the kingdom of
heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). The King had arrived! Jesus is the “Door”
and He is the only entrance to “God’s Kingdom”.

When we repent of our sins and by faith trust and accept Jesus
Christ as our Lord and Savior, we enter His Kingdom, and our spiritual eyes are
activated and for the first time we can “see” the things that pertain to “God’s
Kingdom”. We submit and come under His authority, and we enjoy all the
blessings of living a life of heaven on earth!

There are only two kingdoms on earth today. One is the
domain of darkness and the other is the kingdom of the Son of His love
(Colossians 1:13). Which one are you in?

God bless!
...more
6min
November 23, 2024 Luke 7:44-50 - "Your Faith Has Saved You"
In Luke 7 we have the story of Simon the Pharisee who
invited Jesus to his house for a dinner and how it was interrupted by a sinful
woman of the street who came in and washed the feet of Jesus with her tears and
then anointed them with a very expensive fragrant oil. After Simon inwardly criticized
Jesus allowing this sinful woman to touch Him, Jesus told the story of a creditor
who forgave two debtors a debt neither one could pay. Then Jesus looks at the
woman and speaks of her great expression of love because she knew she was
forgiven for all her sins. Several thing we should notice as we conclude this
chapter today.

The woman was guilty of sins of commission, but Simon was
guilty of sins of omission. He had not been a gracious host to the Lord Jesus. Everything
that Simon neglected to do, the woman did, and she did it better! There are two
errors we must avoid as we interpret our Lord's words. First, we must not
conclude that this woman was saved by her tears and her gift. Jesus made it
clear that it was her faith alone that saved her (Luke 7:50), for no amount of
good works can pay for salvation (Titus 3:4-7).

Nor should we think that lost sinners are saved by love,
either God's love for them or their love for God. God loves the whole world
(John 3:16), yet the whole world is not saved. (Ephesians 2:8-9). Grace is
love that pays a price, and that price was the death of the Son of God on the
cross.

Jesus did not reject either the woman's tears or her gift
of ointment, because her works were the evidence of her faith. "Faith
without works is dead" (James 2:14-26). We are not saved by faith plus
works; we are saved by a faith that leads to works. This anonymous woman
illustrates the truth of Galatians 5:6, "The only thing that counts is
faith expressing itself through love".

How did the woman know that her sins were forgiven? Jesus
told her. How do we know today that we have been forgiven? God tells us so in
His Word. Here are just a few verses to consider: Isaiah 1:18; 43:25-26;
55:6-7; Acts 13:38-39; Romans 4:7-8; Ephesians 4:32; and Hebrews 8:12. Once you
understand the meaning of God's grace you have no trouble receiving His free
and full forgiveness and rejoicing in it.

Of course, the legalistic critics at the dinner were
shocked when Jesus said, "Her sins, which are many, are forgiven."
By saying this, Jesus was claiming to be God! (Luke 5:21) But He is God,
and He died for the sins that she committed. His words of forgiveness were not
cheap words; they cost Him dearly on the cross.

How was this woman saved? She repented of her sins and put
her faith in Jesus Christ. How did she know she was truly forgiven? She had the
assurance of His word. What was the proof of her salvation? Her love for Christ
expressed in sacrificial devotion to Him. For the first time in her life, she
had peace with God. Luke 7:50 literally reads, "Go into peace,"
for she had moved out of the sphere of enmity toward God and was now enjoying
peace with God (Rom. 5:1; 8:7-8).

When Jesus healed the centurion's servant, it was a great
miracle. An even greater miracle was His raising the widow's son from the dead.
But in this chapter, the greatest miracle of all was His saving this woman from
her sins and making her a new person. The miracle of salvation has to be the
greatest miracle of all, for it meets the greatest need, brings the greatest
results (and they last forever), and cost the greatest price.
Simon was blind to the woman and blind to himself. He saw
her past, but Jesus saw her future. I wonder how many rejected sinners have
found salvation through the testimony of this woman in Luke's Gospel. She
encourages us to believe that Jesus can take any sinner and make him or her
into a child of God.

But God's forgiveness is not automatic! We have the choice
to either accept God’s pardon or reject it. Now is the time to believe and be
saved. What will your choice be today?

God bless!
...more
6min
November 22, 2024 Luke 7:36-43 - "He Freely Forgave Them Both"
Right after Jesus commended John the Baptist and Luke comments
that the Pharisees rejected the will of God by not repenting and accepting the
baptism of John, he tells us about a Pharisee who invited Jesus to come eat with
him. This incident is only recorded in the Gospel of Luke and not found in the
other Gospels. We should not confuse this event with a similar one involving
Mary of Bethany in John 12:1-8, and also, we should not identify this woman
with Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9; Luke 8:2).

It was customary in that day for outsiders to hover around
during banquets so they could watch the "important people" and hear
the conversation. Since everything was open, they could even enter the banquet
hall and speak to a guest. This explains how this woman had access to Jesus. He
was not behind locked doors. In that day women were not invited to banquets.

Jewish rabbis did not speak to women in public, nor did
they eat with them in public. A woman of this type would not be welcomed in the
house of Simon the Pharisee. Her sins are not named, but we get the impression
she was a woman of the streets with a bad reputation. No group of men was more
consistently hostile to Christ than the Pharisees. Luke mentions them
twenty-eight times and always as being hostile to Jesus. The woman in this
instance was daring in the first place to enter the house of a Pharisee. No
people were more proud, exclusive, and self-righteous than the Pharisees. They
looked with scorn and contempt on the type of woman who now appeared.

The Lord assuredly knew that He was on hostile ground in
Simon's house. But the same love for lost people that brought Him down from
high heaven above to this hostile world was the love that took Him into Simon's
inhospitable house. The Lord held His peace, but He noted the fact that Simon
made no attempt to extend to Him the common courtesies that an Oriental host
generally offered guests. Once in the house, the Lord was seated for supper. On
such occasions, the various ones present reclined on couches arranged around
the table. Each one rested his left elbow on the table with his feet pointed
away toward the wall.

The woman admitted she was a sinner, and her actions gave
evidence that she was a repentant sinner. Her tears, her humble attitude, and
her expensive gift all spoke of a changed heart. Simon was
embarrassed, both for himself and for his guests. People had been saying that
Jesus was a great Prophet (Luke 7:16), but He certainly was not exhibiting much
prophetic discernment if He allowed a sinful woman to anoint His feet! He must
be a fraud.

Simon's real problem was blindness to his own sinful
condition. It was easy for him to say, "She is a sinner!" but
impossible for him to say, "I am also a sinner!" (see Luke 18:9-14)
Jesus proved that He was indeed a prophet by reading Simon's thoughts and
revealing his needs.

This story of the two debtors does not deal with the amount
of sin in a person's life but the awareness of that sin in his heart. How much
sin must a person commit to be a sinner? Simon and the woman were both sinners.
Simon was guilty of sins of the spirit, especially pride, while the woman was
guilty of sins of the flesh (see 2 Cor. 7:1). Her sins were known, while
Simon's sins were hidden to everyone except God. And both of them were bankrupt
and could not pay their debt to God. Simon was just as spiritually bankrupt as
the woman, only he did not realize it.

Forgiveness is a gift of God's grace; the debt was paid in
full by Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:18-19). God "graciously and
freely" forgave them both a debt they could not pay. The woman accepted
God's free offer of salvation and expressed her love openly. Simon rejected
that offer and remained unforgiven. He was not only blind to himself, but he
was blind to the woman and to his honored guest!

God bless!
...more
6min
November 21, 2024 Luke 7:24-35 - Jesus Commends John
In Luke 7, John the Baptist was having some doubts about
who Jesus was as he was sitting in prison, but Jesus, instead of criticizing
John, responds by commending him! What we think of ourselves, or what others
think of us, is not as important as what God thinks. Jesus waited until the
messengers had departed and then He publicly commended John for his ministry.

John the Baptist was not a compromiser, a reed blowing in
the wind (note Eph. 4:14); nor was he a popular celebrity, enjoying the
friendship of great people and the pleasures of wealth. John did not waver or
weaken, no matter what people did to him. John was not only a prophet, but he
was a prophet whose ministry was prophesied! (Isaiah 40:3 and Malachi 3:1) The
last of the Old Testament prophets, John had the great privilege as God's
messenger of introducing the Messiah to Israel. Interestingly, Jesus ranked
John higher than Moses and Samuel, higher than Elijah and Elisha, higher than
all the Major Prophets and the dozen Minor Prophets.

Then Jesus added, “But he who is least in the kingdom of
God is greater than he." How is the least person in the kingdom of God
greater than John? In position, not in character or ministry. John was the
herald of the King, announcing the kingdom; believers today are children of the
kingdom and the friends of the King (John 15:15). John demanded repentance;
Jesus demanded rebirth (John 3:3). Among those who are "born of God,"
the difference is not one of degree but of kind. The least person who is born
again, born of the Spirit, is greater than the greatest unregenerate person
alive. John's ministry was a turning point in both the nation's history and in
God's plan of redemption (Luke 16:16).

Luke 7:29-30 are the words of Jesus, not an explanation
from Luke (see Matthew 21:32). They answer the question some of the people were
asking, "If John is such a great prophet, why is he in prison?" The
answer is: because of the willful unbelief of the religious leaders. The common
people accepted John's message and were baptized by him as proof of their
repentance. They "justified God," which means they agreed with what
God said about them (Psalm 51:4). But the religious leaders justified
themselves (Luke 16:15), not God, and rejected John and his message.

In verses 31-35, Jesus condemns the Pharisees and religious
leaders and exposes the sinful hearts of those who rejected John's ministry. Jesus
compared that generation to people who were childish, not childlike, and
nothing pleased them. John was an individual who declared a stern message of
judgment, and they said, "He has a demon!" Jesus mingled with the
people and preached a gracious message of salvation, and they said, "He's
a glutton, a winebibber, and a friend of publicans and sinners!" They
wanted neither the funeral nor the wedding, because nothing pleased them.

People who want to avoid the truth about themselves can
always find something in the preacher to criticize. This is one way they "justify
themselves." But God's wisdom is not frustrated by the arguments of
the "wise and prudent." It is demonstrated in the changed lives of
those who believe. This is how true wisdom is "justified."

When we, as true “children of God”, by faith live out our
love for Jesus and others with God’s grace and the power and fruit of the Holy
Spirit we are “living proof” that God is right and His wisdom is justified!

God bless!
...more
5min
November 20, 2024 Luke 7:18-23 - Jesus Responds to Doubt
In Luke 7, Luke takes us from the “great faith” of a Gentile
Roman centurion to King Herod’s prison where a great prophet is having doubts about
who Jesus is. We believe that this takes place about a year and a half from the
time that John the Baptist baptized Jesus and presented Him to Israel as the Savior
and Messiah.

John had been in prison some months (Luke 3:19-20), but he
knew what Jesus was doing because his own disciples kept him informed. It must
have been difficult for this man, accustomed to a wilderness life, to be
confined in a prison. The physical and emotional strain were no doubt great,
and the long days of waiting did not make it easier. The Jewish leaders did
nothing to intercede for John, and it seemed that even Jesus was doing nothing
for him. If He came to set the prisoners free (Luke 4:18), then John the
Baptist was a candidate!

It is not unusual for great spiritual leaders to have their
days of doubt and uncertainty. Moses was ready to quit on one occasion (Num.
11:10-15), and so were Elijah (1 Kings 19) and Jeremiah (Jer. 20:7-9, 14-18);
and even Paul knew the meaning of despair (2 Cor. 1:8-9). There is a difference
between doubt and unbelief. Doubt is a matter of the mind: we cannot understand
what God is doing or why He is doing it. Unbelief is a matter of the will: we
refuse to believe God's Word and obey what He tells us to do. "Doubt is
not always a sign that a man is wrong," said Oswald Chambers; "it may
be a sign that he is thinking." In John's case, his inquiry was not born
of willful unbelief, but of doubt nourished by physical and emotional strain.
The truth is that we would not have the opportunity to exercise faith if we
didn’t first experience doubt.

You and I can look back at the ministry of Christ and
understand what He was doing, but John did not have that advantage. John had
announced judgment, but Jesus was doing deeds of love and mercy. John had
promised that the kingdom was at hand, but there was no evidence of it so far.
He had presented Jesus as "the Lamb of God" (John 1:29), so John must
have understood something about Jesus' sacrifice; yet how did this sacrifice
relate to the promised kingdom for Israel? He was perplexed about God's plan
and his place in it. But let's not judge him harshly, for even the prophets
were perplexed about some of these things (1 Peter 1:10-12).

When John’s disciples confronted Jesus with his question,
Jesus did not give the two men a lecture on theology or prophecy. Instead, He
invited them to watch as He healed many people of many different afflictions. Certainly,
these were His credentials as the promised Messiah (Isa. 29:18-19; 35:4-6;
42:1-7). He had not established a political kingdom, but the kingdom of God was
there in power.

In verse 23, the Greek word translated "offended"
gives us our English word scandalize, and it referred originally to the
"bait stick" in a trap. John was in danger of being trapped because
of his concern about what Jesus was not doing. He was stumbling over his Lord
and His ministry. Jesus gently told him to have faith, for his Lord knew what
He was doing. Jesus first came to change hearts with a spiritual internal “re-birth”
(John 3:1-7).

There are many people today who criticize the church for
not "changing the world" and solving the economic, political, and
social problems of society. What they forget is that God changes His world by
changing individual people. History shows that the church has often led the way
in humanitarian service and reform, but the church's main job is to bring lost
sinners to the Savior. Everything else is a by-product of that. Proclaiming the
Gospel must always be our first priority.

Today, don’t get caught in caught in the devil’s trap of
doubting God because He is not doing what you expected Him to do for you in the
physical or material realm, but remember what Jesus has already done for you,
and is continuing to do for you spiritually and internally.

God bless!
...more
6min
November 19, 2024 Luke 7:11-17 - Jesus Speaks Life to a Dead Man
Luke 7 begins with Jesus in the city of Capernaum located
on the north side of the Sea of Galilee. It was there He was approached by a
group of elders asking him to come with them to heal the servant of Roman
centurion. Jesus responded to their request and went with them but on the way
there the centurion sent word through his friends that he felt unworthy for
Jesus to enter his house but knew if Jesus just spoke the word that his servant
would be healed. Jesus spoke the word and then commended the centurion’s great faith
to the crowd that was with Him.

Now in Luke 7:11-17, Jesus leaves Capernaum and goes to the
city of Nain where He responds to a widow’s great sorrow. Nain was about
twenty-five miles from Capernaum, a good day's journey away, yet Jesus went
there even though He was not requested to come. Since the Jews buried their
dead the same day (Deut. 21:23; Acts 5:5-10), it is likely that Jesus and His
disciples arrived at the city gate late in the afternoon of the day the man
died. In this passage we find that four special meetings took place at the city
gate that day.

First, we notice that two “large crowds” met at the
gate of the city. We can only marvel at the providence of God when we see Jesus
meet that funeral procession just as it was heading for the burial ground. He
lived on a divine timetable as He obeyed the will of His Father (John 11:9;
13:1). The sympathetic Savior always gives help when we need it most (Hebrews
4:16). This was no “accidental” meeting.

What a contrast between the crowd that was following Jesus
and the crowd following the widow and her dead son. Jesus and His disciples
were rejoicing in the blessing of the Lord, but the widow and her friends were
lamenting the death of her only son. Jesus was heading for the city while the
mourners were heading for the cemetery.

Next, we find that two “only sons” met. One was alive but
destined to die, the other dead but destined to live. The term “only begotten”
as applied to Jesus means "unique," "the only one of its
kind." Jesus is not a "son" in the same sense that I am, having
been brought into existence by conception and birth. Since Jesus is eternal
God, He has always existed. The title Son of God declares Christ's divine
nature and His relationship to the Father, to whom the Son has willingly
subjected Himself from all eternity.

Then, two “sufferers” met. Jesus, "the Man of
Sorrows," could easily identify with the widow's heartache. Not only was
she in sorrow, but she was now left alone in a society that did not have
resources to care for widows. What would happen to her? Jesus felt the pain
that sin and death have brought into this world, and He did something about it

Finally, two enemies met. Jesus faced death, "the
last enemy" (1 Corinthians 15:26). When you consider the pain and
grief that it causes in this world, death is indeed an enemy, and only Jesus
Christ can give us victory (see 1 Cor. 15:51-58; Heb. 2:14-15). Jesus had only
to speak the word, and the young man was raised to life and health.

The young man gave two evidences of life: he sat up and he
spoke. We can only imagine what he said! In the Gospels Jesus raised three dead
people back to life. This is the first one. The next was Jairus’s daughter in Luke
8:49-56. And Lazarus in John 11. In each case Jesus spoke to them. When Jesus speaks
life to us, we are never the same! The crowd responded by glorifying God!

Spiritually speaking, each of us is in one of these two
crowds. If you have trusted Christ, you are going to the city whose builder and
maker is God (Hebrews 11:10, 13-16; 12:22). If you are "dead in sin”, you
are already in the cemetery and under the condemnation of God (John 3:36; Ephesians
2:1-3). You need to trust Jesus Christ and be raised from the dead (John 5:24;
Ephesians 2:4-10).

Today, which crowd are you in?

God bless!
...more
5min

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