Jesus said, “the lamp of your body is your eye,” (Luke 11.34). Parents should limit what goes through their children’s visual portal. Kids need parental protection from unsupervised screen time, excessive television watching, and indiscriminate Internet browsing. Most intelligent parents know that.   

Consider a new household rule: All television, computer games, and Internet use happens at specified times in public places like the family room or a shared den. Monitor your children’s use of the TV and computer. Install filters and accountability software on your family computers.   

Limit the scope of their vision. A clear eye, according to Christ, produces a body “full of light.” If you want your child to develop a strong body and good mind, remove the TV and computer from his or her bedroom.

“But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, ‘Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!’ (Luke 10.40-42).

God cares, even when He is silent and appears not to. In the midst of my sorrows, the best question I can answer for myself is not, “How do I overcome or get past my suffering and grief?,” but rather, “What can I learn from my it?”

I wonder what Jesus thinks when He hears “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first…” blah, blah, blah. Probably nothing I have to say next will hold much meaning for Christ. I assume anything I plan in place of following Him will be less essential to my spiritual welfare than actually following Him.

“Another said, ‘Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.’ But Jesus told him, ‘Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God,’”(Luke 9.61-62).

The Good Earth by Pearl Buck describes the plight of a peasant farmer, Wang Lung, and his family somewhere around the turn of the century in China. After enduring unspeakable poverty, Wang Lung finally achieves a measure of success and wealth. He becomes arrogant and loses his moral bearings. Driven by lower instincts he pursues his lust for a young prostitute. 

What makes smart people do stupid things? Perhaps it is the demonic influence driving them into isolation and away from God. 

“…and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places,” (Luke 8.29 NIV). 

“When Jesus came near the town gate, he saw some people carrying a dead body. It was the only son of a woman who was a widow. When the Lord saw the woman, he felt very sorry for her and said, ‘Don't cry.’ Jesus spoke to the dead son: ‘Young man, I tell you, get up!’ Then the boy sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother,” (Luke 7.12-15 Easy-to-Read Version).

Many years ago, Jesus “felt very sorry for” a grieving mother of an only son. Fourteen years ago, the same Lord heard a similar cry from another mother. Once again He chose to spare a life of my little girl. Now, at twenty, Rachel has developed into a beautiful young woman. Her mom, who went to heaven six and a half years ago, would be so proud. 

This podcast is an overview of week 11 in the Word Traveler Bible reading plan and covers the following chapters in the Old and New Testaments: Deuteronomy 6 – 26; Luke 7 – 11.

If my thoughts could be read by anyone who cared to know, I might be surprised by how few really care to know. But for those who did care, I would most certainly think before I thought. I would try to allow only the highest and best thoughts into my brain. I have some control over this. It’s easy to let my mind wander or even run amok. If my thoughts were publicly broadcast for widescreen viewers, I would rein them in more tightly. Some I’d tie up and dispose of permanently. I might even follow the Bible’s advise…

“Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise,” (Philippians 4.8). 

Jesus knows what you’re thinking. Think about it!

If you’re a commercial fisherman, there’s nothing worse than a ‘water haul.’ It’s easy but not fun. You make the set and pull in the gear. Nothing. No fish. Just water. It’s disheartening. Peter “worked hard all night” and caught nothing. Maybe he wasn’t cut out to be a fisherman. He might as well hang up his gear, turn in his license, and sell the boat.

Have you ever feel unproductive like Peter? Jesus offered Peter a solution... go into “deep water.” Get in over your head. Go to the place where you must depend upon Him to succeed. Take a risk. Have some faith. There’s no fish in the shallow end of the lake. Go deep.

“When he had finished speaking, he [Jesus] said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’ “Simon answered, ‘Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.’ “When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink,” (Luke 5.4-7). 

Demons have the power to influence and control human lives: “The demonic spirit threw the man down.” But the power of Jesus is even greater. In the presence of Christ, the demon knocked a man down but it “didn’t hurt him.” Jesus made the angel of darkness be “quiet” and “get out,” (Luke 4.35 The Message). 

Thankfully, demonic impact is minimal for those who remain in reguler contact with Jesus. Jesus is greater than all the demons I will ever face. They cannot hurt me.

Where am I? That’s a good question. Here’s a better one… Where do I belong?

“Now while the people were in a state of expectation and all were wondering in their hearts about John, as to whether he was the Christ, John answered and said to them all, ‘As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I , and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire,’” (Luke 3.15-16).