Day 7
Luke 7
Are There Any Questions?

I’m saved today!  I praise God that I am.  But, even as I say that, I realize that I had nothing to do with my salvation.  I am saved because Jesus came to me.  I am saved because He did what I could not do for myself.  I am saved because one day Jesus came into my heart and saved my soul.  I am saved by grace.  I am saved perfectly, completely and eternally and I did not have one thing to do with it; not did I contribute one thing to it.  I am saved because He came to me!
As I read this Gospel, I see this same truth lived out time and again.  There is passage after passage showing Jesus as He goes to people trapped in desperate situations.  Whether it is a sinful woman at Jacob’s well; a blind man at the Temple; a poor beggar in Jericho; or a rich man in a tree; we are given the privilege of watching as Jesus moves in power for people who are trapped in hopeless and helpless situations.
I want to look into one of those wonderful times today.  I want to look in on a pitiful little scene in a tiny hamlet called Nain.  I want to watch Jesus do the impossible and the incredible one more time.  Please join me in this passage…I want to show you what Jesus can and will do when He comes into your impossible situation. I want to show you what He can do for every soul that will trust Him by faith.  
We are told that the victim is a young man and  he was “the only son of his mother”.  And we are told that he is dead!  A great crowd of mourners are making their way through the gates of the city, to a little cemetery, where he is to be buried.
  Here is a young man whose life had been filled with great potential.  He might have had hopes of marriage and of fathering children, but now he is dead.  There may have been plans of going into business to support himself and his widowed mother, but now he is dead.  Those eyes which had been bright with the gleam of youth are now dulled by death.  That mind that had hoped and dreamed was now stilled by the cold embrace of death.  That voice that had laughed and cried has been silenced forever.  Death has come and it has brought with it all the cruelness and heartache it possesses.
I think that there is more here than just the physical death of a mother’s only son.  I think this boy, in his physical death, is a picture of what spiritual death is all about.  .You see, there is something far worse than physical death!
  This young man was there physically, but he could not hear the cries of his mother.  He was there, but the mourning and the grieving did not affect him.  He was headed to a cemetery and they were going to place his body in the cold earth, but he neither knew it nor cared about it.  He was dead and the things of earth; the things associated with life had no affect on him whatsoever.  He was there, but he was oblivious to life; and he was beyond the touch of those who loved him still.  His was a hopeless situation!
  You will notice the wording of the text: “there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.”  Here is a woman who has already felt the icy hand of death as it took her husband from her life.  The only things remaining from her marriage are a few memories and the only son that she and her husband brought into the world.  Now, her precious son has been taken away by death as well.
But, there is more here than just the death of a beloved son.  This poor woman has no one left to care for her in her old age.  In that day there was no welfare or assistance available to widows like her.  It was up to a woman’s children, especially her sons, to see that she was cared for in her declining years.  But, she has no one left!  She is all alone, helpless and caught in a desperate condition.  She has nothing to look forward to except poverty and despair.  She is at the mercy of others people’s kindness.  She has nowhere to go and nowhere to turn. She finds herself trapped in a helpless condition.
.  I am trying my best to get you to see the truth today!  If you have never been saved; if you have never trusted Jesus as your Savior; then you are in the same condition as that boy: you are dead in your sins right now!  If you have never trusted Jesus for salvation, you are in the same shape as that poor woman.  You are trapped in a set of circumstances that you are powerless to change.  You have nothing to look forward to but a life of bondage to sin and the whims of the world, the flesh and the devil.  Then, after you die, you have hope of nothing but an eternity in Hell!  My friend that is a desperate place to be!  But, it was that place in which I found myself at one point in my life! It was a time of utter desperation when Jesus came to me!

Do you remember the day Jesus came to you?

Day 8
Luke 8
A Certain Women Minister to Jesus
Our passage today mentions a dedicated group of women that followed the ministry of the Lord Jesus. These women offered Him financial support and absolute devotion. In fact, one of these women, Mary Magdalene, seemed to have followed Him everywhere. She was with Him during His ministry. She also wept at His feet as He died at Calvary. She followed His body to the tomb and sat outside His tomb after He was buried. She was also among the first to return to the tomb following the Sabbath. And, she was the first one to whom He appeared when He arose from the dead.
     While others forsook the Lord, she remained faithful to Him! When others ran away, she stayed! What was it that produced this kind of devotion in Mary’s life? I think the Bible has the answer to that question! Today, I want to look at this woman’s life. I want to find out what happened to her to make her love Jesus so. I want to see if I can get a little of what she had! I believe there is a word from God here for every person in this room. Let’s look into the Word of God as we think about  her life has something to say to all of us about humble, consecrated devotion to God.
We are told that Mary was possess by seven devils. The number seven may refer to seven actual demons, or since the number seven was associated with “completion”, it may mean that she was totally possessed and under the control of the demonic spirits that inhabited her. Either way, Mary’s life would have been a living Hell! She would have been drawn into vile sin and she would have been driven insane by the demons that controlled her. It has even been suggested that Mary was a prostitute, though no biblical evidence exists to support that notion. What a horrible life!
In that lost state, controlled as she was by the demons within her, she had no hope of salvation. She would have been cut-off from the Temple. She would have been cut-off from all help from decent society. She had nothing to look forward to but a life of sin and insanity, followed by an eternity in Hell. She was living a hopeless life!
We are not told of the circumstances surrounding Mary’s conversion. Regardless, there was no reason whatsoever for Jesus to reach out to a woman like this. Surely there were reputable, decent women who needed the Lord. But, the fact that Jesus would reach into this woman’s darkness and bring her into His marvelous light can be attributed to nothing but His amazing grace! Jesus, however, was not content to let that happen and He extended love, mercy and grace to Mary and saved her soul.
When Jesus reached out to this woman and delivered her, she experienced the power of God. She instantly delivered from that which had her bound and when was set free! That is the power Jesus possesses! When He comes into a life, He makes instant and profound changes. 
Jesus took the pain and turmoil that plagued her away forever and quieted the storm within her heart!  He’s still doing just that! Oh how well I remember the confusion and disquiet that marked my own heart before I met Him. And, I remember the day that He stepped up on the bow of my life and quieted the storm in my heart. That is what He does for those who Come to Him be faith. To put it simply, He changes absolutely everything! Has He done that for you? Is there still confusion and doubt within you instead of peace and assurance? Are you following Him with all your heart? If you are, don’t give up! Get before Him and thank Him for what He’s done for you and seek Him for His help for the rest of the journey.

Faith Hopewell

Day 9
Luke 9

I enjoyed taking Shady Grove on a fishing trip on Sunday morning. We found out how Jesus tells the experts the secret of fishing when He tellls them to “Fish on the other side of the boat.” I shared with my church family how I caught a catfish one day and was so proud , Only one fish and I held him so tight that he stung me. I got home and  cleaned the fish and put him in the hot Mrs Tucker Lard  and ate the whole fish by myself.I was so proud of that one fish . I called out to my Mama and Daddy that I had caught something after all day and at the edge of dark I caught a fish…Yes!!!

Sometimes, we still don’t have any luck! We need Jesus as our fish finder! For when the disciples pulled their nets in and cast them out on the other side of the boat, their nets were so full of fish; they had to call out for help to drag them in. Their fish catch filled both boats-Simon and Andrew’s boat and James and John’s boat- so full, the boats began to sink.
Look what Peter does. “When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said… “Lord, I am a sinful man. “ Jesus first call to us is a call to believe in Him as our Savior. But Jesus’ call does not end with belief. Jesus call is also a call to commitment!“Now that you have made me your Savior, make me the Lord of your life.” Jesus’ response to Peter “From now on you will catch men, Peter.” The Scripture says the men pulled their boats up on shore AND LEFT EVERYTHING and followed Jesus.

Jesus called the disciples to fellowship, belief and discipleship. Jesus was also calling them to new territory. He was inviting them to leave the comfort zone of the familiar waters of the Sea of Galilee to go to places they had never been before. Jesus was calling them to new jobs, new tasks. He was beckoning them to do things they had never done before. Now I am sure the disciples were uneasy that day when the seemingly madman, demon-possessed, came out of the tombs, all bloody from cutting himself with stones, screaming blood-curried screams. That is, until Jesus sent the demons into a herd of pigs. I am sure the disciples felt uncomfortable beside the bedside of a young dead girl and her mourning parents. They were in new territory. I wonder if they watched with wonder as Jesus fed the hungry multitude or attended to the sick and afflicted. I wonder if they ever felt like saying as they watched Jesus “I will never be able to help or serve folks like that, Jesus. I have never done this kind of thing before. Remember, I am just a fisherman.

Jesus’ calling to the disciples was also a call to spiritual understanding. The disciples spent three years with Jesus, hearing Him teach about God. He told them of His purpose in coming to earth. He told them about His death and Resurrection, even though they did not understand at the time. They spent three years under Jesus’ teaching and training. Even after the Resurrection, Jesus spent 40 days on the earth, giving further instructions to the disciples

Jesus and the disciples were walking along the road. Jesus made the same calling he made to the disciples to two other men that day. “Follow Me”, he called. But these two men’s response was not the same as the fishermen and tax collector. They responded “I will follow you, Jesus, but first….” Apparently, these two men were believers in Jesus. But they were not willing to make the sacrifice necessary to follow Jesus. Sadly, that is our response far too often. “Jesus, I will accept you as Savior—Jesus, I will spend more time in fellowship with you— I will become more dedicated and serve you more, Lord–but FIRST…”

Jesus never calls us to a task He will not empower us to do. Where He Lead Me I Will  Follow

I was told that I didn’t talk until I was four.
So now I catch myself strutting when I speak .But there is a boldness that comes with the Holy Spirit. Thank You, Holy Ghost.

For all of us, there are moments when words simply do not describe how we feel, what we need or what we so desperately desire from God.

Romans 8:26 reminds us there is someone who has studied us. The Holy Spirit knows us well. He is aware of our strengths, but He’s also keenly tuned in to our weaknesses. When we are unable to express in words what we hope for so desperately, the Spirit Himself steps in and clearly places our deepest needs before the Father.

Father, thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit. I might have no words, or struggle to tell You what I need, but You already know. I’m so grateful the Holy Spirit knows my heart, and intercedes for me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Luke 1

All of us  face a common problem of  prayers that seem to go unanswered.   Most prayers remain unanswered because they remain unasked. The prayer and the burden are in our head, but they is never offered to the Lord in prayer.
   Often, we are guilty of prayerlessness.  We are commanded to pray without ceasing’
   There is no substitute for prayer – Not eloquence, effort, energy, enthusiasm or intellect
         When we pray, we are confessing our inability and reaching up to claim His ability. We are inviting God into the processes and problems of our lives. We are reaching out to lay hold on a power that we do not possess.  If you are too busy to pray, then you are simply too busy, we can read a poem. The book of Psalm has a plenty of prayers.
         Prayerlessness is one reason prayer is not answered. God cannot and will not answer a prayer that is not prayed!
   This passage that relates the story of Zacharias and Elisabeth, and the birth of John the Baptist, reveals a few more reasons why prayer goes unanswered .
SOMETIMES THE ANSWER IS DENIED
        There are times when God will say “No” to the prayers we pray.
       According to this verse, Zacharias and Elisabeth were on praying ground. That is not why their prayers went unanswered. Unfortunately, it is often the reason our prayers go unanswered. James is straight to the point about how people fight on the outside because they are at war on the inside!
Prayer does not exist so that we can have our wants gratified. We can expect the Lord to meet our needs, but not to finance our greed by being selfish.
Delayed Doesn’t Mean Denied
        There are times when God says “wait” when we pray.
         The little verb phrase “is heard” can be literally translated “was heard and is still being heard”.
        In verse 18, Zacharias and Elisabeth had been praying and praying and praying for years. When they were young they prayed for a son. As they grew older they continued to pray for a child. When the angel appeared and confirmed the answer, Zacharias had even ceased to believe that his prayer could or would be answered.  This passage confirms the truth that his prayer had been heard and answered in the past. God had merely waited to the perfect moment to display His answer. Sometimes we think our prayers have gone unanswered. In reality, they have been heard and they have already been answered. It just isn’t God’s time to reveal the answer.
       This truth is illustrated in the life of Daniel . Daniel prayed three times a day. But when he needed his God the most he stepped right in .We are taught in the Bible to make our prayers in faith, trusting God to answer in His time.  When God delays the answer to our prayers, He is merely waiting to a time when He can get the most glory’
·         Why does God wait? According to Zacharias, if the Lord does it now, it will be a miracle. In other words, God will get more glory by doing it now. (Ill. Abraham and Sarah; Lazarus) God does what He does when He does it so that He might receive all the glory.  In answering the prayer of Zacharias and Elisabeth when He did and in the manner that He did God was dispensing great grace. They didn’t understand what the Lord was up to, but God did!
God used His delayed answer to bring glory to Himself; grace to Zacharias and Elisabeth; and to accomplish His eternal plan.
Different Answers Expected
        Sometimes God says “watch”. Sometimes He will take our prayers and make them better!      They wanted a son in their youth; God gave them a son in their old age. They would have been thankful then, but God gave them something far better. If He withholds something from us or changes it to something different, it is because what we asked for wasn’t good for us. (Ruth Bell Graham) An electrical transformer takes the energy in the lines and transforms into power that can be used in our home. What would happen if the transformers weren’t there? Help Me Holy Ghost!!!! The Holy Spirit is God’s transformer. He takes our prayers and transforms them into what they ought to be. I always have believe that God always gives us His best when we leave the choices to Him!
Keep praying that when prayer seems unanswered be sure that your heart is right with God and be sure that you are asking according to His will. If so, then keep praying .Is there ever a time to stop praying? Yes! You can stop when:
1.  When the answer is in your hand – Praise Him and report it!
2. When the answer is in your heart – Praise Him and wait for it!
3.  When God reveals a better way – Praise Him and accept it!
Until the answer comes, keep praying! God will come through in His time!

Luke 2
The emphasis on getting Christmas right. We want it white and bright. We want the tree, the decorations, the lights, the eggnog and the presents. We want everyone to be happy. We want to be able to get and give plenty. We want peace and joy, too.
In reality, Christmas often turns into a major hassle. You rush around and pushed for time. You spend money you don’t have for people you don’t like to acquire things they don’t even want or need. In our struggle to get it right, we often get it dead wrong and end up making ourselves and others miserable.
It isn’t about gifts and trees and decorations. It isn’t even about families and parties and fun. It certainly isn’t about Santa Claus, snowmen, elves and reindeer. It is all about Jesus and all about Him alone!
I believe God wants us to get it right. I believe that He is not so interested in our having a white Christmas as He is interested in our having a right Christmas. So, how can we have a right Christmas? What do we need to understand and change in our lives that will allow Christmas to be a time of blessing and wonder instead of being a time of stress and tension? In reading chapter two I have found a few things that can make Christmas right.
For others, however, Christmas is a time of loneliness and sorrow, as they deal with the heartbreak of missing those who are no longer here. For others, Christmas is painful because they lack the resources to give to the people they love the things they want them to have. For many it is a time of overindulgence in rich foods, overspending on gifts, overcoming the problems associate with the season, and attempting to overcompensate for the failures of the past year.
Christmas is a time of celebration for the church. It doesn’t matter that Jesus was probably born some other time of the year. It does not matter whether it was spring, summer, fall, or winter. What matters is that God loved the world so much that He sent His precious Son into the world .
Around the church, we celebrate by singing Christmas hymns, preaching Christmas sermons, teaching Christmas Sunday School lessons, and having Christmas plays. I don’t know about you, but I love the Christmas plays at church.  What I love about Christmas plays in the church is that they preach the Gospel. The lost people who attend have an opportunity to hear about why Jesus Christ came into the world, and give person to have the opportunity to be reminded of the great love and grace of God that provided them with a Savior.

So for just a few minutes today let’s leave our world behind and visit once again the little town of Bethlehem. Let’s notice that as Mary delivered Jesus into this world, there is a message for us for that is being delivered also. Let’s let Jesus transform our Christmas
This is an amazing text. A Roman Emperor, living thousands of miles away, issues a decree and causes a poor carpenter and his pregnant wife to travel ninety miles from their home to the home of their ancestors. Certain shepherds just happen to be tending to their flocks on the hillsides just outside the very town the couple goes to. Angelic beings just happen to show up at the right place, at the right time, with the right message. These things didn’t just happen, they were the work of Sovereign God accomplishing His eternal plan.
The true essence of Christmas is the birth of a baby. Not just any baby, but a baby Who was and is God is human flesh.This night God became flesh and walked among men ranks as one of the greatest moments in human history. It was a night of tremendous miracles and great blessings. It was the night when God moved into the world to live and eventually to die. Though this story is over 2,000 years old, it is still as fresh to me as if this were the first time I had ever heard it.
Jesus is called Savior! Not an example or a teacher, but a Savior! If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent an economist. If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent an entertainer. If our greatest need had been military, God would have sent a soldier. If our greatest need had been for justice, God would have sent a judge. But, our greatest need was forgiveness and redemption, and, therefore, God sent a Savior!
The shepherds were considered to be social outcasts. Their duties made them unclean and the fact that they were unable to come to the Temple for many weeks at a time prevented them from getting clean. Praise God, that’s the crowd He came for!  They were probably the men who raised the lambs for the temple sacrifices, it is appropriate that they would be the first men to meet the Lamb of God! The shepherds delivered a message of peace.
The angels praised their Creator! “ Praise to God and Peace to man” . It was a shouting message to the shepherds. The shepherds were afraid, but the angel offered them a message of grace, peace, hope, blessing, joy and salvation. The  multitude of angels stretched from horizon to horizon. When they opened their mouths to speak, they sought to glorify God. Their only mission and motive that night was to exalt God Almighty for the great work He had accomplished.
As these men returned to their sheep, notice that their circumstances had not changed. They were still shepherds, still outcasts and still in the field. While their circumstances had not changed, their hearts had! These men returned with hearts full of praise for the Lord. What a difference Jesus makes! If you know Him, remember that your situation may be bad, but your God is Great!  Learn to praise Him in your problems and the Lord will honor that. Remember greater is coming!!!
  There is no evil intent mentioned. However, how many people would turn a pregnant woman away into the night? Reveals a hard heart in the innkeeper!  A message of rejection. No room for Jesus. The cry of the crowd the day He was crucified ! Do you have room for Him in your life? Lay aside whatever is in the way of letting Him in and open to door! No Jesus, No Hope, Know Jesus, Know Hope! Without Jesus, there is no hope, no future and no life!But the Innkeeper, warm and secure in his bed. Jesus lying in a dirty, filthy manger. The Innkeeper’s rejection allowed Him to  know the joy of the shepherds
As we think about these Christmas Messages, we need to be sure that we receive the message of the angels like the shepherds did. That we too come to know Jesus and go away praising Him and glorifying His Name.
     What kind of message is your life preaching today? Like the Angels, are you living a life that points men to Jesus? Or, are you like the shepherds, so filled up with His wonder and glory that life is fresh

In Luke 2 verse seven  introduces us to  person who was a part of the Christmas story with the words, “…because there was no room for them in the inn.” In larger ancient inns there was an innkeeper. The innkeeper kept watch over the inn and collected money from those who stayed in his establishment.
They were usually an open courtyard, surrounded by an enclosure, with awnings, or other shelters where people could bed down for the night. They provided travelers wi
th a little bit of safety and rest from their travels. The innkeeper would be paid by the traveler for a place to stay, and it would be his duty to provide his lodgers with food, drink and shelter.
  When Joseph arrived at the inn in Bethlehem with a very pregnant Mary, the innkeeper turned them away because the inn was already filled with travelers. His words to them as he turned them away told them there was no room. But, was that correct? What about his room? He could have given Mary and Joseph his room for the night. He could have, but he was indifferent to their need. As an after thought, he points them to the cave where the animals were tied. Perhaps they could find room for themselves there.
The truth is, this innkeeper was unmoved by Mary and by her obvious need. He was indifferent to the fact that the divine plan of God had brought him face to face with Savior of humanity, and without a thought, he turned Him away.
The innkeeper was indifferent that night, but he is as much a part of the Christmas story as anyone else that was there. We don’t mention him often, but he needs to be included too.
Our world is filled with many people just like this innkeeper. It is filled with people who are so preoccupied with life, with themselves, that they have no time for anyone, or anything else. When they hear the Gospel, they are indifferent to it. They don’t care about God, the Lord Jesus Christ, or the Gospel of grace. They think those things have nothing to do with them, or the lives they are living. They hear our witness and they are unmoved. They pass by many churches without a thought to what we are doing or to the God we serve.
They do not realize that Jesus Christ died for indifferent people too. He died for the very people who could care less about Him. He died for the busy person, the preoccupied person, the self-centered person. He died for the person who cannot see past the end of their own nose. He died for you!
When Jesus came, “He came unto His Own, and HIs Own received Him not”. But, He came anyway. He came and He died. He died to save the indifferent from their sins, and from themselves. They are part of the “whosoever” for whom Jesus died.

Amen

Give me my flowers
While my eyes are open that I might can see them.

Speak kind words to me while I can yet hear them.

When I’m gone don’t bring me all these flowers.Speak  all these kind words and Speak words of comfort.

I can’t see the beautiful that they bring…

Thanks for giving me my flowers while I yet live.
Thanks for speaking kind words to me oh while I yet live.
Oh, give me my flowers oh while I yet live so that I can feel the comfort. I can see the beauty ands I can .feel. the comfort.I can see.what they bring.

Joy

I am a woman who has mental. emotional and spiritual fortitude. New strength is arising within.
The women with the “issue: of blood and preaching this message has release a power within me.
I chose to move forward in the face of obstacles. I will sustain a sense of personal meaning in life daily ; God being my help. I will not be destroyed by the events that happens to me in my life. I will continue to receive inner strength.
I will not allow the spirit of bitterness, hurt, and un-forgiveness rule my life. I refuse to become a victim but victorious.
My purpose is getting clearer.

Lord, you are my refuge and  my strength, my very present help in a time of trouble. I will continue to embrace Your healing and deliverance. You are the glory and the lifter of my hands and my head. The awesomeness of light that shine from above daily with your countenance is turned toward me. I read in your Word that I am the apple of your eye, and the favor and glory of the Lord will arise over me. Lord, continue to clothe me in a mantle of dignity and strength, In Jesus’s name, I pray..Amen

Manuel

Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at al times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you. {2 Thessalonians 3:16}

For many of us life is so busy. Just getting through the day managing the chaos of the world that you come in contact daily. Life is just busy. In Gal 5:22 it lets us know that Peace is a fruit of the Spirit. We cannot produce it.

In this morning’s meditation I began to read Isaiah 48:18 and Its lets me know that the peace of God is compared to a river. A river is a moving stream of water. There’s a song that comes to mind “I Got Peace Like A River.” The song writer goes on to say that “Peace like a river in my heart.” A river has twist and turns and rolls over and through rocks as it flows.To have peace like a river is to have security while meeting many bumps and unexpected turns in life.

Avoiding prayer, yes prayer, there will be anxiety, frustrations, chaos while avoiding peace. Peace comes from an active , ongoing, and obedient relationship with the “Prince of Peace.” That water that flows in and through is the Holy Spirit and the sturdy streams of HIs Word until we have peace like a river.

Very early in the morning, whole it was dark, Jesus got up ,left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed…Going a little further, he fell with His face to the ground and prayed. Jesus got prostrate before His Father and prayed. He prayed with real substance with thoughts flowing from His heart. It was a personal and intimate prayer.

When was the last time that you actually prayed. I know we study the Bible, go to church, talk to the pastor or receive counsel seems more strenuous than just simply talking to God. Often we do everything else but pray. Pray matters. Peace matters. By praying you stay in good communications with God, we receive continual strength to walk though these danger zones of life.

Sometimes when we stop looking for all the answers to the “whys” in our lives and decide to trust God, unexpected peace washes over us. You may never feel like giving  your circumstances, hurt, or loss to Jesus ; but  you can choose to submit to his authority out of belief and  obedience rather than emotions. Obedience is better than sacrifice. If you grant God complete access to your heart, mind and soul, you will be free to rest in Him.

Why? Because is God is incapable of making mistakes. When He said that we can have peace like a river, He meant that in Isaiah 48:18.  Col.3:15 leaves one last thought this morning that “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.