Luke 24:13-24

We all have a God Created/God Given Heart/Spirit that makes us unique to all livings things.Because God desires to b our Father,& not our dictator,HE also gives us Free Will!God created absolutely EVERYTHING to reveal HIS Glory,INCLUDING HIS WORD!HE gives us the freedom to realize on our own that we NEED to have HIS Glory in our life,or we can make our own decision to deny HIS Glory.God’s revelation of HIS Glory is for our GOOD!We r Eternal Beings,that will either b clothed n HIS Glory by receiving the offer of HIS Glory through Christ(John1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,and we have seen HIS Glory,Glory as the only Son from the Father,fully of grace and truth.”),or decide on our own to reject God’s offer.The 1st “option” blesses us w a life n Heaven forever!The 2nd option leaves us to our own arrogant&selfish choices that lead us to denying God’s GIFT of forever being n Heaven. Deciding to SINCERELY accept HIS offer will change our lives,just as our lives are changed a bit when we “clean up” for a special event.The difference is that if we decide n earnest to accept God’s offer,HIS Glory will change us from the inside out,if we truly appreciate The Gift of HIS Glory with our life!After Jesus raises from the dead and walks out of the tomb,there r 2 men that have personal experiences w God’s Glory through Christ,& make their personal decisions to recognize/trust that Jesus is The Glory of God offering HIS Glory to them!N Luke24:13-34,these 2 men r on their way 2 Emmaus,looking downcast/depressed/sad/forlorn,etc.Jesus asked them why they were feeling this way!These 2 men were feeling this way bcuz of the same yearning we all have n the depths of our heart/spirit!They yearned for THE PEACE(harmony in personal relations w GOD;a state of concord or tranquility w GOD)that is only possible when we r n a close personal relationship w GOD our FATHER n HEAVEN!They thought that Jesus of Nazareth was “the way”.But now that HE was dead,they had lost hope-they were downcast/sad.Jesus is WITH them at this very moment of despair!He reminds them(Luke24:27) of all the prophecies the Old Testament(between 300-400!1 person fulfilling 8 prophecies:1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000.1 person fulfilling 48 prophecies: 1 chance in 10 to the 157th power 1 person fulfilling 300+ prophecies: Only Jesus!)told about The Life&Sufferings&Death&Resurrection of The Christ/The Son of God!Something about this conversation made them urge Jesus strongly(Luke24:29)2 stay w them for dinner!Something about their asking Jesus to b with them personally for a meal...opened their eyes to WHO JESUS WAS! When they do this,they acknowledge that their hearts/spirits “burned within them”(Luke24:32a)while The Scriptures were open up to them(Luke24:32b).These men were exposed to The Glory of God through HIS Word!(John1:14).And they made the personal decision to reckon their lives w THIS TRUTH,and they rose...and did something about it!They shared the Truth of Christ & His Word w others.They didn’t prop up soapboxes and start preaching on street corners!They ran to share w those that had hearts/spirits prepared by The Lord Himself to hear The Truth!And these became those that would prepare The Way...as John the Baptist had been called go n2 the wilderness to prepare The Way of The Lord n the lives of people!We r called to go n2 the world to prepare THE WAY OF THE LORD,to make HIS Grace&Mercy know to people around us!We r not called to MAKE the world know these things! We r called to live lives that will “prepare” those around us to learn of HIS Grace&Mercy as Jesus only knows when&how to do!We all will experience the same “burning in our hearts/spirits” that the 2 men on the road 2 Emmaus had during our lives!(God creates EVERYTHING to reveal His Glory to us!).We will have the same decision 2 make that these 2 men had!Will we accept/ receive God’s Glory as these men did when their hearts/spirits burned inside them?Or will we decide not to?Then,will we run with The Message of Christ,as these men did?Or not?Dear Lord,I confess that my heart/spirit has burned inside me so many times that I did not listen to what Your Spirit&Word were saying/instructing!Help me to be more like these 2 men were!Help me to also run with Your Message n my life/heart/mind as these 2 guys did also!

Luke23:39-42

After Jesus’ betrayal,Jesus withstands mental,emotional,& physical beatings that in themselves would at the very least the kill the spirit of any man...let alone bring any man to the brink of death.Yet Jesus is determined to make it ALL THE WAY to The Cross;so He could suffer&die n ways that would fulfill ALL PROPHECY & “FINISH” what needed to be DONE for my sake!The WAY that Jesus suffers & endures is beyond the capacity of anyone! EXCEPT for The ONE that MUST BE The Son of God!THIS does not go without notice by at least one!One of the criminals being crucified beside Jesus!There is something in this man’s heart that enables him to see through all of the “rhetoric” about Jesus.When the criminal on 1 side of Jesus insults/mocks Jesus,the other 1 rebukes him & says to him,”Don’t u fear God...since u r under the same sentence?We r punished justly,for we r getting what our deeds justly deserve.But this man has done nothing wrong.”Then he said to Jesus,”Jesus,remember me when you come into your kingdom.”(Luke23:39-42).This man saw through all of the “rhetoric” that had been building over the three years of Jesus’ ministry,and saw The Way He was enduring extremes of lashings,beatings,spitting,slandering,etc.In the endurance of Jesus was something “otherworldly” that convinced this criminal that none of the “rhetoric” was true,& that this Man Jesus was the Son of God,The Messiah!When Jesus hears this man’s confession of faith in HIM,Jesus turns to this criminal and says,”I tell you THE TRUTH,2day you will b with me n paradise.”(Luke23:43).Over the last 2000 years,the same type of “rhetoric”(&much more) about Jesus has grown,grown,grown....& grown!This begs the question!”What am I missing n my life/heart/mind/spirit...because of accepting any part of the “rhetoric” about Jesus?”We have mountains & mountains of “rhetoric” about Jesus that have been growing&accumulating over 2000 years!We must seek to know THE TRUTH,& then let THE TRUTH peel away all the nasty UNTRUTH that is “rhetoric”!We must seek TRUTH with a fervor that challenges the webs of deceit sewn by “rhetoric” about Jesus;about God;about The Holy Spirit;about God’s Word;about anything that sets itself up against THE TRUTH!(2Cor10:5,”We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ”).If not,we will miss much of what Jesus came,lived,suffered,&died for us to have in this life(John10:10,Jesus says,”I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.),& we may ultimately b like the OTHER CRIMINAL beside Jesus...the one that was NOT with Jesus n paradise the day of his physical death!Dear Lord Jesus!I know there r mountains of “rhetoric” n my heart/mind/life that r keeping me from knowing The Truth fully,and keeping me from much of the “life more abundant” that You suffered&died for me to live.Please guide me through the mountains of “rhetoric”,& help me to level them so that nothing will impede me from seeing and knowing more&more of You!

Luke 22

THE ONLY LIVING GOD;The Creator of EVERYTHING;THE ONE that IS the POWER & SUSTAINER of ALL LIFE;The Lord Jesus Christ,will at times bless us w awesome opportunities that r HUGE!N Luke22:7-13,Jesus tells Peter & John,”Go & prepare the Passover 4 us,that we may eat it.”They ask “where?”Jesus tells them,”Behold,when u have entered the city,a man carrying a water jar will meet you.Follow him n2 the house that he enters & tell the master of the house,’The Teacher says 2 u,Where is the guest room,where I may eat the Passover w my disciples.’& he will show u a large upper room furnished;prepare it there.”This master of the house obviously had a private conversation w Jesus b4 Peter & John show up!Satan had already “entered n2 Judas”,so we know that Judas was looking 4 a good time&place that Jesus would certainly b...,where the betrayal could take place.Jesus also knew the significance of this Passover Feast...”The Last Supper”!The Last Supper would’ve been the perfect place 4 the betrayal!Jesus knew this!So,when Jesus was preparing 4 this Passover Feast,He knew He must b extremely careful about it’s preparation!Jesus,LORD of ALL,turns 2  this “master of the house” n what must’ve been a very private conversation,that Jesus might’ve shared intimate details about this Passover Feast,& the importance of keeping this information just between Jesus & the master of the house.Not even the apostles would know!This man knew one of the most significant bits of information of all History! This man knew when Jesus was coming n2 town 4 The Last Supper!He knew the significance of all the preparation needed b4 hand!He knew the day &time&where 2 send one of his workers w a jar of water...& prepare him 4 Peter & John!It was “women’s work” to get water.So this man had to b sent out w his water jar at just the precise time and place.Becuz a repetitiveness of this wud have drawn unwanted questions & probably suspicions.Jesus and the master of the house,most assuredly have a very special/significant conversation!One that was made possible bcuz Jesus knew the faithfulness & trustworthiness of this man!If I am 2 have these kind of significant conversations w The Lord,then my life/heart/mind must 1st demonstrate the same kind of faithfulness&trustworthiness of this “master of the house”.Another significant element of this man’s life is his absolute HUMILITY!We know this bcuz we don’t know this man’s name!The master of the house had no need of “claiming a part” of one of the most significant events in ALL HISTORY!He knew that Jesus is the SOLE PROVISIONER of ALL THINGS GOOD!Dear Lord,I don’t want to miss any more personal conversations w You bcuz of my waning faithfulness &/or trustworthiness.Please help me through the power of Your Spirit & Your Word 2 grow n faithfulness & trustworthiness...so I may have endless personal times w You.

Luke 21:34-36

Days before Jesus is to be crucified,He gives us warnings and encouragement(s).All 4 Gospels record these.N Luke 21:34-36 Jesus urges us to “Watch yourselves lest your hearts b weighed down w dissipation(Overindulgence in sensual pleasures; dissipated living.The squandering of money, energy, or resources.)&drunkeness & cares of this life....But stay awake(be alert)at all times,praying that u may have the strength 2 escape all these things(deception;misleadings;dilution of right Wisdom&Discernment)that r going 2 take place,that u may b able 2 stand b4 the Son of Man.”1Thesalonians5:6 says it this way,”...let us not b like others,who r asleep,but let us b alert & self controlled.”Jesus says “WATCH”,as a watchman/guard is assigned a post at the edge of a camp 2 b on the lookout for all things that pose a threat.And!Jesus says that we should “WATCH OURSELVES...!”Jesus is concerned for us!For the way that our hearts/lives r drawn 2 things;thoughts;people;beliefs;etc. that r detrimental to us.The most dangerous element of these things is the way that they can create a slow creep(a dissipation)of our hearts/lives away from The Lord & His Ways;His Love 4 us.This is why it is so important to have at the very least,regular “touch base meetings” w The Lord and His Word!When I was n the corporate world,these touch base meetings were for my own good...2 make sure that I stayed “on course” w what my boss was asking of me.By the same token,we need 2 regularly come b4 The Lord to make sure we stay on course!W/out these regular “touch base meetings” w The Lord,the enemies of God will make their best effort to veer us OFF COURSE!This also gives us an enhanced sensitivity to The Holy Spirit,so we can b strengthened&guided&empowered,& led by The Lord.When we do not have these touch base meetings regularly, sensual pleasures&dissipated living&cares for this world,will slowly overtake our hearts;minds;&lives.Dear Jesus,I am regularly bombarded by ideas;desires;pains;discomfort;envies;etc.,that creep n2 my life.Help me 2 b disciplined about seeking You regularly and always,so Your Wisdom&Discernment&Strength may b what WATCH/GUARD my life from all things that would veer me away from YOU!

Luke 21:1-19

N Luke21:19,Jesus says,”By your endurance u will gain ur lives.”We all know that our faith n Christ will be challenged by all sorts of deception & extreme circumstances&events in our life,as Jesus describes n Luke21:5-18.& that we must b prepared to stand firm when these things occur.But,it could b that what Jesus sees & comments about n Luke21:1-4 is the foundation of the “endurance” Jesus calls us to n verse 19.Jesus sees people placing their offerings n a box,including a widow that gives everything she has.Jesus says,”This poor widow has put n more than all
of them.For they had contributed our  of their abundance,but she...put n all she had...”This widow was the only person in church that had a faith/life that is ALL IN.Everyone else that Jesus saw was less than ALL IN!Jesus then goes on to give warnings about deceptions;&all sorts of significant challenges for the people’s hearts/lives/minds/faith.By  starting this discussion after Jesus remarks about the widow’s heart/life/mind being ALL IN,He is warning those who r not ALL IN,that they(we) need to check their(our) Faith to make sure it is what Jesus sees n this widow’s heart/life/mind.The widow was not concerned about her comfort;her savings;her retirement;her status,etc.,to the point that these things robbed her of her ALL IN relationship with The Lord & her ultimate TRUST n The Lord for her life!By doing what she did,this widow is saying that she trusted that The Lord knew best for her life,& she was trusting Him over everything...over what people thought of where she lived,over what people thought of what she wore,over what people thought of how her life expressed absolute TRUST in The Lord.The other people were giving much more,& they evidently had more status filled lives than the widow.By Jesus commenting on these others,He knew there was some kind of religious/churchy elitism being placed on them.Jesus is saying that  our being religious/churchy is not going to b the source of the ENDURANCE He is calling us to!Jesus says that unless we have the same ALL IN foundational relationship with The Lord that the widow has,we will not have the trust;the faith;the RELATIONSHIP/the ENDURANCE that will sustain us through the more challenging things n life.Dear Lord,I confess that I do not have the level of ALL IN that this widow has.Forgive me!And teach me/train me/encourage me/help me...to have the ALL IN heart/mind/life of this widow!