Month: September 2015

There isn’t a one of us that doesn’t need a little encouragement from time to time.  Yes, some more than others and some more often than others.  We all go through times of testing and struggle where we wonder what next, why me, how come, when will it end.  Psalm 23 is one of those Psalms of encouragement that reminds us of God’s presence and provision in such times.  Did I mention it’s always?  Missionary with New Tribes Mission, Mark Fleming, takes us through a journey of the Good Shepherd’s walk with us while we journey this life as a way of encouragement.

09 20 Luke 19.28-44 Crowds flocked to welcome Jesus into Jerusalem believing that He was the Messiah.  They praised God with jubilant excitement.  The Pharisees were none too pleased.  Jesus wept over the city because He knew that their praise was superficial and that they would or had rejected Him as the real king, the one who could deliver them from sin.  They were following the right person, but with the wrong motive.  If we are to follow the king,  obedience is expected.  If we are to follow the king, praise is expected.  If we are to follow the king, opposition is expected.

09 13 Luke 19.11-27 Nearing the final days of His earthly ministry, Jesus is passing through Jericho.  A crowd has followed Him and Luke records that they anticipated that once Jesus reached Jerusalem He would establish a physical, earthly kingdom.  Yet in the preceding passage Jesus explicitly indicated that His purpose for coming was to seek and save the lost.  The correct their erroneous view Jesus told a parable that was about Himself.  The challenge was twofold.  First, it was a challenge to His true followers to be faithful in the responsibility of proclaiming the gospel.  Second, was a challenge not to neglect Him as the rightful coming king.  When He returned He would require an accounting of what was done with the gospel.  Did a person accept it or reject it?  Did a person proclaim the gospel or not? 

What are you doing to prepare for His return?

09 06 Luke 19.1-10 There is someone like Zacchaeus all around us.  Do we see them through the eyes of the crowd – a loser to be scorned?  Or do we see them through the eyes of Christ – lost needing to be saved?  He came to seek and save them.  Are we pointing them to Christ for salvation or are we preventing them from seeing Him?