Category: Bible Studies

Jesus tells us that the Kingdom is upon us now…

Luke 17:20-25
20 Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, 21 nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.”[c]

22 Then he said to his disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. 23 People will tell you, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Do not go running off after them. 24 For the Son of Man in his day[d] will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. 25 But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

There will be no mistaking when Jesus returns. It will be an amazingly incredible day. It will come upon us quickly. It won’t be televised. The radio will not tell us. All social media will not be able to let us know. We will all know at the same time. In an instant.

As Jesus turns to His disciples to tell them this, you can almost see their faces. Jesus is telling us that there will be no doubt in your heart or mind about the return. You will know without a doubt when He arrives to take us home.

If you are unsure tonight, then punch your ticket now. Right now. Get on your knees and ask Jesus for help. Truly ask Him. There is a 100% guarantee that He will hear you. After all He left a helper with you. The Holy Spirit. Once you Auvergne accepted the work of Jesus Christ that freed you from sin, you have punched your ticket. Then, the rest will be revealed to you as you grow as a Righteous child of Christ Jesus.

Thank you Jesus. We love you.

Amen.
DK

Jesus will see you again. When He does, will you have thanked Him everyday for your blessings. Even the smallest?

Jesus Heals Ten Men With Leprosy
Luke 17:11-19
11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy[b] met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.

15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.

17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

The last line is just a gorgeous sentence. Jesus says it with such power and grace…”Your FAITH had made you well.” Not your effort. Not your works. Not your actions. Your faith. Amen. Thank you Jesus!

A man once told me, “Faith’s only function, is to receive what grace offers.” Grace has been given to us by the creator. His grace is overflowing and abundant enough to heal the sin of the greatest sinners ever to walk the Earth. With faith, we can have that grace, which is freely given.

You are healed. You are saved. It is finished. Jesus said those words himself as He bled for us on the cross. Now…Glorify Him. Glorify Him in the a you walk and talk. It is time to stop looking at this life like it is the end. It is only the beginning. Love is the key to this world, and the key to eternity with God in Heaven.

Lord we love you. You are the way, the truth, and the life. All glory and honor to you Lord. They will be done, in my life and all of our lives. You will is perfect. Thank for this day, and the guaranteed presents of tomorrow. We love you.

Amen.
DK

As servants of a mighty and wonderful God, we have a duty. A servant that should look forward to rest and paradise, once the job here on Earth is done…

Luke 17:7-10
7 “Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? 8 Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? 9 Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? 10 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”

As a high school teacher, one thing that I can count year after year is that kids want discipline. They want to be directed and told what is right from wrong. I have made my share of mistakes, after all I am only human.

I would have to say that one of the biggest would be giving reward for actions too early in the process of teaching. Students have a job to do, as do I. As does my supervisor. When rewards and celebration for duties that are simply required are given at too early of a time, or too late of a time, the or done is not truly beneficial.

Jesus tells us that ad servants of God, we are to do the duty not expecting our reward to come in the form of something we can see or understand here on Earth. But rather, our treasures will be in Heaven.

All we have, can be counted as loss. But to carry the cross, the way that Jesus did, that is the true treasure. The reward will be eternal. This temporary world will fade, and the glory of God will be upon you forever and ever.

Lord, help us to do you will. Help to become all you want us to be today. Heavenly Father. Help us to live in the moment. To live for today, the present. This day is a gift that you have made for us. Let us rejoice and be glad. Thank you Jesus. For our eternal life and freedom from sins.

Amen.
DK

Jesus tells us that rebuking is important, but so is forgiveness…

Luke 17:3-6
3 So watch yourselves.

“If your brother or sister[a] sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. 4 Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”

5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”

6 He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.

There are many instances in the Gospel where Jesus has to teach in a very stern manner. In this particular verse, he hits straight at our family members. To rebuke, the forgive if they repent. Repentance is an important step. Too many times we think that when we sin we are supposed to walk around in a sorry state of mind and punish ourselves.

Repentance is not about punishing ourselves. It’s about placing the sin at the feet of Jesus, and then asking the Holy Spirit to come into our lives to change our root beliefs to be more like Jesus. Sometimes it happens instantaneously. Many times it takes longer. Don’t despair.  The healing is done, your body just hasn’t gotten the message yet. Ask for help. Ask for prayer. It will happen.

Amen.
DK

There is no doubt about what Jesus is speaking of in these verses. Wow!

Sin, Faith, Duty
Luke 17:1-3
1 Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come. 2 It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. 3 So watch yourselves.

We are to help, not hinder. Be a blessing not a taker. To intentionally cause someone to fall or be harmed in any way is worse than so many other things.

This is a warning for those who speak the Word of God. To know that if it is ever used in a perverse way to control people rather than free them, woe to them. Instead, be considerate of the young and the new Christians. Count and mark your words, for our responsibility is great. To whom much is given, much is required. Pray as you share the word, so that the Holy Spirit will guide your words.

Amen.
DK

You cannot take it with you. You were blessed for a purpose…

Luke 16:19-31
The Rich Man and Lazarus
19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’

29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’

30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

Thomas shows us the beauty in doubt, because he acted on it. This parable shows us what happens when we do not act. If you are given gifts as blessings, be it money, or any other supernatural gift, and it is not used to help others on this Earth, then ask yourself what it will take for you to act. I believe that there are many of us who have had a blatant and obvious sign placed right in front of our eyes by God, prompting us to act for others that need. In those cases, if it is not comfortable for us or just doesn’t “feel” right, we dismiss the prompting and move on.

This is what Jesus is teaching about. What will it take for you to see those in need as an opportunity to bless and be blessed through the giving? Jesus promises us that the reward will be 7  times 70 what was given in Heaven.

Ask the Holy Spirit to activate you today. Ask for your life to become what He wants it to be. What you were destined to be. God will not fail you. He has given you the Holy Spirit to guide you. Listen, learn, love always.

I pray that for all of us now. Lord, that we may all activate as your children in this world and begin to rise up in your Holy name and change the path if the lost and redirect them to you precious Jesus. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray this now.

Amen.
DK

Jesus cleaned up the mess, the misunderstandings, the bent and crooked people that manipulated law, and He did it long before we were born…

Luke 16:16-17
16 “The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing their way into it. 17 It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.

It is Grace that allowed you to see again. It is that very gift of grace, given to you by way of faith, that can move mountains. The righteousness of God that we possess in us always comes directly from the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross at Calvary. Miraculous works await your call to action.

It requires belief in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Once the belief is present, faith will follow, which is the root of grace. Let grace be your rule. Law does not apply to grace. It is freely given to us by Jesus, and requires no sacrifice. You just need to ask.

Today , you are lovely. You are beautiful. You are made by God for a purpose bond what you see or can comprehend without the help of the Holy Spirit. He is with you. You need only ask. He will provide.

Amen.
DK

The Parable of the Shrewd Manager continued…

Luke 16:5-15
5 “So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’

6 “‘Nine hundred gallons[a] of olive oil,’ he replied.

“The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty.’

7 “Then he asked the second, ‘And how much do you owe?’

“‘A thousand bushels[b] of wheat,’ he replied.

“He told him, ‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’

8 “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. 9 I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

10 “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. 11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? 12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?

13 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

14 The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. 15 He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.

That last sentence. Wow! What we value highly… Jesus is letting us know not to allow the world to rule us. Money can grab you and destroy you, as it was doing with the Pharisees. He saw and addressed it. Taught them that what the Father sees, what God sees, is your heart.

As I read the Gospel from Luke’s perspective, I can feel the energy in the Words of our Savior Jesus Christ. As a teacher myself, I do not even come close to the ability that Jesus had to teach and spread truth. But with the help of the Holy Spirit, I can do all things through Him.

I am the righteousness of God through Jesus Christ. I am made in His image and I am His son.

Amen!
DK

Count your blessings…then, are you managing them wisely?

Luke 16:1-4
The Parable of the Shrewd Manager
1 Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. 2 So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’

3 “The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg— 4 I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’

Be wise with what you have been given here on Earth. All belong to the Father in Heaven. All belongs to God, meant to provide you with opportunities to glorify Him.

What a way to look at your possessions and your job. Jesus was talking at a particular group of people, and this must have really hurt the Pharisees. Jesus has such a perfect way of showing us how to love.

Our salvation is sovereign and can never be taken away. But, to be able to combine your salvation with the human experience is very challenging. Jesus knew how, and he left us a helper. In order to be able to hear the Holy Spirit,  you must meditate, worship, and pray. Every day. That way you are ready to discern through the power of the Jesus.
Amen.
DK

The last part of this prable of the of the son returning is the brother’s response…

Luke 15:25-32
25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

Amazing grace. In order to hear the sweet sound of grace, we have to turn down the sounds of deceit. It is through our relationship with Jesus that this power will manifest in you. You might now even notice as it happens. Others will witness for you and see the power of the Holy Spirit in you. Your presence will be enough.

The love of this father for his son reflects exactly what Jesus has done, and continues to do everyday. Forgive us. Christ died for us. Christ lives for us. Christ will come again for us. Hallelujah!

Amen.
DK