Today’s Reading: Luke 12:35-59 and 13:1-5; Matthew 23:37-39; Luke 13:31-35

“Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning, as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks.” – Luke 12:35-36

Jesus wanted his disciples to understand that he was leaving them and they would need to be responsible servants while he was gone. They had a job to do in his absence and he expected them to do it. It would not be easy but he wanted them to understand his instructions and be prepared for what was ahead. Servants who are ready when the master returns will be rewarded; servants who have not carried out the master’s instructions will be punished.

“…When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.” – Luke 12:48b

Just as Jesus was warning his disciples of the crisis that was ahead and urging them to stay on task after he is gone, devastating news arrived. Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices in the Temple. This did not happen because the worshippers were sinners or deserved death. No, they were simply exercising their right to worship and their lives were unjustly taken from them.

THE CHAOS

These verses remind me of the 2017 tragedy when a gunman opened fire in a baptist church in Sutherland Springs, Texas killing 26 people; or when a young man killed 9 people in a methodist church in Charleston, South Carolina in 2015. It is in moments like these that we need to remember Jesus’ advice to his disciples in Luke 12. It is in the midst of the chaos and crowd that we need to HUDDLE UP and listen carefully to what Jesus is saying:

Do not fear what people can do to you, fear only God.
Do not worry about your everyday needs, but focus on God and His Kingdom.
Do not be confident in what this world has to offer and store up earthly treasures, but understand they can all be gone in a moment.
Pray God will give you a heart that desires the treasures of Heaven.
Until Christ returns, be a faithful servant and carry out the work He has given.

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.” – Luke 12:31

Jesus was moving the focus of his disciples from the kingdoms of this world to the Kingdom of God. When we focus on the uncertainty of our safety or depend upon the favor of earthly authority, we can quickly panic about what tomorrow holds. When some Pharisees came to Jesus to warn him that he was in danger if he stayed in Jerusalem, he set a good example for us of how to react to the threat of danger.

Jesus replied, “Go tell that fox that I will keep on casting out demons and healing people today and tomorrow; and the third day I will accomplish my purpose. Yes, today, tomorrow, and the next day I must proceed on my way. For it wouldn’t do for a prophet of God to be killed except in Jerusalem!

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me. And now, look, your house is abandoned. And you will never see me again until you say, ‘Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’” – Luke 13:32-35

Keep doing what God has called you to do despite the threat of danger. Be a faithful servant of the task to which you have been assigned until the Master returns. Stay when God tells you to stay and move on when He tells you to leave. Go about the work to which you have been called and trust Him to be with you no matter what CHAOS you find yourself in.

Lord, we are trusting you for the days ahead. We place our children and the generations to come in your faithful hands and intentionally choose to focus on your Kingdom. Give us peace when opposition arrives and strength when the battle ignites. We will keep on. We will strive to accomplish our purpose. We will choose each day to proceed on our way.

Today’s Reading: Luke 12:1-12, 22-34

At this point, the crowds following Jesus were huge! Luke described the crowd as thousands of people milling around and stepping on each other. In the middle of this large crowd, in the midst of the chaos, Jesus turned to his disciples and spoke directly to them. I wonder how caught off guard they were. Here they were surrounded by the masses, who were all there to hear from Jesus, and he was taking the time to huddle up with them and teach them.

Jesus knew something they did not know. He knew their time together was drawing to an end. He knew the plot against his life was building strength and he knew what was coming. But his disciples were not ready. There were things he needed to say, things they needed to hear, and he was not going to wait another minute to tell them.

Beware of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. What they are planning and what they are whispering in dark corners will soon be revealed for all to see. Do not be afraid of them. Fear only God, who holds your future in His hands. Do not be afraid and do not worry.

“What is the price of five sparrows – two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. And the very hairs on your head are numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.” – Luke 12:6-7

Jesus knew those who were plotting to kill and destroy would turn their focus on his disciples after he was gone. They would not be content with killing Jesus, they would keep targeting their envy until all Jesus’ followers stopped speaking of him. He did not say to his disciples “if”, he said “when”. And he said – Do not worry. Do not be afraid.

“And WHEN you are brought to trial in the synagogues and before rulers and authorities, don’t worry about how to defend yourself or what to say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said…” – Luke 12:11-12

At that point, a man in the crowd interrupted them with a question for Jesus. I imagine this was a welcomed distraction for the disciples as they tried to soak in all that Jesus had just said to them. Jesus gave the man his attention as his disciples processed the warning Jesus had just given them.

I can only imagine what they must have been thinking. What did Jesus just say was going to happen? Tell me again, Jesus, how I am not supposed to worry. Tell me how I am valuable to the God who will never forget me. Jesus, who knew their thoughts, redirected his attention to them.

Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you NOT TO WORRY about everyday life – whether you have enough food to eat or clothes to wear. For life is more than food, and your body is more than clothing. Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! Can your worries add a single moment to your life? And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?

“Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

“And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you EVERYTHING you need.

So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.

“Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” – Luke 12:22-34

My prayer this morning is that God has a message for you within that passage. Perhaps life is loud and there is a lot going on all around you, yet you feel God speaking into your situation. I pray you are able to hear Him say that He cares for you and that He will give you everything you need for all that is ahead. So don’t be afraid. Give your life to follow God wherever He leads you. Your treasure is safe with Him, just as your heart is.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 7:13-29, 12:46-50; Mark 3:31-35; Luke 8:19-21

Yesterday I started out my morning coffee with the statement that there is something unique in our relationship with our siblings. Today I would like to build on the idea that there was nothing unique in Jesus’ relationship with his siblings.

Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.”

“Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked.

Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” – Mark 3:31-35

For a relationship to be unique, it has to be one of a kind, unlike anything else. It has to be distinctive and special. Some sibling relationships are so tight knit that it is hard to fully understand the dynamics between the individuals. They have their own way of communicating to each other and they are known by their brothers or sisters in a way that no one else knows them.

But what Jesus communicated is that any of us can have that kind of special relationship with him. Jesus’ intent was most likely not to disregard his family or disrespect his mother, but to make it known to those around him that he had the capacity to love them in the same way that he loved his earthly family.

He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.” – Luke 8:21

Whoever does the will of God is now in a sibling relationship with Christ Jesus. We are now known by him as brother and sister and mother. When we hear the word of God and then let it impact our way of thinking and our actions, we enter into a familial relationship with Jesus. When we receive what God is saying and put His words into practice, we become family. We know Him and He knows us.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven,but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ – Matthew 7:21-23

When we live in relationship with Jesus and respond in obedience to the life God is calling us to, we have the promise of entering into the kingdom of heaven. On that day, we will be greeted as family and recognized by the fruit of our lives as we enter through the narrow gate.

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” – Matthew 7:13-20

So let’s live this life in confidence that we are loved by the God to whom we daily give our lives. When we live out our relationship with Jesus, we produce fruit. When we hear the words of God and then put them into practice, we are like a wise man who built his house upon a rock. Let the rains come down and the streams rise; let the winds blow and beat against the house. Our foundation is firmly built upon the rock of our salvation — our Savior, our Lord and our brother.

Today’s Reading: Luke 10:38-42, 12:13-21

There is something unique in our relationship with our siblings. We grow up playing together, laughing at one another, and fighting with each other. In today’s passages of scripture, we see two encounters Jesus had with siblings having a difficult time getting along – two sisters and two brothers.

TWO SISTERS

As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”

But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.” – Luke 10:38-42

Focus on self – Martha started out doing a good thing but became distracted from the good she was doing to WHO was doing the good thing.

Focus on others – Martha then became distracted by the lack of work that her sister was doing. Even though Martha was the one who had invited Jesus into her home, she had expectations of the other people around her. Her focus was on what other people were not doing.

Focus on Jesus – It was not enough that Martha had invited Jesus into her home. It was not enough that Martha was working hard for Jesus. What Jesus desired of Martha was for her to spend time with him – for her to sit at his feet, as Mary was doing, and listen to all he wanted to teach her. Jesus wanted her to sit in his presence and focus on him and, by doing so, build her relationship with him.

TWO BROTHERS

Then someone called from the crowd, “Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father’s estate with me.”

Jesus replied, “Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?” Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”

Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’

“But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’

“Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” – Luke 12:13-21

Focus on self – How much can I accumulate? How much can I gain? How comfortable can I make myself? Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own” (Luke 12:15).

Focus on others – How much more does he have than I have? It’s not fair! He has more than I do! Look what he is doing with his money. This is what I would do if I had that kind of money…

Focus on God – Be rich in God and in your relationship with Him instead of focusing on earthly gain.

“Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” – Luke 12:21

God, create in me a desire to want more of you and only you. May the luster of earthly treasures lose its shine where my heart is concerned. Create in me a heart that is generous and not greedy. May I be so filled with your Spirit that I only wish well for others. May I be more concerned about sitting at your feet and storing up a rich relationship with you than I am about anyone or anything else around me. May my focus today be on you, God, and may that focus show me the needs of others around me so that I can be used by you. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Luke 10:25-37

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” – Matthew 5:7

What does our life look like if we consistently let forgiveness flow and let mercy show? Mercy is, by definition, forgiveness. Merriam-Webster defines mercy as compassion, especially towards someone who has offended you, or compassionate treatment of someone in distress. If we want to experience mercy in our lives, we need a heart that is merciful toward others.

FORGIVENESS. FREEDOM. MERCY.

Not one of us is perfect. We have all sinned and we are all in need of a Savior – of mercy extended beyond what we deserve. It is this mercy that allows us entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven and the opportunity to begin experiencing eternal life right here on earth – mercy extended to us because we have a heart that extends mercy toward others.

One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”

Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?”

The man answered, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

“Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!”

The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” – Luke 10:25-29

The man understood that he was to love God and he knew who God was. That part was easy. But the man wanted clarification on who Jesus defined as his neighbor — the people who live next door, coworkers, family members, other Christians, nonbelievers… The man was essentially saying to Jesus – define for me who my neighbor is so that I can, by process of elimination, understand who is not my neighbor.

Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.

“By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.” – Luke 10:31-32

If either of these men who worked in the temple came in contact with a dead body, they would be considered “unclean” and temporarily unable to serve in the Temple and offer sacrifices to God. Helping this man who was so close to death was risking ritual impurity.

Do I help the one if it means I cannot help the masses? How often do we use this as an excuse for not reaching out to someone in need? God, I’m so busy reaching out to those to whom you have called me. You must plan for someone else to help this person in desperate trouble because you have already given me this other call. We excuse ourselves from responding to one person by reminding ourselves of how much good we are doing in the lives of other people. We give ourselves permission to turn our back on one person’s need by focusing on the ministry we prefer. Lord, forgive me. I am so guilty of this.

“Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’

“Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked.

The man replied, “The one who showed mercy.”

Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.” – Luke 10:33-37

To truly be a follower of Jesus, we must be willing to go where He leads and do as He tells us to do. It is in those moments when we choose restoration and LET FORGIVENESS FLOW that Jesus draws us closer to Him. It is in those moments when we choose compassion and LET MERCY SHOW that we learn what it means to truly love our neighbor. It is in those moments when we stop seeing the reflection of past mistakes and sins, that we truly will LET FREEDOM RING.

Today’s Reading: John 8:1-20, 31-47

Let’s keep in mind that the Pharisees and Jewish leaders knew who Jesus’ mother was when we consider what they did next. They probably knew she was found to be with child before she was married to Joseph. John tells us that these teachers of the law were trying to trap Jesus when they brought to him a woman who had been caught in adultery. They were waiting to see if Jesus would be faithful to the law of Moses, which demanded she be stoned.

…but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.

When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”

“No, Lord,” she said.

And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” – John 8:6-12

FORGIVENESS. FREEDOM. MERCY.

We continue today to judge one another by where we came from, who our parents are and by the sins of our past. The enemy wants to define us by these things so that he can convince us that we belong to the sinful world and not to our Heavenly Father. If he can convince us of this, it is easier for him to convince us that sinning is simply a part of who we are and where we came from.

But Jesus says – I know who you are and what you have done. Go and sin no more. You don’t have to continue to walk in darkness if you follow me for I am the light of the world. If you will walk in my light, you will truly experience life. Jesus went on to explain you will also experience true freedom if you follow his teachings instead of remaining a slave to sin.

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free…I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.” – John 8:31-32,34-36

FREEDOM – freedom from whom the world wants us to be, freedom from whom others define us to be, and freedom from our past mistakes and sins.

In anger, the people asked Jesus, “Who do you think you are?” They also asked him where his father was and then made the statement, “We are not illegitimate children! God himself is our true Father” (8:53,19,41). Oh yes, they knew what they were doing when they brought to Jesus a woman caught in adultery. What they didn’t know is who Jesus truly was and to whom he truly belonged.

When others try to define you by where you came from or try to condemn you with what is in your past, remember who you truly are. You are a child of God, forgiven and set free from sin. When the enemy tries to pull you back into a life of sin, remember who you truly are. You are no longer a slave to sin but a part of God’s family forever. You have been set free from the past, free from sin and you are a faithful follower of Jesus.

Today’s Reading: John 7; Mark 6:1-6

Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, where your followers can see your miracles! You can’t become famous if you hide like this! If you can do such wonderful things, show yourself to the world!” For even his brothers didn’t believe in him. — John 7:3-5

In some ways it is hard to believe that the brothers of Jesus did not accept that he was the Messiah, but it also makes sense that it would be harder for them to believe. They had grown up around him, played games with him and worked alongside him in the family business. To them he was just Jesus.

Jesus replied, “Now is not the right time for me to go, but you can go anytime. The world can’t hate you, but it does hate me because I accuse it of doing evil. You go on. I’m not going to this festival, because my time has not yet come.” — John 7:6-8

Jesus knew what others were saying about him. He knew that his brothers were mocking him in unbelief and he knew there were many others who hated him; he knew there were some who were even plotting to kill him.

The Jewish leaders were so caught up on where Jesus had come from and from whom he was born that they were missing who Jesus was and from whom he had been sent. They tried to use this information to prove that he was not the Messiah. They knew where Joseph and Mary were from and they knew that Jesus had grown up in Galilee so they assumed he was also born in Galilee. They actually used the argument that Jesus would have been born in Bethlehem if he was truly the Messiah, as scripture clearly state. They were making accusations without having all the information, something I am afraid I have been guilty of at times.

While Jesus was in the Temple, he called out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I come from. But I’m not here on my own. The one who sent me is true, and you don’t know Him. But I know him because I come from him, and he sent me to you.” – John 7:28-29

Later Jesus left for the festival but stayed out of public view. Many were talking about Jesus: some were asking where he was, some were saying he was a good man and others were calling him a fraud. Halfway through the festival he began teaching in the temple and many were amazed at how much he knew. Others accused him of being possessed by a demon when he made the comment that there were some trying to kill him. Many believed in him saying, “Would you expect the Messiah to do more miraculous signs than this man has done?” (John 7:31b)

FORGIVENESS. FREEDOM. MERCY.

Jesus was there because he had mercy on sinners. He was willing to give his life so that we can be forgiven of our unbelief — so that we can experience freedom from our sins. So on the last day of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowd:

“Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” — John 7:37b-38

In spite of all the grumbling about him, despite the hateful plots against him, Jesus still extended the gift of life to all those who were willing to come to him. This is what forgiveness looks like; this is what freedom looks like. Let us consider the freedom we experience when we choose forgiveness and mercy. What would our lives look like if we consistently let forgiveness flow and mercy show? What would it sound like to truly let freedom ring?

Jesus said to the people who believed him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” – John 8:31-32

Father God, open my heart to areas in which I need to allow forgiveness to heal my hurts. Spirit, reveal in me any unforgiveness or hatred toward others. Work in my life in such a way that I experience freedom from my opinions, my attitudes and my agendas. Fill me with your mercy so that forgiveness flows from me. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 17:22-27, 18:21-35; Mark 9:30-32; Luke 9:43b-45

Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”

“No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!” – Matthew 18:21-22

FORGIVENESS. FREEDOM. MERCY.

When we forgive those who have sinned against us, we experience freedom. We give the situation to the Lord and pray for Him to extend mercy both to us and to those who have hurt us over and over again. Jesus went on to explain this repetition of forgiveness.

“Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold – along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned – to pay the debt.

“But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.

“But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment.

“His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded. But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.

“When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened. Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.

“That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.” – Matthew 18:23-35

Jesus lived out this kind of forgiveness. He knew he was going to be betrayed by one of his closest followers, one of the Twelve. He knew he would be handed over to those who were plotting against him. He knew he would be killed and how significant his death and resurrection would be to the forgiveness of all. Yet he lived an example of being a good citizen, paying the Temple tax in order not to offend those who were going to be instrumental in his coming death.

FORGIVENESS. FREEDOM. MERCY.

Father, reveal in me any unforgiveness. Strengthen my faith to believe that you will be with me in any attempt I make to restore a relationship or extend a hand of forgiveness. May the words coming out of my mouth reflect a heart of forgiveness – not bitterness, unforgiveness or gossip. Make me uncomfortable with any relationship or situation in which you want me to seek restoration. Transform my mind, precious Lord. May my life be described as FORGIVEN and FORGIVING.

“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” – Matthew 6:15

Today’s Reading: Matthew 18:15-20; Mark 11:22-25

Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.” – Mark 11:22-25

In yesterday’s passage, we considered how the disciples lacked the faith to heal the boy who often needed rescued by his family from the fire and water because of a demon controlling him. In his gospel story, Mark repeats the same words of Jesus but he adds another element that often blocks our prayers. At times we lack the faith for our prayers to be answered and at times unforgiveness blocks the path between our requests and God’s answer.

As we start a new week, let us consider the relationship between forgiveness, freedom and mercy. What freedom do we experience when we choose forgiveness and mercy, over bitterness and pride? What would life look like if we consistently LET FORGIVENESS FLOW and mercy show? What would it sound like to truly let freedom ring?

FORGIVENESS. FREEDOM. MERCY.

If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two or three witnesses. If the person refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.

“I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.

“I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” – Matthew 18:15-20

Again Jesus coupled the issue of forgiveness and restoration with the idea of our prayers being answered. UNFORGIVENESS BLOCKS OUR PRAYER LIFE. God’s plan is for us to be all about forgiving others and bringing restoration into relationships that are strained or in need of resolution. I am to walk into these situations in strong faith that God will be in the middle of it all, that He will be with us through our attempts at restoration. Our own forgiveness depends on our commitment to forgive others, not just in our hearts but through necessary conversations.

If our attempts at restoration with another believer are unsuccessful, Jesus instructs us to treat that person as a pagan or corrupt tax collector. And how did Jesus model our treatment of sinners? He ate with them in their homes and even called Matthew to be one of his disciples. Jesus said he didn’t come to call those who think they are righteous, but he came for those who know they are sinners (Luke 5:32).

FORGIVENESS. FREEDOM. MERCY.

When we forgive those who have sinned against us, we experience freedom. We give the situation to the Lord and pray for Him to extend mercy both to us and to those who have hurt us.

“Pray like this:
Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.

“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” – Matthew 6:9-15

Today’s Reading: Matthew 17:14-20, 18:6-10; Mark 9:14-29, 42-50; Luke 9:37-43a

The disciples were not the only people paying attention, anticipating what Jesus might do next.

At the foot of the mountain, a large crowd was waiting for them. A man came and knelt before Jesus and said, “Lord, have mercy on my son. He has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.” – Matthew 17:14-16

Can you picture it? There’s a beautiful mountain and a crowd of people waiting in anticipation to hear from Jesus. A man approached Jesus and fell to his knees, pleading for the life of his son. He had tried to receive help from Jesus’ followers but their lack of faith had left him disappointed, so here he was calling out to Jesus for help.

As a parent, it is painful to consider what this man must have been feeling. His son was very sick and there was nothing he could do to help him – nothing but fall on his knees before the one man who he believed could free his son from this illness that takes over his body. How many times had this father rescued his son from the fire or pulled him from the water? Imagine the burns that they had treated or what it must have felt like to push the water out of the lungs of their child in order to keep him alive. He had done all he knew to do and he was in need of divine intervention.

At times, life’s circumstances feel a lot like “going through the fire”. Stress presses in on every side and makes it hard for us to breath. “I’m drowning here, Lord! Please save me!” Hear the desperation of a believer in Jesus crying out to be rescued; he’s crying out for healing, begging for escape.

Jesus said, “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” – Matthew 14:17

Can you hear it? It’s the HOPE of a father as he runs to get his son. I imagine the words of Jesus were still ringing in his ears and bouncing around his heart as he returned to Jesus with his precious boy.

Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment the boy was well.

Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, “Why couldn’t we cast out that demon?”

“You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.” – Matthew 17:17-20

THIS FATHER BELIEVED IN THE IMPOSSIBLE AND EXPERIENCED A MIRACLE.

Oh, give us a stronger faith, Lord! Strengthen the faith of your church and your followers. May we humbly fall on our knees before you, believing that nothing is impossible for you. May we empty ourselves of any thoughts that we are capable of helping others without you.

What kind of fire is life throwing you into? What situations or circumstances are you drowning in? Let’s shift thoughts here and consider how often the fire and water are simply the result of our own sinful decisions. There are times when the fire and water in our life are undeserved and times when they are the natural consequences of our own arrogance and selfishness. After healing the boy, Jesus spoke of fire and water in the context of punishment or consequences for our sins.

About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”

Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.

“But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.

“What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting. So if your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut if off and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand or one foot than to be thrown into the eternal fire with both of your hands and feet. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.” – Matthew 18:1-10

Precious Father, may our hands and feet be your instruments today. May we be expressions of your love to those around us. Empty us of any arrogance or thoughts of what WE can accomplish so that we can humbly kneel before you and believe in faith that today YOU will do great and miraculous things among us! May our faith help others to find you and may we never do anything that would cause someone else to stumble in their journey to you. We pray all of this in your precious and holy name, Amen.