Week 44 - Day 5

Acts 1-3; Proverbs 25

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Acts 1-3 YouVersion(NIV)

Proverbs 25 YouVersion(NIV)

The book of Acts is kind of like the bridge book between the gospels and the rest of the New Testament.  It is a historical account written by Luke of what happened after the resurrection of Jesus.  First of all, we find out that Jesus appeared to them many times over a period of 40 days giving many convincing proofs that He was alive.  Jesus told them to be His witnesses “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  Then Jesus ascended into heaven. 

One thing I love about the beginning of the book of Acts is this: “In those days Peter stood up among the believers …”  Jesus had told Peter that he would be the rock on which He’d build His church, and now it was happening.  Peter had failed Jesus, denying him three times, but God from the beginning had seen past Peter’s weakness and saw his potential.  Peter was faithful and bold, and here after Jesus left, Peter steps up taking the lead and spreading the good news. 

And Peter was not alone, nor are any believers, because just as Jesus had promised, they received the Holy Spirit to guide them and empower them.  After receiving the Holy Spirit Peter spoke to the crowd in Jerusalem and it says, “Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.”  Three thousand … that day … pretty incredible.  What is also incredible – we’re a part of that same movement that started that day!  And the job Jesus gave the disciples to do continues on as our job – to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth.

Peter did not live in constant regret for failing Jesus; he did not live in fear of messing up.  He accepted the forgiveness given him, he trusted in the power of the Holy Spirit, and he obeyed the directions of Jesus. 

Lord may we see ourselves through your eyes and be able to look past our own weaknesses.  Help us not to live in regret, guilt, or fear, but to trust in You and Your presence and power within us. 

Week 44 - Day 4

John 18-21

*Click here to read this passage:

John 18-21 YouVersion(NIV)

“Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.  But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.” (John 20:30-31)  That is what it is all about – believing in Jesus and having life in Him.

The disciples all had a hard time believing at first that Jesus really rose from the dead.  Wouldn’t you?  Thomas who wasn’t there when Jesus appeared to the rest kind of gets a bad rap as being “doubting Thomas.”  He wouldn’t believe until he could see Jesus for himself.  Jesus tells Thomas to touch his hands where the nails were and his side where he was pierced and to stop doubting and believe.  Jesus said, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29)  We don’t get the privilege of putting our hands in the holes of Jesus’ hands, but we have the account of men and women who were there and experienced Him first hand.  We can believe even though we have not seen. 

I love this last verse of the book of John: “Jesus did many other things as well.  If every one of them were written down I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.”  I think it is important to remember that this is all coming from someone who was actually there with Jesus.  John was an eyewitness to it all.  Once again, this is what it is all about – believing.  Jesus was real, He is God’s Son, He was here, He died, and He rose again from the dead. 

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” Romans 10:9-10

Week 44 - Day 3

John 15-17; Proverbs 24:23-34

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John 15-17 YouVersion(NIV)

Proverbs 24:23-34 YouVersion(NIV)

In the last verse of John chapter 16, Jesus says, “In this world you will have trouble.”  There it is.  Fact—life will not always be perfect; you will have trouble.  “But take heart!  I have overcome the world.” 

This is followed by one of the coolest chapters in all the gospels in my opinion.  It is the longest recorded prayer of Jesus.  Jesus prays for Himself, He prays for His disciples, and He prays for all believers.  All the gospels talk about Jesus praying often, and a lot of the time Jesus would go by Himself to pray; but here we get to hear His words to the Father.  We can model our own prayers after His.  We can also be strengthened with encouragement from His prayer.

When Jesus prayed for the disciples He prayed, “Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one.”  First of all, there is power in the name of Jesus!  And we should be praying for the protection for those we do life with as well as for us all to be united. 

I find this part of His prayer interesting – He says, “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world … “  Remember that Jesus said that in this world we’d have trouble, but He doesn’t pray we’d be taken from the world and all the trouble.  The rest of that part of His prayer is this – “but that you protect them from the evil one.”  We should be praying for ourselves, our families, our life groups, our pastors and church leaders, etc that God would protect from the evil one. 

“I pray also for those who will believe” – that’s you and me!  The whole Bible is for you and me, but there is something very special in reading Jesus’ specific prayer to the Father for us.  And this is what He prays for, that all believers would be one heart and mind together with Jesus and God … that Jesus would be in us as the Father was in Jesus.  And that we would be “brought to complete unity to let the world know” that God sent Jesus and has loved us as the Father loved the Son.   

Finally, Jesus also prayed for believers to be with Him where He is and to see His glory.  I’m praying for that today as well – that we be where He is and that we’d see His glory.    

Week 44 - Day 2

John 12-14; Proverbs 24:1-22

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John 12-14 YouVersion(NIV)

Proverbs 24:1-22 YouVersion(NIV)

My three takeaways today:

~Give all you have knowing He’s all you need.

~When the darkness seems to be closing in, focus on the light.

~You are not alone.

When reading about Mary and how she poured the expensive perfume on Jesus’ feet, I remembered this quote I read the other day: “A gospel-saturated church is filled with people who give all they have because they understand that in Christ they have all they need” – (Tchividjian).  What you pour out is not always the same.  Sometimes it is giving financially, sometimes it is pouring out your time and talents, and sometimes it even means pouring out emotionally – being vulnerable.  Give everything because He is all you need.

“I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness” (John 12:46).  Have you ever been laying in your bed at night in the dark and felt scared?  You lay there as still as you can with your eyes open straining to see anything, listening so intently that you hear every tiny sound in the house, and your fear multiplies.  When you focus on the darkness, the darkness seems to intensify and close in on you.  One light can make all the difference if we can just focus on that light.  Jesus is our light; no one who believes in Him will stay in the darkness.

When Jesus’ time on earth was almost done He told His followers that they would be given another Counselor of the same kind – the Spirit of truth, the Holy Spirit.  Jesus said, “The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him.  But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.  I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:17-18).  Any believer knows what Jesus is talking about – His Spirit within you that whispers truth in your heart just when you need it.  It is a constant reminder that you are not alone.  When you start feeling alone, try to bring the “noise” of life around you down and listen for His whispers.  “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you … Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” 

Week 44 - Day 1

John 9-11; Proverbs 23

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John 9-11 YouVersion(NIV)

Proverbs 23 YouVersion(NIV)

Two different stories today in these chapters of John where the big “Why” question pops up.  The “why” is a tough one, and many times we don’t ever fully understand why certain things happen or why things are the way they are.  But as always in Jesus, there is hope.  There is hope for God to do the impossible.  And even if that doesn’t happen in the way or in the time you would like it to, God can use you and your experiences to do amazing things and reach many people.

In chapter 9 is the story of Jesus opening the eyes of the man who was born blind.  People of that time believed that if a person was born blind it was because of his or his parents’ sin.  “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.” (John 9:3)  I imagine this man would have asked the big “why” a few times in his life – why was he blind and why did everyone look down on him and his family?  We don’t know exactly how old he was but we know he was grown up, so he had gone years before he was healed by Jesus.  Then he became a testimony for Jesus that lives on to this day – “I was blind but now I see!”

Then in chapter 11 is the story of Mary and Martha and their brother Lazarus.  Lazarus had been sick and his sisters sent word to Jesus so He would come and heal him.  Jesus said, “It is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”  It says that when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days before he left.  By the time He got there Lazarus had died and had been in the tomb for four days. (*Discovery Bible commentary says, “When a person died, the Jews checked for three days to make sure he or she was dead rather than in a coma.  Jesus waited to go to Bethany to restore Lazarus to life until there could be no disputing the fact that Lazarus had died.)

Mary and Martha both said to Jesus, “If you would have been here Lazarus would not have died.”  Jesus didn’t give them an answer to why He didn’t come sooner, but He did give them the greatest miracle of seeing death brought to life.  I love how even though Jesus knew He was going to bring back Lazarus from the dead, He still was deeply moved when He saw their sorrow and He wept with them. 

He understands the waiting is hard and not knowing the why is hard.  He cares and He comforts, and He brings hope.

Week 43 - Day 6

John 7-8; Proverbs 22:17-29

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John 7-8 YouVersion(NIV)

Proverbs 22:17-29 YouVersion(NIV)

Have you ever played that game “Two Truths and a Lie?”  It is an ice-breaker game to get to know new people where you tell three things about yourself, two of them being true and one a lie for everyone to try to figure out.  Chapter 8 of John has its own version - Two Truths and a Liar.

Truths ~ God the Father and Jesus the Son – Holy, perfect, and true.  God the Father sent His Son Jesus to become a man and to save the world.  The book of John consistently reminds us however that the Father and Son are one.  Jesus was there in the beginning.  He was with God, and He was God.  Jesus became the way for man to be with God.  “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  “Everyone who sins is a slave to sin.  Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Liar ~ Satan – “He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him.  When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

Listen to and hold on to Jesus, the truth, and allow the truth the set you free.  We become sons and daughters of God who are no longer chained to sin.  Don’t listen to the father of lies who whispers shame and guilt and doubt; listen to the Father who speaks life and love and truth. 

Week 43 - Day 5

John 4-6; Proverbs 22:1-16

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John 4-6 YouVersion(NIV)

Proverbs 22:1-16 YouVersion(NIV)

Living Water and the Bread of Life – In these chapters Jesus describes Himself in these ways.  Jesus tells the Samaritan woman at the well, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.  Indeed, the water I give Him will become in Him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 

Then to the crowd who was seeking a miraculous sign like when God sent the Israelites in the desert manna from heaven to eat, He says, “I am the bread of life.  Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died.  But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die.  I am the living bread that came down from heaven.  If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.  This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

We need food and water to live … this is no secret; everyone knows this.  Jesus uses that fact to show us that He is the food and water of eternal life.  He is what we need.  And I love the verse that comes in John 7, verse 38 when Jesus says, “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within Him.”  We don’t wait until we die to receive our “living water,” our eternal life, our relationship with Him.  When we believe He sends His Spirit in us so that “rivers of living water flow” within us. 

We have nourishment, energy, strength, power … we have life because He is within us.  He is everything we need.   

Week 43 - Day 4

John 1-3; Proverbs 21

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John 1-3 YouVersion(NIV)

Proverbs 21 YouVersion(NIV)

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  John 3:16

This was the first Bible verse I can remember putting to memory.  What wonderful truth and promise within this verse … God loves the world … God gave His only Son … eternal life is given to all who believe in Him. 

These are the words of Jesus when He was teaching the Pharisee named Nicodemus who had sought Jesus out at night looking for answers.  Jesus went on to say, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” (Verses 17-18).

To help Nicodemus understand, Jesus also used a story that Nicodemus would have been very familiar with as a teacher of the law – the story of Moses lifting up the bronze snake in the desert.  (This is found in Numbers 21:4-9).  This was when Moses and the Israelites were in the desert, and people were dying from snakebites from the snakes sent there because of their sinning against God.  The Lord told Moses to make a snake and put it on a pole so that anyone could look at it and live.  Jesus told Nicodemus, “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

A couple thoughts in response to this today: First of all, a reminder - we’re all dying because of our sins … we are condemned … unless we look to Jesus.  He’s the only way to be free from condemnation, the only way to eternal life with God, and it is all because of His great love for us.  And – a challenge to myself and other believers – Jesus taught Nicodemus by using an example of something he was very familiar with.  What are some “bronze snake stories” we can use to help others see the truth about Jesus? 

Week 43 - Day 3

Luke 22-24

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Luke 22-24 YouVersion(NIV)

Before the start of the year when I was looking through the Bible and making my reading plan, I purposely planned for the chapters at the end of each gospel about Jesus’ death and resurrection to be by themselves … not paired with a Proverb for the day or any other chapters from the book that were not a part of that story. 

I did this because I know how important it is to stop and remember what He did for us, and not just on Easter, but often.  I'm also aware that when you know the details of what happened and have heard it your whole life, it is easy to become somewhat desensitized or detached from the story.  And His sacrifice and His resurrection mean everything!  As the apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.”

It is vital to remember.  That is why Jesus at the last supper with his disciples said, “Do this in remembrance of me” when He said the bread was His body broken for us and the wine was His blood shed for us.  After Jesus was resurrected and the disciples were confused, some of them didn’t even recognize Jesus until the moment He broke bread with them.  Then they remembered and their eyes were opened.

Taking time today to remember and to praise Him.  

Week 43 - Day 2

Luke 19-21; Proverbs 20

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Luke 19-21 YouVersion(NIV)

Proverbs 20 YouVersion(NIV)

Two stories stood out for me in today’s reading:

~The Parable of the Ten Minas ~ The master gave ten of his servants ten minas (A mina was about 3 months’ wages) telling them to “put the money to work until I come back.”  One servant earned ten more with his mina, so the master put him in charge of ten cities.  One servant earned five more and so was put in charge of five cities.  Another servant had been afraid to risk any of the money so he hid it away until the master came back.  The master said, “Take his mina away and give it to the one who has ten.” 

“He said, ‘That’s what I mean: Risk your life and get more than you ever dreamed of.  Play it safe and end up holding the bag.” (Luke 19:26 MSG)

~The Widow’s Offering~ Jesus saw the rich putting in offerings at the temple, and He saw a poor widow put in two very small coins.  Jesus said, “The plain truth is that this widow has given by far the largest offering today.  All these others made offerings that they’ll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn’t afford—she gave her all!” (Luke 21: 3-4 MSG

It is so much easier to play it safe.  It is so tempting to hold on to the way things are or the things we have and not want anything to change.  It is not always easy to let go of fear and comfort.  But over and over Jesus is teaching that when we give our life to follow Him, when we risk it all and sacrifice, we’ll be rewarded.

There is a song about this I’ve been listening to recently—“Called me Higher” by All Sons and Daughters.

I could just sit … I could just sit and wait for all Your goodness,

Hope to feel Your presence.

I could just stay … I could just stay right where I am and hope to feel You,

Hope to feel something again.

And I could hold on … I could hold on to who I am and never let You

 Change me from the inside.

And I could be safe … I could be safe here in Your arms and never leave home,

Never let these walls down.

But You have called me higher.  You have called me deeper,

And I’ll go where You will lead me Lord.

And I will be Yours.  I will be Yours for all my life

So let Your mercy light the path before me

Cause You have called me higher.  You have called me deeper,

 And I’ll go where You will lead me Lord … where you lead me.

Week 43 - Day 1

Luke 16-18; Proverbs 19

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Luke 16-18 YouVersion(NIV)

Proverbs 19 YouVersion(NIV)

Reminded today to “always pray and not give up”; to ask and keep asking.  Jesus tells a parable in Luke 18 about a persistent widow who kept coming to a judge with a certain plea over and over.  It says the judge did not care about her, but granted her request because she kept asking and asking.  If an unjust judge will grant a persistent request, how much more will God the father honor those who cry out to Him day and night?

Then in the story of the blind beggar the man kept crying out “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”  When people tried to hush him up he “shouted all the more.”  He was persistent.  And when Jesus had the man brought to Him, Jesus asked, “What do you want me to do for you?”  I have always found that part of this story interesting.  Jesus already knew what this man needed and wanted, but He asked him to say it out loud.  God already knows what we need, but He desires us to ask Him for it.  He desires that relationship and constant communication with us. 

Here is where I struggle though sometimes … and maybe someone else can relate to this … when you pray for something over and over and get to the point that it becomes hard to keep praying for it.  I don’t know if that makes sense or not, but sometimes when you’ve said the same words so many times and haven’t seen the answer, it becomes harder to know how to pray for that anymore.  I came across this verse that was of great encouragement to me in this area:

“Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along.  If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter.  He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans.  He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our condition, and keeps us present before God.” Romans 8:26-27 MSG

I was also reminded today of where it says in Galatians 6: “Carry each other’s burdens.”  We’re supposed to pray for one another.

God wants us to be persistent in our prayers, to ask and keep asking.  But He also knows that we need help sometimes for when it is hard to keep asking on our own.  He provides the Spirit who comes alongside us and helps us, and He provides other faithful believers who can help carry the burden as well.  

Week 42 - Day 6

Luke 13-15; Proverbs 18

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Luke 13-15 YouVersion(NIV)

Proverbs 18 YouVersion(NIV)

In response to the Pharisees muttering about Jesus welcoming and eating with sinners in Luke 15, Jesus tells three parables – the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son.  Each one tells of how God rejoices when one who is lost is found.  “There is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Probably the most powerful of these three parables is that of the lost son.  The young son who asks for his inheritance, skips town, squanders everything and is left starving, comes back home with hopes to just be able to be a servant at his father’s house. 

He doesn’t return to an angry father who turns him away.  He doesn’t return to have the father allow him back only as a servant and to keep holding what he had done over him for the rest of his life.  No, as Jesus’ parables often did, there is an unexpected twist in the outcome.  The father runs out to the son when he saw him still a long way off and hugs and kisses him.  He interrupts the son’s speech -the son had practiced that he would 1-confess his sin, 2 –declare himself unworthy, and 3 –ask to be like a hired man.  Before the son could get to his third point the father called out for the celebration to begin!  There would be no coming as a hired man; no chains were going to remain around the son … forgiveness, freedom, and son status were given immediately by the father.

I think that was the main part of the story that got to me today … the fact that the father who represents God, wiped the slate clean.  The son was not only accepted back, he was welcomed home.  The father was not going to hold onto the son’s past choices; He offered him a fresh start to a new life together with Him.  That is what God does for us.  We shouldn’t keep holding our own failures over our heads because He doesn’t. 

Then of course there is the other brother in the story who represented the Pharisees.  The older brother was angry that the father was celebrating with the son who had sinned.  Just like the Pharisees his focus was on his own righteousness when it is not all about what we do; it is about what He does for us … for all of us, no matter how far we’ve gone from home.

Another amazing picture of just how much the Father loves us.  Seek His forgiveness, accept His freedom, and walk in His love.

Week 42 - Day 5

Luke 11-12; Proverbs 17

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Luke 11-12 YouVersion(NIV)

Proverbs 17 YouVersion(NIV)

I haven’t done a lot of reflecting on Proverbs so far, and since we’re just over half way through it, I decided to go back through what I’ve read so far and reflect on the words of wisdom that have stood out for me.  

Proverbs 1:10~ “My son, if sinners entice you, do not give in to them.”

Such a simple thing that can have such an impact not only on your own life but also on those around you … to rise above.  One way this comes up in daily life is when dealing with rude people who may entice you to be rude back.  It is easy to give in but so much better to rise above.

Proverbs 12:1~ “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.”

It is hard to receive correction or criticism even if it is constructive criticism, but it is necessary for growth.

Proverbs 13:24~ “He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.”

Sometimes it is so much easier to just give in to my kids or to ignore bad choices, but if I love them I will be mindful of disciplining, not with anger but with teaching and modeling.

Proverbs 14:30~ “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones”

Enough said.  A big one … don’t compare yourself and your situation to others.

Proverbs 15 has several verses that warn about watching your words.

~ “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

~ “The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.”

~ “A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension but a patient man calms a quarrel.”

~ “The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.”

This book truly is packed with wisdom for life.  “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5)

Week 42 - Day 4

Luke 9-10; Proverbs 16

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Luke 9-10 YouVersion(NIV)

Proverbs 16 YouVersion(NIV)

“No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” – Luke 9:62

In Luke 9, verses 57-62 Jesus’ responses to three potential followers make it clear that in order to follow Him we have to choose what is important (following Him) and not worry about the details.  These potential followers wanted to follow Jesus but were worried about other things they needed to do … I guess this is why “the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.”  Here is The Message translation of what Jesus said in Luke 9:62, “No procrastination.  No backward looks.  You can’t put God’s kingdom off till tomorrow.  Seize the day.” 

I see this same message of – choose what is important and don’t worry about the details – in the story of Mary and Martha in chapter 10.  Jesus is in the home of two sisters Mary and Martha.  Mary sat at the feet of Jesus listening to Him, hanging on His every word.  She was desperate for His presence and His teaching.  Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.  She complained to Jesus and asked Him to tell Mary to help her.  (I think this is kind of funny – the whiny sister who is tattling!)  Jesus’ response is one of my favorite parts of all the gospels.  “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.  Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

I’ve confessed on the blog before that I am very much a worrier … I stress over little details and sometimes loose sight of the big picture.  I can hear Jesus’ voice saying to me, “Emily, Emily, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.  Choose me … seek my presence, my teaching, and my will and stop worrying about the rest."

Week 42 - Day 3

Luke 7-8; Proverbs 15

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Luke 7-8 YouVersion(NIV)

Proverbs 15 YouVersion(NIV)

One thing I keep seeing in the gospels is how Jesus changed the status of women in that time.  Women were basically supposed to just stay in their homes and take care of their husband and children.  They were excluded from education, and the rabbis had even established that a righteous man shouldn’t look at or talk with a woman.  Widows were especially in a bad situation during that time, even more so if they did not have any sons.

Luke 7 tells of when Jesus was coming to a town and sees a dead person being carried out who was the only son of a widow.  Jesus saw the mother and verse 13 says, “When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, ‘Don’t cry.”  Then he raised her son from the dead and “gave him back to his mother.” 

Also in chapter 7 we see a woman, known in the town as one who lived a sinful life, wash and kiss Jesus’ feet and pour perfume on them.  A Pharisee said that if Jesus was a prophet He would have know about this woman and the life she led.  Jesus, of course knowing everything about her, tells her that her sins are forgiven and that her faith had saved her. 

Luke 8 tells us that in addition to the twelve disciples there were also some women who Jesus had cured following along with Jesus from town to town.  Also in chapter 8 is the story of the woman who touched Jesus’ clothes in the midst of a crowd so she could be healed.  Jesus said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you.” 

Jesus showed compassion to women and raised their status, and He led the way to changing the way women were viewed in that society.  We’ll see in just a couple chapters later that Jesus invites women to listen to His teaching, and actually commends one woman for choosing to sit at His feet to learn from Him over the woman who was doing the housework and serving them.  And remember who Jesus appeared to first after He rose from the dead and who He sent to tell the others?  The women. 

I find all this very encouraging, empowering, and freeing.  Praying for the many women in our world today who are oppressed that they would experience this love and freedom that Jesus brought.  I pray they would see themselves and everyone around them would see them as Jesus does … daughters of the King.   

Week 42 - Day 2

Luke 4-6; Proverbs 14

*Click here to read these passages:

Luke 4-6 YouVersion(NIV)

Proverbs 14 YouVersion(NIV)

“When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the Jesus’ knees and said, ‘Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”

I think many people have the same reaction to Jesus’ calling as Simon Peter – pushing Him away because of their own guilt.  Sometimes it is hard to accept that He loves us.  He really loves us while knowing everything about us.  Jesus knew at that moment everything about Peter.  He knew that Peter would ultimately fail when He needed him most, but that didn’t matter.  That didn’t stand in the way of His love.  Jesus told him to not be afraid and to follow Him and that he would get to do amazing things.

Then Jesus called Levi (Matthew) who was a tax collector to follow Him.  Everyone knew that tax collectors were corrupt and greedy, but Jesus doesn’t see what everyone else sees.  He looks past who you are and sees what you can become.  I love His response to the Pharisees, the religious and “righteous” teachers, who complained about Jesus and his disciples eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners.  Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

It is not like Jesus expects us to get everything right in our life and then He’ll come around.  We can’t do that on our own.  No matter how hard we try we will still be sinners.  Jesus knows that, loves us in spite of it, and when we trust Him with our lives He cleanses us from those sins. 

It says in Romans 8, verse 1: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. “  Then Romans 8, verse 18: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

For those who are in Christ Jesus, there is no judgment, and there is nothing that can separate you from His love.  Don’t push Him away.  He knows our deepest darkest thoughts and every failure, but still He loves us and He says, “Don’t be afraid.  Come, follow me.”