THE STORY OF JESUS: Luke 8:22-25
“As they sailed, he fell asleep.” (Luke 8:24)
I wonder, was Jesus so exhausted that not even a storm could wake Him?
Or had He learned the art of resting in God, no matter what?
What strikes me about Jesus is how peaceful and still He seems to be.
This is something I want to learn to follow.
Are we high strung and tense, or are we calm and peaceful?
How we are before the storm will also affect how we are in the storm.
Jesus was resting before the storm, and the storm didn’t faze Him.
Do we run through the day, are we in constant ‘busy mode’?
Do we ‘be still’ and remind ourselves that we are NOT God?
Do we pause to breathe, to take stock of where we are, and where God is?
That is, slowing down to remind ourselves that God is still with us.
I am working on this, trying to drive the speed limit, to walk and not run.
Jesus invites us into love, joy, peace, etc, the fruit of the Spirit in us.
As we slow down, we will discover that God is with us in the storm too!
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord resting in You is hard, but at least it offers hope. Worry and stress only make me feel worse. Instead of trying to wake You up, help me to rest with You, in You!

THE STORY OF JESUS: Luke 8:19-21
“My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”
If anyone should be able to claim special ties to Jesus it was His family.
But being born into His family does not make you His family.
Being born into the church (as I was) does not make me a Christian.
Just because I am standing close to Jesus, does not mean I am close to Him.
The religious leaders were close to Jesus, yet remained closed to Him.
My guess is that this is true for many people who go to church.
My intent is not to be judgmental, but to make us church goers think.
Have we surrendered to His message of radical love (i.e. God’s Word)?
Are we loving those He loved, loving ALL God’s children?
Jesus does not just focus on hearing, but on doing (or practicing).
To experience the joy of God’s family life, it must be lived!
If I ignore, shun, exclude, look down on, other family members…
If I am jealous, greedy, arrogant, pushy… I ruin the family life.
God’s family love reaches out to ALL His children – will I join Him?
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, You have seen too much hurt and pain in Your family. Help me to practice Your family values, with ALL of Your family!

THE STORY OF JESUS: Luke 8:16-18
“Therefore consider carefully how you listen.” (Luke 8:18)
The previous parable (vv.4-15) was about hearing and listening.
These words explain that parable further: what happens when we truly hear.
If something is received, it will be visible – like a lit lamp.
If I claim to have received the message, it should be evident in how I live.
If seed is planted in my heart, it will show, and it will grow!.
Jesus is challenging listeners, believers, followers to consider carefully.
Have you really received Me, have you really opened your heart to Me?
Apparently Jesus knew that many would claim to know Him, but not show it.
Their light will be hidden, their fruit will not match the tree.
This is a challenge many church-attenders need to consider carefully.
Why are so many Christians NOT known for compassion, generosity, mercy?
Where is the bright light shining from Jesus-followers today?
Are many church attenders more like seed on the rocks or among the weeds?
Consider carefully how you listen… is it actually producing new life in us?
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, I have long sensed that I am stuck when it comes to following You. Only allowing Your Word to penetrate so far. I hear You calling me to open my heart to You fully… will I listen?

THE STORY OF JESUS: Luke 8:11-15
“The good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart.” (Luke 8:15)
The Lord is always speaking to us, trying to get our attention.
Through people, through circumstances, through our conscience…
Through nature, through Scripture, through our experiences…
Every day His message is impressing on us our need for God.
What do we do with that message?
Reject it, ignore it, passively affirm it, aggressively embrace it?
So many pressures and forces work to hinder us from hearing.
What keeps you from aggressively embracing God’s message?
What excuses do I make for not taking God more seriously?
People who pay attention to Jesus and respond to Him are changed.
They live better, think better, choose better and feel better.
A good crop (life) is produced!
Do you hear the Lord calling, warning, comforting, challenging, forgiving you?
What are you doing with it, and what is it producing in you?
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, I know You are speaking to me, but am I listening? Is Your message impacting me, changing me, helping me? I want to be good soil!

THE STORY OF JESUS: Psalm 78
“He unleashed against them his hot anger, his wrath, indignation and hostility.” (Psalm 78:49)
I believe that Asaph was inspired to write these words.
But I also believe that he is describing God in human terms (see v.65).
He attributes Israel’s suffering to God’s anger unleashed.
This is what it would be for us, if someone provoked us for too long.
In actual fact, it is God’s love – not wrath – that is at work here.
The consequences of sin are so dire, it feels as if God is raging mad.
But if God was actually mad us, we would be eternally dead.
God is at work in this world, not to punish us but to rescue us.
God does not end suffering, He steps into it to overcome it.
God allows us the freedom to receive or reject Him.
God even allows us the freedom to wrestle, misundertand and blame Him.
But through it all He does not let go, and holds the door of hope open.
It may feel as if God is angry, but it is His ‘hot love’, not anger at work.
Behind everything that happens are the words, ‘for God so loved the world!’
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, from our perspective You seem angry, even mean. Forgive us for demeaning Your character by comparing it to ours. Remind me that everything You do is the expression of Your love.

THE STORY OF JESUS: Proverbs 13-16
“Trouble pursues the sinner, but the righteous are rewarded with good things.” (Proverbs 13:21)
As I read through these proverbs, I looked for one that caught my attention.
There were several, like this one above, that did make me pause.
The question I had is, ‘is this really true?’
In my experience, those who try to do right often find trouble.
And too often, sinners often go rewarded in our messed up world.
What makes these sayings wise is that they look beyond the obvious.
They see behind what is happening, to what God is up to.
“The Lord works out everything to its proper end.” (Proverbs 16:4)
When at the moment it seems that sinners prosper, it won’t last.
In the end, truth and goodness and justice and love will win.
Jesus shows us this, as one who did what was right and found trouble.
His resurrection is our assurance that we will be rewarded with good things.
Do the right thing, even if it causes trouble; it will work out in the end.
Choose the Jesus way, and we too will endure the cross but receive the crown!
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, help me to do what is right, even when it is hard. Help me to trust that it will all work out for good in the end!

THE STORY OF JESUS: Proverbs 10-12
“The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.” (Proverbs 12:15)
As we saw earlier, wisdom is available to all who seek it.
Part of seeking it is asking others for their input and insight.
My experience is that we tend not to be fully honest with ourselves.
When we really want something, we are biased towards it.
Asking someone we respect and trust is wise, yet do we do it?
And if they tell us what we don’t want to hear, do we listen?
It is only afterwards – hindsight – that we often see things better.
And often then it is too late; we got what we wanted.
But we did not want what we got.
Do we present our desires to Jesus, and allow Him to probe our motives?
Do we listen to the Voice of the Spirit through what others say?
These proverbs describe what happens when people heed wisdom, or don’t.
Jesus is urging us not just to go with our gut, but to seek advice.
Listen to others – like Him, like Solomon, like trusted friends – and be wise.
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, talking it through with You and others is the best way to make decisions. Help me to feel the wisdom of this, and actively seek out other’s advice.

THE STORY OF JESUS: Luke 8:1-10
“Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” (Luke 8:8)
Apparently not everyone uses their ears to hear.
A person may hear something, but they might not listen.
A person may hear something, but they might not understand.
Anyone who is a parent knows this with their children.
You might think that this would make Jesus speak clearer.
But Jesus uses parables to separate those who listen and those who won’t.
A parable is a story with a deeper meaning or application.
It requires you to think through the words to the meaning within.
I believe the whole bible is parabolic, truth in story form.
Hearing God requires a seeking heart and mind.
Those who actually want to hear, will hear, for God will help them.
But those who go in with their hearts and minds closed, won’t get it.
The disciples were told, because they were sincerely seeking.
The Lord will reveal His truth to us too, if we sincerely seek it.
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, I have found that with time, with You, I can usually discern what it is You are saying to me. Help me to do more than understand, help me to listen!

THE STORY OF JESUS: Luke 7:36-50
“But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” (Luke 7:47)
Am I the kind of person who admits or denies my sin and shame?
This woman had no doubt that her life did not measure up.
Everyone around her told her, and she constantly felt it herself.
She was so low, she could not go any lower.
And yet this is where Jesus meets her, and makes her feel loved.
No one had ever seen her as a real person, or treated her kindly.
But when Jesus saw her, forgave her, helped her, she was overwhelmed.
She was transformed by the love that looked past her sin and shame.
Her expensive business perfume (as a prostitute) became her gift of love.
Am I the kind of sinner that loves much, because I’ve been forgiven much?
Do I offer my heart and treasure to Him like this, with deep affection?
If we do not see ourselves as sinful, we won’t get this.
Its not that we’re not sinful, we just don’t see it like God does.
May the Lord show me how deep my sin is and how deep His grace is!
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, help me to see myself as You see me. Help me to be the kind of sinner that loves You very, very much!