Today’s reading is Luke 17:1-18:43.

“Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan” (Luke 17:15-16).

God has healed me of more than leprosy. However, I find it is easy to forget about that as I press on with my daily life and routine. How quickly I can take for granted God’s precious gifts. When I take the time to write out a gratitude list and then pray it, I can’t believe the grace that fills my life. I am reminded that God really isn’t picking on me with the bad things but is abundantly supplying me with good things. How can I be depressed and despairing when I remember these blessings? My fears that God won’t take care of me tomorrow start to abate. Thanksgiving is good for me. 

An example: Right now I’m breathing deeply and there is still oxygen. My fingers are able to move across this keyboard. I am able to get out of bed and drive to the office today. I still have food in my refrigerator and pantry today. I have clean clothes to wear today. My children are sleeping healthfully this morning; so is my wife. But more than these physical blessings, I’m able to pray today, read my Bible today, be in fellowship with loving brethren today. I am cleansed today by Jesus’ blood. I am an adopted son of God. My Father owns the universe. (That beats out your Father, unless you are my brother or sister, then we can be thankful together.)

Let me quickly add something. This is not just about our relationship with God. I’ve found great benefit in being thankful to others. Write thank you notes, make thank you calls, send thank you e-mails, just plain old say, “Thank you,” when people provide a benefit to you. Be amazed at how actually saying thanks lifts your day and your outlook on life.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Luke 7:1-8:56.

“And as they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger” (Luke 8:23).

What? God in the flesh asleep on the job? How can that be? Doesn’t He know we are in danger? Doesn’t He know we might perish? Doesn’t He know if He doesn’t act right now all will be lost?

I know that feeling. Too many times I’ve thought God was asleep on the job. Why doesn’t He fix this problem? Why doesn’t He resolve that issue? Why doesn’t He help me overcome some struggle? I can’t see the ends from the moment. But God does.

The disciples could have had faith that even while Jesus was asleep, God would do what was right by them and take care of them. I need that faith as well. It may seem to me like God is asleep because He isn’t calming the storm on my timetable. But God knows how to calm the storms. More importantly, God knows when to calm the storms. My job is to keep bailing water and turning to Him for help. I’m sure that He is probably giving me more help already than I even realize.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Luke 5:1-6:49.

“And Simon said, ‘Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets’” (Luke 5:5).

What on earth could a carpenter turned itinerant rabbi know about fishing? That was Peter’s job. He had done it his whole life. He knew the good spots. He knew the good times. He even knew that some times you just came up empty netted. Now, here’s this guy telling him to let down his nets again.

But there is something about this Jesus. I don’t know what Peter’s prior experience with Jesus had been, but something convinced him to listen. Something convinced him to move his faith from his own experience, his own ability to measure, his own ability to see and grasp and get his mind around the directive. Something convinced him to place his faith in this man, Jesus. His doubts weren’t completely removed. He did make sure to voice an objection. But he had enough faith in Jesus to do what He said, even if Peter didn’t get it.

Peter surrendered to Jesus. Instead of fighting, he had faith–at least enough to surrender. Look at the payoff. That is the kind of faith I need today. I can’t always get my head around why Jesus asks me to do all that He does. I simply need enough faith to quit fighting against Him and surrender to what He says. I doubt I’ll end up with a netload of fish. But I’m certain the blessings will fill my nets to overflowing.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Luke 9:1-10:42.

Jesus commissioned the seventy (some manuscripts say seventy-two) to go forth and prepare the way for Him by teaching and healing. When the disciples returned to Jesus, they said, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” (Luke 10:17). Jesus validates their joy but then pushes them to further maturity.

He let them feel joy in the work they were accomplishing by His name. But then He says something odd. “Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20).

It seems odd that Jesus rejoiced with the disciples as He proclaimed, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” (Luke 10:18), but then He said don’t rejoice in that. What’s up with that?

I believe Jesus is using a figure of speech called the ellipsis. That is He purposefully left out understood words in order to emphasize His point. If we were to supply the words He left out the statement would be something like this: “Nevertheless, do not merely rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but more importantly rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” Using the ellipsis figure of speech really highlights the point. It is as if to say, “As much as you are rejoicing in this, you need to rejoice so much that your names are written in heaven that it seems like your rejoicing over these miracles is no rejoicing at all.”

The point is that as great as being able to perform miracles is, it is greater that our names are written in heaven. This is important today. I believe the Spirit no longer use miraculous gifts because His will is now recorded for us. (If you disagree with me, perhaps we can talk about that sometime, please don’t get distracted by it just now, keep reading.) I remember studying with a woman who was certain they did exist. I was very saddened because as we studied the Scriptures, she said she saw that the Bible does say what I was teaching, but she simply couldn’t believe that was right because, “If God doesn’t give me miraculous gifts, then I’m not special.”

Even though that is not a scriptural argument, I understand the emotion behind it. We want to be special. I want to be special. In our minds, what could be more special than God granting me some amazing power that makes us stand out? I so desperately want to be worth something because as I look at my sins and as I consider how I’ve been treated by many people, I often feel worth nothing. I want to feel special and wouldn’t it be great if I could say the word and someone would be healed? Wouldn’t it be great if I could evangelize the hispanics because I can speak their language miraculously? Then I’d know I’m special.

Of course, I don’t believe God works that way in the modern day. So what do I do? I try to prove I’m special by still looking at all the things I do. Look at my preaching. Look at my writing. Look at the people I’ve baptized. Look at the folks I’ve helped. See, I’m special. I’ll give a nod to God’s strength and God working through me, but really I’m rejoicing in me trying to prove I’m special.

Jesus says, that isn’t the way I should think or act. Sure, God working through us to accomplish things is great. But I’m special without that. My name is written in heaven. God looked at me and sent His Son to die for me. He adopted me and redeemed me. My name is in His book of Life. It just doesn’t get anymore special than that.

I’m going to rejoice today because my name is written in heaven. I hope you can rejoice with me.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Acts 11:1-12:25.

I’ve heard many people repudiate the Christians who were praying at Mary the mother of John Mark’s house for not having faith in God to answer their prayers. When they heard Rhoda’s report that Peter stood at the gate, they didn’t believe her. They said it must be his angel instead. I simply want to share two ideas here that are a little different from the norm. You can let me know what you think.

1). I try to give these people who were praying into the middle of the night a little more credit. I’ve usually found that people who don’t have faith in God to grant their prayers, don’t pray very much. I’m not so sure that they were praying but not expecting God to do anything. Rather, I think they were praying but weren’t expecting God to work in this way. They were expecting God to work in some way that Herod changed his mind and just let Peter go. They weren’t expecting God to send an angel to miraculously release Peter in the middle of the night. Therefore they were surprised.

What I learn from this is not to put God in a box. God can work however God wants. Usually, when I’m praying for something, I not only have the end result in mind but a method as well. I need to let God know my desires and leave the methods up to Him. He will not always do what I expect.

2). This is just kind of a side note. But in the past, when I’ve thought about the statement “It is his angel” in Acts 12:15, I’ve thought the people meant Peter must be dead and now is coming as an angel. Of course, there is no indication that dead saints become angels. So this would be their misunderstanding. However, what about this possibility. Since a spiritual being like an angel wouldn’t be kept outside by a locked gate, perhaps the Christians meant something entirely different. 

Remember that the word translated “angel” means messenger. Is it possible that what these folks meant was not that Peter was dead and coming to them as a spiritual being, but rather that he had sent a messenger to them. Tell me what you think about this possibility.

***Question: What are some things God has done that were unexpected to you?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

Todays’ reading is John 19:1-20:31.

John 20:30-31 says: “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

Why did Jesus perform signs? Not simply to perform signs. Why did He heal the sick, raise the dead, give sight to the blind, make the lame walk? It was not because God had given Him a healing ministry. Not at all. Sadly, many modern endeavors into the realms of the miraculous have totally missed the point. Jesus didn’t heal in order to heal. He healed in order to demonstrate He was from God.

I think we need to recognize that today for several reasons. First, so that we can quit the notion that says the miraculous gifts of healing are to remain forever because God wants to use Christians to heal the sick. That is just not so. If Jesus came into the world to heal the sick, He failed. Most of the sick were left that way and they continue to be that way. Jesus came into the world to seek and save the lost. He did that by dying, not by healing the sick. Healing the sick simply pointed out that folks needed to listen to Him.

Second, we need to understand that Jesus didn’t leave behind His church to perform a healing ministry. No doubt, Christians should do good works. But we must not confuse starting a hospital with the work Jesus asked us to do of saving souls. We must not make the mistake of claiming that social welfare, medicinal aid, or some other kind of physical benevolence equals evangelism. Granted, like Jesus, our good works may cause folks to see the Spirit living through us so that they might listen to our words. I’m not denying that. However, thinking that providing someone with medicine is the same as saving souls is simply not so. Building a hospital is not at all carrying on the ministry of Jesus. His ministry was not about healing the sick. That was simply the sign that said they should listen to His ministry of saving the lost.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What did you get out of today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Luke 9:1-10:42.

I’m in a bit of a time crunch today; I’ll have to be brief, which is tough because there are several things I’d like to talk about including Martha, the Good Samaritan, going out two by two and others.

However, what keeps hitting me even as I think of all these other amazing lessons in today’s reading is Luke 10:18-20.

“And he said to them, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

How often do I wish I could command spirits, tread on serpents and perform miracles. That would be so cool. But why? Is it not because I wish I had some kind of special power? Because then people would have to reckon with me. Even when Jesus offered that power to some, He said that wasn’t the important part. That wasn’t the part on which they should focus and rejoice. Yes, they had a specific role in God’s plan. Yes, because of that role, they were able to do some pretty amazing things. But that wasn’t what was important.

The important point was their name was recorded in heaven. They were saved by the blood of Christ (even though they had no concept of Christ’s blood yet and even though it had not yet been shed).

If they should rejoice at that, how much more should I? Sure, I get to preach lessons. Sure, I get to baptize people. Sure, I’ve taught people and their lives have been changed. But rejoicing in all that is rejoicing in me. I need to rejoice in God and His grace in recording my name in His book of life. The fact is without His grace, none of those other things would have happened anyway.

Let’s take some time to rejoice today not for what God lets us do, but for what God has done for us. He has saved us and recorded our names in heaven.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What did you get out of today’s reading?

In modern times, we are enamored with miracles. How cool it would be if we could touch someone and heal them. How awesome if we could just speak another language. Wouldn’t it be amazing if we could speak a message directly from God complete with signs and wonders? But Paul said there was something better. LOVE.

What is amazing is every single one of us can do this. We can all love. It doesn’t take a special miraculous gift from God to love others. We just have to do it.

To test yourself on this take I Corinthians 13:4-7 and make it personal. Wherever it says the word “love,” put your name. Thus, I would say, “Edwin is patient and kind…” But now take it a step further. Make it be about someone. My scale of love might be different for different people so I add in someone else’s name as an object to the sentence. “Edwin is patient and kind to Marita.” Or “Edwin is patient and kind to my elders.” “Edwin is patient and kind to Tessa, Ethan, Ryan and Trina.” 

Quit waiting for the lesser issue of miraculous gifts and start doing what God called the greatest of all which is entirely within our grasp. Let’s get to loving each other.

Keep the faith and keep reading.

ELC

Mark 8:23-25 intrigues me. So, I did a little research. It says:

And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” And he looked up and said, “I see men, but they look like trees walking.” Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored and he saw everything clearly (ESV).

This two stage miracle is such a contrast to the rest of the book. Throughout Mark, I can’t help but notice how often the word “immediately” is used (“straightway” if you read the King James Version). 

In fact, my research indicates Mark uses words which can be translated “immediately” 43 times. That means almost 6.5% of the verses in the book say something happened immediately. Additionally, these words are only used 57 times in the rest of the New Testament. That means almost half of the times we find these terms used are in just this one book. Mark is a fast gospel. Everything is happening immediately. Everything is happening right away. You get a sense of urgency and speed as you read.

Then you get to Mark 8:23-25 and for a brief moment, everything comes to a screeching halt. Jesus did not heal the man immediately. He healed him in stages. It didn’t happen right away or right now, it happened over a period of time. What is up with that?

I can’t help but notice this story is told right after Jesus rebuked His disciples for slow understanding. They had seen the feeding of the five thousand and the feeding of the four thousand. However, when Jesus told them to beware the leaven of the Pharisees and Herodians, they just didn’t get it. You can hear the frustration or resignation in Jesus’ voice as Mark relates Him saying, “Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear?” (Mark 8:17-18, ESV).

Then we get the story of the two stage healing. Jesus is giving an object lesson about the walk of discipleship. There is a lot of urgency and immediacy in Jesus’ work. However, He is patient. He knows making disciples out of mere men takes time. After a whole bunch of time, we still only see the plan of God the way this man saw people. He could see a faint outline, but no details. However, as we keep on walking with Jesus and keep allowing Him to clear our vision, we actually begin to see those details and get the real picture and not just some general and vague idea that leaves us still wondering about what is really going on. It will take time, but we can grow as disciples. We will struggle along the way, but we will get there.

Three Applications

1. I need to be thankful that Jesus is patient with me and my baby steps as a disciple.

2. I need to be patient with myself and keep working when I know I don’t always get it immediately.

3. I need to be patient with others when they are only making baby steps in their discipleship.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

The tactics of miraculous tricksters haven’t changed in nearly 2000 years. Whether we talk about Simon the Sorcerer or Benny Hinn (whom I have seen in action, live and clearly fake) we get to the same four tactics to draw folks in.

1. Talk

2. Tricks

3. Testimony

4. Time

1. Talk: In Acts 8:9, Simon the Sorcerer went around saying “he himself was somebody great” (ESV). The modern miraculous tricksters are marvelous. If you don’t believe it, just ask them.

2. Tricks: Someone might ask, how can you say what Simon did was tricks. Because when the real power of God came into town, everyone could tell the difference. Even Simon could tell the difference and tried to buy some of the real power he saw displayed. If only I had the time to tell you all the tricks I saw at the Hinn crusade. I’ll just share one. He had supposedly gotten one man who had been in a wheelchair to walk on the stage. I watched as everyone else’s attention was turned to the new person on the stage. The supposedly healed man had to be carried down the stairs off the stage and put back in his wheelchair when Hinn was done with him. Tricks. They are still being used.

3. Testimony: Simon, having convinced some with his tricks perpetuated his reputation with the testimony of those who had been duped. Just watch a few episodes of the modern miraculous tricksters on TV and you will see they rely on the same kind of testimonies. Someone touched a TV and their cancer went into remission. No doubt a certain number of cancer patients go into remission each year. The trickster on TV didn’t heal these people, but they have been duped and they get on TV to testify to the “power of God” in their life. Notice that Simon had testimony from the least to the greatest. The fact that he had duped even great, powerful and influential people to believe him didn’t change the fact that he was a fake.

4. Time: According to Acts 8:11, Simon had amazed the people for a long time. We all know how this works. It starts small. You dupe a few people. They tell others. The others are skeptical. But keep up the tricks long enough and more and more people begin to believe. For how many years have these modern tricksters duped people. Maybe I should tell the story about my friend who had been in a motorcycle accident, became mentally and physically handicapped, bound to a wheelchair who wasn’t even allowed in the main room when Richard Roberts came to heal everybody in Beaumont, TX. My friend actually found the back entrance to the stage and was watching from the sidelines. When my able bodied friends got behind the curtains to see why he was hollering, they found him on the ground with one of Roberts’ henchman on top of him about to hit him in the face. Of course, the henchman said my friend had a demon and he was trying to exorcise him. Yeah right. But, the faithful followers of Roberts just won’t believe this story because he has been amazing them for a long time.

Anyway, when Philip, the real power of God, came to town. Everyone knew the difference, even Simon. Here is my challenge. Instead of coming in to town with a crusade where you rent the biggest hall and then beg for money as a seed of faith for a miracle. How about we meet down at the hospital, the nursing home or even the morgue. Let’s start cleaning those places out for free and then maybe we can declare that the power of God has really come in among us.

Keep the faith and keep reading.

ELC