Blind man receives sight and salvation

Luke 18:35-43

One thing I find interesting when reading the Scriptures is, observing the reactions of those who received healing from Jesus. Some were healed by Christ, turned and went their way as if nothing happened, whereas others praised, rejoiced, and leapt with joy after receiving divine healing. These grateful few chose to follow Jesus and continue to glean from His wisdom and understanding. One popular man many preachers reference when discussing the power of Jesus’ healing is, blind Bartimaeus. This was a man from the city of Jericho, who sat by the highway side begging for alms. Just like many who suffered a serious condition, Bartimaeus had a desire to be healed from his blindness. When he heard that Jesus was passing by, he cried out with a loud voice for the Son of David to have mercy on him. It was well-known that Jesus claimed to be the Messiah, and the Son of David, or else how would even a blind man have knowledge of this fact? Jesus was from the lineage of the great king David, and this was known among those of His time.

As Bartimaeus cried out to Christ, some rebuked him, and told him to be quiet. It’s easy for someone who has no sympathy for your suffering to keep you silenced, when your opportunity for deliverance is within reach. Anytime a person goes ahead of God with their own agenda, they usually make obvious mistakes that cause shame and embarrassment to themselves. Despite hearing the voices of his haters, Bartimaeus cried out the more, and caught Christ’s attention. Jesus called for him, and he came running. Knowing the man’s condition, Jesus asked what would he like for Him to do. This was only to test the man’s faith, because Christ knew full well the man desired his sight. But beyond sight, Jesus has more of an interest in what your purpose is for the healing. Many receive healing, then ignorantly go back into those things that may have caused their suffering in the first place. When God heals us of anything, we must be mindful not to fall back into the same state we were delivered from. Many were healed of cancer, and went immediately to cigarettes when they felt the pressures of stressful situations. Some were healed of liver diseases, and sadly found the bottle, when they couldn’t find any other way to vent. God delivered many from debt, but whenever they gained a little extra, instead of saving it, they couldn’t quench the itch to spend. One thing people forget is, with healing and deliverance, comes responsibility. God doesn’t heal us to be stupid and careless after, but He does it to reveal His love for us, to answer our prayer of faith, and to allow our testimony to be a witness to others suffering in their faith as well.

After Jesus healed Bartimaeus, he chose to follow after the same One who graced him with immediate healing. When God blesses you, or brings deliverance to your life, make sure you show your appreciation for His divine act by living according to His will. We are God’s finest workmanship, and our bodies, although temporary, need to be in good working condition so that carrying the message of the Gospel won’t be a strain. Appreciate your health, and thank God daily for His divine healing, love, and grace. Never allow anything to keep you from coming to Christ. Like Bartimaeus, let you faith push you past haters, doubters, and those who don’t believe, straight to Jesus, knowing that God will always reward you for your faith in Him.

Walk in love,

Ell

Entering the Kingdom of God

Luke 18:18-30

One concept in Scripture that Christians never fully grasp an understanding of is, “the Kingdom of God”. The apostle Paul helps the church understand the kingdom perspective in the book of Romans, where he writes, “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” (14:17). In other words, God’s authority isn’t bound and restricted to the physical realm, but His rule extends beyond time, space, and matter. For example, righteousness cannot be measured by physical means, instead, it’s observed through acts and deeds. Peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, can only be experienced when one has the Spirit of God living on the inside of them. Many people think of the kingdom of God as Heaven or the church. However, the kingdom of God is not an actual physical place. God’s kingdom is different from the Kingdom of Heaven, because Heaven is where His physical presence resides. His kingdom, or sovereign rule, extends to the earth, and all the vastness He brought into existence.

Jesus attempted to help a rich young ruler understand the way to enter into the kingdom of God, in this text. The young man asked Jesus, what can he do to inherit eternal life. Jesus began mentioning the original commandments to the man, of which he proudly admitted to keeping from his youth, but he wasn’t expecting what Jesus would say next. Knowing the man was wealthy, Jesus tested his true allegiance and commanded him to sell all he had, and distribute it to those who were destitute and in need. Doing this would open an eternal heavenly account for the young man that holds far more value than his earthly bank account, and he could then freely follow Christ with no worldly treasures restricting him from doing so. Verse 23 reads, “And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.” Money can offer so little in the realm of the Spirit, but love, joy, peace, goodness, faith, and the other attributes of the kingdom of God can offer so much more.

There’s a song by Blackstreet that says, “Money Can’t Buy Me Love”, and it can’t. We live in a world where our understanding of godly living has been reduced to prosperity and riches, when Christ specifically told us to love not the world, neither the things in the world. The reason it’s so hard for men to enter into the kingdom of God is, they have a tight grip on their earthly treasures, and are unwilling to let go, and allow God to teach them what purposeful living is all about. The rich man in our text proved to Jesus, and those gathered around, that his wealth was more valuable than his soul. It’s easy for those reading this story to criticize this man, because many of us aren’t in his position, but I can guarantee if someone hit those numbers and was planning a trip to Tallahassee to collect that 500 million I saw posted on a billboard, as I drove home from work today, their tune would change rather quickly (I don’t play the lotto, never have… never will).

The kingdom of God is a realm where believers are free to express God’s love to the ends of the earth. We are in position to serve God, and allow Him to utilize us to our full potential. The world’s system is in total contrast to God’s, and this is why many fail and falter by placing their trust in material things, rather than in the God who made all things. No matter how much God blesses you in this life, never get too attached to anything that will hinder you from going all out for God. Walk in love, and exhibit all the fruit of the Spirit in all your daily dealings.

Walk in love,

Ell

Let the children come to Me

Luke 18:15-17

Children are awesome little creatures, and some often say the most off- the-wall things that make adults go hmm. Those innocent little rascals have hearts of pure gold and toothless smiles that can fill sad hearts with joy in an instant, but sometimes their behavior merits necessary discipline to keep them reminded of their position. Children are immature and always developing, therefore they require strong adults to steer them in the right direction. Jesus loves children, because it’s their humble and innocent behavior that adults must mimic when coming before the Lord.

A moment after teaching His audience a lesson in humility, parents begin to bring their babies before Christ, so that He could bless them, but the disciples saw this act, and quickly made an attempt to stop it. These men had serious issues, because who would want to restrict a child from receiving the blessing of Christ? It’s obvious that although the disciples walked with Jesus, they still didn’t fully understand His purpose. Rejecting children from coming to God, only pushes them toward enemy lines. You can see in movies and television shows from the early 60s until now, how children are usually the target of sacrifices, kidnapping, abuse, and other harmful activities. Satan tries hard to influence the minds of children, so that he can corrupt their thinking at an early age. His sole purpose is to turn children’s hearts away from God, and allow them to harden so that love will be unable to penetrate it. These are reasons why we must protect our babies, and keep them in the hands of the almighty God.

Our youth are being brainwashed and manipulated daily from school, tv, and the most influence comes from music. I see so many kids with those white bluetooth headphones in their ears, I wonder if their hearing will be affected before they reach their 20s. Mature saints must try hard to be a positive influence to our youth. Children are the future, and how we choose to live among them, will determine how they’ll live after us. Pray for children around the world daily, even those living in impoverished and unsafe countries, because life seems to be getting hard for adults, and I can only imagine how much our children will soon suffer.

“And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea”(Matthew 18:2-6). “And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased, And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?” (Matthew 21:15-16). “I believe the children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way” – Whitney Houston

Walk in love,

Ell

I must proclaim the Good News

Luke 4:38-43

Not only did Christ preach the Good News to the nations, He in fact was the same Good News He proclaimed. Jesus preached forgiveness and salvation, and He was the means by which our sins were forgiven. He preached love, and that it should be exercised without condition, and He exemplified that same love in the countless experiences He had when healing all those who came, or were brought unto Him. Jesus proclaimed that He came to do the works His Father sent Him to do, including exposing satan for the deceiver he truly is. Even the demons Christ cast out who illegally took residence in innocent people, recognized, and proclaimed that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God. One thing we fail to realize about evil spirits is, they are intelligent, wise, and powerful beings who are capable of overtaking us, if we submit to their authority. They have the ability to possess people, and cause all manner of sickness and disease to invade a person’s body and mind. All the sickness and disease we see among people, are controlled by demon spirits, and these entities must be cast out in order to experience relief from them.

While proclaiming the Good News of God’s love to the world, we must also make others aware of the adversary who fights against God’s people. We meditate on the Scriptures not only to learn of God’s goodness, but also to study our enemy. Before a great orator delivers an eloquent, or skilled speech to an audience, he or she properly prepares themselves with the knowledge and understanding of the topics they’ll discuss. They’ve no doubt invested extensive hours in planning and preparation to ensure their words will inspire, and possibly bring change to their audience. Before the believer attempts to reach the world with God’s Word, they must be properly prepared to do so. We embarrass Heaven when we make efforts to represent godliness while unprepared. Even satan is well-versed in the Scriptures, and can recognize when we aren’t stable in our foundation. As you spread the goodness of God to those you’re blessed to meet, do it with boldness, confidence, and a smile on your face. Our time on earth is nearing its expiration date, so we should waste no time convincing others that salvation is free, and readily available.

Walk in love,

Ell

Israel’s salvation and commitment to God

Deuteronomy 26:16-19

Commitments made between two parties are dedications to a cause that restrict each party from acting on their own interests. There’s a responsibility that each side must adhere to, in order to keep faithful to certain obligations. Comments involve dedication, devotion, allegiance, loyalty, a measure of faith, fidelity, and attentiveness. When we commit to a thing, we are expected to follow-through with the commitment, until it’s completion. It’s unfortunate that commitments are broken daily, as men find themselves involved in binding agreements with dishonest, or manipulative people. Other commitments are broken, because some start out doing well, then lose faith later into the agreement. When we commit to God, He always keeps His promises, so long as we obey the commands He set forth. The children of Israel, in this text, had made an agreement to take God to be their God, walk in His ways, keep His statutes, keep His commandments, keep His judgments, and obey His voice, and non other. As long as they were consistent in keeping their word, God promised to make them His peculiar people, set them as the highest nation on earth, cause other nations to praise them, make their name great, increase their honor, and make them His holy people. “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19). It’s impossible for God to lie, and it’s also impossible for Him to break a promise, but when an agreement is made, His promise is dependent upon the people fulfilling their end of what was previously established.

Have you made any promises or commitments to God, and kept them? If you made promises to God but didn’t fulfill your words, do you think God is still obligated to bless you? Isn’t it wonderful to know that we now live under grace, and whether we break our promises to God or not, He’ll still bless us, as long as we repent and commit to doing better? Being born-again through Christ Jesus, believers are the righteousness of God. We are God’s peculiar people, and as our lights shine, God will elevate us above all men in the earth. This isn’t to make us arrogant or prideful, but so that the name of the Lord can be lifted up high above the earth. In turn, God will draw all men unto Himself, and we will be rewarded for our undiminished commitment to spreading the Gospel to all men.

Walk in love,

Ell

Laws of confession and restitution

Exodus 22:1-3; Numbers 5:5-7

The Old Testament scriptures of the Bible are filled with nearly 700 laws God’s people were commanded to follow on a daily basis. These laws weren’t to restrict His people from enjoying fruitful and enjoyable lives, but to keep them from turning away from His standard of living. There were countless idols being worshipped in those days, and God expected those who carried His name, to also walk in His character as well. Although the laws were strict and numerous, many did well in keeping most of them, but many also disobeyed, and suffered the consequences of their decisions. In every law written, love was evident in each one. Even though Christ died to fulfill the law, the law of love is what abides in every believer today, that keeps us consistent with godly living. We no longer are required to read, remember, and keep a long list of “thou shalt nots”, because the Spirit of God that resides in our hearts will prompt us on how to address every situation we face in life. That’s like upgrading from a collection 669 LPs, to a single USB flash drive that can store 32 gigabytes of music (millenials probably won’t understand that reference 😂🤣).

When we accept Christ, everything we need to produce for the kingdom will come as a package deal. The Holy Ghost is what slowly brings those necessary godly attributes out of us, as we mature in Him. This is why it’s important to meditate on God’s Word, and continue in healthy spiritual habits, because it helps the believer gain knowledge, strength, and the faith required to stand firm against all the wiles of the devil. It was lawful for the Old Testament believers to confess their wrongs to God and each other, then repay whoever they offended, with interest. Under grace, we are still required to ask forgiveness of those we’ve wronged, and the love of Christ (if it truly abides in us) will urge us to do something nice for them as well.

In all that we do unto men, we must do it in love. God is love, so our lives are to extend that love in EVERY situation. Have you matured to the level where you confess your wrongs to those you may have hurt, or do you still hold grudges, waiting for them to first come to you? Let love live, and let it abide in your heart. The apostle Peter admonished us to “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). Let’s be better Christians this year. Instead of harboring hate, let love push those emotions aside, so that we can have better relationships with our family, friends, coworkers, and even those we’re soon to meet.

Walk in love,

Ell

Calling the lost

Luke 15:11-24

The most creative characteristic of man is the ability to choose and make our own decisions. The power of choice has the influence to shape our lives whichever way we see fit. If one decides to become a doctor, he’ll choose the proper path that’ll allow him to reach that goal. The same goes for a woman who dreamed of becoming a lawyer, and made all the right choices that guided her to her desired destination. Unlike the rich who are recently being exposed for paying for their children to receive the best education, without meeting the school’s requirements, it takes a collective group of right choices, coupled with consistent effort and determination, to guarantee the possibility of achieving the goals you set for your life.

Although God set standards after He created everything, He left man with the power to choose whether to follow His plan, or not. From the first Adam until now, men have made some bad choices, and some are suffering from the consequences of those choices still today. In the book of Isaiah, God told His people, “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it” (1:19-20). God’s people were left with a choice to obey God and prosper, or disobey and perish. Common sense would tell you that they undoubtedly obeyed, but I wouldn’t be so sure about that. The children of God had gone through numerous cycles of disobedience, of which God continued to show them mercy, because of His unconditional love. But there is coming a day when the clock will stop ticking, and judgment will be brought upon the earth. For this very reason, believers have to make the decision to help those who are lost, to see the light of God’s salvation. Christ commissioned His disciples to “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). We may not have the same authority as the apostles once did, but we are ambassadors of the Gospel, and have the power of God’s Spirit inside of us to help guide us as God desires. There’s no need for believers to fear the world, because Christ overcame the world, and all the fear that dwells therein.

It’s imperative that we maintain our focus on the things that please God, and seek to pull as many as we love from the fiery pit of hell. Our job is to do all we can, while we can to make the Word of God known around the globe. We must then pray that God touch the hearts and minds of those who hear the Word, and that they make the right decision to choose life.

Walk in love,

Ell

Plea for understanding and recognition

Luke 15:25-32

Whenever a man or woman leaves the sanctity of God’s protection, they instantly become targeted to become slaves to the world’s system. The Bible helps us understand that in God, we have everything we could ever need, want, or desire, but leaving that place of solidity and security to seek something better, is futile and senseless. We see daily how men have grown tired of walking in holiness, and are conforming to every wind of doctrine that blows by. We even allow our children to get caught up entertaining the latest trends in styles and fashion, while ignoring our commission to love not the world, neither the things in the world. The world sells wishes and dreams, in order to get a person caught up in a never-ending cycle of debt, stress, and depression. Only in God, is there an expected end of peace, prosperity, and goodness throughout all eternity that only comes through faith and obedience to God’s holy Word.

Our text presents the very familiar parable of the “Prodigal Son”. This was the story where the younger of two brothers of a wealthy father violated the order of tradition and requested that his father give him the portion of his goods, so that he could go into the world and live it up! While living it up, the young man lived so riotous, until he had spent all he had, and was forced to become a slave to a native of whatever country he ran off to. This is only natural when wealth is spent on sinful living. It runs out just as quickly as it’s earned. What makes matters worse is, a really bad famine hit the land, and food was scarce, but no one offered to help the lad. It had become so bad for him, that he almost fed himself the husks that the pigs ate. At this moment, the light bulb in the man’s head illuminated bright, as he remembered how blessed he was in his father’s house.

We know the rest of the story where the boy returns home, dad sees him in the distance, runs and gave him a big bear hug, clothes him, and throws a party, but I want to focus your attention on the other brother. The elder brother returned home from the field and noticed the party going on, so he inquired of one of the servants as to what was taking place. Upon hearing the news of his little brother coming back home, the elder brother became enraged and couldn’t understand why his dad would have a party for his brother, when he had been faithful his whole life. This is the same attitude the Pharisees, and many of us today share when we murmur, are jealous of sinners coming to Christ, fail to show love to those who seek after righteousness, and find fault in everyone except ourselves. This brother wanted recognition for doing well, when all the recognition he desired was in the fact that his father was already well-pleased with him. Situations reveal our true nature, because had the little brother never left his house, the heart of the elder brother would have not been exposed.

The more you grow and develop in faith and godliness, never seek more recognition than what God allows. Our goal is to win souls to the kingdom, and not turn them away. We are to show love even to those who had once been in God, but may have turned away for whatever reason. Our continual and unconditional love is what they need to return to, instead of our self-righteous and stinky attitudes. Give praise to God every time a sinner repents. As I mentioned in the previous lesson, a saved soul is the only thing that causes a celebration in Heaven, so join in and glory in the new life of your prodigal brother or sister.

Walk in love,

Ell

Finding the lost sheep and coin

Luke 15:1-10

One of the worst things in the world to lose, or misplace is money. You work so hard to gain so little of it, so losing it leaves a gut-wrenching feeling deep inside of you that doesn’t go away easily. If perhaps you’re fortunate enough to find what you lost from searching diligently for it, it makes you want to scream in excitement, and spread the good news to others. In our text, Jesus entertained His audience of publicans, sinners, Pharisees, and scribes with the parables of the lost sheep, and the lost coin. The Pharisees and scribes murmured amongst themselves, and criticized Jesus for receiving sinners, and eating with them. If they weren’t so stubborn and pig-headed, they’d remember Christ’s words in chapter five when He said to them, “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32). These religious men were utterly ignorant of Jesus’ mission, and failed to see the truth, even in His simple teachings. If Heaven rejoices over one sinner that repents, why couldn’t the men who studied the scriptures do the same? Instead, they were more concerned with trying to find fault in Christ’s dealings, rather than join Him in winning souls. Even today, many churches have focused more on keeping an image, while ignoring the souls that need to be saved. We have become ignorant, just as the Pharisees and scribes of the past, and allowed our pride and arrogance to cloud our judgment. It’s time for the church to shift their focus back to what makes Heaven rejoice, and that’s repentant souls. The almighty God, and the heavenly host, celebrate every time one person repents of their sins. Seeing it from that perspective should motivate us to take soul-winning more serious.

Walk in love,

Ell

Calling sinners to repentance

Luke 3:12-13; 5:27-32

The role Christ played while on earth was to make man aware of their sins, and take on the law which man could in no way live up to, being born in sin, and shaped in iniquity. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8,9). Being born a sinner puts all men at a disadvantage, and makes it impossible for them to save themselves from the judgment of sin. A sinner is one who actively participates in sinful acts, and are required to repent, so that the grace of God can transform them into the man or woman He intended for them to be, before sin tainted the earth. All we see going on in the world, men doing all they can for the mighty dollar, women devaluing themselves by selling their bodies for sex, and a host of other things, and children showing no respect to those in authority, is the by-product of how sin, and its power, can alter something beautiful, and make it corrupt. God wants our lives to shine as lights, exposing the darkness in this evil world. This is precisely the example Jesus left for us to follow. It’s unfortunate that the supposed righteous folk are unable to win souls to the kingdom of God, because they are too busy filling their pockets with filthy lucre, or are too afraid to expose the evil in their presence.

Believers were called to be holy, and in doing so we are expected to show the same concern for the lost as Christ did. We should always be fair to others, and never take advantage of anyone, no matter the situation. In order for the Christian to have any affect on the world, he must also be trusted. We are to carry ourselves in humility, and be honest in all conversation. The number one thing that causes a person to lose trust in you, is when you lie to them. This is because lying is the root of the character of satan, and when you lie once, it’s hard to gain a person’s trust after. Those who are the righteousness of God, are primed and ready to spread the Good News of the Gospel. The world indeed is lost, and it’s our duty to show them the light of God’s salvation. Never forget that you were once lost, and someone came and rescued you from the jaws of sin and death. Let the love of God lead your life, and make better efforts to share with others how good God has been in your life.

Walk in love,

Ell