Faithful Women

Luke 8:1-3; Mark 15:40; John 20:10-18

As a non-Jew recording the words and works of Jesus’ life, Luke demonstrates a special sensitivity to other “outsiders” with whom Jesus came into contact. For instance, Luke records five events involving women that are not mentioned in the other Gospels. In first-century Jewish culture, women were usually treated as second-class citizens and had few of the rights men had. But Jesus crossed those barriers, and Luke showed the special care Jesus had for women. Jesus treated all people the with equal respect (Life Application Study Bible). The women mentioned in our text, proved their loyalty to Jesus, after being healed of evil spirits and infirmities. Not only were the aforementioned women loyal to Jesus, but Mary Magdalene, Joanna the wife of Chuza (Herod’s steward), and Suzanna were few among many, who consistently supported the ministry of Jesus financially. Mary Magdalene was healed by the hand of Jesus, supported His ministry, was by His side all the way to the cross, and after His resurrection. Her loyalty was proven to be as solid as the love Jesus had shown to her and others, and she serves as a great example of how all who follow after Christ should live.

“Never judge what you don’t understand, because it could be an integral part of God’s divine plan.” – Ell

At The Cross

John 19:25-30

Even while bearing the weight of all the sins of men, a brutal scourging, and hanging from a cross, Jesus was still concerned about his family. Enduring pain and struggles are difficult by default, but God offers strength that can help a person maintain focus on those things we tend to shun away when we suffer, but are of vital importance.

In our text, Jesus was at the tail end of His time in the earth, and wanted to make sure His mom was taken care of. From the cross, Jesus looked upon His mother with eyes of eternity, and made certain she would be cared for, despite all that was taking place. The disciple whom Jesus loved (John), was also near the cross, and took on the responsibility of housing Mary. It’s good to know that at least one of the disciples stayed near Jesus, when all the others were away in hiding. Jesus also had brothers, so some may wonder why He didn’t leave his mother with them. Well, John stayed with Jesus all the way to the cross, and this was enough for Jesus to know that he was the perfect person to entrust with His mom.

The moment you need people most, is when they scurry away into hiding, but those who are bold enough to stand with you, even if it causes them to suffer, will not hesitate to be strength to you, until the end.

The Least Of Them

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

“For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.” (vs. 9). The apostle Paul expressed sincere humility as he penned those words many years ago, but God was able to change his heart, then work through him mightily, to help those he once despised.

Although Paul considered himself unworthy to be called an apostle, God focused only on what he could contribute after his conversion, rather than on his past mistakes. Oftentimes, believers are unable to focus on working toward a bright future in doing God’s will, because the weight of their past seems to hold them down, but God is merciful, and when He forgives, He doesn’t count our mistakes against us. Instead, He equips us to move forward, and begin to offer positive contributions to His kingdom. Paul could have easily allowed his horrible past to keep him from giving God his all, but when he submitted himself to the Spirit, he was then filled with God’s strength, wisdom, and guidance, that were necessary to override all human emotions and keep him from wallowing in the errors of his past.

Only through the power of God, can anyone overcome their past, and set themselves in a position to be filled with all of God’s goodness. While it’s not a sin to humble yourself when thinking on those things you once did that were unpleasing to God, don’t allow yourself to wallow in them, but use those moments to motivate yourself, to strive towards holiness continually.

“God can still use you, no matter how many scars you have.” – Ell

Easy Peasy!

John 1:43-51

Spreading the goodness of the Gospel of Christ is what all who live for God are commanded to do, but in order to be effective witnesses, believers must first have an understanding of the Word for themselves. In the same way it’s hard for a salesman to convince someone to buy something they have little to no knowledge of, it’s even more challenging for a Christian to influence a non-believer to accept Jesus, if their knowledge of the Word and approach aren’t on point.

Those who are of the world, have a strong grasp on its ideals and belief systems, so trying to sway them to believing in the true and living God isn’t always easy. Surprisingly, there are some who can be convinced without struggle or strain, if the right approach is taken. I’ve witnessed many who could care less about God when their lives were seemingly great, but as soon as trouble hit, they were quick to call on the name of Jesus, and actually committed their lives to Him. Things don’t always work out this way, but whether it takes great effort, or it’s easy peasy, we should strive to win souls for God’s kingdom daily.

In our text, Jesus was continuing to add to His discipleship, which already included Andrew and Peter. Jesus then found Philip and said to him, “Follow me”. Well, that wasn’t so hard. Philip immediately subjected himself to Jesus, then ran to find his friend Nathanael, who also knew the prophecy of the coming Savior. Unfortunately, Nathanael wasn’t so easily convinced, at first, that anything good could come from Nazareth, but he would soon change his tune upon finally meeting Jesus.

When Philip had left to find Nathanael, Jesus had already used His super powers to see where the eventual disciple was, and what he was doing, without being anywhere near him. Jesus was a man, and subject to the laws of physics and other earthly boundaries, but He was also all God, and could defy earth’s laws at His convenience. That’s so awesome! We yell and rave when the mighty Thor or Hulk show their powers on the movie screen, but Jesus was doing greater things in real life, on a daily basis. I’m just saying… Anyhoo, when the two men made their way back to Jesus, He saw Nathanael coming to Him and said, “Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile!” Say what?! Those super powers were on full display again. Jesus could discern (in the same way with Peter) the type of man Nathanael was, without ever meeting him. This undoubtedly piqued the hesitant man’s interest, as he was struck with amazement at Jesus’ words. What made the situation even more awesome was, Jesus told the man, “before Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.” Well, that’s all it took for Nathanael to fully surrender himself to the Son of God. I can almost guarantee, Nathanael’s eyes were as wide as the north is from the south, and his jaw on the floor, while gazing at the prophesied man, all were awaiting to see.

Everyone who’s come to the Lord has their own story, and some are more interesting than others, but no matter how hard or easy it was to be convinced, it’s good that we have accepted the truth, that Jesus is the Son of God, and Savior of the world. Now we must go out and compel as many as we can, to come.

Bring Them In

John 1:37-42

Of all the disciples who followed after Jesus, none were more recognized than Simon Peter. Upon meeting Jesus for the first time, Peter was instantly given the name, Cephas or a stone. In other words, Jesus was actually able to judge a man at first sight, and saw that Peter was strong, firm, and not easily swayed from what he set his mind to. Peter did many great things for the cause of Christ, and a great many people were saved because of his obedience to the will of God. All that Peter did for God’s kingdom was counted as worthy in the eyes of the Father, but what if his brother Andrew never left from following John the Baptist, sought to find him, and brought him to meet Jesus? Andrew could have easily stayed with John or Jesus, and learned from their teaching, but it’s hard for anyone to have an experience with the Son of God, and not run to tell others about it. There’s a song that has the words, “Said I wasn’t gonna tell nobody but I… Couldn’t keep it to myself, what the Lord has done for me.” Reading the words of Scripture are always fascinating, but can you imagine hearing those same words coming from the mouth of the Son of God? Andrew knew, bringing his brother to Jesus would be a great thing, and he was right!

One of the mandates of the Christian is, to go out and make disciples. In the book of Matthew, Jesus said it this way, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” In the books of the Ephesians, the apostle Paul summarizes that God’s purpose is to bring everything into subjection to Jesus Christ through the church. He says that the church is the vehicle the Father wishes to use to subject all things to the Son. Andrew was wise in sharing Jesus words with his brother, and the world was never the same because of it.

How many people have you brought to Christ since you’ve been born again? Do you read, study, and meditate on the Word of God, only to keep it all to yourself? Or, do you willfully share God’s goodness with those you meet? I’ve heard a few cool phrases over the years that are relevant to this lesson: “Each One Reach One”, and “Many Hands For Many Hearts”. God wants all of mankind to subject themselves to His Son, but many had unfortunately chosen the unrighteous path, which led to their demise. For those who remain in the earth, there is still hope, and the church should shift their focus from self and amusement, to diligently winning souls for God’s kingdom.

Immortals

Revelations 21:1-7

Imagine abiding in a place, where the God of all creation resides: a place where there’s no possible way to die, nothing to make you cry, or ever feel any type of pain in your body. Can you actually conjure in your mind, no more pains? I know many who suffer, and some who’ve recently passed on who have endured physical pains, and I could only offer prayer and encouragement as support, but there’s coming a time, when God will dwell with His people in the newly renovated heaven and earth, and all things will be significantly different.

God said He will make all things new, including our bodies. When we pass from mortal to immortality, living will never be the same. On the earth, we are susceptible to all the negative things associated with sin, including hurt, pain shame, sickness, and death, but our eternal future with God is secure, and offers benefits the likes of which none have ever enjoyed in this present world.

I don’t know everything we’ll enjoy in the life to come, but I am fully aware that God will be there, Jesus will be there, and the Holy Ghost will be there also. There will be no more seas in the next life, but there will be a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. There will also be the tree of life in the middle of the street, and on each side of the river. The Bible mentions in Revelations 22:2, the tree of life will bare 12 types of fruit, and the leaves will be good for healing. That alone increases my joy for what God has in store for those who endure, and keep His name holy in the present world.

Living in the 21st century is far from a cakewalk, but the church must remain strong, because the harvest is still plentiful, and God desires that all men come to repentance. It’s cool to set goals and have desires to attain things in this life, but only what you do for the kingdom of God, will carry over into the next.

A Big Deal!

Luke 2:28-35

From the time Mary and Joseph received words from the angel Gabriel concerning the Son of God, to the prophetic words from the just and devout Simeon, Jesus’ earthly parents could only marvel at all that was being spoken of the child sent by God.

Jesus would soon be a big deal, not only to his family, but to the entire world. Even when Mary went to visit her pregnant cousin Elizabeth to share the great news concerning God’s plan, John the Baptist leaped in her womb at the very salutation of Mary, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost at that moment. That’s intense! The shepherds who came to Bethlehem to see what God had made known to them with their very eyes, witnessed the child, then made known abroad all that was told to them by God, concerning Jesus. Mary pondered over those things which she had heard, as they were no doubt wonderful, yet possibly confusing at the same time.

When the days of purification were accomplished, Joseph and Mary brought the child to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord. This is where Simeon would get his opportunity to see Jesus for himself. The Bible mentions, it was revealed to Simeon, by the Holy Ghost, that he would not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. After being led by the Spirit to go to the Temple (around the same time Joseph and Mary would arrive…God’s timing is impeccable!), Simeon finally saw the child, held him in his arms, and gave God thanks from his very soul. Just as Gabriel and the shepherds prophesied Jesus as a big deal, Simeon did the same. Joseph and Mary also marveled at the words the wise elder had spoken, in the same way they received the words of all the other prophecies.

Can you imagine being in the shoes of either Joseph or Mary? The hardest thing to overcome was the fact that Mary would be impregnated by the Holy Ghost. Coming to terms with that was literally impossible, without help directly from Heaven. But the young couple leaned unto the Lord’s understanding, and supported each other the entire time. In addition, hearing all the great prophecies from men of different backgrounds, also added pressure and encouragement to Joseph and Mary, as they would need all the support and strength available, to help them on this path.

Jesus was, and still is a big deal. Despite how men have negatively portrayed Him in the past, and still today, He fulfilled what was written of Him, all the way from the Old Testament, and will close out the latter prophesies soon, and very soon…

A Better Understanding

Luke 24:44-53

Children born into the world have fragile minds that are undeveloped and incapable of grasping the basics of life on their own. Therefore, proper teaching and guidance is essential for their long term development. Parents, teachers and others play a major role in helping children gain a better understanding of all aspects of learning including reading, writing, arithmetics, grooming, and proper behavior.

During my early years of childhood development, I despised reading, because it was hard for me to properly understand and comprehend the author’s philosophy, based on my own judgment. For this reason, I would barely receive passing grades on book reports, or reading comprehension assignments. Over time, I realized, if I would only pay more attention to the teacher’s explanation and in-depth elaboration on certain topics, it would open my understanding in areas I could never grasp on my own.

The same problem I struggled with as a child, trying to understand things without seeking the proper guidance, is what many babes in Christ deal with on a daily basis. Reading and studying the Scriptures can become a hard task, when doing so on human intellect alone, because there are spiritual aspects in the Word that can only be comprehended when the Holy Spirit opens one’s understanding. Even in our text, the disciples heard the words of Jesus, but He “opened their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures.” (vs. 45).

The purpose of the Holy Ghost is to bring back to our remembrance, the things Jesus taught, so that we can always be properly prepared to wrestle against evil forces, as well as conduct ourselves according to holiness and godliness daily. We can read and meditate on God’s Word with all sincerity and dedication, but we need His Spirit to open our understanding, so that what we read can make sense, then we can properly apply the Word in our daily living.

“Read to know, learn to grow.” – Ell

What Do You Believe?

John 11:38-45

Do you believe that God is really real? Do you believe that He existed for eternity? Do you believe that He spoke the entire universe into existence? Do you believe He made angels, cherubim, and seraphim to dwell in His holy habitation? Do you believe that He created the heaven, and the earth, and filled it with all kinds of amazing creatures? Do you believe that He made a man from the dust of the earth, and breathed into him the breath of life? Do you believe all the people who have ever existed came from the first man and woman? Do you believe that one of the holy cherub, rebelled against God in heaven, and was cast down to the earth? Do you believe a demon possessed serpent deceived one of Gods most coveted creations? Do you believe that sin and death became prevalent in the earth by man? Do you believe that from sin came sickness, disease, hatred, disobedience, dissention, division, malice, grief, headache, heartache, suffering, pain, shame, and countless other unfavorable things? Do you believe that God the Father loves you like CRAZY?! Do you believe that God proved His love by sending His perfect Son to the earth, to undo the mess caused by the first man? Do you believe that while on earth, Jesus healed sickness and disease, cast out demons from innocent souls, and raised some from the dead? Do you believe that the times we are living in today, were prophesied thousands of years ago? Do you believe that all those who died trusting in the Word of God, died in vain? Do you believe God is watching you as you suffer, yet endure during these times of great contention? Do you believe that despite how evil the world is, there are many who are standing strong in the Lord, and haven’t bowed down to idols? Do you believe the Bible is right? Do you believe there is any other way to God, except through His Son, Jesus? What do you believe?

All For His Glory

John 11:1-11

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to an exciting episode of, “All For His Glory”! Starring, Martha, Mary, Lazarus, Jesus, and the Disciples! I’m your host, “holyell”, and I’ll be bringing you all the details of tonight’s most fascinating scenes!

Lazarus: (Moaning in pain and agony) Mmmmm… ugghhh… Martha…. Mary….

Martha: Lazarus! Lazarus! Oh no! Mary, his condition is getting worse!

Mary: God, if you’re listening, please help our ailing brother.

Martha: If Jesus was here, He would save our brother. Mary, let’s send word to Jesus that we desperately need His help.

Mary: Alright sister, I’ll make haste to do so. Lazarus, you hold on. I’m sending a messenger to find Jesus.

Lazarus: (Moaning goes from intense, to subtle, as Lazarus drifts into sleep) mmm…hmmm…Mar..

(Messenger arrives where Jesus is, and is met by the disciples)

Messenger: Excuse me. Pardon me, but is the healer here?

Disciples: If you’re referring to Jesus, yes. He is.

Messenger: If possible, could you bid Him to come, because I have an urgent message to deliver.

Disciples: Whatever you have to tell the Master, you can say to us.

Messenger: Well, if you insist. The message reads, “Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.”

(Jesus overhears the message)

Jesus: Worry not kind sir, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of man might be glorified thereby.”

Disciples: Oh, hello Master. We were just…

Jesus: It’s ok men. Tell them I will come soon (to the messenger).

Messenger: Thank you my Lord. I shall.

Disciples: Master, what’s going on? What was that all about? Do you know who the man was referring to?

Jesus: Prepare yourselves men, for in two days, we will journey again to Judea.

Disciples: Woah woah woah! Wait a minute. My Lord, a few weeks ago the Jews there sought to stone you. It’s too dangerous to return there now. Don’t you agree?

Jesus: Gentlemen, when you know the plan of the enemy, you can wisely plan around it.

Disciples: Oooooh, right. That makes so much sense. You are beyond man’s wisdom, my Lord

Jesus: Besides, you’ll soon see and understand my purpose in doing things the way I do, then youI’ll believe.

*The disciples often questioned the methods Jesus used in certain situations, and failed to see the spiritual significance behind it, but the longer they observed His works, the more they realized how amazing the power of God was, working through His Son. Oftentimes we see things in our own lives that may appear as dead, but God allows things to be put on hold, long enough for the world to assume it’s over, so that He can then restore life and purpose to that dead situation. In times when you don’t understand God’s plan, keep the faith, and watch how He works things out in your favor.

This concludes the exciting episode of, “All For His Glory”! Thanks for tuning in.