Tag: Luke 19:10
Week 1 Video Highlight–The author’s mission
Scripture: Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Rest and Reflection with a responder: John Morse, the author.
This week’s video podcast is my short testimony on responding to God’s call to follow Jesus Christ. Following each weeks devotions, I will be interviewing other responders from those that God has placed me with and used to shape my life and abilities to help those in need. There will be firemen, sheriff’s deputies, police officers, highway patrol, and emergency medical people as well as an emergency manager. These podcasts will be set up on a u-tube channel and eventually linked with the finished book of devotions. At this time I am planning on 26 weeks of devotions. Will you join me on this special journey to honor our first responders? As the Holy Spirit is our Teacher, the devotions will apply to us all.
In His Love, Pastor John Morse
“Jesus-please leave!”
Scripture reading for October 15: Mark 4-7
We who love Jesus can’t envision asking Him to depart from us. We would invite Him to stay with us as long as possible to enjoy His companionship. Jesus wants to come and be with us as well. He came to earth to seek out and save lost people. (Luke 19:10)
After ministering to a crowd all day, Jesus told His disciples that they should go to the other side of the lake. They got in boats and Jesus got in the stern, found a cushion and went to sleep. As they crossed the lake in the night, a furious wind arose that threatened to swamp the boat. The disciples excitedly woke Jesus, pleading for help. Jesus rebuked the wind and waves and a calm suddenly fell upon them. They were terrified and marveled about how the wind and waves obeyed Jesus! He chastened them for their fear and lack of faith. (Mark 4:35-41)
When they got across the lake, a man with an evil spirit came from among some tombs to meet Jesus. He had chains on his hands and feet and looked like a madman. Upon seeing Jesus, he ran to Him and fell on his knees begging not to be tortured. The man’s name was “Legion” because of the large number of demons in him. Jesus rebuked the evil spirits and sent them into a large herd of pigs as they had requested. The swine ran over a steep bank, tumbled into the lake and drowned.
The man was delivered, set free from the bondage, and in his right mind! (Mark 4:14-17) The people of the region, who depended on the pigs for their sustenance, were terrified and angry. They came to Jesus and asked Him to leave their region. Mark records that Jesus got into the boat to leave, and the delivered man asked to come along. Jesus sent him back to tell his family of what the Lord had done for him and then departed. This man became an evangelist, telling others what Jesus had done for him.
Jesus loved and cared for His own disciples. He’s always with us and is aware of our needs! He has given us authority through faith in Him to do what He has asked of us. Nothing is too hard, dangerous, or difficult! Jesus loves to go out of His way to find those who need help. He will go through water, storm, and forces of hell to reach a lost soul. Those who were only into themselves were threatened by Jesus’ presence. They asked Him to leave! Let’s ask the Lord for His passion to reach the lost!
Sunday rest: Priorities!
Dear friends,
Greetings in the Wonderful Name of Jesus Christ, Lord and King!
As I reflect on what God is saying through this time, I feel that He is gently reminding us of our priorities. Haggai, the last minor prophet we looked at this week, delivered a message from God about priorities. (Haggai 1:7-8) People are God’s priority, and He wants us to seek the lost. (Luke 19:10) Building His temple brings Him honor and He delights in each new ‘living stone’ that is added. We must be careful to assess our own lives and even our own church priorities. Are we spending more time on ourselves than on God’s priorities? Does it seem like we have a purse with holes in it? Are our crops ‘short’ because God is wanting to get our attention? Could it be that He is hindering our efforts because our priorities are misplaced?
God’s people listened and obeyed Haggai. (Haggai 1:12) The people feared the Lord and heeded the Word from Him. God then stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel, the governor, and he and the people of God began to work again on the house of the Lord! God declared that He would be with them and would bless them as they again worked. This looks like the standard ‘formula’ for revival in action!
“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land or send a plague among My people, if My people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2nd Chronicles 7:13-14
As God’s people, let’s be about the Lord’s business. Let’s seek to humble ourselves and pray and seek His face. He promises forgiveness and blessing! Have a great week of right priorities! Jesus is coming soon! The Glory of this temple will be greater than the former!
In His Love, Pastor John