Morning Grace

When (Jesus) noticed how the guests (at the dinner) chose the places of honor, he told them a parable.  “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host;  and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, ‘Give this person your place,’ and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place.  But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you.  For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” ~ Luke 14:7-11 Pride must die in you, or nothing in heaven can live in you. ~ Andrew Murray Oh, Lord it's hard to be humble when you're perfect in every way. ~ Mac Davis We live in a civilization where being humble isn't ...

Beginning this week, on Fridays I will offer a summary, prayer, or meditation opportunity from the week. For the first few weeks we will be using the African Bible Study Method as a guide. - Choose one of this weeks passages from Luke to be your prayer focus for today. They are: Luke 12:49-53 Luke 13:1-5 Luke 13:20-21 Luke 13:22-29 - Read the passage again and identify a words or phrases that jump out at you. - Read the passage again, and if possible read from a different translation ( biblegateway.com  has many translations you can choose from). Identify where this passage might be touching your life today. How is this relevant to your life? - Read the passage a third time, again in a different translation if possible. Ask yourself what God is calling you to do or to be from this passage. What change might God be moving your toward? - Close with a silent prayer, listening to God rather than speaking to God. What actions will you take today ba...

Jesus  went through one town and village after another, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem.  Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few be saved?” He said to them,  “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able.  When once the owner of the house has got up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then in reply he will say to you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’  Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’  But he will say, ‘I do not know where you come from; go away from me, all you evildoers!’  There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrown out.  Then people will come from east and west, from north and south, and will eat in the kingdom of God.  Indeed, some are la...

(Jesus) said therefore, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what should I compare it?  It is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in the garden; it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.” ~ Luke 13:20-21 Mustard… is extremely beneficial for the health. It grows entirely wild, though it is improved by being transplanted: but on the other hand when it has once been sown it is scarcely possible to get the place free of it, as the seed when it falls germinates at once. ~ Pliney the Elder Yeast...is classified as members of the fungus kingdom. ~ Wikipedia The Kingdom of God is like a weed. Sow a mustard seed in your garden and watch it completely take over. Watch it grow into something wild, hard to get rid of, and untamable. The Kingdom of God is like a fungus. A fungus that is rather related to mold. What does it mean to us that Jesus gives what amounts to rather unflattering portraits of the Kingdom of Go...

At that very time there were some present who told (Jesus) about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.  He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans?  No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did.  Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem?  No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.” ~ Luke 13:1-5 Repentance is the turning of the soul from the way of midnight to the point of the coming sun. ~ Henry Ward Beecher Bad things happen to good people. That's just how it is. So Jesus wants us to be clear that being tragically killed doesn't mean you are any worse than someone who hasn't been. And being alive doesn't mean you are more blessed than someone who has been killed. An...

(Jesus said) “I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!  I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed!  Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!  From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three;  they will be divided:  father against son and son against father, mother against daughter   and daughter against mother,  mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” ~ Luke 12:49-53 Sometimes blood isn't thicker than water and family will cross you quicker than strangers. ~ Unknown This isn't the first time Jesus takes a stab at what it means to be family. He had also said that his family comprised of those who did the will of God. But this feels even more shocking. Jesus didn't come to bring peace? He came to actually bring divisi...

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ~ Luke 12:34  “As he was about to climb yet another dune, his heart whispered, "Be aware of the place where you are brought to tears. That's where I am, and thats where your treasure is.” ~ Paolo Coelho, The Alchemist What is it that moves you to tears of joy and rich emotional resonance? This text is often used during  stewardship season in churches, and I have heard talks on this text as if it said: Where your heart is, that's where your treasure is, so if you care about church, you'll give your resources to it. Now don't get me wrong. I do think it is right that we give to the mission of God's church. However, though maybe it's  just  semantics, I read Jesus words here as something more than a call to give your treasure to the place you care about. I see it as a call to what already is. An acknowledgment that we are already giving our heart our treasures. We have things we lov...