Mon.’s Devo - The Passover Supper

Read Luke 22:1-30 The feasts were set up as an ordinance for the people to participate in year after year. They were “dress rehearsals “ for the time that the Messiah would come to earth and be the fulfillment of the feast. Every year the Jewish people celebrated the Passover where they brought their lambs to the temple to atone for their family. There would be one passover lamb that the priests would choose to be the atonement for all the people. This year this passover lamb would be Jesus himself - the fulfillment of all the years of celebrating Passover. God used Satan,and Satan used Judus Iscariot to turn Jesus over to be crucified. Judas betrayed Jesus to the chief priests for money. On the day of unleavened bread, Jesus sent Peter and John to find a place to eat the passover together. Jesus told them that they would enter the city, see a man with a pitcher of water and follow him to his house. They were to ask him if they could use his guest room and get it ready. Of course, it happened just as Jesus had seen it in the spirit. When they met, Jesus told them that this would be the last time he would eat with them before he suffered. The next time he ate it would be in heaven with God. He explained that the bread was his body and the blood represented his blood. Then he told them his betrayer was at the table. When they began to question among themselves who it might be and argue which was the greatest Jesus gave them a parable. He explained to them that the greatest one is the one who does the most to serve. Because they stood by Jesus in all his ministry, they will rule over heavenly kingdoms and sit on thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel. Of course, this didn’t make much sense to them then, but it was a great promise that they would see after they died. They would receive this great honor because they suffered the humiliation and persecution of walking with Jesus on the earth. It is the same for us, the more we stand with Jesus during adversity and ridicule the more we will be in trusted with spiritually. The riches of the kingdom are truly not silver and gold but worth far more. Lord, we seek to walk with you no matter what comes our way. We choose to be your disciples to the end.

Fri.’s Devo - The Parable of the Last Days

Read Luke 21:29-38 When Jesus teaches a truth he always includes a parable with hidden meaning. Today’s parable explains the teaching he had just given them of the last days. He starts it out with “Behold the fig tree, and all the trees.” The fig tree is Israel and the other trees are the other kingdoms of the world. So he is talking about all the kingdoms of the earth. When they start shooting forth or bearing fruit and growing powerful then you will know the kingdom of God is near. In 1948, Israel became a nation. It has been “shooting forth” ever since. A generation is usually defined by 40 years. I’m not sure when God would determine that Israel is “shooting forth” but I would think it would not be to much longer. I do know this, we are seeing scripture fulfilled before our very eyes and it is exciting and a little alarming at the same time. What Jesus warned them over and over about was to not get tired of waiting, and to not get distracted by the world and all its allurements, but to stay close to God. He also warned them about fear that would cause them to want to revert to drinking or any type of sin that would keep them sedated and not alive and alert. If we stay in tuned to what God is doing he will make a way of escape for us and we will end up standing before the throne of God instead of in the depths of persecution and his wrath. What we see happening around us is not a surprise to God, he has a plan and it has not changed. Jesus will come back to get his bride, the faithful ones, and we will live and reign with him in a new earth that has a new heaven. Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it even entered our hearts of how great God’s plans are. Lord, we wait with eyes open and hearts expecting your coming. We will not be disappointed.

Thurs.’s Devo - The Last Days

Read Luke 21:7-28 Jesus has just prophesied that the temple will one day be destroyed. This is not something the people want to hear so they ask him when it will happen. Jesus does what he does best: not answer the question of their minds but the question of their heart. They are really wanting to know when the end will come. So Jesus gives them a description of what it will be like in the last days. There will be false Messiahs, wars and battles, nations against nations and kingdoms against kingdoms, earthquakes, famines, plagues, fearful things, and signs in the skies. This is what will be happening all over the world. To the believer there will be persecution and many will be brought before the leaders of the nations. When this happens they are to know that this is an opportunity set up for them by God to witness. They will be given wisdom what to say just like Jesus was, so they don’t need to worry. They will be betrayed by their parents, family, and friends. Some will be martyred. All men will hate them but they needn’t fear because if God wants them to live they will be divinely protected. Their patience will uphold them. In the last days Jerusalem will be surrounded by armies. Everyone in and around Jerusalem will need to flee to the mountains if they want to live. These are the days of vengeance that have been prophesied. It will be hard for those with infants because of the conditions they will be living in. Satan’s wrath will be released on God’s people in great magnitude. Many will be killed in battle and others will be taken captive to foreign lands. Jerusalem will be destroyed by enemies until God is ready to restore it. There will be strange phenomenon in the skies and abnormal weather patterns. These weather disturbances will affect the stress on the people and the tides and waters in the oceans. Men will die of heart attacks from fear. THEN they will see Jesus coming in a cloud in shekinah glory. He will bring redemption! Oh, glorious day!!! Lord, none wants to live through all the hard times before you come but I know that they will worth the reward. Strengthen your people for what is ahead and let us stand tall for you.

Wed.’s Devo - The Riches of the Kingdom

Read Luke 20:41 - 21:6 After the scribes and Pharisees had asked him questions to trap him and couldn’t, Jesus asked them a question: “How can you say that Christ is David’s son?” (Apparently they believed that the Christ would be David’s son.) Jesus explained that David wrote in his Psalms, “The Lord said unto my Lord, sit upon my right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool.” So, if David called him Lord how can he be his son too? Of course Jesus wasn’t asking this question for an answer but only to get them to reexamine what they were teaching. Then Jesus turned to the crowd and told them to beware of the scribes that love their authority and symbols of authority because they want to look religious on the outside when their hearts are far from God and justice. All their righteous acts will only get them a greater damnation. He rebuked them for wanting to be esteemed important in the eyes of man but robbing widows of their inheritance and praying long repetitive prayers. Then Jesus illustrated how God looks at all these things. There was a rich man bringing his gift to the synagogue. He gave his gift so all could see is generosity and his wealth. After him came a poor widow who only had 2 mites to give. Jesus explains to them that she gave more in the sight of God than the rich man because she gave all she had and he had all and gave a little of it. The Bible tells us over and over that the true riches are the gifts of the spirit but we can’t seem to believe it because we still pursue riches. Lord, help us to go hard after the true riches of the kingdom which are righteousness, peace and joy.

Tues.’s Devo - Trying to Trick the Truth Doesn’t Work

Read Luke 20:21-40 We learned in verse 20 that the religious leaders were now watching and listening to every word Jesus spoke to get him tangled in his own doctrine. So they asked him whether it was lawful in God’s eyes to pay an unrighteous tyrant like Caesar taxes. Jesus knew they were trying to trick him and asked them to give him a penny which held the answer. He asked them whose picture and signature was on the coin. They answered, “Caesar’s”. So the told them to give to Caesar the things that were Caesar’s and to God the things that were his. They were totally unarmed and marveled at his wisdom. Since that didn’t work, a Sadducee come to him with a question. The Sadducees didn’t believe in the resurrection so one of them asked Jesus a question about that. (Read vs. 28-33). Jesus told them that for those who make it to heaven will find that there is no marriage in heaven. In heaven all are equal and all are the children of God. Then he answered their real question of what he believed about the resurrection of the dead. He told them that the dead are resurrected. When Moses met God at the burning bush he told Moses that he was the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob who were dead at the time. To God they were alive because to God - all are alive. The scribes agreed with Jesus because they believed in the resurrection and had always debated this with the Sadducees. The scribes left satisfied. Sometimes I try to picture what I think my parents who have died are doing in heaven. I picture my dad working with God in his workroom creating new things. I imagine my mother visiting with everyone in heaven because she was such a people person. It is so freeing to know that there is no death in the eyes of God concerning his children. We live eternally and that is something to be happy about. Lord, help us live today with eternity in mind.

Mon.’s Devo - The Parable of the Vineyard

Read Luke 20:9-20 The Pharisees have just challenged Jesus’ authority so Jesus gives them a parable. It is of a man who planted a vineyard and hired husbandmen to work it while he went on an extended trip to a far away place. After a while, the owner sent a servant to get its fruit. The husbandmen beat the servant and refused to give him anything. The owner sent two more who received the same treatment. Finally, he decided to sent his beloved son for surely they will reverence him. When the husbandmen saw the son they plotted to kill him so that then they would be the owners. Jesus then asked them what they thought the owner would do? He answered himself that would destroy the husbandmen and give the vineyard to others. When the people heard it they were appalled. Then Jesus went on to say that the stone which the builders rejected had become the corner stone and if you rely on it, you will be broken in a good way, but if it falls on you, you will be completely destroyed. The chief priests and scribes perceived that he was referring to them so they decided it was time to secretly get rid of him for good. Back to the first parable: the owner is God and the vineyard is the Jewish people. The servants were the priests, judges and the prophets that God sent through the years to bring Israel back to him. Finally, God was sending his son to gather fruit from his vineyard - to see if there were any believing Jews. They, like the husbandmen in the parable would take Jesus and kill him. The ones who recognized Jesus as the Messiah would be the ones that the stone broke. The ones who killed him would be the ones that the stone ground to powder. Lord, help us to recognize you in whatever form you show up in today.

Fri.’s Devo - The Wisdom of Jesus

Read Luke 19:45- 20:8 Jesus had to cleanse the temple before he died. It was not suppose to be a place where people could buy their sacrifices and pay God off. Neither was it to be a place where people made huge deceitful profits. In my years I have seen many big ministries “cleansed” as God revealed their deceitful ways before all the world. It is very humbling and hard to watch but it is God’s job to reveal things in darkness and expose the truth. Jesus said that his house was to be a house of prayer. We are the temple of God and our temples are to be a place of prayer and total surrender to God. It is not to be filled with intents of getting rich by deceit or where we try to manipulate God. Our secret places are completely open to God. There is no hiding from him our actions or thoughts. Jesus could now teach in the temple and the chief priests and the scribes grew to hate him more and more while the people came to love him more and more. So one day the “haters” came to trick him and asked him who gave him the authority to speak as he did and do the things he did since it did not come from them. Jesus knew their scheme so he answered with a question: “I will also ask you one thing; and answer me; The baptism of John, was it from heaven , or of men?” They were caught in their own game. When they couldn’t answer without incriminating themselves he told them that since they wouldn’t answer his question, then he didn’t have to answer theirs. What a good answer. I sometimes forget that I don’t have to answer to the enemies taunts. I can play his game and win if I rely on the Holy Spirit instead of my own emotions. Lord, help us to remember that we have the Holy Spirit inside us that can give us the wisdom of Jesus. We can know how to fight the devil effectively instead of mechanically. Lord, give us ears to hear.