Today Our Daily Bread Luke 12

Luke 12: 1-59
1Meanwhile, the crowds grew until thousands were milling about and crushing each other. Jesus turned first to his disciples and warned them, "Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees—beware of their hypocrisy. 2The time is coming when everything will be revealed; all that is secret will be made public. 3Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the housetops for all to hear!
4"Dear friends, don't be afraid of those who want to kill you. They can only kill the body; they cannot do any more to you. 5But I'll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill people and then throw them into hell.
6"What is the price of five sparrows? A couple of pennies? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. 7And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are more valuable to him than a whole flock of sparrows.
8"And I assure you of this: If anyone acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I, the Son of Man, will openly acknowledge that person in the presence of God's angels. 9But if anyone denies me here on earth, I will deny that person before God's angels. 10Yet those who speak against the Son of Man may be forgiven, but anyone who speaks blasphemies against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven.
11"And when you are brought to trial in the synagogues and before rulers and authorities, don't worry about what to say in your defense, 12for the Holy Spirit will teach you what needs to be said even as you are standing there."
Story of the Rich Fool
13Then someone called from the crowd, "Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father's estate with me."
14Jesus replied, "Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?" 15Then he said, "Beware! Don't be greedy for what you don't have. Real life is not measured by how much we own."
16And he gave an illustration: "A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. 17In fact, his barns were full to overflowing. 18So he said, 'I know! I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I'll have room enough to store everything. 19And I'll sit back and say to myself, My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!'
20"But God said to him, 'You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get it all?'
21"Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God."
Teaching about Money and Possessions
22Then turning to his disciples, Jesus said, "So I tell you, don't worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or clothes to wear. 23For life consists of far more than food and clothing. 24Look at the ravens. They don't need to plant or harvest or put food in barns because God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! 25Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Of course not! 26And if worry can't do little things like that, what's the use of worrying over bigger things?
27"Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 28And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won't he more surely care for you? You have so little faith! 29And don't worry about food—what to eat and drink. Don't worry whether God will provide it for you. 30These things dominate the thoughts of most people, but your Father already knows your needs. 31He will give you all you need from day to day if you make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.
32"So don't be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.
33"Sell what you have and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven have no holes in them. Your treasure will be safe—no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. 34Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be.

Be Ready for the Lord's Coming
35"Be dressed for service and well prepared, 36as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks. 37There will be special favor for those who are ready and waiting for his return. I tell you, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat! 38He may come in the middle of the night or just before dawn. F61 But whenever he comes, there will be special favor for his servants who are ready!
39"Know this: A homeowner who knew exactly when a burglar was coming would not permit the house to be broken into. 40You must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected."
41Peter asked, "Lord, is this illustration just for us or for everyone?"
42And the Lord replied, "I'm talking to any faithful, sensible servant to whom the master gives the responsibility of managing his household and feeding his family. 43If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. 44I assure you, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns. 45But if the servant thinks, 'My master won't be back for a while,' and begins oppressing the other servants, partying, and getting drunk—46well, the master will return unannounced and unexpected. He will tear the servant apart and banish him with the unfaithful. 47The servant will be severely punished, for though he knew his duty, he refused to do it.
48"But people who are not aware that they are doing wrong will be punished only lightly. Much is required from those to whom much is given, and much more is required from those to whom much more is given.
Jesus Causes Division
49"I have come to bring fire to the earth, and I wish that my task were already completed! 50There is a terrible baptism ahead of me, and I am under a heavy burden until it is accomplished. 51Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I have come to bring strife and division! 52From now on families will be split apart, three in favor of me, and two against—or the other way around. 53There will be a division between father and son, mother and daughter, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law."
54Then Jesus turned to the crowd and said, "When you see clouds beginning to form in the west, you say, 'Here comes a shower.' And you are right. 55When the south wind blows, you say, 'Today will be a scorcher.' And it is. 56You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but you can't interpret these present times.
57"Why can't you decide for yourselves what is right? 58If you are on the way to court and you meet your accuser, try to settle the matter before it reaches the judge, or you may be sentenced and handed over to an officer and thrown in jail. 59And if that happens, you won't be free again until you have paid the last penny."
FOOTNOTES:F61: Greek in the second or third watch.
~Lena’s Journalin’~
Cassia, our 5 year old asked me what Hypocrisy was yesterday.
Let’s look at it: to impersonate anyone, play a part, to be under another’s opinion. Doesn’t that bring a lot of thoughts to your mind? I think about acting, of course. I also think of being made to do something, like feeling forced against my will and going through the motion of obedience, yet inwardly not adopting the action as what comes of my own will and desire. Jesus is speaking to the church people and He is saying to believers to beware of this. Beware lest what you walk out is not your faith, beware lest what you say, you do not yourself believe. Beware that the reason you go to church is not because of your own love for God. Beware that when you preach to others you yourself do not act on your own words, and you do it to satisfy some sort of debt you feel obliged to, rather than it being the overflow of the abundant flow of God’s spirit from your own heart. This will be evidenced and revealed the truth will come to light. The truth is not action, but a person alive in us. Act-ion should follow truth, but we have been well trained to put on righteous acts. God does not like religious acts. You might think, well all I’ve known is to put on religious acts, and I really did think it was what God wanted, what do I do? Decide to pursue God with ALL of your heart, soul and strength. As you do, your love for Him will increase and the reality of the abundant flow of that love motivated pursuit will be evidenced, not acted out.
We’ve got to get a revelation of hell. If we really have a revelation of heaven (which is anyplace God and us commune together as One) we’ll have a revelation of hell. Hell is anyplace without God’s communion is hell, BUT where there is no possibility of ever having that communion again ever, THAT is eternal hell and damnation. If you confess me before men, I’ll also confess you before My Father which is in heaven? We confess Him, He confesses us, He rescues us from hell. Remember confess means to stick with and adhere to. It is a lifelong covenant, not a flippant word we said, but did not mean or play out by our actions. It means LIVE. If you LIVE Me before men, I’ll LIVE you before My father in heaven. My fear of Him is that I’d ever be without Him, in Him is life, without Him is death. I cannot live without Him. We’ve got to quench the lies that speak to all of us daily about how small we are or insignificant or invaluable. We are here on purpose for purpose! It amazes me how small we are in comparison to all of the universe, all of the spirit world, and all of even nature. Stand next to a tree or a mountain, we are seemingly so small, yet God has placed us in the center of His plan and strategy for the world, for the universe. Isn’t that amazing. How complex and great God is and His plan and he chooses the most simplistic beings (which are also complex in nature) to execute His will and plan. You are worth everything to God, to the world, to the earth and even the universe. The salvation of the world is dependent on us. God Himself depends on us!
On what do we spend our life? Money? Dear God, if we do that we will be left with nothing in the end, nothing. Yet if we make money as we spend our life with Him, doing His will everywhere we go and in everything we do, we will have great treasure and yet have had money on earth also. Do you understand? Let me clarify a bit. So I work at the neighborhood grocery store, I go there to make money, I get up in the morning and I think of how I can look good so I’ll be recognized as well groomed and maybe they’ll promote me, I make sure I arrive on time. I work, I work, I work. I go home and work to get ready to go again and make money, because I spent money. I spent more money than I made so I get a paper route and make more money. I work, I work, I work. I get promoted, I work, I work, I work. I have a car, I have a house, I have nice clothes to go to work in, I go to movies and take vacations and I have friends. I work, I work, I work. I’m older now and I have something’s I’ve worked for. People say I’ve worked hard. I’ve made "it" in life and now I’m at my day’s end and I pass on from my life’s work. I meet my Maker and He says, what do you have? What have you brought with you? What can you show Me? I look down and I see earth and all of my stuff is sitting there, with no one to keep it up, it begins to rot and deteriorate, it means nothing, no one even wants it. I enjoyed it, I liked it, but it would not fit in my eternal suitcase. My eternal suitcase is empty, I have nothing to show God at all. All I’ve worked for is gone. I have nothing. Then there’s the guy who meets Jesus, He works too. He works with me at the local grocery store. He gets up in the morning and reads God’s word, because he has eternal life. I know about eternal life, but he has it. He loves God and asks God what he’s here for. He believes he’s here to serve and save people. He asks God to use him where he’s at. He’s at the grocery store everyday. He keeps in touch with God during the day, staying tuned in for instructions or directions about who he is and where he’s going or who he’s going to meet there at work that day in the store. He works there, but God is His boss. His boss at the store is his "supervisor". He loves his supervisor, because God loves him too. He does what he’s asked to do with a serving heart, because God is his boss, and has instructed him before he got to work. He meets all kinds of people everyday at work. He’d spoken to me several times, but I don’t mix business with religion and work is work, right? I smile and tell him I’ll see him at church Sunday if I’m not out on the boat with the wife and kids. He is friendly anyway, because God his boss, taught him to be that way. God wants to hire some more workers and he wants this guy to bring them in for the job. He takes a few co-workers out to lunch and talks with then daily on breaks and after work about Christ. He befriends customers and invites them into His home and brings them into his family’s activities, he invites them to grow with him at his church, he teaches them how to get with God and hear their own instructions for the job. He gets promoted, he works, he has a house and a car and vacations too. His life and all he does, everywhere he goes is directed by God’s spirit. He is God’s man on earth. He lies a full life, has family and friends, he dies and stands before God his Father, whom he’s spoken to and has worked for all his life. God knows who he is and he knows God. He’s left every natural thing behind, but his eternal suitcase is so full that the angels had to carry it in with him. God knows what is in there. He presents it to God, it is full of treasure, every attempt everyday of his life to show Christ to the world where he lived is there. Not one natural material thing is in there, They are back on earth and his family and friends are using them because he left them for others to enjoy while they work and sere God too. He didn’t bring any of that along. He’s glad to be at home, it’s all he thought it would be and more and the best part is so many people he knew on earth are there too. Wow what a party! He was ready, anticipating this his whole life. God had told him about it before. He remembers every word of the Lord.