Luke Archives – Sonshine's Journal

October 25, 2016

“I Have Plenty of Time”

nineveh-today2-resized2a

Nahum 2: Eternity is Just Around the Corner

Our world is consumed with “fluff” meaning that which is without substance. It wants what “feels good.” The city of Nineveh was like that; trusting in its captured riches at the expense of others. Like Nineveh, today when we speak to others of the goodness, holiness and sure justice of God they answer “What? Me Worry?” about eternity? I have plenty of time.

Learn the lesson of the man who built his barns; sat back and said; “You have plenty of goods stored up for many years; relax, eat, drink, celebrate.” But God said “you fool, this very night your life will be demanded back from you…” [Luke 12] That was the mindset of Nineveh. God gave Nahum a message of both hope for the Judahites whose riches had been plundered by them and a message of imminent destruction for Nineveh. They had had 100+ years of blessing from God’s decree of judgment but like so many today said–tomorrow I will worry about eternity.

God is slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness but he is also “a zealous and avenging God.” He also “will certainly not allow the wicked to go unpunished.” God loved Judah; God loved Nineveh and God loves you. He may allow the storm to continue but one day the storm will pass and the sun will shine forth. God will bring an end to suffering and He will make all wrongs right again.

The Ninevites trusted in their walls but it was washed away in a single night. What do you trust in?

“Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we trust in the Lord our God.” [Psa 20]

January 26, 2016

Are You Prepared?

frank turek stealing from God Frank Turek, author of “Stealing from God” wrote: “the amazing evidence of God’s sovereignty is revealed in how even those who don’t believe in Him call upon Him to remind them of the source that paved the way to their disavowal of belief in His existence.”

Skeptics then and skeptics now are those John wrote about: “You study the scriptures that testify about me,” [Jn 5] yet you deny the evidence. The religious leaders did believe in Jehovah but modern day skeptics are living proof of Romans 1 claiming to be wise but are fools. Then and now they struggle with the evidence before them and so just as Turek says; they steal from God’s domain to seek their own understanding of truth while denying it when it is revealed.

The religious leaders came asking “by what authority do you do these things.” “Do we pay taxes or not?” ”Prove there is a resurrection from the dead.” Instead of a blanket yes/no statement Jesus fired back his own questions. Today we can apply that same principle when asked these types of questions by asking: “What do you mean by that.” The burden of proof falls upon them. The religious leaders faced a dilemma: believe or deny; and just as the skeptics today they answered, “we don’t know.”

Beloved, you can be “wise as serpents and harmless as doves” with those you meet today. Be prepared; hide God’s word in your heart so you can “discern both good and evil.” [Heb 5]

Some other books to consider:

“Tactics” by Greg Koukl; also his website: http://www.str.org/ and articles here on Bible.org

“Letters to a Young Progressive” by Mike Adams

February 3, 2014

Chapter Two: From Heaven to Earth

Today as part of our year’s reading of the NT, Psalms and Proverbs, we begin the study of the book of Acts. Of all of the NT authors, Dr. Luke is by far the most complete as to the life of Christ here on earth from his announcement to his ascension. In Luke we find Christ in the living walking breathing man; in Acts we find Christ’s living active Spirit (Holy Spirit) indwelling each believer. In Luke Jesus presents himself as the suffering servant; in Acts he presents himself through the suffering yet rejoicing servants. In Luke Jesus tell the disciples: You are witnesses and in Acts Jesus tells them you will be my witnesses. Luke covers about 30 yrs of time from the announcement to the ascension of Christ and in Acts about 30 yrs from Jesus’ ascension to Paul’s two year imprisonment in Rome. Thus in just two short books we will cover a span of 60 yrs—for many a person’s lifetime–of what transpired as the church began its ministry. In Luke we walked beginning from Nazareth and ended up in Jerusalem. In Acts we begin in Jerusalem and end up in Rome.

As we begin this journey with Luke there are some notable things of which we need to take notice:

In Luke 24: he, that is Christ, opened their minds so they could understand the scriptures, in Acts 1: he [Christ] presented himself alive with many convincing proofs so they could visualize the scriptures.

In Luke 24: it stands written that the Christ would suffer and would rise from the dead on the third day, in Acts 1: as proof that this was fulfilled, He was seen by them over a forty-day period

In Luke 24: repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem and in Acts the disciples are anointed with power to accomplish this by being his witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts of the earth.”

In Luke the disciples see the risen Christ; then he vanished out of their sight. In Acts the risen Christ was with them 40 days; then was lifted up and a cloud hid him from their sight.

In Luke “Didn’t our hearts burn within us while he was speaking with us on the road, while he was explaining the scriptures to us?” But in contrast, in Acts: they excitedly began to ask him, “Lord, is this the time when you are restoring the kingdom to Israel?”

No angels are present when Christ reveals himself to the disciples in the upper room but in Acts: suddenly two men in white clothing stood near them. There is a saying that goes like this: You can be so heavenly minded that you are no earthly good. In Acts we see them gazing heavenward and two men are sent to guide them back to earth. That is perhaps why the two angels reminded them: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking up into the sky? This same Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will come back in the same way you saw him go into heaven.” Translation: you are to be His witnesses until he returns so why are you wasting time gazing at the clouds? He will be back but the work is still unfinished. Get Busy!

And thus now as His witnesses we are to long for his appearing but until he comes back we are to be busy about the Master’s business. So the question as we begin this week is this: where is our focus—on heaven or the earth where the work must begin and end.

January 3, 2014

Are you a Good Listener?

How good a listener are you? An old Turkish proverb says “if speaking is silver, then listening is gold.” Tests confirm that the majority of us today are poor listeners. Could that be a reason why God has repeatedly told us and as we read in Revelation “the one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says?” Three sets of individuals in Luke 2 were exceptional listeners and were blessed by God for their attentiveness.

Picture the Shepherds; the despised and rejected in Israeli society, yet necessary to the worship program of the temple. It was to these that God chose to send his angelic choir to announce the Lamb of God in a manger. The angelic figure began: “Listen carefully.” How good a listener were they? In vs 15 they decided to go and see “what the Lord has made known to us.” And their memories were crystallized as they recounted to Mary and Joseph and the dwellers in Bethlehem all that had been told to them.

Picture Simeon, filled with the Holy Spirit who had been looking for the restoration of Israel. He had been listening so that he was ready to hear the indwelling Holy Spirit speak. He followed the directions and came to the Temple just at the time Mary and Joseph were there. Simeon said to Mary and Joseph “Listen carefully” as he recounted the future of this child, Jesus who would be the Light of the World but would be rejected.

Picture Anna the widow who listened to God as she fasted and prayed in the temple for 84 yrs! She too came at just that moment to give thanks to God and may have said to those nearby “Listen carefully” as she spoke about the child.

It matters not where you are but it does matter how good a listener you are. The shepherds listened carefully, shared what they had heard and received a blessing. God blessed them as the first to report the birth of Christ. Simeon listened carefully to the Spirit, obeyed His voice and entered the Temple right on time. He received a blessing to see his prayers answered. Anna listened carefully in her prayer time and her senses were attuned to the Spirit’s voice. Her ears were attuned to hear the voice of the Spirit and she received the blessing of seeing the Christ Child.

How good a listener are you? Is your world quiet so you can hear the voice of the Holy Spirit or filled with noise that blocks His voice? The shepherds’ world was a field quiet at night with only God’s creation yet their hearts were prepared to listen. Simeon’s world was a prayer closet where he could hear God speak. Anna’s world was in the Temple, both quiet and noisy depending on the season. Her heart was quiet so she could hear God speak. They all heard the voice of the Spirit, obeyed and were blessed.

May our prayer today be as Samuel’s of long ago “Speak Lord for your servant is listening.”

July 11, 2013

Revenge or Forgiveness ..Your Choice

Psalm 69 is one of the three most quoted psalms in the NT in reference to “The Messiah.” (e.g. Those who hate me without cause [Jn 15:25], vinegar to drink [Matt 17:48]. Thus it is fitting that we walk through this psalm as part of our study in the book of Matthew about our True Messiah. This psalm and the life of Christ will teach us the two paths before us and our choices when we too face times of despair.

David begins his psalm with an analogy of physical drowning using it to show God how he is coping with the enemies that are about him. David compares his drowning to Jeremiah or Joseph in a pit with no way out. In vs 5 to 12 we feel his pang of loneliness and as we read the story of Joseph we recall the brothers as they stood before Joseph: “we saw how distressed he was when he cried to us for mercy, but we refused to listen.”

In vs 13 to 15 we see a change in David’s tone as he reminds himself of God’s lovingkindness and compassion, his saving truth, the fact that he alone is one’s redeemer. But even as he recalls this he also seeks revenge for what these enemies of his soul have done. From David: [vs 24-28] from God upon his enemies [pour out your judgment upon them, do not vindicate them, may their names be deleted from the scroll of the living]. In contrast to David’s outburst we move to the NT and see the higher way to seek justice. Jesus becomes our example as on the cross he cried out “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” [Luke 23:34]

Today may we choose the higher path, the path of our Savior, our True Messiah.