Have you ever known
anyone who thinks they are wise, at least...in their own eyes? They are constantly condemning others, and acting justified. They know everything; and are self-glorified. They stand self-righteous, and like to point out everyone's lies. They focus on falsehood, and try to force you to pick a side. They walk in black or white, and don’t ever cross the line. They appear to be an expert, on all that divides; and they demand others to carry the same perspective that they have justified. This is the essence that lies behind human pride. Arrogance is the opposite characteristic of what Jesus calls a good Samaritan. Part 3 of Luke Chapter 10 separates a merciful believer from a self-righteous man. It starts with verse 24 and extends to 42; my prayer is that your curiosity will cause you to stay in tune. This is a story about an expert of the law who stood up to Jesus, to justify himself. He said, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said, "Well, what do you think?" Actually, that is not exactly what Jesus said. More precisely, this is how He responded, “What is written in the Law?” “How do you read it?” Jesus was scrubbing the man's heart, to break up the muck that bound him, and kept him apart. As you would think, the expert answered with the perfect words, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind;" and, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you noticed, he did not give one answer, but quickly gave two; because he was smart and he knew that you can not possibly love God, without loving humans. The problem was he thought he only had to love some - the ones who were like him; the ones who strictly followed the laws of God. But Jesus is so good! He understood that beneath pure love is the willingness to forgive. The Lord replied, “You are correct. Do this and you will live." But the man pursued, scripture says "to justify himself," so he asked Jesus, “and who is my neighbor?” Instead of giving a simple answer, Jesus shared a story, like He always does. A short parable - that sounded like this, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite (priest), when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denari and gave them to the innkeeper. "Look after him," he said, "and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have." “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Then Jesus said, “Go and do likewise.” Before I move on to Martha and Mary, let me take a minute to explain the things I learned about this story. The road to Jericho is also known as the Way of Blood. It's a thin, winding and narrow road that works it's way down into dry, desert land. A person who was robbed and beaten would have been in a very vulnerable position. People who traveled were easy targets for bandits; utterly exposed and isolated - and if left alone, they would have been as good as dead. If a wise man, or a priest ran into a person on the road to Jericho, he would have had to step over them, if they were broken and hurt. Can you imagine the callousness of men who talk about truth but to live to condemn? Samaritans were known for robbing this road, especially when they were walking to Jerusalem. So if a Samaritan stopped along the way, to lift up a man and pay for an inn, then act truly speaks to the heart that lies within. Justification is not only seen in heartless men, it's also seen through the spirit of perfectionism. We see this in verses 38-42, when Martha invites Jesus in, and opens her home. She's the Queen of the Kitchen, and the rest of the house too. Hospitality is her thing - she likes to show off all of the things she can do, and all the ways she can focus on you. "She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed-- or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10: 39 - 42 So as I end Luke Chapter 10, I want to thank the Lord for showing me the sinful weeds of Justification and Perfectionism. Yesterday, Holy Spirit showed me how to be like Mary. He told me to focus on Him, and choose mercy. More exactly this is what I heard, True disciples don’t stop to debate; they simply focus on the perfecter of their faith! They walk among the scorpions and snakes, as they walk within the Lord’s sacred space. (Poetic Sermon Luke 10 Part 2)
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I have to divide
Luke Chapter 10 into 3; because really… when Jesus is about to give a thanksgiving blessing, I am certainly not going to rush past Him! I ended Part One of Luke Chapter 10, with verse 20; the verse that comes right before Jesus gives His prayerful blessing. In the poem I wrote yesterday, Jesus told his disciples to take heart and rejoice not because they could cast out demons, but because “their names are registered in Heaven.” I was so perplexed when I read these words, because Holy Spirit totally revealed the reason for the census. God is perfect, in every way! He keeps an accurate account of every human who belongs to Him, and the Kingdom of Heaven. Can you imagine? Your name being written into the Census of God’s Kingdom. He said to his disciples, “Rejoice BECAUSE you are registered in Heaven.” Isn’t that the most beautiful thing you have ever heard? The Highway to Heaven had been incurred. 72 disciples, marching in pairs; following instructions, given by the Lord. The feet of Jesus, marching straight ahead; obedient sheep, following the voice of their Shepherd. Walking cautiously, as lambs among wolves; keeping in step with Jesus’s marching orders. Blessing homes, and listening to the Will of God, who would tell them when to stay, and when to shake the dust from their feet, and move on ahead. Teaching open hearts about the Kingdom of God; declaring the Good News to all who respond. Casting out demons, and breaking strongholds; then turning around and going back to the Lord. Wow! I can hear their marching feet, systematic, and in sync. This is amazing to me! Disciples of Jesus carrying out Kingdom citizenship duties. How lovely is the Lord? Holy Spirit wisdom is to be adored! True disciples don’t stop to debate, They simply focus on the perfecter of their faith! They walk among the scorpions and snakes, as they walk within the Lord’s sacred space. This is the prayer that Jesus gave when his disciples returned back to him. I pray it will touch you, the way it touched me, a faith-filled believer who has been given spiritual eyes to see. At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do." “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.” Luke 10:21-24 Thank you Lord for praying this blessing over your disciples; and thank you for praying this blessing over me. Before I even began to pen
Luke Chapter 10 - I was flabbergasted when the first sentence said that the Lord chose 72 disciples to send on ahead! Have I really been that ignorant to not understand that Jesus had at least 72 students following him? I always thought it was 12, but there were so many more. As I continue reading scripture I am going to keep my heart open and be ready to learn more. Jesus sent them in pairs, to the places he planned to go. He gave them these instructions, “Do NOT stop to greet anyone on the road!” He told them he was sending them as lambs among the wolves. He told them to be careful, and NOT to move around from home to home. He instructed them to take nothing with them, not even a travelers bag! He told them to accept hospitality because those who work deserve to be paid. He told them the harvest is great, but that the workers are few. He encouraged them to pray for more workers to do the work that they do. He reminded them to seek the will of God when they enter a home; and if the people are peaceful then that is where they belong; but if the people are hostile, then he told them to wipe the dust from their feet and continue to move on. Jesus said, “Anyone who accepts your message is also accepting me, and anyone who rejects you is rejecting me. And anyone who rejects me is rejecting God, who sent me.” Luke 10:16 This is what helps me to speak out His Word! It is HIS message, and NOT my Word to give. If they mock it or deny it, then they are not rejecting me, but are really just rejecting God. Because truly it has nothing to do with me. It’s about carrying out my duty as a soldier of the Lord's army. Back to the story, when the 36 pairs returned to their home, they shouted out with joy at what they had done. They said, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!” And Jesus affirmed them, and told them what he saw happen in Heaven. He said, “I saw Satan fall from Heaven like lightening! I have given you all the authority over the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them!” Luke 10:19-20 Wow! I don’t remember that! I mean, I remember what has been told to me; that I have authority over the enemy. And I knew I could stomp on Satan’s head, but I don’t remember reading or being told that I would walk among them! “You can walk among snakes and scorpions” comes BEFORE crushing them! So what, or who, are these snakes and scorpions that Jesus speaks of? Are they not the fallen angels, like Satan, who have been thrown down from Heaven? We walk AMONG the demons! But don’t be alarmed, Because in the name of Jesus, we have the authority to stomp on their heads! But how can we crush them when we don’t even see them? This is my question. I do know the reason because Holy Spirit has given me understanding and wisdom. The answer lies NOT in the physical eyes of men. The answer lies in the activation of a spiritual sense. So, if the spiritually blind lead the spiritually blind then it’s easy for us to be overcome by demons, because we have not been taught a spiritual education. Without Jesus, or the leading of the Holy Spirit, then how in this world do we know how to fight and defeat the invisible demons? If we only see everything as human, then we stand defenseless to the enemies found in Chapter 6 of Ephesians. Ministers of the Word will use human understanding to teach people heavenly things, and their teaching will lack Holy Spirit wisdom. Few will comprehend the unseen realm, and only those who have experienced divine intervention will occupy the realm of spiritual wisdom. This could be a problem for those not led by the Word, because they may not have the wisdom to understand what they heard. There are many voices in the spirit world, but there is only ONE Spirit that truly matters. Holy Spirit has the ability to be anywhere at any time. He lives on the inside and the outside of men. He is present in everything created, as long as God has not called it dead. He can speak to us through the wind; but his temple of worship lies in the hearts of reborn men. I think this is where I need to end. I will have to create a Part 2 for Chapter 10. But before I end, let me highlight the last sentence - verse 20 from Luke Chapter 10. Jesus says, “but do not rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in Heaven!” Luke 10:20 Oh My God! Holy Spirit just showed me the importance of the census! It’s an accurate account of the people who worship almighty God. We learned that at least 72 disciples marched onward, two by two, they went forward following strict orders from the Lord. The Book of Numbers is coming to mind; when God had a desire to count the tribes. The Lord has favor, and He has lines, and I see Holy Spirit underlining the words in Chapter 10 as His plumb line. Here ye!
Hear ye! Read all about it! Luke Chapter 9 is divided into 12 Headlines, read it for yourself to know how to interpret the times! “Jesus Sends Out 12” It’s the story about 12 students who are sent by their teacher, Christ Jesus, to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God. “Herod’s State of Confusion” It’s a reference to a king who was utterly confused - he thought the man he beheaded may have come back from the dead! “Jesus Feeds 5000” This story is quite interesting! It’s about a man named Jesus who was followed by the crowds because everywhere he went healing power came out. He decided to take care of their basic needs, by feeding 5000 men with only five loaves of bread, and two fish. “Peter’s Declaration” This is a short paragraph that speaks to the identity of Jesus, through Peter’s declaration of Jesus as the Messiah, God's true son who came to redeem everyone. “Jesus Predicts His Death” This morbid headline is not that of a soothsayer. Rather, it’s the message of the Messiah, sent by God the Father. Jesus speaks in private directly to his disciples. He tells them not to tell anyone who he really is. He explains he will be rejected by religious men, and then he tells them when that happens he will also be killed. But then he says, on the third day he will be raised from the dead. After speaking in private, Jesus then turns to the crowds and says the most profound truths that his presence enshrouds. Then there’s “The Transfiguration” It’s an account of the most glorious sight eyes have ever seen! First there was one, and then there was three. “Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy” describes a demon who would not leave a boy alone! He would make him seize, and throw him to the ground. The disciples had done all that they could, but their authority did not seem to work. So Jesus stepped in and gave the command, He rebuked the evil spirit and made him to get out. “Jesus Betrayed” No one knew what this title meant, but Jesus said “Into the hands of my enemies is where I will be sent.” “The Greatest in the Kingdom” This article chronicles a constant argument between Jesus’s students, each one of them wanted to be more worthy than the other. Jesus knew their thoughts, and directed them to love like him. “Using the Name of Jesus” Its a reminder to fully honor his glory and rely on His power. “Opposition from Samaritans” It’s the famous tale of two cities. Jerusalem represents Judah, the bloodline of Jesus; and Samaria stands for Israel, the blood that went astray, and decided to go their own way under King Omri, in 880 B.C. “The Cost of Following Jesus” This is the headline that I went straight to. I wondered, "What is it going to cost me, to follow The Good News?" When I read this section, it reminded me of where I skimmed, from the section under the headline, “Jesus Predicts His Death” This is what I read about what Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Kingdom of God.” I thought to myself, what does he mean? But then the Holy Spirit came over me! Obviously, the Kingdom of God was standing right in front of me! It's literally so obvious, because Jesus is the Key! I am ready, to pay with my life! I am ready, to be a living sacrifice! Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels." Luke 9:23-26 Only the ones who truly know him, are willing to put everything down. That's because they trust and believe that He is the faithful Son of God. Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Read all about it! The GOOD News has come to town! I have a lady
that I counsel, her name is Survivor. She finally renounced being a punching bag for her husband to control. She endured living with him for almost 20 years, because when she got married it was for a life term. Her vow was her word not only made to him, but also to Jesus, her one and only Lord. She entered into marriage thinking “He loves me,” therefore, “he will always protect me.” But what she did not see, was how bad his drinking was, and how much he didn’t understand how to love. And then after having children, and gaining some extra weight - his drinking and hitting got even worse. His fists met her face but his words hurt even worse. He stripped her esteem, then he raped her of her worth. He took away her love and turned it into a curse. He laughed in her face, and called her a disgrace, and all of this happened behind the walls of their living space. Her babies would cry, and as they got older they would scream. She would hide away in her room, praying it was all just a dream. She would go to the church and put a smile on her face because his family were the pastors and were the ones who told her to pray. She tried to reach out several times at first, but they told her to pray and God would help her not to hurt. The church was twisting the truth, by putting the blame on her! Instead of holding him accountable, they maneuvered God’s words. 19 years later, it hadn’t got better. Her children said, “Get out now - because we hate our father.” They were afraid he was going to kill her, and with their encouragement she summoned up the courage to file for a restraining order. Then she changed the locks on her doors, and continued to pray to God for his protection. She was done playing the game of taking all the blame. She knew her children were right, she would have to be responsible for saving her own life. That is when he came knocking at the door, “Let me in, you stupid fucking whore!” “I’m going to kill you, so don’t think you can get away! You are mine - and that’s where you will stay!” He threatened to kill her if she did not let him in, and even though she was afraid, she was not going to give in. This time she would make her stand, “I will never again be treated like a punching bag!” and finally he went away. Now it’s been close to five years, and she is finally able to process her feelings. Her first question in session was not “How could God let this happen?” Her first question was "How could my pastors tell me to stay with him when they knew he was drinking and beating me?” “Why would they make it seem like it was all of my fault, when all I needed was their love and their help? Instead of stepping in and demanding him to stop, they encouraged me to be quiet, and to pray to God a lot!” “You married him, and marriage is for life. There will be problems, so just pray and be a good wife.” Thank the Lord, Survivor changed her church, and her new pastors know the most valuable thing - A church is to love, the way that Jesus does. And that is why they are paying for her counseling sessions. Almost 20 years, that is how long she stayed. Almost 20 years, she quietly obeyed. Almost 20 years, she lived as a punching bag. Almost 20 years, her kids watched in dismay. Killing her would have not worked for this abusive man, because how can you control what you do not have. As a Christian counselor my heart cries out to God. Why would the Church not take HIS behavior into account? Where does the Bible say a man can hurt his wife? Show me the scripture that says any kind of abuse is right! Marriage was never about oppression and certainly not about control! In fact, Genesis 3 only speaks to the fall! Dominion over each other was never the plan at all! A man is to love his wife, and treat her like he would Christ. And a woman is to honor her man, by loving him with her life. But what do you do with the husband who continually beats and controls his wife? Do you give him a free pass, and stay out of their lives? Do you say he has control over what happens in his house, or as the church, do you step in and make him accountable? I mean what the hell! What is wrong with the church? What are we teaching about marriage to the lost and the hurt? And what are we teaching our children when we allow abuse to take place? Aren’t we teaching them the opposite of love, by showing the meaning of hate? Now I’m not saying divorce is the way, because God still hasn’t divorced us. But I am saying accountability matters, right from the very start! The church has to stop twisting the truth, by putting the blame on the victim - decorating it with with all kinds of excuse through the form of dominion! Instead, make the abuser accountable for the actions he has done - give him male mentors who can teach him how to love. As her counselor, I validate how she feels. I also build her worth by teaching her who Jesus says that she is. We look at scripture, and we look at skills All of this will help her to make healthy decisions. The hardest thing she will learn, will not come from me. It will be Holy Spirit that will enable her to forgive. And when that happens, she will be set free from all the hurt because she will truly know how much God loves her. Get Ready for Luke chapter 8 I’m about to open your eye gates; you will see Me coming through - open your ears too, and get ready to hear the truth! What you need to know is that I am the One who can teach you to understand all our Father in Heaven has planned. But I will only give you one piece at a time because my light is too bright for your fragile eyes. I will feed you like a baby, one small bite at a time; and as you mature I will give you a little bit more. Just remember, that I am the One who feeds you Wisdom. Your hunger for me will grow more and more as the wisdom I give slowly opens the door. I am the Lord who held out my hand. I am the Lord who lifted you from the swamp land. I am the One who held you up, and I am the One who led you down the boardwalk. (See The Boardwalk Vision Poem written 4/2/20) Do you remember Me pulling the back the tent? Do you remember what happened when you went in? Immediately you forgot about Me, because you were transformed into a light of God. You became light because He is light, and your whole purpose was to worship Him. But it was not your time to stay with God. He sent you right back to the boardwalk. Even though you did not fully understand, you knew exactly what you were wearing and how to stand! As a warrior - you were sent God’s orders were to stand guard. You are part of the Lord's army, and your mission is to defend Me. You purpose is to stand on the wall, and protect the gate from evil intent. So do not worry what humans think because the spirit realm is what’s at stake. People may give you a hard time, but do not worry about them. Pay attention only to My voice. It truly is the only voice that matters at this time. They will call you a fool. But do not focus on their trivial rules. I am the One guiding you so pay attention to Me, because when I talk to you. It’s not what you hear that is important, because there are all kinds of voices saying the same thing. Even the evil ones speak of Me, and they are so good at deceiving humans. Now pay attention to Luke 8:18, and get ready to focus in on Me. It’s not what you hear but HOW you hear, that makes the difference, through a heart fully submitted to Me, and as you attune your ears to Me, I will give you exactly what you need! You do know, I am not talking about worldly things! I am talking about the Heaven's Key. So listen to my teaching, and I will give you more understanding. As you grow in Me, you will grow in wisdom. For this reason, I’m sharing with you the gift of spiritual discernment. This is part of the armor that you need, to carry out your mission as a warrior for Me. Now be strong, and stand tall, listen to My voice, and protect My wall. There are many who think they have eyes to see, but they are blinded by evil demons. They stand in judgment like the Pharisees, and they reflect a false image of Me. Then there are those who pretend to be Me. They encourage others to look at them, instead of looking at Me. This is the result of bad seed, they sat among thorns and did not grow to maturity. There are many false teachers, who speak ignorantly. They talk about my love, but do not fully know Me. They have partial understanding of the spiritual world, so they unwittingly teach partial falsehoods. People will be confused because they do not understand My purity; they will think human kindness is all that they need, and this deception will keep them eternally separated from Me. People need to know they have an enemy, because without knowing, they are easily deceived. Many will believe they truly know Me, but imagine the shock that will come, when I say depart from Me. It’s so important to prepare the soil for seed; so when the harvest comes the people won’t be thrown away like weeds. It’s time for the teachers to not only share the Good News, but it's time to get rid of the human worldview, and remember the ancient truths! There are those who willingly follow the blind because they do not care to take the time to investigate my line. They pray to statues, and summon in their saints. They act as gods, and their gospel is bent. It’s so important to focus on My Words, because if you don’t humans will remain slaves to the world. And in this kingdom, Satan is the prince. He has permission to rule the wilderness. This is why you see people pretending to be good when they walk into a building one time each week. Men who hold possession as if they were little gods, and women who put on their makeup and run around the town. Children talking back, as if they were fully grown - families completely broken, ending in divorce. Media and entertainment are telling you visions, and demons create channels to exercise human secularism. Where is my church? Does my church feed them, help them, teach them, grow them? What are my students teaching them? Is it only human love? Where are my shepherds leading them? Is it to the land of detriment? Where are my apostles going? Is it only to their home towns? Don’t you know they won’t accept you - that is why you must go out! What kind of words come out prophets mouth? Is it for your glory, or for mine? Did I not tell you that Luke 8:18 would be a verse that you would never forget? Your are a woman like Mary Magdalene. You have been cured of evil spirits, and have been called to follow Me. You are my disciple, and have been permitted to understand these mysteries; and you are growing in spiritual maturity. You understand the Parable of the Seed, and you cling to My words, while you wait patiently. Eventually, all that is secret will be brought into the light and all that is concealed will no longer be a fight. You must tell them I am waiting for my true family to come home. I know they are out there, standing in the crowds. I will find them, no matter where they are. All they need to do is listen for My voice. And when the storm comes, as it surely will, all they need to do is trust and be still. Remind them who I am, and why I had to come, it’s because God is truly, madly and deeply in love with them. You see yourselves as separate, but He sees you as one, that’s because you are made in his image - Father, Spirit and Son. I know it’s hard to truly understand, but that's okay, it will be clear in Heaven. The Spirit of the Lord speaks through my tongue, so know that these words come from the faithful One. God’s way is perfect, and all of his promises are true. He lights up the darkness, to give you a spiritual view. All I ask of you, is to have faith and believe no more no less than the demons of Legion. As soon as they saw Me, they shrieked and bowed down, then they screamed, “Son of the Most High God.” They asked why I was interfering, and they begged me not to throw them down, into the bottomless pit of the underworld. They asked for my permission to go into pigs, and that is when they ran off of the cliffs. But when men saw this, they were overwhelmed with fear, they begged me to go, and leave them alone. So this is the mystery I am revealing to you, Luke Chapter 8 speaks to spirit-filled truth. The light exposes everything, the good and the bad, but people are NOT willing to fully understand. But to you, the warrior on the wall - you have been given discernment for the protection of all. You must speak clearly so my people will know, it's through the spirit, that they can come home. So, do not be afraid! For I am always with you. Attune your ear to me, and I will continue to show you the truth. |
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