Luke 10 - 9.10.25

Scripture: Luke 10:25-28

25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

27 He answered, “‘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.’”

28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

Observation

These verses are the foundation for the DSC Mission: Love God. Love People. Make Disciples. Jesus tells us, do this and you will live; put God first in all you do, focus your life on pleasing Him, and everything else will flow out of that connection. 

Matthew 6:33 - But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Application

While studying Luke 10, I came across this quote: “How we respond to our neighbor and how we walk with God are connected.” IVP New Testament Commentary Series. If we are truly loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind (inward), it will naturally overflow into how we love and care for others (outward). And if we aren’t, well that shows too.

I want to love others more - I want to serve, encourage, meet needs, and lead people to Jesus. Those things don’t come naturally to me. So I need to spend more time with the source, sitting at His feet, asking Him to fill me.

Prayer

Lord, help me to submit myself to You daily and allow you to mold me and shape me to Your will. Thank You for a fresh start every morning. As I seek after You, please fill me with Your love for others.

- Debbie Dunn

Luke 9 - 9.9.25

SCRIPTURE:  Luke 9:62

“Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

OBSERVATION

The last verse of this chapter stood out to me not only because of the meat to what Jesus said, but it seemed to encapsulate a lot of what was spoken in the prior verses. There were many examples of what moving forward in a life with Jesus looks like:

·       Jesus sends out the Disciples on a missions trip to do many things by the power of God

·       Jesus shows the Disciples and others about stepping out in faith with the miracle of feeding the five thousand

·       Jesus reveals his Heavenly position during the Transfiguration

·       Jesus heals the demon-possessed boy when the Disciples couldn’t

·       Jesus shows the disciples who will be greatest and the least based on their love and humility

All of these things lead up to the end verse:  you can’t move forward in a life with Jesus or be an effective servant if your heart isn’t in line with serving God, you’re distracted or pulled away from your God given purpose.

The example Jesus gave of the plow is well known to many in His time; however, some today might not know what it does or how it works. To a farmer, a plow is one of the most important tools for when you start to prepare the soil to plant seeds: The plow digs down deep in the soil to carve out an area where to plant seeds so you’ll have a successful harvest. The plow works up the soil, helps break up any hardened areas, and makes the soil just right for planting seeds. Jesus is saying you can’t put your hand to the plow – to do God’s work in the soil of life – and be looking backwards, distracted, or not focused to work the plow. It would be impossible to properly work the plow if your head is turned backwards.

APPLICATION

If you want to do God’s work, and you’re ready to do the work, your head and heart need to be in the right place. Are you really committed to God?  Is your hand on the plow with a firm view, looking forward and ready for all God has planned? Looking backwards takes your eyes off what’s before you and distracts you from what is needed. There is a mighty harvest of planting the seeds of faith by sharing the Gospel, living your life as an offering to God, and being ready for His service. Listening and following the lead of the Holy Spirit is also an important part (and something that I’m working on). God’s work requires no distractions that would take your eyes off of Jesus. These distractions can be idols in your life, your focus on family, friends, work, possessions or anything in this life. Ultimately God needs to be #1 in your life. Everything else is secondary.

Right now we’re in the midst of the 21 day Challenge to read the Word, journal, and grow closer in our relationship with God. The Challenge is a great place to start. God will speak to you. Take the step and begin in ernest with your hand firmly on the plow looking forward to serving the Lord. If you’ve not started yet on the Challenge, there’s never a better time than the present. If you’re struggling knowing where to start, what to do in your relationship with Christ, or if you’ve never made that commitment to Christ, please be sure to reach out to our prayer team for help: https://desertstreams.churchcenter.com/people/forms/3457?open-in-church-center-modal=true

PRAYER

Lord, thank you for the many examples of living for you in this chapter, what that means, and how to achieve it by keeping my focus on following you only. My focus should only be on having Jesus as a top priority in everything in this life. Help me to always have you in focus, not to look for anything else or make anything else a priority in this life except you and service for you. Keep me away from any distractions! If anything becomes a distraction, Holy Spirit, please move me back to the plow and in the direction of Jesus, to do His work on this earth. Find me fit for service for you!  In Jesus mighty name! Amen and Amen.

- Mary Oberg

ps: I wasn’t able to attend church this last Sunday but I just listened to the recorded service entitled “I am the Lord’s servant.” God is so good with his direction in highlighting this scripture and bringing the focus of serving the Lord in our life. God is on the move!! Here’s where you can see and listen to the services: https://www.desertstreams.com/sermons

Luke 8 - 9.8.25

Scripture

Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.””

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Observation

Because of the crowd, Jesus’ mother and brothers couldn’t get to him. Then, Jesus said something really profound about how those who hear God’s Word AND put it into practice are actually His mother and brothers. He was basically establishing who are the true family of Christ.

Before this part of Scripture, Jesus spoke a parable about the seeds that fell into the different types of soil. The seed represented the Word of God. When Jesus interpreted the parable, He did not only say that those who fell on the good soil were the ones who read the Bible. The seed (Word of God) fell on ALL of the different types of locations (rocky, path, and thorns). Basically, all of those people he described had heard the Word of God. The difference is how each of them received it. It was the seed that fell on the good soil that put it into practice. By putting it into practice, the seed produced a large crop!

Application

Read God’s Word, but also put it into practice.

I want Jesus to refer to me as His family member. I also desire to be a servant whose seed falls on the good soil.

We are doing such an amazing challenge right now to discipline us to get into the habit of reading God’s Word daily. However, getting the information into our minds is just the first step. It must lead to transformation. We must be able to apply His Word to our daily lives and have it grow roots in our hearts and souls. People shouldn’t be surprised to find out we are part of the family of faith. It should just overflow from who we are as a son/daughter of Christ.

Is our lives producing the fruits of the Holy Spirit as we read and study God’s Word? Based on Christ’s definition of who His family members are, would He say that we are part of His family?

“Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.” -‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭NIV‬‬

““Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.”  Luke‬ ‭6‬:‭46‬-‭48‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Prayer

Dear Lord,

I don’t just want to go through our 21-day Bible reading challenge without any transformation or repentance occurring. Please reveal to me any ways that I am falling short and ways where my fruit has become stale. Please forgive me for the times I just check off my Bible reading from my list without it producing Your fruits of the Spirit. I pray that You would always remind me Whose I am when I get distracted. I never want Your Word to fall into the wrong soil in my heart. Amen.

-Michelle Gaddi