Luke 15 - 9.15.25

Scripture

‭‭Luke‬ ‭15‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.””

Observation

In this passage, Jesus is found teaching large crowds of people. Amongst the crowd were tax collectors and notorious sinners listening to Jesus’ teachings. This made the Pharisees and the teachers of the religious law uneasy. How could Jesus associate with such sinful people? Why would Jesus even want to sit down and break bread with them? Jesus knew the Pharisees and religious leaders’ thoughts, so he told them 3 parables to help them better understand God’s unconditional love for all and His desire for all to repent from their sinful ways and turn to Him.

Application

God’s love is for everyone.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”-John‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬ 

Did you catch that? God loves everyone-(the whole world)! His free gift of salvation is for anyone who believes and puts their faith in Him.

You know, we could bad mouth the Pharisees and the religious leaders in this passage all we want. But if we’re honest with ourselves, how many of us can sometimes do the same thing? I know I can be guilty of it. We see a dirty, homeless person on the street. We may cross to the other side of the street to avoid contact. Or you see a guy with all these tattoos and piercings over his body, and you’re already disqualifying him from hearing the Good News because you think, “He’s not into that. He’ll probably yell at me and tell me to go away.” The point is that sometimes we can be too comfortable hanging out with “our own kind of people.” We only want to share the Good News with people who look “safe”, who look polite. We will automatically disqualify people from hearing the Good News about Jesus because they don’t look or dress a certain way. This passage reminds me exactly that the gospel message is for everyone. That Jesus came to this earth, and did what He did, not just for the rich and educated, but for the poor and needy. Jesus didn’t create social boundaries between Himself and others. He went out into the world and taught, touched, healed, and loved EVERYONE He came in contact with. Jesus’ attitude and actions towards others inspire me, and hopefully inspire us all, to go out there and do the same. 

Prayer

Father God, forgive me for “playing it safe”, and holding onto Your gospel message to only certain people. Forgive me for pre-judging and disqualifying others from hearing Your message before even trying. I know You came for all. I know You died for all. And I know You love us all. Help me to share Your message with all. In Jesus name I pray, Amen. 🙏🏽

-Moses Gaddi 

Luke 12 - 9.12.25

Scripture: Luke 12:27-31

27 Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! 29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

Observation

Jesus is speaking with his disciples and he is encouraging them not to worry about their lives and material things. That God loves them so much, much more than the birds and the flowers and he takes care of them. Our lives are much more than food and our body is much more than clothing. He is encouraging them to seek His Kingdom FIRST, then all these things will be given to them.

Application

God has walked me through so many things in my life and when I sit and remember how He showed up and supplied all my needs…it brings me to my knees. When my husband Michael passed away, I could not afford to live alone in my house (Mobile Home). I had too many bills and could not see a way to pay them all. But I did not lose heart, I was in the Word every day, praying scripture over my life. I was praising and thanking Him ahead of time for what he was going to do for me. I stood on these scriptures and reminded God that if he could take care of the birds and the flowers, then how much more he would take care of me. I would remind God every day that I was the “Apple of His Eye” and that He had Good Plans for me. I would recite Jeremiah 29:11 every day. (11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future). I would not allow myself to look at my circumstances, I would just Thank God for His Faithfulness. Day by day God showed up in miraculous ways…money would show up in the mail, God opened the door to have an older man stay in one of my other bedrooms and help with my expenses. My homeless son received a debit card for groceries but couldn’t use very much of it because he had no where to prepare the food. I went and got all the food and then I would make meals for me and take him meals. I even had enough to make extra to help the older man who was living in my house.

I found myself waking up every day excited to see what God was going to do today! One of my favorite verses I used to recite…

Ephesians 3:20 (NKJ) - Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,

I also had so much Joy bubbling up out of me during that time…I laid all my cares and worries on the Lord and He took care of me!

Prayer

Dear Lord, I can never thank you enough for always walking me through these hard trials of my life. You have never left me or forsaken me and you keep your promises to me. Help me to always Trust You in all things and KNOW that You love me more than the birds and the flowers and You will do exceedingly, abundantly more than I can ask or think. You deserve all my praise and worship! You are an Awesome God! Amen

 - Michelle Craig

Luke 11 - 9.11.25

S – Luke 11:1-4; 9-10

1 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

2 He said to them, “When you pray, say:

“‘Father,[a]
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.[b]
3 Give us each day our daily bread.
4 Forgive us our sins,
    for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.[c]
And lead us not into temptation.[d]’”

9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

O -  In this chapter the Disciples are asking Jesus to teach them how to pray. When we look at the order of Jesus’ prayer, we see that he praises God BEFORE he makes his requests. When we praise God first, it puts us in the right frame of mind to then tell him about our needs. We need to be cognizant not to be hurried in our prayer time and just present a wish list to God. He could check off our entire list in a single moment if He wanted to, but then where would our communication and relationship be? These versus focus on our prayer’s content, persistence, and God’s faithfulness. His goal is that we come to Him EVERYday, with ALL of it…our gratitude, our love for him, our fears, worries, hurts, anxieties, hopes and dreams, and pour it all out…not once, but continuously.

A – I love verse three and the reminder that we MUST turn to God daily!  Give us each day our daily bread. God does not provide for us all at once. Could you even imagine?! I’d like to say I would still go to Him daily to tell Him how much I love and appreciate Him, but honestly I think many of us would get everything desired and not communicate with Him again, or just as an afterthought. We would become very self-satisfied. God created us for relationship WITH Him. He wants our constant communication with Him. It was not designed to be one and done. He gives us continued strength and perseverance when we continue to seek Him as our source for all things. Persistence or boldness in prayer overcomes our insensitivity, not God’s. To practice persistence will transform OUR hearts and minds, and help us understand and express the intensity of our need for Him. Persistence in prayer helps us recognize God at work in our lives. When we have been praying for years for someone to be healed, or to come to Christ and then we see that happen ….suddenly…what a WOW moment! You know then that it could have only been at the hand of God.

Let’s be honest, NO one likes the waiting, but God is not just having us sit idly by twiddling His thumbs and watching us squirm. He is working IN and THROUGH us during that time. He is teaching us, molding us, shaping us, refining us to be more like Him all the time, and all the while He is loving us. As much as we want to give our kids everything under the stars, we know that is not what they need. I think we can all agree that raises entitled adults. Sadly, we see this everywhere. God wants the very BEST for us just like we do for our children. But sometimes He lets us hurt because that is where the growth happens, because that is when we recognize our need for Him and Him alone.

Quick story, just last night Dom asked if he could play his video games for an hour because all his homework was complete as well as his chores. The rule is that he cannot play on school days. Is it because I’m just mean? He may think so. But I know that when he is not allowed to play, he finds other, more physically active or stimulating things to do that help him grow as a young man. Now there may not be much mental growth in this example but that kid went on a mission collecting large rocks for our backyard which is something Rich has been doing on his walks with the dogs. He grabbed his backpack and went back and forth on his new bike about 10 times, filling it up. LOL  Now, if I had just let him play on his games like HE wanted, he would have just wasted an hour and got himself all worked up. Instead, he did something to help his dad out, got some fresh air and exercise, and slept like a baby.

P –  Lord may we not give up on praying for the needs in our lives, and may we also remember that our prayers are not a wish list, but a time to reflect, to give thanks to you for everything you are doing in our lives, even when we cannot see it. Help us in our faith to trust that you are working for our good just as your word says. When we are hurting and weary, may we not just think you are mean and turn from you out of anger or frustration, but instead run into your arms just as a child who has scraped their knee runs crying into the arms of their earthly father. May we know that you always have our best interests in mind when you say no, or don’t give us our way. Let us press in and grow! And thank you that no matter how many times we may mess this up, you don’t give up on US. There is nothing we need to do or perfect to have a relationship with you. JESUS is enough! Amen

- Crystal Flory