But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

Luke 8

But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop. v15

This morning I started my day somewhat weighed down by a concern that I am failing to be who God intends for me.  Yet I am uplifted and encouraged by The Parable of the Sower and Jesus' use of the word "persevere".  While I consistently practice spiritual disciplines of study and prayer, there are other disciplines which I fail to study consistently and I often feel like I am not growing and maturing into the disciple God desires for me.

I am reminded of a John Piper post I read recently:
Trust the Process: God's at Work in Your Lowest Times 

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. Hebrews 12:1-2

 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves and who helps carry my concerns and burdens for me - thank You Jesus!  I am undeserving of all the blessings You pour out for me.  I gossip, and I am harsh with my words and actions - please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

They were all filled with awe and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.”

Luke 7

They were all filled with awe and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.” v16

Life is filled with challenges.  For believers, God promises us that we will "have trouble"; as part of His message He tells us also that we can "take heart" because [He] has "overcome the world" (John 16:33).  Our troubles began at The Fall (Genesis 3), when Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden and promised difficult lives.  By not obeying God's instruction not to eat from the tree in the middle of the garden, Adam and Eve sought to be like God and to grow independent from Him.  We all have that urge within us - arrogance - but this leads to destruction because we all need a Savior and Jesus is that Savior.

God does and HAS helped us - He is the Promised Messiah.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who has come to save me - thank You Jesus!  I am undeserving of Your efforts but You are so full of grace - thank You!  Please forgive me because I am harsh with my words and actions.  Help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you.

Luke 7

Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. v6-7

This passage about the faith of the centurion is well known, yet the focus is often on confident faith.  What is striking here is that the centurion is also a man a great humility - how can this be?  Confidence and humility - together?  Yes - check out the short but good blog post by JD Greear, a local pastor here in Raleigh.

See also posts from DesiringGod.com and I am Iron on this topic. 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who willingly laid down His life to rescue me from the sting of sin and death.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such a sacrifice - I daily miss the mark - I am often harsh with my words.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

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.

Luke 6

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. v46-48

Two takeaways this morning:
1. Build your faith during the good times such that when the difficult times arrive, you have a strong enough faith that you can persevere through the difficult times.  Of course, the difficult times will further sanctify and mold you into more of who Jesus intends you to be. 
2. That our time spent with Jesus in study and prayer is meant to be "spring board" for action, not just words on paper.

During the good times, we can draw upon our growing knowledge of the Bible, the increasing power of prayer in our life, and a deepening well of gratitude of what God has done for us and continues to do for us.

John Piper and DesiringGod.com on building faith during the good times and how trusting the sanctification process can help us: 
How can I have faith in times of crisis?
Trust the Process: God's at Work in Your Lowest Times

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who has done much in my heart and life - thank You Jesus!  I am not worth all of the rich blessings You pour out for me - I am undeserving.  I daily miss the mark - please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Luke 6

A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. v38

Luke's version of the Sermon on the Mount (see also Matthew 5-7) includes verses instructing us to avoid judging others and instead focus on our own sin.  At the same time, as we look inward, we are to examine how we are good stewards on the gifts (time, treasure, and talents) God has provided us.

Jesus words on this subject are also recorded later in Luke in chapter 12: 
 
From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. Luke 12:48

I know God has blessed me beyond what I deserve in terms of time, treasure, and talents, and I am hopeful and prayerful that I am a good steward of these blessings.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who has blessed me beyond what I deserve. I am grateful for Your grace and Your sacrifice - the greatest gift of all time. Thank You Jesus - but again, I am undeserving.  I daily miss the mark.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Luke 6

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. v36

This is often difficult for me as I can be arrogant, judgemental, and harsh. Yet I am thankful that over time, God has helped me be more patient and merciful with, and forgiving of others.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an awesome God You are that You not only came to rescue me but You are ALWAYS with me and You hear and respond to my cries - thank You Jesus!  Thank You for molding me into someone more like You.  I am grateful!  Yet I am undeserving because I know that daily I miss the mark.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior. Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.

Luke 6

Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you, and insult you, and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. v22

I don't think I am hated, excluded, insulted or rejected because of my faith, but I also don't try to hide my faith and love of Jesus.  God wants us to be a light and for me this in my house, my neighborhood, in my community, my workplace, wherever I am.   

I am reminded of Paul's words to the church in Colossae:

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. Colossians 3:23-24

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God and I love You - You came to save me, knowing everything about me, including my sin and You continue to be with me - thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love - I am easily distracted by earthly and worldly matters.  Please forgive me and help me turn from and overcome such sin by turning to You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind, and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.