Luke 12:34

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Personal Challenge

What really is our treasure? Is it the money that we earn and have saved up for our future? Is it the stuff that we have bought with some of that money? Is it our time? Is it certain people that we put above all others? We all have things in our lives that we value higher than everything else. It is important to do an inventory every once in a while to take stock of what has become important in our lives and make sure that we are prioritizing in such a way to put the treasures of God, the treasures that really matter, at the top of the list. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

Luke 12:32-33

“Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys.”

Personal Challenge

“Life is short, live it with gusto.” “He who dies with the most toys, wins.” This is the sentiment that this would, and the enemy who reigns in this world, wants us to believe. But God tells us differently. If we are members of His flock, we have the true treasures of eternity being laid up for us in the heavenly realm where there is no thief, moth, or decay. If we can truly embrace this belief, then it becomes so much easier to loosen our gripe on the things of this world and give alms to those in need. We can live our lives knowing that no one or no thing can take our heavenly treasures away from us. Glory be to God!

Luke 12:29-31

“And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.”

Encouraging Words

Have you ever been in a situation where you are putting all of your focus into something that you are seeking that every­thing else becomes a blur? It might be that special item that you have lost or misplaced. Or it might be some treasure that you are trying to find. You are so intent on finding what you are seeking and everything else just seems to blur into nothingness. There is joy in the hunt but there is great joy when you finally find what you are looking for. This is what Jesus is encouraging us to do, seek after God and His Kingdom as if your life depends on it (which it does), and He will give it to you. Glory be to God!

Luke 12:22-23

Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.”

Encouraging Words

Sometimes life can press in on us and we begin to feel alone. Sometimes things happen in life where we begin to get worried that we will not make it and be able to meet the needs of our loved ones or ourselves. These times are real and the feelings are deep. Jesus reminds us that we are His children and that He will take care of us. That care may not always be in the format that we expect or desire but it is still there. He knows our true needs, including what we need to learn in the midst of our trial, and He will fulfill those needs. Our prayer should be that our eyes be open to His handiwork. Our prayer should also be that He will use us at He sees fit in the lives of those around us who have needs that are lacking so that we can be part of their journey through their trials in a positive, Christ-illumining way. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Luke 12:8-9

“Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.”

Personal Challenge

What does Jesus want us to do when it comes to confessing Him before men? He wants us to be willing to live our lives in such a way that people see Him in us. He wants our actions to match our words, “I am a Christian.”. We cannot be His representatives if we do not follow in His footsteps and do what He has asked us to do. Confession of Christ before men is much more than mere words. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

Luke 11:23

He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

Personal challenge

Jesus continues to remind His disciples, and ultimately us, that there really is no middle ground as a Christian. We are either with Him and doing things His way or we are not and therefore working against Him. This is so contrary to what the world expects from us. We must make a choice. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Luke 11:17

But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls.”

Personal Challenge

When our Lord Jesus Christ started the Church over 2,000 years ago, did He start up the Orthodox Church, the Catholic Church, or the myriad of Protestant churches that we have today? No! He started up the “one holy catholic and apostolic Church”. The definition of Catholic here is referring to the church universal and not the Catholic church as we know it today. Jesus even prayed later for us to have unity amongst ourselves as His Church. It appears to me that we have veered Very far from His desire for His Church and have actually become a divided house. Isn’t it time that we unify around our Lord and work together to build rather than divide His Kingdom? Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!