H.E.A.R. the Good News Mark 8:36

H. Vs. 36: “what good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?”

E. Jesus was speaking with the crowds and his disciples, that whoever wanted to be his disciples would have to take up their cross and follow him. They have to let go of the world and save their souls.

A. We can be taken in by the temptations of this world so easily. We have every sin at our beck and call, waiting to soak up our very being. The world can make you lose yourself, and take your soul! If you don’t come to Jesus and follow him, that means an eternity in hell. I want an eternity in Heaven. Don’t you?

R. Oh Father in Heaven, I don’t want to lose my soul for anything of this world. The world is rotten Lord, and it will rot us from the inside out if we let it. Father you are the only safe place, the only redemption we have. Father, I declare my soul belongs to you. I don’t want to lose my life, I want to save it! Thank you for your Son and your sacrifice that I may live! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Tis’ the Season

Well it’s the hectic Christmas season here in America…so much to do and so little time to do it! I am a bit behind myself on this blog but I will get caught up soon.

My prayer is that you are all taking the time for God first, so that each day you will know HE is with you and you do not need to stress the commercialized world! Spread the good cheer but don’t forget to spread the GOOD NEWS as well! Christmas first and foremost is about our Savior Jesus Christ born of a virgin and then died for us, only to rise three days later to ensure that the sin we commit can be atoned for and we are justified in HIM, but we must believe! This year, if you don’t believe in Jesus as your Savior, I pray you will open your mind and proclaim HE is Lord of all! I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! ❤ Cindy

H.E.A.R. the Good News Luke 20:38

H. He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for to him all alive.

E. Spies were trying to trick Jesus. Teachers of the law, the Sadducees. People coming at him constantly! Jesus is explaining here the answer to a question about marriage in heaven. They wanted to know whose wife would a woman be in heaven if she was married multiple times. Jesus was explaining when they die and are resurrected there is no marriage. When they die, they are alive in Jesus.

A. People seem to think that when they die, they stay dead. Christians know that if we accept Jesus as our Savior, we only die to this world, we are reborn and when our body leaves this world we rise to Heaven where we live forever! The Enduring Word commentary quotes Spurgeon…” A living God is the God of living men; and Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are still alive.”

R. Father as confusing as this could be to some, I understand that we will not be married to mere men or women anymore. We will be in Heaven praising you all the day long! ALIVE with Jesus! I want to live forever with you! I am grateful that you are the God of the living! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

H.E.A.R. the Good News Luke 19:8-10

H. verses 8-10: But Zacchaeus ( ZUH KEY US ) stood up and said to the Lord, “Look! Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor and if I have cheated anybody out of anything I will repay four times the amount.” 9 Jesus said to him, ” Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too, is a son of Abraham. 10 for the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.”

E. Jesus had stayed at Zacchaeus’ house as he traveled. He saw that he climbed up a tree to see him and that signified his seeking after Jesus. Zacchaeus is repenting, confessing and offering a sacrifice. Jesus is pleased because he says Zaccaeus is saved and he is a child of Abraham.

A. Zacchaeus was repentant. We should always be repentant when we have sinned against God. Many people today do not want to sacrifice anything to follow Jesus and they do not seek him as Zacchaeus did. They are not truly repentant because they do nothing to change their behavior. God knows our hearts, we cannot fool him. God is faithful, he wants to be patient with us, he does not want not even one to enter Hell! Pray to be repentant, check your heart, see if you’re truly sorry for your actions and think about how you can change the behaviors that cause you to sin.

R. Father I love you. Forgive me when I am not repentant. Remind me, show me, help me to stop sinning. I am grateful for your Word that tells me every day whether I’m doing any of this right. Psalm 119:11 I have hidden your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

H.E.A.R. the Good News Luke 18:8

H. verse 8: ” I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

E. Jesus is explaining to his disciples about how persistent prayer is a good thing to do. How he listens and will see that his people will get justice quickly. He wants to know if he will find the faith on earth that it takes to get to Heaven. ( taken from The Enduring Word Commentary.)

A. Sometimes we waver on our faith. We trust him with this or that but won’t be sure on other things. WE MUST HAVE FAITH AND BELIEVE in all things! Matthew 21:22 tells us If we believe we will receive whatever we ask in prayer.

R. Father God strengthen my faith, so when you return I will be so full of faith there would be no questioning it! In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen

H.E.A.R. the Good News Luke 17:23-24

H. Verse 23: People will tell you, ‘there he is!’ or ‘here he is!’ Do not go running off after them. 24 For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightening which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other.

E. Jesus is not coming as a smooth talker that lures you in. He’s not coming as a great evangelist that gets on TV. His returning will be greater than anything we’ve seen and it will be quick as lightening. He tells us he is coming on the clouds and all who know him will know it is him. We should be of sober mind and vigilant, ready to leave this world behind.

A. So much of what satan does is to stop us from recognizing our true God. Oh he will have men on earth proclaim to be him and tell us that we should follow them, but the only man to walk this earth who is the true God, was Jesus Christ. He was perfect and without blemish, without sin and people knew he was God by the miracles he showed them. Any man today could not show us that. If we stay in the Word, we will not be deceived by them, because we will know what God has told us to look for. We must be ready!

R. Father God, I want to be ready to receive the glory that is coming! I want to recognize you and not be deceived by satan. Lord, help me to continue seeking your truth through YOUR WORD, so I will be ready. I don’t want to miss it! The glory, your beautiful Kingdom forever and ever. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

H.E.A.R. the Good News Luke 16:13

H. “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. you cannot serve both God and money.”

E. Jesus told his disciples the parable of the shrewd manager, who was accused of wasting a rich man’s money. When he was to lose his job, he helped the people who owed the rich man cheat him out of his money by reducing what they owed.

A. We cannot serve two masters. If we would sacrifice much for money but little for God, the money is our master. You do not have to be rich to serve money over Jesus. The poor are as greedy and covetous as the rich. ( Taken from the Enduring Word Commentary.)

R. Heavenly Father, I want to serve you not money. I know we need it to survive on earth. I pray that I would make you my master over everything, not just money. Keep me directed towards you, never yielding to anything, bowing to anything or anyone else! Only to you my MOST HIGH GOD, MASTER OF ALL! In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

H.E.A.R. the Good News Luke 15:32

H. verse 32: But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again, he was lost, and is found.

E. The story of the prodigal son is a parable Jesus tells to show that we could never stray too far that he won’t welcome us back with open arms. We are the son and HE is the Father in this story!

A. When we become followers of Christ and are saved we become brand new. But sometimes we stray off like the son in the parable. Jesus will always be there waiting for us when we return because his love is unconditional.

R. Precious Father, I have strayed away so many times before. I have turned my back and I have ignored you time and time again. But you my sovereign Lord, were right there waiting with your mercy and grace, ready to embrace me just like the first time. I don’t want to fail you again Father. I want to be a good daughter, a good disciple. Let me show you Father, help me to find my confidence and help me to always find time to tell others what you have done for me! What you can do for them! I thank you, I am humbled for every time you took me in your arms and welcomed me back! In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

H.E.A.R. the Good News Luke 14:12-14

H. verse 12 Then Jesus said to his host, ” when you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors, if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind. 14 and you will be blessed although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

E. Jesus is telling the guests at the home of the Pharisees not to sit anywhere that might be saved for someone more distinguished and he goes on to say who to invite.

A. He isn’t saying never to invite your family, friends, etc…just remember those others as well. We should not only associate with those who make us comfortable but with those who are not familiar, those we don’t associate with much, those who can offer us nothing like stature or prestige. Let go of pride and also associate with the less fortunate and people who do not look like you or act like you!

R. Father God keep me humble and help me to remember to put others first only after I’ve went to you first. Help me Father to accept those not like me into my world. I want to be more like you! Thank you for giving me a heart for you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

H.E.A.R. the Good News Luke 13:24

H. verse 24: ” make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.”

E. Jesus is answering a question someone asked him, Lord are only a few people going to be saved?

A. Do what we have to, to make sure we are saved! If it were wide for everyone no effort would be necessary. We have to let go of things that wouldn’t get us through the door. We have to bring with us fruit of the Spirit. We have to humble ourselves, repent and confess our sins. If we can’t lay the old down and bring in the new, we won’t fit through the narrow door. One commentary I read said Jesus is asking in a sense are you saved? Will you fit through the narrow way?

R. Gracious Father in heaven. I adore you and I want to spend eternity with you. As a song we sing says, you made a way when there was no way! I want to fit hrough the narrow door. I want to bring fruit with me that is of the Spirit. Continue to show me how to bear the good fruit and how to let go of everything that does not fit through the narrow way you made. Thank you for helping me understand your Word so I can continue to learn what pleases you. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.