11.25-We are sent by God out into each day to be in places where Jesus is needed.
11.25-
On Monday morning at about 1 AM I wasn’t sleep and went to view the worship service at campus church in Atlanta GA. It was a wonderful time of worship. The songs and the lesson from Luke 10 taught by Dusty Rush fit exactly what I needed. These thoughts from my devotion in Luke 10 are my own, but I have borrowed much here from Dusty’s thoughts, but the additions and conclusions are my own.
We are sent by God out into each day to be in places where Jesus is needed. There is a great harvest of people who are hurting and in need. Compassion means that we do what we can and we beg God for His help to do much more than we can do. He is the healer. He is the ultimate teacher and guide for all of us. We pray for people and God sends us as an answer to our prayers for them.
We are warned by Jesus that we are lambs in the midst of wolves. We are surrounded by a spiritual battle which rages all around us. When the storms of 2020 are over there will be the storms of 2021.
As we go forth as followers of Jesus we are asked to travel light and not overload ourselves with stuff or with money. As we go out we will encounter people who are peaceful, but who need our help. They will partner with us and good work can be done as we team up with peaceful people. As we do our work we will be supported financially for the work we do.
As we go about we have compassion on people as our friend Jesus did.
What if you go to a place where you are not welcomed? Move on to where you find a town that will welcome you.
When you are welcomed you will help people in your job and you will help others with compassion and love. That is where God is working and leading us. Jesus is in the middle of the storm saying don’t be afraid and come to me.
He reminds these workers to be content people. Food. Housing. Jobs.
When you move on because you were rejected or not welcomed it is good to do some self examination and do all you can to improve what you are doing. If it turns out that the move was because of something that you can’t control, determine to remain peaceful. Be better. Not bitter.
Jesus teaches us to be real about warnings for those who make bad choices. Choices have consequences.
As we move out into the need in our town we can and do announce to them by our loving presence that the kingdom of God is coming near to you. We are sent by God to be busy as the hands and feet of service to needs that are storms in our family, friends and community cirlces.
As we go out to love people and do what we can to bless and encourage them it will happen that people of peace and welcoming towns will be turning to God and away from the devil. They will turn from the power of the evil one to load them down with guilt, shame and sin to the power of God who gives us freedom and grace and mercy and peace. We will see the influence of Satan going down and the influence of the Son of God, the God of love will go up. We will see people turn from darkness to light. Satan will fall in more ways than one. Business will change from bad business to good business. Worship of money and things will move to a motivation of love for people. Changes will happen in our town.
Rejoice. Yes. Rejoice especially that your names are recorded in heaven.
Rejoice with Jesus that His truth is revealed to the children. They know and understand God’s love. Unless we repent and become like children we can’t see the Kingdom of God.
Larry Wishard
Luke 10.
10 Now after this the Lord appointed [a]seventy others, and sent them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come. 2 And He was saying to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.
3 Go; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. 4 Carry no money belt, no [b]bag, no shoes; and greet no one on the way. 5 Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house.’ 6 If a [c]man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay in [d]that house, eating and drinking [e]what they give you; for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not keep moving from house to house. 8 Whatever city you enter and they receive you, eat what is set before you; 9 and heal those in it who are sick, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But whatever city you enter and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your city which clings to our feet we wipe off in protest against you; yet [f]be sure of this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ 12 I say to you, it will be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city.
13 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the [g]miracles had been performed in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago, sitting in [h]sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will be brought down to Hades!
16 “The one who listens to you listens to Me, and the one who rejects you rejects Me; and he who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.”
The Happy Results
17 The [i]seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” 18 And He said to them, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning. 19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.”
21 At that very [j]time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I [k]praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. 22 All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.”
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