Are You Ready?
"Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks." Luke 12:35-36, ESV
Jesus so often challenges us and gives us responsibilities. To those who don't yet know Him as their Lord and Master He says 'repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near' (Matthew 4:17), but for those who belong to Him, love Him and know Him there are further responsibilities as they live in His Kingdom.
I like the simplicity of this instruction 'Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning'. Do you wonder what our lamps could be?
How about our passion for Jesus and the things of the Holy Spirit?
Jesus talks about the light in us. First of all, once we have the light of Jesus burning in our hearts, we must let others know.
Jesus talks about the light in us. First of all, once we have the light of Jesus burning in our hearts, we must let others know.
'No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light' (Luke 11:33).
Then we have the responsibility to make sure the light doesn't go out or grow dim. Jesus says we must be 'careful' about that.
'Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness. Therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness. If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, as when a lamp with its rays gives you light' (Luke 11:34-36).
How can we keep our lamp burning?
How can we keep our lamp burning?
We can fix our eyes on the glory of Jesus and focus on praise and worship to Him. Not only can we pray those prayers of intercession, however short or long, and whatever time of day or night, but we can to continually give thanks and tell Him we love Him (rather than grumbling and complaining).
We can also saturate ourselves in the Word of God each day.
Our eye can look upon its light and take in as much as possible. And yet even that isn't enough. We must also put into practice what we read in the Bible. 'But he said, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!' (Luke 11:28). Yes Jesus is coming back and we must be ready to meet Him at His return, or meet Him before then as we step into eternity. 'This night your soul is required of you' (Luke 12:19 – 21).
In Jesus' illustration the good servant is alert for the return of his master and aims to please him. The master comes back from the wedding banquet is so delighted with this servant that he gives him a huge reward. He actually waits upon him and serves him. What could be more surprising than that?
But the bad servant will be punished, for 'Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more' (Luke 12:48).
Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for the light You bring to me. Please help me to keep it burning. I want to be ready when you return so I can open the door for You and welcome You back. Amen.
THOUGHT: Jesus uses the Holy Spirit to speak to his people, his churches, in the second and third chapter of the book of Revelation.
Our eye can look upon its light and take in as much as possible. And yet even that isn't enough. We must also put into practice what we read in the Bible. 'But he said, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!' (Luke 11:28). Yes Jesus is coming back and we must be ready to meet Him at His return, or meet Him before then as we step into eternity. 'This night your soul is required of you' (Luke 12:19 – 21).
In Jesus' illustration the good servant is alert for the return of his master and aims to please him. The master comes back from the wedding banquet is so delighted with this servant that he gives him a huge reward. He actually waits upon him and serves him. What could be more surprising than that?
But the bad servant will be punished, for 'Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more' (Luke 12:48).
Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for the light You bring to me. Please help me to keep it burning. I want to be ready when you return so I can open the door for You and welcome You back. Amen.
Source: Devotional from Ellel Ministries International - Seeds of The Kingdom 2011 - Today's Writer : Liz Griffin www.seedsofthekingdom.com
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What the Spirit Says to the Churches
What the Spirit Says to the Churches
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To those who are victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. Revelation 2:7 NIV
THOUGHT: Jesus uses the Holy Spirit to speak to his people, his churches, in the second and third chapter of the book of Revelation.
But don't you believe that if we seek God and are striving to worship God empowered by the Spirit, then the Spirit will also speak to us in fresh and powerful ways through God's word?
When we open the Bible, more happens than mere reading!
The Spirit who inspired that word also convicts us and calls out to us and corrects us and seeks to conform us to the will of God and the character of Jesus. So let's open our Bibles with expectation that the Spirit will use these old words in fresh and new ways and give us new insights for our old battles.
Source: Used with permission from "Heartlight" October 15, 2011 The SpiritFire daily devotional email is written by Phil Ware and is a year long devotional walk focused on the blessing of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Visit http://www.heartlight.org/devotionals for other devotionals.
The Spirit who inspired that word also convicts us and calls out to us and corrects us and seeks to conform us to the will of God and the character of Jesus. So let's open our Bibles with expectation that the Spirit will use these old words in fresh and new ways and give us new insights for our old battles.
PRAYER: O God, help me hear your Word in the ways you want me to hear it. Shape and make me more like Jesus, your Living Word and Ultimate Word, as the Spirit works on my heart. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Source: Used with permission from "Heartlight" October 15, 2011 The SpiritFire daily devotional email is written by Phil Ware and is a year long devotional walk focused on the blessing of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Visit http://www.heartlight.org/devotionals for other devotionals.
