Luke 11:14

Luke 11:14 says, And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered.  Jesus cast out a devil from a person who could not speak, and then the man spoke.  When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, their is no demon that He does not cast out, and we are able to speak the truth spiritually for the first time and it have meaning.  Verse fifteen adds, But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils.  Some people may have given Jesus praise for what He had done, but many tried to discredit Him by saying He was casting out devils by the power of Beelzebub, or Satan, the chief of the devils.  There are still many people today who see a miracle and want to give credit to anyone but God.  Verse sixteen continues, And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven.  Still others wanted to tempt Jesus by asking for a sign from heaven.  We do not need to ask for some separate heavenly sign when we see a miracle from God today, but simply need to accept the miracle itself as a sign of God's love and mercy.  To do less is to tempt God. Verse seventeen declares, But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.  Jesus didn't just hear their words, but He knew the thoughts behind their words as well.  It is our thoughts that are important to God.  Jesus said a house divided against itself will fall.  Verse eighteen adds, If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub.  Jesus asked that if Satan was divided against himself, which he would be if Jesus was casting out demons in the name of Beelzebub, how could Satan stand.  What we need to realize is that all evil is under the power of Satan and all good is under the power of God.  Verse nineteen continues, And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges.  Jesus asked if He was casting out devils by the power of Beelzebub, then by whose power were their sons casting them out.  There were other men of Israel who were casting out devils in God's name, and they were praised.  Jesus had sent out some who did so.  We cannot attribute the miraculous work of God through certain people and attempt to discredit it through others if we are to be true followers of Christ.  We cannot be a divided house of God and be successful in advancing His kingdom as effectively as we should be.  Verse twenty states, But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.  Jesus said that if He cast out demons with the finger of God, then the kingdom of God had come upon them.  As followers of Christ, all that we do should be done under the power of God, because He is the only source of spiritual power.  Verse twenty-one adds, When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace:  Verse twenty-two continues, But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.  Even though a strong man might have a stronger man take what is his, there is no stronger man than God, nor any Devil that is stronger, so if we put our faith in God, we are secure as long as we retain our faith.  Verse twenty-three declares, He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.  This is a very simple but very profound statement.  We are either for God or against God.  Their is no middle ground.

Luke 11:5

Luke 11:5 says, And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;  Verse six adds, For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?  Jesus asked a question that is still pertinent today.  If one of our friends came to us in the middle of the night asking for bread. to help because of unexpected company arriving, what would we do.  Verse seven states,  And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.  Jesus said the man within told his friend basically to go away and leave him alone.  He had plenty of excuses for this also.  They had no twenty-four hour stores then, and we might add this excuse today.  Just go to the store we might tell them.  Verse eight adds, I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.  Jesus said if the friend continued to knock, the man would get up and help him because of his persistence even if he wouldn't help him as just because he was a friend.  Verse nine declares, And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.  Jesus made a promise that if we seek Him, He can be found, and that we knock to ask of Him in faith, His door will be opened.  Verse ten adds, For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.  Jesus said all anyone had to do was ask and that person would receive salvation from Him.  We don't have to beg, or do great things, but we simply have to ask Jesus for salvation.  Some would make this about asking for anything we want, but that is not what the story said.   The man was asking for something he needed, and until we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, we all need salvation.  Verse eleven asks, If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?  Jesus asked if any father had a son ask for bread would he give his son a stone, or if he asked for a fish, would he give his son a serpent.  This applies to us as children of God asking God to meet our daily needs, but not our daily desires.  Verse twelve adds, Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?  This continues to ask about a father helping his son with his daily needs.  Verse thirteen declares, If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?  This was after the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, and He asked if they being sinful men would help their children, how much more would God help His children meet their daily needs.  If we as followers of Christ have a need today in order to do what God calls us to do, we simply need to ask Him to help us.

Luke 11:1

Luke 11:1 says, And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.  When Jesus was praying, after He finished, one of His disciples asked Him to teach them to pray as John the Baptist had taught his disciples.  We may hear someone say today that they would pray, but they don't know how.  Prayer is simply pouring your heart out to God, and there are no required words or formula.  Verse two adds, And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.  Jesus began to teach them how to pray.  They were to start by acknowledging God as their Father and keeping His name hallowed, or holy.  Then, they were to ask that His kingdom come and His will be done on earth as it was in heaven.  If God is to hear our prayers, we must first acknowledge Him as our heavenly Father, then our prayer must be not for what we want or desire, but for God's will to be done in our life.  Verse three continues, Give us day by day our daily bread.  The disciples were to pray that God would meet their needs every day, and that should be our prayer today.  Verse four concludes, And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.  They were to pray that they were forgiven as they forgave others, and that they not be led into temptation.  We must forgive others as God has forgiven us, and that is undeservedly.  We are also to pray the we not be led into temptation, which can happen if we begin to pray for what we want instead of what God wants for us.  As followers of Christ, we don't need to follow someone else's way to pray, but simply need to bring our cares and concerns, not our wants and desires, to God. 

Luke 10:38

Luke 10:38 says, Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.  As Jesus was traveling, a woman named Martha invited Him into her house.  Jesus always had to rely on the kindness of others for His daily needs.  Martha was likely a widow, and the cost of providing for Jesus and His disciples was not cheap, but she was willing to make the sacrifice.  They did not demand the best of food nor even the best house to eat it in.  Today, too often those who profess to follow Christ want assurance that they will have everything they want before they go, and they want the best food and lodging when they get there.  Verse thirty-nine adds, And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.  Martha's sister Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and listened as He taught.  She was not helping Martha with the preparations.  Sometimes, when we are working to spread the gospel, others are going to be learning more from Jesus about being a Christian.  Verse forty states, But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.  Martha, who had invited Jesus, became upset because Mary wasn't helping her prepare for His visit.  She asked Jesus to bid Mary to help her.  If we are busy doing what we believe God wants us to do as followers of Christ, we should not get upset if it appears that some other Christian is doing less, and we certainly shouldn't tell God to have them join us in what we are doing.  Verse forty-one adds, And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:  Jesus told Martha that she was busy being troubled by many things.  Sometimes, we may feel troubled by all that we feel we need to do for Jesus, but just being busy is not enough.  Verse forty-two continues, But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.  Jesus told Martha that she had missed one needful thing, and that was that she had allowed the preparation of the meal to become more important than spending time with Jesus.  We need to be careful that we don't get so caught up in church work  that we neglect time alone with God.  Jesus said Mary had chosen to do that good part, and it wouldn't be taken away from her.  When we are doing what we believe God wants us to do, we don't need to be worried about what other Christians are doing, and we certainly should never judge them.

Luke 10:29

Luke 10:29 says, But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?  The lawyer, still trying to get Jesus to say something that he could use against Him, asked who his neighbor was when it was determined that God expects us to love our neighbor as ourself.  People are still trying to make Jesus look bad today by twisting or mistnterpting His words.  Verse thirty adds, And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.  Jesus did not answer the man's question directly, but used it as a teaching opportunity.  Jesus said a man went from Jerusalem to Jerico and thieves stripped him of his clothes, wounded him, and went away leaving him in a ditch.  We still hear of much the same thing happening too often today.  Verse thirty-one continues, And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.  A priest, a man who was supposed to represent God, came that way, and didn't even cross the road to check on the man.  He may have felt that he was too busy doing God's work to be bothered, and we need too be careful that we don't get so caught up in religious activities that we don't have time to help others.  Verse thirty-two states, And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.  A Levite, another man of God at least in name, came along, went over and looked at the man, then went on his way on the other side.  Looking on people in need and doing nothing to help them is never enough for us as followers of Christ to do.  Verse thirty-three adds, But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,   Jesus said a Samaritan, someone the Jews would have nothing to do with, came along and had compassion on the man.  Sadly, there are people that we would have nothing to do with as Christians today who have more compassion on those in need than we have as Christians.  Verse thirty-four continues, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.  The Samaritan went out of his way, and at expense to himself, helped the man.  He treated the man's wounds, set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn.  I would assume that the man had been riding his beast, and now he had to walk.  We should be willing to go out of our way to help others, even if it costs us to do so.  Verse thirty-five concludes,  And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.  The next day, the Samaritan made arrangements for the continued care of the man until he was well.  Sometimes, we may need to go beyond just meeting the immediate physical needs of those that we help, and be willing to make sure that they can get back on their feet before we feel we have done enough.  Verse thirty-six asks, Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?  Jesus then asked the lawyer which of these three was a neighbor to the man who had fallen among thieves.  The question of who was his neighbor was the man's original question, and now Jesus was going to allow him to answer it.  At times, God may allow us to answer our own spiritual questions, but as followers of Christ, we will always have to guidance of the Holy Spirit available.  Verse thirty-seven answers, And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.  The lawyer had very little way to avoid answering the question without saying the one who helped the man, who was the Samaritan, was the neighbor.  Then, Jesus told the lawyer to go and do likewise.  We don't need to ask questions to limit who we help today, but simply need to help those that we come into contact with in any way that God leads us to do.

Lukec10;21

Luke 10:21 says, In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.  Jesus said that we cannot know Him and come to Him through earthly wisdom, but can only come as babies, helpless by our own understanding and power.  Education and earthly power or position will never bring us to God.  Verse twenty-two adds, All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.  Jesus said the heavenly Father gave Him all His power, and that only He knew Who the heavenly Father really was.  Likewise, only the heavenly Father knew Who Jesus was, and those that the heavenly Father revealed the knowledge of Who Jesus was to.  We can know Who Jesus is, but we can never know all of Who God is.  Verse twenty-three states, And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:  Jesus privately told the disciples that eyes of those who blessed what they saw, the miraculous works of Jesus, were blessed.  We are still blessed when we see Jesus Christ for Who He is, and that is the Savior of all who will accept Him as such by faith.  Verse twenty-four adds, For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.  Jesus told the disciples that many prophets had desired to see and hear the things that the disciples saw and heard, but they hadn't seen nor heard them.  A desire to hear and see about salvation is not enough until Jesus comes to us and we accept Him by faith.  Verse twenty-five says, And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?  A lawyer stood up and asked Jesus what he had to do to receive eternal life, not because he really wanted to know, but to tempt, or somehow trick, Jesus. There are still people today who question Jesus, not because they desire to follow Him, but in order to somehow discredit Him.  Verse twenty-six adds, He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?  Jesus asked the lawyer what was written in the scripture and how did he interpret it.  We must acknowledge God's law and what it means if we are are to follow Jesus Christ successfully.  Jesus said He did not come to destroy the law, but to fulfill it.  Verse twenty-seven continues, And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.  The lawyer answered that we are to love God with all our heart, soul, strength and mind, or with all the we are in other words, and that we are to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.  The lawyer knew what was required, but he had not put his faith in it based on the reason that he asked the question.  We may know all the facts about how to be saved, but until we accept them by faith in Jesus Christ, it will do us no good.  Verse twenty-eight concludes, And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.  Jesus told the lawyer that he had answered correctly, and to now go and do these things by faith, and he would have everlasting life.  Of course, the lawyer could not do these things by his own ability and neither can we.  We all fall short when we attempt to come to God by our own merit, which is why faith in Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord is the only way we can have everlasting life.

Luke 10:10

Luke 10:10 says, But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,  Jesus also told those disciples what to do in a city that would not receive them.  Verse eleven adds, Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.  They were to go out in the streets of those cities, shake the dust off their feet, and tell the people there that the kingdom of God had come nigh to them.  They were not to rant and rave, but were simply to tell the people in those cities that they had been given the opportunity to become a part of God's kingdom.  We are not to be angry at people who will not hear us when we witness, but we can at least tell them that they had the opportunity to be saved.  Verse twelve, continues, But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.  These disciples were also to warn the people in those cities that it would be more tolerable for the people of Sodom in the day of judgment than it would be for them.  Those who have a greater understanding of the gospel and reject it will be held more accountable then those who never heard the gospel.  Verse thirteen declares, Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.  There was a warning to two cities in particular, telling them if the mighty works done in them had been done in Tyre and Sidon, that they would have have repented long ago.  Since great works of God have been done in America, and we call ourselves a Christian nation, if people here reject Christ, I believe they will be held more accountable than in places where Christ cannot be preached.  Verse fourteen adds, But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you.  Jesus said it would be more tolerable in Tyre and Sidon, Gentile cities, where His message had not been preached,  than in these two cities.  Verse fifteen continues, And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.  There was a warning for the people of Capernaum, another Jewish city where Jesus had preached, that they might think they were exalted to heaven because the were a part of the nation of Israel, but they were to be cast down into hell for rejecting Jesus Christ.  It doesn't matter if we feel that we are exalted by God because of where we were born if we reject the gospel of Christ.  Verse sixteen says, He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.  Jesus said that those who rejected the disciples that He sent rejected Him and the heavenly Father Who sent Him.  This remains true today of those who reject us when we share the gospel of Christ with them.  Verse seventeen adds, And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.  These seventy that Jesus sent out returned telling Him that even the devils were subject to them when they dealt with them by faith in Jesus's name.  We have no less power when we are truly acting in the power of Christ today.  Verse eighteen states, And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.  Jesus said He had seen Satan fall from heaven.  His power had always been limited, and it still is today.  Verse nineteen adds, Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.  This did not mean that these disciples were to go out and look for serpents and scorpions to walk on to prove their faith, but that if they were to step on them while proclaiming the gospel that they would have no more power over them than any enemy of God had.  They were secure in their relationship to God through faith in Jesus Christ no matter what.  If we stand for God, nothing can stand against us.  Verse twenty continues, Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.  Jesus told these disciples not to rejoice in their victory over demons, but to rejoice that their names were written down in heaven.  This is reason that we should rejoice today as well.