NT: The Book of Luke, Chapter 8

Luke 8:1-56

8:1 We get an idea here of just how busy Jesus and the disciples were. They traveled a lot in order to bring this message to as many people as they could. They were spreading "glad tidings." Sometimes I think people forget or either do not realize that the message contained in the Bible is not one to impose rules and fears but is instead a message to bring happiness, understanding and courage to our lives. Jesus worked extremely hard to free people from the chains of oppression not to bind them. 

For people who haven't tried to read it (with understanding), the Bible might seem like a task or a judgmental collection of stories but it's really quite the opposite. Jesus brought a new way of life to people and it saved them from their fears and their adversaries, just as it can do today for us. But like Jesus, the Bible brings relief and forgiveness and teaches us to love and value ourselves as well as other people. That's certainly a message worth devoted your life toward! And that's exactly what Jesus and His disciples did.

8:2-3 Without discriminated, Jesus healed, communicated and worked with many people. During this time, women were not widely respected or appreciated, their voices were not heard or acknowledged, but Jesus interacted with them with the same compassion as He did everybody else. God does not make distinctions based on age, gender, race, social class and neither should we. Moreover, it was a nonissue to Jesus that these women had transgressions in their lives. To Jesus, we are worthy of His love and guidance and He knows that time spent with Him can put us right back on a better path. He's understanding; He knows why we sometimes make mistakes (life is hard and confusing sometimes!) and He works with us to learn from and work through our issues so that they can no longer ensnare us. 

8:4 While Jesus traveled multitudes of people also traveled to be with Him which was a very effective circumstance for reaching many, many people. Jesus began to speak through parable: using parables, similes and metaphors are a fantastic way of taking a subject of deep meaning and translating it into something quite easily understood and familiar. We benefit from His delicate manner of teaching just as much as the people of His time did.

8:5 Jesus Himself will explain these verses (8:6-8) in verses (8:11-15). Essentially this parable is about types of people. God established the Earth and humanity, sprinkled the word (seed in this parable) throughout the world -- and from humanity came a few different types of people:

Type 1: Some seed fell to the side, were trampled down and they eaten up.

8:6 Type 2: Some seed fell on rock and failed to grow healthily because their foundation lacked nutrient.

8:7 Type 3: Some seed fell in thorns and because of this were held back and choked by the thorns.

8:8: Type 4: Some seeds fell on good, fertile soul, grew in strength and were able to spread more seed (grown from their own produce).

Remember, Jesus will explain the previous verses in just a moment!

8:9 The disciples are flummoxed! This is somewhere that God's sense of humor and also His intelligence is especially apparent. Jesus chose 12 disciples, we know that -- but what we may not have realized is that the disciples were...ordinary folk. If anything, the disciples had a more difficult time understanding concepts than did the average person. This was strategic: God chose Jesus' disciples for their kind, productive and faithful hearts but also for the absolute ignorance in the beginning of their journey. Because the disciples had such a difficult time learning (they started from complete scratch!) it gives us the courage to learn these concepts as well. The disciples were not the most intelligent scholars Jesus could find... in fact, they're always confused and completely off-base until He breaks things down into detailed explanation for them (over and over again). They were average citizens... and I think God's purpose in that is so we all feel worthy and capable of working with God. We're all so special to God... we're all capable with God. With determination and faith, God clears everything up for us (just as Jesus will do for His disciples as we continue through Luke).

Going deeper still in the next verse...

8:10 There's another, deeper, reason why Jesus spoke in parables. In inspiring the writing of the Bible, God wanted it written in a very specific and instructive way. The Bible is written so that only those who truly, passionately want to understand may understand. The Bible is written in such a way that our effort to understand it becomes the journey through which we gain wisdom and cultivate perseverance in our souls.

Someone who would not find the Bible to be precious or instructive would not necessarily be able to "unlock" the deeper meanings in the verses. Their understanding of the Bible would be superficial at best and the most important concepts would not appear to them.

And still there's another reason! When someone devote's their time, love and effort to the Bible that person also accepts all of the responsibility that comes with its wisdom. God teaches us and expects us to implement His teachings into our lives. When we know better we also have to be better. God wants for us to be fully informed about the responsibility we are accepting. We will explore this more in Luke 12:48.

In the next verse, Jesus explains this Parable of the Sower.

8:11 The seed is the word of God. God makes His word available to all people, but as we read above, the Word of God is received in at least 4 different types of ways.

8:12 Type 1: This is a person who hears the word of God and doesn't really commit to it, because of their apathy, their faith is underdeveloped and therefore weak -- they make themselves vulnerable to the ways of the world (acquirement of wealth or power or fame) and because of this, they are not happy or content in their lives.

8:13 Type 2: This is a person who hears the word of God and believes in it only on the surface. This person does not put effort or passion behind their hearing it and because of that they quickly abandon it when faced with a situation where they can selfishly benefit from an action contrary to God's word (i.e exacting vengeance, deception, or meanness for self gain). This person never developed their faith and therefore were without the wise-tools given by God to deal with difficult situations productively and peacefully.

8:14: Type 3: This is a person who is largely unfazed by the message God gives. This person's priorities are not at all aligned with justice or kindness and consequently quickly become slaves to "riches and the pleasures of life."

8:15: Type 4: This is a person who hears the word of God, understands the message and loves it. This person is passionate about committing to the mission of bringing, spreading and inspiring compassion throughout humanity. This person is selfless in nature and is therefore patient, strong, wise and has the endurance to continually work with God. 

8:16 God is light, His wisdom is light and His purpose for that light is to gift it to places of darkness. He wants to give His wisdom and support to the places and people without it. God selflessly gives abundantly, what He has is available and given to all who want it. There's no exclusive club!

8:17 Jesus informs us that all wisdom, all understanding is transparent. God keeps no secrets; He is open and giving to His entire family.

8:18 Jesus is saying, now that you know the different types of ways people hear the word... choose the right one! God blesses you with opportunity and success when you pray for that opportunity to be successful in loving and supporting others.

Those who choose the "riches and pleasures of life" will realize that riches and pleasures of life do not give back, they constantly deplete and never bring contentment or happiness. The world (the corrupted, greedy people in it) take and take and take, they never give.

8:19 Jesus makes it very clear to us in this and the next two verses that we are His family. His adoptive mother Mary and her other sons (by Joseph) gather near Jesus but cannot reach Him.

8:20 Some people noticed that Mary and sons could not reach Jesus and assuming they were special in a way that everyone else was not, worried and told Jesus of their presence. 

8:21 Jesus explains that we are ALL special, ALL equally a part of God's family when we hear and accept (with passion and love) the word of God.

8:22 Another lesson for the disciples (and us!) is brewing in Jesus' mind. They begin to launch their boat.

8:23 As they sailed through the water, Jesus took a nap. This is symbolic of Jesus' time away from the Earth, after His crucifixion when He will reside with God again (and will APPEAR to be sleeping to the uninformed).

A windstorm came and it turned into a scary situation for the disciples. This is symbolic of people immediately losing faith in bumpy times -- forgetting that Jesus IS right here with us, just as He is with them on the boat.

8:24 The disciples frantically woke Jesus who was calm and easily quelled the storm. The disciples panicked! They worried they were about to die... they lost their patience, their understanding, their wisdom to work through the situation... they lost their faith that their entire lives were planned and protected by God.

8:25 Jesus asks them: Where is your faith? Where, indeed. Sometimes we have to ask ourselves this very question. We need to make sure that our attention is always on God and with God because our faith is our wings to fly through all difficult situations. 

Someone with developed faith, strong, wise spirituality always remembers and feels God's presence in their lives. 

The disciples are still completely in awe -- they don't yet quite understand the magnitude and the scope of Jesus -- and that's okay! As we spoke about, the disciples go through this detailed journey of learning in order to strengthen their faith and spiritual-work ethic. God is a patient, effective teacher and the disciples were studious students (they just needed extra time and example to grasp the concepts). Many, if not all, of us do.

8:26 And on they went... traveling throughout city after city.

8:27 Jesus encounters a man who is being tormented likely by his own mind (suffering a mental illness). The man had no home, no clothing even... ostracized by his community and also unable to survive in it because of his ailments.

We can also consider the possibility that this man's "demons" were his sinful actions against people.

8:28 When the man meets Jesus, he's ashamed of himself and this is probably because society at the time (not understanding mental illness) made him believe that he was bad.

Maybe this man really wasn't a nice person but either way all people amazed by Jesus' overwhelmingly compassionate presence.

8:29 This is no problem for Jesus, seizures, mental illness,... whatever trouble we are facing our faith and love with God can get us through it.

8:30 The man identifies himself.

8:31 This is a metaphor: this "evilness" sought to save itself. Jesus wants us to know that evil people will be desperate to stay alive and part of the world (so that they can continue to try to own and control it).

8:32 To prove a point, Jesus does as the request... He sends the "evilness" into the pigs.

8:33 The pigs would not accept such a life or evilness. The message here is this: even the animals which humans believe are stupid or useless, yes even they, reject the corrupted ways of the world. Jesus wants us to know just how vile it is to be deceptive and evil. Humans, with so much more brain capacity, should be just as wise... but some just are not.

8:34 The message spread.

8:35-36 The man was healed and bowed before Jesus -- he showed his gratitude toward Jesus and God for restoring his him to his right mind. It's a precious gift offered to all of us... do not take it for granted. People were amazed.

8:37 Some of the people around were not in agreement with the message Jesus taught and wanted to be left alone... Jesus never forces any message on anybody. Keep that in mind!

8:38-39 When God heals us or gives us a gift, His plan is for that gift to continue to spread. The man loved Jesus, he loved the message and wanted to show his gratitude forever... but Jesus taught the man how to best show gratitude... spread the message!

The man lived his life bringing more and more people to God's house and that's such a blessed thing -- to continue to create opportunities for people to realize how inclusive and healing God is for us. Let the way you live your life be a testimony for others to be inspired by. Be useful, be productive with God! It's an honor to get to work with Him... it's an honor to be given something so big there's enough to spread it to others.

8:40-42 Jesus continues to move throughout the city and He continues to meet people and families who need His help. Jesus devoted Himself to God's mission, He helped whoever He could. Jairus' daughter was dying and his faith in God told him that Jesus could help. He had faith!

8:43 Another woman who had a lifelong illness encountered Jesus. She spent her entire life unable to be healed by any doctor.

8:44 Her faith was so strong she knew that if she even touched the clothes of Jesus, she would be healed. This can be understood through metaphor: our faith, if it is strong, can heal and save us even from afar. Develop your relationship with God... He can reach you.

8:45 Jesus gives the woman an opportunity to identify herself... He can feel each of us, uniquely. Of course Jesus knew who it was but He wanted to publicly declare His love for her... Jesus always uses a teaching moment.

The disciples have no idea... they are amazed that Jesus could even distinguish one touch out of the many, many hands which were reaching out to Him. Here is what we need to know: no matter how many people there are, Jesus (and God) always feel us -- they know us, individually and love us so strongly. They do not want us to feel lost in a crowd... they know us through our faith.

8:46 Jesus explained that He can feel the power of compassion taken from Himself and given to another. He gives His whole self to us.

8:47 The woman, awed by Jesus, identified herself timidly. She loved Him so much that being with Him shocked her.

8:48 Jesus wanted her to get this message, personally and directly from Him: your faith has made you well. Jesus is always happy to share and heal and give His compassion to you.

8:49 We return to Jairus -- who is told by another man that his daughter is not able to be saved. The person who told Jairus this had no faith (or at least very weak faith) because with God there is no death for the good and therefore all life is saved. This man says... don't bother Jesus,... as if Jesus could not help! This is certainly a teaching opportunity for Jesus who can ALWAYS help.

8:50 Jesus calms Jairus, tells him not to be afraid... to just believe in the love and power of our life-giving God.

8:51 The family, Jesus and a few of the disciples go into the house. Jesus does not request or require a crowd to see Him work... He's so humble and He wants us to believe and have faith by seeing what God does in our lives // rather than just believe because we've SEEN a tangible thing before our eyes.

8:52 Everyone cried... they did not yet understand God's spiritual dimension in which we all return to... alive and unharmed.

8:53 People were in complete disbelief... they truly did not understand beyond the Earth they were born on. God wants us to understand that our life on Earth is just a fraction of our life... we have eternal life with Him. When we leave the learn, we join Him. 2 Corinthians 5:8.

8:54 Jesus brings the girl from her spiritual life with God back into the Earth and to her body (our soul is separate from our body).

8:55 Her spirit returned. Our spirit, the core of what and who we are exists within our body during Earth but releases to God when we leave Earth. To sustain her body, newly awakened, Jesus requests some food for her.

8:56 Her parents were astonished. What Jesus did for them was something amazing... something that would not yet be understood by other people. Jesus did not want notoriety for Himself, He just wanted this family to live happily in peace and to love God. 

NT: The Book of Luke, Chapter 7

Luke 7:1-50

7:1 Jesus finished teaching those very valuable pieces of wisdom we covered in Chapter 6 and then He continued to move throughout the cities with purpose on God's mission. 

7:2-3 A just man brings his concern to Jesus over one of his servants. We can deduce that this man was a fair and compassionate man, extending his love and attention to his servants. He desperately wants to save this man and so clearly he loves and values him.

7:4 They are earnest in asking for this man's healing... they promise Jesus the man is deserving. This is an entirely selfless act, they come on the man's behalf because he is too sick to do so himself. They do not ask for anything for themselves... only for the help of another, this behavior delights God.

7:5 The man is an upright citizen as well as a faithful child of God.

7:6 This man is humble even though he is clearly very wealthy; he loves God and he understands all of what Jesus is. He feels unworthy. In the presence of such perfect humility and compassion, it's only natural that one would feel this way.

7:7 If not for the love he had for his servant, this man likely would not have asked Jesus for anything... that Jesus would travel specifically to his house is amazing to him, he does not feel important enough for such a visit. However, because the servant is so loved and deserving the man's faith asks Jesus to even just say the words in order to heal him. His faith is strong!

7:8 The man explains his position in society; he has a lot of authority, a multitude of servants... but he deals fairly with all of them, they are like his family. He goes out of his way to protect them -- Jesus of course can relate to this.

It's a grand responsibility to have authority. To remain humble and fair is a task many men in positions of authority have failed at. This particular man, however, has succeeded. 

7:9 Jesus is marveled by this display of faith. He says that even in the city which claims to be so devout, there is no faith as strong as thing man's. 

7:10 Upon returning, they find that Jesus' love has healed the man... even from afar. Our faith heals us, it truly does. God reaches His mighty hand into our lives, organizes and heals all of our troubles.

7:11-12 Jesus and some of His disciples come across a woman who has just lost her son.

7:13 Jesus saw her and had compassion on her. God is focused and present in our everyday lives; He feels our emotions with us. We are so precious to Him, what happens to us affects Him personally.

7:14 Jesus is exemplifying to us an important message: there is no death when you love God. Upon earthly "death" we immediately rise with God --2 Corinthians 5:8. Jesus brought this boy back to His mother but most importantly, He showed her (and us!) that death does not mean "gone." He helps us to deal with the passing of our relatives because He enables us to see that they are very much alive and well and accessible to us through God. 

7:15 Easy. It's so easy for God to put life into our souls... it's His joy. The boy rises and he's well. If this story is difficult for you, understand it at least metaphorically. There is life after this one... there is always life with God.

7:16 This word "fear" is originally translated "fear" OR "revere"... these people were amazed. They recognized Jesus as an exquisite prophet.

God is constantly "visiting" us. He is with us in our lives when we acknowledge and love Him.

7:17 Word of Jesus continued to spread worldwide. 

7:18 John is simultaneously doing his work as Jesus does His. They were both on purposeful, busy missions... they had a lot to accomplish in different places. News of Jesus reaches John and he sends his own disciples to reach Jesus -- it would be a lesson for them, an experience to meet the manifestation of God they loved and learned of from God. John makes a communication connection with Jesus.

7:19-20 John's disciples want to know if this is Jesus come as prophet or king beside God (as He will return in the "end" days). 

7:21 Jesus healed many people in their sight so that they could become witnesses, strong and faithful teachers and spreaders of the word of God -- everything that John had spoken of and taught them was proven before their eyes.

7:22 John was to be informed that his disciples had reached the true Jesus and had received miraculous instruction from Him.

7:23 Blessed are those who do not work contrary to what Jesus stood for: justice, truth, kindness. When we find agreement with Jesus, we bring and support those qualities in the world.

7:24 Jesus began to teach the multitude about John as a prophet of God:

7:25 Jesus does not want them (or us) to be confused or influenced by appearance. Jesus wants us to know that workers of God come as hard, faithful workers... He wants us to understand that God does not send prophets to exude wealth or power... the opposite, God loves the humble and modest. Jesus does not want us to be controlled or awed over people who come in fancy clothing or high places in churches... God does not send people to impress us... He sends people who are willing to WORK and DENY riches/fame of the world.

7:26 Jesus is saying: John may not appear like a prophet you picture in your head... but He is a worker of God, a beautiful, beloved prophet... the prophet of all prophets... a brilliant, dutiful soul and worker of God. 

7:27 John's impact on the world would be so great, he was even mentioned, foretold about in the Old Testament (long before his birth). 

God has always sent prophets to lead and help His children. Be able to identify them (if we are so lucky to be alive when they are!). Do not me impressed by people who appear to be important... God works with those who do not care about gorgeous or fancy clothes or positions... those things do not matter to God at all.

In fact, while millions of God's children are impoverished... without food, safety or shelter, wealth disgusts God... it makes Him so sad to see money, time and energy wasted on frivolous things when it could be saving people.

7:28 Jesus wants us to understand that John, modest as he is, is the most beautiful soul to enter onto the Earth. Jesus also wants us to understand how much EVEN MORE pure and compassionate those in heaven are. God's dimension, the space in which He exists and we gather with Him is unimaginably luminous and empathetic. We have that place to look forward to -- and we can take comfort that our loved ones are there, comforted and safe and loved.

7:29 Everyone listens to and loves the message Jesus gives -- for this is most important. Baptism is a representation of our beliefs but our beliefs must be true within our hearts or our baptism does not count.

7:30 Despite Jesus' best, selfless teaching, the Pharisees still defend their power and wealth and reject God's teaching.

7:31 This upset Jesus, He gave us an explanation of these types of people... they are like ignorant children. 

7:32 They constantly whine and throw tantrums for attention. They contradict themselves, their selfish argument makes no sense: 

7:33 They reject John because he came constantly working hard teaching and baptizing...they reject him as a prophet because he does not look the glamorous part they have in their heads... and yet...

7:34 They reject Jesus for teaching, eating and drinking (enjoying relaxed, celebratory moments) with the people (children of God). They reject Jesus for doing the things they rejected John for NOT doing... bizarre, illogical arguments.

7:35 Wisdom is justified by her children: God finds comfort, and wants us to find comfort and peace in the fact that ultimately, compassion and wisdom is justified, is solidified, is realigned by the children of wisdom -- the people who defend it, live it, support it in their every day lives.

7:36 Jesus sits with everyone -- even, especially, His adversaries... He wants to reach them. God's love is inclusive, offered to everyone. Jesus practices what He preaches (Luke 6:27-36).

7:37 A woman, who has no been her best... she has made mistakes (as we all have) finds out that Jesus is near her... she brings a precious oil to Him to show Him her love.

7:38 This woman is overcome with love for Jesus... she is overcome with sorrow for the mistakes she has made (His presence exemplifies for her how great we can aspire to be) and she gives Him her love and attention and faith... she gives her whole self to Him... that is what HE gives to us -- everything, all of Him.

7:39 These are not just stories! These are lessons we can learn from: the Pharisees hate this woman, they reject her. They look at Jesus with disbelief and disfavor because He has compassion for her. This shows us what type of people they are -- cruel! 

7:40 Jesus accepts and uses this as an opportunity to teach a message dear to His heart: 

(Side note: it's difficult to remain calm and organized when we are upset. Jesus loved this woman, it hurt Him to see her treated so cruelly and unfairly... He needed to remain composed, despite His sorrow, in order to make the moment useful) We also can be much more productive and insightful when we are able to compose ourselves -- we can do so much good when we do not immediately react with anger and neglect to solve the issue head on.)

Jesus has a message...it's a metaphor! 

7:41 A man loans two people money. To one person he loans a little... and to another he loans a lot.

Metaphor: God gives to all of us -- Forgiveness. To some of us He gives more than others because those people require more.

7:42 Neither person can repay the man. The man understands. Which person is more grateful?

Metaphor: It's difficult to repay forgiveness... it increases in difficulty the bigger the transgression.

7:43 The person who is forgiven for more ( for worse behavior) is more grateful because their gift was all the more generous, they felt less deserving but received so much.

7:44-45 Jesus highlights the love, faith and compassion the woman had compared to the people who invited Jesus. He wants them (and us!) to understand that God values compassion, love and faith and this woman made a great, sincere display of it... without ceasing. 

7:46 Sincerity always counts with God. This woman wanted to show, do, work with her faith.

7:47 It's precious to God when one of His children who was wicked turns their heart, changes their ways and becomes kind. He loves them so much for experiencing the pull of evil and then rejecting it! They climb from such a deep, dark place into the light and God is proud of the effort.

7:48 He forgives her of everything -- because she is sincere in wanting to be better, kinder, more compassionate. Jesus, through God, forgives us of everything when we ask because that forgiveness gifts us with love and appreciation for ourselves... forgiveness from ourselves so that we trust ourselves and believe in ourselves to be better (rather than focusing on our short-comings and being held down by the reminder of them).

7:49 The haughty adversaries completely ignore the message and continue to focus on their rejection of Jesus.

7:50 Your faith has saved YOU. Your faith saves you because it gives you purpose. Along with purpose, your faith gives you the courage to accomplish so much in the name of compassion for others. Additionally, it gives you the love and comfort from God to heal from and then share with others. Your faith saves you because God opens your heart and mind to instruction and you become wise, determined and motivated. You see and perceive clearly and fully and that enables you to navigate the chaotic world.

Go, truly in peace, because God has filled you with happiness, taught you to cultivate it. You have an endless supply of His complete love.

NT: The Book of Luke, Chapter 6

Luke 6:1-49

6:1 Jesus and the disciples had been working hard and learning so much. As they traveled, the disciples began to pluck and eat some of the grain they passed through.

6:2 The Pharisees, obsessed with rules rather than common sense, reprimanded the disciples for eating on a day which was set aside for God. 

6:3-5 Jesus reminds them of scripture in which David and those who were with him were allowed to eat because of their hard work done in God's name. Be able to discern rules made by men and guidelines given by God. Of course a person can eat whenever they are hungry! God's day is everyday. Everyday we devote our time to focusing on His word. The disciples were focused, they were actively learning and therefore were doubly welcome to eat.

These verses refer to 1 Samuel 21.

6:6-7 These verses (previous and following) truly teach us to pay attention to common sense in our lives. The Pharisees wait and watch for Jesus to make a mistake and break one of their rules. Jesus is not under their command. Jesus continues to teach and heal regardless of their random, senseless rules.

6:8 Jesus knew their thoughts -- God sent Jesus on a mission and He properly equip Him with the wisdom He would need to complete it. Jesus' perception is a lesson for us as much as the messages He actually spoke: observe and analyze your surroundings so that you're always informed and prepared. Jesus plans to heal this man with the withered hand and also to teach a lesson.

6:9 Jesus questions their common sense: of course the answer is that in any opportunity we are able, we should do the right thing: helping, supporting, loving,... regardless of a rule. It's always an appropriate time to do and be good.

6:10 Jesus heals the man, solidifying the point that senseless rules should never hold us back from doing the right thing.

6:11 The Pharisees are not looking for truth or logic, they only want to protect their control over the city and Jesus' teachings were challenging their authority. There are plenty of people who are like this today in our world -- people who protect their own agendas, oppressing people only to retain their power and wealth.

6:12 Truly beautiful. Jesus allocates time to speaking with God... even an entire night. We derive our strength and our wisdom from God. His compassion motivates us and propels us through life. Discussions with God are filled with empathy as He pours courage and understanding into our souls. It's a complex world, we need a resting place and our perfect God contemplates every issue with us and becomes our rest and our wisdom.

Jesus accomplished so much despite having such a worldwide, difficult task. He communicated with God in order to do it properly, effectively and fully. Jesus is going to be the Teacher of the world, the creator of teachers to come... He pulls the lost out of the muck and gives them purpose and love -- to do this, He works directly with God.

6:13-16 Jesus chooses His disciples. These men will continue after Jesus' crucifixion to become teachers of the world, spread out to reach so many more: Peter, Andrew, John, James, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James, Simon and Judas and Judas Iscariot.

6:17 The disciples accompany Jesus as He teaches multitudes of people. Their rich lessons are in the experience of being with Jesus, watching Him and listening to the teachings He shared with all people.

6:18 Jesus heals all ailments. No matter what you're facing, God has dealt with it before in caring for others Ecclesiastes 1:9-10. God has power over everything and when you develop your relationship with Him, He gives that power to you -- the ability to overcome all things, mental or physical.

(Side note: The Book of Ecclesiastes is a resplendent book of healing and guidance. Perfect for the weary or disheartened).

6:19 Everyone wanted to touch Him, to be a part of Him... the amazing news is, we are all a part of Him if we chose to be. God will put His hand into our lives the instant we ask Him to with all of our hearts, Jeremiah 29:13.

The next few verses are instructive of the compassion we should develop within ourselves and also are informative of the type of love God gives and protects.

6:20 Blessed are those who lack but are kind... blessed are those who give all that they have, all of their energy and compassion to others for this is the way of the kingdom of God.

6:21 Blessed are those who are hungry now, hungry for God's truth, for He will fill your hunger with abundance. When you desire it, God will fuel you with knowledge and love.

6:22 Blessed are those who remain kind and strong despite being unfairly treated and excluded. Blessed are those who are unfairly labeled and hated for their faith. Blessed are you who is a pillar in support of God's house... He hears you, He is with you.

6:23 Rejoice... your work is important. Rejoice, many prophets before you have devoted their lives to defending equality and truth and it's a blessed mission. You are seen, you are heard, you are acknowledged and loved by God. You join a valiant army.

Appreciate yourself for your courage in the defense of others' safety and just treatment -- it's a magnificent purpose to have.

6:24 Woe to the people who place value in wealth and defend and protect their wealth before (or instead of) defending and protecting others. A greedy person rejects the principles God has created and therefore their only life is this life (which is often lived unhappily by the greedy -- their acquirement never reaches a point of satisfaction or contentment). Fulfillment is created by kindness.

6:25 Woe to the people who are filled with the ways of the world: competition, lust, greed, wealth, selfishness. Woe to them because theirs is an empty, superficial life.

6:26 Woe to the people who are praised and celebrated for living hypocritical lives. Woe to the people who receive fame and wealth from living selfish lives. Be able so discern a true, honest person from a hypocrite who is revered by others without having done anything beneficial in their lives.

The following verses seek to teach you this message: While you should never let any person use or abuse your kindness, you should give your attention and compassion to all people who need and deserve it. In your interactions with people: always be fair and generous. If someone rejects you or uses you, shake the dust off your feet and move on -- Matthew 10:14, Luke 9:5, Mark 6:11.

6:27 Never reduce yourself to the standards of cruel people. As Jesus did, interact with all people fairly. Have love in your heart at all times, it gives you life, hope and optimism.

6:28 The best gift and worst thing you can do for your enemy is to bless them and pray for them. For an evil person to one day realize their actions and feel sorrow and shame for them, is the heaviest burden they will ever carry and at the same time, the forgiveness they receive for working to be a different person will transform the world -- it will create a light where there once was darkness -- Matthew 5:46-47.

6:29 As many times as someone sincerely needs your support, offer it to them. Humans are fallible, oh are they fallible! We make a lot of mistakes and sometimes we don't learn from them the first... or second time. Use your perception to decide when a person is truly trying to be better and help them if you are able. Our ultimate focus should be on inspiring light in the world.

6:30 If people are in need, do not haunt or hunt them for repayment. Do not make someone work or earn something you could give them freely. If they deserve it and need it, give it to them as selflessly as God gives to you.

6:31 This verse truly simplifies any challenge you will ever face: Do to others what you would want to be done to yourself. God wants us to be as fair with our fellow humans as we are with ourselves.

6:32 There is so much sense in this verse, I love it: what more are we doing if we are only kind when it's easy? What more are we doing if we are only giving when it does not effect us?

6:33 Even evil people are nice to their friends -- they aren't kind to anyone outside of their circle. We do not want to be like that! We want to be kind and fair to all people.

6:34 When you give something, your love... your time... your energy... do not require repayment for it. Give freely and fairly. Do not give in order to receive something for yourself... that is not an act of kindness, it is an act of selfishness.

6:35 Exude love. Exude kindness without discrimination. Let it, humility, be your trademark... your compassion should be visible to all. God loves all of His children, when they make mistakes He works with them to fix them and learn from them (if they are trying!). God wants us to learn from His example, He loves all of us even though we fall short (sometimes frequently!).

6:36 Be merciful. You were created by a merciful entity, it's in your soul's genetic makeup. Let compassion illuminate your eyes.

6:37 It is sometimes easy to look with disfavor at something, someone or some idea that is unfamiliar to us because we do not understand it. Remember that each person experiences their own unique experience on Earth and that we cannot possibly understand the reasons behind their actions -- but God understands and He asks us not to judge each other. Life is complex, sometimes difficult, and we are surrounded by competing ideas and nations... we are fallible and sometimes easily influenced (by things we shouldn't be!) We are vulnerable beings and so we should be merciful with each other. Our circumstances shape who we are and sometimes it's a little bit out of our control... in order to gain control, we need people around us who support us and teach us with their compassionate actions.

God is going to deal fairly with you. How you have treated others explains to him how you feel you, all people, should be treated. He listens.

6:38 How you measure others is how God will measure you. Take into account the challenges people face (both the ones you can see and the ones you cannot). Give people room for error, they deserve it... just as you deserve room to make mistakes.

6:39 Humanity will make no accomplishments if they are not working together and focused with purpose. Chaos ensues when nobody thinks or works to be productive and inclusive. We rise out of our difficulties together when we work together... likewise we circle in an endless cycle of frustration when we are unfair, unkind and unproductive in interacting with each other.

Work to build bridges between cultures: languages, ideas, customs, traditions! We are all Humanity -- working hard to define our world and survive it. We share a core purpose and there's beauty in learning from the diversity of others. What a fully informed knowledge we would have if we all shared our experiences without judgement or fear.

6:40 Be willing to learn. Be willing to accept yourself as a student of life, a student of nature, humanity of God. A wise person reaches the level of his teacher... but someone who never listens never rises in wisdom.

6:41 No human is without flaw and therefore it is hypocritical to focus or judge someone on their flaw. We each have shortcomings -- just because ours are different does not mean one is better or worse than the other. Be kind with people... work to understand them.

6:42 Never think that you are better than anyone else. Each human is equal in their fallibility -- we must work together to overcome our errors.

6:43 We return to our tree metaphor: each human as a tree and kindness produces good fruit and meanness produces bad fruit. Our fruits feed the world and so we want to produce fruit that promotes people's health.

6:44 God knows you by what you produce. Your actions are the definition of your soul. Do not be harmful to others. God knows you cannot get good, sweet fruit from a prickly person. Neither can you get bad fruit from a compassionate person -- they feed you well by dealing with you fairly.

6:45 Our actions reveal the character of our hearts -- and God is paying attention.

6:46 Even today there are people who attend church regularly, teach church regularly, speak of God regularly... but do not follow the guidelines given by Him. They are hypocrites. You can sometimes fool an unobservant person but you cannot fool God -- He knows who you really are regardless of what you "say" you do. You can show up to church everyday but if your heart is not kind, it does not matter or count. Likewise, a person who has never set a foot inside of a church can be the most devout, faithful person you ever meet. Your heart reveals who you are. Beware of hypocrites... God looks at us and loves us all equally... no one is above another (regardless of their position in a church!).

6:47 Jesus describes the people who listen to God, absorb His guidance and love, and then actively lives a life devoted to Him:

6:48 These people (from the verse above) are rock solid in foundation! God makes them so strong. This story about the house is a metaphor for a person: No challenge or adversary can shake them or destroy them.

6:49 People who reject God's qualities are constantly vulnerable to trouble... they are never content. They are always burning with discontent, anger, frustration... they are not spiritually strong and therefore become victims to the ways of the world. 

NT: The Book of Luke, Chapter 5

Luke 5:1-39

5:1 While teaching, Jesus keeps in mind His second purpose: to teach disciples to teach the word of God. He is about to choose 12 disciples.

5:2 Jesus sees two unused boats by the lake and the fisherman of them beside it. Let's follow this exciting metaphor...We become successful and happy in life when we devote ourselves to all that God represents and encourages: justice, compassion, truth. This is not simply a story about fish, it's important to understand that -- and we will explore the reasoning in the following verses.

5:3 Jesus climbs into the boat, puts it in use and begins to teach from it -- making Himself more visible and audible to the crowd. The boat becomes a platform on which to teach.

Let's not read over the fact that Jesus sat down. Jesus taught as a friend... as a kind and loving fellow-soul. Jesus was not arrogant or controlling. He was compassionate, He sits and by doing this His humility is  revealed. Jesus wanted to have an open, compassionate, wise conversation with everyone. 

5:4 The metaphor moves forward, Jesus asks Simon to launch the boat deeper into the water to fish.

5:5 Simon is disheartened -- he tells Jesus of the fishermen's failure to catch anything at all. However, trusting Jesus, Simon launched the boat into the water.

5:6 With Jesus, they caught so much their previously-empty nets were bursting with success and abundance.

5:7 Quickly they filled two boats and needed to recruit extra help... their journey was so successful the boats were not even built big enough to hold the fish.

Now we delve into the metaphor: Jesus is our ultimate fishermen. Jesus comes into the world (the sea) and gathers souls into God's compassionate net. Jesus' platform, His vessel for successfully reaching so many is God (the boat). When we work hard and humbly as fishermen (teachers and examples of the word of God) God provides us the material and the platform (the boat) through which to reach His children (the other fish).

5:8 Simon Peter falls down in shame at Jesus' knees... he feels unworthy. Jesus exudes kindness and purity and His presence often inspires introspection in the people around Him. They begin to examine themselves in comparison to the living example of faith and compassion that He is. We can all work to be our best selves and this realization was enough to humble Simon Peter. Simon Peter did not fall to his knees because Jesus is a forceful, controlling leader... he fells to his knees because Jesus is the opposite -- Jesus is a compassionate friend, a brother and His love makes others want to be better.

Simon Peter understands that this display of fish is more than just about fish. Simon Peter sees the potential in all humans, given by God, when they are focused and kind and it amazes him.

5:9 People were astonished. Here was Jesus inspiring both the nature of the world and the nature of our souls. Teaching a brilliant message about possibility and hope.

5:10 Jesus solidifies the point of the metaphor: from now on, these first 3 disciples will be fishers of men. These men will become children of God who work to gather God's other children into His wing. They begin their lesson and learning with Jesus... there is so much for them to learn (and us!). Jesus' disciples were not perfect and that's the beauty of the scripture. Jesus came to aid and teach those who needed God to realign their lives. Jesus came to heal the sick recall from many places in the Bible, specifically Mark 2:17. Jesus associates with all of God's children without discrimination. He comes to those who desperately need Him; all are worthy of hearing the word.

5:11 They forsook all and followed Him. This statement informs us that these men rejected their old, corrupted ways and gave themselves to Jesus' instruction. They began to form their souls -- we all have this opportunity (at any time in our lives), to create who we are based on the ideals of our beliefs and abandon our old ways -- old ways which failed to bring us happiness and understanding.

They adopted this notion of selflessness, empathy, just work and it would truly envelope them in love and prosperity.

5:12 This man with leprosy, a bacterial infection, showed His faith in Jesus and  faithfully asked Him to heal the ailment. When we ask God for anything, it's important that we (from deep down in our core) believe Him capable of accomplishing it. The more trust you give to God, the further and deeper you invite Him into your life. 

We should not ask anything for selfish reasons, God does not work with selfishness. God answers the prayers we ask when we ask them in order to use our faith to reach others. By truly believing in God, this man knows that Jesus can heal Him if only He is asked.

5:13 Jesus, and God, are always willing. They are always bursting with love and excitement to enter you life (upon receiving permission given by your love) to heal and fix and guide.

5:14 Jesus did not want fame or accolade for what He had done -- He simply wanted to man to go back into his life and to live it as a testimony of all that God is. He wanted the man to use his healing in the service of bringing understanding and compassion to others. God's reward is when we use our love from Him to spread love to others.

5:15 Despite His efforts to remain modestly known, reports of Jesus flew throughout cities. Multitudes of people came to hear and to be healed of their infirmities. The Word itself is healing -- it clears the chaotic cobwebs that previously existed in our minds by bringing light and truth and purpose. Most important: people came to hear. People listened to Jesus' advice. We must listen, actively in search for truth.

5:16 Jesus always makes time for communication with God. To retain our own clarity and purpose we should also frequently, endlessly, communicate with our God. He's always listening and He's always responding in His own miraculous ways... when we are paying attention to Him.

5:17 As we know from previous chapters and The Book of Matthew and Mark, the Pharisees and teachers of the law are Jesus' adversaries. They are both corrupted groups who control people with deceptive and greedy power. Jesus' mission was the free people from these types of people... and they were not happy about it.

Nevertheless, the Spirit and Power of God remained with Jesus to heal all who would listen, learn and love.

5:18-19 Several kind men bring a paralyzed man to Jesus to be healed. This is an act of compassion for sure. To undertake a journey in the effort to help another is always seen by God.

5:20 When He saw their faith He forgave all sins. There are two components to explore in this verse: 1) When He saw their faith: your faith propels you through life. Your faith inspires your compassion and your success. Your faith is your evolving wisdom. Your faith identifies you, to God, as someone who is worthy of His support and guidance... what makes you worthy is the intention behind what you do with what you receive. We receive from God and give it to others. 2) When Jesus or God forgives our sins, they mean to imply that the bad or confused decisions we made in the past do not need to bind us. They mean to free us from our own mistakes so that we learn to love and appreciate ourselves (and then can therefore spread that love and appreciation to others).

5:21 The Pharisees are angry -- what we need to realize about the Pharisees (who represent a type of people who still exist today) is that instead of paying attention to reality, logic and common sense, they obsess over rules and law in order to maintain rigid control (rather than promote wisdom and health). They complete ignore Jesus' kind, selfless message and instead focus on arguing His authenticity. Our actions reveal our true selves and Jesus' actions were humble, instructive and kind. The Pharisees completely ignore this.

5:22 Jesus perceived their thoughts -- Jesus and God understand the specifics of each of our souls and the thoughts we have. They know who our authentic selves are. Jesus perceives that these men are way off track, looking for an argument rather than kindness. 

Perception will help to guide us through the world. Be observant: listen and watch so that you may develop clear and informed thoughts.

5:23 Jesus is calling their bluff -- they want people to believe that He is all words no actions -- He proves them wrong by performing a miracle in plain view.

5:24 Jesus says: in order for you to understand that I am Who I say I am, I will do the seemingly impossible: I will heal this paralyzed man. And He does, instantly.

5:25 The man rises immediately and does not forget to acknowledge and love God! Be aware and grateful for all that is in your life, God cultivates it. Do not forget Him... He never forgets you.

5:26 The crowd was amazed. Jesus walked the walked, so to speak. Jesus' word perfectly and accurately reflected His action. We should be this way also: we should mean what we say and we should be living examples of the beliefs we have. Do not be a hypocrite. Your life is your best testimony of all that God can do.

5:27-28 Jesus continues to gather disciples. These men will lead purposeful lives after Jesus crucifixion, their journey of learning is just beginning. Jesus has much to prepare them for... and He will be successful. 

5:29 Levi celebrated. This is a blessed opportunity -- to be with and taught by Jesus, the manifestation of truth and compassion. Levi gathers many people to celebrate with him and Jesus.

5:30 The scribes and Pharisees complain again -- they have distaste for Jesus because Jesus associates with people they do not respect. We know, however, that Jesus is a friend to all people and came to teach and guide those who needed teaching and guidance. 

5:31 We spoke of this verse previously, Jesus came for the sick, to be their doctor. There are many kinds of sickness: physical and mental ailments, but also our ways of life can be sick. Jesus leads us to a lighted path of purpose. 

5:32 Jesus came to gather those who were previously lost. He came to expand the population of God's house. He wanted to create an opportunity for ALL people and therefore He worked through humility and compassion to reach people who were ignored and condemned by humanity.

5:33 The adversaries are back to use rule and law to overshadow common sense and compassion -- they want to know why people feast in Jesus' presence instead of fast. 

5:34 Jesus explains that people celebrate because they are aware of the blessed opportunity they have -- to be WITH Him. They do not fast in remembrance of Him because He is with them.

We are also reminded of Jesus' humility. Jesus is a friend, a brother... He did not come to make people bow to Him... He came to be a support, a light and He happily celebrates both His opportunity to help and our opportunity to learn.

5:35 Jesus speaks of His crucifixion -- Jesus knows that the world will experience a lengthy amount of time without His physical presence and He knows that there will be plenty of time to fast... then was the time to celebrate and soak in the experience. 

However we still celebrate and fast. We still devote our love and discipline to remaining kind and compassionate and grateful for Jesus' teachings which read us now so many years later.

5:36 Jesus explains through metaphor that His presence is new to the Earth, a new example and representation of God... spirituality and our relationship with God shifted from how it was before. There was cause and reason to celebrate this new spirituality because it would extend and offer to all corners of the world.

5:37 This was a time of spiritual enlightenment, Jesus was there to realign thought and order in the world with God's instructive word. God's word is not rigid and controlling, instead it's freeing and inspiring of creation and compassion. God wants our minds to be healthy and kind... capable of so much good in the world.

5:38 The word of God taught to Abraham in the beginning of the book... is tethered by the word of God brought my Jesus -- He acknowledges and respects them both for being the same thing. People deterred from the word and created their own corrupt systems... Jesus wants us to respect that God's word has always remained the same.. and yet to grow and develop our faith and celebrate it for its newness within us.

5:39 God's word has been the same forever. Jesus presents it in a new and contemporary way but the message of compassion is the same. Develop your faith, over time it strengthens, deepens and becomes capable of so much more.

NT: The Book of Luke, Chapter 4

Luke 4:1-44

4:1 Jesus' official ministry begins. Jesus was indeed filled with the Holy Spirit, which means that God was with Him because Jesus had God's compassion within his heart and soul. Jesus is led into the wilderness and during this time His faith would be tested... just as we live in the wilderness (the chaotic world) and our souls are tested.

Tested in this way: our souls meet circumstances and experiences where either our compassion or our selfishness is revealed. Our faith is tested because we are constantly faced with choices: to be kind, wise and just or to be mean, deceptive and unfair. 

4:2 Jesus was shown the way of all that Satan represents. In explaining that Jesus did not eat, we can understand this metaphorically: Jesus does not partake of the "bad fruit" Satan has to give. Jesus did not give into vengeance, deceptive control, unkindness... which are the qualities Satan represents. We must also reject that which is evil. 

4:3 Satan mocks Jesus. Understand these following verses this way: some of the people in the world will mock you, they will tempt you into their ways of greed and unkindness and question your faith. They do not understand the spiritual intelligence you have because they do not have it (they have rejected it). We are supposed to be strong in facing these circumstances. We know of the power and love of God... He fills us with courage, strength and love (three things evil cowards will never understand the value of). 

Jesus' responses to this series of mocking will help us in our lives as well.

4:4 Jesus explains that He does not have to beg God to perform a miracle with the bread because He has faith and understanding that God will "feed Him", give Him life, without any measly bread. God is life and the giver of it. Jesus knows that the only thing we NEED is God. Jesus does not need to prove God to this unkind soul because He knows God is true.

4:5 Satan tries to tempt Jesus will all control and wealth of the world. Relate this to yourself: can you be tempted to reject your faith and kindness for material gain? It's easy to become attached and dependent on money. We must only be attached and dependent on God -- He is the entity we can trust, the entity Who loves us eternally, abundantly. What will you trade for the bigger house, car or position at work? Always be humble, kind and compassionate and always understand that God is the true wealth. 

4:6 Satan's time is now --- the qualities He represents are rampant in the world. It is our time to be given each -- love or power -- and we must choose while we are here. 

4:7 Satan is the representative of tyrant, of wealth and control. He wants to rule with his deception. That's how he works: he flatters a person and then he forces them to become his slave. Likewise money does this -- it tempts people with possibilities and then they become slaves to attain more and more of it without end in the cycle. Likewise with vengeance, selfishness... they are never ending cycles which never satisfy a person.

4:8 Jesus knows who his true God is. Jesus (and we) will never bend to a false, corrupt god. We love our compassionate, true Father... our God who protects us and loves us. We reject that which contradicts His word.

4:9-11 Satan continues to mock and tempt the word of God. God is above temptation. Our protection from God comes in the form of wisdom, guidance and courage. God helps us so selflessly, He gifts us the tools to save and help ourselves (with Him by our side). He makes us strong and intelligent. He gives us eternal life so that we never fear or even have to consider death. Jesus knows that even if He were to jump, a spiritual life with God, eternally would await Him.

Satan mocks by using scripture to show Jesus how protected God claims His children to be. This is something to remember about deceptive people: they often have educated themselves in order to best deceive you. You must know the word of God so that nobody can ever twist it and use it against you.

4:12 Jesus does not fall for Satan's antics. Jesus does not need to prove God because He knows God is there and real and true. Never waste your time being tempted or mocked by someone so evil.

4:13 Satan tried every possible way to corrupt Jesus but he was unsuccessful. Remember that what Jesus faced we also face. The ways of the world are always tempting and mocking us... tempting us away from our kind souls and decisions and mocking us by giving us trouble to get through. But we get through it. We are strong and courageous in God's love.

4:14-15 In the power of the Spirit Jesus returned and taught. Jesus' presence was an amazing, massive effect on all of those around Him because of God's power behind Him. You also have God's power when you are compassionate and purposeful in bringing guidance and love to others.

4:16 This is an amazing moment for the world. Jesus goes to the synagogue and stands to read from scripture, scripture that He is at that time fulfilling... 

4:17 Jesus begins to read from Isaiah:

4:18-19 This scripture explains the life of Jesus: a soul come in the Spirit of the Lord to teach to the poor (of spirit and wealth), to heal the brokenhearted and to bring life and love into them, to break the chains of those caught in greedy control and deception, to open the eyes of the lost to God's path, to free those under the control of evil, and teach of the coming of the True God.

4:20 Everyone was amazed at the reading -- likely because they could deduce from being around Jesus they understood the truth of what He was speaking. He had been teaching those very things.

4:21 Scripture was fulfilled before their eyes -- a beautiful moment. Scripture is fulfilled in our lives too, we must be vigilant and firm in our understanding of the word. Jesus' life and all that He accomplished as spread even into our generation.

4:22 The amazement continues, it was a momentous moment. Son of God manifested before them when before they had known Him only as a small boy, Joseph's son.

4:23 Jesus is explaining to them (and us) that it will be difficult for these people who watched Him grow up to accept Him as the prophet of God. They will want to be healed by Him but will not fully believe or understand that He is capable of doing it -- they are too familiar with Him as a boy and not as a prophet.

4:24 No prophet is accepted in His own country because people are too familiar with them and "normal" individuals. Perhaps we can relate this to our own lives: sometimes when we do great things around the people who are most familiar to us, they are less amazed or sometimes unbelieving that we could be capable of so much.

4:25 Throughout the course of the world, there have been especially evil groups of people... Jesus refers to a time when everyone was "widowed." We can understand this metaphorically to mean that people had denied their true union with God. They rejected all of his compassionate advice and therefore led greedy and chaotic lives. The "Famine" was for the word of God. People were hungry for truth without even realizing it. 

Famine has been described in scripture as not a hunger but as a lack of God's word in the world:

Amos 8:11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD. 

This scripture applies to our generation as well.

4:26-27 Jesus explains that the prophet Elijah was only able to help those who knew him only as a stranger. Those who knew him rejected him and his guidance.

4:28 True to what Jesus was speaking: they were all angered that He would proclaim to be the prophet of God. Likely they were jealous and disagreed with scripture. We should always listen to people's actions, Jesus was kind and wise His entire life... everything He did backed up what He said and yet they rejected Him.

4:29-30 They were angered and disbelieving. They tried to rid of Jesus but Jesus had a mission to complete, with God's love and guidance He easily escaped their wrath and continues on His way. When we are on God's way, we always continue on successfully. 

4:31-32 Jesus began to teach elsewhere and He was readily accepted because they understood that He spoke with truth, firmness in the word of God. It was clear that He was the real thing, teaching a true and instructive message.

4:33 We can understand some of the more curious ailments in scripture as medical conditions which were not understood or properly diagnosed at the time. We can also understand them as mental battles of illness and of corrupt. God can heal us all... He works with us no matter our ailment: physical or mental. 

4:34 At first, this man rejects Jesus... but Jesus friendship, His love and kindness transforms the man's evil and angered thoughts to understanding and peace. Jesus always works with the people who most need Him. Jesus gets His hands dirty, He goes right into the thick of the trouble and chaos and uses His gifts from God to cure, heal and enlighten. 

4:35 Jesus is able to cure/heal/enlighten this man. Everything must respond to the Spirit of God. Everything bends to His commandment. There is nothing we face that God does not have power over. Trust God to come into your life, give Him the faith and trust to realign your life. We must be strong, devoted students in order to learn from His teaching and grow in spiritual maturity. We are participants. God works with us to clear the rubble from our minds and lives.

4:36-37 This is new for the people of the time (and would even impress the people of this time). Jesus is capable of so much because He walks with God.

4:38-39 God created these vessels which carry our souls, He can heal them. We understand Germ Theory now and that is also a gift, an intelligence from God. God leads us to the ways to keep our bodies healthy... we don't often listen or follow His instructive, but He gives us the intelligence to keep a clean and safe world.

4:40 Without discrimination God offers His healing to all people. Any ailment, addiction or difficulty you have in life you will triumph over with God. God gives us the perseverance to face our troubles, the courage against out enemies and the compassion to keep our souls thriving.

4:41 God wants us to know that even our enemies recognize Who He is, when He is before them. He wants us to understand how eternal, how infinite He is. We wants us to know and have faith that all of His love and power is for us. We are cupped inside His hand of protection and love. 

4:42 Jesus often departs to pray/communicate with God. You are also capable of this. We can pray and communicate with God whenever we want, wherever we want. Do it often. Develop your relationship with God... always acknowledge and thank Him for His presence in our lives. He is always with us when we ask Him to be. He will help us with every decision, every trouble... we must remember to keep Him with us in happiness and gratitude as well. Talk about the good things in life with Him as well as the bad. He's there for both.

He loves us at all times... we should love Him at all times. He is with us at all times, we should be with Him at all times. 

4:43-44 Jesus proclaims the purpose of His life: to preach throughout diverse cities to bring the word, wisdom and love of God to all people. 

In the next chapter, Jesus will begin to choose His disciples, another important purpose of His life: to ensure that the word of God would continue to be taught and loved after He went back to God. God wants His word to reach all people, in every generation and place of time and the world. To ensure this, God sent Jesus to strengthen and inform the children of God to spread and love the message.

NT: The Book of Luke, Chapter 3

Luke 3:1-38

3:1-2 During this time frame John was guided by God to begin his own mission with God.

3:3 John began to shepherd God's people. John went throughout the cities and began to teach the word of God, a word that would be taught by Jesus as well. John prepared people to hear the message that would come from Jesus. By baptizing others, he gave them an opportunity to proclaim their agreement with what John was teaching: honesty, compassion, truth. The most important way to proclaim your belief is to live a life of example, a life which correlates with your beliefs. We cannot just "talk" God, we must also "walk" God. What we say and believe must mirror what we do.

3:4 John was spoken of in the old testament, in The Book of Isaiah. It was written that John would come into the "wilderness" or the world which lived without the wisdom and kindness of God, and he would begin to teach the message. We can sometimes compare the world to the wilderness because the places where there is no wise or kind order are filled with chaos. 

3:5 When God returns, He will fix and cleanse every human and place on Earth and universe. God wanted His children to hear the hopeful, optimistic message so that it could guide them toward light and love.

3:6 God's heart is open to all people and God makes that abundantly clear. Guidance, wisdom, kindness and protection are offered to all people, no matter what mistakes they have made or how lost they might be. Jesus came to the people who were lost and who had made mistakes and He opened His heart to them.

3:7 John is preaching to people who are not living kind lives. Instead they are arrogant and greedy, we can better understand this in the next verse...

3:8 ... Jump ahead briefly to John 8:39-40. John is asking the people why they claim to be of faithful ancestry when they reject and deny all of God's wisdom and kindness? Abraham from the Old Testament was faithful indeed and kind and when John was speaking to a group of evil people claiming to be like Abraham it frustrated him.

3:9 John is explaining that the same circumstances which existed for Abraham existed for them (and us!) and that God will eliminate any and every person who is not compassionate. Humans are often referred to metaphorically as trees and the "works" our actions are the "fruit" we produce.  Any person who does not produce "good fruit" or "compassionate actions" is eliminated. Why? Because they hurt others. God loves us and protects us from unkindness -- we must also choose not to be unkind. 

3:10 These people were absorbing the message, the asked for advice on how they could be better people. We should always be so humble as this. We should always try to be our best and we should always be open to good, wise advice. John was kind and reliable, ensure that any advice given to you is also kind and reliable and given selflessly. You can always find a true guiding source in the Bible.

3:11 John's first bit of advice: when you have excess, give to those who have nothing. There are people in the world who have had difficult lives and they could use our support. God wants us to help those who need it especially if we have the capacity to help. God will always supply us with the materials to help others when that is our objective -- to help others. 

Do not let anybody take advantage of you. Use your discernment from God to decide who needs your help. There are many innocent children and families around the world who need kindness. There are also people who are not kind and are selfish... with God you will always be able to differentiate them.

You can give more than money or material as well. Your friendship. Your kindness. Your empathy. Your shoulder. Your ear. Your fairness. Your experience. Your help. 

3:12-13 John's message even reached into the government. He taught the government officials to be fair in tax collection. You want to be fair in whatever business, friendship or relationship you are involved in. We should only expect from others what they are capable of giving. We must not be greedy -- we cannot be greedy people or nations.

3:14 John's message even reaching into the military. He taught the soldiers to be just and respectful. John taught them not to abuse their positions of power in the social system. He taught them to perform their jobs fairly. 

3:15 John's message was truly reaching people's understanding. They saw the wisdom in his advice and it cleared up a lot of the chaos they were facing at the time (and much of which we face even today). The message was so powerful that people even wondered if John were more than a man.

3:16 John made it very clear for them: that he was there to establish a path for Jesus to come and truly save them. 

John is extremely humble: John is aware of the perfect beauty and love of Jesus and explains to them that Jesus' compassion is so much greater and truer than anything they have experienced before. 

John explains that the true "baptism" is God looking into our hearts and soaking the kind hearts in love and evil hearts in a fire which eliminates them. Poof! Gone! God does not eternally punish anybody, he eliminates them. God is the God of love, not punishment. He protects love by removing evil, not by keeping evil to the side in pain. God's heart is too kind for "eternal damnation" as some believe! 

3:17 God will discern, through and with Jesus, who is good and who is bad and He will separate them. The good will be welcomed into His "barn", His home and the bad shall leave it.

3:18 John continued to teach. We must also continue to teach throughout our lives -- how do we teach? We live honest and kind lives.

3:19 Herod did not like to hear John's message because he found fault in himself. He was guilty of many of the things John taught against. 

3:20 Herod used his power to imprison John, who was innocent... guilty only of stating truth.

3:21 Jesus experiences what we experience. He was born on Earth into the same type of body we have (his and our souls inside as the beacon of the vessel). Likewise Jesus continues His humility by being baptized. Jesus declares His love for God both during His baptism and throughout His entire life --- spiritual and earthly.

3:22 God was/is with Him. Jesus' life fills God with love because of the amount of compassion and love Jesus has within Himself. God remains with all of us who are compassionate. He's guiding us, walking beside us and cheering us on.

It's so beautiful that Jesus came not to rule and punish...but instead to love and guide. Jesus is humble and so modest. He allows Himself to be baptized because He loves God so much He will express it in every possible way He can.

3:23 Jesus reached maturity and began to teach throughout the world He could reach during His time. Jesus would ensure that during His life He prepared many others to teach after He was crucified so that the word would continue on throughout different countries and generations of people.

3:24-30 We know that Jesus was adopted (in a way) by Joseph and Mary and so this genealogy belongs to Mary. It's not so important that we memorize the particulars of different people's genealogies in the Bible. The message is important. God's message is what we should extract from the Bible and insert into our lives and our hearts. This genealogy explains that Mary is a descendant of Adam and Adam's faithful ancestors. She was from a line of compassionate, God-loving people. 

NT: The Book of Luke, Chapter 2

Luke 2:1-52

2:1-3 The leader of the time wanted to take a census (account for every person). Each registered in their city of birth.

2:4-5 Joseph and Mary begin their journey to register themselves.

2:6 Mary reaches full term in her pregnancy while travelling. 

2:7 Mary gives birth to Jesus in a manger. Jesus had humble beginnings but He was rich with the spirit of Lord -- the true wealth of this world and every eternity. It's inspiring for us that a soul so gentle and kind accomplished so much with a seeming so little. We learn from Jesus, even in His birth, that with God we have everything we need to change the world.

2:8 This could be a metaphor -- shepherds watch their flock during the night. There were some good people who took care of others, especially in difficult times. A shepherd protects his flock, leads them to food and water and survival. A shepherd of God protects God's flock... leads them to the health and care of God. 

2:9 An angel appears before them, lit up in God's beautiful light... and they were astonished. Of course it would be astonishing to see an angel of God, a messenger of God in all of His brilliance.

2:10-12 The message is of Jesus' birth. Likely those residing in Heaven at the time were overjoyed to share the news with the people of the world. God always wants us to know that He is with us, supporting us and guiding us and He makes sure His children know that... when they are listening for His voice.

2:13-14 A whole host of souls from Heaven are rejoicing Jesus' birth. Jesus' life was about to change the world forever... His life would influence billions of people, including yours and mine. Glory to God indeed.

2:15 There was no doubt. These shepherds were fully informed and their belief was rock solid... they wanted to witness this wonderful moment.

2:16 They went quickly and reached Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus.

2:17 They were not afraid or shy or quiet... they quickly, proudly spoke of what had been revealed to them by the angels: this was a special soul. 

2:18 The pronouncement marveled people -- of course it would. So many miracles were taking place during this time, so many wonders were being spoken of.

2:19 Mary never boasted. Mary remembered the message from God and she knew and believed in the miracle of this child, Jesus, sent directly from God. She knew that His life would be a testimony to all that the shepherd's were saying, she did not need to try to convince people.

2:20 If you have opened your heart and your ears to God, always thank Him for the many ways He fills us up with His light, love and guidance. Never forget to include Him in every moment of your life, He loves to journey through it with you.

2:21 Following cultural health customs, the Baby was circumcised and named. The name was given to Him before His conception. Jesus comes from the Hebrew word Yeshua, which means Salvation: We also know that Jesus is our salvation because He lived His entire life in service of bringing and inspiring compassion, humility, truth, faith and hope.

2:22 They did not travel again until Mary was back to health after pregnancy and delivery. They wanted to celebrate Jesus' birth and give gratitude for God for all that He would continue to teach and bring.

2:23 In Exodus 13:2 God proclaims that all living things, born through the womb belong to Him... and there is no entity we would rather belong to. He created us and loves us so uniquely. 

2:24 In these ancient times, it had been customary to sacrifice animals but God does not wish for us to do this. He tells us so in Hosea 6:6 "For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings."

To show God our love, all we have to do is be merciful with each other and to get to know Him during our lives. Something was confused during humanity's time here on Earth (which happens a lot!) because God does not want us to sacrifice anything. He wants us to be kind and wise in His word.

2:25-26 God reveals His plan to this man, Simeon. God shares all knowledge with the just and the devout -- but do not get confused about what "devout" means. When you live a life that is fair and compassionate, you are devout. You do not need any person or church member to call you devout. Your relationship with God, however private you keep it, makes you devout. 

2:27 God is with Jesus all of His life. Likewise God is with us in Spirit. As you develop your relationship with Him, He will become more and more familiar to you.

2:28 Simeon, Mary and Joseph and thanking God for this beautiful Child, this amazing opportunity to teach and spread kindness around the world.

2:29 They thank God for caring enough to send and share this soul which is Jesus to Earth to heal so many of humanity's wounds.

2:30 He's saying to God: I see and understand Who You are and it is brilliant and perfect and kind. I have seen the reason behind Your mission with Jesus -- to save humanity from itself. 

2:31 He continues: You have given this opportunity for wisdom to all people without discrimination. You love all people and give equal chance to each of Your children.

2:32 God and Jesus, a light to bring understanding and meaning to the people who did/do not know God.

2:33 Jesus' earth-parents (sort of adopted parents) loved Jesus so much and were inspired and excited all at that His life would be. They were humble and modest... they were so awed that they had a part in God's massive plan for the world.

When you do any work with God, remember to be grateful and remember that He is the source of all of our success. Remain humble -- He is the brains behind the operation, not us. 

2:34-35 Simeon is giving this advice and forewarning to Mary but he received it first from God. Jesus' life was going to reveal people's true character, because of His work it would be made clear who loved God and was compassionate and who loved wealth and power and was selfish. We know that this is true from our studies in The Books of Matthew and Mark (and also from living in the world today!).

This is a metaphorical sword -- The sword of the Lord. God's "sword" tests all people to find the true and to find the deceptive. Nothing can kill a true heart (for even in death on Earth we come alive with God for eternity).

2:36-37 Here is Anna, a kind and faithful woman. 

2:38 This woman understood the meaning of Jesus' life (she was informed -- as all students of God are) and happily shared to all people the blessing that was among them.

2:39 Joseph and Mary returned home.

2:40 Jesus grew and became strong in spirit. We almost must become strong in spirit as we grow. To do this, we take into ourselves wisdom and guidance from God. We become courageous in defending and inspiring truth and compassion always. The Grace of God is upon all of God's compassionate children... indeed He fills us all with wisdom when we ask for it and use it wisely.

2:41-42 Mary and Joseph remained faithful to God, they always devoted their time to showing Him thanks and following Him.

2:43-44 Mary and Joseph trusted Jesus to wander about a little bit. Jesus was a soul on a mission and not a day of His life was wasted. They knew that His life was extraordinary and they also knew that He was safe in world (because of God)... especially among their friends and family.

2:45  They came back from a journey and looked for Jesus.

2:46 They found Him sitting with the educators of the time, conversing with them and asking questions -- likely Jesus knew the answers to His own questions... Jesus was the ultimate teacher and He knew how to create wisdom and intelligence in people. Jesus' mission was to create many, many teachers on the Earth so that God's message would reach around the globe for generations.

2:47 People were amazed by how wise and purposeful Jesus was, especially at such a young age but we know that God prepared Him well and sent His kindest, wisest soul to Earth.

2:48 Joseph and Mary were a bit worried and there is a lesson in this:

2:49-50 Jesus was helping them to strengthen their faith. Jesus was kindly reminding them that He was on Earth to do God's business (we all are if we accept the blessed job!). Jesus began teaching from day 1 of His birth (with help from the Angels and by the modest beginnings of His time on Earth). Jesus did not wait to begin working with God. We must not wait either, there's so much to be done.

Jesus wanted them to know that He was purposeful, motivated and focused with God. They never had to worry because He had accepted His life (before He even arrived here) and that meant that every second of His time here would be devoted to working with God -- by accepting that life of servitude for humanity, Jesus was protected by God.

We each have the same opportunity when we devote ourselves to God and His children. When we join God's mission, He protects us, strengthens us... loves us so much that we could never possibly fail. Develop your relationship with Him... together you can create and inspire.

2:51-52 Even as a child Jesus' life continued to inspire people and please God. He was true and kind and hardworking -- this made Him strong in God's love and wisdom. If we are also true, kind and hardworking, God will bless us abundantly that we may be at peace and so that we spread and share our abundance with others. God's love only ever increases... He has an infinite amount of love and compassion for us, it grows eternally... the more we give, the more He gives.