Luke 15-18

Angie's Thoughts

Luke 17:10" 'So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, whould say, "We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty." ' "

even if we bring a hundred people to the Lord, we shouldn't look for recognition and praise. because all we did is pay off a very small portion of our debt. and we'll never be able to pay off that debt. so we must.. instead of trying to pay off our debt.. which will never happen.. we devote our lives to the Lord. and everything we accomplish is in that wonderful glory. because even the greatest things that we do are in Him and thanks to him and we should not seek recognition and praise for ourselves but turn towards him because as the verse says.. we are unworthy servants, and we only have done our duty. A great and heavy reminder.

Humble me, Lord.

Nikke's thoughts

We are unworthy servants, but how amazing is our God to honor and love us no matter what!?
He is so amazing!
I constantly fail and God still loves me!

It amazes me when I think about how God sent His own son to die on a cross for us.
As a Mother myself if I had to choose to let my daughter die or to die myself I would choose to die so that she could live. I think most parents feel this way about their children.
To me this just shows how much God really loves us. That He would give up His only son!

I know this is something that most of us already know but sometimes the basic things like this really have the most impact. Ya know what I mean?

Lord, I know I am undeserving of Your love yet You still love me. I am Your daughter. I am the daughter of You the King! Help me to live according to Your will and give me the strength to persevere through the trials yet to come. I love you and I cannot imagine life without You.
Amen

--

Hey everybody sorry about the delay in the bible study. Both Nikke and I have a lot of things going on right now and we'll try to catch up as much as possible. We haven't forgotten, we promise! We'll be back in the routine soon.

-Angie

Luke 11-14

Nikke's thoughts

24"When an evil^[h] spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.' 25When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. 26Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first."

This really stuck out to me. So many times for myself I have overcome (by the grace of God) a situation, addiction or really anything keeping me from God and within a few days, weeks or months I am right back in my old routine.
Satan and his army (demons) know what they are doing and they know what keeps me (us) away from drawing closer to God and when we show that we can fight back and overcome the demons comes back even stronger like the verse says bringing even more demons. They find comfort where they have set up residence in our lives.
This is why it is so important that when we eliminate the sin and the demons causing us to stumble that we fill that empty room (void) with the Holy Spirit.
It isn't enough to be rid of the evil and be empty once again we have to fill back up on the Holy Spirit and then continue with the purpose God has for us and achieve it.

Angie's Thoughts

Luke 12:25 " 'Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?' "

This is always a great reminder especially with all of the tragedies going on in our own country alone. Worrying.. is an impulse. But it really is useless. Worrying can't get you food.. money.. things you need. It only wears down on your heart, always fearing the things out of control. Always worrying about the future. And not worrying doesn't make you careless. Why do "caring" and "worrying" go hand in hand? worrying is like not having faith in God that He will provide and that everything will be okay. Its best to clear your head so you can look at the situation clearly.. not frantically and on impulse.

luke 15:33 " '..any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.' "

it's hard to give up everything sometimes. for me the thing that was hard for me to give up was my music for the longest time. but i found that as I got closer and closer to God I didn't desire that music anymore.. I didn't desire anything ANYTHING that would get in my way. I had all these useless things cluttering my life and I couldn't function properly (if you've seen my room you know what I mean.) and God is slowly helping me clean those things out. I can't let anything interfere with our relationship. not anything even so simple as a song that puts bad ideas in my head.. bad thoughts in mind.. bad desires in my heart.

you can even think of this as parallel to nikke's blog.. cleaning out the clutter and filling it up with the Holy Spirit so that there's no more room for the clutter. so.. i strive to filter out the unnecessary gunk of life.

Luke 9-10

Luke 9:48 "For he who is least among you all-he is the greatest."

I read this and it humbles me. I don't think of myself as selfish.. but then I think of all the times when I put myself before other people.. whether it be for convenience.. or because I'm tired.. or whatever other excuses I may have,

and I realize how often that is.

Its very easy to be selfish. Sometimes its so easy you don't really realize that you're doing it.

I need to put a filter on my brain.. so that everytime I think or do something I make sure that I'm not putting myself in front of anybody, because that's not Christ-like. Hopefully I'll get so good at it that I don't have to think about it.

But for now I do. and that's okay, I'm more than willing.

I could be accomplishing so much more than I am by just being the person God wants me to be.

This is a heavy realization.

Lord, help me humble myself. Help me put myself last, for even when I think I am, that's not the truth. I don't trust myself or my judgment. I trust you and that is all. I desperately need your guidance. Thank you, praise you, I love you, amen.

Nikke's thoughts

9:49-50

49"Master," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us."

50"Do not stop him," Jesus said, "for whoever is not against you is for you."

This really stuck out to me because I know that there are those who believe that the spiritual gifts were meant specifically for just the disciples. I think this goes to show that they are not.

I also like this too because the disciples previously to this were unable to drive out a a demon that was in a boy. I think when they saw this other man able to drive out demons and he was not one of them they were a little jealous.

So this to me shows that we should be joyful at another persons gift to do something even if we may have failed prior at the same thing. We are one body with many parts and together we make it function. Our battle against the darkness is a serious one and we have no room to be jealous of one another.

Luke 7-8

In chapter 8 Jesus tells the "Lamp on a Stand" parable, which I've already blogged on (I'm pretty sure)

Luke 8:16-17 "No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open."

But I remembered something someone said to me that puts this parable into another perspective.

I remember it as.. no one lights a candle outside in the daytime.

I think this is just another way of putting it.. which follows along with Jesus telling that the sick need the doctor, not the healthy.

And it also kind of goes along with the last blog.. where we get no credit from loving those who love us back.

We must love the ones who don't love us. Give without expecting return.

luke 7:41 " 'Two men owed money to a cetain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he conceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?' Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.' "

I remember talking to someone.. they had grown up in the church, and we were talking about how they had trouble with their faith and asked me where mine came from. We started talking about how since they had grown up in the church they had never really known life completely without God, and I had. If they could see Him from my perspective, they might see where my faith came from. For after all.. you have to hit rock bottom to realllyy see how high the top is.

alright, I've got to go to bed! goodnight all.

Nikke's thoughts

While reading I was wondering why Jesus talks in parables. I think it is so interesting that He does this.
I was actually discussing with someone about why Jesus speaks this way a couple of days ago.
I think that it is so we can be drawn in to find and discover the truth for ourselves.

Luke 5-6

Angie's Thoughts

hey guys. I'm trying to catch up. I've fallen behind as I'm trying to get back into the school routine. I'm also lacking a little motivation. I'm kind of excited to get through the gospel because it's getting a little harder to think of things to write about so my posts may be a little shorter. Though, this is also forcing to me to delve into deeper into the Word seeking out what is not obvious.

Alright here it goes.

Luke 6:9 "Then Jesus said to them, 'I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?'"

This was right after Jesus and the disciples were picking grains from the field and eating them on the Sabbath and a Pharisee got angry and said it was unlawful.

Its not good for people to get caught up in following the Bible like a set of rules. Because soon enough you get so caught up in the rules you're not really following Jesus anymore. You're not letting him guide your life, you're trying to guide your own with a bunch of rules and we lose site of what really matters, and, you have to admit, if you get so obsessed with following rules we aren't really having faith in Jesus to guide our lives are we? Because these rules may be from God but that would just be like us taking matters into our own hands. if you try to follow everything in the Bible meticulously then you would soon find yourself exhausted, exasperated, and dissapointed in yourself.

We can never be good enough. But how blessed are we that we are accepted anyways?! Read the Bible, have faith, do the best that you can, and Jesus will do the rest.

Luke 6:22 "Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man."

A few people know of a few situations in my past that occurred that made me be afraid to be open with my faith. Thanks to the strength and the courage that I've been blessed with and my stronger faith that i have now I can be open with it. However, when I find myself feeling afraid to stand up for my faith and being open about my relationship with God I remind myself of this, and nothing else matters.

Luke 6:32 " 'If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even "sinners" love those who love them. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even "sinners" lend to "sinners", expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.' "

honestly, enough said.

Nikke's thoughts

6:20-23

"Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.
21Blessed are you who hunger now,
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh.
22Blessed are you when men hate you,
when they exclude you and insult you
and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.

Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven."

I just love that last line in bold there. It doesn't just say be joyful it says LEAP FOR JOY!
I love that!!!!


Jesus goes on to talk about loving your enemies and I was thinking to myself when reading this that this is the way to be set apart from everyone else.

6:27-36

27"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. 30Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31Do to others as you would have them do to you.

32"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. 33And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. 34And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. 35But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."

There really isn't anything to add like Angie said.

Do you agree that this is the way to set ourselves apart?

Luke 3-4

Nikke's thoughts

3:7-9

"John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The axe is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."

John was a total straight shooter! I love it!
I think my favorite part is where he says "And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham."

Almost like John knew that people thought they were good enough by just being children of Abraham. Ha! Then to be compared to a rock. Ha! I am just imagining this.

God wants us to love Him willingly and all of Him. Not just because we are scared of hell.
Our faith is not passed down from generation to generation.It is not another persons decision for us.
It's a decision we make on our own. (hence the free will thing)

Angie's Thoughts

Luke 4:42 "At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place."

It is important for us to spend alone time with God. This is time outside of church service and youth group, and really just having an intimate relationship with the Lord. You get away from all of the distractions and really get to hear what God wants to tell us. I think I need to learn to get away from everything more and have alone time and just meditate. I get some of that journaling late at night but I feel I still don't spend enough time. And here Jesus gives us an example of how important it is, and what is vital in our relationship with God.

Luke 1-2

Nikke's thoughts

A prophecy that was spoken over Jesus by a guy name Simeon really stuck out to me. It is in chapter 2:34-35

"Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."

I am not sure if this stuck out to me more so because I am a mom now or what.

It just shows that there are no grey areas with Jesus. You are either for Him or against Him. You are either the one who worships Him or the one rejecting Him.

I cannot imagine how Mary felt seeing her own son go through the rejection that he faced by many. A rejection that lead to his death on the cross.
I think that is so powerful what the end of that scripture above says "And a sword will pierce your own soul too."

I know as a mom if anyone were to try and hurt my daughter or be mean or anything it would crush me to see her be hurt.
I can only imagine that Mary's pain was a million times more. Literally a piercing of the soul.

Angie's Thoughts

So an angel pops in your room one night.. and tells you.. "hey you're a virgin, but God's going to make you pregnant with a baby and you're going to give birth to the Son of God."

This was Mary's reaction.

Luke 1:38 " 'I am the Lord's servant,' Mary answered. 'May it be to me as you have said.' Then the angel left her."

Seriously. You've got to have more than the faith of a mustard seed to react like that. She didn't say.. "Oh but what about my reputation?" or.. "How am I supposed to raise the Son of God? Won't I screw up?"

She trusted the Lord so much she knew He wouldn't have put anything on her that she couldn't handle and she just knew that everything was for His will and that it was good. She's a blind follower of God. She has a set of spiritual eyes where she doesn't see the things that a normal materialistic person of the world would see. She didn't see anything that should hinder her from doing this, and without questions.

In the entire conversation Mary asked one question and that was pretty much.. "hey i'm a virgin how's this going to work out?"

and i think that's pretty valid question. She never said.. "no wayy!!" or.. "I must be dreaming!" or.. "this is insane." etc.

she didn't even doubt that it would happen when she knew she was a virgin and would miraculously have a baby... which.. i dont know.. but if someone told me that i was going to be pregant I would be like.. uhmm yeah right are you insane?

But I think that if an angel told me that I might react differently.. or at least more respectfully ;)

Lord help me develop my spiritual eyes, a set that see past all the lies and silly non-important things. Amen.

Mark 14-16

Nikke's thoughts

So this is kind of a funny thought. I noticed when Jesus is sitting at a table it says He was reclining. I am just picturing the all powerful Jesus reclining back, relaxed in a old wooden chair just taking it all in!
I just thought that was funny and had to share.


One of the things that really stuck out to me was when Jesus stood trial before Pilate and then goes before the crowd of people. Where Pilate asks the people should I release Barrabas (a murderer) or The King of the Jews (Jesus) ?
I find it so interesting that all the people there were swayed by the chief priests to yell out "crucify Jesus" and everyone was yelling it. No one stood up for Jesus there.
No confrontation whatsoever.

How often are we swayed by the majority and don't put ourselves out there to be set apart?
I think it happens quite a bit.
It is hard to stand for something when everyone else is standing and fighting for the opposite.
Being a Christian is a hard life but a life that certainly has it's rewards.

I think of how desensitized the world has become when it comes to having sex. I think of the person teen or adult that is not having sex and how much of a minority he/she is. I applaud those who wait until they are married.
I think of the girl who chooses life for her child instead of death. Even if this means giving the child to another family or keeping the child herself.
God wants us to be set apart.
It is so easy to go along with the crowd.

So my question for you is are you going with the majority or are you setting yourself apart for God?

Angie's Thoughts

I agree with Nikke on the whole.. staying apart of the majority. I caught pretty much the same things as i read these 3 chapters. The crowd was manipulated. They wanted nothing but to crucify Jesus even though they didn't really even know why. They had no reasons. He committed no crime.

That makes me think of how easily we are swayed by the media and our peers. It takes guts to just stand up when no one else is with you. I know that when the spotlight gets put on me I tend to get really nervous and shake and so I have a bit of a hard time being bold and deliberately setting myself apart from everyone else.

But I know I can't let my nerves stop me. We're always going to have obstacles, but as annoying as they are.. I think obstacles.. are a good way of showing how much you want something.. of how much something means to you.
Plus it feels so great when you finally get past one of those obstacles. Especially when you've been working really hard at it.

I pray for boldness. Because the spirit is willing but the body is weak.

Mark 10-13

Mark 10:44-45 "and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a random for many."

I've just started my junior year in high school. And more and more I'm starting to see how these kids are growing up, walking around like everyone owes them something. They won't go the extra mile if it won't benefit them, it's always what they can get out of it, "me me me me me ..."

But I think that if someone just goes out of their way for them, that perhaps it'll eventually rub off on them. They'll serve someone else in some small way, and it might just keep going around.

I know that I get caught up in my life sometimes and that I often give up going out of my way for sake of convenience, and that I've skipped up on a lot of good serving opportunities.

Serving the Lord starts by serving others. That's how we can be a light in the darkness.

Lord, I pray that you'll give me plenty of opportunities to go out of my way for someone else, even if I normally wouldn't be happy to do so, and that I'd be genuinely happy to do it. That way, I might grow in You, Lord. And I also pray for opportunities to be bold, because when I pray for boldness, I know You don't make me bold, you give me opportunities to be bold. Amen.

Nikke's thoughts

13:9-11

9"You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. 10And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. 11Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

These verses really popped out to me when reading. As a Christian in the USA we do not see much persecution. We are blessed to live in a country which for the most part accepts us.
However, there are Christians who take the gospel to places that will persecute, torture and kill Christians. We cannot forget to pray for those. They are truly living out verse 10 that says: "And the gospel must first be preached to all nations."
You know when I meet someone in a store or wherever and strike up a conversation I sometimes try to find the right words to say to them to share the gospel. Sometimes I just get in the way. We don't need to have a perfect presentation. God will give us the words if we need to speak and if we don't have to speak our actions will show His love too.
The second half of verse 11 confirms that. "Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit."

We don't have to be defensive about our faith or worry about what to say or do that is why we have the Holy Spirit. He will fill us and use us! How awesome is that?

Mark 5-9

Nikke's thoughts

So a little history here. Mark is thought to be the first gospel written. All but 31 verses of Mark are quoted in the other gospels. Thought this was interesting.

There were a few things that caught my attention starting in chapter 7.

The Pharisees ask Jesus why don't your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with unclean hands?

7:6-8
Jesus replies, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:

" 'These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
They worship me in vain;
their teachings are but rules taught by men.'

You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men."

It is so easy to talk the talk and not walk the walk. We have been called to live to honor God not just talk about God. Don't get me wrong talking about God is good but living a life that shines God and speaks for itself is powerful.
There are people who are "contagious Christians" (is what I call them) and their actions speak so loudly you cannot help but see it and want to be like them and have what they have in the Lord.

This is what I want to be! A contagious Christian.


7:20
Jesus goes on to say, "What comes out of a man is what makes him 'unclean.' For from within, out of men's hearts, comes evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean.' "

So in other words an evil action starts with a thought. Don't let yourself focus on the bad things listed above. Focus on the good things found in Christ.
Philippians 4:8 and think about what is true, noble, right,pure,lovely and admirable.
(found that verse with the help of a study guide =D)


Lastly something popped out at me that is more of a question to the readers if you may know or have some insight on the subject.

In chapter 9:2-13
Jesus is tranfigured on the Mountain


Mark is obviously a written account.
However, I am curious Jesus only took Peter, James and John with him up on the high mountain.
How did Mark see this?
Did someone tell him of the account and then He wrote it or did he actually see this event take place?
Now I know Mark was also known as John Mark so was the John on the mountain Mark?

Maybe I am missing something here?

What do ya'll think?

I look forward to comments.

Angie's Thoughts

Mark 6:5 "He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their lack of faith."

So, literally, we ask for miracles from God for proof of His existence so that we might have faith in Him, when here it clearly says that we must prove ourselves to Him first. He cannot perform the supernatural for us without faith. Jesus could not perform miracles to these people because they had no faith. Also, when the woman touched Jesus's cloak and was healed with Jesus basically doing nothing because her faith healed her.

I just remember Ignite a couple years ago in Eugene and how the man that was speaking truly believed that the people of this generation, my generation, would be able to teleport like Philip in the bible. That we could have such faith that we would be the ones to do such amazing things. I agree.. Nothing is impossible. We just have to find that faith inside of us and anything can happen.

I can't wait to see what happens when people become bolder and stronger in their faith. I hope I can be like that one day..

Lord, guide my thoughts. Let me prove myself to you in everything I do. Then when I prove a fraction worthy, prove Yourself to the world through me. I want to fly, and without You I am earthbound. Give me wings!