April 5
17 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. 18 If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebul. 19 Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 20 But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
21 “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. 22 But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder.
23 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
24 “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ 25 When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. 26 Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.”
27 As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.”
28 He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
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vs 23: Am I guilty of being offended by those whose ministry is different from what I am use to? Do I make the choice to steer clear from slander, denegrating, or passing judgement on ministries other than that of my own denomination?
vs 28: Help me to be sensitive to your Will Lord, help me to draw close to you...pressing in to you.... so that I can hear your Word to me and to this generation.
vs 36: God's light is able to shine a light in and through me so that my very life will point others to Him. My responsibility is to keep filled with His Light.... staying near Him in prayer and in the Bible.
Remember, dear ones, the smallest light can dispel the deepest darkness!
In this dark world, it is SO VITALLY important that you let the light of Jesus Christ shine through you.
There are so many people who have lived in darkness for so long that their eyes have adjusted to it. I believe they don't even realize that the darkness has enveloped them.
But you, oh beloved of God, have it IN YOU to dispel that darkness for them, by sharing the truth and LIGHT of Jesus Christ with them.
Luke 11:14-36
New International Version (NIV)
Jesus and Beelzebul
14 Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed. 15 But some of them said, “By Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.” 16 Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven.17 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. 18 If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebul. 19 Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 20 But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
21 “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. 22 But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder.
23 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
24 “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ 25 When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. 26 Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.”
27 As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.”
28 He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
The Sign of Jonah
29 As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. 30 For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom; and now something greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now something greater than Jonah is here.The Lamp of the Body
33 “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy,[a] your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy,[b] your body also is full of darkness. 35 See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. 36 Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.”***************************************************
vs 23: Am I guilty of being offended by those whose ministry is different from what I am use to? Do I make the choice to steer clear from slander, denegrating, or passing judgement on ministries other than that of my own denomination?
vs 28: Help me to be sensitive to your Will Lord, help me to draw close to you...pressing in to you.... so that I can hear your Word to me and to this generation.
vs 36: God's light is able to shine a light in and through me so that my very life will point others to Him. My responsibility is to keep filled with His Light.... staying near Him in prayer and in the Bible.
Remember, dear ones, the smallest light can dispel the deepest darkness!
In this dark world, it is SO VITALLY important that you let the light of Jesus Christ shine through you.
There are so many people who have lived in darkness for so long that their eyes have adjusted to it. I believe they don't even realize that the darkness has enveloped them.
But you, oh beloved of God, have it IN YOU to dispel that darkness for them, by sharing the truth and LIGHT of Jesus Christ with them.
Footnotes:
- Luke 11:34 The Greek for healthy here implies generous.
- Luke 11:34 The Greek for unhealthy here implies stingy.
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