Victory in Christ

Jesus explained our responsibility to others who sin against us.  “Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.” (Luke 17:3-4) At another time He also explained additional motivation we have for forgiving others. “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:14-15) He also answered Peter’s number question by basically telling him we do not need to be keeping count of other’s sins. Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” (Matthew 18:21-22) With so many different recorded instances of Jesus talking about us forgiving others, it must be important.

Today’s reading: Luke 16-17

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Three of Jesus’ parables are recorded in Luke chapter 15. All three are about the importance of a single lost soul being saved and the rejoicing that comes with it. “Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.” (Luke 15:7) Our Heavenly Father wants everyone to be saved and gives us all opportunity for salvation from our sins. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

Today’s reading: Luke 14-15

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Jesus was asked if only a few people would be saved. He answered by making a comparison to a master and a door. “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’” (Luke 13:24) Getting thru that narrow door may not be easy, but God has given us all the opportunity if we work hard to learn and follow His commands completely. “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7:13-14)

Today’s reading: Luke 12-13

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When Jesus was asked which was the greatest commandment, He gave the answer and also gave the second greatest commandment. “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31) For Him to share with them the next commandment as well must mean that it is important for us all to follow. And who is my neighbor? That same question was asked to Jesus by a lawyer. Jesus told him the story we all know of the Good Samaritan. At the end of the story, Jesus asked a question back to the lawyer. “Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.” (Luke 10:36-37) To follow Jesus’ command, we also should be willing to “go, and do likewise.”

Today’s reading: Luke 10

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Many times in Scripture we see comparisons made to light. Jesus explains to us how to stay out of darkness. “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (John 8:12) We know that he was not talking about the physical light and darkness that our eyes can see, but a more important light. His light is a spiritual one that will lead us to salvation and a home in heaven if we are true followers of His.

Today’s reading: John 9-10

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Often times when someone does us wrong, the first thing we want to do is go complain to someone else about it. Scripture tells us that there is a different way to handle this type of situation. “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.” (Matthew 18:15) It is not an easy thing to do, but it is God’s way. His ways always have better results than our ways.

Today’s reading: Matthew 18

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In this section of scripture Jesus again speaks to His disciples about their level of faith. “He said to them, ‘Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.’” (Matthew 17:20) If the disciples who were right there with Jesus every day had to be reminded to strengthen their faith, how much more do we need reminding! But as He promised, if we can maintain an active faith in Him, the rewards will be great.

Today’s reading: Matthew 17; Mark 9

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Jesus asked the question, “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36) That is a pretty easy question to correctly answer, right? But have we ever been guilty of letting something of this world get in the way of our service to God? We cannot hide what means the most to us. “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Luke 12:34)

Today’s reading: Matthew 16; Mark 8

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When questioned by the scribes and Pharisees about His disciples eating their food with defiled hands, Jesus gave them a straightforward answer. He reminded them that these ceremonial hand washing rules were man’s tradition not a commandment from God. “And he said to them, ‘Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” Mark 7:6-7 We must also be diligent in our study and following of God’s Word to make sure the things we are doing agree with His Will for us today.

Today’s reading: Matthew 15; Mark 7

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