Luke 20:19-20

And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them. And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.

Today's Thought: Stop listening to wrong people for you to be able to listen to the Lord.


Missionary Hudson Taylor's grandfather was a big fan of John Wesley. But not for the right reasons. James Taylor would frequently attend the outdoor preaching of Wesley not to listen to the messages from the Lord, but to hurl insults at the preacher and the listeners. Just before James's wedding in 1738, he went to listen Wesley preached again. The Methodist founder preached Joshua 24 with the theme: as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. The message struck James and he became a Christian.

Sometimes we listen to the Word of God, not for the right reasons. Sometimes we listen to the message for us to be able to tell others on how they should live instead of ourselves listening and applying the Word of God according to how the Lord works in our hearts. Sometimes we listen to the message for us to question the Word of God. Sometimes we are tempted to doubt the Word of God.

We should listen to the Word of God and apply them in our lives. It is only through this that we will find meaning on what we hear. It is only through this that the Word of God becomes real in our hearts. It is only through this that the Spirit can work within us. Stop listening to the Word of God wrong reasons.

  



Luke 19:41-42

And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.

The International Red Cross was born out of what Jean Henri Dunant saw in the battlefield. In 1859 he travelled to Italy to meet Napoleon III concerning a business deal. The French Army was in the field of Italy. When Dunant reached Solferino, he saw forty thousand solders dead or wounded on the field. Without any organized effort to care for the injured, several people died. It was the experience of Dunant that made him abandon his business endeavor and pursued the establishment of Red Cross as well as the codification of the Geneva Conventions to give enough protection to combatants and wounded.

Jesus Christ wept when he saw the city. There was compassion on His heart for the people in the city who had rejected and ignored His message of salvation. He is a God who cares too much and love too great. We should be like Him. We should be moved with compassion with what we see. Lamentations clearly says that what we see affects our hearts.

Dunant did what he could. We should also do what we can do. It is not enough for us to continue sighing on what we had not done. We must work on doing something great for the achievement of the Gospel. It is not a time to waste. It is a time to work and be part of the movement of people doing something for the ministry of the Lord.

John 8:32

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Today's Thought: The Word of the Lord is enough to change lives.

Many tribes in South America, especially those in the Pantanal area, were not accustomed to having American missionaries, or any missionary in general. The early tradition of these tribes were filled of cannibalism, murders, deceit and other evil deeds. But when missionaries endeavored and risked their lives to reach these areas, everything has changed. People can now go to these tribes, though not with a cozy welcome, without being cooked and eaten.

The Bible is more than just a book. It is the Word of the Lord. It is through its letters that men can hear the voice of God. It is the complete expression of God's love for man. It can change the lives of people, if they are just willing to yield to the transformative power of the Spirit of God.

With this truth, we should ask ourselves how much do we give reverence to the Word of God? Do we esteem the Word of God? Or we don't even read it, lest meditate on it.

Luke 19: 31

And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him.

Today's Thought: Always be ready to listen and do the command of the King.


The Royal Command Performance begun in 1848 when Queen Victoria attended The Merchant of Venice at the Windsor Castle. Since then, the Royal Command Performance has been a tradition wherein a formal performance is held before the head of state. The invitation to perform before the head of state is not actually a request for the schedule of performers, but a command for them to do.

In our lives, God is not asking us to do things according to His will. But He is expecting us to do it for us. He is the great King and we must be ready to obey His command. We are not our own and we don't have the right to refuse what He wants us to do. Paul says: know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

It is our duty to perform what the Lord commands. It is not within our power to bargain and reason with the Lord. It is our responsibility to do it for Him as He expects all the reverence fitting a King.

Luke 23:6-7

When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilaean. And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time.

Today's Thought: Take the responsibility and accountability of your actions.


Harry Truman was a senator from Missouri when President Franklin Roosevelt chose him to his running mate for his fourth term in office. While serving the office, Roosevelt died. Truman was the man in charge to run the country. He said to reporters after swearing in: Boys, if you ever pray, pray for me now. I don’t know if you fellas ever had a load of hay fall on you, but when they told me what happened yesterday, I felt like the moon, the stars, and all the planets had fallen on me.

Often times, we don't accept and take the blame for the things we do, how much more for the things people do under our watch. Decisions have to be made and someone must take the responsibility in making these decisions, whether they be hard or easy. It is important for us to know the real meaning of responsibility.

In the presence of the Lord there is mercy and grace. We can only ask for this mercy and grace to be upon us and equip us for the job ahead of us. Blessings don't come when we don't accept responsibility of what we do.