In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away! —Luke 15:7 Ever lose something that was really valuable to you and then you found it? Remember the joy that you experienced over finding it? What relief I had when I found the wallet that had slipped out of my pocket. I was also relieved when I found my cell phone while digging a trench for an electrical line with a backhoe. Surely it must be under that dirt pile somewhere. Nope, there it was just off the side…

Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? —Luke 14:34 Ever put salt on an apple? The sweetness of an apple gives a striking contrast to the powerful taste of salt. That salty flavor truly perks up the taste buds when combined with the sweetness of an apple. We who follow the Lord Jesus Christ are to be like salt— a positive flavoring and stark contrast in society. Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13). What flavor are you and I bringing to our part of the world? Do we stand out in contrast to those…

But they all began making excuses. —Luke 14:18 Ever have an invitation to some event or to somebody’s home and you made an excuse so you did not have to go? Maybe it was because you had something “better” to do or that you already had “plans.” It could have been because you just did not want to go. What is your excuse or what are people’s excuses for not coming to Jesus when they are invited? Here are a few I know of: I just don’t believe that stuff (As if there is not enough evidence). That’s good for you, but not for me (As if they are somebody…

And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God. —Luke 13:3 People everywhere are commanded by God to repent (Acts 17:30). That is, they are to have a change of mind toward sin and accept the will of God. Those who love the power positions they are in need to repent and trust the Lord God Almighty. Those who have all this world has to offer need to repent and trust the Lord God Almighty. Those who are drug addicts and alcoholics need to repent and trust the Lord God Almighty. Why? It is because God has our best interests in mind… always. But…

Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law. —Luke 12:51-53 So people many cry out for peace. “Has the world ever been at peace? Of the past 3,400 years, humans have been entirely at peace for 268 of them, or just 8 percent of recorded history.” http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/06/books/chapters/0713-1st-hedges.html Yet, this is only defining war as…

Dear friends, don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that. But I’ll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, he’s the one to fear… I tell you the truth, everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, the Son of Man will also acknowledge in the presence of God’s angels… Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. —Luke 12:4-5, 8, 34 Before Beheading, Children Tell ISIS: ‘No, We Love Jesus’—Some of the bravest martyrs this generation may ever…

Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me. —Luke 11:23 Ever tried pushing a car when someone has the brake on? Ever want to unlock your house but someone didn’t put the key back in its hiding place? Ever work with someone who couldn’t be found because they were sleeping on the job? It is tough to accomplish something when somebody is not working with you. Jesus said that those who were not working with Him were against Him and those that are not with Him are actually against Him. Some people think they can take the “middle road”…

Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing… Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it and it will not be taken away from her.” —Luke 10:39, 40-42 He jumped right in on the project without listening to the details of how to do it. Then when he thought all was going well, he found out that he was missing a few details. He didn’t know how to proceed because he had not listened to the directions that were being given…

“Who do people say I am?” —Luke 9:18 “But who do you say I am?” —Luke 9:20 Some say Jesus was a prophet or a good teacher. Others say He was just a good man or a holy man. Still there are others who reject the idea that Jesus ever lived. They deny that He historically existed. But when it comes right down to it, who do you say that Jesus is? Your final answer will seal your destiny forever. You can believe the faulty ideas of others or you can check it out for yourself. God’s Word, the Bible, is so accessible today through the written page or through…

Where is your faith? —Luke 8:25 You sit in a chair without thinking much about it. That is faith. You know the chair has a designed purpose and you trust it. You step onto a plane to travel and you trust its design will fulfill its purpose even though you may not understand everything about it. You read about historical figures and you believe what you read even though you have not seen those people. You breathe air you cannot see but you see the results. You trust the information available in so many ways on a regular basis. That is faith. So, where is your faith when it comes…