Thought for Friday October 31

How great are the works of the Lord!
Majesty and glory are his work,
and his justice endures forever.
He has won renown for his wondrous deeds;
gracious and merciful is the LORD.
How great are the works of the Lord!

 

Luke 14: 1 – 6  On a sabbath Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people there were observing him carefully.

Why did Jesus go to eat with people whom seem to always oppose him?  Would I rather eat with people I agree with or those with whom I know I disagree?

Action:  List 2 good ideas from the political candidates you chose not to vote for,  and commit to working for those goals no matter how the election comes out.

Thought for Thursday October 30

Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
O God, I will sing a new song to you;
with a ten‑stringed lyre I will chant your praise,
You who give victory to kings,
and deliver David, your servant from the evil sword.
Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!

 

Luke 13: 31 – 35  Yet I must continue on my way today, tomorrow, and the following day, for it is impossible that a prophet should die outside of Jerusalem.

Do I have the perseverance to continue doing what I know I should even when I know it will be hard?  Where do I look for the strength to keep going?

Action:  If there is something you have given up on doing even though you know you should, take one step toward doing it again.  If you are perfect and never give up, go to dinner and celebrate.

Thought for Wednesday October 29

The Lord is faithful in all his words.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom
and speak of your might.
The Lord is faithful in all his words.

 

Luke 13: 22 – 30  Someone asked Jesus, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?”

What do I want the answer to this question to be?  Do I want everyone to be saved, or do I prefer to think of heaven as a very exclusive club?

Action:  Think of someone (contemporary, historical or even fictional) that you believe is not going to heaven, and find a way to work against whatever sin he or she was/is committing.

Thought for Tuesday October 28

Their message goes out through all the earth.
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
Day pours out the word to day,
and night to night imparts knowledge.
Their message goes out through all the earth.

 

Luke 6: 12 – 16  Jesus went up to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God.

Did Jesus have more to talk to God about than I do?  What did they talk about all night?

Action:  The next time you can’t sleep, ask God what he wants to talk about.

Thought for Monday October 27

Behave like God as his very dear children.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
Behave like God as his very dear children.

Luke 13: 10 – 17  This daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now, ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath day from this bondage?”

Do I feel free on the Sabbath?  Do I even celebrate the Sabbath?

Action:  Plan to make the next Sabbath different from every other day of the week.  If you can’t celebrate the Sabbath on Sunday, pick some other day and make it your Sabbath.

Thought for Thursday October 24

Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.

 

Luke 12: 54 – 59  “Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?

Would I rather be told what is right and wrong or figure it out for myself?   Is the world simple enough to just live by a set of rules?

Action:  If there is some issue on which you are just following authority without convictions of your own, rethink it.  You may come to the same conclusion, but at least it will be your conclusion.

Thought for Wednesday October 22

 

You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
God indeed is my savior;
I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
With joy you will draw water
at the fountain of salvation.
You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.

 

Luke 12: 39 – 48  Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.

 

What has been entrusted to me?   What is demanded of me?

 

Action:  Decide to use one of your gifts for the good of others.

Thought for Tuesday October 21

The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
The Lord speaks of peace to his people.

 

 

Luke 12: 35  - 38  Jesus said to his disciples:  “Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.”

 

What am I ready for?  What could I do immediately for God?

 

 

Action:  Start preparing a spiritual readiness plan so that you are ready to respond to movements of the Spirit.

Thought for Monday October 20

The Lord made us, we belong to him.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
his courts with praise.
The Lord made us, we belong to him.

Luke 12: 13 – 21  “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.”

What are my most prized possessions?  Would it make any difference in my life if I lost them?

Action:  Give away some things you really don’t need.

Thought for Friday October 17

Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Exult, you just, in the LORD;
praise from the upright is fitting.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten‑stringed lyre chant his praises.
Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

 

Luke 12: 1 – 7  Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed on the housetops.

What would I not say if I thought it would be heard by everyone?  Do I whisper about my faith or proclaim it from the rooftops?

Action:   The next time you are tempted to whisper something, ask yourself if it is something that really should be proclaimed or left unsaid.

Thought for Thursday October 16

The Lord has made known his salvation.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
The Lord has made known his salvation.

Luke 11: 47 – 54  Woe to you, scholars of the law!  You have taken away the key of knowledge.  You yourselves did not enter and you stopped those trying to enter.

Do those in authority ever withhold the whole truth from others because they believe it is more efficient to simplify things?  Did God “simplify” things for us?

Action:  Dig for the real truth of things you have heard talked about on the news.  Commit yourself to only passing on things you know are wholly true and aren’t just sound bites.

Thought for Wednesday October 15

Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.

Luke 11: 42 – 46  The Lord said: “Woe to you Pharisees! You pay tithes of mint and of rue and of every garden herb, but you pay no attention to judgment and to love for God.”

Do I ever give without even thinking about what God really wants?  What am I doing, besides “paying tithes”, to help change the world?

Action:  The next time you are asked to give, ask how what you are giving will change the world.

Thoought for Tuesday October 14

Let your mercy come to me, O Lord.
And I will walk at liberty,
because I seek your precepts.
Let your mercy come to me, O Lord.

 

Luke 11: 37 – 41  After Jesus had spoken, a Pharisee invited him to dine at his home.

 

Would I have invited Jesus to dinner after all of the “challenging” things he said over the last week?  Do you think anyone who had just heard Jesus preach envied the Pharisee who invited Jesus?

 

Action:  Pay attention to the people around you.  If anyone seems intimidated because of your position, size, demeanor, etc, make an effort to be more approachable.   If there is someone who intimidates you, make the effort  to speak up in his or her presence.

Thought for Monday October 13

Blessed be the name of the Lord forever.
From the rising to the setting of the sun
is the name of the LORD to be praised.
High above all nations is the LORD;
above the heavens is his glory.
Blessed be the name of the Lord forever.

 

Luke 11: 29 – 32  While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them, “This generation is an evil generation…”

Is this the kind of preaching that is drawing crowds today?   How do I react when someone points out the evil in my life?

Action:  Listen to someone who has an opposing viewpoint to your own and be willing to challenge yourself to see the other side of some issue.

Thought for Thursday October 9

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.

Luke 11: 5 – 13  Jesus said to his disciples: “Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread…”

Do I have a friend I could do this to?  Am I this kind of friend??

Action:  Donate three loaves of bread to a local soup kitchen, food bank, shelter or family in need.

Thought for Wednesday October 8

Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News.
Praise the LORD, all you nations,
glorify him, all you peoples!
Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News.

Luke 11: 1 – 4  “When you pray, say:  Father, hallowed be your name, your Kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test.”

Is there anything I pray for that Jesus didn’t include?   Is there anything here I usually don’t even think about?

 

Action:  Forgive someone.

Thought for Tuesday October 7

Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
My soul also you knew full well;
nor was my frame unknown to you
When I was made in secret,
when I was fashioned in the depths of the earth.
Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.

Luke 10: 38 – 42  Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.   There is need of only one thing.  Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.

What part have I chosen?  What am I doing with it?

Action:    Take over the service for someone so he or she can experience the better part.

Thought for Monday October 6

The Lord will remember his covenant forever.
I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart
in the company and assembly of the just.
Great are the works of the LORD,
exquisite in all their delights.
The Lord will remember his covenant forever.

 

Luke 10: 25 – 37  “And who is my neighbor?”

Who is my neighbor?  Do I regard anyone as a non-neighbor?

Action:  Look at your neighborhood and make a decision to change something to help establish the reign of God.  Clean up trash, talk to people, plant flowers, work with a drug prevention program, volunteer at the school, fix the playground equipment, mow a field for kids to play in, welcome newcomers, etc.

Thought for Friday October 3

Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
If I take the wings of the dawn,
if I settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
Even there your hand shall guide me,
and your right hand hold me fast.
Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.

 

Luke 10: 13 – 16  Jesus said, “Whoever listens to you listens to me.”

Do I want that responsibility?  Am I conscious of this responsibility when I speak?

Action:  Speak out against and work to change something in your community that is not consistent with Jesus’ teaching.

 

Thought for Thursday October 2

I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.

 

Matthew 18: 1 – 5, 10  He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.

What’s so great about kids?  What qualities have I lost as I have gotten older?

Action:  Approach a serious problem facing your family or society with the optimism and idealism of youth and see what you can do to make things better when you are not hindered by the cynicism of age.