Podcasts about in luke

Why do we resist the very things we need most? We know what helps us grow. We know what brings freedom. Yet we often push away good advice, sabotage healthy habits, and resist the changes we desperately need. In Luke 8, Jesus tells the Parable of the Sower and reveals why some hearts receive truth while others reject it. Through a simple story about seed and soil, He exposes one of the deepest realities of the human heart—and shows how lasting transformation begins.

What do you really want from Jesus?At the cross, two criminals looked at the same suffering Jesus, heard the same words, and faced the same reality. Yet they responded to Him in completely different ways.One criminal wanted Jesus to fix his immediate situation. The other recognized that he needed something far greater: a Savior for his soul.In Luke 23:32–43, we see two radically different approaches to Jesus. One treats Jesus like a servant who should meet our needs and work according to our timing. The other recognizes Jesus as the King who offers forgiveness, grace, and salvation.The question is not simply whether you believe in Jesus. What are you looking for from Him?This message explores the crucifixion, the substitutionary death of Christ, the forgiveness we receive through the cross, and how experiencing Christ's forgiveness should transform the way we forgive others.

Thought to share? Send me a text...What do you do when life feels completely outside of your control—and what if peace doesn't come from getting control back, but from trusting the One who already has it?When you're juggling your kids, family, work, health, finances, relationships, and an uncertain future, it's easy to feel responsible for fixing problems and managing outcomes that were never actually yours to control. In Luke 4:31–44, we see the remarkable authority of Jesus over His Word, the spiritual realm, sickness, and even the demands of the people around Him. His authority gives us a powerful reason to loosen our grip on what we cannot control and trust Him instead.In this episode, you'll discover:How Jesus' authority in Luke 4 gives you confidence to trust Him when circumstances feel uncertain or overwhelming.Why caring deeply about people doesn't mean you have to fix every problem, meet every need, or say yes to every request.A practical way to surrender the people, situations, and outcomes you've been trying to control so you can grow in trust, obedience, and peace.Press play to discover how trusting Jesus with what you cannot control can release the pressure you've been carrying and help you experience greater peace in your everyday life.New episodes every Tuesday morning.To connect with Betsy for speaking, resources, or curriculum head to https://betsymarvin.com/contact-me/For access to past podcasts and transcripts, head tohttps://betsymarvin.com/podcasts/A Christian podcast centered on Jesus, the Bible, and God explores faith through the Old Testament and New Testament, sharing Bible stories and Bible explained insights to help women of faith and Jesus followers grow in faith, strengthen their relationship with God, and know God more deeply through Bible study, women Bible study, and practical Christianity, all while encouraging spiritual growth, understanding identity in Christ, and learning to understand Bible teachings to become closer to God.

In Luke 19:11–27, Jesus reminds us that while we wait for our King to return, we are called to faithfully use what He has entrusted to us. One day, the King will return and we will give an account of our faithfulness.If you have any questions about this podcast, would like to share a testimony or prayer request or would simply like to know more about following Jesus, we would love to hear from you. Please reach out to us at churchoffice@unitedassembly.org

We all have distractions that can keep us from what matters most, but Jesus invites us to a different way of living. In Luke 10, Mary shows us what it looks like to seek first the Kingdom, set down our distractions, and sit at the feet of Jesus. Whether you tend to be driven like Martha or laid-back like Mary, Jesus invites you to keep coming back to His presence. Because at the feet of Jesus, you'll find all that you need.   Title: Sit with Jesus Series: Seek First Text: Luke 10:38-42 Speaker: Josh Branham

In Luke chapter 12 Jesus tells a parable about a steward that is not pleasing to God. This series is aimed at helping us be pleasing in God's eyes and to help us become Faithful and Wise Stewards of EVERYTHING God has given us. This first message is an intro to the series and the first topic... How to be a Faithful and Wise Steward of the Time that God gives us.

Luke: To the Least, the Last, & the Lost - Luke 7.31-35Jobey McGintySome people rejected John the Baptist because he was too intense and restrictive. Others rejected Jesus because He ate and drank with sinners. In Luke 7:31-35, Jesus exposes a deeper issue: stubborn hearts will always find a reason not to listen. We do the same. We dismiss correction, resist accountability, and judge others by our own preferences. Some drift toward legalism. Others hide behind “freedom.” Both can become excuses to avoid surrender. Jesus offers something better. Hebrews 4:15 reminds us that He understands our weakness, yet calls us out of self-rule and into wisdom. “The fear of the Lord is wisdom” (Job 28:28), and wisdom is proven by its fruit (Luke 7:35). This message is an invitation to humility, teachability, and the kind of freedom that grows when we finally stop making excuses and follow Him.

Luke: To the Least, the Last, & the Lost - Luke 7:36-50Jobey McGintySome sins are obvious. Others hide behind respectability. In Luke 7:36-50, Jesus sits at a Pharisee's table while a sinful woman weeps at His feet. Simon believes his own morality makes him closer to God, while the woman knows she has nothing to offer but repentance and love. Jesus exposes both pride and shame as dead ends. Self-righteousness can look healthy on the outside while quietly hardening the heart.

Sunday Sermon by Kevin JensenWe believe Jesus is coming back one day, and we want to be ready when he comes. In Luke 17, Jesus gives us teaching on how to live holy, godly lives, which will help us be ready when he comes—and on how to act in preparation for his coming and how to respond when he comes.Luke 17

Title: Things Learned But Not Yet MasteredSpeaker: Sam PearceDate: 13th September 2026Location: Adelaide, Australia Summary Some lessons take years to learn, and you can still be a long way from mastering them. This episode works through three things learned but not mastered: what hospitality actually asks of us, why Jesus dealt with sin before sickness, and how to handle change in a church you love. Hospitality is pulled away from the image of a grand dinner party and put somewhere plainer: noticing a need and doing something practical about it. The example given is a woman with very little to spare who had already put her own money towards medical care for someone she knew and was out looking for a tent for a person with nowhere to sleep. From there the talk turns to Luke 5, where a man is lowered through a roof to be healed and is forgiven first, which raises an uncomfortable question about whether our urgent list and God's are the same list. The closing section is about change, and it is the most personal. Daniel is told that God changes the times and the seasons. Isaiah 43 tells a people defined by one great miracle not to live only in it, because God intends to do a new thing. And a church, it turns out, is more cruise ship than speedboat. Key Points Hospitality is less about hosting something impressive and more about spotting a need and doing something practical about it. Carrying each other's burdens is presented as basic to Christian life, not an optional extra for people with spare time. The Good Samaritan is held up as the model: unglamorous help, done quietly, usually seen by nobody but the person receiving it. A real example makes it concrete, of someone with little to spare paying towards another person's care and then hunting for a tent for someone with nowhere to sleep. In Luke 5 the forgiveness comes before the healing, which suggests our sense of what is urgent and God's may not line up. For anyone unsettled by change, Daniel is given the reassurance that God is the one who changes times and seasons and sets up and removes kings. Isaiah 43 warns a people against living only in a past miracle, because a new thing is being promised ahead of them. A church behaves more like a cruise ship than a speedboat: slow to turn, but stable and able to carry everyone. If you want the direction changed, go to the wheelhouse rather than shouting from the top deck. Reference Scriptures Galatians 6:2 Romans 12:13 Hebrews 13:2 Luke 5:18-20 Luke 5:22-23 Daniel 2:19-21 Isaiah 43:15-19 Listen to the entire Podcast Revival library by visiting https://podcastrevival.com The Revival Fellowship is a Bible-directed, Spirit-filled Church and we welcome visitors to our meetings at any of our locations worldwide. To find your nearest venue visit https://therevivalfellowship.com © 2026 The Revival Fellowship. All Rights Reserved.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You can run from God by breaking all the rules. You can also run from God by keeping all of them.In Luke 15, Jesus tells the story of two lost sons—one lost in rebellion, the other lost in religion. Both think they know how to relate to the Father. Both get it wrong.This week, Kyle Ranson unpacks why neither rebellion nor religion can connect us to God—but why no matter which direction you wander, God still moves toward you in love. Recorded live at Crossroads Oakley in Cincinnati, Ohio.

William Taylor - Jesus repeatedly demonstrates his power and authority over death. In Luke 7, this authority is combined with compassion. These two aspects of his character – authority and compassion – both challenge our view of Jesus and give us great grounds for comfort.

William Taylor - Jesus repeatedly demonstrates his power and authority over death. In Luke 7, this authority is combined with compassion. These two aspects of his character – authority and compassion – both challenge our view of Jesus and give us great grounds for comfort.

The worst seat in the house is not the sinner's seat. In Luke 7, a woman the whole town had written off crashes a dinner party and kneels at the feet of Jesus while the respectable host decides he has seen enough. Josh Fortney walks through what happens when Jesus knows the very worst about two very different people and makes room for both. It is a story about grace, about the debts we cannot see in ourselves, and about the kind of table Jesus gathers people around. Sermon notes and discussion questions available at: https://www.citybridgechurch.org/messages Subscribe for weekly Sunday Messages on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Questions or feedback? DM us @citybridgecc or email info@citybridgechurch.org. Enjoyed the message? Leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

What does it look like to live with peace and presence in a world that never stops demanding our attention? In Luke 10, Martha welcomes Jesus into her home and serves Him faithfully, but anxiety begins pulling her in every direction. Mary, meanwhile, sits at Jesus' feet and listens. Jesus isn't condemning Martha's work. He's inviting her to recognize what's happening inside her—and to remember that His presence matters more than the pressure to keep up.This message explores what it means to abide in Christ and build a life rooted in His presence rather than anxiety. Through Scripture, the example of Jesus, and practical rhythms of prayer, time in God's Word, and Sabbath rest, we'll discover how to return our attention to God in the middle of everyday life. Because peace isn't found in finally getting everything done. It's found in learning to live with Jesus, where doing flows from being.This sermon was recorded at a Sunday morning gathering at Church of the Lookout in Longmont, Colorado.Speaker — Luke HumbrechtVisit our websiteFollow us on FacebookFollow us on Instagram

Uncertainty about the future, unanswered prayers, and dreams that haven’t taken shape yet can leave you wondering whether your ordinary, everyday faithfulness really matters. Scripture reminds us that God may be preparing us for something we cannot yet see. Noah spent years building the ark before a single drop of rain fell. In the same way, God often calls us to prepare, obey, and remain faithful without showing us the full picture. The small things we do each day—our work, responsibilities, relationships, and acts of obedience—can be part of a much larger purpose. We may want the big answer or the completed dream, but God is often strengthening our character and our faith through the seemingly mundane tasks right in front of us. Highlights: What Isaiah 54:2 teaches us about preparing for what God may be doing Why obedience sometimes requires faith before we understand the outcome Lessons from Noah’s years of faithful, unseen preparation How God uses ordinary and seemingly small tasks to prepare us for greater responsibility Why we should focus on faithfulness today instead of needing to know what comes next How seasons of waiting can strengthen our character, trust, and obedience Remembering that what seems insignificant to us may have a much greater purpose in God’s plan Want more encouragement throughout your week? Subscribe to The Good Word, LifeAudio’s free weekly newsletter. Sign up at LifeAudio.com/thegoodword Do you want to listen ad-free? When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! Sign Up Today! Full Transcript Below: Strengthening Your Stakes: Preparing for What Only God Can See By Hannah Benson Bible Reading:“Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes” (Isaiah 54:2 ESV). God often does things we don’t expect. As I read Isaiah 54 the other day, God showed me that He will often tell us to prepare for things He’s bringing us. In this passage, He tells a barren woman to expand her tent and strengthen her stakes for a family she doesn't even have yet. Our job isn’t to know the why but to prepare in obedience even when we don’t know what we are getting ready for. All we can do is walk in obedience even when we don’t know where the obedience will lead. It reminds me of the parable Jesus told of the 10 virgins in Matthew 25. When they went to meet the bridegroom, only 5 of the virgins took extra flasks of oil with them before they departed. The other 5 foolishly didn’t. They didn’t prepare. Or in Genesis 6, when God commands Noah to build an ark. Do you think Noah might’ve thought it a bit strange, the command to build an ark when there wasn’t rain anywhere in sight? Not to mention the earth had never flooded before. Undoubtedly, the idea would’ve been a foreign concept to him. But Noah chose to trust God, and it was counted to him as righteousness (Hebrews 11:7). I’m in a season right now where I don’t know where I’ll be in the next year, the next few months, or even next week. All I can see is what God has placed in front of me right now. Think about it. Noah didn’t build the ark in a day. It took decades of waking up, grabbing a hammer, and building one plank at a time. He didn’t see a drop of rain for years. He just saw the single wooden plank in front of him each day. He had to wait years for God’s promise and prophecy to be fulfilled. Perhaps Noah began to wonder if it would really happen or if he’d heard wrong. When we think about Noah, we often envision the completed ark. But what we don’t see are the 50-75 years of backbreaking labor, years of faithfulness before the first drop of rain ever fell. He had to be faithful in the daily, ordinary tasks of building the ark before he ever fully understood the why of the assignment. We are called to be faithful in the little things (Luke 16:10). Think about it. Noah spent more time building that ark, without seeing any results, than some of us have even been alive. Certainly more time than we’ve probably ever spent on a project. Do you think Noah knew the full weight of the task he’d been asked to undertake? Yet if he hadn’t trusted God’s word spoken to him, none of us would be here. God used Noah’s faithfulness to save the world. If he hadn’t built the ark, his family would’ve drowned. If his family had drowned, the earth would have been wiped out, which means none of us would be here today. Wow. That’s pretty weighty to think about. In Luke 12:48, Jesus tells us that to whom much is given, much will be required. Intersecting Faith & Life: While we might not be asked to build an ark that will preserve the population from dying out, we are asked in Matthew 28:19 (ESV) to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” teaching them to observe all that Jesus has commanded us. Even if we are not called to save people physically, we are called to point them to the One Who can save them spiritually. We often find we want the “much” more than we desire the “little.” We want the completed project, the fulfilled dream, the clear future, but God tests our hearts in the “little.” He looks at how we handle what He has already given us. We are called to be faithful in the small tasks we may consider “mundane” (answering an email, studying, folding laundry). Think about it. Remember God says that to whom much is given, much is required (Luke 12:48). Perhaps God keeps us in seasons of quiet, daily preparation because if He gave us the big platforms or massive answers to prayer before our character was tested in the small things, the weight of the responsibility would crush us. And how important those “small” things are even if we don’t realize it! We may find it hard to believe when we’re folding another load of laundry or washing dishes, but remember Noah probably couldn’t fully imagine the importance of each part as he built the ark, one piece of wood, one layer of pitch and tar at a time. Pray with me: Dear Father, thank You that Your plans are better than anything I could imagine. Forgive me for the times I lose sight of that. Help me to remember Noah’s decades of unseen faithfulness, and give me the strength to fulfill every task, no matter how mundane it may seem, with a heart of worship. Teach me to obey Your voice even when I don’t understand the why behind the assignment. I trust that You are preparing me for whatever You have next. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Send us Fan MailAs Nathan Cook prepares to conclude his time on staff at Christ Methodist Church, he joins us for one final podcast conversation, leaving us with a challenge from Luke 14 to reconsider what has our attention and fully participate in the Kingdom of God.In Luke 14, Jesus tells of a banquet prepared and an invitation extended, yet one by one, the invited guests allow the concerns of everyday life to keep them away. In this conversation, listeners are challenged to consider what may be keeping them from fully participating in the Kingdom of God.HOME | PLAN YOUR VISIT | BLOG | DIGITAL BULLETIN

Toni Collier joins me for a conversation that started with one sentence she posted online, watched go viral, and could not fully explain: some of us have become more obsessed with healing than becoming holy. We sit with what that exposes. Toni is the founder of Broken Crayons Still Color and the author of Don't Try This Alone, and she is not speaking from a safe distance; she is still in the work, still in counseling after more than a decade, still learning that healing is not a magic wand but the capacity to hold what you needed to heal. Together we trace the difference between healing and holiness, why making your own healing the idol will isolate you from the very people who could help you, and how the therapy words we have baptized (toxic, boundaries, protecting my peace) can quietly cost us the moral compass that is our God. Here is the harder part. Your healing was never meant to end with you. In Luke 15, the younger son moves from "give me" to "make me," and that shift is the whole of sanctification. You are not made well so you can feel better. You are made well so you can be conformed to the image of Christ and love His people well. Transformation does not happen in a day; it happens daily. So the question this conversation puts in front of you is not whether you are getting better. It is whether you are becoming holy, and whether you are willing to let your healing cost you something on behalf of someone else. Guest Bio Toni Collier is the founder of Broken Crayons Still Color, a global ministry that helps women move through brokenness toward healing and hope, and the host of the Still Coloring podcast. She is the author of Don't Try This Alone, Brave Enough to Be Broken, and the children's book Broken Crayons Still Color, and she writes from inside her own story of heartbreak and rebuilding rather than from a safe distance. On this episode, she brings hard-won clarity to the difference between getting healed and becoming holy. Show Partner(s) SafeSleeve designs a phone case that blocks up to 99% of harmful EMF radiation—so I'm not carrying that kind of exposure next to my body all day. It's sleek, durable, and most importantly, lab-tested by third parties. The results aren't hidden—they're published right on their site. And that matters because many so-called EMF blockers on the market either don't work or can't prove they do. We protect our hearts and minds—why wouldn't we protect our bodies too? Head to safesleevecases.com and use the code WINTODAY10 for 10% off your order. Episode Links Show Notes Buy my book "Healing What You Can't Erase" here! Invite me to speak at your church or event. Connect with me @WINTODAYChris on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Someone has said, “There is always time to do God's will.” Certainly, that has to be true. What God has given us to do we will have time to do, provided we know how to manage our time well and are disciplined in our work habits. Here's the next question we need to ask ourselves: Do I set appropriate boundaries on my busyness? Did you ever realize Jesus knew how to say, “That's not my job”? In Luke 12 we read where a man asked Jesus to be a judge, and Jesus said, in effect, “That’s not my job.” I'm sure this man figured Jesus was the right person to settle this argument between him and his brother. But Jesus told him he was not called, nor did he intend, to become an earthly judge in human affairs. He was not unkind about it, but he certainly was direct. In Mark 1:35-38 we see another occasion where Jesus disappointed some people. The whole town had gathered to hear Jesus, and his disciples were most anxious for him to come and please this crowd. But Jesus said no to his disciples because he said he must go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come. No doubt he disappointed his disciples and the crowd, but Jesus stayed focused on his mission. He knew how to set boundaries and refused to try to please everyone. I used to think if I was everything I should be, everybody would be happy with me and I’d be able to please everyone. But when I realized Jesus set boundaries and said, “That's not my job” when necessary, it freed me to know I too could set boundaries. Just because someone asks you to do something doesn't necessarily mean you should do it. For many of us saying no is very difficult. That’s because our worth as a person is too much based on what others think of us. When we are dependent on the opinions and affirmation of other people to feel good about ourselves and what we’re doing, then we are at their mercy. We’re going to jump through their hoops, trying to be super people, to gain their approval and therefore feel we’re okay. If you haven't learned how to set biblical boundaries in your life, I urge you to take this matter under consideration. There are some good Christian books on the topic, and it will be well worth your time to find out when and how you should be setting boundaries on the busyness of your life.

Wednesday, 9 September 2026   But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, Matthew 22:31   “Concerning, also, the ‘resurrection, the dead', not you read the ‘having been uttered to you by the God', saying...” (CG)   In the previous verse, Jesus began the substance of His answer to the Sadducees' question, telling them that in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage. Rather, they are like the angels of God in heaven. Jesus next schools them on the resurrection itself, beginning with, “Concerning, also, the ‘resurrection, the dead'.”   They did not specifically ask about the resurrection, just what would happen to the woman who married the seven brothers. However, being Sadducees, He knew that they didn't believe in a resurrection. Their question was just an attempt to demonstrate that the doctrine is confused and not based on reality.   Because of that, Jesus will provide insights into the nature of God and man's relationship to Him to help them understand what they had previously missed. He continues, saying, “not you read the ‘having been uttered to you by the God', saying...”   Jesus takes the word of God as an utterance of God, even if it is transmitted through human beings. That will become more evident as He continues, but it is a truth that permeates Scripture.   Life application: In Luke, the words of this account add, “But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised...” In Matthew, Jesus says, “uttered to you by the God,” but in Luke it says, “even Moses showed.”   One can see the synergistic way that Scripture is brought to us. God didn't just send the Bible down in book form from heaven. Instead, He used human instruments to convey His word to us. In 2 Peter, it says –   “And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; 20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” 2 Peter 1:19-21   God has spoken through humans, books have been recorded, and then they were compiled into a single unit. It is often questioned how we can know if the word we received is reliable, missing books, has the wrong books, etc.   If God spoke through men to give books to His people, then He is obviously capable of ensuring that the books He provided us will be properly protected to form a whole. That brings in several other issues, though.   For example, some sects or cults have books not accepted in the standard canon of Scripture. How can we know if they actually belong in the Bible or not? There is no quick and simple answer to this. But it is generally understood that the books of the Bible will properly weave together with each other to form a united whole, each book complementing the others.   It can also be expected that God's “fingerprints” will be on the result. And this is certainly the case with the standard and accepted sixty-six books of the Bible. There are patterns that run richly through the whole, demonstrating a wisdom and intelligence behind them that spans them all, even though they were penned in various locations, by many people, and over an extended period of time.   This cohesion is lost when the apocrypha is added, as has been done by the Roman Catholic Church. Others add in the book of Enoch or the book of Mormon. Such additions do not reflect the same divine stamp which permeates what is accepted as the standard Bible.   Further, within the Bible are certain stories, the typology of which confirms the structure of the Bible, such as there being two testaments, not one or three. There is a seemingly unlimited amount of information that confirms we possess exactly what God intends for us to possess when we have the standard sixty-six books of the Bible in our hands.   It is a self-validating book that displays immense wisdom that could not have come about randomly, or even in a human-planned manner. This is because after 3500 years, new insights, patterns, and typological representations are routinely discovered in its pages.   Don't fret that God has somehow failed to get us a sure and understandable word. If He can set the stars and planets in place and keep them in proper motion, He can give us a sure and reliable word. Be confident of this as you explore the wonderful content of His glorious word.   Lord God, thank You for the Bible. It has the power to turn the lost sinner into a found and grounded believer. It can change a drunkard into an evangelist. It can touch hearts, minds, and lives. Through it, relationships are healed, and life finds a purpose. Above all, in it we find our Savior. Thank You for the word that tells us of JESUS! Amen.  

In Luke 14:16-24, Jesus tells the parable of the great supper. A man prepares a great feast and sends out invitations, but when everything is ready, those who were invited begin making excuses. But notice what happens next. In verse 21, the master becomes angry and tells his servant to go into the streets and bring in the poor, the maimed, the halt, and the blind. Then, in verse 23, the command becomes even more urgent: “Compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.” And then comes the sobering warning of verse 24: “For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.” This isn't simply a story about a dinner invitation. Jesus is revealing the seriousness of God's invitation—and the danger of treating that invitation casually. God's invitation is gracious. It is extended. The door is open. But there comes a point when excuses have consequences. Today, we're going to look closely at verses 21, 23, and 24 and ask ourselves an important question: What are we doing with the invitation God has given us?

TakingTheLandPodcast.comSomeone in your life may look completely uninterested in God. They may have rejected every invitation, ignored every conversation, and shown no outward sign of change.But you don't know what God may already be stirring inside them.In Luke 19, Zacchaeus was known as a corrupt tax collector, a traitor, and a sinner. Everyone in Jericho thought they knew exactly what kind of man he was. What they couldn't see was that something had already begun happening in his heart.He climbed a tree hoping to see Jesus.He had no idea Jesus was looking for him.In this message, “A Tale of a Tree,” Pastor Garret King of Tucson, Arizona examines the conversion of Zacchaeus and the incredible grace of Jesus toward people others have written off.We cannot save anyone. But God can use our friendship, testimony, prayers, invitations, and faithfulness to help someone see Jesus more clearly.Don't give up on them yet.

“I'm never enough.” “I have to take care of myself.” “This pain will never go away.” Our broken stories can shape how we see God, ourselves, and one another. In Luke 2:21–40, we encounter the Savior who enters those stories and brings us into the Father's story of redemption.As our series in Luke continues, an ordinary visit to the temple reveals God's extraordinary faithfulness. Mary and Joseph present Jesus, Simeon receives the salvation he has waited for, and Anna shares the hope of redemption. This child will become the Lamb who dies in our place, fulfilling God's promises and making us new through His death and resurrection.Together, we consider what it means to receive salvation as a gift and live as beloved children of the Father. Christ's light exposes the old stories we still believe, while His people help us remember who we are and grow in faith through suffering and everyday life. Rooted in Christ, we can share the hope we've received with those around us.Receive your Savior. Remember who you are. Reach for the harvest.

Whenever lives are lost unexpectedly, the same painful questions rise: Where is God? Why did He allow this? Could He have stopped it? In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef looks at how Jesus responded to two tragedies that shook the people of His day.In Luke 13, Jesus refers to Galileans who were killed while worshiping and to eighteen people who died when the tower of Siloam collapsed. The crowd assumed those victims must have been worse sinners than everyone else. Jesus rejected that conclusion outright.Instead, He turned the conversation toward a deeper spiritual reality: tragedy should remind us of the brevity of life and the urgency of repentance. Jesus warned that judgment ultimately comes to all who refuse to turn from sin and receive God's mercy.But this is not a message without hope. God has provided a way of escape through Jesus Christ. Through Him, sinners can receive forgiveness, grace, victory over sin, and the promise of eternal life.This episode offers a biblical perspective for moments when suffering feels senseless—calling us away from speculation and toward repentance, faith, and the everlasting hope found in Christ.Pray with me.Father God, thank You for Your lovingkindness toward me. I know goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

What happens when we want Jesus, but only on our own terms?In Luke 22, we see the power of darkness at work through the disciples' self-sufficiency, Judas's betrayal, and Peter's self-confidence. But beneath each of these failures is something uncomfortably familiar: our tendency to trust ourselves, pursue our own strength, and follow Jesus only when the cost is manageable.The disciples slept when Jesus prayed. Judas sold Jesus when following Him stopped being profitable. Peter promised he would never deny Jesus, and then denied Him three times.Yet the hope of the Gospel is that our salvation does not ultimately rest on our commitment, our resolve, or our ability to remain faithful. It rests on Jesus, the ready servant who stayed faithful when everyone else failed.This message from Luke 22 challenges us to beware of creating a Jesus on our own terms and instead trust the One who perfectly carried out the Father's will for us.

Ten men cried out to Jesus for mercy, and He healed all ten. But only one, a Samaritan outsider, turned back to say thank you. In Luke 17:11-19, Jesus meets us right in the middle of our busyness and hustle to offer what we could never earn: grace freely given, true rest, and a whole new perspective on our daily labor.Whether you're running on empty or just going through the motions, this message is an invitation to receive unearned grace, true rest, and a fresh perspective on the work in front of you.

What will Jesus find when He returns? In Luke 12:35–59, Jesus prepares His followers for the end of all things and shows them how to live while they wait. Kevin Barra explains why Christ's return gives us a reason to remain ready, faithfully use what God has entrusted to us, endure the cost of following Jesus, and respond to His offer of salvation while it remains open.Jesus will return at an unexpected time, so His followers should live with readiness and expectationGod will evaluate how faithfully we have used our responsibilities, opportunities, and influenceFollowing Jesus may bring conflict, but His grace is available now to anyone willing to receive itKey Scriptures:Luke 12:35–591 Thessalonians 5:1–22 Peter 3:8–10Consider what Jesus would find if He returned today. Are you living with an expectation of His return, remaining faithful with what He has entrusted to you, and following Him when it becomes difficult? Ask God to show you the step you need to take to trust Jesus more fully. Share this message with a friend or family member who could use the encouragement to live ready and faithful.Bayou City Fellowship Spring Branch Campus | Kevin Barra | September 6, 2026https://linktr.ee/bayoucityfellowship

What happens when the real Jesus does not match the one we want? In Luke 12:49–59, Jesus confronts the crowd's expectations and points toward the cross, the decisive event that reveals what kind of Messiah He truly is. Nick Maricle explains why the cross shows us the seriousness of our sin, the beauty of God's redemption, and why encountering Jesus leaves no room for neutrality.• The cross identifies Jesus as the Messiah we need, not necessarily the Messiah we want• The horror and beauty of the cross reveal both the depth of our sin and the greatness of God's redeeming love• Seeing Jesus for who He truly is demands a response because repeatedly choosing “later” eventually becomes indistinguishable from saying “no”Key Scriptures:Luke 12:49–59Philippians 2:6–8Matthew 16:24Matthew 13:44Consider whether you have been following Jesus as He truly is or trying to shape Him around your own expectations, priorities, and plans. Come to Him with open hands and ask what you may need to surrender so that He can have your full allegiance. Share this message with a friend or family member who may be wrestling with what it really costs to follow Jesus.Bayou City Fellowship Cypress Campus | Nick Maricle | September 6, 2026https://linktr.ee/bayoucityfellowship

How could God's judgment possibly be good news? In Luke 12:49–59, Jesus speaks directly about fire, division, and the judgment to come. Allan McBrayer explains that Jesus gives this warning not to frighten people into empty religion, but to reveal the truth, clarify where we stand, and invite us into a personal relationship with Him through the mercy of God.Jesus endured the judgment for our sin so that everyone who believes in Him can receive forgiveness and righteousnessGod's fire purifies and clarifies, revealing the true foundation of our works and our relationship with JesusRecognizing the warning gives us an opportunity to respond now because God's mercy provides what our own goodness never couldKey Scriptures:Luke 12:49–592 Corinthians 5:21John 3:17–181 Corinthians 3:12–15James 2:13Do not assume that knowing about Jesus, attending church, or doing good things is the same as knowing Him personally. Honestly consider whether you have placed your faith in Jesus and received the forgiveness and new life He offers. Share this message with a friend or family member who needs to understand how God's mercy triumphs over judgment.Bayou City Fellowship Tomball Campus | Allan McBrayer | September 6, 2026https://linktr.ee/bayoucityfellowship

Herod was in a palace. John was in a prison.So which one was winning?In Luke 7:24–28, Jesus asks the crowd, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see?” And then He gives us a radically different picture of what greatness looks like.John didn't get the palace. He didn't get comfort, freedom, wealth, or even the long life he might have expected. But Jesus didn't look at John's life and call it wasted. He called it great.Because Jesus was using a different scoreboard.This message asks a deeper question:What makes a life great?Is it comfort?Success?Freedom?Wealth?Getting everything we want?Or is greatness measured by what—and Who—we give our lives to?We're all spending our lives. We don't get to keep them. We only get to decide what we're going to spend them on.And Christianity doesn't begin with what we give Jesus. It begins with what Jesus has already given us.Before Jesus ever asks you to lay something down, He laid down His life for you.Grace comes first. Surrender is our response.So what does that look like?Sometimes it looks less dramatic than John's life:putting your phone down and getting on the floor with your kids, fighting for a healthy marriage, serving when nobody notices, living generously, forgiving someone who doesn't deserve it, or obeying Jesus when it costs you something.Because this is what The King's People do.We give our lives to what our King says matters.And if your life doesn't look the way you thought it would, don't confuse the circumstances of your life with Jesus' verdict over your life.John's cell wasn't Jesus' verdict on John.The palace shows us the kind of greatness we're tempted to chase.The prison shows us the kind of greatness we might completely miss.But the cross shows us the One who is actually worthy of our lives.We're all spending our lives. The question is what we're spending them on.A great life isn't measured by what you get from it.It's measured by what you give it to.And in Jesus, we've found Someone worthy of it.

Is What You “SAY” About Your Priorities In Alignment with What You “DO”? MESSAGE SUMMARY: From the Gospel of Luke (Luke 12:32-48): Our Life's Priorities A Priority is a preference or a precedence established by order or urgency. Your priorities are reflected in your actual behavior and actions not by what you say are your priorities. In other words, is your “say” in alignment with your “do”? In Luke 12:32-48, Jesus is speaking to His priorities for us. Jesus begins this passage in Luke 12 by telling those in attendance, followers of Jesus like us, that He has given them His Kingdom. Also, Jesus defined our priorities for being in His Kingdom. We are created to become like Jesus – we were made for a mission. We need to be in a personal relationship with God so that we know what His priorities and His will are for us. Luke 12:32-48 speaks to two priorities of the Kingdom: 1) Luke 12:33-40 – “being a ready follower of Jesus”; and 2) Luke 12:41-48 – “being a responsible steward of the Kingdom”. Are we ready to follow Jesus, and do we make ourselves available to follow Jesus – is being ready for Jesus our priority? Are we afraid to be ready for Jesus when He has given us the Kingdom? In this passage from Luke 12:32-48, Jesus gives us three things that provide a context for following Him: 1) be ready to give; 2) be ready to go; and 3) be ready to greet the Master. To be a “responsible steward”, is not so much “what we have been given as our charge: rather, the focus of our “stewardship responsibility” should be what we do with our charge. It is a deep privilege to know what God wants us to do, but if we are not ready to follow God's will for us while being a good steward, our priorities are not in alignment with God's priorities. God's justice is based on our knowledge and obedience, and we are accountable for what we know. God wants to bless us; but when we refuse to follow His will, we miss out on His blessings for us.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM A CHILD OF GOD. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. John 1:12f SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Luke 12:32-48; Romans 14:7-9; 1 John 3:17; Psalms 39:1-13. SCRIPTURE REFERENCE SEARCH: www.AWFTL.org/bible-search/ A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “At Jesus' Crucifixion and Death, the “Temple Veil” Was Torn; After Jesus Easter Resurrection, You Now Pray Directly with God”: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/  DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

I spent years studying the Bible, and it almost killed my faith. Turns out you can master every word and still miss the whole point.In Luke 10, an expert in the Scriptures tries to get Jesus to enter into his convoluted debates over the meaning of the text. Instead, Jesus invites him to enter into the Word of God. It's a whole different way of reading the Scriptures as prayer. It's something Christians down through the ages have called Lectio Divina. It's ancient but has largely been forgotten in our times. Today we are going to (re)learn this ancient way of praying God's Word in the hope that we might encounter the living Jesus in His living Word.

In the beginning, God set many things into effect. In His creating, He did not just make provision for one day, but put various laws into motion to carry on the "creating" from day to day.If we want a good return in/for our lives, the first thing to do is to sow good seeds. And what are those good seeds? In Luke's gospel, chapter 8, Jesus tells the parable of the sower. "This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God (verse 11)." Good seed is the word spoken by God and, consequently anything spoken by us that aligns itself with that word. What does your garden look like? It is filled with the products of your words. Your words produce your surroundings. Whatever we give out, is what we live in.Daylight Meditations is a daily podcast from CFO North America. Please visit CFONorthAmerica.org to learn more about our retreats, and online courses. If you are encouraged by this podcast, please consider supporting us. Contributors: Michelle DeChant, Adam Maddock, Joy Peyton and Phil Reaser

Thought to share? Send me a text...What if temptation isn't always about wanting something bad—but about being tempted to stop trusting God and take matters into your own hands?When you're exhausted, lonely, disappointed, impatient, or waiting for God to move, it can be easy to reach for something that promises relief, control, or a faster way forward. In Luke 4, Jesus faces three temptations that reveal how subtly the same struggle can show up in our everyday lives: meeting our own needs, taking shortcuts, and asking God to prove Himself.Rather than simply showing us how to “try harder,” Jesus shows us what it looks like to remain rooted in what we know to be true about God—even when our circumstances make trust difficult.In this episode, you'll discover: How to recognize three subtle forms of temptation that can pull you toward self-reliance and away from trusting God.  Why even a good desire can become dangerous when you pursue it through shortcuts, control, or something God never intended to meet that need.  How knowing God's Word and character can help you respond to temptation with confident trust instead of allowing your circumstances to redefine who God is. Press play to learn how Jesus' response to temptation can help you recognize where you're taking matters into your own hands and choose to trust God's provision, His way, and His character instead.New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday mornings.To connect with Betsy for speaking, resources, or curriculum head to https://betsymarvin.com/contact-me/For access to past podcasts and transcripts, head tohttps://betsymarvin.com/podcasts/A Christian podcast centered on Jesus, the Bible, and God explores faith through the Old Testament and New Testament, sharing Bible stories and Bible explained insights to help women of faith and Jesus followers grow in faith, strengthen their relationship with God, and know God more deeply through Bible study, women Bible study, and practical Christianity, all while encouraging spiritual growth, understanding identity in Christ, and learning to understand Bible teachings to become closer to God.

What if sharing our faith starts with simply being helpful?In Luke 10, Jesus reminds us through the Good Samaritan that our witness isn't about being louder or winning arguments. It's about crossing the road, love people well, and making Jesus visible through our lives.

In Luke 7:36–50, Jesus enters the home of a Pharisee…

The most scandalous thing Jesus did was not what He said. It was who He ate with. In Luke 15, the religious crowd cannot get past one complaint: this man receives sinners and eats with them. Jesus answers with two short stories about a shepherd, a woman, and the relentless search for one thing that went missing. Brad Kirby opens the Table Church series by unpacking five things those stories reveal about the heart of God, and why the table Jesus sets always ends up changing the people who sit at it. Sermon notes and discussion questions available at: https://www.citybridgechurch.org/messages Subscribe for weekly Sunday Messages on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Questions or feedback? DM us @citybridgecc or email info@citybridgechurch.org. Enjoyed the message? Leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

What if you could be rejecting God's authority without even realizing it?In Luke 20, Jesus confronts religious leaders who appeared to follow God while continually resisting His authority. They evaded the truth, divided their allegiances, and ultimately reduced Jesus to someone who could fit into their own understanding of life.And the uncomfortable truth is that we can do the same thing.We may accept God's authority in some areas of our lives while keeping Him out of others. We may avoid difficult truths because they challenge us. We may even reshape Jesus into someone who never challenges our desires, decisions, or way of living.But Jesus doesn't call us to simply admire Him. He calls us to surrender to Him.In this message from Luke 20, we'll look at what it means to become a truth seeker rather than a truth evader, to give God our complete allegiance, and to recognize Jesus as the rightful authority over every part of our lives.

Tuesday, 1 September 2026   The same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, Matthew 22:23   “In that, the ‘day', they approached Him, Sadducees (saying not is ‘resurrection'), and they queried Him.” (CG)   In the previous verse, the Pharisees and Herodians marveled at Jesus' words and departed. Maybe having seen or heard about this, another group comes forward, ready to test Him. Matthew records, “In that, the ‘day', they approached Him, Sadducees.”   This sect was first seen, along with the Pharisees, in Matthew 3:7. This was at the time John the Baptist was baptizing in the Jordan. They were noted again, several times in Matthew 16.   Their specific interaction at that time was with Jesus as they, along with the Pharisees, asked for a sign from heaven. Of this group of religious leaders, Matthew specifically notes a point of doctrine that they held to, which is “(saying not is ‘resurrection').”   Surprisingly, this is a new word in Scripture, anastasis, a standing up again. It is from the word an anistémi, to stand up. That is prefixed with the word ana, up, but used in various other ways in a distributive manner. In the New Testament, other than Luke 2:34, anastasis is always used in reference to a resurrection. In Luke 2:34, it says –   “Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, ‘Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising [anastasis] of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against...”   As for the reason they have come to Jesus, Matthew records, “and they queried Him.” The word used to describe their query is one of deliberate asking. Thus, their query is specifically designed to glean an answer or response from Jesus about a matter.   Life application: In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul writes the following –   “Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. 14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. 15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. 16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.” 1 Corinthians 15:12-19   The key point of Christian faith is that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. The cross of Christ is the key focus of our faith, and the point on which every Christian's boast should be directed (see Galatians 6:14), but a crucifixion without a subsequent resurrection is a pointless place to direct one's hope.   Many people have been crucified in human history. They died, and they remain dead. But Jesus was resurrected from the tomb. This event then solidifies the meaning of the cross. Someone can say, “I will give up my life to save another.” And, in fact, many have done that throughout human history.   But that type of saving is only to prolong the temporary life we live. A soldier could jump on a grenade to save his fellow soldier, but the saved soldier could be shot dead thirty seconds later. Both are dead and both will remain dead.   However, no human can die for another's sin when they have already inherited Adam's fallen nature. The sin is there in us from the moment we are conceived. Various pagan religions sacrificed babies, young virgins, etc., all hoping for some type of atonement, but such a sacrifice is ineffectual because of original sin.   Jesus, however, was born without Adam's fallen nature. His father is God. Thus, with a human mother, He is the God/Man. He was born without sin, He lived under the law without sinning, and He died in fulfilment of the law, taking away sin committed under law for those who trust in Him.   The resurrection proves that our sin is atoned for. It also proves that we are eternally saved (because we are no longer under law, and it is by law that sin is imputed). The resurrection also proves that Jesus is God. As all humans who descend from Adam have sin through their father, and because Jesus resurrected, it proves that Jesus' Father is God.   As all beings reproduce after their own kind, the resurrection provides irrefutable proof that Jesus Christ is the God/Man. Hope? Hope? We have the greatest hope of all when we put our trust in Jesus Christ. Nothing can ever separate us from God again when we come to Him through Jesus Christ.   Let us remember this as we pass through this world of toil, trouble, trial, and times of temptation or turmoil. These things are bound to come, but Christ has overcome the world. For those who are in Him, they too have overcome the world.   Praise God for Jesus Christ our Lord!   We praise and exalt You for what You have done for us, O God. The majesty of what You have done is more wonderful than all else. Thank You for the giving of Jesus Christ our Lord, in whom, we now have the hope of the resurrection to eternal life. Amen.  

In Luke 18:35-43, a blind beggar encounters Jesus and refuses to be silenced, crying out in faith for mercy. This powerful story teaches us about recognizing Jesus, persevering when others try to discourage us, and trusting Him to meet us in our deepest places of need.If you have any questions about this podcast, would like to share a testimony or prayer request or would simply like to know more about following Jesus, we would love to hear from you. Please reach out to us at churchoffice@unitedassembly.org

In Luke 7, Jesus was teaching about forgiveness and gratitude. Luke 7:41-47 MSG Two men were in debt to a banker. One owed five hundred silver pieces, the other fifty. Neither of them could pay up, and so the banker canceled both debts. Which of the two would be more grateful?” Simon answered, “I suppose the one who was forgiven the most.” “That's right,” said Jesus. … but speaking to Simon, he said, “Do you see this woman? I came to your home; you provided no water for my feet, but she rained tears on my feet and dried them with her hair. You gave me no greeting, but from the time I arrived she hasn't quit kissing my feet. You provided nothing for freshening up, but she has soothed my feet with perfume. Impressive, isn't it? She was forgiven many, many sins, and so she is very, very grateful. If the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal.”Oftentimes, we view sin as if God has levels of disobedience. We can get into debates on whose sin was the greater. While God in His perfection sees things as black and white, He knows the sin we struggle with causes us to view things in such a skewed way. Here, Jesus was allowing for that mindset by acknowledging that the more we are forgiven of, the more grateful we will be. Why? Because the more shame we feel, the greater relief we experience when forgiven. The farther we have fallen, the higher we can rise up.In your life, how have you experienced this dynamic - what is something that you have felt the most shame for?Knowing that, if you have asked for it, that sin is completely forgiven… like it never happened, how does that make your heart feel?Focus on feeling that great gratitude, let it uplift you spirit.Listen once again to Jesus's main points: Two men were in debt to a banker. One owed five hundred silver pieces, the other fifty. Neither of them could pay up, and so the banker canceled both debts. Which of the two would be more grateful?” - Speaking to Simon, he said, “Do you see this woman?... She was forgiven many, many sins, and so she is very, very grateful. If the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal.” The path to avoiding arrogance and staying humble is to maximize our gratitude. The road to staying forgiven before God is to continually acknowledge sin and practice being grateful each day.Let's pray: “Father, I never want to take Your forgiveness for granted. I also don't want to view sin as what I do being less than anyone else's offense. Help me to stay clean before You. Help me to keep my list short and my gratitude constant. As above, so below.” - Amen

In Luke 10:1-24, Jesus sends more of his followers out to proclaim his kingdom. 

What would change if eternity felt as real to us as the life we are living right now? In Luke 12, Jesus tells His disciples to stay ready for His return, reminding them that the lives, gifts, and resources entrusted to us will not last forever. George Terry challenges us to live with spiritual vigilance, investing our days in knowing Christ and making Him known.• Jesus calls His followers to live alert and ready because His return is certain even though its timing is unknown • Everything God has entrusted to us is something we steward, and faithfulness now carries eternal significance • Remembering the certainty of death and resurrection helps us resist distraction and invest our lives in knowing Christ and making Him knownKey Scriptures: Luke 12:35-48 Hebrews 9:27 Matthew 16:25 Philippians 3:8-9 Luke 24:45-49Consider how you are investing the life God has given you. Are you living with the awareness that your days are limited and eternity is ahead? Ask God to help you remain spiritually alert, grow in knowing Christ, and use your time, talents, and resources to make Him known. Share this message with someone who could use the reminder to live for what lasts.Bayou City Fellowship Cypress Campus | George Terry | August 30, 2026 https://linktr.ee/bayoucityfellowship

If Jesus really is coming back, what should that change about the way we live today? In Luke 12, Jesus tells His followers to stay dressed for action and keep their lamps burning. Cole Ellerbrock explains how the certainty of Christ's return gives us both hope for the future and urgency to live faithfully, serve others, and share the good news of Jesus now.• Jesus' return is certain, even though we do not know when it will happen, so His followers are called to live ready • God's Kingdom gives us confidence and hope because Jesus has already secured the victory and will one day make all things right • Christ's patience gives us an opportunity to invest in people, share the gospel, and make disciples while there is still timeKey Scriptures: Luke 12:35-40 Luke 12:32 2 Peter 3:8-10 John 14:1-3 Revelation 22:20Consider what might change if the return of Jesus became a reality you lived with every day. Who could you invest in, serve, forgive, or talk with about Christ? Stay ready by knowing God through His Word and investing your life in people. Share this message with someone who could use the reminder to live with both hope and urgency.Bayou City Fellowship Tomball Campus | Cole Ellerbrock | August 30, 2026 https://linktr.ee/bayoucityfellowship

What do you do when Jesus doesn't do what you expected Him to do?In Luke 7, even John the Baptist reaches a moment of uncertainty. The man who once boldly proclaimed Jesus now finds himself asking a difficult question:“Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”John had seen Jesus. He had baptized Jesus. He had proclaimed His coming.And yet now, sitting in prison, John is struggling to reconcile what he believed Jesus would do with what Jesus was actually doing.This passage gives us permission to bring our questions, disappointment, confusion, and doubt to Jesus.Because sometimes faith isn't about having no questions.Sometimes faith is about bringing your questions to the right person.This is part of our journey through The King's People in Luke's Gospel — discovering what it means to recognize Jesus, trust Jesus, and follow Jesus even when His Kingdom doesn't look like what we expected.

Everyone is invited to experience redemption—but someone has to offer the invitation. In Luke 14, Jesus shares a story to highlight how we're to personally, urgently, and passionately invite others. Once we've experienced redemption, we're called to bring in others to experience it too!

Most of us think we are generous, but there is a big difference between a random act of generosity and a lifestyle of it. In Luke 12, Jesus warns against covetousness and makes clear that life does not consist in the abundance of possessions. Through the parable of the rich fool, He shows the danger of leaving God out of our financial picture entirely. The root issue behind our money struggles is not really money at all. It is fear, specifically the fear that God will not provide. Jesus points to ravens and wildflowers as evidence that a good Father cares deeply for His creation, and He invites His followers to trust Him rather than hoard or worry. The alternative to anxiety and accumulation is seeking the kingdom first and living with open-handed generosity. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

What would cause you to turn from following Jesus? This life is full of excuses and in the conclusion of Luke 9, we see that there were those who wanted to follow Christ, but only on their terms. However, In Luke 9, we also see that Jesus sets his face toward Jerusalem and never turns his back! He knows what waits for him there. Rejection waits for him. Suffering waits for him. The cross waits for him. But he does not turn back! Therefore, because Jesus set his face toward the cross to save us, we must follow him with undivided allegiance.

Is Your Life's Focus on Jesus the Narrow Door and the Only Door to Your Eternal Life? MESSAGE SUMMARY: From the Gospel of Luke (12:49-56): “Jesus the Narrow Door” Introduction from “Jesus the Divider”:  While Jesus does bring us “Peace”, Jesus tells us that His ways are not always our ways; and Jesus does not always bring us “Peace”. In the world, we have tribulation; but Jesus has overcome the world. In Jesus, we do have “Peace”; but when we do stand with and for Jesus, “division” and conflict are created. In this passage from Luke 12, Jesus wants His followers to know that following Him will have a cost in terms of conflict and worldly tribulation. Many in and of the world will not tolerate our communication of the Gospel. Jesus is not saying that “division” is good. Rather, Jesus, in John 17:22-23, expresses His desire, to the Father, for His followers to all be at one with Him and the Father. However, Jesus is warning us that “division” is inevitable because we are human and sinners. Jesus ends His message to those assembled, in Luke 12:54-56, with: “He also said to the crowds, ‘When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming.' And so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,' and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?'". In this passage, Jesus was pointing toward His purpose on earth and the cross; but no one understood His message at the time period of His teaching in Luke – they could not read God's signs. Do we see and follow God's signs, or do we miss them and become party to creating “divisions”? Today's Message -- Jesus the Narrow Door: In our Gospel focus from Luke 13:22-30, Jesus was pointing His earthly ministry toward Jerusalem, the Cross, Resurrection, and His Ascension. Jesus was asked, in Luke 13:23-25, a pivotal question; and He responded: “And someone said to him, ‘Lord, will those who are saved be few?' And he said to them, “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.'”". It's not that Jesus doesn't want all to be saved, it's just that the “gate”, to our Salvation, is “narrow” and difficult to enter. As Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 2:3-4, that Jesus wants all people to be saved: “This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.". However, all people will not be saved because some will not come to Jesus – they don't want to be saved. In Luke 13:26-30, those rejected by the master of the house argue for admission: “” 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!' In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”". Jesus is the “narrow door” and the “gate” by which we enter the Kingdom of God and our Salvation. Jesus Himself tells us in John 10:9-10: “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”. We have been given the job, by Jesus in Matthew 28:18-20, to help others find the “narrow door”. As believers in the Gospel and followers of Jesus, we are invited, in Revelation 19:9-10, to the “Marriage Super of the Lamb”: ““And the angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.' And he said to me, ‘These are the true words of God.' Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, ‘You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.' For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”". Is your focus on Jesus, the ”Narrow Door”, that is the only way to the Kingdom of God and your Eternal Life?   TODAY'S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM RIGHTEOUS IN GOD'S EYES. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Luke 12:49-56; John 16:36; John 17:22-23; John 14:27; Luke 13:22-30; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 2:3-4; Matthew 7:13-14; Hebrews 11:1-40; John 10:9-10; Matthew 28:18-20; Revelation 19:9-10; Psalms 33a:1-11.   SCRIPTURE REFERENCE SEARCH: www.AWFTL.org/bible-search/ WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “Daniel's Prayer Was “seeking him {God} by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting . . . ‘O Lord, the great and awesome God . . . we have sinned and done wrong'””: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/ A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.   DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

In Luke 10, a lawyer approaches Jesus to find out if he's done enough in his life to earn a spot in heaven. He loves God and loves his neighbor. Well, maybe. It depends on how you define neighbor! Today, let's walk through the parable of the Good Samaritan and find out what it looks like for us to truly love our neighbor. Welcome to Antioch Georgetown! We are a church in Georgetown, TX, and our mission is simple--We lead people to follow Christ in a life-changing way.Get Connected: