“HE SAW A POOR WIDOW!”

 

Luke 21:1-4                 (ESV)

The Widow’s Offering

“[1] JESUS looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, [2] and “HE SAW A POOR WIDOW” put in two small copper coins. [3] And HE said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. [4] For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.””

A challenging portion of each devotional I write is the selection of the TITLE for each subject I write about.  As is listed above, Luke 21:1-4 are the verses I am writing about this morning.  

HOWEVER, Luke 20:46 needs to be read beforehand to adequately address the focal passages! “BEWARE OF THE SCRIBES, who like to walk around in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts,” is something that needs to be addressed BEFORE looking at today’s MESSAGE from GOD!

BEWARE OF THE SCRIBES talks about the larger gifts given by those with a lot of wealth.  They gave to make a show about their wealth.  But “HE SAW A POOR WIDOW” give everything she had as an offering, something that the SCRIBES had no concept about doing!  

Proverbs 15:3 plainly states “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, KEEPING WATCH on the EVIL and the GOOD.”  Since HE SEES EVERYTHING, I prefer HIM to observe my smaller offering than a larger amount that is out of abundance and doesn’t cost me anything!   When THE CREATOR SEES me, I prefer “HE SAW A POOR WIDOW” rather than a wealthy scribe!!!

“BY HIMSELF TO PRAY!”

 

Matthew 14:22-33                     (ESV)

JESUS Walks on the Water

“[22] Immediately HE made the disciples get into the boat and go before HIM to the other side, while HE dismissed the crowds. [23] And after HE had dismissed the crowds, HE went up on the mountain “BY HIMSELF TO PRAY”. When evening came, HE WAS THERE ALONE, [24] but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. [25] And in the fourth watch of the night HE came to them, walking on the sea. [26] But when the disciples saw HIM walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. [27] But immediately JESUS spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

[28] And Peter answered HIM, “LORD, if it is YOU, command me to come to you on the water.” [29] HE said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to JESUS. [30] But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “LORD, save me.” [31] JESUS immediately reached out HIS hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, WHY DID YOU DOUBT?” [32] And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. [33] And those in the boat worshiped HIM, saying, “Truly YOU are the SON of GOD.”

Reading this passage of Scripture in its entirety displays to me that JESUS had characteristics that were undoubtedly DIVINE!  JESUS had JUST fed 5,000 men, plus women and children, and HE went “BY HIMSELF TO PRAY”!  “When evening came, HE WAS THERE ALONE”!  

Making sure that the 5,000+ people who were just fed had no issues wasn’t a concern.  HIS forerunner, John the Baptist, had just been beheaded by Herod due to the request of Herod’s stepdaughter.  HIS disciples were already on the Sea of Galilee battling a ferocious windstorm!!!  Yet THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSES was spending time with HIS FATHER IN PRAYER!!!

What LESSON do I need to be able to GLEAN from this scenario?  For someone who is being TAUGHT BY THE HOLY SPIRIT to SLOW DOWN, I need to understand that if JESUS HIMSELF took time out of HIS busy schedule to PRAY, this humble servant DEFINITELY needs to SEEK HIM before breathing, no matter how “busy” my schedule becomes!!  There is NOTHING more critical in life than to be IN TUNE with GOD in my life!!!

JESUS took time to be “BY HIMSELF TO PRAY”, even when HIS schedule was crowded with the cares of “this world”……no matter what came up!!!  I MUST SEE this more CLEARLY!!!

“WHY DID YOU DOUBT?”

 

Matthew 14:22-33                     (ESV)

JESUS Walks on the Water

“[22] Immediately HE made the disciples get into the boat and go before HIM to the other side, while HE dismissed the crowds. [23] And after HE had dismissed the crowds, HE went up on the mountain BY HIMSELF TO PRAY. When evening came, HE was there alone, [24] but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. [25] And in the fourth watch of the night HE came to them, walking on the sea. [26] But when the disciples saw HIM walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. [27] But immediately JESUS spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

[28] And Peter answered HIM, “LORD, if it is YOU, command me to come to you on the water.” [29] HE said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to JESUS. [30] But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “LORD, save me.” [31] JESUS immediately reached out HIS hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, “WHY DID YOU DOUBT?”” [32] And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. [33] And those in the boat worshiped HIM, saying, “Truly YOU are the SON of GOD.”

There will be SEVERAL commentaries regarding the passage of Scripture written above!  There are several “lessons” that I can see already, and I am almost excited about what these verses have to say to us!  

JESUS had just fed “about five thousand men, besides women and children”, so it should make sense that HE was weary from what is known as “ministerial duties”.   HE came WALKING ON THE SEA to HIS Disciples and Peter asked to walk with HIM.  Peter did fine, until he took his eyes off of JESUS, then he began to sink!  JESUS promptly asked Peter, “O you of little faith, “WHY DID YOU DOUBT?”, causing him to begin to sink?  

The words “WHY DID YOU DOUBT” really struck home with this humble servant!  Nineteen years ago this morning at 5:30AM, I woke up and was experiencing “a massive brain hemorrhage”!  Many have heard me bragging about what GOD did for me over the next two years, but it is something that I REFUSE to be silent about!  

Like the Apostle Peter, I sometimes have to answer to GOD “WHY DID YOU DOUBT” when things don’t go as smoothly as “I prefer” that they should! HIS PLAN is FAR BETTER than my wildest imaginations!  I never would have dreamed in my feeble mind I could survive something so potentially devastating, but I was NOT in control!  HE WAS!!!

The fact that HE IS IN CONTROL should give me PEACE, because HE has already proven to me that HE needed me out of HIS WAY before HE could do what ONLY HE COULD DO!!!

“WITHDRAW!”

 

Luke 5:15-16                 (ESV)

“[15] But now EVEN MORE the report about HIM went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear HIM and to be healed of their infirmities. [16] But HE would “WITHDRAW” to desolate places and pray.”

WITHDRAW: to draw back, away, or aside; take back; remove.

JESUS, GOD IN FLESH, THE CREATOR OF EVERYTHING THAT EVER WAS OR EVER WILL BE, more than likely had no need to “WITHDRAW” from anything!  HE CREATED everything, so HE has the ability to sustain EVERYTHING??  HE also has the capacity to NOT sustain anything (John 1:3)!

Why, then, would JESUS SO OFTEN “WITHDRAW” TO DESOLATE PLACES??  JESUS CHRIST came to earth to pay the unimaginable price for my sinful behavior, for my less than Godly decisions!  HE desires for us/me to spend more time with HIM, thus HE SET AN EXAMPLE by “WITHDRAWING” from the cares of “this world” and praying to HIS FATHER!!!  The ONLY TIME that HE was separated from HIS FATHER was when HE was separated from the FATHER……because of my sins!!!

SACRIFICIAL LOVE doesn’t adequately cover describing the price that was paid for the SALVATION of mankind!  The sinfulness of EVERY SINGLE BELIEVER was PAID IN FULL by our REDEEMER on Calvary’s cross!  I need to FREQUENTLY “WITHDRAW” from the cares of “this world” and CELEBRATE the SACRIFICE made by JESUS CHRIST for my wretched soul!!!

“NOT YOUR OWN DOING!”

 

Ephesians 2:8-10                 (ESV)

“[8] For BY GRACE you have been saved THROUGH FAITH. And this is “NOT YOUR OWN DOING”; IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD, [9] NOT A RESULT OF WORKS, so that no one may boast. [10] For we are HIS WORKMANSHIP, created in CHRIST JESUS for good works, which GOD prepared beforehand, that WE SHOULD WALK in them.”

There is NO REASON why ALMIGHTY GOD should have CHOSEN me to be in HIS KINGDOM for eternity!  Even the yearning to go to heaven is a GIFT from GOD!  We get SO CAUGHT UP in the cares of “this world” that our finite minds are blinded to SEE TRUTH!  The pace at which we live our lives TESTIFIES where our priorities are set.  

Humanity has to be BORN AGAIN (John 3:3) to experience Heaven, according to JESUS HIMSELF!  So why do we think that living a “good life” is critical to our salvation??  I am a sinner saved by GRACE, nothing less will suffice!  ALMIGHTY GOD CHOSE ME BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD (Ephesians 1:4), or I would be WITHOUT HOPE!!!

There is a song written a few decades ago entitled “I don’t know why JESUS loved me” by André Crouch that I reflect on frequently!  Why did JESUS CHRIST leave HEAVEN for three plus years for someone as vile and wretched as this humble servant?  It was DEFINITELY “NOT YOUR OWN DOING”, but TOTALLY HIS GRACE AND MERCY!!!

“KNOW THAT HE IS GOD!”

 

Psalm 46:10                 (ESV)

    [10] “Be still, and “KNOW THAT I AM GOD”.

        I WILL BE exalted among the nations,

        I WILL BE exalted in the earth!”

“Be still and know that I am GOD.

The original Hebrew root of Be still doesn't mean "be quiet"; it means "let go." That's very different, don't you think? Let go and know that I am GOD! Let go of trying to control your spouse! Let go of your worry about your finances! Let go of your unforgiveness! Let go of your past! Let go of what you can't control-and rest in the knowledge that GOD is in control!”

This morning I awoke from a dream, or rather a nightmare!!  A former insurance client was having a traumatic problem and I was doing my best to help them.  At the same time, another former WEALTHY client was trying to help someone else and I felt inclined to assist them!  Then ALL OF THE SUDDEN, two passenger jets crashed a block away from me and I couldn’t help with that situation either!  After several minutes I understood that “it was just a dream” and it wasn’t real!  It had no meaning in my life!!!

“The enemy” uses any and all tricks at his disposal to get our focus OFF of GOD and HIS OBJECTIVE for us!  We MUST keep our EYES ON what GOD has given us as our MISSION and NOT permit interference from “this world” to infiltrate our minds!  

WHY do I allow such pettiness and nonsensical things to slip into my mind when THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSES wants to USE a wretch like me for HIS GLORY???  I MUST “LET GO” of everything else that “this world” attempts to interject into my mind and “BE STILL” and “KNOW THAT HE IS GOD”!!!

“THEY RECOGNIZED THAT THEY HAD BEEN WITH JESUS!”

 

Acts 4:5-14                  (ESV)

“[5] On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, [6] with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. [7] And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” [8] Then Peter, filled with the HOLY SPIRIT, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, [9] if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, [10] let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. [11] This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. [12] And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

[13] Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And “THEY RECOGNIZED THAT THEY HAD BEEN WITH JESUS”. [14] But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition.”

Briefly this morning, the first THEY listed in verse 13 were “The rulers and elders” of The Jews. Basically they were the rulers who had JESUS put to death on the cross at Calvary.  The second THEY listed in the same verse were Peter and John, disciples who were fixing to use words given to them by the HOLY SPIRIT (v.8) to pummel “the rulers and elders”!  When GOD orchestrates a happening, it usually baffles humanity!

In Mark 4:35-41 JESUS had instructed HIS disciples to “LET US GO ACROSS TO THE OTHER SIDE”!  JESUS proceeded to take a nap.  A windstorm blew up and the disciples were fearful that they were going to die!  They awoke JESUS and HE simply said, “PEACE, BE STILL” ….. and the stormy sea was CALMED.  

In the early morning hours of July 25, 2007, the nurses monitoring my comatose condition called my doctor at home because my blood pressure had tanked?  This was after the administration of an IMMENSE amount of medication over the past two weeks just to keep me alive!  It was as if GOD was telling me almost 19 years later that HE had everything under HIS CONTROL, but HE wanted to RECEIVE THE GLORY from the healing!!!

My physician RECOGNIZED that JESUS had intervened in my medical situation in July of 2007!  He wrote in my medical records on September 25, 2007 “However, he (me) has had a remarkable recovery that could only be defined as a MIRACLE FROM GOD!”  He later told me that he had no issues giving credit where credit was due!  

But do I make it known by my actions that I HAVE BEEN WITH JESUS???  Or do I just assume that people will know what HE had done for me??  The rulers and elders and scribes, “THEY RECOGNIZED THAT THEY HAD BEEN WITH JESUS”, and they were befuddled by Peter and John’s words!  When the HOLY SPIRIT is yielded to OL, humanity has to take its place!!!