The FaithOfJesus2 Daily Devotional

Focus:

kjv@Revelation:14:12 @ Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

( FaithOfJesus thread begun by rRandyP )

Today's Verse:

kjv@Luke:17:1-10

kjv@Luke:17:1 @ Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!

kjv@Luke:17:2 @ It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.

kjv@Luke:17:3 @ Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.

kjv@Luke:17:4 @ And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

kjv@Luke:17:5 @ And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.

kjv@Luke:17:6 @ And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.

kjv@Luke:17:7 @ But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat?

kjv@Luke:17:8 @ And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?

kjv@Luke:17:9 @ Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not.

kjv@Luke:17:10 @ So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.

Today's notes:

Context:

Before - Luke:16:19-31 The Rich Man and Lazarus
After - Luke:17:11-19 Ten Healed of Leprosy

Study Resources:

G4625 offence/scandal G264 trespass/sin against

G2008 censure/rebuke dict:torrey reproof
G863 send/forgive/lay aside dict:torrey Forgiveness

G1380 trow/think/suppose

Notes:

Three juicy clusters are on this vine of teachings offence/rebuke/forgive, increasing faith/obedience of, service/expectation/duty. We just came from a discourse on persuasion unto repentance. Let's consider it no accident that faith is gathered into the middle of that bunch. What then is the collection to mean?

Faith appears to be the common denominator. It is for faith that one keeps themselves from such great offence, faith that one would offer their constructive rebuke and forgiveness no matter how many times. It is for faith that one would attempt to tackle the seemingly impossible obstacles for their Lord with His power and authority instead of theirs. And faith no matter what we do it comes down to serving our Lord, that it is actually no great doing that we have accomplished no more than what was our duty, that done in response to His much greater doing in/among us.

We are not to be fooled, offences will come. There are degrees of offence; a few deserving complete damnation and excommunication, most requiring stern yet loving rebuke, many of those frequent even forgiveness. A trespass against you for instance can always be forgiven and surely must be for your own faith/good as well. A tremendous or unthinkable offense though against another, especially the young and innocent, especially by one presumed to be in care of else authority over, is not rightly within our power as onlookers to forgive in the victim's stead. It is for the individual victim to forgive, themselves alone; which may be unlikely especially if it tears them from their own better held faith and innocence. It is for us to assure and protect other possible future victims from such a menacing perpetrator. This has to be done or else the brotherhood of believers becomes just as guilty and just as offensive as the offender himself.

The one thing we seem most afraid of doing is rebuking. Again, this is those that trespass against us; us as individuals or congregations or communities. We tend rather to just let things go. Often when we do act, we act callously, much more upon the person as a whole and not toward the specific issue with productive advise of moving past the repetitive occurrence of the matter.

These things though, nor the things previously discussed, come to fruition not of themselves, but of faith in something greater and purer than one's own self or community; they come from a firm faith in God. Perhaps our doubt and lack of obedience to these principals is the tallest sycamore in the grove yet to be removed. I find it revealing of our nature that we cherry pick verse kjv@Luke:17:6 for our own grandier leaving the intented context of justice for victims/rebuke of tresspass/saintly service to the Master out of view from the teaching and the practice.

Though it is nearly impossible to see faith any different than we have manufactured all along, all things are quite possible in this pointed context when it is the faith Jesus Christ instead that is measured out onto each of us to step out and operate into, being fully in alignment to the Father's will that these specific and most persuasive things toward others get done; miracles to us, standard expectations to Him the giver of all things.

Key Messages:

Declaring Certainty

kjv@1Corinthians:13:2 @ And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

kjv@Isaiah:58:6 @ Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

kjv@Isaiah:58:7 @ Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

kjv@Isaiah:58:8 @ Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.

kjv@Isaiah:58:9 @ Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;

kjv@Isaiah:58:10 @ And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:

kjv@Isaiah:58:11 @ And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

kjv@Isaiah:58:12 @ And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.

kjv@1Corinthians:11:19 @ For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

Further Resources:

Comment Board:Luke:17:1-10
index:FAITHOFJESUSDEVOTION - Devotional Index
strkjv@Luke:17:1-10 rwp@Luke:17:1-10 mhcc@Luke:17:1-10
FaithOfJesus2 - Devotion Index