Keep praying - don't give up

“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable that they should always pray not give up.”

Luke 18:1

If Jesus doesn’t want us to give up on our prayers then there’s a reason; reason being, they will be answered if we keep praying. Therefore be patient, be bold, be believing, and be strong in faith.  Don’t ever, not ever, give up - your prayers are heard and they will be answered.

Nothingness

“Jesus himself came up and walked along with them… then their eyes were opened…Jesus himself stood among them… Then he opened their minds so they could understand the scriptures…”

Luke 24: 15, 31, 36, 45

Without Jesus you have no sight to see, no ears to hear, no mind to understand, and no heart to love.  Simply, unless you have Jesus, you are filled with darkness and defeat – complete nothingness.

The enslavement of falsehood

“… for a man is a slave to whatever masters him.”

2 Peter 2:19

Mastered by the false enticements of sin will eventually lead straight into the arms of Satan… forever locked inside the gates of Hell.

God sees through the deceit

"He saw through their duplicity..."

Luke 20:23

Whatever is deceitful, dishonest, dishonoring, disheartening, death-filled and fraudulent, on the outside, (whether the world knows or not, remember, God knows, and He will do something about it).  Therefore, if there is any of these things within you, get them fixed and get them fixed now: repent, release, remove, and re-do.

The Kingdom within you

“The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is’, or ‘There it is’, because the kingdom of God is within you.”

Luke 17:20-21

Not up, not down;

not here, nor there;

neither them, nor them;

for the kingdom of God resides within.

Can you be trusted?

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.”

Luke 16:10

Are you trustworthy?

Boundaries

"Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to."

Luke 13:24

God-given boundaries are a must when it comes to living a God-blessed life.  Without them the world will snatch you up and take you through the open doors that only lead to darkness and destruction.  

Therefore, set boundaries around your life, ignore the comments and thoughts of the world, and know that when all is said and done, you will glory in greatness, you will stand tall and glide through the doorway to Heaven, waving good-bye to all those that chose to go in the God-opposing directions.

Your reflection

“Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning so that when Christ comes and knocks you can immediately open the door for him.”

Adapted from Luke 12:35-36

Look in the mirror, look at yourself from within… are you ready for Christ?  If not, do whatever it takes to get, and be, ready!

Whether light or dark, your heart shines through

“Your eye is the lamp of your body.  When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light.  But when they are bad, your body also is fuel of darkness…”

Luke 11:34-36

Your eyes are the gateway to your heart… whether light or dark, your heart shines through as such.  Therefore, be one that shines from within ever-so-brightly for all this dark world to see.

Ask, Receive - Seek, Find - Knock, Open

“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”

Luke 11:9-10

Don’t back out of your goals and dreams because of fear! Heck NO!  Instead, look fear straight on and tell it to get behind you and eat your dust.

Friends, God’s Word says to ask, seek, and knock, so do it in order to obtain your prayers, goals, dreams, and desires!  His Word states that when you do, you will receive, you will find and doors will be opened for you.  Thus, go for it!  Go BIG – Go ALL-OUT – Stand STRONG, remembering to never look back!!

Those that work for it

"...The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few..."

-Luke 10:2

In essence, and in my own opinion, this verse suggests this:

Those of us that are willing to work for greatness, great things, using God as our Leader, will most definitely find it.  However, those that want greatness, great things, through deception, lies, or shortcuts, may find it for a moment but soon it will watch be taken right out of their hands.

Hence, work hard for the goals and dreams God has placed in you because the victories will be well worth it.

Going somewhere?

"Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

-Luke 9:62 NIV

Looking back will get you nowhere.  Focusing ahead and looking to Jesus will get you everywhere you want to go.

Don't look back, it is only a waste of your precious time and energy.

Faith that can move mountains

“Then he said to her, ‘Daughter your faith has healed you.  Go in peace.’ “

Luke 8:48

If God has placed a picture in your heart of what you can do and where you can go and who you can be then the only thing that could ever keep you from getting it is a lack of faith.  

My friend, God won’t place a picture in your heart if it’s not something for you, so dig deep, grab hold, and go for it keeping that picture tightly protected in your heart.

Our Solid Foundation

Luke 6:46-49 New International Version (NIV)

The Wise and Foolish Builders

46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. 48 They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”

New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

If your life isn't built on the foundation of God, His Spirit and His Word, then your life has absolutely no foundation... 
kinda scary if you think about it?!

Nothing to fear

"...Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch... 

Don't be afraid..."

Luke 5:4, 10 NIV

When you are following Jesus and taking steps to follow the promptings he places on your heart, then no matter how big the storm, you can stay in peace knowing that there is nothing to fear, he has your back and he will not fail you - not now, not ever!!

Quiet time

“At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place...”

-Luke 4:42 NIV

If Jesus disciplined himself for daily quiet time to pray and reflect, shouldn’t you?

Prepare the way

“…Prepare a way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.  Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low.  The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth…”

-Luke 3:4-6

Get rid of the unnecessary clutter so God can work his salvation in you.  How?  Start by asking God what clutter in your life needs to be thrown out, mentally and physically, and then follow through by actually listening to him and doing what he tells you to do.

Blessed and more blessed

“Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished.”

-Luke 1:45 NIV

Believe God’s Word and blessed you shall be!!  
What you believe and whom you choose to believe is exactly what you will receive.

Impossible? NO – NEVER!

“for nothing is impossible with God.”

-Luke 1:37 NIV

Impossible?  NO – NEVER!

God-possible?  YES – ALWAYS!

Make up your mind not to worry

But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves.  For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.”

Luke 21:14-15

When you have God within, and around, you (through faith, belief, and prayer), you can spend all your time living to the fullest that the God-life has to offer.  On the other hand, if you choose to live without God, then you have the unblessed assurance of living a God-less life in darkness, dreariness, and doom.

Pretty simple:

Grab on to God and never let him go.