MARK & LUKE

What a beautiful Sunday Morning!!  I'm so excited it's Sunday!!  I get to go to church this morning and this evening and we are going to have one special time.  Today, after church we have a candy scramble for all of the children and the one thing that makes this special is that a helicopter is going to be dropping over 1,500 pounds of candy from the sky and then the children will gather it up in three fields that are all marked off.  It will be exciting!  Now, the children are not under the falling candy, but after it is dropped, they will run to pick it up!  I'll tell you more about it tomorrow! Today, reading in Mark and Luke, I saw so much to write about it is difficult to pick just a few, but I will just say a little this morning since I need to be at church early to help greet everyone. 1) WATCH- In Mark 13, Jesus is talking about when He comes again for His children and four times, He says to WATCH.  We need to be looking out for Jesus' return just anytime.  Live with this awareness and we will live much more righteous lives.  2) SATAN'S PLAN- Jesus said in Luke 14:27, "for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered."  This is Satan's plan!  He is looking for shepherds with their guards down to smite them so that their sheep scatter.  This passage was talking about smiting Jesus, but we also know that if the pastor of a church is smitten, then it causes so many sheep to scatter.  So dear people, pray for your pastor every day and often.  Pray for God to strengthen, protect, and guide him.  The Pastor can guide you if God is guiding him.  Don't let him fall to Satan's plan because you didn't pray for him. 3) BACKSLIDERS LOVED AS WELL- In Mark 16:7 it says: "But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter..."  Peter had just denied Jesus with cursing!  But, Jesus still loved him.  Do you know that Jesus still loves you dear friend?  You might have some areas of your life that God will have to help you with and perhaps even discipline you some, but know this.... Jesus Loves You!! 4) TURN THE HEARS OF THE FATHERS TO THE CHILDREN- In Luke 1:17, it says that John the Baptist will "go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children."  This is mentioned in Malachi 4:6, four hundred years earlier!!  Now it will be fulfilled in the life and ministry of John the Baptist.  Hey, you fathers out there, is your heart turned to the heart of your children??  Do you love them, nurture them, and enjoy spending time with them?  Children and Grand Children are a great blessing, let us not neglect them. 5) LET US WALK OUR TALK- In Luke 6:46, Jesus asks: "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?"  Why do people say one thing and live another?  Jesus is asking us.  The key is to have our walk match our talk!  Live what we believe.  This is the real secret in life to be consistently living what we believe.  Now, we all fail at some point, but be open, honest, admit, confess, forsake, and .... go on with Jesus!! 6) BLESSED IS HE THAT COMETH IN THE NAME OF THE LORD- This is what is said in Luke 13:35.  We need to receive the missionaries, guest preachers, visitors, anyone who comes in the name of the LORD!!  We also need to realize that if we are representing the Savior, we are blessed!! Well, I'm late already, gotta go!  Have a great Sunday today!  Dr. Mike Mutchler