What are the concerns and the cares that consume you? How is your soul doing?

The concerns and the cares of this world can be overwhelming and burdensome. Our souls can be consumed with the cares of this life. We can be overwhelmed by the anxieties of this world. Our souls can grow weary.

The Psalmist writes, “When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.” (Psalm 94:19, ESV).

Whose idea is love? Who thought of love first? Who takes the initiative to love?

God is love. Love is God’s idea. God loved first and always initiates love.

The Apostle John wrote about love in his first letter, saying, “We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19, ESV).

Is it easier to lift yourself up above others, to look down on them, and to make demands of them, or is it easier to take the position of lowly submission and service to others?

What goes up must come down. If we exalt ourselves, it is easy to fall and to be humbled. If we keep ourselves in a position of lowly service, there is little distance to fall, and it is easier to be lifted up.

In the gospel of Luke, Jesus said this about humility, “For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 14:11).

What is our greatest blessing and our greatest responsibility?

Jesus summed up the entire law in these two things, to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself.

Love is our greatest blessing and our greatest responsibility.

Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39, ESV).

Where do you find your hope? Where do you find your joy? Where do you find your peace?

We all have some level of hope in our lives. We look hopefully for hope. We hope for joy. We hope for peace. We hope for God.

The Apostle Paul wrote a blessing to the church in Rome, saying, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Romans 15:13, ESV).

How challenging is it to get your foot into the door of God’s kingdom?

The door to our salvation is a narrow door according to Jesus. While many will seek to enter God’s kingdom, many will not be able.

In the gospel of Luke, Jesus went went through towns and villages, teaching as he traveled toward Jerusalem. As he went 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.’” (Luke 13:22-24, ESV).

Jesus sought to teach throughout all the towns and villages so that all might know him and the good news of his salvation.

Is your pathway illuminated? Can you see your way clearly?

A journey through this life can be complicated, cluttered, and lonely. It can be difficult to navigate our way in this dark world.

The Apostle John wrote in his first letter “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7, ESV).

We can choose to walk alone in the darkness, or we can choose to walk in the light of God’s presence and love and forgiveness.

When has the application of your faith in Jesus brought about conflict or division in your life as you went about living for him?

When we practice our faith and apply God’s word to our lives and live for him, there can be division and conflict. There can be fractured relationships between people who believe and people who do not believe in Jesus.

Jesus said that he came to bring the refining fire of his judgement, to divide what is good from what is evil and to do away with every impurity that is contrary to God’s kingdom.

In Luke’s gospel account Jesus said, “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.” (Luke 12:49-51, ESV).

Where are you? Can you locate your current position on a map? Do you know where you are physically? Maybe your phone can tell you where you are, what weather you can expect, and how to get to another destination?

We know where we are physically and we can discern our geographical context, the climate, and the weather, but do we know where we are spiritually? Can we discern the times in which we live, where God is moving, and where God wants us to go and what he wants us to do?

In Luke’s gospel account, Jesus spoke about interpreting the times, saying 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?” (Luke 12:54-56, ESV).

Where is God when your life is excruciatingly challenging and you feel all alone?

God is nearer to you than you realize.

We are in God’s presence, because God is near. God is not far from his children. There is no place we can go that God is not aware of where we are and present to us.

God spoke of his nearness to his people through the Prophet Jeremiah, saying, “Am I a God at hand, declares the Lord, and not a God far away? Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 23:23-24, ESV).

What does it look like to be strong, watchful, and firm in your faith?

The expression “man up” is often used as a call to be strong and courageous and to take responsibility for one’s actions.

As followers of Jesus, whether male or female, we are to be strong and courageous and to take responsibility for our actions.

The Apostle Paul wrote the church in Corinth, encouraging them to “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.” (1 Corinthians 16:13, ESV).

What is your ultimate reward in life? What are you seeking out or desiring?

In the Old Testament book of Genesis, Abraham was looking for a son, a descendent to carry forward his name so that he would be blessed in life.

Genesis tells us “The word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: ‘Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.’” (Genesis 15:1, NIV).

In seeking out God’s blessings and promises, we do not need to be afraid. God himself is our protector and our very great reward.

God is our provider. The one who gives us every blessing and reward in life is himself our ultimate reward.

What would you give if you believed you had everything? What investments have you made in your eternal future?

As followers of Jesus, as his beloved children, we have access to the everything that God has in store for us. We have access to everything of the kingdom of God.

In Luke’s gospel account, Jesus said to his disciples, “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32, ESV).

Because God desires to give us his kingdom at his good pleasure, we should not be afraid for how we live our lives or how we pour ourselves out for others in generous living.

What is the purpose of the work you do? Is there meaning in the mundane and the profound tasks that you accomplish each and every day?

Our lives have purpose and meaning. Each and every thing that we do should bring honor and glory to God. From the littlest of tasks to the most profound of our undertakings, we are working to the purposes, to the plan, and to the glory of God.

The Apostle Paul wrote the church in Corinth encouraging them to glorify God in all they do, including their work. Paul wrote, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31, ESV).

Are you ready for another kingdom? Are you ready for your masters return? Do you believe that Jesus will return with judgement for the unfaithful and blessing for the faithful?

How we believe the narrative of this life ends effects how we live our lives in the present.

Jesus promised his disciples and the multitudes that he would return, telling them to “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks.” (Luke 12:35-36, ESV).

We are to stay awake. We are to keep the lights on. We are to be dressed for action.

Have you heard the saying, “A friend of a friend is a friend?”

Would you ever dishonor a friend in need by not helping him?

Would a friend of yours dishonor you in your time of need by not helping you?

Do you have a friend that would dishonor themselves by not coming through for you or for someone else in need?

A true friend who has access to what you need will provide it for you for your honor, their honor, and for the honor of the relationship.

This is the heartbeat of Jesus’ illustrative story in his teaching of his disciples how to pray in Luke’s gospel account.

Jesus said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs.” (Luke 11:5-8, ESV).

Do you believe you already have an abundance? What would you do if you had more wealth added to the wealth you have?

Some of us want more wealth to pay off debts, to get ahead, and to be financially secure. Many of us want more wealth for the sake of giving more generously to others.

It is fascinating to see the news coverage of people being interviewed who are purchasing lottery tickets when the lottery reaches record highs. People dream out loud about what they will buy and what they will give with their new found wealth should they win.

A similar scene unfolds when Jesus told the crowd a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’” (Luke 12:16-17, ESV).

How much is enough? What would you receive that would make you content enough to not ask for anything more?

When asked by a reporter, “How much money is enough?” Famed multi-millionaire John D. Rockefeller replied, “Just a little bit more.”

It is easy to look at what we do not have instead of looking at what we have. It is in our sinful human nature to always want more.

While Jesus was teaching his disciples and the multitudes, “Someone in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?’” (Luke 12:13-14, ESV).

Does your life equate to the things you own? Is your life more abundant than the abundance of your possessions?

Our lives are more than what we own. Our possessions are not the sum of who we are, or an accurate representation of our true net worth. We are of more value than our physical assets of value.

In Luke’s Gospel account, Jesus spoke a warning to his disciples and those in the crowd about the dangers of covetousness; he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15, ESV).

How do you know when to pray? How do you know how to pray?

After Jesus’ disciples asked him to teach them how to pray, Jesus assumed that they would pray and then taught them how to go about praying—giving them a model prayer.

Jesus did not say, “if you pray.” Jesus said, “when you pray.” Prayer is assumed from a disciple of Jesus.

In Luke’s gospel account of the disciple’s prayer, Jesus taught his disciples how to pray, saying, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.’” (Luke 11:3-4, ESV).