Doyle Smith Daily

Luke 21: 37-38 (God's Word) Originally published 11/20/2013 This overwhelmed me to think of how passionate God is to teach us how to live. ”During the day Jesus would teach in the temple courtyard. But at night he would go to the Mount of Olives (as it was called) and spend the night there. All of the people would get up early to hear him speak in the temple courtyard” Luke 21:37-38 (God’s Word). He knew that they were going to kill him, but his concern was to guide people to the Father. He taught all day and slept on the ground at night. There were people who did not want to miss a thing and got there early to hear what God wanted to say to them. Lord, remind me how eager you are to teach me and give me a passion to listen to you and obey.

Luke 20:16-18 (God's Word) Originally published 11/19/2013 Jesus told a parable indicating that God was going to give the work of the Kingdom of God to the gentiles and take it from the Jews. "Those who heard him said, 'That's unthinkable!' Then Jesus looked straight at them and asked, 'What, then, does this Scripture verse mean: 'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone?' Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken. If that stone falls on anyone, it will crush that person" Luke 20:16-18 (God's Word). Lord, if I ever look at a person or situation and think it is hopeless, remind me of this story. I want to always expect that you are doing what is unthinkable in this world and in people.

Luke 19:41-44 (God's Word) Originally published 11/18/2013 “When he came closer and saw the city, he began to cry. He said, 'If you had only known today what would bring your peace! But now it is hidden, so you cannot see it. The time will come when enemy armies will build a wall to surround you and close you in on every side. They will level you to the ground and kill your people. One stone will not be left on top of another because you didn't recognize the time when God came to help you'" Luke 19:41-44 (God's Word). How could it be that God wants to help us and we would not recognize it? Lord, help me recognize your voice of correction, even when I don't want to hear it. 

 Luke 17: 3-4 (God's Word) Originally published 11/16/2013  "If a believer sins, correct him. If he changes the way he thinks and acts, forgive him. Even if he wrongs you seven times in one day and comes back to you seven times and says that he is sorry, forgive him" Luke 17:3-4 (God's Word). It would be hard to forgive a person that much in one day, but it is not hard to ask God for forgiveness that much in one day. Lord, I want to have the same forgiving spirit that you have. When I find it hard to forgive, remind me of how much you have forgiven me.

Luke 16: 10-12 (God's Word) Originally published 11/15/2013 "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with a lot. Whoever is dishonest with very little is dishonest with a lot. Therefore, if you can't be trusted with wealth that is often used dishonestly, who will trust you with wealth that is real? If you can’t be trusted with someone else's wealth, who will give you your own?“ Luke 16:10-12 (God's Word). This puts stewardship of our money in a whole different light. Lord, give me the wisdom and discipline to use both money and spiritual things as you intended them to be used.

Luke 15:2 (God's Word) Originally published 11/14/2013 “All the tax collectors and sinners came to listen to Jesus. But the Pharisees and the scribes complained, 'This man welcomes sinners and eats with them'" Luke 15:2 (God's Word). Lord, It is clear that you want to befriend people who do not know you and do not feel they are friends with you. Show me one person today that I can help get to know you and become your friend. 

Luke 14:25-27 (God's Word) Originally published 11/13/2013 Jesus defined the difference between a follower and a disciple of his. "Large crowds were traveling with Jesus. He turned to them and said, 'If people come to me and are not ready to abandon their fathers, mothers, wives, children, brothers, and sisters, as well as their own lives, they cannot be my disciples. So those who do not carry their crosses and follow me cannot be my disciples" Luke 14:25-27 (God's Word). Lord, I want to be a disciple and pay whatever cost there is. If I am not carrying my cross, point that out to me.

Luke 13:5-7 (God's Word) Originally published 11/12/2013 “’But if you don't turn to God and change the way you think and act, then you, too, will all die.’ Then Jesus used this illustration: 'A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard. he went to look for fruit on the tree but didn't find any. he said to the gardener, 'For the last three years I've come to look for figs on this fig tree but haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up good soil?" Luke 13:5-7 (God's Word). The evidence of Christ control of our lives is if we are continually changing the way we think and how we act. Lord, I know you are trying to change me. Show me how my thinking and behavior are not like yours and do whatever it takes to change me. 

Luke 12:33-34 (God's Word) Originally published 11/11/2013  This is Jesus’ warning: "Sell your material possessions, and give the money to the poor. Make yourselves wallets that don't wear out! Make a treasure for yourselves in heaven that never loses its value! In heaven thieves and moths can't get close enough to destroy your treasure. Your heart will be where your treasure is” Luke 12:33-34 (God's Word). Lord, search my heart and reveal to me where my treasure is. I want to treasure your Kingdom above all else in my life. 

Luke 10:3 (God's Word) Originally published 11/09/2013 The temptation when we are trying to get people to do God's work is to try to make it seem easy and not too demanding, but Jesus told us it would be dangerous and costly. "Go! I'm sending you out like lambs among wolves" Luke 10:3 (God's Word). Doing what God asks you to do will result in being criticized, taken for granted, insulted, and even killed. We are not even to defend ourselves as sheep. Lord, help me to look only to you for approval for my life and work.  

Luke 9:13-14 (God's Word) Originally published 11/08/2013 Miracles occur when God asks people to do things that are impossible for people to do, and they obey. The crowd had been there the whole day, and the disciples urged Jesus to send the crowds home so they could eat. "Jesus replied, 'You give them something to eat.' They said to him, 'We have five loaves of bread and two fish. Unless we go to buy food for all these people, that's all we have.' (There were about five thousand men)” Luke 9:13-14 (God's Word). The disciples were being wise and reasonable. Anyone looking at that situation would have said it was impossible to feed them. Lord, it is hard to do something that does not seem reasonable or practical to me. Help me know for certain when you are asking me to do or say something and then the faithfulness to obey that you might show your power.

Luke 8:18 (God's Word) Originally published 11/07/2013 "So pay attention to how you listen! Those who understand these mysteries will be given more knowledge. However, some people don't understand these mysteries. Even what they think they understand will be taken away from them" Luke 8:18 (God's Word). Lord, I want to understand, but you must explain the mysteries to me, and I want to listen, but you must teach me how to listen. If anything in me stands in the way of understanding and listening, please remove it.

Luke 7:34 (God's Word) Originally published 11/06/2013 "The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look at him! He's a glutton and a drunk'" Luke 7:34 (God's Word). How could the faithful Jewish leaders be so blind to who Jesus was? It is frightening to think that anyone can be so deceived as they were. Lord, if there is anything that I am deceived about or have missed, I ask you to do whatever it takes to bring me to the truth and to live in obedience. 

Luke 6:32-36 (God's Word) Originally published 11/04/2013 "If you love those who love you, do you deserve any thanks for that? Even sinners love those who love them. If you help those who help you, do you deserve any thanks for that? Sinners do that too. If you lend anything to those from whom you expect to get something back, do you deserve any thanks for that? Sinners also lend to sinners to get back what they lend. Rather, love your enemies, help them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then you will have a great reward. You will be the children of the Most High God. After all, he is kind to thankful and evil people. Be merciful as your Father is merciful” Luke 6:32-36 (God's Word). This is contrary to all our sinful human nature, so when we do these things, we are exchanging human victories for spiritual ones. Lord, teach me to live like you live.

Luke 5:4-6 (God's Word) Originally published 11/04/2013  "When he finished speaking, he told Simon, 'Take the boat into deep water, and lower your nets to catch some fish.' Simon answered, 'Teacher, we worked hard all night and caught nothing. But if you say so, I'll lower the nets.' After the men had done this, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to tear" Luke 5:4-6 (God's Word). Sometimes God asks us to do things that don't make sense to us. I have had the thought that I should go talk to someone, and I could think of many reasons why it would be a waste of time, but when I go, it is so clear that God was there, and the person needed that conversation. Lord, help me to recognize your voice when thoughts come to me and to obey even when it does not make sense to me. 

Luke 4:9-12 (God's Word) Originally published 11/02/2013 The devil was trying to get Jesus to disobey the Father. "Then the devil took him into Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest part of the temple. He said to Jesus, 'If you are the Son of God, jump from here! Scripture says, 'He will put his angels in charge of you to watch over you carefully. They will carry you in their hands so that you never hit your foot against a rock' Jesus answered him, ' It has been said, 'Never tempt the Lord your God'" Luke 4:9-12 (God's Word). The devil used Scripture to try to trick Jesus into disobeying the Father. His temptation was that you can do what the Father wants you to do, but in a faster and easier way. What is wrong with that? You accomplish your goal. Lord, show me what you want me to do, and give me the faith to do it the way you want, no matter how hard or painful it might be.

Luke 3:8 (God's Word) Originally published 11/01/2013 John the Baptist gave a clear summary about what it means to trust God. "Do those things that prove that you have turned to God and have changed the way you think and act" Luke 3:8 (God's Word). Every person who is following Christ has something in their life that God is trying to change. He does this by changing the way we think about things, and that changes the things that we do. This process will not stop in this life. Lord, teach me to hate the things that you hate and love the things that are important to you, but most of all to act the way you act.

Luke 2:52 (God's Word) Originally published 10/31/2013 “Jesus grew in wisdom and maturity. He gained favor from God and people" Luke 2:52 (God's Word). What was Jesus like growing up? What mistakes did he make in his lack of wisdom and maturity? It is hard to think of Jesus as lacking wisdom and being immature. Perhaps the sin is rejecting wisdom and refusing to grow up. Lord, give me patience with children who are not yet mature and lack wisdom, because it is a normal part of growing up, and help me to grow in wisdom and maturity.

Luke 1:1-4 (God's Word) Originally published 10/30/2013 Luke explains why he wrote his gospel. "Many have attempted to write about what had taken place among us. They received their information from those who had been eyewitnesses and servants of God's work from the beginning, and they passed it on to us. I, too, have followed everything closely from the beginning. So I thought it would be a good idea to write an orderly account for Your Excellency, Theophilus. In this way you will know that what you've been told is true" Luke 1:1-4 (God’s Word). God is amazing. There were many stories written about Jesus by eyewitnesses, but he had only four that would give us the true story. Luke did not know what a wonderful thing he was doing. We thank you God for his faithfulness. Lord, give me a passion for obedience in everything you ask of me that I will complete what I am here to do. 

Mark 16:3-4 (God's Word) Originally published 10/29/2013 The two Marys and Salome thought they should anoint Jesus, but they had no idea how they could do it with the stone in front of the tomb, but they went to do it anyway. "They said to one another, 'Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?' When they looked up they saw that the stone had been rolled away. It was a very large stone" Mark 16:3-4 (God's Word). I have had this happen to me several times that I knew I was to do something, but it did not seem possible to do or to get people to agree. When I started God had worked things around so it all worked out perfectly. Lord, you are amazing because you always work ahead of us. Help me to never be afraid of the future because of you. 

Mark 15:3-5 (God's Word) Originally published 10/28.2013 "The chief priests were accusing him of many things. So Pilate asked him again, 'Don't you have any answer? Look how many accusations they're bringing against you!' But Jesus no longer answered anything, so Pilate was surprised" Mark 15:3-5 (God's Word). It mattered to Pilate what people thought of him as it does to all of us, but I think that Jesus only cared that he obeyed the Father and what the Father thought about what he was doing. Lord, don't let me be controlled by what people think of me, but may the passion of my life be to please you. 

Mark 14:57-61 (God's Word) Originally published 10/26/2013 "Then some men stood up and gave false testimony against him, but their statements did not agree. We heard him say, 'I'll tear down this temple made by humans, and in three days I'll build another temple, one not made by human hands.' But their testimony did not agree even on this point. So the chief priest stood up in the center and asked Jesus, 'Don't you have any answer to what these men testify against you?' But he was silent" Mark 14:57-61 (God's Word). I can't imagine the pain of being scourged or nailed to a cross, but I do know what it is like to have people say things about you that hurt. 

Mark 13:13 (God's Word) Originally published 10/25/2013 None of us can tell about the faith of another person. There are many reasons that people could declare that they have given their lives to God. Jesus tells how we know if our trust in God is genuine. "Everyone will hate you because you are committed to me. But the person who endures to the end will be saved" Mark 13:13 (God's Word). Lord, if my passion for obedience to you begins to grow cold, do whatever it takes to restore me to that trust that you require.

Mark 12:10-12 (God's Word) Originally published 10/24/2013 Jesus made enemies of the religious leaders because he was trying to save them by warning them that they were making God angry with them for refusing to listen to him whom God had sent an answer to their prayers for a Messiah. "Have you not read the Scripture passage: 'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. The Lord has done this, and it is amazing for us to see?' They wanted to arrest him but were afraid of the crowd. They knew that he had directed this illustration at them" Mark 12:10-12 (God's Word).  Lord, give me a spirit of submission to you that I would accept whatever correction you need to give me.

Mark 11:15-18 (God's Word) Originally published 10/23/2013 No one knew more about Scripture than the scribes in Jesus’ time. "When they came to Jerusalem, Jesus went into the temple courtyard and began to throw out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the moneychangers' tables and the chairs of those who sold pigeons. He would not let anyone carry anything across the temple courtyard. Then he taught them by saying, 'Scripture says, "My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations," but you have turned it into a gathering place for thieves.' When the chief priests and scribes heard him, they looked for a way to kill him" Mark 11:15-18 (God's Word). How can religious people get so far from God that they think they are doing the work of God when they are trying to destroy God's work? Lord, if there is something in my life that makes me an enemy of yours, do whatever it takes to set me straight.