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Day 1  RECEIVE   Luke 8:1-3     1 Soon afterward Jesus began a tour of the nearby towns and villages, preaching and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom of God. He took his twelve disciples with him, 2 along with some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. Among them were Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons; 3 Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s business manager; Susanna; and many others who were contributing from their own resources

Day 1  RECEIVE   Luke 8:16-17     16 “No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or hides it under a bed. A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house. 17 For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all.”     Jesus had ended His previous parable about the one who is productive in bearing spiritual fruit. Then He gave the example of

Day 1  RECEIVE   Luke 8:26-27     26 So they arrived in the region of the Gerasenes, across the lake from Galilee. 27 As Jesus was climbing out of the boat, a man who was possessed by demons came out to meet him. For a long time he had been homeless and naked, living in the tombs outside the town.     Notice that this man who met Jesus was possessed of more than one demon. Imagine how frightened the townspeople were of him. It was bad enough that he was homeless and naked,

Day 1  RECEIVE   Luke 8:36-37     36 Then those who had seen what happened told the others how the demon-possessed man had been healed. 37 And all the people in the region of the Gerasenes begged Jesus to go away and leave them alone, for a great wave of fear swept over them. So Jesus returned to the boat and left, crossing back to the other side of the lake.     The crowd saw what had happened with all the pigs drowning. They also realized the demon-possessed man had been

Day 1 RECEIVE Luke 8:47-48 47 When the woman realized that she could not stay hidden, she began to tremble and fell to her knees in front of him. The whole crowd heard her explain why she had touched him and that she had been immediately healed. 48 “Daughter,” he said to her, “your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” Jesus felt healing power leave Him when someone touched Him. When Jesus asked who touched Him the woman realized she could not remain hidden any longer. She “

Day 1  RECEIVE   Luke 9:4-6     4 “Wherever you go, stay in the same house until you leave town. 5 And if a town refuses to welcome you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.” 6 So they began their circuit of the villages, preaching the Good News and healing the sick.     The apostles Jesus sent out were not to move around in a town. Apparently they were not to be looking for better places to stay. If a town

Day 1  RECEIVE   Luke 9:18-20     18 One day Jesus left the crowds to pray alone. Only his disciples were with him, and he asked them, “Who do people say I am?” 19 “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other ancient prophets risen from the dead.” 20 Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”   Peter replied, “You are the Messiah sent from God!”     Notice how Jesus moved from a general question to a specifi

Day 1  RECEIVE   Luke 9:30-31     30 Suddenly, two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared and began talking with Jesus. 31 They were glorious to see. And they were speaking about his exodus from this world, which was about to be fulfilled in Jerusalem.     As Jesus was on the Mount of Transfiguration with Peter, James and John, suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared and talked with Jesus. Luke writes, “They were glorious to see.” These Old Testament prophets spoke about the time when

Day 1  RECEIVE   Luke 9:43b-45     43b While everyone was marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, 44 “Listen to me and remember what I say. The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies.” 45 But they didn’t know what he meant. Its significance was hidden from them, so they couldn’t understand it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.     Jesus wanted His disciples to listen and remember what He was about to say. He agai

Day 1  RECEIVE   Luke 9:57-58     57 As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.”     It is relatively easy for people to say they will follow Jesus. He wanted them to know, however, that it would not be an easy life. Jesus wanted it known that following Him could mean giving up the comforts of life. The B

Day 1  RECEIVE   Luke 10:5-7     5 “Whenever you enter someone’s home, first say, ‘May God’s peace be on this house.’ 6 If those who live there are peaceful, the blessing will stand; if they are not, the blessing will return to you. 7 Don’t move around from home to home. Stay in one place, eating and drinking what they provide. Don’t hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve their pay.”     Jesus gave further instructions to the 72 being sent out to wi

Day 1  RECEIVE   Luke 10:21-22     21 At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said, “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way. 22 My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those t

Day 1  RECEIVE   Luke 10:33-35     33 “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. 34 Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. 35 The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m

Day 1  RECEIVE   Luke 11:2-4     2 Jesus said, “This is how you should pray: Father, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. 3 Give us each day the food we need,   4 and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation.”     Although this is often referred to as “The Lord’s Prayer” it is obvious this was not what He needed to pray. He had no sins that needed to be forgiven. The word “temptation” also literall

Day 1  RECEIVE   Luke 11:14-16     14 One day Jesus cast out a demon from a man who couldn’t speak, and when the demon was gone, the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed, 15 but some of them said, “No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons.” 16 Others, trying to test Jesus, demanded that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority.     Jesus cast a demon out of a man, which allowed him to speak again. T

Day 1  RECEIVE   Luke 11:29-30     29 As the crowd pressed in on Jesus, he said, “This evil generation keeps asking me to show them a miraculous sign. But the only sign I will give them is the sign of Jonah. 30 What happened to him was a sign to the people of Nineveh that God had sent him. What happens to the Son of Man will be a sign to these people that he was sent by God.”     Notice how direct Jesus was in addressing the crowd. He called them an “evil generation.” Matth

Day 1  RECEIVE   Luke 11:42     42 “What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore justice and the love of God. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.”     Jesus commended the Pharisees for tithing the smallest income, but He criticized them for ignoring the justice and love of God. The “tithe” referred to 10 percent. Some say if all the tithes of the Old Testament we

Day 1  RECEIVE   Luke 11:52     52 “What sorrow awaits you experts in religious law! For you remove the key to knowledge from the people. You don’t enter the Kingdom yourselves, and you prevent others from entering.”     Jesus continued to warn the religious leaders of judgment to come. Not only were these religious leaders not going to enter the Kingdom of God, but they were also preventing others from entering. What a serious charge this was for those who boasted in their

Day 1  RECEIVE   Luke 12:6-7     6 “What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. 7 And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.”     Jesus was addressing those He called “Dear friends” (Luke 12:4). He wanted them to know how valuable they were to God. Those who now read these verses should be comforted as they realize God knows every de

Day 1  RECEIVE   Luke 12:20-21     20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’ 21 Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”     This is what God said to the man who built more storage space for his crops and thought he was set for life. God called such a person “a fool” for only thinking about earthly treasure. At his death all that wealth would be of no

Day 1  RECEIVE   Luke 12:32-34     32 “So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. 34 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”     A “little flock” would

Day 1  RECEIVE   Luke 12:45-46     45 “But what if the servant thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’ and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? 46 The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant in pieces and banish him with the unfaithful.”     Jesus continued to make the analogy between a master returning home and the Son of Man returning. Those expecting Him will be rewarded, but those not expecting Him

Day 1  RECEIVE   Luke 12:57-59     57 “Why can’t you decide for yourselves what is right? 58 When you are on the way to court with your accuser, try to settle the matter before you get there. Otherwise, your accuser may drag you before the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, who will throw you into prison. 59 And if that happens, you won’t be free again until you have paid the very last penny.”     Jesus was criticizing the crowd for not knowing how to discern the

Day 1  RECEIVE   Luke 13:10-13     10 One Sabbath day as Jesus was teaching in a synagogue, 11 he saw a woman who had been crippled by an evil spirit. She had been bent double for eighteen years and was unable to stand up straight. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, “Dear woman, you are healed of your sickness!” 13 Then he touched her, and instantly she could stand straight. How she praised God!     The reference to the “Sabbath day” reveals they were sti