Turn from being just a homeboy!

Father God, I ask you to guide my words. Let they be inspired by your Holy Spirit to not be just words, but thoughts that will help others to know You and be whole. In Jesus name I ask.


Best Buddies - Bill and Anna

Good morning! My name is Charlotte and I am writing to help us give our first thoughts to the Lord.

We have been reading the book of Luke the last few weeks. I love to read the gospels. If you need to visit with Jesus, just read the gospels.

In Luke the 4th chapter starting with 15 we read And He began teaching in their synagogues and was praised by all. Note - at this point Jesus had the approval of all.

And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. And the book of Isaiah was handed to Him.

And He opened the book and found the place where it was written, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.

Jesus came to preach the gospel to the poor. Poor - moneywise - poor - spiritwise? I have been poor - moneywise, and I found Jesus was my good news. I could always depend on Him to make a way for me and my family. Actually, I think poor people - moneywise - are more open to God because they don't have other resources. I read one time that rich people get fewer divorces because if they have a spat, they can just fly somewhere or go into another part of their big house. Poor people have to stay and nuck it out.

He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord."

And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."

And all were speaking well of Him, and wondering at the gracious words which were falling from His lips; and they were saying, "Is this not Joseph's son?"

At this point, they were still speaking well of Him and his gracious words.

And He said to them. "No doubt you will quote this proverb to Me, 'Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we heard was done at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.'"

And He said, "Truly I say to you, no prophet is welcome in his hometown. But (there's the but) I say to you in truth, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land; and yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian."

When he started to speak further, He spoke with authority and took Himself from being the 'homeboy' to classifying Himself with Elijah and the prophets. This was what infuriated the people. It was pleasing to hear Joseph's boy speak, but Jesus took it out of the realm of the ordinary neighborhood into His Father's kingdom, and they had a problem with that.

Note here how the atmosphere changed - And all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage as they heard these things; and they got up and drove Him out of the city, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city had been built, in order to throw Him down the cliff.

But (there's the but) passing through their midst, He went His way.

There is a scripture and I can't put my finger on it which tells about his brothers and sisters were resentful of Jesus. Can you imagine being raised with Jesus as your older brother and then He becomes so famous and so controversial. He was just their big brother to them, but (there's the but) He wasn't just a homeboy or a big brother or just Joseph's boy. He was the Son of God who came to set us free.

He did more in the three years of His ministry than any man that has ever lived on the face of the earth. HE CAME ----- AND SET US FREE!

Thank you, Jesus!

Have a blessed day today!

Charlotte