LORD, Increase our Faith

 August 19, 2024

Morning Bible Reading and Meditation
For Mithcah Bible Baptist Church- Bahrain
Online Morning Devotional Bible Study- Aug. 20, 2024

“[5] And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.
[6] And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycaminetree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you. “

Lesson: LORD, Increase our Faith

Continuation from the preceding chapter, the LORD has spoken to His disciples the extremities of the sin of offending the weak and poorcommitted by them who are in the leadership, particularly the `Pharisees and the rich, fromwhom the offense should come. Luke 16:14-17

Then these words of The LORD: take heed to yourselves; which means pay attention and be careful and mindful about it. 

 

Noted are these things the LORD commanded us to take heed: 

 

1. V. 1-10 The Forgiveness- the decision that will change our perspective, instill our inner peace, and procure to ourselves more grace from GOD who pardon our sins; the Originator of forgiveness and grace. If we choose not to forgive, there is no inner peace. Life will become dull and stiff; because The Holy Spirit in us is grieved. The LORD started this chapter with an emanating intensity of woefulness for those who are the offenders of the weak. He then gave emphasis to the importance of forgiveness. Indeed, it is The LORD who gives us peace. If we learn from our mistakes, ask forgiveness. If we feel the promptings of The Holy Spirit, take heed. It will never make a person less to be meek. For The LORD knows and sees everything, whether we did righteously with kindness, and in humility doing GOD’s service, still, ask forgiveness; if we learned that others, from our action got offended. The LORD is the source of all grace. He gives grace to the humble and to the kindhearted He gives grace. But to the hardhearted, He will give their due recompense with its woefulness. Let us be mindful of our actions, not to offend the weak; ask forgiveness if we feel the promptings of The Holy Spirit.

 

2. V.11-19 The Faith – manifest in many things. Within these verses the message is clear: 

➢ Faith Motivates the ten lepers to call upon the LORD: “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” and the LORD saw, that He instructed them; wherewith thru faith, they obeyed Him. V11-14

➢ Faith instill gratitude in the heart of the healed Samaritan leprous man, that He returned to the LORD to give glory to GOD;bowed down at the feet of JESUS, giving thanks to Him for His gracious works on him. V.15-19

• Gratitude urged the healed Samaritan leprous man to return to the LORD to glorfy GOD. 

• Gratitude humbled him at the feet of JESUS. 

• Gratitude open His mouth to give thanks to The LORD. 

• Gratitude made him whole as proclaimed by his Savior. 

• It is through gratitude that we too will be made whole from the sinful deceases that plagues our souls. 

3. V. 20-37 The Future – the Pharisees demanded JESUS when the Kingdom of GOD should come. The LORD answered them plainly; v.20,21 behold! Meaning Look! the Kingdom of God is within you. It should be in their present time, but because of their unbelief, it was postponed and have to be in the future. The LORD declared here what must come to happen first, before they will see the coming of the Kingdom: 

➢ The craving to see the Son of man(JESUS) and the coming in of the false Christs, before His actual coming again. V22-24 We have to take note: the many religion named after our Savior but do not believe that JESUS is the Son of GOD and the Only Savior.

➢ The crucifixion sufferings of CHRISTafter being rejected by people. v. 25

➢ The sudden catastrophic event from that great tribulation before the coming of TheLORD.26-31

➢ The severe consummation of the lives of them whose heart is settled for the love of this world. V.32

➢ The caught- up of the saved (rapture) will be caught up together by The LORD before the great tribulation comes. 34-36, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

For us all who received forgiveness from the LORD, our faith should be growing each day; that we all are preparing and knowledgeable for our future. Moreover, the forgiveness which we receive from The LORD should also be our constant reminder for us to practice forgiveness,while we are yet living here in this world. And it takes faith in CHRIST for us to forgive others who have wronged us. That it will also be in our prayers, whenever we are facing hardship, struggles and difficulties; LORD, increase our faith! We also should be grateful for everything The LORD entrusted to our cares; whether it be provisions or problems, big or small, gratitude should be our constant and usual reaction. 

Let this be our constant reminder every time we face challenges: 

“14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

16 Rejoice evermore.

17 Pray without ceasing.

18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

19 Quench not the Spirit.”

 

Good morning.


Luke 17:1-37 KJV
Then sai d he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! [2] It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. [3] Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. [4] And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him. [5] And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. [6] And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycaminetree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you. [7] But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? [8] And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? [9] Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not. [10] So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do. [11] And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. [12] And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: [13] And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. [14] And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. [15] And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, [16] And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. [17] And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? [18] There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. [19] And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole. [20] And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: [21] Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. [22] And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it. [23] And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them. [24] For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day. [25] But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation. [26] And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. [27] They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. [28] Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; [29] But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. [30] Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. [31] In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. [32] Remember Lot's wife. [33] Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. [34] I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. [35] Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. [36] Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. [37] And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.