Luke 17

Luke 17 starts out talking about temptation. Woe to the one through whom temptation comes. We live in a world full of temptation. Jesus might as well be saying "woe" to half the world. Every business, advertisement, website, casino, bar, ...you name it, if it causes people to sin it's not going to end well for the people who run those things. Woe to the one through whom temptation comes.

But we must be willing to forgive each other, no matter how many times we sin. God does not ask us to do anything that He Himself will not do - so that means that He will forgive us every time we stumble and come back to Him in repentance. God has grace for us, and we must have grace for each other.

Faith is not a matter of quantity, it is a matter of quality. I often ask God to increase my faith, but verse 6 reminds me that it's not about having more, it's about applying what you have. And we are not here to do great things for our own glory. We are here to do whatever God tells us to do - whether great or not. We're not here to be served. We're not here to be comfortable. We're here to serve.

Jesus healed 10 lepers, and only one of them thanked Him - and that one was a Samaritan (a rival of the Jews). Do we remember to give thanks and praise to God for everything He does for us? Do we thank Him for everything, or only 10% of the things He does? Every day that you wake up is a gift and an opportunity. Thank God for every breath you take, every family member you embrace, every friend you talk to, every chance you get to serve and be a blessing to others, and every mistake you are forgiven of. Praise God all day, every day.

God created heaven and earth. They belong to Him. God is sovereign over all creation, He rules it all according to His will. His kingdom is already here, it always has been here. It's not like He has to conquer new territory that is foreign to Him. He knows everything, and He is everywhere, and He has all power. We only need to be vigilant in keeping watch for His return - like faithful servants watching over the Master's house.