Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy (12:1)
Leaven refers to doctrine. The doctrine of the Pharisees was hypocrisy. Doctrine is a great influencer. It permeates into everything you do and teach. False doctrine ends in merely serving one's own interests.
For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. (Luke 12:2)
This is a great prophetic verse.
There is another application to this verse. In these verses Jesus is clearly telling us that nothing that we do is concealed from God and everything will be disclosed. Even things that we do in secret and which no one knows about, which we think are well hidden will be made known.
Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops. (Luke 12:3)
Did you know that every word you say is being recorded in heaven? Every time you say something unkind or ungodly it is recorded. Every time you gossip it is heard and recorded.
Lord Jesus said in Matthew 12:36-37, “but I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the Day of Judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
We must be very careful of the words we speak.
“And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him! (Luke 12:4-5)
The fear of God will deliver us from the fear of man.
“I can assure you of this: If you don’t hold back, but freely declare in public that I am the Son of Man, the Messiah, I will freely declare to all the angels of God that you are mine. But if you publicly pretend that you don’t know me, I will deny you before the angels of God. (Luke 12:8-9)
How to avail angelic ministry?
Many of us are ashamed or fearful to publicly declare the things of the Lord. Talking about the Lord will release angels on our behalf. The angels will know whom you really belong to.
When you do not declare, you might have limited angelic ministry. This is the reason evangelism is so important. Don’t say come for the meeting. That’s not enough. Disciple them. Evangelism shouldn’t be merely a program or activity; it should be a way of life.
Luke 12:13
Greed is always wishing for what you don’t have and never thanking God enough for what you have. I admit, I too have never thanked God enough for what I have.
And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of [c]covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” (Luke 12:15)
The quality of life can never be measured by the amount of things you possess.” (12:15)
Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying…(Luke 12:16-17)
Notice the phrase, “he thought within himself”. In other words, he was thinking.
But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ (Luke 12:20)
His thoughts moved Heaven into action. God said to him...in response to his thoughts.
Filling up your life with everything except God will leave you like the rich man.
“God said to him, ‘What a fool you are to trust in your riches and not in me (Luke 12:20)
God never rebuked the rich man for having riches but for not trusting in Him and instead trusting His riches.
So it is with the one who continues to lay up and hoard possessions for himself and is not rich [in his relation] to God [this is how he fares]. (Luke 12:21)
There was a Roman proverb that says, "Money is like sea water, the more you drink, the more you want!" The problem here is not money, but the love of money, the priority of money, the self-sufficiency that money seems to provide
….and is not rich [in his relation] to God [this is how he fares]
This phrase sums it all
Observe and consider the ravens; for they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn; and [yet] God feeds them. Of how much more worth are you than the birds! (Luke 12:24)
"Even these unclean birds (Leviticus 11:15) were provided for byGod (Psalm 147:9) and even used by God (Genesis 8:7; 1 Kings 17:4,6).
Never let anxiety enter your hearts.
worrying adds nothing, but actually subtracts from your life (Luke 12:26)
The main reason for struggling
O struggling one with so many doubts? (Luke 12:28)
making deposits in your account in heaven, an account that will never be taken from you. Your gifts will become a secure and unfailing treasure, deposited in heaven forever. (Luke 12:33)
Where you deposit your treasure, that is where your thoughts will turn to—and your heart will long to be there also.” (Luke 12:34)
Giving will turn your….
- Thoughts
- Heart - the direction of your very life
To live heavenly, you must have heaven in your heart and your heart in heaven. If there is one thing that God’s people are coming short of doing the whole will of God, that would be giving of their means to further His cause.
He may appear at midnight or even later, but what great joy for the awakened ones whenever he comes! (Luke 12:38)
A rare hint of the coming of the Lord
And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act as he would wish him to act shall be beaten with many [lashes]. (Luke 12:47)
For those who have received a greater revelation from their master are required a greater obedience. And those who have been entrusted with great responsibility will be held more responsible to their master.”
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