Pastor Mike Impact Ministries

Now amazing, the place we pick up in Luke 12:22-29, seemsto specifically be for our family during a time like this! Remember Jesusbegins this chapter telling His disciples to “beware of hypocrisy” (vv. 1-12).Then Jesus tells them to “beware of covetousness” (vv. 13-21). You might havenoticed like me, that in verse 22, this is the second time Jesus specificallyaddresses His disciple in this chapter...

I want to remind you that this might be my last pastor’schat for a couple of weeks. I would also like to ask you for special prayers forseveral things. For the next couple of days, I will be extremely busy takingcare of some family matters that involve my older sister, Lynda Smith, who wasput into palliative care this past week. Then on Tuesday, the 18th,my son Jonathan and I will be flying to Ind...

Before we get into our study in Luke 12 today, I would liketo ask you for special prayer, and your patience for these next couple ofweeks. For the next couple of days, I will be extremely busy taking care ofsome family matters that involve my older sister, Lynda Smith, who was put intopalliative care this past week. Then on Tuesday, the 18th, my sonJonathan and I will be flying to India to take ca...

I believe I remember A.W. Tozer writing about how we live inthe age of a humanistic Christianity. Which means it is all about me! What Godand others can do for me. Instead of what I can do for Christ and others.    The sad truth isthat we have raised a generation of irresponsible, disrespectful people becausethey think it is all about them. “Have your own way”. “Do it your way”. “Whatdo you want t...

Luke 12:1-12 begins with Jesus giving a warning to Hisdisciples to, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy”. Jesus said, “Beware of hypocrisy”! Then He teaches us how to overcomethe temptation of hypocrisy and compromising our Christian faith. Hypocrisy isa terrible sin that destroys our responsibility and opportunities to be a faithfulwitness for the Lord Jesus to the lost wor...

I believe that one of the greatest obstacles for lostsinners to put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ is the hypocrisy displayedin the lives of believers. When they see us acting like the rest of the worldaround us, and at the same time claiming to be a follower of Jesus Christ, theythink we are a bunch of fakes, or flakes, and use us an excuse not to trustChrist. Jesus denounced hypocrisy of...

  Today, in our passage here in Luke 12:8-10, we have one ofthe most interesting and discussed topics in the Gospels and that is the questionof what does it mean to “blaspheme against the Holy Spirit.”   Luke 12 begins with Jesus warning the disciples to “bewareof the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy”. Over the next several versesJesus instructs both the disciples and the crowd on how t...

Fear God not man! First, we need understand thatGod created us as emotional creatures which is an aspect of being created inthe image of God. God has emotions! One of the most powerful and motivatingemotions we have is fear. There is a good benefit about fear, and there is abad aspect about fear.   The good thing about fear is that it warns us of impendingdanger so we can prepare for it. I should...

In the closing verses of Luke 11, Jesus was dealing withthe hypocrisy of the religious leader, but now in opening verses of Luke 12, Hewarns His disciples of a greater danger, and that is the hypocrisy of His followers.   Remember what a hypocrite is. The word hypocrite comes froma Greek word that means "an actor," "one who plays a part."There are hypocrites in every walk of li...

Luke 12:1 1 In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of peoplehad gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say toHis disciples first of all, " Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees,which is hypocrisy.   Today, before we begin looking into Luke 12, I want to giveyou a special invitation to join me and my son, Jonathan Grooms, the presidentof Global Partners in Pe...

52 Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did notenter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered."   Luke 11 finishes with Jesus giving a personal, up-close,scathing word of rebuke and declaration of condemnation and judgment upon the religiousleaders of His day. He pronounced three “woes” upon the Pharisees and their hypocrisy,and three “woes”...

In this passage, Luke 11:42-52, as a guest, in the veryhouse of a Pharisee, Jesus courageously exposes the hypocrisy of the religiousleaders of His day, the Pharisees and lawyers. Jesus is making it very clearthat there is no room for hypocrites in the church, especially in the pulpitand in the church leaders. Jesus is not only exposing them, but He is declaringcondemnation and judgment upon them...

As we look at this passage in Luke 11:37-54, we need to rememberthe setting Jesus was in where He is declaring judgment, the six “woes”, uponthe Pharisees and religious lawyers, who are also called scribes. In verse 35, Jesushad just made the public statement, “Therefore take heed that the lightwhich is in you is not darkness.” It was then that a Pharisee invited Jesusto come into his house and di...

44 Woe to you, scribes andPharisees, hypocrites! For you are like graves which are not seen, and the menwho walk over them are not aware of them."   From Luke 11:37 to the end of the chapter Jesus is dealingwith the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, scribes, and the lawyers (who were supposedto be the experts in interpreting the Law of Moses). Many Christians today aregreatly concerned about the ri...

From Luke 11:37 to the end of the chapter Jesus is dealingwith the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, scribes, and the lawyers (who were supposedto be the experts in interpreting the Law of Moses). At this stage in Christ'sministry, it is obvious that the Pharisees and religious leaders were bent ondestroying Him. In the previous verses (vv. 33-36), Jesus was exposing thedarkness of their hearts. The...

It is very interesting to note that we are introduced todarkness and light in the very first verses in the Bible. Right after we aretold; “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis1:1), we read; “The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was onthe face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of thewaters. Then God said, "Let there be light...

After Jesus gave His lessons on prayer (vv. 1-13), He casta demon out of a mute man, and even though the “multitudes marveled” (v.14), the religious leaders accused Him of doing it “by Beelzebub” (v. 15),another way of saying, “by Satan”. They also “tested Him” and ask for a “signfrom heaven (v. 16). Instead of giving them a sign, Jesus gave them a sermon. Jesushad been giving them “miracles” or “...

When we come to Luke 11:28-32, it appears that Jesus has finishedHis lessons on the subject of prayer and a crowd of both curious people and contentiousreligious leaders have “thickly gathered together” around Him and His disciples. It appears at the point thecrowd really begins to press in upon Jesus on every side and then He gives thema message of condemnation and judgement (vv. 29-36).   Jesus...

23 He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does notgather with Me scatters. So far in Luke 11, Jesus has given us the pattern ofprayer (vv. 1-4). He tells a story and emphasizes the persistence ofprayer (vv. 5-8). He has encouraged us with a great promise of prayer. Ourheavenly Father will give us the good gifts of the Holy Spirit when weask in prayer (vv. 9-13). And Jesus illustrated the...

We are looking at this wonderful chapter in Luke 11 on thesubject of prayer. The Lord Jesus is teaching His disciples how to pray, andwhat to pray, in answer to their request to teach them to pray. As He is teachingthem, we are also learning many aspects about prayer that we should rememberevery day. First, Jesus gives us the pattern of prayer (vv. 1-4). Secondly,He tells a story of some friends a...

In Luke 11:1-13, the Lord is not only teaching Hisdisciples about prayer, but He is also giving us some powerful incentives tolearn to pray. I’mconvinced that the best way to learn to be good at anything in life is to workat it, to be disciplined to practice the same thing over and over again. I’m saying allthis to say, the best way to learn to pray is to pray! To pray daily andcontinuously. This...

In Luke 11:1-13, Jesus is teaching us how to pray. One forthe first things we should learn about prayer is that it is based on ourrelationship with God. Creation and our conscience declare to us that there isa God in heaven. That there is a Designer behind the design. But we need morethan an intellectual knowledge of God, we need a relationship with Him. Becausesin has separated us from God, we ar...

The Lord is responding to the disciple’s question to teachthem to pray. Jesus first gives them a lesson on the pattern of prayer andbegins it with the words, “Our Father”. One for the first things we shouldlearn about prayer is that it is based on our relationship with God. We havethe privilege and honor of prayer because we are sons and daughters in Hisfamily by being “born again” through salvati...

So far we have learned from the Lord’s teachings on prayerin this passage in Luke 11, that prayer concerns our Father’s presence, ourFather's purpose, our Father’s provision, our Father’s pardon, and our Father’sprotection. I couldn’t help but notice that before we pray for His protection asbelievers, we should have the assurance that we have our own sins forgiven,which only comes because we h...

Today, before we discuss this pattern of prayer that theLord was teaching to His disciples, I need to ask all our friends to once againpray for our grandson, Luke as he is scheduled to go back into surgery thismorning at the University of Virginia Medical Center. Yesterday while at adoctor’s appointment with Luke, Kimberly noticed the place was extremelyswollen on his head where a shunt valve is l...