Author: Bill Hall

But know this: If the homeowner had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.

Luke 12:39

We do not know much. Often we spend half our lives just discovering that fact. We are dependent upon the Lord. He knows what He will do and when.

Being prepared for Him is always good advice, because He is always at work. We must not grow weary in well doing. And our work, if done in His strength, is a joy.

Heavenly father, thank you for Your strength! You are our Resource you are our Supply. You are the One that gives to us life, and hope, and grace. Thank you! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

If he comes in the middle of the night, or even near dawn, and finds them alert, blessed are those servants.

Luke 12:38

No matter when he comes, his followers should be found ready. We should live lives prepared for the return of the King.

But Jesus is not just speaking here of his second coming. No, he is building off of his words about worry. Our lives should be filled with expectancy not anxiety. Hope and not fear is to rule in our hearts.

Heavenly father, thank you for making our lives about so much more than material things. Thank you for calling us out of a life filled with worry, even dread, over what tomorrow will hold, and instead inspiring us with your greatness your holiness and your amazing love! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Blessed will be those servants the master finds alert when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will get ready, have them recline at the table, then come and serve them.

Luke 12:37

In this world if sin we may find it hard to believe, but the Lord has wonderful things in store for the future. This creation, short of sin, was amazingly wonderful.

Heavenly Father, You pull us above the evil of this present darkness. Though in this world to minister, we know that it is only a temporary state. There is hope for all of Your humans to have peace and joy both now and in the future. Thank You! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

You are to be like people waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet so that when he comes and knocks, they can open the door for him at once.

Luke 12:36

So rather than being worried about providing for ourselves, we are to live prepared lives. We should be prepared for the presence of the prince at all times. The Lord is to be our concern.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your work in our lives! We will live to love You! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Be ready for service and have your lamps lit.

Luke 12:35

The followers of Christ are to live active, expectant lives. The return of the Lord is meant to be at the forefront of our minds. We should prepare for the return of the Lord the way most people prepare for old age and death.

Heavenly Father, You are so good and I want to serve You as I should. The Return of Christ will be so wonderful and exciting! You have all the power and wisdom and I want Your power and wisdom to rule my life. Your way is the way to live. I will praise You, Holy God, Almighty God! Thank You for being Who You are! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Luke 12:34

This is one of the most profound teachings of Christ. It is simple, straightforward, and seemingly obvious. But people don’t like to hear it. It reveals too much about us.

What is your motivation? What makes you do what you do? This is a very important question, one that many people fail to answer and some purposely avoid. Your heart is the inner core of you, who you really are. And what you treasure most defines you in many ways.

Heavenly Father, thank You for helping us to see ourselves. The mirror of Your Word is a blessing beyond description. We need only look into its pages to see who we really are on the inside. You are so merciful to allow us to have access to it! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Make money-bags for yourselves that won’t grow old, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.

Luke 12:33

Many who heard Jesus were likely fairly poor themselves. However, He had among His followers some who were well off as well.

The purpose here is not the redistribution of wealth. Jesus was not teaching an economic philosophy. He was teaching a heavenly focus. Riches here are transitory. But building the kingdom of God is a permanent investment.

Living one’s life just for the accumulation of physical wealth is a misuse of life. Living one’s life for the kingdom of heaven is a mission with the best future imaginable.

Heavenly Father, You are beautiful! You have made this world, and You know what potential it has. You will remake it, and You know why You have done all of this. Your wisdom and power are perfect and wonderful. Thank You for mercifully working in our lives! Thank You for Christ! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Don’t be afraid, little flock, because your Father delights to give you the kingdom.

Luke 12:32

Jesus here encourages His group of disciples. This small group was to become the core of the church.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your church! It is the source of so many blessings to our hearts in this age. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

But seek his kingdom, and these things will be provided for you.

Luke 12:31

Our pursuit should be the furtherance of the will of God. We must put obedience to Him first before all else.

Heavenly Father, I thank You for leading our lives to the best end. We can be confident that You will provide our needs. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

For the Gentile world eagerly seeks all these things, and your Father knows that you need them.

Luke 12:30

Jesus is here addressing a predominantly, or completely, Jewish crowd. But we need not assume that He would say something different to a purely Gentile audience. The worldly pursuits are commonly shared among all people of the world.

The Father already has complete knowledge of all our needs. Prayer, for example is not meant to inform God of our needs. We only ask Him for things because He tells us to, not because He is unaware.

Heavenly Father, oh if only I understood my needs as well as You do! Thank You for always providing what I need rather than what I think I want. You are so wise! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.