PT-2 “The Need for Daily Food” (Luke 9:12-17a)

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/14/2026 10:14 AM

My Worship Time                                                            Focus: PT-2 “The Need for Daily Food”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                Reference:  Luke 9:12-17a

            Message of the verses:  “¹² Now the day was ending, and the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the crowd away, that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside and find lodging and get something to eat; for here we are in a desolate place.” ¹³ But He said to them, “You give them something to eat!” And they said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless perhaps we go and buy food for all these people.” ¹⁴ (For there were about five thousand men.) And He said to His disciples, “Have them sit down to eat in groups of about fifty each.” ¹⁵ They did so, and had them all sit down. ¹⁶ Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed them, and broke them, and kept giving them to the disciples to set before the people. ¹⁷ And they all ate and were satisfied;” (Luke 9:12-17a)

            I began this section in last evening’s SD, and I did something that I don’t usually do and that is end my SD in the middle of a paragraph so I will pick up quoting where I left of from MacArthur’s commentary.

“Incredibly, even after this amazing display of Christ’s divine power, the apostles’ faith was still weak.  While Jesus, Peter, James, and John were on the mountain for the transfiguration, the nine who had not accompanied them were unable to cast out a demon because they failed to pray in faith (Luke 9:37-40).”

(Luke 9:37-40)

37 ¶  On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. 38  And behold, a man from the crowd cried out, "Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. 39  And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out. It convulses him so that he foams at the mouth, and shatters him, and will hardly leave him. 40  And I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.’”

“Exasperated by their continual lack of faith, Jesus sharply rebuked them, calling them an ‘unbelieving and perverted generation’ (cf. Matt. 17:17).”

  (cf. Matt. 17:17)

“17  And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.”

“Rather than trust, Jesus to deal with the obvious need for food, the apostles thought only of a human solution.

            “Jesus’ response, “You give them something to eat!” , seemingly detached from reality, must have amazed and surprised them.  Incredulously they protested, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish.  Andrew, anticipating the problem, had taken an inventory of what meager food the crowd possessed (John 6:8-9).” 

(John 6:8-9)

“8  One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9  “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” 

Then somewhat sarcastically the apostles added , ‘unless perhaps we go and buy food for all these people.’  Perhaps playing off their remark, the Lord asked Philip, ‘”Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?’ (John 6:5).  Aghast, “Philip answered Him, ‘Two hundred denarii (nearly a year’s pay for a common laborer) worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive little’’(v. 7).  As Luke’s parenthetical note indicates, there were about five thousand men present.  The five loaves (small biscuits or crackers) and two small dried fish were obviously intended as a protest if not a mockery of the Lord’s request.

            “Their amazement must have turned to complete shock when the Lord commanded the apostles to have them sit down to eat in groups of about fifty each.’  Mark 6:40 notes that they ‘sat down in groups of hundreds and of fifties.’  Organizing the crowd like that would have made it easier to serve them.  But the obvious question that would have arisen is, ‘Serve them what?’  The apostles had just finished telling Jesus that they had nothing with which to feed them.

            “Despite their misgivings, the disciples obeyed the Lord and had the people all sit down.  It was spring, just before Passover (John 6:4), and as previously noted there was plenty of green grass for the people to sit comfortably on.”

(John 6:4)

“4  Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.”

“When all were seated, the Lord took the five loaves and the two fish, and then doing what every Jewish father did at a meal, looking up to heaven, He blessed them.  By looking up to heaven, Jesus acknowledged God as the source of all provision.  There was nothing mystical or spiritual that happened to the food by the Lord’s blessing; eulogeo (blessed) simply means that He gave thanks to God.

            “Then, also doing what a father would do at a meal, Jesus broke the loaves and fish.  But unlike any father had ever done, He dept giving them to the disciples to set before the people.  In that understated way Luke described this astonishing display of Christ’s power to create ex nihilo—the same power He used to create all things from nothing (John 1:3; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:2).”

(John 1:3; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:2)

“3  All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.”

“16  For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.”

“2  but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.”

“There was no doubt as to the source of the food; it was obvious to all who saw that it was being created in the Lord’s hands and then given to the apostles to distribute to the crowd.

            “The people did not merely receive a minimal snack, but in keeping with God’s bountiful grace, they all ate and were satisfied. Satisfied translates a form of the verb chortazo, which was originally used to describe fattening animals, who gorged themselves until they could not eat no more (it is so used in Rev. 19:21).  The people ate their fill until the were satiated.

(Rev. 19:21)

“21  And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.”

Spiritual meaning for my life today:  Trust the Lord to give me what I need when I need it, even though at times to me it seems to come late, but that is where faith has to be involved.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Trust the Lord to give wisdom to those that are helping me to get my blood pressure down as it has been way too high even after taking the medicine given to my by my doctors.

10/14/2026 11:05 AM  

 

 

 

 

 

“The Need For Healing” (Luke 9:11b)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/13/2026 9:03 PM

My Worship Time                                                                        Focus:  “The Need For Healing”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                     Reference:  Luke 9:11b

            Message of the verse:  “and curing who had need of healing”

            This section of this evening SD will be very short, but I think that I will at least begin the next section and then I want to finish it in the morning.

            MacArthur writes “Christ’s compassion had constantly extended into the realm of human suffering caused by sickness, prompting Him again to cure those who had need of healing.  Matthew 14:14 uses a form of the verb splagchinizomai, which refers to inner feelings, suggesting the physical effects of sympathy on the body, to describe the compassion Jesus felt.  Human suffering truly caused Him pain, and moved Him to alleviate it.  The Lord’s healing, like His provision of food, foreshadows the blessings of the millennial kingdom (cf. Isa. 33:24; Jer. 30:17; Ezek. 34:16).”

(cf. Isa. 33:24; Jer. 30:17; Ezek. 34:16)

24  And no inhabitant will say, "I am sick"; the people who dwell there will be forgiven their iniquity.”

“17  For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal, declares the LORD, because they have called you an outcast: ‘It is Zion, for whom no one cares!’”

“16  I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.”

Now I will move on to look at part of the next section from MacArthur’s commentary.

THE NEED FOR DAILY FOOD

“¹² Now the day was ending, and the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the crowd away, that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside and find lodging and get something to eat; for here we are in a desolate place.” ¹³ But He said to them, “You give them something to eat!” And they said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless perhaps we go and buy food for all these people.” ¹⁴ (For there were about five thousand men.) And He said to His disciples, “Have them sit down to eat in groups of about fifty each.” ¹⁵ They did so, and had them all sit down. ¹⁶ Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed them, and broke them, and kept giving them to the disciples to set before the people. ¹⁷ And they all ate and were satisfied;” (Luke 9:12-17a)

            MacArthur writes that “Luke’s narrative now turns to the actual miracle.  His simple, unadorned account, framed in straightforward language, should not be allowed to obscure the staggering implication of this creative miracle.

            “As the day was ending (lit., ‘began to decline’ after the sun reached its highpoint at noon) and the afternoon wore on, the apostles became concerned.  Focused as they too often were on earthly things, the twelve came to Jesus and brashly, almost impertinently said to Him, ‘”Send the crowd away, that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside and find lodging and get something to eat.’  They wanted the Lord to disperse the crowd before it got any later because, they informed Him, ‘Here we are in a desolate place.’  Eremos (desolate) does not refer here to a desert, since there was abundant green grass (Mark 6:39), but rather to an uninhabited place.  Evening was approaching and there was nowhere for the crowd to acquire food.

(Mark 6:39)

“39  Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass.”

            “The apostles’ concern once again exhibited their lack of faith (cf. Matt. 8:26; 14:31; 16:8).”

(cf. Matt. 8:26; 14:31; 16:8)

“26  And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.”

“31  Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

“8  But Jesus, aware of this, said, "O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread?”

“They had a disconnect from all the miracles they had seen and they themselves had performed on the just-completed preaching tour.  They might also have recalled that God had miraculously provided food in Israel’s past:

“Now a man came from Baal-shalishah, and bought the man of God bread of the first fruits, twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack.  And he said, ‘Give them to the people that they may eat.’  His attendant said, ‘What, will I set this before a hundred men?’  But he said ‘Give them to the people that they may eat, for this says the Lord, ‘They shall eat and have some left over.’ “So he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the Lord. (2 Kings 4:42-44; Cf. 1 Kings 17:10-16).

 (Cf. 1 Kings 17:10-16)

“10  So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, "Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink." 11  And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, "Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand." 12  And she said, "As the LORD your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die." 13  And Elijah said to her, "Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. 14  For thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the LORD sends rain upon the earth.’" 15  And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. 16  The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by Elijah.”

10/13/2026 9:38 PM

 

 

 

 

 

“The Need For Rest” (Luke 9:10)

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/13/2026 9:10 AM

My Worship Time                                                                             Focus:  “The Need For Rest”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                       Reference:  Luke 9:10

Message of the verse:  “When the apostles returned, they gave an account to Him of all that they had done.  Taking them with Him, He withdrew by Himself to a city called Bethsaida.”

            In an earlier we looked that Jesus had sent His Disciples out to preach the gospel, and now they have returned from this preaching tour.  After the apostles returned, they met up with Jesus, and this may have been in Capernaum, and gave an account to Him of all they had done.  Recognizing that they were exhausted after their time of travel and ministry, Jesus then took them with Him and withdrew by Himself to a city called Bethsaida.  MacArthur writes “There they could rest and recover away from the crowds that kept them so busy that they did not even have tome to eat (Mark 6:31).  Jesus, the great high priest of His people, is aware of their weaknesses (Heb. 4:15) and sensitive to their every need. Having Himself experienced the fatigue that comes from extensive ministry (cf. Mark 4:38), Jesus understood the apostles’ need for rest.”  Now I will look at the verses mentioned in the order that they are in.

(Mark 6:31)

“31  And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.”

(Heb. 4:15)

“15  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

            “The exact location of Bethsaida is not precisely known, but its name means ‘house of fish,’ indicating it was one of many lakeside fishing villages.  Bethsaida was perhaps located along the northeastern shore of the Sea of Galilee.  (Some have suggested there may have been another village by the same name on the shore west of Capernaum [Mark 6:45].)”

(Mark 6:45)

“45 ¶  Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd.”

“This small village was important for a couple of reasons.  First, it was the hometown of as many as four of the apostles: Peter and his brother Andrew (John 1:44; although they  later moved to Capernaum [Luke 4:31, 38]), Philip (John 12:21, and possibly Nathanael (John 1:45).”

(John 1:44)

“44  Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.’

(Luke 4:31, 38)

“31 ¶  And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath,”

“38  And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf.”

(John 1:45)

“45  Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

            MacArthur then goes on to write: “But on a more somber note, Bethsaida was singled out by the Lord, along with Chorazin, as being more deserving of judgment than Tyre and Sidon (Luke 10:13).”

(Luke 10:13)

“13  "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.”

“Those two Gentile cities were symbols of paganism, idolatry, and evil to the Galilean Jews.  The Old Testament records God’s past devastating judgment on Tyre and Sidon for their unspeakable wickedness (Isa. 23:1-18; Ezek. 26-28; Amos 1:9-10; Zech. 9:3-4). I will leave out Ezekiel 26-28. 

(Isa. 23:1-18; Amos 1:9-10; Zech. 9:3-4)

“1 ¶  The oracle concerning Tyre. Wail, O ships of Tarshish, for Tyre is laid waste, without house or harbor! From the land of Cyprus it is revealed to them. 2  Be still, O inhabitants of the coast; the merchants of Sidon, who cross the sea, have filled you. 3  And on many waters your revenue was the grain of Shihor, the harvest of the Nile; you were the merchant of the nations. 4  Be ashamed, O Sidon, for the sea has spoken, the stronghold of the sea, saying: "I have neither labored nor given birth, I have neither reared young men nor brought up young women." 5  When the report comes to Egypt, they will be in anguish over the report about Tyre. 6  Cross over to Tarshish; wail, O inhabitants of the coast! 7  Is this your exultant city whose origin is from days of old, whose feet carried her to settle far away? 8  Who has purposed this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose merchants were princes, whose traders were the honored of the earth? 9  The LORD of hosts has purposed it, to defile the pompous pride of all glory, to dishonor all the honored of the earth. 10  Cross over your land like the Nile, O daughter of Tarshish; there is no restraint anymore. 11  He has stretched out his hand over the sea; he has shaken the kingdoms; the LORD has given command concerning Canaan to destroy its strongholds. 12  And he said: "You will no more exult, O oppressed virgin daughter of Sidon; arise, cross over to Cyprus, even there you will have no rest." 13  Behold the land of the Chaldeans! This is the people that was not; Assyria destined it for wild beasts. They erected their siege towers, they stripped her palaces bare, they made her a ruin. 14  Wail, O ships of Tarshish, for your stronghold is laid waste.  15 ¶  In that day Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, like the days of one king. At the end of seventy years, it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the prostitute: 16  "Take a harp; go about the city, O forgotten prostitute! Make sweet melody; sing many songs, that you may be remembered." 17  At the end of seventy years, the LORD will visit Tyre, and she will return to her wages and will prostitute herself with all the kingdoms of the world on the face of the earth. 18  Her merchandise and her wages will be holy to the LORD. It will not be stored or hoarded, but her merchandise will supply abundant food and fine clothing for those who dwell before the LORD.”

“9  Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of Tyre, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they delivered up a whole people to Edom, and did not remember the covenant of brotherhood. 10  So I will send a fire upon the wall of Tyre, and it shall devour her strongholds.’’

3  Tyre has built herself a rampart and heaped up silver like dust, and fine gold like the mud of the streets. 4  But behold, the Lord will strip her of her possessions and strike down her power on the sea, and she shall be devoured by fire.”

“They were headed for another destruction because they had rejected the Lord Jesus, who performed many miracles there (Luke 10:13).

(Luke 10:13)

“13  "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.”

“Undoubtedly some of the apostles (most likely the three or four who were from that village) also worked miracles in Bethsaida during their preaching tour.  The massive miracle that occurred nearby only refused, leads to greater judgment; thus, as Jesus warned, ‘It will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for [Chorazin and Bethsaida]” (Luke 10:14).  The outwardly religious people of Bethsaida who rejected the truth will face a more severe judgment than pagans with less knowledge.”

            Spiritual Meaning for my life today:  Learn the examples of who is going to receive a severe judgment, what they did to deserve it and then don’t do it.

            My Steps of Faith for Today:  I am trusting the Lord to help me to lower my Blood Pressure, to show me what I am to do as I live in this house alone, something that I never wanted to do.  Trusting the Lord to continue to give my grandson Jagger healing of his body due to a motorcycle wreck.

10/13/2026 10:06 AM

 

 

 

 

PT-2 Intro to Luke 9:10-17; The Compassionate Lord” (Luke 9:10-17)

 

EVENNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/12/2026 8:48 PM

My Worship Time                        Focus: PT-2  Intro to Luke 9:10-17; The Compassionate Lord”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                  Reference: Luke 9:10-17

            Message of the verses:  “10When the apostles returned, they gave an account to Him of all that they had done. Taking them with Him, He withdrew by Himself to a city called Bethsaida. 11But the crowds were aware of this and followed Him; and welcoming them, He began speaking to them about the kingdom of God and curing those who had need of healing.

Five Thousand Fed

      12Now the day was ending, and the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the crowd away, that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside and find lodging and get something to eat; for here we are in a desolate place.” 13But He said to them, “You give them something to eat!” And they said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless perhaps we go and buy food for all these people.” 14(For there were about five thousand men.) And He said to His disciples, “Have them sit down to eat in groups of about fifty each.” 15They did so, and had them all sit down. 16Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed them, and broke them, and kept giving them to the disciples to set before the people. 17And they all ate and were satisfied; and the broken pieces which they had left over were picked up, twelve baskets full.

            I will pick up where I left off from this morning’s SD, continue to quote John MacArthur’s commentary.

            “As He neared the end of His Galilean ministry in the spring of A.D. 29, the Lord performed what was on a visible scale His most extensive miracle.  Underscoring the significance of this incident, it is one of only two miraculous events recorded in all four Gospels, the other being Christ’s resurrection.  The feeding of the five thousand men, along with surely an equal number of women and children, was the largest work of divine creative power since creation week and the restructuring of earth after the flood (Genesis chapters 6-8).  It was also the highpoint and culmination of Christ’s ministry in Galilee—and the last great opportunity for its people.  The Lord would shortly depart Galilee to minister in the largely Gentile regions of Tyre and Sidon, and the Decapolis (where another such feeding miracle occurred; (cf. Mark 8:1-8), then head south to Judea and Jerusalem.”

(cf. Mark 8:1-8)

“1 ¶  In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat, he called his disciples to him and said to them, 2  "I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. 3  And if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way. And some of them have come from far away." 4  And his disciples answered him, “How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?” 5  And he asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.” 6  And he directed the crowd to sit down on the ground. And he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd. 7  And they had a few small fish. And having blessed them, he said that these also should be set before them. 8  And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full.”

“But after this undeniable demonstration of His divine power, only willful, stubborn, hard-hearted unbelief could explain why anyone in Galilee would continue to reject Him as Lord and Messiah—as they came to do in spite of momentary exuberance.

            “The miracle was so monumental in its impact and potential that the people wanted to make Jesus king by force (John 6:15).”

(John 6:15)

“15 ¶  then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.”

“Their plan was for Him to topple Herod Antipas, install Himself as ruler in his place, and then oust the hated Roman occupiers.  The result would be a welfare state with no sickness and all the free food they could eat.  In fact, the day after the miracle, the crowd showed up in Capernaum, where Jesus had gone after the miraculous feeding (John 6:16-21), looking for breakfast (vv. 22-27).”

(John 6:16-21)

“16  When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17  got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18  The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. 19  When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. 20  But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21  Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.”

(John 6:22-27)

“22 ¶  On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. 23  Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24  So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. 25  When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” 26  Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27  Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.’”

            “But while our Lord’s miraculous feeding of the multitude is an astounding display of His divine power, it is far more than that.  As with all the miracles Jesus performed, this one is also a demonstration of God’s tender, compassionate care, showing that His power cannot be divorced from His compassion.  This miraculous provision of food on a massive scale is a striking exhibition of God’s concern for even the most mundane issues of life.  That Jesus fed people who would ultimately reflect Him illustrates God’s common grace, because of which ‘He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous’ (Matt. 5:45).  It also previews Christ’s power to usher in the blessings of the earthly millennial kingdom (cf. Isa. 25:6-9).”

(cf. Isa. 25:6-9)

“6 ¶  On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. 7  And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. 8  He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken.  9 ¶  It will be said on that day, "Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.’”

            “Luke’s account of this miracle reveals Christ’ sensitivity to five needs:  The need for rest, the need for divine truth, the need for healing, the need for daily food, and the need for provision for His servants.”

10/12/2026 9:23 PM

 

 

 

PT-1 Intro to Luke 9:10-17; The Compassionate Lord” (Luke 9:10-17)

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/12/2026 9:07 AM

My Worship Time                                Focus:  Intro to Luke 9:10-17; The Compassionate Lord”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                  Reference: Luke 9:10-17

            Message of the verses:  “10When the apostles returned, they gave an account to Him of all that they had done. Taking them with Him, He withdrew by Himself to a city called Bethsaida. 11But the crowds were aware of this and followed Him; and welcoming them, He began speaking to them about the kingdom of God and curing those who had need of healing.

Five Thousand Fed

      12Now the day was ending, and the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the crowd away, that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside and find lodging and get something to eat; for here we are in a desolate place.” 13But He said to them, “You give them something to eat!” And they said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless perhaps we go and buy food for all these people.” 14(For there were about five thousand men.) And He said to His disciples, “Have them sit down to eat in groups of about fifty each.” 15They did so, and had them all sit down. 16Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed them, and broke them, and kept giving them to the disciples to set before the people. 17And they all ate and were satisfied; and the broken pieces which they had left over were picked up, twelve baskets full.

            John MacArthur writes the following in his introduction to these verses mentioned above:  “The Lord Jesus Christ performed countless miracles throughout His earthly ministry.  In addition to the three dozen recorded in the Gospels, Jesus performed many other miracles on an almost daily basis (cf. Mark 6:2; Luke 19:37; John 2:23; 3:2; 6:2; 7:31; 11:47; 12:37; 20:30; 21:25; Acts 2:22). Throughout His ministry, Jesus constantly demonstrated His divine power over demons, disease, death, and nature.”

(cf. Mark 6:2; Luke 19:37; John 2:23; 3:2; 6:2; 7:31; 11:47; 12:37; 20:30; 21:25; Acts 2:22).

“2  And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, "Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands?”

“37  As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen,”

“23 ¶  Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing.”

“2  This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”

“2  And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick.”

“31  Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, “When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?”

“47  So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, "What are we to do? For this man performs many signs.”

“37 ¶  Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him,”

“30  Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;”

“25  Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.”

“22  "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know”

            “The news of the Lord’s miracles had spread all throughout Galilee.  Galilee was a relatively small region, measuring about fifty miles from north to south and twenty-five miles east to west.  Its villages were mostly clustered around the Sea of Galilee, including Jesus’ adopted hometown of Capernaum (Matt. 4:13).”

(Matt. 4:13)

“13  And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali,”

“Jesus had grown up in that region, in the nondescript village of Nazareth, and He even returned there to preach the gospel but was viciously rejected (Luke 4:16-30).”

(Luke 4:16-30)

“16  And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17  And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, 18  "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19  to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor." 20  And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21  And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 22  And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” 23  And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Physician, heal yourself.’ What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.” 24  And he said, "Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. 25  But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, 26  and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to

Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27  And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian." 28  When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. 29  And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. 30  But passing through their midst, he went away.”

“By ministering extensively in Galilee, the Lord was demonstrating His rejection of Israel’s religious leadership, headquartered in the south in Jerusalem and Judea.  Galilee was a region scorned by the religious leaders and other Judeans as an uncouth, backwater region, from which nothing good could come (John 1:46, 7:41, 52).  Jesus’ choice of it affirmed the apostasy of Israel’s leadership.”

(John 1:46, 7:41, 52)

“46  Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

“41  Others said, "This is the Christ." But some said, "Is the Christ to come from Galilee?”

“52  They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”

            Spiritual Meaning for my Life Today:  Last night in our evening service there was a different man giving the message and at the end of the service he asked that we make a decision about how we can better serve the Lord.  As many of you know my family has been going through some difficult situations as my wife passed away on the 29^th of July and then my grandson was in a motorcycle wreck which took much of his left arm and much of his right leg.  It has been very hard on all of us, but because it was my wife of almost 53 years it has been much more difficult on me.  The following is what I wrote on a card to help me get through these difficult situations.  “I purpose in my heart to trust the Lord through these trials that I am going through.”  God knows what I need and He never makes a mistake.

10/12/2026 9:42 AM

 

PT-3 “A Christian Messenger Exercises Discernment” (Luke 9:5-9)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/11/2026 9:54 PM

My Worship Time                        Focus:  PT-3 “A Christian Messenger Exercises Discernment”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                     Reference:  Luke 9:5-9

            Message of the verses:  “And as for those who do not receive you, as you go out from that city, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”  Departing, they began going throughout the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.  Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was happening; and he was greatly perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, and by some that  Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the prophets of old had risen again.  Herod said, “I myself had John beheaded; but who is this man about whom I hear such things?”  And he kept trying to see Him.”

            I will begin from where I left off this morning:  “That question of the identity of Jesus is the most important one ever asked and answered.  The response each person gives to it will determine his or her eternal destiny, in hell or heaven.  Because of its significance, Luke repeatedly recorded instances of people asking that question (cf. v. 18; 5:21; 7:20, 49; 8:25; 22:67, 70; 23:3).”

(cf. v. 18; 5:21; 7:20, 49; 8:25; 22:67, 70; 23:3)

“18 ¶  Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?””

“21  And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

“20  And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’”

“49  Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?”

“25  He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?”

“67  "If you are the Christ, tell us." But he said to them, "If I tell you, you will not believe,”

“70  So they all said, “Are you the Son of God, then?” And he said to them, “You say that I am.”

“3  And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.”

“Tragically, most people then as not gave the wrong answer.  But Peter, speaking for the disciples (Matt. 16:16), a Roman centurion at the cross (Mark 15:39), and doubting Thomas (John 20:38), among others, gave the correct answer; Jesus is God the Son, the Messiah, Savior, and Lord.”

(Matt. 16:16)

“16  Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

(Mark 15:39)

“39  And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

(John 20:28)

28  Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”

            “Driven by curiosity and fear, Herod kept trying to see Jesus.  He was not an honest seeker, however.  In Luke 13:31 some Pharisees warned Jesus, ‘Go away, leave here, for Herod wants to kill You.’  If Jesus was indeed John the Baptiest risen from the dead as Herod feared, he intended to kill Him again.  But Herod would not see Jesus until the Lord was sent to Him from Pilate as a prisoner (Luke 23:7).”

(Luke 23:7)

“7  And when he learned that he belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time.”

“Even then Herod would not get the satisfaction of an answer from Jesus; ‘he questioned Him at some length; but He answered him nothing’ (v. 9).  The aftermath, which saw Herod and his soldiers mocking Jesus (v. 11), offered further evidence of Herod’s insincerity.”

(Luke 23:9)

“9  So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer.”

(Luke 23: 11)

“11  And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate.”

            “The principles contained in Lord’s charge to the Twelve are applicable to all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.  All Christ-honoring ministry consists of teaching the truth, demonstrating compassion, maintaining trust, being content with One’s circumstances, and exercising discernment.”

10/11/2026 10:18 PM

 

 

PT-2 “A Christian Messenger Exercises Discernment” (Luke 9:5-9)

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/11/2026 9:19 AM

My Worship Time                        Focus:  PT-2 “A Christian Messenger Exercises Discernment”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                     Reference:  Luke 9:5-9

            Message of the verses:  “And as for those who do not receive you, as you go out from that city, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”  Departing, they began going throughout the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.  Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was happening; and he was greatly perplexed, because it was said by some that Joh had risen from the dead, and by some that  Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the prophets of old had risen again.  Herod said, “I myself had John beheaded; but who is this man about whom I hear such things?”  And he kept trying to see Him.”

            I continue quoting from John MacArthur’s commentary: “In obedience to all those instructions, the Twelve began going throughout the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.  The details of their mission are not recorded, but the response they received highlighted their need for discernment.  Galilee’s response to their mission was symbolized by the reaction of its ruler, Herod the tetrarch.  The Herod referred to here is Herod Antipas, a son of the notorious Herod the Great.  Antipas ruled Galilee from 4 B. C., to A.D 39, so his rule encompassed Jesus’ entire ministry.  Tetrarch refers to a ruler of a fourth of a region. After Herod’s death in 4 B. C., his domain was divided among three of his sons, Archelaus, Antipas, and Philip, and a man named Lysanias (Luke 3:1), of whom little is known.  Antipas was made ruler over the region of Galilee and nearby Perea and is the Herod  referred to in the Gospels’ account of Jesus’ ministry.  It was Antipas who imprisoned (Luke 3:20) and executed (9:9) John the Baptist.”

(Luke 3:20)

“20  added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison.”

(Luke 9:9)

“9  Herod said, “John I beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things?” And he sought to see him.”

            “When Herod heard of all that was happening in connection with the preaching ministry of the Twelve, he was greatly perplexed.  The Twelve were giving all glory and credit for their powerful preaching and miracles to Jesus (cf. Acts 3:11-12).”

(cf. Acts 3:11-12)

“11  While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s. 12 ¶  And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: "Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk?”

“But who was Jesus? That it was said by some that He was John the Baptist risen from dead was particularly troubling to Herod (see the discussion of v. 9 below).  Adding to the confusion, it was being said by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the prophets of old had risen again (cf. v. 19; Matt. 16:14; 17:10).”

(cf. v. 19; Matt. 16:14; 17:10)

“19  And they answered, “John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.”

“14  And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

“10  And the disciples asked him, “Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?”

“Yet Herod, haunted by his wrongful execution of John, whom even he acknowledged to have been ‘a righteous and holy man’ (Mark 6:20), said, ‘I myself had John beheaded.”  Accordint to Mark’s account, Herod, plagued by his guilty conscience, ‘keep saying, ‘John, whom I beheaded, has risen!’  (Mark 6:16)….Uneasily, Herod wondered, ‘Who is this man about whom I hear such things.”

            Lord willing I will finish this section in this evening’s SD.

10/11/2026 9:42 AM