“WHOEVER IS NOT WITH ME IS AGAINST ME,AND WHOEVER DOES NOT GATHER WITH ME SCATTERS.” LK 11:14-23

Humbly submit your will to God (Thy Will be done) and consecrate yourself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through Mary and Joseph.

Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute,
and when the demon had gone out,
the mute man spoke and the crowds were amazed.
Some of them said, “By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons
he drives out demons.”
Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven.
But he knew their thoughts and said to them,
“Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste
and house will fall against house.
And if Satan is divided against himself,
how will his kingdom stand?
For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons.
If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul,
by whom do your own people drive them out?
Therefore they will be your judges.
But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons,
then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.
When a strong man fully armed guards his palace,
his possessions are safe.
But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him,
he takes away the armor on which he relied
and distributes the spoils.
Whoever is not with me is against me,
and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” LK 11:14-23

The crowd assumes many things about Jesus’s powers and even asked for “a sign from heaven”. Jesus responds with a very clear answer, “If it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you”. Jesus is God casting out demons. It is by the same finger of God through the power of the Holy Spirit that priests cast out demons today. What point does Jesus make today? Love always wins. God is love and mercy. He is the most powerful through love, Christ the King of the Universe. This love and mercy bring peace and joy. God’s grace is bigger than any sin or any number of sins. He conquered Satan and sin on the cross.

How? He took on humanities sin and literally sweat blood in the Agony in the Garden. He took on close to 120 lashes by two Roman soldiers with flagrums that had lead balls and sheep bones losing a considerable amount of blood at the Scourging at the Pillar. He had thorns crushed into His skull, carried a heavy cross and fell many times due to the severe nature of the scourging, and had nails driven through His wrists and feet. He hung on the cross for 3 hours then gave up His Spirit.

His love and mercy for us are unmatched by anyone. Jesus always wins because He was unselfish. Most importantly, He did the Father’s will. He stayed obedient even unto death on a cross. We must fight every day to become other centered instead of self-centered. Jesus is the perfect model of total self-sacrifice. In very clear language, Jesus sets Himself apart from everyone including other religious leaders, “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters”.

There is no fence in Christianity to straddle. It is hard to be a follower of Christ. It requires a person to be unselfish, suffer, and forgive. The only way that is possible is to rely on God and His grace instead of trying to always be right and believe we can do everything ourselves. Humanity can’t tough it out. We need a Savior and our Creator gave us One. The Father continues to chase after us with His radical unfair love!

Let Jesus into your boat, swallow your pride and get rid of your ego. The grace won through Jesus Christ’s love and willingness to die gives us new life. Jesus doesn’t leave us other options, we are either with Him or against Him. Not because He thinks He is the best, but because we didn’t create ourselves and the Father has a plan for our salvation after the Fall to bring us back to Him in a heavenly homeland.

Our salvation requires a choice to be made by our will that conforms to the Father’s plan. Choose wisely, your souls future depends on it. You can’t take any of your material possessions, trophies or money with you to heaven. Now is a great time to change.

Today’s challenge: Make a decision to ask God for His help realizing you need Him to help you change. Change is hard but possible with God’s grace. If you want peace, joy, a fulfilled heart, and eternal life filled with love, Jesus is the Way!

Be a servant, become a saint!
#Christian YOLO