Consistent daily infusions of energy from a biblical perspective R.T. KENDALL
WITH LUCAS APPLYING GOD’S WORD TODAY
OCTOBER – DECEMBER 2026
Ask T he Doctor
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Life With Lucas - KIB.pdf
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A WORD FROM JEFF
WELCOME TO LIFE WITH LUCAS!
Imagine it. You’ve heard reports about strange but wonderful events that happened in a remote location. There is news of stunning healings, revolutionary teaching, even the raising of the dead. And the man at the centre of it all was apparently raised from the dead himself! You’re a doctor, trained in medical matters, and you decide carefully to investigate the various stories and claims. Now, having conducted a rigorous examination of all the evidence, you present your findings. And the result: Luke’s Gospel. Dr. Luke gives us a colourful, detailed portrait of the Jesus who stirred Galilee – with His love, authority and power. In this, and a later edition of Life with Lucas, we’ll carefully review his evidence. As we begin our study, let’s ask God to warm our hearts through Luke’s writing. The Book of Common Prayer includes some words we can share: Almighty God, who called Luke the Physician, whose praise is in the Gospel, to be an Evangelist and Physician of the soul: May it please thee that, by the wholesome medicines of the doctrine delivered by him, all the diseases of our souls may be healed; through the merits of thy Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Come on. Let’s take some medicine. And thank you, as always, for joining me.
VIDEO INTRODUCTION lifewithlucas.co.uk /intros
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© Novio Published 2026 by Novio Publishing – Life With Lucas, PO Box 239, Unit 3 Burnt Oak Farm, Heathfield, TN21 1EH, UK All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission in writing of Novio. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version® (US version), The “NIRV”, “New International Reader’s Version”, “Biblica”, “International Bible Society” and the Biblica Logo are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Publisher. Design by David Graham – davidgrahamdesign@me.com
PO Box 239, Heathfield, TN21 1EH | Tel 01892 752920
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INTRODUCTION
GETTING THE MOST OUT OF LIFE WITH LUCAS! CHOOSE A TIME Find the best time that works for you, ideally the same time, same place every day, when you can concentrate and have the least number of distractions. PAUSE AND TALK TO GOD Take a moment to focus on God and ask Him to speak to you as you read and reflect on His word. READ GOD’S WORD Read the daily passage from your Bible. Don’t be tempted just to skip this part. It’s important: who knows how the Holy Spirit might speak to you as you read the actual text?
ONLINE VIDEO INTRODUCTIONS, AND GOING DEEPER When you see the video icon, this points you to a brief Video Introduction to the subject. Make the most of the occasional Going Deeper resources when you see this icon. They will help you delve further into the passage. GIVE YOUR DAY TO GOD Thank God for what you’ve learned and ask for help if the day’s notes brought to light anything especially applicable to your life at the moment.
MAKE NOTES Writing slows you down and helps you focus. Write in your Bible, a notebook, or in the white space in the devotions. Don’t hesitate to underline, write in the margins, or circle words.
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THUR 01 OCT
UNCERTAIN TIMES
READ
Luke 1:1-25 Ephesians 3:1-6
FOCUS So it seemed good also to me to write down an orderly report of exactly what happened. Luke 1:3
If we’re to understand a letter, a little knowledge about the writer is vital. As for Dr. Luke, his identity says much about the inclusive nature of God. He has given us the most detailed account of the four gospels, and counted together with Acts, such a huge chunk of the New Testament. But he most likely was a Greek Gentile. Consider that for a moment. The Early Church wrestled with the cataclysmic news that the Gentiles, who had been outside of God’s covenant promises for so long, were now fully included. This was the epic ‘mystery’ that Paul describes in Ephesians. Now, the Gentiles are not only ‘in’, but one of them is qualified to write a gospel. Luke was not an eyewitness of the gospel events but was a close companion of Paul’s – the only one of Paul’s closest associates who accompanied him to the end (2 Tim. 4:11). He travelled with Paul, as some of the ‘we’ passages show us. This gospel was probably written around AD60, when the Church was experiencing persecution from the Jewish religious authorities in Judea. And in AD64, after the great fire of Rome, the mad Emperor Nero began intensively to persecute the Church. Luke wrote during a time when the future looked very dark for the Christians. The message of Christ is inclusive, inviting everyone, everywhere to experience the saving rescue of Jesus. But that same good news often provokes persecution. We live in a time of great uncertainty. Luke writes from a similar place. Let’s be encouraged by his words. Prayer: Father, in uncertain days, help me to be strengthened through Your Word. Amen.
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FRI 02 OCT
IT’S TRUE
READ
Luke 1:1-4 1 John 1:1-4
FOCUS I want you to know that the things you have been taught are true. Luke 1:4
Surely all of us occasionally don’t so much lose our faith, we just mislay it for a while. Difficult circumstances, exhaustion, or disappointment with other Christians conspire together to produce a sense that we’re believing in something that is just not real. For younger Christians especially, doubt can bring terror, and the fear that perhaps they are not really authentic followers of Jesus. But doubt is normal, and Luke knew that. He wanted to provide assurance for his readers, and so sought to assure them that he had carefully gathered his material from trustworthy sources – real people who had met Jesus, heard Him speak, and seen Him in action. Their faith was not based on feelings or vague stories: there were carefully vetted witnesses. I love the way Luke insists that he had ‘carefully looked into everything’ he has heard (Luke 1:3). This is a man who wouldn’t tolerate exaggeration or embellishment. And he methodically organised his ‘casebook’ gospel around certain key themes that help his readers understand and believe, assured that what is presented is no work of fiction. When doubt suddenly mugs us, let’s not panic. We should realise our earliest Christian ancestors gave their lives – in many cases, literally – for the truth about Jesus and His life, death and resurrection. Luke wants us to know that, in a lost and broken world, rescue has come in the form of a Saviour. It’s an epic story, as we’ll see. And the best is this: it’s true. Prayer: Lord, Your story can be trusted. Help me to live in the good of it today. Amen.
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WEEKEND 03-04 OCT
CHECK THAT ‘MIRACLE’
READ Luke 1:1-4 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21
GOING DEEPER
lifewithlucas. co.uk/goingdeeper
Before we move on, let’s look again at the introductory words of Luke the historian. Yesterday we saw that he was at pains to affirm that his reporting came as a result of careful, thorough research. In tracking down the details of Jesus’ life and ministry, Luke left no stone unturned. His witness was reliable, because people were staking their faith and their lives on what he had to say. I worry that we Christians sometimes rush to believe every exciting report, especially when news of a miracle comes our way. How heartbreaking it is to discover that a ‘real’ healing turns out not to be. Not only is the person who was longing for healing left disappointed, but sometimes other Christians will condemn them for ‘losing’ the healing they never actually had in the first place! Unsubstantiated claims smear God’s reputation, and some allow this foolishness to fuel their conviction that there is no God at all. When Jesus healed a leper, He told the man, ‘Go and show yourself to the priest’ (Luke 5:14), not only fulfilling the Levitical law, but giving the opportunity for the healing to be verified. Only then was the former leper allowed back into regular society. If a claimed miracle is real, it will stand up to scrutiny, and it cannot be ‘lost’. In our day, a miracle claim should be confirmed medically. To long for the authentic is not to quench the Holy Spirit, but rather, it honours the Spirit’s genuine work and saves the Church from becoming a laughing stock. To ponder: ‘I worry that we Christians rush to believe every exciting report, especially when news of a miracle comes our way’. Why do we do that?
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MON 05 OCT
GOD LOVES ALL
READ Luke 1:1-4 Ephesians 2:17-18
FOCUS I am doing this for you, most excellent Theophilus. I want you to know that the things you have been taught are true. Luke 1:3-4
GOING DEEPER
lifewithlucas. co.uk/goingdeeper
One of the key themes of Luke’s gospel is the love of God for all people, everywhere. The gospel is addressed to ‘Theophilus’, which means, ‘lover of God’. Some say that this means that the gospel is simply written to all lovers of God everywhere, but Luke comments on the ‘excellent’ character of Theophilus, which implies that he was writing to a specific person. But Theophilus is a Greek rather than a Jewish name; as we saw earlier, Luke most likely wrote as a Gentile, specifically for Gentiles. He sought to emphasise the saving work of Jesus, especially to those beyond the Jewish fold. While Matthew’s gospel – which was written specifically with Jews in mind and traces a genealogy back to Abraham, the father of the Jews – Luke goes all the way back to Adam. He wanted to make it clear that God has come to rescue all of humanity. Luke also emphasises Jesus’ ministry to women, and to the poor – people who sadly were viewed as being on the margins of the culture of the day. ‘Pious’ Jewish men prayed a prayer of thanksgiving daily, blessing God that they were not born as women! When we read Luke’s words, we’ll realise Jesus loves that person we struggle to love, and those who show no interest in God whatsoever. God loves all, those ‘far’, and those ‘near’. That truth should speak to the way we treat others in our daily lives. And by the way, sometimes it’s easier to believe that God loves the world than it is to be assured that He loves us – you and me! We’re included too. Prayer: Lord, may those who are unaware or resistant to Your love be shown it by the way Your people interact with them. Amen. 00 9
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