Ques. What is the meaning of Luke 14:26?
Ans. Verses 16-24 show us that salvation is provided by God, as a free gift of grace to whosoever will.
Verses 24-33 is discipleship. It is following Christ, this costs us everything, that is, we own that we and all we have, belong to Him. He is our object to live for. Our parents, our husband, or wife, our children, our estate, our servants, our very life is His, and at His disposal. This we see in Ephesians 5:22 to 6:9; and in Colossians 3:18 to 4:1.
Refusing to give them the first place, by putting Christ first, and owning His claims paramount, is hating them. They naturally come between us and Christ.
The believer is dead with Christ; that takes him out of all that he was as a man in the flesh. On this ground, a man owns nothing. Then he is risen with Christ, and now He gives him back all he has to love and care for for Him. An unconverted man is ruled by self, so the man in verse 20, says, "I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come."
Redemption puts me on new ground, where I own through it, Christ's claims on all I have and am (Ex. 13:13).
Ques. What is the meaning of "the early and latter rain" in the Old and New Testaments?
Ans. In the Old Testament, the early rain prepared the ground for tilling; and the latter rain supplied moisture to fill and ripen the crops; it is therefore the blessing of the Lord. James 5:7 uses it to exhort the laborer to long patience in waiting for the coming of the Lord.
Ques. What passages refer to miracles of healing in the Millenium?
Ans. Jehovah Rophi is Israel's Healer (Ex. 15:26; Psa. 103; Heb. 6:5). The powers of the age to come are Millenial miracles (Isa. 33:24; Mal. 4:2).
Ques. What is to blame for our lack of freedom at times in our ministry of the gospel?
Ans. One great reason is our lack of time spent in prayer. We should be in communion with the Lord, and in dependence upon Him, as a vessel emptied of self, for Him to fill; or as a clean channel for the Living Word to flow through; or as an instrument in His hands to be without a will of our own. Otherwise, we might be in circumstances that we should not be in, and the Lord might make us to feel it. Nearness of spirit to the Lord is the most important thing.