relationships (Mark 4:35-41) Comfort in Being Close

(Mark 4:35-41)

35 On that day, when evening came, He said to them, “Let’s go over to the other side.” 36 After dismissing the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him. 37 And a fierce gale of wind developed, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling with water. 38 And yet Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” 39 And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. 40 And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 41 They became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who, then, is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

Well, Jesus knew that they would be safe and no one would perish in this event, and was therefore able to rest in faith and security... just like we should strive to rest in the Lord during the storms in our lives, whether they are physical, emotional, mental or spiritual.  Resting in the Lord is to call upon Him, and let Him calm whatever situation/s we are experiencing.  Yet, notice, Jesus did not still the storm as soon as it started.  Just as God will sometimes allow us to go through times of struggles, waiting for us to call on Him, and then rest in Him, trusting that He will do something about it - because - He does care!!!

I kind of have to laugh.  I would have some fear, embarrassment and regret if I had just accused the Lord of not caring, and then He got up and calmed the storm with His words.  Yet, how often will we accuse God of not caring, just because God isn't giving us what we think we need in the timing that we think it should be.  

It is actually when we do go through storms that we can grow in our faith and personal relationship in the Lord, because then, when we experience how He manages the situation/s, we will trust Him more and more.  And often - the storm/s that we are experiencing are more within our own heart!  It is only in Him, that we will experience His peace, calmness, comfort, strength, security and certain hope!  

As we grow stronger in our faith, we will realize and understand that God is sovereign.  In knowing all things, and because He cares, He knows just how to help us, and when to help us.  In being all-powerful, He is able to do far more than we can even imagine.  Therefore, we will learn to be talking to Him more and more in prayer, and asking Him for His help, immediately.  I mean, why wait?!  And we will learn that we don't have to fear anyone or anything - when - we are close to the Lord!  Because He is everywhere-present, He is always there.  So, let's ask ourselves, "Where are we in our relationship with God?"

relationships (Mark 4:30-41) Having Great Purpose

(Mark 4:30-41)

30 And He was saying, “How shall we picture the kingdom of God, or by what parable shall we present it? 31 It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the soil, though it is the smallest of all the seeds that are upon the soil, 32 yet when it is sown, it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants, and forms large branches, with the result that the birds of the sky can nest under its shade.”

33 And with many such parables He was speaking the word to them, so far as they were able to understand it; 34 and He did not speak to them without a parable; but He was explaining everything privately to His own disciples.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

In that area of Galilee, the mustard seed was their smallest seed, and there, it would grow into a tree that was ten to fifteen feet high.  In God's love, He wants a personal relationship with all people, but it must be each person's decision.  As one person becomes a believer, with the Lord's help, they share God's love and message of hope to others.  Others become believers, and they also share God's love and message of hope... and so on and so on.  Of course, our work is tiny, in comparison to the work of the Lord!  And His kingdom might seem to have begun in obscurity, but it will culminate in glory.

As to our part in all of this, as believers, all we need is a willing heart.  And we can see from Jesus' perfect example of how He taught... people came to Him, and He would share "just enough".  And then to His disciples, Jesus would teach them in-depth details.  Because our faith is a journey in a personal relationship with the Lord, we know that we do not know everything.  But in our desire to know the Lord more and more, we will continue learning and growing - because it is the Lord's indwelling  Holy Spirit within us that is helping us and guiding us!  

Therefore, God's kingdom is not just numerical, but it is individual growth as well.  But in our individual growth, we will have a part in sowing those seeds which will have a part in numerical growth.  And in mentoring and encouraging others, we will have a part in sowing those seeds of truth which will have a part in the spiritual growth of other believers.  Yet, it is still all the Lord's doing, and all to His glory!  So, while our part is seemingly so extremely tiny, it pleases the Lord, as it is part of His supernaturally large and extremely great and loving purpose!

relationships (Mark 4:26-41) Filling the Void

(Mark 4:26-41)

26 And He was saying, “The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil; 27 and he goes to bed at night and gets up daily, and the seed sprouts and grows—how, he himself does not know. 28 The soil produces crops by itself; first the stalk, then the head, then the mature grain in the head. 29 Now when the crop permits, he immediately puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

Jesus uses farming as a very familiar allegory to illustrate the bigger picture.  Every farmer would have agreed that the grain only grew because of God’s providence, not the farmer’s power.  Even the pagans would seek out divine help for their crops by making sacrifices to their god/s.  Some pagans in their spiritual beliefs would (and will) even go so far as to sacrifice one of their children. Without understanding, they instinctually do things that are twisted versions of what God has done, or has directed us to do in order to experience a better way. 

We see people carrying out mock versions of Christianity everywhere.  Many people will simply go through the motions of Christianity, without understanding.  And if that isn't palatable enough to one's pride and selfishness, people will try to fill their lives in many other different ways.  One of those ways is with a religion or a cult, all of which are created by people, trying to create a god or gods in their own image, desires and thinking.  And they find themselves tediously trying to work their way to some sort of "higher being" and/or upper status.

It's important to understand that God created all of us to have a personal relationship with Him, therefore He created all of us with a soul, which can only be filled by Him.  So, when a person doesn't know the Lord God personally (yet), they will feel empty, like something is missing, and with that, they will search out different ways to fill that void.  Because God is love, He will never force anyone to love Him back, or be obedient, so while it is everyone's free choice, there is still only one way to God and to heaven.

The Lord God's way is that He comes to us.  He gave His life as the ultimate and final sacrifice, so that He can offer and provide us salvation and freedom from sin, to anyone who humbly repents and chooses to believe in Him.  The Lord Jesus fills us with His indwelling Holy Spirit, and changes us from the inside out.  And then, in our personal journey and relationship with Him, as we ask and allow, the Lord will work for us, in us and through us, all to His glory.

We should also ask and allow God to give us opportunities and the right words to speak, in order to share the gospel message.  This is how we help plant the seed (God's word and truths).  And besides sharing the good news, we are to be praying for others, and showing His love to others.  This is all that God asks of us.  He does the rest, and He knows those who will turn to Him.  The Lord God loves all people, and desires that all come to know Him!  So, as we love the Lord, we will desire what He desires, and love as He loves...

(Matthew 9:36-38)  Seeing the crowds, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and downcast, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 Therefore, plead with the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”

relationships (Mark 4:21-25) The Love of Our Lives

(Mark 4:21-25)

21 And He was saying to them, “A lamp is not brought to be put under a basket, or under a bed, is it? Is it not brought to be put on the lampstand? 22 For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it would come to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” 24 And He was saying to them, “Take care what you listen to. By your standard of measure it will be measured to you; and more will be given you besides. 25 For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

It's human nature to want to share to the world all about our greatest experiences, like one's engagement to the "love of our life", or the birth of a child, or all about meeting and chatting with some beloved celebrity.  And it's human nature to want to remember and disclose all the details about these experiences.  If anyone asks, we want to tell them exactly how and when we met our spouse.  Whether someone cares or not, we're going to inundate them with all our photos of every documented little expression the baby has ever made.  And we are probably going to broadcast to anyone with ears, every word that the very famous person said to us, which has been etched in our brain forever.  Oh, and let's not forget all the sports fans who remember and are overjoyed to rehash games, scores, players names and STATS.

Now, there is no one more famous than the Lord Jesus!  And He actually literally sacrificially, unconditionally and selflessly loves everyone, and desires to have a close, personal relationship with us.  He is the only One able to save us from death and despair.  And He knows all truth, and shares with us everything we could possibly need to know about life, and how to go about having better relationships with others - with His help, strength and guidance.  All we have to do is humbly repent, accepting His forgiveness for all our sins and accepting Him into our hearts.  Believing in Him, is trusting that everything He tells us is true and valuable!  Therefore, Jesus even helps us to understand more and more of His word.

For believers who know Him personally, we should be excited to soak up every word He speaks and has ever written to us.  And we should be overjoyed to rehash these amazing, life-changing truths and experiences, with people who also know Jesus, and with those who do not yet know Jesus!  And with this most famous One, not only can we, but He wants us to tell Him everything that is on our hearts and minds, all of the time.  You know, because it is a relationship, and He wants the best for us, and He is all-knowing and all-powerful and everywhere-present!.  

As verse 25 says, those who respond to His truth, will receive more, because the Lord is very generous, like, "the more you know..." And so, just as Jesus is generous, so we should be... willing to share the good news of Jesus to others when we are given opportunities.  The Lord is literally my soulmate, and THE Love of my life!  "Hey, I personally know the most famous, smartest, richest, strongest, and most powerful, generous and caring celebrity to have ever walked this earth!  Can I introduce Him to you?"  It's all about personally knowing and sharing God and His truth.

relationships (Mark 4:1-41) Making Decisions with Clarity

(Mark 4:1-41)

1 Again He began to teach by the sea. And such a very large crowd gathered to Him that He got into a boat on the sea and sat down; and the whole crowd was by the sea on the land. 2 And He was teaching them many things in parables, and was saying to them in His teaching, 3 “Listen to this! Behold, the sower went out to sow; 4 as he was sowing, some seed fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Other seed fell on the rocky ground where it did not have much soil; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of soil. 6 And when the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. 7 Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. 8 Other seeds fell into the good soil, and as they grew up and increased, they yielded a crop and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundred times as much.” 9 And He was saying, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

10 As soon as He was alone, His followers, along with the twelve disciples, began asking Him about the parables. 11 And He was saying to them, “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but for those who are outside, everything comes in parables, 12 so that while seeing they may see, and not perceive, and while hearing, they may hear, and not understand, otherwise they might return and it would be forgiven them.”

13 And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 These are the ones who are beside the road where the word is sown; and when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word which has been sown in them. 16 And in a similar way these are the ones sown with seed on the rocky places, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; 17 and yet they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution occurs because of the word, immediately they fall away. 18 And others are the ones sown with seed among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word, 19 but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desires for other things enter and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20 And those are the ones sown with seed on the good soil; and they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundred times as much.”

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

The Lord God desires that all come to know Him personally.  And we are truly saved and able to enjoy a close relationship with Him - only through Him - by spiritually wanting to hear, see and understand God's truth and receiving it.  This is to receive the Lord's forgiveness for sins and His indwelling Holy Spirit who seals us for eternity and changes us from the inside out.  He is the seed who works for us, in us and through us to make us productive and fruitful!

There are those (like the ones in the rocky places) who think they are Christians, but they are only going through the motions, in their own strength and wisdom.  So, as soon as they run into issues, they will leave the church, or even claim that they are no longer Christians.  The truth is that they were never Christians to begin with.  There will also be those who prefer to remain oblivious, because they simply want to do what they want to do, with their eyes fixated on selfish pursuits.  And then there will be those with very hardened hearts, hating and angry at the Lord God they claim doesn't exit.

Yet, God still loves everyone, and came in flesh to pay the penalty for everyone's sins, so that anyone who believers, can be saved.  And He makes sure that all have a very fair opportunity to hear "the word" (the gospel) in some way, so they are without excuse (Romans 1:18-22).  

It's interesting to know that many rabbis often taught in parables for students to understand the common folk, using allegories of royal courts and things that only people of privilege would understand.  This is because many of the rabbis believed that God didn't want the common people to really understand His word.  Cults and religions use this tactic, warning their followers to not ask questions, but just take their word for it, and in this way, they can control and manipulate them.  And then there are just the sad cases of where church leaders don't bother to further their knowledge and understanding in the Lord.  Like, I've heard some pastors say, "Oh, we needn't bother to study the end times, because it's beyond understanding."  

Actually the prophecies are not beyond understanding, otherwise why would God give us these words!  God gave us His word (the Bible) so that we can read, study and understand!  And because God wants us to know Him and His word, Jesus used allegories of things like farming and housework which were down-to-earth, so that everyone could understand, if they really wanted to.  Jesus didn't use parables to conceal truth from people, He used parables to illustrate and explain truth for those who were actually, really seeking truth, and for those who would be eager to ask the hard questions, and continue seeking more knowledge and understanding.

Therefore, because the Lord God loves all people so deeply, He makes salvation so easy that a child can understand, but makes it difficult for those with hearts that are not (yet) receptive, otherwise they might think they fully understand and think that they are gong to heaven, when they are not.  God cares!  So, He wants our decisions to be made with conviction and clarity.

(1 John 5:13)  These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

relationships (Mark 3:7-35) True Family

(Mark 3:7-35)

7 Jesus withdrew to the sea with His disciples; and a large multitude from Galilee followed, and also from Judea, 8 and from Jerusalem, and from Idumea, and beyond the Jordan, and the vicinity of Tyre and Sidon, a great number of people heard about everything that He was doing and came to Him. 9 And He told His disciples to see that a boat would be ready for Him because of the masses, so that they would not crowd Him; 10 for He had healed many, with the result that all those who had diseases pushed in around Him in order to touch Him. 11 And whenever the unclean spirits saw Him, they would fall down before Him and shout, “You are the Son of God!” 12 And He strongly warned them not to reveal who He was.

13 And He went up on the mountain and summoned those whom He Himself wanted, and they came to Him. 14 And He appointed twelve, so that they would be with Him and that He could send them out to preach, 15 and to have authority to cast out the demons. 16 And He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom He gave the name Peter), 17 James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to them He gave the name Boanerges, which means, “Sons of Thunder”); 18 and Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot; 19 and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.

20 And He came home, and the crowd gathered again, to such an extent that they could not even eat a meal. 21 And when His own people heard about this, they came out to take custody of Him; for they were saying, “He has lost His senses.” 22 The scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “He casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons.” 23 And so He called them to Himself and began speaking to them in parables: “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 And if a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but he is finished! 27 But no one can enter the strong man’s house and plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man, and then he will plunder his house.

28 “Truly I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons and daughters of men, and whatever blasphemies they commit; 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— 30 because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

31 Then His mother and His brothers came, and while standing outside they sent word to Him, calling for Him. 32 And a crowd was sitting around Him, and they said to Him, “Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are outside looking for You.” 33 Answering them, He said, “Who are My mother and My brothers?” 34 And looking around at those who were sitting around Him, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God, this is My brother, and sister, and mother.”

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

Having authority over demons does not include binding them up.  Jesus never said to a demon, "I bind you..."  At the end of the Tribulation, God will bind up Satan and the demons for a thousand years.  They will be released only for a short time at the end of the Millennium.  And then, right after the last battle, for all eternity, God will send Satan and the demons to hell, which has been prepared for them, and anyone who has committed the unpardonable sin, which is to reject the salvation of Jesus.  

Understand that God doesn't want any person to perish, but because He is love, fair and just, He has given everyone a free will, therefore He will never force anyone to believe in Him.  If a person doesn't want God in their life, then that is their choice for all eternity.  But because He loves all people and desires that all come to know Him, He gives everyone fair opportunity to make an informative decision.

Jesus is God, part of the Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit).  Anywhere in the Old Testament, wherever we see "THE LORD", and 'THE Angel of the Lord" - THAT is Jesus pre-incarnate.  The Lord came in flesh as He promised, in order to prepare a way for us to have a personal relationship with Him.  This is why He created us in the first place.  It is all about God's agape love (selfless, unconditional and sacrificial love), and it is all about His desire to have a huge family, who loves Him back, and loves one another!

In this moment of time, Mary and the half brothers of Jesus had been swayed by the mob mentality against Jesus.  At the very least, they were probably there to convince Him to stop what He was doing.  Their intentions might have been only about a concern for His safety, as well as for their own;  but, hmmm, this was still, in reality, trying to stop the Lord God from doing God's will.  Anyone doing that, is doing Satan's work and Satan's will.  That should make us stop and think, and realize our need to confess, turn around, and run back to God and His will.

Understand that God is not divided.  He is sovereign (omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent)!  And God desires to have unity with us!

Satan's kingdom is also not divided.  Satan and the demons are very unified in their desire to destroy God, so that they can be in complete control.  And, while Jesus was on earth in flesh (fully man, while still being fully God), the demons took the opportunity to try to "bind the Strong Man" and plunder His kingdom!  

The demons probably thought they had won the spiritual battle when Jesus gave up His spirit on the cross - BUT - He rose again after three days, conquering sin and death, which prepared the way of salvation for everyone (past, present and future).  But one must accept His free gift of forgiveness, which comes with His indwelling Holy Spirit of promises. For that to happen, one has to believe that Jesus is God!  And that, therefore, the Holy Spirit is God!  This is why Jesus brought up the topic of the unpardonable sin, because the Pharisees were accusing Jesus of having an evil spirit... they were saying that the Holy Spirit was evil.

Another unified desire of Satan and the demons is to keep everyone away from God!  So, they will do whatever they can, which includes taking what God has created and deemed as good and beautiful, and they will distort, deceive, divide and destroy.  Yes, the demons are working hard to divide people!  Especially church congregations and Christian families!

Don't think that anyone of us is above falling for the evil schemes.  I mean, look at Jesus' own earthly family.  His mother, Mary, was already a believer, but in that moment, she had been convinced to help stop Jesus and His ministry.  The half brothers were not believers until after Jesus' resurrection.  So, even Jesus' earthly family was dysfunctional and had issues, therefore we shouldn't be shocked when we see this in our own homes and in our churches.  But this isn't a cause for us to just throw up our hands and walk away from the Lord.  No!  This is when we stop, think and realize that we all need the Lord and His love in our lives!  The God who created "relationships" is the only One who can help us with relationships!

We need to choose which family (kingdom) we want to be part of: Satan's or God's.  If we don't choose God's, then by default, one is part of Satan's.  Satan's kingdom represents slavery to sin, fear, hatred and hopelessness, leading to eternal death, darkness and despair;  while God's kingdom - is a family - that represents freedom, security, love and hope, leading to eternal life, light and blessings!

relationships (Mark 3:1-35) Joy vs Grief

(Mark 3:1-35)

He entered a synagogue again; and a man was there whose hand was withered. 2 And they were watching Him closely to see if He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. 3 He said to the man with the withered hand, “Get up and come forward!” 4 And He said to them, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath or to do harm, to save a life or to kill?” But they kept silent. 5 After looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out and immediately began conspiring with the Herodians against Him, as to how they might put Him to death.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

At the root of religion is the desire to control.  It has nothing to do with God's love or true compassion on people.  It seems very possible that the Pharisees planted the man with the withered hand in the synagogue in order to trap Jesus.  But obviously, Jesus knew about their plan, and knew how to help the man, while not crossing any lines that the Pharisees themselves had drawn.

Meanwhile, the Pharisees, who were supposed to be the spiritual leaders of God's people, to guide them in God's love, knew nothing about God or His love.  They did not even recognize God in flesh, standing right before them.  And, instead, they hated the Lord Jesus, to the point of desiring to put Him to death.

Now notice the reactions of Jesus.  We know that God is angered at sin, because where there is sin, there is death, and separation from God.  In this, and His great love for all people, the Lord God will grieve (mourn) for those who cling to their sin, and cling to their death.  And we know that God desires that all come to know Him personally, which is exactly why He came in flesh, taking on our sin, death and punishment to pay the price, so that He can redeem all of those who humbly repent, believe, and put their faith in Him!

In the same way, when believers choose to sin and stray from the Lord, we grieve His Holy Spirit.  Our rejection will not and cannot undo our salvation, because God is faithful and patient.  But He will grieve the fact that, for whatever reason, we are distancing ourselves from Him, even though He always has purpose and a much, much better way for our lives, in which we can experience His very presence, and all of His blessings of peace and inexplicable joy.

relationships (Mark 2:18-28) It's Not About Appearances

(Mark 2:18-28)

18 John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and they came and said to Him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?” 19 And Jesus said to them, “While the groom is with them, the attendants of the groom cannot fast, can they? As long as they have the groom with them, they cannot fast. 20 But the days will come when the groom is taken away from them, and then they will fast, on that day.

21 “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; otherwise, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear results. 22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins as well; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins.”

23 And it happened that He was passing through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples began to make their way along while picking the heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees were saying to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” 25 And He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions became hungry; 26 how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the consecrated bread, which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests, and he also gave it to those who were with him?” 27 Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord, even of the Sabbath.”

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

God did not institute the Sabbath in order to make us miserable, or for us to draw attention to what we do or not do.  It was and is intended for us to put our attention on God, and all that He has done, is doing, and will do.  Yet somehow, people still think that they have to make everything into a religion.

God also instituted an annual corporate time of fasting on the Day of Atonement, with the focus to be on "atoning" for sins committed;  therefore, fasting is to accompany one's humble prayers of penitence.  But the religious Pharisees had added many other fasts, fasting up to twice a week, even periodically refusing to drink water.  Their focus was not on the condition of their hearts, but on "spiritual appearances", and trying to maintain their power, and trying to control the people.  It's clear that they didn't understand what fasting is truly about, because instead of being humbly penitent, they were arrogantly judging others according to their own personal rules and regulations.  

People create religions, setting up rigid rules and sets of structures and rituals to follow, in efforts to somehow earn favor among others, and earn one's way to God and to heaven.  But, to get to God and heaven, one must be holy (perfect).  In our own strength, wisdom and efforts, this is impossible.  

Instead of religiously trying to patch a hole on a threadbare piece of clothing with a new piece of cloth --- Jesus wants to clothe us with His righteousness through His salvation...  

(Galatians 3:27)  For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

Instead of religiously trying to pour new wine into an old wineskin which will burst --- Jesus wants to make us a brand new creation, filling us with His indwelling Holy Spirit of promise...

(2 Corinthians 5:17)  Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

As well, in our salvation, we are part of the Church, which is referred to as the bride, and Jesus as the groom (2Corinthians 11:1-2, Revelation 21;2).  And having this personal relationship with the Lord Jesus, we can celebrate in Him, and with Him!  He has set us free from sin, death and the law!  And while here on earth, because of God's grace and faithfulness, we cannot lose our salvation.  So while we strive in God's will, not because we have to, but because we want to, in His strength and wisdom, it is all to God's glory.  This is what pleases the Lord! 

relationships (Mark 2:15-17) Being Inviting

(Mark 2:15-17)

15 And it happened that He was reclining at the table in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners were dining with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many of them, and they were following Him. 16 When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that He was eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they said to His disciples, “Why is He eating with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 And hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

Here is our shining example of how to be "in the world, but not of the world".  Levi (Matthew) had just made his decision to follow Jesus.  And immediately, he invited Jesus and His disciples over for a meal, and invited all of his tax-collector-friends and other "worldly friends" to join them, and meet Jesus!

I love how Matthew didn't try to do this on his own.  He had the support of not only Jesus, Himself, but also his new brothers in Christ!  And he had everyone over to his house.  Maybe for him, it was an environment where temptations would not be as prevalent.  Who knows.  But there they all were, getting to know Jesus, and as verse 15 says, they were all following Him.  Just so, as we go out into the world, we should be inviting Jesus to go with us, be right there beside us, giving us opportunities, and the right words to speak as He presents the opportunities to us, to share the love and salvation of the Lord, and His life-changing power.

It was the self-righteous scribes and Pharisees who looked down on this, always with the intention of discrediting Jesus.  People, like the scribes and Pharisees, believe that in their own thinking and in their own strength, they are able to be "good enough" to work their way to heaven.  But no one can be "good enough."  One has to be perfect, which is impossible for anyone of us to be, even when and if we really, really, really want to be.

One will never understand what it truly means to be a believer (a Christian), until one realizes that they are sick with sin, and they need Jesus as their Physician!  And continuing on in one's journey of faith is not about the do's and don'ts, it's all about having a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus... because we will still struggle with our sinful nature, and therefore we still need Jesus' help, nourishment, guidance, wisdom, strength, comfort, peace, hope, joy, grace...friendship!!!

relationships (Mark 2:13-14) Finding Greater Purpose

(Mark 2:13-14)

13 And He went out again by the seashore; and all the people were coming to Him, and He was teaching them.

14 As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting in the tax office, and He said to him, “Follow Me!” And he got up and followed Him.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

God created us because He wanted someone to love, and desires that we come to know Him, personally.  Therefore, He created us, each with a soul, which can only be filled by Him, so that we can have a close relationship with Him.  But this is a personal choice that we each must make.  The Lord God will never force anyone to love Him back, or be obedient.

Well, here we see Levi (Matthew), a tax-collector, who was hated by other Jews because tax collectors not only worked with their enemy (the Romans), but they notoriously charged extra so that they themselves would become very rich.  So, I'm very sure that Matthew would have been feeling the guilt of his sins and crimes, feeling very much isolated from most of his community, and realizing that money wasn't enough to make him happy.  There must be more to life!  And there must be a solution and a way out from all our emptiness, guilt and shame.

All it took was Jesus saying to Matthew, "Follow Me."  Done!  And he never looked back.  In fact, we'll see in the next verses, he invited all his tax-collector friends over to his house so that they could meet Jesus!  Having Jesus in our lives is completely life changing, filling us with the Lord's presence, peace, joy, certain hope, and gives us a much, much greater purpose!
.

relationship (Mark 2:1-13) Who Completes Us?

(Mark 2:1-13)

1 When Jesus came back to Capernaum a few days later, it was heard that He was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer space, not even near the door; and He was speaking the word to them. 3 And some people came, bringing to Him a man who was paralyzed, carried by four men. 4 And when they were unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and after digging an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralyzed man was lying. 5 And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 But some of the scribes were sitting there and thinking it over in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins except God alone?” 8 Immediately Jesus, aware in His spirit that they were thinking that way within themselves, said to them, “Why are you thinking about these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven’; or to say, ‘Get up, and pick up your pallet and walk’? 10 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralyzed man, 11 “I say to you, get up, pick up your pallet, and go home.” 12 And he got up and immediately picked up the pallet and went out in the sight of everyone, so that they were all amazed and were glorifying God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

13 And He went out again by the seashore; and all the people were coming to Him, and He was teaching them.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

To me, this is always a mic-drop-moment!  Come on people!  Jesus is the Lord God who loves us so much that He came to take on the punishment that we all deserve, so that we can come to Him for spiritual healing and eternal life!

I've shared this one man's testimony before, but it's so very poignant.  While the paralyzed man here is first saved (healed of his sins), and then is physically healed, this particular man became a quadriplegic, and then he found Jesus!  He said that he appreciated the accident and the outcome so much so, because this is why and how he became spiritually healed.  He was emphatic that he preferred the condition he was currently in, far more than what he had been before becoming a believer!

Only in Jesus can we be made complete, and fully satisfied!

relationships (Mark 1:32-45) A Healing Love

(Mark 1:32-45)

32 Now when evening came, after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were demon-possessed. 33 And the whole city had gathered at the door. 34 And He healed many who were ill with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.

35 And in the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and prayed there for a time. 36 Simon and his companions eagerly searched for Him; 37 and they found Him and said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” 38 He said to them, “Let’s go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may also preach there; for this is why I came.” 39 And He went into their synagogues preaching throughout Galilee, and casting out the demons.

40 And a man with leprosy came to Jesus, imploring Him and kneeling down, and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” 41 Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out with His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” 42 And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. 43 And He sternly warned him and immediately sent him away, 44 and He said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” 45 But he went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the news around, to such an extent that Jesus could no longer publicly enter a city, but stayed out in unpopulated areas; and they were coming to Him from everywhere.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

Talk about free healthcare!.  We know how much people can love this concept, but when we sit down and do the math, we'll quickly realize that nothing in life is free.  Well, except for THIS!!!  Jesus, the great Physician, offers to everyone the free gift of salvation and spiritual cleansing and healing from our sins.

Of course, having Jesus in our lives doesn't automatically mean that we'll never be sick, ever again.  We will get sick, and we will die at some point.  So, just as this one man realized, IF IT IS HIS WILL, JESUS CAN heal us.  Jesus healed many, as a testimony of His power and authority, proving that He was and is the Son of God.  And He still does physically heal people now... IF it is His will.  Sometimes we will have a stronger testimony to those around us if and when we are sick or struggling with a physical issue, WHEN we are relying on, trusting in, and resting in the Lord!  

What if God healed us to the point of perfection here on earth...we would most likely take Him for granted, and He'd become an after-thought.  And we would probably start taking credit for His work.  It's when we go through something, while continuing to focus on the Lord, that we will feel His amazing comfort, strength and peace.  And there's certain hope!  Let's not forget that this is all very temporary.  When believers get to heaven, we will have an eternity of 100% health, and so much more!  

Notice that right after explaining that He came to also preach, Jesus focused on preaching, alongside casting out demons.  The Lord God's words are eternal, true, and life-changing.  Now, the only way to cast out demons and keep them out is through the Lord's salvation!  At this point in time, the Lord still had not sent His Holy Spirit to those who became believers.  This would come after His ascension, on the Day of Pentecost.  

God knows to write His words of truth in a way, so that we understand how this all works.  Now, as soon as we become believers, we receive the Lord's indwelling Holy Spirit, who fills our souls and changes us from the inside out.  Therefore, no demons may enter us after that point.  Demons can oppress us externally, but they cannot possess us.  This is why part of the Lord's prayer has us asking Him to deliver us from evil.

Well, speaking of prayer!  Since Jesus came to earth in flesh, to be fully man, while still being fully God, He came to preach, and to fulfill His work on the cross, as well as to live a sinless life as our perfect example.  We see Jesus spending time alone in prayer, a lot!  And He would pray as He went...  Proof that our faith is all about having a personal relationship with the Lord God, who is always there for us, who knows all things, and can do all things... who is compassionate and caring, extremely patient and gracious, and desires to do life WITH us!  The Lord's preaching was and is all about how we can have an eternal, personal relationship with Him, because He loves us and desires to have this relationship with us!

relationships (Mark 1:29-31) Loving and Serving

(Mark 1:29-31)

29 And immediately after they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying sick with a fever; and they immediately spoke to Jesus about her. 31 And He came to her and raised her up, taking her by the hand, and the fever left her, and she served them.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

I love the fact that Simon (Peter) cared about and loved his mother-in-law.  When believers are dating, and then married, consider God's love for everyone, not just for the loveable, but for the unlovable.  And I'm NOT saying that all in-laws are unlovable, but we can go into family dynamics and with a selfish, self-centered attitude that will start a chain of responses, which will deeply impact the way we get along with others.  And this is will deeply hurt our significant other.

If God's commandment about loving all people doesn't change our behavior, consider this... If we say we love someone, we should be loving those whom they love!  If we start some sort of "war" or exacerbate tensions with the in-laws, I promise you, you are setting yourself up for misery.  And think of it this way, when we love the in-laws, we gain yet another loving, supportive family!

I also really love the disciples' trust in Jesus and their response time.  They "immediately" went to Him ".  How often is this our last resort - to go, talk to God about our issues, and ask Him for help, wisdom and guidance, no matter how big or small the issue?!  God wants to be involved with our lives, 100% of the time.  That's how much He cares!  And He is able!

Now, I really love the mother-in-law's response time and her love for Jesus.  A fever is never good, especially when one is older.  It most likely indicates that there is an infection, and without antibiotics, it can be weeks before one is fully recovered.  So, after being healed, the mother-in-law might have said, "I was just really very sick, and I need some recovery time...get my bearings..."  Instead, she immediately gets to serving.

I'm now thinking the topic of gender-specific-roles needs to be addressed here.  This verse is NOT saying that men should not be in the kitchen.  Throughout the Bible, we see men cook and serve!  Just to name a few:  Abraham, Esau, Jacob... Those men all knew their way around "the kitchen".  

In my marriage, we discussed how much work we were doing outside of the home, and divided up the housework accordingly.  Then, when and if it changed, we went back to the drawing board.  And at my insistence of being a stay-at-home-mom, no matter how poor we got, which came at a point in time when my husband's job had him working long, long hours, I tried to pick up the slack wherever and however I was able.  I don't mind taking out the garbage or mowing the lawn... my husband is working really hard, long hours in order to provide for us!!!  

Even then, after a difficult day, when my husband would come home, and if he saw that I was struggling to get supper ready, he stepped in and helped.  As well, he NEVER saw it as a "chore" to spend time with the kids.  He knew our children needed their father's attention!  He knew that it was necessary to nurture a loving relationship with them, as well as with me.  And by now, as empty-nesters, my husband has claimed the kitchen!  He finds cooking cathartic, which is the opposite for me.  So I will gladly pick up the slack somewhere else!  So, never look at it as a 50-50 kind-of-thing.  When we choose to serve one another 100%, then we both are served 100%.  And don't look at it selfishly, as if and how we are being served.  Look at it as - how can I be serving?!

In God's economy of finances, time and energy, we are to be generous in our loving and serving the Lord, and one another.  Life is work!  Not just to survive with a roof over one's head, clothes on one's back, and food in one's stomach... relationships require work.  A relationship that works - is the one where both parties are working at it, always.  And putting our personal relationship with the Lord first in our lives, will help us in all other relationships.  The closer we all get to the Lord, the closer we will get to each other.  The Lord God is there to help us with everything!

relationships (Mark 1:16-28) Our Response

(Mark 1:16-28)

16 As He was going along the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will have you become fishers of people.” 18 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. 19 And going on a little farther, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John, who were also in the boat mending the nets. 20 Immediately He called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and went away to follow Him.

21 They went into Capernaum; and immediately on the Sabbath Jesus entered the synagogue and began to teach. 22 And they were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 23 Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, 24 saying, “What business do You have with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are: the Holy One of God!” 25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” 26 After throwing him into convulsions and crying out with a loud voice, the unclean spirit came out of him. 27 And they were all amazed, so they debated among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” 28 Immediately the news about Him spread everywhere into all the surrounding region of Galilee.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

A quick point-out to the fact that Satan and his demons know who God is, and can recognize Him.  They simply fear and HATE the Lord God, and so, they do whatever they can to keep people away from Him.  They will take the beautiful things of God and then distort, deceive, divide and destroy.  They want everyone to fear and hate God as much as they do, because this will prevent people from recognizing God and His love, and prevent them from responding to His calling.  Now, how do we respond?

The Lord already knows who is going to become a believer and follow Him.  And because He is love, and desires that all come to know Him personally, He gives everyone fair opportunity to make this decision.  Also, because He is love, He will never force anyone to love Him back, or be obedient.  So when the Lord calls us, do we respond as quickly as these fishermen?  If we don't, what is holding us back?

These four fishermen could have already heard some rumors that Jesus was in the area, and were either curious to meet Him, or eager to meet Him.  We don't know if these men were already believers or not.  Let's say they were not.  Maybe they were the types that doubted if there was any God at all, or maybe they believed that there is a God, but they didn't know Him personally.  They could have been just going through life, trying to be good and stay out of trouble, while wondering what was missing; and saying to themselves, "Is this all there is in life, just going through the motions?  There must be more to life than this."  And then they hear Jesus calling them, asking them to follow Him, because in Him and with Him, there was a greater purpose.  Done!  They immediately recognized that Jesus was not just some guy, and they made their decision to follow Him.  

Now let's say that these fishermen were already believers.  There is nothing wrong with being a fisherman.  One can still serve the Lord as a fisherman!  But then here, Jesus calls them to join Him in doing the next thing.  For us, it might not be an entirely, seemingly "next thing", it might be a different thing, or an extra thing.  But whatever it is, there's the opportunity to grow closer to Jesus in one's relationship with Him, and be personally taught by Him, and serve alongside Him.  Done!  Even though there will be struggles and sacrifices along the way, God will not ask us to do something, unless He's going to be right there to help.  And even if we are not aware of what's to come, just know that it will serve the greater purpose.  And notice that besides God being right there with us, we also have brothers and sisters in Christ.

Notice that in calling these four men, Jesus called two sets of brothers.  We already know that John of Zebedee was very young.  Being a young teenager, and being able to serve alongside a brother, would be like an extra human-comfort-thing.  While we can know that "God's got this", and Christianity is all about having a relationship with Him... God knows!  He created us as social beings, looking to have others in our lives.  This is just one of the reasons why God tells us to not neglect the meeting of the saints!  Iron sharpens iron.  We are to be mentoring, disciplining and encouraging one another to be putting the Lord God first in our lives, in a personal relationship with Him.  

Now, in our relationship with the Lord... when He calls us to do something, do we respond this quickly?  There are times that I do, and times that I don't.  When I do respond, there are no regrets.  Serving the Lord is always a great blessing!  Why then would I hesitate other times?  Definitely there can be self-centeredness and selfishness involved!  And definitely there are times of worry and fear.  Like, am I really suited for this?  But often that fear is so unreasonable because, yes, God has actually equipped me for exactly that task!  Everything that I've gone through in life has led up to this opportunity!  Once I get past the fear, with God's help, I then can experience God working for me, in me, and through me, and it is amazing!

Okay, so I JUST heard a pastor speak on the following, and it made me think, and do my analyzing-thing.  FYI: "worry" is just another way to fear.  And while God tells us that we do not have to worry or fear about anyone or anything, fear is not a sin.  Fear is an emotional response which alerts us to something, and tells us that we need to urgently do something.  The question becomes, do we continue to think and do things in our own efforts, even though we are doing such a bad job of it, because, well... we're probably still worrying and fearing... or do we go to God?

Let's go back to what God tells us.  As believers, who fear God (which means to awesomely respect Him), we are not to fear anyone or anything... Why?  Only because our response has been to ask God to help us, and ask God to equip and guide us with whatever it is that we need in that moment!  And maybe what we need in that moment, is to rest in the Lord and trust Him and let Him fight our battle.  Every situation will be different.  But every response should be that we run to the Lord!  That we IMMEDIATELY go to Him, follow Him - remain with Him - wherever and in whatever we should be doing in that moment.