relationships (Mark 10:32-40) Remaining Dependent

(Mark 10:32-40)

32 Now they were on the road going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking on ahead of them; and they were amazed, and those who followed were fearful. And again He took the twelve aside and began to tell them what was going to happen to Him, 33 saying, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and will hand Him over to the Gentiles. 34 And they will mock Him and spit on Him, and flog Him and kill Him; and three days later He will rise from the dead.”

35 James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, came up to Jesus, saying to Him, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.” 36 And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 37 They said to Him, “Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.” 38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” 39 They said to Him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized. 40 But to sit on My right or on My left is not Mine to give; but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

These people and the disciples had just heard Jesus talk to the rich man who assumed he was going to inherit eternal life.  And now we see these people amazed and fearful as they continued their journey following Jesus.  The Greek word for  "amazed" includes being stupefied with surprise, being astounded, astonished, and even terrified and frightened.  The Greek word for "fearful" includes being passively alarmed, frightened, sorely afraid, seized with alarms...and can also include a person who reveres or is in awe of.

I'm assuming that the people were mulling over everything that they had just heard.  But did they hear everything that was said?  Like, if they only heard that it is impossible for a rich man to inherit salvation- then- they would be left feeling confused, hopeless and fearful.  But if they heard that all things are possible with God, then one should be filled with a reverent "fear"- having a great respect.  

Of course, if we get ahead of ourselves, we might start inserting ourselves into the equation too much.  What I mean by that, is, yes, with God working for us, in us, with us and through us, He will accomplish great and mighty things.  But let's not forget that it is GOD in all of this, and He deserves all the credit and the glory.

Even when we believe in Jesus, we will struggle with pride and arrogance.  Even after hearing what Jesus was going to do, James and John assumed that they were also ready and worthy of such a great status.  Be careful what we pray for!  I have to confess that I once asked God to open my eyes to ALL human needs around me- because- I- could handle it.  wow.  I could not.  I became so overwhelmed, I fell into a depression.  And of course, at the time, I didn't know why I felt so far away from God.  It took about half a year to get back to trusting God in all aspects of life.  And it took many years for me to realize that I really had brought all of that upon myself!

The cup that Jesus mentioned refers to the cup of judgment, which only makes sense, because Jesus was about to go to the cross, to take on all sin, of all time, for all people, and go through the death and punishment that we all deserve!  The baptism that Jesus mentioned refers to being immersed- submerged- and overwhelmed- with the persecutions of His crucifixion. Later, James was the first of the twelve apostles martyred.  While John, who was the only one who lived to an old age, did suffer extreme persecution and banishment.

We are never promised a perfect life here on earth.  There will be struggles, issues and trials.  But because all things are possible with God, there will be blessings that come from remaining dependent on the Lord, and enjoying a close, personal relationship with Him.  One might be tempted to walk away from their faith to do it on their own, thinking that they will have more success in avoiding pain.  But... we live in a fallen, broken and sinful world.  Who is more reliable, able and powerful?  Ourselves?  Or the Lord God who, because of His great love for us, suffered and died in our place, to have victory over death and sin?

relationships (Mark 10:23-52) What is Possible

(Mark 10:23-52)

23 And Jesus, looking around, said to His disciples, “How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 And the disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus responded again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 And they were even more astonished, and said to Him, “Then who can be saved?” 27 Looking at them, Jesus said, “With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.”

28 Peter began to say to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and have followed You.” 29 Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, 30 but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last, first.”

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

Society gets it wrong every time, thinking that those who are rich are the greatest and most generous, and those who are well educated are the wisest, and those who are religious and pious must be the most righteous.  While someone who is very rich might be able to give big sums of money to charities, they may be only giving a fraction of a percent of their income.  While someone with many degrees might be able to write many best sellers, etc., they may be using their knowledge to manipulate and take advantage of people and systems.  While someone who is religious may be leading people astray with meaningless rituals and empty promises.  Another outlook that is also wrong, is assuming that the poor are more righteous.  But these are all just judgements based on outward appearances.

I've heard some pastors and writers say that the eye of the needle refers to a gate in Jerusalem that was fairly narrow.  And a camel could go through that, but if it was carrying many packages, the packages would have to be unloaded first, and then the camel could go through.  Well, it's an imagery that may have a point about being repentant- BUT- verse 25 is referring to a literal eye of a sewing needle.  Duh!  Of course it would be impossible for a camel to go through that!  But with God, that would be possible!  THAT is extra amazing!  

In one's own efforts, even if one sold everything and gave it all to the poor, and then focused on following the biblical laws fervently, and saying all the right things... it would be impossible to get into heaven!  The only possible way to get into heaven is to go to the Lord and repent, accepting Him into our hearts and lives, making Him Lord of our lives!

In our personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, He is the one who changes us from the inside out, to equip us and use us to accomplish great things according to His purpose.  He is the one who gives us His indwelling Holy Spirit forever, to guide us in His truth and wisdom, to help us understand how to appropriately apply the knowledge that we have.  He is the one who covers us with His righteousness, completes us, fulfills us and satisfies us.

As Christianity is a relationship with God, the Lord desires that we continuously, constantly look to Him, rely on Him, and trust in Him for everything.  Earning and having money is not a sin, but loving money is, so no matter what our income is, let's understand that it all comes from God, and He will provide, so we can be content in all things.  Being smart and educated is not a sin, but thinking that we are smart enough to figure things out in our own thinking... think again!  God desires that we ask Him for His omniscient wisdom and guidance, because He cares and knows what is best.  Obviously, following God's laws and directions is a very good thing, but if we are only going through the motions, it is meaningless.  Whatever we do, do it in the Lord's righteousness, in His strength, and all to His glory.

relationships (Mark 10:17-52) Showing True Love

 (Mark 10:17-52)

17 As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do so that I may inherit eternal life?” 18 But Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not give false testimony, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” 20 And he said to Him, “Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth.” 21 Looking at him, Jesus showed love to him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22 But he was deeply dismayed by these words, and he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

It is all about realizing our need for the Lord, and making Him Lord of our lives.  This is to put God ahead of everyone and everything else.  While it is not necessary for us to sell all that we have and give it to the poor, this was a test for this man- who- obviously loved money more than God.  In fact, we can possibly assume that this man wasn't really earnest in knowing how to get to heaven.  I'm going to venture a guess and assume that he anticipated being asked for some money (as some teachers did), and he would have been more than willing to give some money "to the cause", but- with the desire for Jesus to tell him how upstanding and awesome he was.

Here is what we see and can know. Back then, a pious man would typically seek out his own teacher, but a wealthy man could typically "buy" the best or most popular teacher/mentor for himself.  Obviously, at that time, Jesus was both the best and was very popular.

The man knelt before Jesus, to show great respect to Him.  Obviously, his heartfelt respect wasn't all that great.  The demonstration was most likely to butter up Jesus.  And then flattery (another manipulation tactic)- the man called Jesus "Good".  Of course Jesus was and is Good, because He was and is God!  But Jesus knew that this man didn't realize it.  This is why Jesus asked the man exactly why he called Him "Good", while reminding the man that only God is good.  Not that the Lord plays games.  People like to play games.  God will meet us where we are at, and challenge us.

Now notice the man's question.  He wanted to know how he could work his way to heaven- by "doing" things.  And it was with the purpose to "inherit eternal life", which meant to many people at that time- to share in the Millennial kingdom (which is when Jesus will fulfill all covenants with Israel, giving them all of their promised land, seed, and blessings).  IF an Israelite fully understood how this will come to pass, they will know that it requires them (as a nation) to have accepted Jesus into their hearts as their personal Lord and Savior.  Which would then be to accept Jesus as their King (both personal and physical, to reign over their personal lives, as well as the nation of Israel).

Now here, Jesus lists the last set of the ten commandments which have to do with human relations.  These are fairly easy to judge, because they are more obvious if and when someone is obeying these.  Jesus followed that up with a test of the man's heart, regarding the first set of commandments, which is all about one's relationship with God!  Inheriting eternal life is to accept the salvation which can only be found in Jesus, when we repent of our sins and accept Him into our hearts- to have a close, personal relationship with Him.  Remember, as Jesus said, this is the greatest and most important commandment!.

In verse 21, it's very important to note that Jesus "showed love" to the man- by asking asking and saying what He did.  "If only" God is good, that means we are NOT.  Then, the man would have to admit he has broken some commandment.  And if the man had recognized that Jesus is the Lord God, and he had chosen to believe in Him, he would have THEN inherited eternal life.  This is showing love, to share the gospel message with others, because God's desire is that all come to know Him!

relationships (Mark 10:13-16) Love and True Transition

(Mark 10:13-16)

13 And they were bringing children to Him so that He would touch them; but the disciples rebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, “Allow the children to come to Me; do not forbid them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.” 16 And He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

Just a few verses back, Jesus was telling the disciples how bad it is to be the cause of a "young" believer to stumble!  In society, it is so easy to forget that children are not only vulnerable, but they do grow up to be adults.  And then, what kind of adults will they be if and when they have not embraced God and His salvation?

Many unbelievers with evil intentions fully understand the value of children and their vulnerabilities.  If and when children are neglected and not protected, pedophiles and sex traffickers will be grooming them, cults will be luring them in to indoctrinate them, extreme political regimes will be radicalizing and recruiting them... In the guise of love, parents will even use their children to bring themselves fulfillment, which means that these children have been born with a purpose to please their parents as their god.  Parents will also use their children as leverage against (ex-) spouses or other family members, causing the children to believe that all problems and dysfunctions within the family is somehow all their fault.

While a child might come across as quite determined and independent, they fully need both parents to be involved in their lives, to love them, nurture and care for them, and guide and equip them for life.  Most importantly, children benefit when both parents continually strive in being steadfast believers, and examples for them to follow.  Children benefit from being around communities of Christians who love, mentor and encourage them in their spiritual walk with the Lord.

Jesus loves EVERYONE!!!  We are not to be prejudiced toward anyone- it doesn't matter one's age, one's sex, one's skin color, one's financial situation... "Everyone" means "everyone"!  We do not have to start a list of which people we need to include.  By making these lists and labels, we are literally dividing people up into groups, and we will somehow exclude someone somewhere.  God does not make mistakes, but people do.  And Satan and his realm want to deceive, distort, divide and destroy with the purpose of keeping people away from God.  But God has for us a purpose of love, unity, and a better way.

Because of His great love, Jesus went to the cross for all people, of all time (past, present and future).  Anyone going to the Lord to humbly repent of their sins, will be adopted into God's family, receiving His indwelling Holy Spirit who changes us from the inside out.  It is the Lord who transitions us from the realm of sin and death to the kingdom of heaven which is eternal life, healing peace, inexplicable joy and most certain hope.

relationships (Mark 10:2-12) Finding the Right One

(Mark 10:2-12)

2 And some Pharisees came up to Jesus, testing Him, and began questioning Him whether it was lawful for a man to divorce his wife. 3 And He answered and said to them, “What did Moses command you?” 4 They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send his wife away.” 5 But Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. 6 But from the beginning of creation, God created them male and female. 7 For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, 8 and the two shall become one flesh; so they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 Therefore, what God has joined together, no person is to separate.”

10 And in the house the disciples again began questioning Him about this. 11 And He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her; 12 and if she herself divorces her husband and marries another man, she is committing adultery.”

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

This is God's will: that a believer marries another believer, that marriage is between a man and a woman, and they become an intimate team as the two become one, with God as their foundation of faith, pillar of strength and guiding light.  This is why it is so important not to rush into marriage.  

Here are a few things to keep in mind when single:

• to find the "right one", do not be looking for the right one
• seek after God to fill you, satisfy you, and complete you
• (Jesus is literally your soulmate!)
• let God know your desires
• then patiently rest in the Lord
• be content in all things, even in being single
• do not get desperate, keep your eyes fixed on the Lord
• pray a lot, pray about everything, even pray for your future spouse
• mature in the Lord as a steadfast believer 
• (in God's guidance, become one who will make a great spouse)
• serve the Lord, and get involved in your church
• surround yourself with steadfast, mature friends
• keep walking and striving with the Lord
• and then when you see someone walking beside you in the same direction, introduce yourself!

relationships (Mark 10:1) Being Accustomed

(Mark 10:1)

1 Setting out from there, Jesus went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan; crowds gathered to Him again, and, as He was accustomed, He once more began to teach them.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

I know that because of the Lord, there will be those who instantly hate us, or even somehow fear us.  And even though one of my relatives said that our house had "good energy", she still had the same reaction as some of my other cousins, who claim that when they are around me, they feel judged.  Which is weird, because we never or rarely discuss anything spiritual.  While I can be socially awkward, I know that there is a spiritual battle in their lives oppressing them.  So,  I do pray for them, and most likely, a lot of their feelings are the Holy Spirit convicting their hearts.  How could there not be, when their dark spiritual realm meets up with God's!

I have had some people who noticed a difference in me, and wanted to know more.  I pray that this would happen MORE!!!  But it's not about my efforts, or trying to contrive some sort of essence or scenario.  It is all about me drawing closer to Jesus in my personal relationship.  And then, praying for opportunities!  And praying that when He gives me opportunities that I realize it, and ask Him to give me the right words!  So, like Jesus, I would be "accustomed" to being God-led in teaching (sharing) God's message of hope, when there are those wanting to hear more.

We cannot forget God's love in all of this!  Therefore, in the same way, if and when we are accustomed to drawing closer to the Lord of agape love, as we embrace and are filled with His love, this is what should be flowing out from us.  Not our love, but God's love.  And only THIS (God's agape love) will be "attractive" to those who are seeking unconditional love, truth, hope, peace, joy, healing, strength, and purpose in their lives.

relationships (Mark 9:42-50) Losses That Are Worth It

(Mark 9:42-50)

42 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it is better for him if a heavy millstone is hung around his neck and he is thrown into the sea. 43 And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire. 45 And if your foot is causing you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life without a foot, than, having your two feet, to be thrown into hell. 47 And if your eye is causing you to sin, throw it away; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be thrown into hell, 48 where their worm does not die, and the fire is not extinguished. 49 For everyone will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

We will all go through fire, which equates to God's judgment!  Anyone who has not received the Lord's forgiveness, will remain "in fire" for all eternity.  Anyone who has received the Lord's forgiveness will be "fireproof", because we are covered by His righteousness and we have His indwelling Holy Spirit.  Our good deeds done with impure motives will be burned up.  Believers will be judged and rewarded for those good deeds done with pure motives, those deeds done in the Lord's righteousness and all to His glory!  

There is both impure and pure salt.  I'm thinking that to have salt in ourselves would be synonymous to having God's indwelling Holy Spirit, which all believers have, along with eternal life, and therefore we cannot lose our salvation.  Even though we have God already in our lives, we are still told to "be filled" with His Holy Spirit.

(Matthew 5:18) And do not get drunk with wine, in which there is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,

Because Christianity is all about a personal relationship with the Lord, when we sin and stray, we will not lose the Holy Spirit, but we will certainly quench God's spirit.  In this, if we are struggling with some sin, even though it might SEEM enjoyable, any sin is deceptive, divisive, and destructive, and God will allow consequences in our lives to discipline us, to get our attention, and to bring us back to Him.  One might think that there isn't all that much difference, but there is.  

There have been two times in my life where I started drifting away from God, and being around other believers, thinking that I was getting more out of life that way.  What drew me away from God was "the promise" of having close friends.  And even though my straying was not all that dramatic, when I returned to seeking after the Lord and being around His children - the differences WAS very dramatic!  It was literally from darkness to light!  

Did I have to lop off any limb?  Figuratively, yes.  Both times I had lost friends.  I had walked away from good friends, to be with other friends, who either brought me closer to feeling hopeless, or outright turned on me.  I had to cut off that limb, to then lose those other (shallow) friends!  But, the Lord God replaced that "limb" when I went back to Him, and developed deep, meaningful friendships with other steadfast believers. 

In all likelihood, when I had strayed, I probably negatively impacted other young Christians.  Maybe even inspired them to walk away from their faith.  If so, I pray that they saw my "return", which encouraged them to do the same.  Our faith is a journey.  In our personal relationship with the Lord, the closer we grow to Him, the more like Him we will be... the less likely we will cause a young Christian to stumble or stray from their faith.  The closer we all draw to God and His great love and peace, the closer we will draw to one another.

relationships (Mark 9:38-50) The Dangers of Deflection

(Mark 9:38-50)

38 John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him, for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me. 40 For the one who is not against us is for us. 41 For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

In the verses just previous to these, we saw Jesus talking to the disciples about being humble, like a child.  And now John tries to deflect... which is still looking at others as competition.  Classic sinful human behavior.  When someone tells us what we have done wrong, we say, "But look at THAT person over there!"  

Not only is this wrong to do, but John was pointing out someone who was actually doing God's work!  This is slander.  And when we really look at the details around the false accusation, it was giving the demonic realm credit for God's work.  Also, take careful note in verse 38, John's criticism was that the person was doing things in God's name, but was not following THEM.  We do need to constantly look at the "logs" in our own eyes, confess our sins, and make sure that WE are focused on the Lord, and are encouraging others to remain focused on the Lord!

If a person is a true Christian (Christ follower), and is doing and saying things in the Lord's name, love, guidance and power... we should be very excited about this!  Encouraging those people!  Praying for those people!  Sadly, I've heard too many people trying to compare their churches with others.  Look, unless there is solid proof that a church has gone astray in their doctrines, we need to rejoice at the fact that people are going to a good church!  Even if it isn't our church!  To put down and tear down another church just so ours looks better - is to do the work of Satan!

We are told to pray for all spiritual leaders, all churches, all fellow Christians- so that we all continue to strive in God's steadfast love and truth!  It's not about us.  It is about God, and how much God loves everyone, and desires that all come to know Him in a personal relationship.

relationships (Mark 9:33-50) Humble Success

(Mark 9:33-50)

33 They came to Capernaum; and when He was in the house, He began to question them: “What were you discussing on the way?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest. 35 And sitting down, He called the twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” 36 And He took a child and placed him among them, and taking him in His arms, He said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me.”

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

People are very competitive!  Competition is not a bad thing, until sin is introduced.  Our problem is that we are sinful, selfish and self-centered.  And if and when one starts to love money and power, things will go very wrong.  If and when one places great importance on their appearances, things will go very wrong.  Etc.

Competition can be healthy, when we are striving to do the best we can at who we are and what we are doing- when it is done with God's love, guidance and strength! Otherwise, we can not only drive ourselves crazy, but we can negatively impact others in our "religions" of success.

Of course, sports is a great outlet to use aggression "for good" when we play with integrity, according to the rules.  It's okay and even good to work hard, as unto the Lord, which will provide greater opportunities for promotions, and not have us mooching off of others.  But most importantly, working with integrity will be a living testimony for God.  Whatever it is that we are striving for or towards, it needs to be in proper perspective.

Since our spiritual walk with the Lord is all about having a personal relationship with Him, and it is all about serving the Lord in promoting His will and desire that all come to know Him, whatever we do and say should reflect Jesus and His love.  Since it is not OUR love and OUR way that will bring true success in showing GOD'S love and carrying out GOD'S will, it comes down to how humble we are.

Like a child, one is to humbly repent and receive the Lord into their hearts.  And like a child, we are to continuously depend on the Lord for everything!  If we are concerned about being great, or better than someone else, that means that we have taken our eyes off of God, and are focused on ourselves and others.  It is only when we ask and allow the Lord to work for us, with us, in us and through us, that the Lord can accomplish great things.  Just like Jesus came in flesh to serve, we are to have the heart of a servant- a heart for THE Servant- who died for us, saved us, cares for us, equips us and helps us!!!

relationships (Mark 9:30-50) Learning and Teaching Opportunities

(Mark 9:30-50)

30 And from there they went out and began to go through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know about it. 31 For He was teaching His disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men, and they will kill Him; and when He has been killed, He will rise three days later.” 32 But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

This is a multilayered lesson for us:  to know how Jesus teaches us, and to know how we should teach others, with several reasons behind it.  First of all, one needs to understand what Christianity is.  

• As soon as we have humbly repented of our sins and ask that the Lord Jesus be our Lord and Savior, believing that He is the Son of God (part of the Holy Trinity) who died for us to pay for all sin, and rose again to have victory over death and freedom from sin:
• The Lord Jesus forgives us of all sin (past, present and future)
• The Lord covers us with His holy righteousness
• The Lord gives us His indwelling Holy Spirit
• Who changes us from the inside out
• Who seals us for all eternity so we cannot lose our salvation
• Who will help us better understand scriptures and God's will
• Who will help and equip us to apply God's will

Since the Lord has given us His word (the Bible, which contains everything we could possibly ever need to know), He wants us to understand His message to us, so that we can know Him better, trust Him more, and continue to draw closer to Him in a love relationship.  Being a believer is all about having a personal relationship with the Lord God, so there will be a desire to get to know Him better and better.  

It is very clear, even from these verses, that God does not expect His children to know and understand everything immediately.  In fact, until we reach heaven, we will not know and understand everything, so it is a continuous journey that we should be thrilled to take WITH the Lord!  The awesome part is that the Lord knows all things, and is more than thrilled to pour His wisdom into us, and yet, knowing our struggles and limitations, is so very patient and gracious towards us.

In those days, Jewish teachers often explained the more complex topics to their students in private.  One reason was so that others would not become confused or frustrated.  Another was so that the advanced students would not be publicly shamed when they were rebuked or when they struggled to grasp a concept.  Students also knew not to disrespect teachers by confronting them with questions they might not know how to answer.  But, rarely were students expected to fully emulate their masters, let alone exceed their master's knowledge and ability.  

For Christians, the greatest part about having Jesus as our private teacher, is that He is always with us, He always knows the answer, He is always able to help us, He always wants us to ask Him to help, and He always wants us to ask Him to do things for us, with us, in us, and through us.

In the same way as Jesus did, with God's help, we are to teach others and our children with patience and with grace.  With God's help, we should strive to teach 'age-appropriate" lessons that clearly point others to the Lord.  With God's help, we are to strive in living our lives by example!

relationships (Mark 9:14-29) Teamwork in the Battles

(Mark 9:14-29)

14 And when they came back to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them, and some scribes arguing with them. 15 Immediately, when the entire crowd saw Him, they were amazed and began running up to greet Him. 16 And He asked them, “What are you disputing with them?” 17 And one person from the crowd answered Him, “Teacher, I brought You my son, because he has a spirit that makes him unable to speak; 18 and whenever it seizes him, it slams him to the ground, and he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes stiff. And I told Your disciples so that they would cast it out, but they could not do it.” 19 And He answered them and said, “O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me!” 20 And they brought the boy to Him. When he saw Him, the spirit immediately threw him into convulsions, and falling to the ground, he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth. 21 And He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to kill him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” 23 But Jesus said to him, “‘If You can?’ All things are possible for the one who believes.” 24 Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief!” 25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again!” 26 And after crying out and throwing him into terrible convulsions, it came out; and the boy became so much like a corpse that most of them said, “He is dead!” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him, and he got up. 28 When He came into the house, His disciples began asking Him privately, “Why is it that we could not cast it out?” 29 And He said to them, “This kind cannot come out by anything except prayer.”

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

I have definitely prayed that phrase, quite a few times- "Lord, I believe, help my unbelief!" Because why not?! The Lord wants us to go to Him with everything!  

As well, I also understand what Jesus is saying in verse 29.  Having been around someone during my childhood who was involved in the occult, I have seen, heard, felt, and sensed many things.  On one occasion, I sensed a presence, and all I had to say was "Go away." But on another occasion, I was "paralyzed", and all I could do was pray in my head, "Jesus help!  Jesus help!..."  And, it wasn't immediate, but supernatural help came!!!

While we have been given authority over the spiritual realm, this is no joke.  And never think that we can or should be some sort of demon hunter.  After doing the Bible read-through for my devotion-blog specifically on the topic of spiritual warfare, I can say with confidence that God never asks us to do that.  Simply put, in our personal relationship with the Lord, consider God as our bodyguard, in everything!  We are not the ones who are able to fight, it is God, and God alone!

The Lord's salvation protects us from being possessed, and protects us from ever losing our salvation.  The Lord's guidance through His indwelling Holy Spirit, and His word, will equip us with His righteousness, peace, love, faith, strength, truth and gospel message.  

I've shared this before, but it's so poignant and helpful.  A missionary in France spoke at our church.  At the time when their group was about to hold an event, there was a heavy cloud of oppression over the entire city.  For days, they kept praying that God would lift that cloud.  It was only until they started to pray that the gospel message would reach the hearts of these people, that the cloud lifted!

Therefore, we are to stay focused on God and carrying out His will, in His guidance and strength, all to His glory... and NOT focus on sin and evil and trying to wage war against it.  That's God's job!  In our personal relationship with Him, He wants to do life with us, as a team... but listen, every team needs a leader!  Let's let God take the lead, always!  He is our heavenly Father, and He alone is sovereign!  

Everything we need to know is given in scriptures, specifically in the following verses, that for everything, all we need is God...

(1 Timothy 6:11-12)

11 But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

(Ephesians 6:10-17) 

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, having belted your waist with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having strapped on your feet the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

relationships (Mark 9:1-13) Being a Better Conversationalist

(Mark 9:1-13)

And Jesus was saying to them, “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God when it has come with power.”

2 And six days later Jesus took with Him Peter, James, and John, and brought them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; 3 and His garments became radiant and exceedingly white, as no launderer on earth can whiten them. 4 And Elijah appeared to them along with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus. 5 Peter responded and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here; let’s make three tabernacles, one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6 For he did not know how to reply; for they became terrified. 7 Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud: “This is My beloved Son; listen to Him!” 8 And suddenly they looked around and saw no one with them anymore, except Jesus alone.

9 As they were coming down from the mountain, He gave them orders not to relate to anyone what they had seen, until the Son of Man rose from the dead. 10 They seized upon that statement, discussing with one another what rising from the dead meant. 11 And they asked Him, saying, “Why is it that the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 12 And He said to them, “Elijah does come first and he restores all things. And yet how is it written of the Son of Man that He will suffer many things and be treated with contempt? 13 But I say to you that Elijah has indeed come, and they did to him whatever they wanted, just as it is written of him.”

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

The Israelites were familiar with setting up tabernacles (or booths) to commemorate the times when God's presence was with them.  Memory aids can be good, until they become the objects of worship.  Meanwhile, Jesus, and the glory of the future kingdom, was already with the disciples.  But notice how Peter suggests they do something, only because he didn't know what else to say.  Sound familiar?

As for memory aids, as believers, we have the indwelling Holy Spirit always with us, to guide us, strengthen us and equip us with the right actions and words.  And we have access to God's words, now more than ever, with internet and remote access, and all the devices that are glued to our side...  And, well, then there is our own memory-capabilities.  Although, shocking-not-shocking, whatever is the focus of our hearts, this will be most prevalent in our thinking.  And whatever we are thinking, has the great potential to come out of our mouths.

I grew up hearing, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."  Well, I'd like to change that to remind myself, "If I don't know what to say, ask the Lord if there is anything I should say, or is this the time to keep quiet." Otherwise, it's a great way to say something stupid!  Why do we feel like we have to be clever, even with God?  Meanwhile, as we are in a personal relationship with the Lord, who is all-knowing, He wants us to go to Him for everything, which starts with having the motive of God's selfless, sacrificial, unconditional love, and His wisdom...

(James 1:5)  But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

Kind of like how my husband and I will help each other finish our sentences, or help find the right words that we are trying to remember, or help fill in the gaps to events as we are reminiscing... Just like that, I want to include God in every conversation.

relationships (Mark 8:27-38) A Love Like No Other

(Mark 8:27-38)

27 Jesus went out, along with His disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way He questioned His disciples, saying to them, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 They told Him, saying, “John the Baptist; and others say Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” 29 And He continued questioning them: “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and said to Him, “You are the Christ.” 30 And He warned them to tell no one about Him.

31 And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise from the dead. 32 And He was stating the matter plainly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. 33 But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God’s purposes, but on man’s.”

34 And He summoned the crowd together with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. 35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it benefit a person to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? 37 For what could a person give in exchange for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

Since everyone is born into sin - as slaves to sin - without God in one's life, one will spend eternity separated from God.  How can any slave buy or work their way out of slavery, when the owner owns one's soul?  Our soul is everything!  It is the essence of who we are, and it has been created with eternity in mind.

Thankfully, God created us with the purpose to have a personal love relationship with Him, and desires that all come to know Him.  So when mankind chose to embrace slavery to sin and reject God, in order to provide a way back to Him, He died for all sin, paying the ransom price for every soul.  It is then up to us to make the decision to accept the Lord into our lives.  All it "costs" us is our pride.  

Humility is to realize that we are sinners in need of a Savior.  To realize that Jesus is the Lord God, and that He needs to be first in our lives.  All that is required is that we humbly repent of our sins and accept the Lord's forgiveness and His salvation, which is to have a personal relationship with Him as our heavenly Father.  

Christianity is not about do's and don'ts.  Although, in our relationship with the Lord, like with any relationship, when we live to please Him, our relationship with Him will grow stronger.  Now, because of God's grace, once we are a child of God, we cannot lose our salvation, but this should not encourage us to take God for granted, and sin and live to please our own fleshly desires.  Even though we are saved, when we sin, God will allow us to face earthly consequences  

It is when we do and say things that go against God's will, that we are actually doing Satan's will.  If that doesn't get your attention, I don't know what else?.  Out of His love for us, Jesus died so that we can be free of sin, so why would we want to run back to sin?  And if we say that we truly love God, why would we intentionally do things to displease Him?  While people tend to blame God when things don't go their way, they will do things, thinking that it will hurt God, but they are only creating problems for ourselves, while hurting themselves and others in the process.  

In understanding that the Lord is sovereign and wants the best for us, this should inspire and encourage us to desire the things that He desires.  And I have experienced the results!  When I have done things my way, and/or the world's way, it does not go well.  When I do things God's way, things always work out for good!!!  In our relationship with Him, the Lord is faithful and good!

relationships (Mark 8:14-26) Growing Closer in Stages

(Mark 8:14-38)

14 And the disciples had forgotten to take bread, and did not have more than one loaf in the boat with them. 15 And He was giving orders to them, saying, “Watch out! Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and the leaven of Herod.” 16 And they began to discuss with one another the fact that they had no bread. 17 And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet comprehend or understand? Do you still have your heart hardened? 18 Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember, 19 when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces you picked up?” They said to Him, “Twelve.” 20 “When I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of broken pieces did you pick up?” And they said to Him, “Seven.” 21 And He was saying to them, “Do you not yet understand?”

22 And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought a man who was blind to Jesus and begged Him to touch him. 23 Taking the man who was blind by the hand, He brought him out of the village; and after spitting in his eyes and laying His hands on him, He asked him, “Do you see anything?” 24 And he looked up and said, “I see people, for I see them like trees, walking around.” 25 Then again He laid His hands on his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and began to see everything clearly. 26 And He sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.”

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

Jesus told the disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees (spiritual leaders and teachers) and the leaven of Herod (government). Those in leadership and power can manipulate people into believing almost anything, which can gain a vast momentum and following.  But the propaganda being taught and puffed up, doesn't have any substance of truth, and at the root of it - is evil.

This discussion was followed by the only two-stage physical healing in the Gospels. Jesus wanted to get the point across that sometimes we are spiritually healed in stages.  As our faith is a journey in a personal relationship with the Lord, it is along the way that we learn, understand and mature in our faith and connection with God. Just like the disciples, who had begun "to see", but not very clearly.

It is often the case that we begin our Christian walk with only thinking about the obvious, like how God is going to physically provide for us.  As we strive in obedience and witness miracles in our lives, we will begin to see how God provides spiritually, at such a deeper and more meaningful level.  Yet, it is so easy to regress by explaining away and forgetting about the miracles and experiences, and getting caught up in the physical.  

I'm certainly not saying that we should chase after "experiences" or miracles, but to remain entrenched in our faith, trust, obedience and relationship with the Lord!  So, as I'm getting older, I'm praying more and more that the Lord will continue to "heal" my heart, mind, soul, eyes and ears!  You know, as I remember to pray this!!!

relationships (Mark 8:11-38) Signs of Love

(Mark 8:11-13)

11 And the Pharisees came out and began to argue with Him, demanding from Him a sign from heaven, to test Him. 12 Sighing deeply in His spirit, He said, “Why does this generation demand a sign? Truly I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation!” 13 And leaving them, He again embarked and went away to the other side.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

Here was God in flesh Himself, performing miracles - as a "sign" -  to prove His authority here on earth.  AND a whole bunch of "signs" had already occurred and were occurring right in front of them, which were fulfilling prophecies of the (Old Testament) scriptures.  For instance:  Jesus just being here in flesh, born of a virgin, born in Bethlehem, having fled to Egypt and returning to Israel, living in Nazareth in the region of Galilee, knowing what people were thinking, and (while "uneducated") teaching the people with great knowledge and wisdom and in parables...  

Yet, the Pharisees weren't even asking Jesus to do some magic trick to wow them for their own entertainment, they were only seeking for an excuse to execute Him.  Just like Jesus "couldn't do much healing" in His own homeland because of people's unbelief, the Pharisee's unbelief prevented them from seeing the sign/s that were right in front of them.

While God will do amazing good and nice things for unbelievers to get their attention so that they might believe in Him, the Lord is very clear in that when we have faith, He will do mighty things for us, with us, in us, and through us.  Because He desires to have a close, personal love relationship with us, and our Christianity is ALL about having a close, personal love relationship with the Lord Jesus, it is only in this that we can truly experience and appreciate His presence and blessings!

Someone once tried arguing with me that this was proof that God didn't actually love everyone, and that somehow God was prejudiced - because He would only reward those who did things which He deemed "good enough", and did not allow everyone into heaven just as they are.  Well, Jesus died for all people, whether they accept Him or reject Him.  THAT is agape, sacrificial, unconditional love.  And true love does not force anyone to love back, and does not force anyone to obey.  Yet in grace, those who accept Him, He will never let us go.  And only the things we do in His agape love, guidance, strength - and - all to His glory - will be rewarded.  

There's nothing super special about any of us in that way, except that we have willing hearts.  It is all God's handiwork!  It is all about God!  It is all about having a relationship with God!  Because He loves us, and wants to do life with us!  And when someone goes to God just as they are and repents to receive the Lord's forgiveness, we ALSO receive His indwelling Holy Spirit who changes us from the inside out.  THAT IS - a huge sign - proof in our lives of just how much He cares!!!

relationships (Mark 8:1-10) Eating Together

(Mark 8:1-10)

1 In those days, when there was again a large crowd and they had nothing to eat, Jesus summoned His disciples and said to them, 2 “I feel compassion for the people because they have remained with Me for three days already 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 a great distance.” 4 And His disciples replied to Him, “Where will anyone be able to find enough bread here in this desolate place to satisfy these people?” 5 And He was asking them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven.” 6 And He directed the people to recline on the ground; and taking the seven loaves, He gave thanks and broke them, and started giving them to His disciples to serve, and they served them to the people. 7 They also had a few small fish; and after He had blessed them, He told the disciples to serve these as well. 8 And they ate and were satisfied; and they picked up seven large baskets full of what was left over of the broken pieces. 9 About four thousand men were there; and He dismissed them. 10 And immediately He got into the boat with His disciples and came to the region of Dalmanutha.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

Jesus' compassion was not misplaced.  He saw the hearts of these people who were sincerely seeking after Him.  After all, they had denied their physical hunger just to stay with Him for three days and hear Him speak, because they were spiritually hungry.  Typically, the message from these verses is how the Lord provides, because He desires that we go to Him with all our needs, problems and requests.  The Lord God wants to provide, solve, help, build and establish, and pour into us His wisdom, strength, righteousness and love.  It's a 24-7 kind of love relationship, because God wants to do life with us, for us, in us, and through us.

What is also jumping out at me today, is that Jesus invites us to eat with Him, both spiritually and physically.  So not only gathering with others to praise and worship the Lord, but dining together is such an intimate thing to do.  It's difficult to serve and eat at the same table with someone we hate or with someone who hates us.  While we are called to love and have a servant's-heart-attitude towards all people, it is glorious when believers gather together.  The closer we all are to the Lord, the closer we will be to one another.  And in that, we can eat together with grace, thankfulness, praise, celebration, and fellowship, in God's love;  and know that God is always in our midst!