Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great crowd followed, from Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon. When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him. And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him, for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him.

Mark 3:7-21

Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great crowd followed, from Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon. When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him. And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him, for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him. Mark 3:7-10

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, I focus on a commentary-assisted review of Mark 3:7-12, which is the text for the first division (of three) per the commentary for the text 3:7-21. Excerpts from the commentary's introduction and first division: 

• The introduction highlights Jesus' leadership and how people follow up based on his ability to assemble a team, and respond to pressure and fatigue. 
• Note the title of the division "Expect to Be Pressured by Those Who Want Something from You."
• Commenting on Jesus' growing popularity, the commentary shares: "[g]rowing popularity also means great pressure. Jesus experienced this pressure in all of its many forms. Anyone who pursues faithful ministry should be prepared for the same."
• "[The people following Him] did not care about Him but only what they could get from Him. They were not concerned about His privacy, His need for time alone, or His need for food and rest (cf. 3:20). They only wanted to use Him for His miraculous power."
• "This will too often be the experience of those who work hard for the Lord. It is truly unavoidable, but to a certain degree you can control it. Still, understand this reality: people you serve will impose on you and not give it a second thought. It is simply the nature of the work."
• "After a futile attempt to control Jesus, the demons are silenced by His sovereign authority. Jesus will carry forward and complete His mission on God’s terms—on His terms—not theirs."
• "We must do the will of God in God’s way and in God’s time. We must not allow ourselves to be manipulated by ungodly agendas regardless of the praise we may be paid, the positions we may be proffered, or the prosperity we may be promised."    

Pressure to conform to earthly expectations surround us not just in ministry but in all ways - in the home, at work, etc. We must be careful about the influences we place in our lives, including people, how we spend our time, etc. See also James 4:4 as a warning for those who grow friendly with the world.  Instead we must become slaves to God and allow Him to mold and conform us into His image - progressively through sanctification as we submit to Him, seek to know Him more through study of scripture, etc. See also Romans 12:2.  Ultimately, others should see Jesus in us - being in the world, but not of the world (John 8:23).  

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Heavenly Father, You are an awesome God who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  There is no other way.  Thank You for scripture and for making Yourself known to me and for giving me the Holy Spirit that is always with me.  Of course thank You for my salvation.  I am not deserving.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.

1 Corinthians 5-11

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. 1 Corinthians 10:31-33

Day 333 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues as I move further into the New Testament - this afternoon the focus is on chapters 5-11 of Paul's first letter to the church in Corinth. Paul's teachings this afternoon include topics such as sexual immorality, divorce, singleness, and various other topics.  My focus this afternoon is to revisit a previous post on the "indigenous principle and the pilgrim principle" where I highlight the same scriptures in 1 Corinthians 10.  This post discusses peer pressure and the extent to which we are to fall prey to culture or to avoid "conforming to the patterns of this world (Romans 12).

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who helps me understand Your word - thank You Jesus!  I am blessed by Your Word and its teachings...but I am undeserving of such love and blessing.  I worry and I have other sins.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer an from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will....To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some....Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God—even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.

Matthew 27, Mark 15, and Luke 23, John 18-19

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will....To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some....Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God—even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. Romans 12:2, 1 Corinthians 9:22, 10:32-33

Day 319 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues as I move further into the New Testament - this morning focusing on Jesus' trial before Pilate. My commentary* indicates "...the Sanhedrin has no power to execute condemned prisoners without approval of the Roman government. Yet clearly such a pagan government will not regard a charge of blasphemy with the same degree of seriousness as do the Jews. Therefore more appropriate charges will have to be laid before the governor. Being politically astute, the Jewish leaders will accuse Jesus of sedition in allegedly urging refusal to pay taxes and in claiming to be the King of the Jews." Although both Pilate and Herod Antipas, who also hears the case, find no charge deserving of execution, Pilate bows to the pressure from the Jewish leaders to crucify Jesus.

*Smith, F. LaGard. The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition. 

This morning's scripture reading highlights the weight of the decision felt by Pilate regarding the charges made by the Jewish leaders and the remedy they sought for Jesus' "offenses".  Pilate of course caves to the pressure. While we know this is the plan - that God sent Jesus to die on the cross - we can also use the passage to examine the pressure we feel in our own lives...often this pressure is to do what the world sees as better or more popular - we call this peer pressure sometimes and it is often associated with teenagers, yet as we get older we are no less immune to this pressure.  On the subject of peer pressure, some digging this morning revealed a thoughtful post by John Piper that explores the balance of the "indigenous principle and the pilgrim principle" (Andrew Walls, The Missionary Movement In Christian History). Scripture tell us to "not conform" (Romans 12:2), while at the same time we are to be "all things to all people" (1 Corinthians 9:22) and to "please everyone" (1 Corinthians 10:32-33) so that we may save some.  

This is a difficult balance for sure, but once again I go to one of my "go to" verses Romans 12:2 where it says "be transformed by the renewing of the mind...".  Piper goes here as well and encourages us to focus on our deepening relationship with Jesus and how we are to grow closer to Him to help us navigate this balance.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has transformed my heart and life - thank You Jesus!  I know I am more like You and others have seen this as well. I know I continue to fall down and there is more work to but I am grateful that You have given me faith and a desire for You.  I am not worthy for all that You do for me and that You went to the cross for me.  My sin is great and it continues.  Please forgive me for my harsh words and actions and impatience for others.  Help me overcome and turn from my sins towards You and help me love You and others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Psalm 37

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. v7

We often - I know I've been there - see others and use others' behavior as justification to engage in sin - peer pressure if you will.  This may be particularly true when we are expecting God to respond to us in a time of need - yet David is warning us that we should avoid running with the world and that we should wait for the Lord, for His wisdom, His provision, His peace, His comfort, etc. and God's timing while it may be mysterious - it is worth waiting for.

This is what the Lord says:

“In the time of my favor I will answer you,
    and in the day of salvation I will help you[.] Isaiah 49:8

The world cannot provide what we truly yearn for - and it cannot fill the hole in our heart that is made for God alone.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are indeed great and I know that You have great plans for me...to prosper me and not for harm, for hope and a future.  I take great comfort in Your promises and Your love.  Thank You God for Your Son and the Holy Spirit.  I am not worth such love - I am broken and my sin continues - I worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.