For if you turn away from following him, he will again abandon them in the wilderness, and you will destroy all this people.

 Numbers 32

For if you turn away from following him, he will again abandon them in the wilderness, and you will destroy all this people. Numbers 32:15

I continue my study of Numbers, and in the text today - Numbers 32 - where the people of Reuben and Gad petition Moses to occupy land east of the Jordan River, an alternative to entering the Promised Land.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.

• What do we learn from the text about God?: God often turns us over to our earthly desires and sin as a means to discipline or chasten His people (see also Romans 1:24-28, Psalm 81:11-12, Acts 7:42).  God's will was to bring all of His people out of Egypt and into the Promised Land, and He would lead the people in battle to overcome those who inhabited the land.  In the text today, the people of Reuben and Gad propose an alternative to remain east of the Promised Land because they see that this land was good for their livestock - vv1,4.  Moses, speaking on behalf of God, initially rebukes - see vv6-15 - the people of Reuben and Gad, but they share in vv16-19 that they will not abandon the mission to work with the other tribes of Israel to conquer the Promised Land, and Moses relents to the request of the people of Reuben and Gad - v33.    
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Very often we, just as the people of Reuben and Gad did, seek to bend God's will in our direction, failing to completely trust and surrender to His plan. Although God, through Moses, allowed for this with the people of Reuben and Gad, we should remind ourselves that God seeks complete dependence and obedience to His will - see also this search in scripture for the string "just as the LORD commanded."  Jesus did not propose anything to the Father short of a brutal beating and crucifixion...He simply said in Luke 22:42 "not my will, but yours, be done."
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Avoid seeking to bend God's direction and will to suit your own desires and agenda.  Claim the promise that God's will is "good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:2) and that obedience to Him is not burdensome (1 John 5:3).  Follow the example of Jesus and follow the Father's will completely. Abide in, trust, follow Him.   

Comment and discuss this post

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves!  Thank You Jesus. I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and I know my desires and sin often pull me away from You.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from and overcome such sin and turn 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.

But the LORD said to Moses, “Do not fear him, for I have given [Og, king of Bashan] into your hand, and all his people, and his land. And you shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.” So they defeated him and his sons and all his people, until he had no survivor left. And they possessed his land.

Numbers 21:21-35

But the LORD said to Moses, “Do not fear him, for I have given [Og, king of Bashan] into your hand, and all his people, and his land. And you shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.” So they defeated him and his sons and all his people, until he had no survivor left. And they possessed his land. Numbers 21:34-35

I continue my study of Numbers, and in the text today - Numbers 21:21-35 - God leads Israel into battle, as they defeat the armies of King Sihon and Og.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.

• What do we learn from the text about God?: God is faithful (going all the way back to Genesis 15:18-21).  He rescued Israel from bondage in Egypt and directed Israel from the wilderness to the Promised Land and used Joshua and Caleb (see Numbers 14:6-9) to give confidence to the people that they should not fear the existing inhabitants - God is with them.  The text is once again explicit sharing how God spoke to Moses (and Israel) and told them not to fear Sihon, Og, and their armies.  God is more powerful than any earthly power and if it is His will to destroy them - He will.  For believers, Ephesians 6:12 clarifies how we are not [only] fighting against "flesh and blood, but against but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."  We are directed to put on the "whole armor of God," which includes scripture, the Holy Spirit, etc.  Ultimately, we can take comfort knowing that He is saving a place for us in Heaven and the victory over sin and death is already won and our salvation is assured.          
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Since the Fall (Genesis 3), when sin entered the world, we experience violence, fear, sickness, death, etc.  We should not fear as Israel did in Numbers 14:10 when they sought to stone Joshua and Caleb for their confidence in the LORD.  We should bring our cares and concerns to the LORD (1 Peter 5:7).     
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Do not fear. Claim the promise that victory over sin and death is already won and salvation assured.  Follow the example of Joshua and Caleb who saw how God is with them and were confident.  Trust in God, and rest in how He is our strength and refuge.

Comment and discuss this post

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves, and You are my strength and refuge!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You love and save.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me 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.

And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk.

Mark 12:13-17

And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. Mark 12:13

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Mark 12:13-17.  Excerpts from the commentary's introduction and the first (of four) division (v13):

• The title of this chapter of the commentary covering this text is "Should Christians Obey the Government?" and the main idea for the entirety of the text (vv13-17) is "[f]ollowers of Jesus should obey the government and the Lord according to what each is due." 
• "This text appears in the midst of a series of controversies between Jesus and the religious leaders in Jerusalem. Mark 11:20–12:37 is one long day. There are five confrontations altogether: (1) The question of His authority by the Sanhedrin (11:27-33); (2) The question of paying taxes by the Pharisees and Herodians (12:13-17); (3) The question of the resurrection by the Sadducees (12:18-27); (4) The question of the greatest command by the scribes (12:28-34); (5) The question of whose Son is the Christ by Jesus Himself (12:35-37)."
• "Within the context of this dispute with those who will be the authors of His death, Jesus provides the answer. He also provides some practical and basic wisdom when we are confronted by those devoted to our destruction."  
• The title of the first division per the commentary is "The Trap: Be Careful When Approached 
   by Strange Bedfellows." 
• "The Pharisees were the conservatives, the right-wingers of that day. The Herodians were the liberals, the left-wingers, advocates of big government. The Pharisees hated Jesus because He was messing with their religious agenda. The Herodians opposed Him because He was threatening their political advantage. Amazingly, Jesus brought them together! They both wanted to destroy Him." 

Broadly, we are encouraged to be alert and to guard against those who seek to destroy us.  1 Peter 5:8 is instructive here as we must understand that Satan is real and until he is ultimately destroyed at the end of the age (Revelation), we will continue this daily battle.  In the context of the text today, we must be on guard against those who seek to persecute us based on who we are and what we proclaim as believers.  While in the USA it is less likely we will be persecuted than in other places (see Voice of the Martyrs) where believers often face life-threatening circumstances for their faith, here in the USA we will face scorn and perhaps less threatening persecution.  We should abide in Him and remain steadfast in our faith and pray that we can be bold in the face of such persecution - reacting as Peter did as he and John faced down a dangerous confrontation with the Jewish elders.  Peter shared in Acts 4:20 "we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard."

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God You are an amazing God that has already defeated sin and death and You saved me, saving a place in Heaven for me, and You continue to do a work in me.  Thank You Jesus! I am not deserving of my salvation, nor any of the blessings You pour out daily for me.  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.

And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields.

Mark 11:1-11

And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. Mark 11:7-8

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Mark 11:1-11.  Excerpts from the commentary's third (of five) division (vv7-8):

• The title of the third division per the commentary is "Worship the One Who Embodies Humility."   
• "Coming in this way our Lord now proclaims openly what He has forbidden until this moment: I am your King! Jesus with purpose and intentionality presents Himself as the Messiah, knowing that it will provoke the Jewish leaders resulting in His crucifixion. Nevertheless, His declaration also is bathed in gracious humility.  The paradoxical kingship of Jesus shines so bright at this moment! He is royalty and deity wrapped in a single person, yet He moves forward in His declaration to be King in lowliness, weakness, and service. He does not come in pomp, but in meekness and lowliness; He comes in humility and simplicity."  
• The commentary refers us to Sinclair Ferguson's commentary on Mark which contrasts what those familiar with Rome typically see among its leaders and their grandeur, pomp and circumstance, with that of Jesus.  Jesus came as King of Kings but not as the Jews expected - in humility and not as a conquering king.

John Piper offers powerful thoughts on the subject of humility, including how knowledge puffs us up (1 Corinthians 8:1), and how we can manage and defeat pride.  Piper warns us about pride: "[p]ride is an enemy of the soul that is so insidious it will stalk you down no matter how many outward strategies you devise to avoid it."  He then offers five "weapons of humility" that he has used to fight pride.  Of course chief among any battle plan is to daily abide in Him (John 15:1-11) and to put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-20).

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer:  Father God, You are an awesome God that has already defeated sin and death and You are with me always.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving that You saved me and that You never leave or forsake me.  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 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. 

Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

Mark 10:32-45

Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” Mark 10:39b-40

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Mark 10:32-45.  Excerpts from the commentary's second (of four) division (vv35-40):

• The title of the second division per the commentary is "Consider the Challenge to Being a Servant." 
• "Being a servant doesn’t come easily, especially for those who have been trained to lead and especially for those who dream of being served. Of course there is also the battle we must engage with the flesh. There is a voice in our head from our fallen sinful nature that can whisper persuasively, “The Lord takes care of those who take care of themselves.” Just enough truth to deceive us, and just enough heresy to derail us."  
• "James and John get one thing right but everything else wrong. They are correct that Jesus is headed for glory. But as for how the glory would come, they don’t have a clue. They still don’t get it. They need a discipleship lesson on a cup and a baptism."  
• "Jesus had promised the 12 apostles that they would sit on 12 thrones with Him in the kingdom (Matthew 19:28). That however, was not enough. They wanted the two most honored thrones!"   
• "Their request is for the best seats in the house, in the kingdom. Their request reveals: (1) their superficial understanding of what it means to follow Jesus, to be His disciple; (2) their inflated opinion of their own importance, something those who are called to lead are especially susceptible to; and (3) their wrongheadedness on how God measures greatness (cf. Mark 9:34-36). Being a servant goes against our human inclinations. It often is counter to our opinion of ourselves. We know who we are, what we have done, and what we deserve. Being a servant after the pattern of Jesus is a divine enablement, not a human inclination."  
• "Jesus is gentle but firm, gracious but direct in His response. He compares His approaching suffering and death to drinking a cup and experiencing a baptism. These are interesting and powerful metaphors. Drinking a cup with someone speaks of sharing in that person’s fate, experiencing his destiny. The cup was also a common picture of the wrath of God in judgment (Psalms 75:8; Isaiah 51:17-23; Jeremiah 25:15-17; Ezekiel 23:28-34). Similarly, Jesus’ passion and death were a baptism—His being overwhelmed, flooded, and immersed in the destiny planned for Him by His Father (cf. Genesis 6; Psalms 69:2,15). His cross was a divine appointment!"   
• "James would be the first of the apostles to be martyred (Acts 12:1-2). John would experience, alone, the great persecution of Domitian and be exiled to Patmos (Revelation 1). But to choose who sits on His right or left is a decision reserved for His Father."  
• "Sadly, James and John fail to see that the pathway to glory is always the pathway of suffering. Before the crown there is a cup of suffering. Before the blessings that flow there is a baptism that overwhelms and drowns."

There is a cost to following Jesus but we should share Paul's view on this from Philippians 3:8, where Paul says "[f]or his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ."  Believers have received the greatest gift of all time - salvation.  We received what we do not deserve and we do not receive what we deserve as the wages of sin are death (Romans 6:23).  God also pours out mercies that never cease - daily (Lamentations 3:22-23).  Of course there is more....  

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a gift - the greatest gift of all time.  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. 

And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”

Mark 9:14-29

And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.” Mark 9:28-29

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Mark 9:14-29.  Excerpts from the second (of three) division (vv28-29):

• For the third division, the title is: "We Never Advance Beyond Our Need for Prayer."
• The commentary provides the below table that contrasts the Transfiguration with the healing of the boy in the text and suggests how it might have been instructive for the disciples to see the two events through this lens.

 

•  "Introspection is a healthy spiritual discipline when it causes us to examine our weaknesses and confront our limitations. Presumptuous self-sufficiency may be viewed as a great strength by the world, but it is deadly to our spiritual lives." 
• "The disciples failed big time. It was public, brought ridicule, cast doubt on their Master and mission, and filled them with self-doubt. So when Jesus initiated reflection and debriefing, they asked, “Why couldn’t we drive the demon out?” Their question betrays a sense of confidence in their own strengths and abilities....Failure led them to question themselves.  This is a good thing."  
• "He is not saying some demon exorcisms require prayer but others do not. He is saying that whenever we take to the spiritual battlefield, if we go in our own strength, pride, and self-sufficiency, we have lost the battle before it begins. Faith bridges the gap between divine omnipotence and human weakness, and that faith is experienced and exercised through prayer. Could this be why prayer is one of the most difficult of the spiritual disciplines?"  
• "Tim Keller observes that the prayer of the father is characterized by honesty, helplessness, hopefulness, specificity, and passion (“Mark,” 112). These character traits of believing prayer can be summed up in one word: humility. It all depends on Jesus."  
• The commentary wraps but pointing us to John 20:29 and Ephesians 6:16. 

For me prayer is definitely a weaker spiritual discipline.  For a long time, well beyond when I was saved, perhaps until 10 years ago, scripture reading was also a weaker discipline and I prayed for a stronger desire for Him and of course God gave it to me.  And I can say without a doubt that 2 Corinthians 1:20 rings true as does all scripture!  God not only gave me a desire for Him He satisfied me above all others - Matthew 5:6.  I pray this morning - similar to the father of demonic spirit filled boy healed by Jesus - that God helps me with my prayer - help me Father! 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are SO good - You save and You provide.  You are SO faithful and You hear and answer all prayers.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You bless.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus.  Help me turn from and overcome such sin and turn 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. 

 

But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

Mark 6:45-56

But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” Mark 6:50b

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Mark 6:45-56.  Excerpts from the commentary for the introduction to the entirety of the text and for the first (of two) division (vv45-52):

• The main idea for the entirety of the text is "Jesus’ miraculous acts of walking on water and healing point to His true identity as the great 'I AM.'"  
• The title for the first division is "Jesus Is the One in Whom We Should Have Faith."  
• "Jesus has just fed 15 or 20 thousand people (Mark 6:30-44). Messianic excitement is at a fever pitch. The crowds want to make Him king now (John 6:14-15). However, it is neither the time nor the means whereby He would receive His kingdom. A throne awaits Him, but there is a cross on the way." 
• In vv45-52 we see Jesus command the disciples to get into the boat and they then find themselves in rough seas.  The commentary shares: "Jesus may indeed send us into trouble and difficulty but with a redemptive purpose. There our understanding of His providence and power is increased. There our faith and dependence on Him and Him alone grow. His plans are not always easy or what we want, but they are always best. Believe! Don’t doubt." 
• RE: v46 where Jesus prays: "[p]rayer for Jesus was intense. It was war. John Piper well says, “Until you believe that life is war, you cannot know what prayer is for” (“Prayer”). Jesus knew this better than any of us. He sought His Father in the heat of the battle raging about Him. No doubt He prayed for Himself. No doubt He prayed for the crowd for whom He had compassion. And I suspect He prayed for His disciples who were in need of His prayers and His power." 
• Vv48-51 is unpacked by referring us to Exodus 33:18, 20-23 and 1 Kings 19:11 where God reveals His glory to Moses and Elijah. Jesus' response to the disciples fear is the same as what God spoke to Moses in Exodus 3:14 about who He is. 
• V52 shares that the disciples still did not see and understand. Yet the disciples still do not "receive [a] rebuke from their Master, the compassionate Shepherd (Mark 6:34). He knows they still have much to learn and endure. He will not give up on them. Praise God, He did not give up on us in our ignorance and hard-heartedness either!"

Indeed, there are many times throughout our lives when we question who God is, that He exists or that He is at work or working for us - all of which should be without question.  The great news is just as Jesus did not give up on the disciples during their times of doubt, He does not give up on us either - we just need to press on, bringing our cares and concerns to Him.  He hears and responds to our cries. I am drawn to the story of Hannah in 1 Samuel 1:1-20 where even in her struggles she found the power to pray. 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God the never stops working for me, and You hear my cries and respond to all of them.  You are SO good.  You also save!  Thank You Jesus for saving me and for Your great patience even as I struggle and doubt.  I am not deserving of how You are so full of grace.  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.

And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching.

Mark 6:1-5

And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching. Mark 6:5-6

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Mark 6:1-5, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary - which offers three divisions for this text. Excerpts from the commentary's third (of three) division (vv5-6): 

• The commentary's title for the second division is "When You Consider Jesus, Are You Guilty of Unbelief?"
• Noting that Jesus could have performed more miracles in His hometown, the commentary shares how these works reinforce faith of those who are healed, yet "[m]orally and spiritually He was constrained not to reveal His power in such an environment of rejection and unbelief."  We are referred to Hebrews 11:6 where the text shares how God works for those who belief and have faith in Him.     
• "Only twice in the Bible is Jesus said to be amazed. In Luke 7:9 He saw the faith of a Roman centurion who believed He could heal from a distance with just a word. And in Mark 6:6 He was amazed by the unbelief of those of His own hometown."  Those in Jesus' hometown seemed shocked that a man from their town, of such humble beginnings, could do what Jesus was doing - they should have known from scripture (Isaiah 55:8) how God's ways and thoughts are not our own.  Unfortunately, scripture describes how Israel as a nation failed to see Jesus was the One promised from Old Testament prophecies.    
• We are challenged to see and accept Jesus for who He really is and by the Gospel and what it offers. "Are we “scandalized” by the simplicity of His gospel? Are we offended by the unfairness of its message that says a child molester or even a serial rapist and murderer on death row can be made right with God by childlike faith in Jesus Christ? Or do we allow the biblical evidence to slay our biases and reshape our preconceived notions of who Jesus must be for us to accept Him and trust Him? Or again, have we become so familiar with Him, having been raised in church all our lives, that His words no longer convict, His miracles no longer astonish, and His death on the cross no longer strikes the chord of “Amazing Grace”?"

We should be wise to how there is a battle for our souls and Satan seeks to drag as many as possible into the lake of fire or eternal condemnation.  Consequently, we should not be lulled into comfort with the world but instead "be sober-minded and watchful" (1 Peter 5:8) for how Satan works. Believers should daily remind ourselves of how Jesus reached into the pit and saved us - loving and saving us while we were still an enemy and hostile to Him (Romans 5:8-10), how we are undeserving of such salvation, and how His mercies never come to an end are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).  God does amazing things every moment of every day and we should be "watchful" of how He works.  

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Heavenly Father, You are an awesome God who loves me, saved me, and whose mercies never cease and are new every morning.  You never cease to amaze.  I am not deserving of how You love and save.  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 he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.

Mark 5:1-20

So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea. Mark  5:13

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Mark 5:1-20, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary - which offers three divisions for this text. Excerpts from the commentary's second (of three) division (vv6-13): 

• The commentary's title for this division is "Jesus Conquers the Destructive."
• Emphasizing vv6-7, the commentary describes how the demonic man threw himself at Jesus's feet, "not [as] an act of worship, but an acknowledgement of authority."  
• "[The demons] knowledge of Jesus’ identity is superior to the disciples’ knowledge, at least at this point in their journey. The demon’s confession in 5:7 answers the disciples’ question in 4:41. The demoniac knows who Jesus is, and he knows his existence is at stake. His time has run out."
• "[The demonic man's] only hope was in a Liberator whose power and authority were greater than what now possessed him. That Liberator was Jesus Christ, the Son of God."
•  "In a microcosm of the battle between good and evil, Jesus gives a preview of the fate of Satan and his demons. The demons, through the voice of the man, keep begging Jesus not to send them out of the region. The tormentor is now the tormented as he contemplates his destiny." See also Luke 8:31 for more details on this account.  They begged and bargained with Jesus - see v12.
• As the man was cutting himself with stones, the commentary insists that Satan was so tormenting this man that he was driving the man to suicide. The commentary points to William Lane who shares that "[f]irst, Jesus recognized the time of the ultimate vanquishment of the demons had not yet come; his encounter and triumph over the demonic does not yet put an end to Satan’s power. It is the pledge and the symbol of that definitive triumph, but the time when that triumph will be fully realized is yet deferred. It must await the appointment of God. Therefore, Jesus allows the demons to continue their destructive work, but not upon a man. The second element is related to this: Jesus allowed the demons to enter the swine to indicate beyond question that their real purpose was the total destruction of their host."
• "The event demonstrates that God cares more for man, whom He created in His image and recreates in salvation, than He does for animals that do not bear His image."  

Jesus has total dominion and authority over everything in the universe, including Satan and evil.  Believers know and can take great comfort in knowing that Jesus has already defeated death and victory over Satan is assured - see also Revelation 20.  We also know that Jesus seeks to save as many as He can and tell us to "have mercy on those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them out of the fire" (Jude 22-23). The demon-possessed man was desperate for help but not beyond salvation.  If you feel beyond help, be encouraged!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves!  Thank You for the comfort in knowing that victory over sin and death is already won and assured.  I am not deserving the salvation You give me.  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. 

The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.

 Mark 1:12-13

The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him. Mark 1:12-13

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  This morning, I focus on a commentary-assisted review of Mark 1:12-13 - the second division of Mark 1:9-13 per my commentary. The commentary shares how this text describes Satan's temptation of Christ (see also Matthew 4:1-11, Luke 4:1-13) was a "declaration of war."  Excerpts from the commentary:

•  "Jesus’ temptation was no accidental encounter, no chance meeting. It was a divine appointment scheduled by the Father and implemented by the Spirit."
• "Thankfully, Jesus yields to the Spirit and embraces this test. The Servant King has a job to do, and the Spirit immediately compels Him. Rather than shrinking back, as Israel was so prone to do, our King, our Commander in Chief, the true Israel goes out to fight in the trenches with us and for us. In so doing He turns back the enemy and provides hope and a pattern for us to do the same."
• "This was the deep wilderness. This was no vacation spot. The conditions were grueling, and Jesus was undoubtedly tired and weak. To grumble, complain, or give in would have been easy."
• Jesus' response in the wilderness contrasts with that of Israel who constantly grumbled and complained.  This wilderness is also similar to that of Moses' 40 days on Mt Sinai and Elijah's 40 days on Mt Horeb - see Exodus 34:28, 1 Kings 19:8. 
• Believers should be encouraged as Christ knows the battles we are fighting and we can take comfort in knowing that Satan does not win this battle nor the war which ends in Revelation.   

Just as the angels were ministering to Jesus in the wilderness, so too does Jesus aid us in our time of temptation and need - when we may feel tempted to grumble, complain (about God no less!), and lose faith.  See Ephesians 6:10-18 for how we are provided with the whole armor of God.  Know and love God by reading and studying scripture - all of it - and experience how the whole armor of God protects us against Satan's schemes.  

Comment and discuss this post. 

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God that provides us with the whole armor of God to protect us from Satan's schemes.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You save and how You protect.  My sin is still 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. 

Fear not[.]

Luke 12:5 

Fear not[.] Luke 12:5a

I continue my study of The Character of Jesus.  For this morning, I focus on chapter 22: The Courage of Jesus where I highlighted in my Kindle version the following excerpts:

• "Jesus of Nazareth we find bravery at its best, courage at its loftiest, heroism at its climax."
• "There are different kinds of courage. There is a courage which we may call physical. It runs in the blood, it is a kind of instinct. This sort of courage is not peculiar to man, it is possessed also by the brutes. The bulldog has it and so also has the weasel. It is possessed by man in all the stages of his development. It is an indifference to danger, a contempt for suffering and for death. But the courage of Jesus was not this. His was a higher and nobler possession. His was the courage of the mind, the heroism of the heart. It was a sober and reasoned thing. He deliberately counted the cost and paid it. Nor was his courage military. Military courage is the most common of all forms of courage in the world, and one of the earliest developed. Military courage is the courage which the soldier has in the time of battle. The courage of our Lord was not military, it was the courage which manifested itself in isolation. There was nobody to march with him. He marched alone. Palestine was filled with evils, he alone was brave enough to strike them. Injustice lifted its hideous head, and he alone resisted it. Hypocrisy made a mockery of religion, and he alone stabbed it. He trod the wine press alone. Even the men whom he succeeded in attracting to him left him and fled at the final hour. But even then he did not wince or falter, saying, 'I am alone and yet not alone, for the Father is with me.'"
• "[Jesus' revealed His courage] on that day on which for the first time he announced his mission to the men and women who had known him from boyhood. It was necessary for him to say things which would offend, and he said them. He was to preach the truth, but he could not preach the truth without cutting across the grain of the prejudices of these people. He went calmly onward, however, and preached the truth."
• "To estrange the hearts of those who have known and esteemed us for many years, to cut one's self off from the respect and sympathy and love of those in whose friendship we have found solace and delight — that is hard indeed. And that is what Jesus did on that awful day in Nazareth. By the simple speaking of the truth he alienated from him the minds and hearts of the people in whose midst he had grown to manhood and whose high regard had been one of the most valuable of all his earthly treasures."
• "He was a courageous man that day, and equally courageous was he in the streets of Capernaum when he talked to that crowd of five thousand men whom he had fed a little while before in the desert beyond the Sea of Galilee. He came into the world to bear witness to the truth, but men were not willing to receive it."
• "It is not an easy thing to offend society and to offend it in such a way as to lose caste and standing. The people in Jesus' day were great sticklers for forms of fasting. Jesus minimized the value of them. They were exceedingly scrupulous in regard to sabbatical laws. Jesus could not keep them, he did not believe in keeping them. They were punctilious in regard to the number of times they washed their hands before they sat down to eat. Jesus had no time for such elaborate foolery. The best people of his day divided things into clean and unclean, people into clean and unclean — Jesus could pay no attention to these distinctions. All men were his brethren, and so he associated with people who had lost caste. By so doing he lost his own reputation. Has any one courage enough here to do that? He went contrary to the established usages of the best society of his day; he trampled on conventionalities which were counted sacred as the law of the Eternal. And the result was he was suspected, shunned, and abhorred. But he did even more than this: he surrendered the good opinion which many of the people had formed of him."
• "But he did a braver thing even than this: he gave up the good opinion of the best people of his day. He was reverent, religious, sensitive, but there were certain things it was necessary for him to say because they were true things, and he said them. By saying them he exposed himself to the charge of being a blasphemer, but he said them. He was willing to do his duty even though by the doing of it he won for himself the ignominy of being counted a blasphemer, a lunatic, and a traitor. Only the very loftiest heroism can meet such a test as that. But we have not yet reached the climax. If it is difficult for a man to withstand his enemies, much more difficult is it for him to withstand his friends. There are many men who can resist the people who are opposed to them who cannot withstand the opinions and wishes of their friends. Many of us can pour denunciation on the men who hate us, but we succumb at once to the gracious words of those who wish us well. Peter was Jesus' dearest friend; but when Peter on a certain occasion says to him, " Far be it from thee, Lord, this shall never happen unto thee," quick as a flash the reply comes, "Get thee behind me, Satan." James and John present what seems to them a most reasonable request — Jesus says, "I cannot grant this." Judas was one of the most trusted of the apostolic company — so trusted that he was made the treasurer of the band; but Jesus by the simple telling of the truth and the living of a perfect life estranged the affections of this man until at last he became his betrayer."
• "The story of Jesus' life is the most heroic record ever written, and any man who wishes to increase the bravery of his heart must read this book day and night. See him as he sets his face steadfastly to go to Jerusalem, where he knows they are going to scourge him and spit upon him and kill him. His friends endeavor to dissuade him, they strive to hold him back. He keeps steadily on, knowing that at Jerusalem he will give his life a ransom for many."
• "Only cowards surrender, only cowards get tired and sick. Jesus steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem and never turned back until he reached the cross. See him as he goes onward, trampling on all the precious things of earth, putting under his feet the ambitions by which the hearts of other men are fired, trampling into the dust the prizes and the joys of life. Make out a list of the things which you count most valuable and worth while, and you will see that Jesus placed every one of them beneath his feet."
• "When the soldiers buffeted him and cuffed him, cursed him and spat upon him, he never said a word. He was so courageous that he dared to be silent. As a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth. When he comes at last to stand before Pontius Pilate, he stands so erect that Pilate is afraid of him, and the heart of the Roman prosecutor flutters when Jesus says to him, " For this cause was I born, unto this end came I into the world, to bear witness to the truth." And when at last they nail him to the cross the only thing he will say is, 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.'"

Believers are called to proclaim the Gospel in their every day life and to all corners of the earth - just as Jesus came to bear witness to the truth - both in words and in actions. We are also told that we will face tribulation - see John 16:33 and James 1:2-3. Both of these verses exhort us to press on - John 16:33 shares that just as Jesus overcame the world, we too will overcome the world and what challenges it throws at us; James 1 shares how trials and testing "produces steadfastness."  This may seem difficult but we can take heart by understanding how God equips us to do so.  Jesus tells us that He will never leave or forsake us (Matthew 28:20 and Deuteronomy 31:8) and that He provides the Holy Spirit who lives in our hearts so that we can feel His presence.  God equips us also through the sanctification process where we are transformed by the renewing of our minds - as our thoughts become more like His (Romans 12:2).  Jesus is courage and it is through His courage that we also can be courageous.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God and You are the portrait of courage.  Through Your courage, I have salvation and the all the rich blessings of being part of Your kingdom - eternally.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how Your courage saved me.  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.  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.         

The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.

Exodus 14:14

The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still. Exodus 14:14

I continue my study of The Character of Jesus.  For this morning, I focus on chapter 15: The Firmness of Jesus where I highlighted in my Kindle version the following excerpts:

• "The majority of mortals are not strong enough to be themselves: they become echoes of their neighbors and walk in paths marked out by others. There is a spirit of the age which leaves its impress on every mind. Even the mightiest men cannot free themselves entirely from it."
• "But when we come to Jesus of Nazareth we are in the presence of a man whom nobody swerved or dominated, who is so free from the bias of his race and so clean of the spirit of his age that he seems to belong to all races and all ages. He is not the Son of David but the Son of Man, just genuinely, supremely human. He is not a citizen of the first century only, but the contemporary of each succeeding generation. Immersed in an ocean of mighty forces which beat upon him furiously through every hour of his career, he resisted them all successfully by the indomitable energy of a victorious will, living a life unique in its beauty and achieving a work unmarred by the limitations either of time or place. That he was not insensible to the dominant forces of his time, he himself has told us in the story of the temptation." See Matthew 4:1-11.
• "Who is a man that he should set himself against the expressed wish of a nation? Is it not through the people that God makes his wishes known, and what is it but egotism or insanity which would lead an individual to set his judgment against the judgment of the people ? This is the argument whose sharp edge many a leader has felt, and Jesus of Nazareth felt it too. Wherever he went he heard the people clamoring for a king, a king who should rise to supremacy over the wrecked empire of Caesar.  The nation was ripe for revolution. A word from him would, like a spark, have kindled a mighty conflagration. Expectations had been built up by men anointed by Jehovah, and these expectations were glowing hot, and how could Jesus hope to win the attention of his people or control the current of their life unless he fell in with their ideals and attempted to carry out the program on which their hearts were set? It was a great temptation, so terrific that he told his apostles all about it.  He assured them that in this temptation he had been wrestling with the very prince of infernal powers, but that notwithstanding repeated assaults he had come out of the conflict victorious. In choosing the road which led to supremacy by way of Gethsemane and Golgotha, he renounced the ideals of his countrymen and disappointed their dearest expectations, but so firm was he that the hosts of hell speaking through God's chosen people could not move him from his place. The nation hurled itself with frantic force against him, but he did not budge. He was the Rock of Ages. When we study his life with attentive eyes we see it was one long resistance to the forces of his age."
• "There were many reasons why Jesus should have conformed to the ideas and customs of the church, but he firmly resisted all the voices which urged him toward conformity, standing out alone in defiance of what the best men were doing and saying, notwithstanding his nonconformity seemed to the majority impiety and to many blasphemy. For a godly man to be classed among blasphemers is one of the bitterest experiences which the heart can know. But Jesus paid the price and continued firm."
• "Jesus could not be manipulated. He refused to be used. One party after another tried to work him into its scheme, but he was incorrigibly intractable and went on his way independent, unshackled, free. All the seductions offered by the men who sat on thrones could not swerve him from his course, and although his steadfastness made him enemies and finally nailed him to the cross, he was everywhere and always a man who could not be moved." 
• "Jesus could not be manipulated even by his friends. He had many friends in Nazareth, but he never gave up his principles to please them. They had their prejudices and superstitions, but he never surrendered to them."
• "The most tender and gracious and obliging of men is compelled to resist not only the prayers of his countrymen but the wishes of his family and friends. He stands like a rock in the midst of a troubled sea, and all its billows dash themselves against his feet in vain. There was something inflexible in his will, something granitic in his soul. When he found a man whom he thought worthy to be the first member of his church he called him "rock.  Are we to infer from this that it is the rock-like quality which is indispensable in the building of an institution which shall endure? It is certain that Jesus loved stability in others, and what he loved in others he had super-abundantly in himself. Firm himself, he loved men who could not be moved."
• "Salvation could not be offered to any one who did not endure to the end. It is in this tenacity of will that we find an indispensable element of Christian character. Men are to resist exterior forces and form their life from within. They are not to be swayed by current opinion, but by the spirit of the Eternal in their heart. They are not to listen to the voices of time, but to live and work for eternity. We like this steadfastness in human character, and we also crave it in God. Men have always loved to think of Him as the unchanging and the unchangeable, the one "with whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning." And what we desire in God we find in Jesus of Nazareth."
• "From age to age he is about his Father's business, and in the midst of all nations and kindreds and tongues he goes about doing good." 

While the commentary provides ample evidence of Jesus’ firmness in scripture, the Holy Spirit guides me to additional examples in scripture of how we as believers must also be firm.  An unwavering faith – resisting temptations to either lack trust in God to provide and protect, or to act outside of God’s commands in the face of worldly temptations and persecution –  demonstrates firmness consistent with Jesus’ own character and what He commands and expects from us.  Two examples where firmness was not displayed - even among biblical heroes - was when Peter denied knowing Jesus upon Jesus' arrest (see Mark 14:66-72), and Abraham lying that Sarah was his sister (see Genesis 20:1-2).  Believers know that temptations will arise and that the only way to battle these temptations is with the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-20).  Exodus 14:14 tells us to be "still" or "silent" and to trust in God vs falling prey to temptations where we seek to take things into our own hands (acting outside God's counsel). Philippians 1:27 and Romans 12:2 urge us to stand firm in our faith and not to conform to the patterns of this world - instead we are to be transformed by the renewal of our mind so that we know God's will for us. 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and is always there with Your Word, the Holy Spirit, brothers and sisters in Christ and more to help us to be firm and from falling prey to the patterns of this world.  Thank You Jesus for the full armor of God.  I am not deserving of how richly You save and bless!  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me 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.