... “[L]et them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.”

Jonah 3 

... “[L]et them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.” Jonah 3:8-9

I continue my study in Jonah to supplement my church's current sermon series in this book, and today I review Jonah 3 again as I prepare to lead Sunday school this morning on this text. Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.  

• What do we learn from the text about God?: God created humanity in His image, to bear His image and to live in fellowship with Him.  Yet, during the Fall (Genesis 3) sin entered the world and each one has sin - no one can deny it - and we are all in need of a Savior (Ecclesiastes 7:20, Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:8, Romans 6:23). God calls the church to go into the world to preach the Good News of Jesus for people to repent and believe in Him - God's call to Jonah reflected this mission. Key to the Good News is that other than acknowledging your sin, repenting from it, and believing in Him, there is nothing You need to do - God alone saves and then He works in Your heart and life to transform You into more of His image through sanctification.  God displays incredible mercy and these mercies never cease and are new every morning - Lamentations 3:22-23.
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Just as with all other believers, there is nothing Jonah did to be worthy of a second chance to be saved - it is God's grace alone that saves.  People often don't see a need for God - hardness of heart, arrogance, etc - or don't know Him enough to love and follow Him no matter what.  In the text today, God reaches the king of Nineveh (v6), and the king then (vv6-9) repented and urged all of Nineveh to repent and call out to God for mercy - this is a true repentant heart.    
• 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 claiming you have no sin!  Claim the promise that no matter who are or what you have done, God's grace is available to anyone who confesses sin and surrenders to Christ as his Lord and Savior.  Follow the example of the king of Nineveh who confessed and believed - and was saved.     

Comment and discuss this post

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God whose mercies never cease and are new every morning - what incredible grace You offer.  Thank You for my salvation and for the blessings You pour out every day for me.  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.

I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth.

 Numbers 24:14-25

I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth. Numbers 24:17

I continue my study of Numbers, and in the text today - Numbers 24:14-25 - we see Balaam's final prophecy, one of curses of Israel's neighbors and adversaries, and one of the coming Messiah.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.

• What do we learn from the text about God?: God opens eyes, allows ears to hear and gives knowledge - He alone is the one who softens hearts, inclines ears, and opens eyes to understand God's Word and His will - vv15-16.  Just as God worked through Pharaoh in Egypt, God alone hardens and softens hearts as He works through Balaam the pagan prophet.  God's Word in vv17-24 will be fulfilled as Israel destroys and/or subdues its neighbors and adversaries.  Once again, we must recognize how God is sovereign over all of Creation.  Balaam's prophecy includes a coming Messiah in v17 - star and a scepter.    
• What do we learn from the text about people?: We must see how God works through all of creation, including through pagan prophets such as Balaam, to deliver His message and work His will.  God often works unexpectedly to get our attention, so we should be careful to perceive how He is in all things at all times.  He is in control. Both Balaam and Balak accept God's word. 
• 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 contradicting God's explicit will - His plan will not be thwarted.  Claim the promise of how God alone softens and hardens hearts - He is in control and sovereign over all Creation.  Follow the example of Joshua and Caleb who saw God is on their side - seek Him and allow Him to be your strength and refuge to overcome Satan, sin and death.  Trust God and seek Him. 

Comment and discuss this post

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves.  You alone saved me - nothing I did earned me grace.  Thank You Jesus!  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.

Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.

 John 12:37-43

Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God. John 12:42-43

I continue my study of John and today I focus on John 12:37-43, where Jesus has just spoken and performed many signs, the people still don't believe.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method. 

• What do we learn from the text about God?: Here we see that Jesus moves on by hiding from the crowd (v36) to whom He has spoken as they still did not believe (v37).  Their unbelief fulfills prophecy from Isaiah 53:1 and 6:10 - reinforcing how God alone saves, He chooses whose heart is hardened and whose is softened such that they believe, and how all of scripture points to Jesus.  God revealed Himself to Isaiah and in turn shared God's message to Israel (one of both judgement and hope) - v41.  Pharaoh's heart from Exodus was also hardened by God to fulfill the words God spoke.
• What do we learn from the text about people?:  Hardened hearts manifest not just in disbelief, but also in a failure to trust the Lord to protect and save.  V42 shares how some of the authorities believed in Jesus but only partially gave their hearts to the Lord and held back some of their heart as they feared persecution from the Pharisees (v43).      
• 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 partial faith such as the authorities in the text today and the rich young ruler who loved His wealth more than Jesus.  Follow the example of how Jesus laid down His life for the Father....and for all who believe. Claim the promise that the victory over sin and death is already won - particularly on this day (Easter) - so we can trust in Jesus as He gives us the same power that raised Him (Romans 8:11).  Trust Jesus and fully surrender to God and give Him all of Your heart and life.  Treasure Jesus as Your Lord and Savior.  Love God as the most important commandment. 

Comment and discuss this post

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves!  Thank You Jesus for saving me and giving me the same power that raised You from the grave.  I am not deserving of such blessings.  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.

So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh and said to him, "Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, 'How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me?["]

 Exodus 7:8-11:10

So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh and said to him, "Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, 'How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me?["] Exodus 10:3

I pause my study of John and focus on preparation for leading small group time as we unpack Exodus 7:8-11:10 as Moses and Aaron are sent by God to confront Pharaoh to deliver the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method. 

• What do we learn from the text about God?: The Lord worked through Moses and Aaron, doing what He said He would do - giving them the words to say and working miracles through them.  The Lord also shared in advance (7:3-4) that despite God's miracles, Pharaoh's heart would remain hardened - God is faithful. God also works through Pharaoh's magicians (7:22, 8:7) to produce the same miracles - God has providence over false gods and evil influences - including Satan. God responds to prayers (8:30, 9:27-33).  
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Moses and Aaron did as God directed them - obedience.  Miracles are not enough for some to believe in God and to put their faith in Him - their own desires and needs are put above those of God.  This is so even after plague 3 (gnats) where even Pharaoh's magicians share that "this is the finger of God" (8:19). Even after allowing the Israelites to go into the wilderness (not far) to sacrifice to God (as he recognizes some role of God in these miracles at this point) and the flies (fourth plague) are removed after Moses prayer, Pharaoh's heart is still hardened.  This pattern repeats through the first nine plagues.  Hardness of heart grows progressively worse for those who resist Him.  Often it takes a significant humbling experience to bring someone to their knees to acknowledge and believe in God.      
• 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 hardness of heart and take the time to know God through study of His Word and prayer.  Claim the promise that God reigns over all - including Satan -  and still cares and loves each one of us individually and seeks to save us.  Follow the example of Moses and Aaron and their obedience and service to God.  Humble yourself before the Lord (10:3). 

Comment and discuss this post

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God that loves and saves!  Thank You for softening my heart and saving me.  I am not deserving of such blessings.  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.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

John 3:1-21

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. John 3:17-18

I continue my study of John.  After reviewing John 3:1-21 using the Sword Bible Study Method over the past two days, today I recap my observations with a main point for the text and an outline.

Main point: Confess, repent, and believe to be saved, and to become a new creation, and a light to others.  

1. Faith requires regeneration – to be born again as a new creation, as one is no longer slave to sin but slave to God – vv3,5
2. To be born again is an act of God alone – who loves and chooses us while we are still sinners, enemies of and hostile to Him (acting out of flesh desires vs those of the Spirit) – vv6-8
3. An intellectual understanding of the gospel and belief in signs/miracles is insufficient for faith; faith requires both an accurate understanding of Jesus (Father Son, and Holy Spirit), confession of sins and repentance upon an acceptance of Him as Lord and Savior – vv11-14
4. Faith and belief in Him saves and gives eternal life – vv15-16
5. God sent Jesus into the world not to judge and condemn but to save – the gospel is a message of hope not judgement or condemnation; condemnation is not an act of God but act that results from one’s own lack of faith – vv17-18
6. Unbelievers are slave to sin and to the fear and shame of having their sin known and exposed for others to see; an unwillingness to confess sin, repent, and believe in Him results in condemnation – vv19-20
7. In contrast, believers seek to repent and allow God to work in and through them so that God’s work can be known and seen by others as believers’ lives are transformed through regeneration and sanctification – v21 

Comment and discuss this post

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

Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

John 3:1-21

Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? John 3:11-12

I continue my study of John, and today, I start to unpack John 3:1-21 using the Sword Bible Study Method, looking at vv1-15, and tomorrow I will look at vv16-21.   

• What do we learn from the passage about God?: As Nicodemus questions Him, Jesus prefaces His response with "truly, truly" (3x - vv3,5,11).  He does this to emphasize that what He is saying is absolutely true because He is the King of Kings and source of God's Word (see John 1:1).  Jesus then focuses on the important doctrine of regeneration - that believers must be born again to have faith.  See also Ezekiel 36:26 where God alone gives His people a new heart, replacing the heart of stone with a heart of flesh.  There should be no mystery about how one comes to faith - although it works like the wind (v8) in the sense that the timing or circumstances are not known, faith comes from God alone via the Spirit living in our hearts (Ephesians 2:8).  God wants us to have faith - even when we cannot see or comprehend everything.  It is true that many aspects of faith are hard to understand (more accurately not fully understood on this side of Heaven) but there are aspects of faith that should be absolutely clear from both the OT and NT - we all sin, need a Savior, and Jesus is that Savior (see also Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:8, Romans 3:10, Psalms 14:2-3, 53:2-3).           
• What do we learn from the passage about people?: People want answers for everything yet people will find it futile because we cannot understand all there is to understand - see Ecclesiastes 1:1-10. Israel (and any other non believer) did not believe even with both earthly and heavenly signs - see also Romans 1:20. 
• Is there anything from the passage God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid,Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Avoid leaning on own understanding (Proverbs 3:5); but instead acknowledge, trust and follow God; belief in Jesus will give new/transformed life and eternal life; we should follow Nicodemus' example and earnestly seek Him and Truth because God promises that if seek Him with all of our heart we will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13).    

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 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.

Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.

John 2:23-25

Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man. John 2:23-25

I continue my study of John, and today, I unpack John 2:23-25 using the Sword Bible Study Method, and tomorrow I will take another pass at the text and summarize my thoughts from both today and tomorrow by providing an outline/divisions and main point for the text.  

• What do we learn from the passage about God?: Jesus is in Jerusalem during the Passover Feast and performing signs.  He did not entrust Himself to those believing in His name because He did not need them.  Jesus, while fully man, is also fully God, so He does not need anything from anyone - including anyone to bear witness to Him.  He is omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, and in control of all matters in the universe (see also Colossians 1:15-20).  Jesus knows what is in people's hearts and He alone reveals Himself to people.   
• What do we learn from the passage about people?: The text implies that the people believing in His name were more interested in the signs He was performing than they were about who Jesus really is - the Promised Messiah and the Son of God.  Note the contrast here to chapter one where  Andrew, Peter, Philip and Nathanael's respond to Jesus based on a more true understanding of Jesus' identity.  
• Is there anything from the passage God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid,Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Know God and believe in His name based on who He actually is.  Understand that God alone hardens and softens hearts, we should share the gospel with others, and pray to Him to soften the hearts of those to whom we do share.  We should support and disciple those who do believe in Jesus based on a right understanding of Him.   

Comment and discuss this post

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves!  I am not deserving of my salvation nor my faith as I know that is from You alone not of anything I have done.  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.

His disciples remembered that it was written,“Zeal for your house will consume me.”

John 2:13-22

His disciples remembered that it was written,“Zeal for your house will consume me.” John 2:17

I continue my study of John, and today, I unpack John 2:13-22 using the Sword Bible Study Method, and tomorrow I will take another pass at the text and summarize my thoughts from both today and tomorrow by providing an outline/divisions and main point for the text.  

• What do we learn from the passage about God?: It's not that Jesus despises trade or people making money, instead Jesus does not like it when people exploit a prominent Jewish holiday to serve their own interests.  We must remember that we exist to glorify God - not the other way around.  Passover served as a time of remembrance for what God did during the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt.  The text shares that the disciples remembered Psalm 69:9 where David writes how he was consumed with "zeal for [God's] house."  This zeal is what God seeks from us - we should be consumed for zeal and love for God.  God chooses those to whom He reveals Himself.  He reveals Himself to His disciples but not the Jewish leadership (with exception to Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea).  God alone hardens and softens hearts. 
• What do we learn from the passage about people?: The disciples understood what Jesus was doing with His righteous anger over what was happening in the temple courtyard - v17; the Jewish leadership should not have allowed such activities in the temple but they did and unlike the disciples they were not consumed with "zeal for [God's] house."  Instead they were consumed with zeal for their own interests - status, power, etc.  Both the the Jewish leadership and the disciples (at the time) did not understand what Jesus was referring to when Jesus said that the temple will be destroyed and rebuilt in 3 days - v19; the disciples ultimately understood what Jesus was referring to - v21 - after Jesus crucifixion and resurrection, and this furthered their understanding and conviction in God's Word as Truth and as God (John 1:1, 2 Timothy 3:16).  
• Is there anything from the passage God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid,Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): We should not seek our own glory above God's.  We should claim God's Word as Truth, that "no word from God will ever fail (Luke 1:37 NIV)," and that scripture is perfect and God breathed.  We should follow David and Jesus' examples to be consumed with zeal for both God and His house.  We should bring glory to God in all that we do (1 Corinthians 10:31).     

Comment and discuss this post

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who saves!  I am not deserving of how You choose who to save and who not to save - that You chose me.  Thank You Jesus!  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.

“Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”

Mark 10:17-31

“Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” Mark 10:26b-27

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 10:17-31.  Excerpts from the commentary's second (of three) division (vv23-27):

• The title for the second division per the commentary is: "It Is Harder Than You Think."  
• "The rich young ruler had come to the right person: Jesus. He had asked the right question: How do I inherit eternal life? He had received the right answer: Honor God and follow Jesus in complete trust like a little child. Sadly he did not respond correctly, and he walked away from the only true source of eternal life. “When Jesus called this young man to give up his money, the man started to grieve, because money was for him what the Father was for Jesus. It was the center of his identity. To lose his money would have been to lose himself” (Keller, King’s Cross, 132)."  
• "Jesus was not condemning wealth and commending poverty. This is not a call for asceticism. The point is, wealth breeds confidence in one’s self, and it has an addictive quality. Scripture addresses its dangerous attraction (see Matthew 6:19-21,24; Luke 12:13-21; 16:19-30; 1 Timothy 6:17). It becomes life’s priority and the things of God go by the wayside."  
• Jesus shares that "it takes only one thing like wealth to keep you out of God’s kingdom. [The disciples] did not see that coming. Jesus turns the value system of the world on its head."  
• "Judaism was guilty of its own “prosperity theology.” Wealth and riches were seen as an evidence of God’s favor (see Job 1:10; 42:10; Psalms 128:1-2; Isaiah 3:10). Jesus corrected their bad theology. Actually, wealth can build a barrier to the one thing necessary to enter the kingdom: helpless, childlike trust in Jesus (v15)."  
• "His answer to their question is one of the great theological affirmations in the Bible: “With men it is impossible, but not with God, because all things are possible with God.” Salvation is something man cannot accomplish." 
• Only God saves! 

It is both easier and harder than we think to be saved.  Easier in the sense that all we need to do is confess and be saved - there is not a thing we can do but God can do this for us.  At the same time, if we don't do this we cannot be saved.  This is the conclusion we must all reach to be saved - that God controls all the details of my life, holds my life and eternal destiny in His hands, and He saves!  There is not a thing we can do...God must incline our ears to hear Him and soften our hearts.  We must then confess Jesus as Lord and Savior and then follow Him daily.  

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves.  Thank You for saving me.  I am not deserving of my salvation.  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 said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.”

Mark 6:7-13

And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” Mark 6:10-11

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 6:7-13. Excerpts from the commentary's for the third (of four) division (vv10-11): 

• The title for the third division is "Go Where You Are Welcomed and Move On When Rejected."
• The commentary emphasizes how the text shares how there will be times when we share the Gospel that it is rejected....if only for now.  Before we move on the shaking of dust from our feet from the text represents "a merciful prophetic act" that warns people of the consequences of rejecting God.   
•  We are referred to Ezekiel 33:1-20 where it shares how thinking of oneself as good and living righteously is insufficient - as not a single person cannot claim to be without sin (1 John 1:8). The text of Ezekiel shares how we must share from the gospel both how Jesus saves (now and for eternity) and how one is slave to sin and condemned if God is rejected. 

Warnings about rejection of God must be done mercifully however - see also Jude 22-23 where it shares how we are to "have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh." John Piper has a great word on here on DesiringGod.com how if fear alone is the only motivator to drive someone into the arms of Christ for salvation - "so be it."  Sometimes our act of mercy is to emphasize the punishment....

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and who saves...now (in this life) from being slave to sin, and for eternity by saving us a place in Heaven.  Thank You Jesus for my salvation - the greatest gift of all time!  I am not deserving of such a gift.  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 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.

Mark 6:1-6

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. Mark 6:5-6

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, I focus on an unassisted review of Mark 6:1-6, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary. Observations of the text based on the Sword Bible Study Method: 

• What do we learn from the passage about God?: God could have done more mighty works in Nazareth - we must remember that God is all powerful.  We must also remember that God came to seek and save the lost and this salvation requires faith.  Although some are saved others reject belief in Jesus.  See also Matthew 10:14, Acts 13:51, Mark 6:11 and Luke 9:5. God both hardens and softens the hearts as He wills.  
• What do we learn from the passage about people?: There will be people we encounter whose heart is hardened towards God.    
• Is there anything from the passage God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): We are to seek and save the lost as Jesus did and to proclaim the Gospel - but to remember that it is Jesus alone that hardens and softens hearts and saves.  Our role is to be messengers and to be light demonstrating the Gospel.   

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God You are an awesome God who loves me and who saves!  Thank You Father God for softening my heart and saving me!  I am not deserving.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  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 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. 

I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.

Ezekiel 8-11

I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God. Ezekiel 11:19-20

Day 226 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 with my study of Ezekiel.  My commentary* indicates that during the period "591 to 586 B.C., Ezekiel brings a number of denunciations against Judah for its idolatry, its false prophets, its corrupt leaders, its rebellious spirit, its religious infidelity, and its sins. Ezekiel says that God took him to Jerusalem to show him the idolatry in the temple and the punishment of idolaters and corrupt leaders, and then returned him to his house in Tel Aviv. It all happens somehow while Ezekiel is sitting in his house in the presence of a group of elders."

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

As part of Ezekiel's vision, God puts "a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in [Jerusalem]" (Ezekiel 9:4).  Those with the mark are spared slaughter (Ezekiel 9:6).  John MacArthur explains that "since God's departure [Ezekiel 9:3] removed all protection and gave the people over to destruction, it was necessary for the angelic scribe to mark for God's preservation the righteous who had been faithful to Him...[.]"

Yet, because God is faithful (based on the Davidic covenant that Judah will survive and a king will rise from her), and He protects those who are faithful, Ezekiel's (God's) message to the exiles in Babylonia includes a message of restoration.  God's message that He will give those whom He restores an "undivided heart and put a new spirit in them" emphasizes His role in our salvation.  God saves - while it is undeniable that God gives us the