And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.”

Mark 10:46-52

And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” Mark 10:49-51

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 10:46-52.  Excerpts from the commentary's second (of three) division (vv49-51):

• The title of the first division per the commentary is "We Should Never Be So Busy We Cannot Stop and Help."
• "Jesus is on the way to Jerusalem—on the way to die. He is determined to fulfill His destiny. His mind must be racing; His heart is filled to overflowing with sorrow for what awaits Him. We could certainly understand if He just moved on this one time without stopping to help a poor blind man."  
• Regardless of all that was likely to be on Jesus' mind, He stopped and helped Bartimaeus. 
• "Jesus has heard his cry, and He will stop and meet this man at his point of need, his greatest need!"  
• "It is one thing to hear. It is another thing to listen. Some of us are good at neither! Some of us are good at hearing but not listening. Our Lord Jesus is great at both! Jesus then asked Bartimaeus a straightforward question, 'What do you want Me to do for you?' (10:51). This is the same question He has just asked James and John in verse 36. They asked for the best seats in the kingdom. Bartimaeus, in radical and stark contrast, has a much more humble request: 'I want to see!'"  
• The commentary refers to another scholar on Mark (James Edwards), who shares that "[t]he Sons of Thunder asked for extraordinary glory, Bartimaeus asked only for ordinary health.”  
• We are referred to additional text where the Word shares how Jesus hears and responds to our cries and prayers: Psalm 17:6, 54:2, 71:2, James 5:16.

Life feels crazy and hectic but we must rest from the daily hustle and bustle of life to most importantly make time for God but also to make time for the needs we see - they are everywhere!  Also, God seeks from us the same humble and desperate faith as Bartimaeus.  We all sin and need a savior.  We all have physical, emotional, and spiritual needs - as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus meets them all and He saves!  We must go to Jesus daily and cry out have mercy on me and help my unbelief!  

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God that holds the entire universe in Your Hands and despite Your lofty position sitting at the right hand of God, You reached down to the pit while I was still sinning, hostile and an enemy to You, You saved me and made me part of Your family and kingdom.  Thank You Jesus for having mercy on me and for pouring out these mercies daily in an inexhaustible supply!  I am not deserving...my sin continues and it is great.  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 from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden.

Mark 7:24-37

And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. Mark 7:24

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 7:24-37.  Excerpts from the commentary's introduction to the entirety of the text and for the first (of two) division (vv24-30):

• The title for the commentary's chapter: "Jesus Christ: The God Who Astonishes."  The main idea is "[n]o one is so unworthy that they cannot receive the blessing of Jesus Christ."  
•  "Mark sets side by side two healing miracles that take place in pagan, Gentile territory. One is the healing of a demon-possessed little girl (vv24-30). The other is the healing of a deaf man with a speech impediment (vv31-37). Both demonstrate that God’s kingdom has come and that Jesus is God’s man for all peoples. Contrary to religious and racial bigots, no one is so unclean that they cannot receive the blessing and the touch of Jesus Christ—the God who astonishes (v37)."
• For the first division, the title is: "Jesus Is the Savior Who Cannot Be Hidden."
• "Our Lord knew that His Father had mapped out His life from beginning to end. It would involve days of happiness as well as times of trial and opposition, pressure and disappointment. Jesus has just engaged the Pharisees in a heated discussion over religion versus the gospel (vv1-23). Things are building to an inevitable showdown that will result in His crucifixion. However, it is not yet the appointed time." 
• Jesus went to Phoenicia to get rest and to escape notice.  But not in v24 how He could not be hidden. 
•  We should note how "[a]s best we can tell, this is the only time Jesus ventured beyond the borders of Israel. Further, Tyre and Sidon were inhabited by pagan Gentiles, and the region had a long history of opposition to Israel. This had been the home of Jezebel (1 Kings 16:31-32). Both Ezekiel (ch. 26) and Zechariah (ch. 9) prophesied against her."
• "Jesus goes there and graciously expands the scope and reach of the Messiah beyond what Israel expected. Unfortunately, like Jonah, too many Jews of that day could not imagine that God would extend His salvation beyond the borders of Israel...This Savior is not for just one nation. He is for all nations, and we should be as well." 
• "A pagan, Gentile woman could not have been further from “the citizenship of Israel” (Ephesians 2:12). No doubt she knew how socially unacceptable it was for her to approach a Jewish rabbi on any level. Yet she “kept on asking” Jesus “to drive the demon out of her daughter.” She came boldly but humbly (“she fell at His feet”), and she was persistent."
•  The commentary shares how the words used by Jesus in His response to the Gentile woman is not one of insult but of clarification that He first seeks to save the Jews then the Gentiles. See also Romans 1:16.
• The Pagan woman's response is of that shared by any parent desperate to help their child.  She is willing to eat the scraps from the table that have fallen to the floor - just so she can have for her daughter a taste of the healing power Jesus offers. 
• "What a magnificent picture of salvation we have in this story! Yes Lord, we are all dogs under the table with no rights whatsoever as members of the family. I acknowledge I don’t deserve a place at the table, but I believe there is enough even for me on the table! Just a few crumbs will be enough. That I believe. Then in amazing grace and mercy our Savior lifts us up, no longer a dog (sinner) but a child (saved), no longer under the table but now a member of the family at the table."

Such desperation and complete dependence on Jesus is how we are to approach Him.  We all sin and need a Savior (Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:8).  We are completely and utterly dependent on God for every detail of our lives both physical and spiritual.  We must acknowledge our spiritual state and go to Him in desperation - see also Psalm 42:1-2.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God that loves and saves...You go after the one sheep who is lost just to save it...that is me and every other believer...thank You for coming after me and for saving me!  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 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 Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

Mark 2:1-12

And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Mark 2:5

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 2:1-12, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary.  Observations from the text using the Sword Method:

• What do we learn from the passage about God?:  Spreading the Good News is important - just as He did in chapter 1, we see Jesus teaching others (v2).  Jesus has compassion and He heals (vv4-5, 10-12).  He has power and authority (vv10-11) - Jesus reigns over all (see also Colossians 1:15-17).  Jesus also understands scripture - as He is the divine author (see John 1:1)!
• What do we learn from the passage about people: We must demonstrate faith trusting Jesus that He can heal others both spiritually and physically.  We must have compassion for others just as Jesus did - notice how the paralytic's friends were desperate to get Jesus to see and heal him (see vv3-4).  We must understand that we have sins of the heart or sins, God sees all of our sin (Leviticus 19:17) - notice how God understood the thoughts of the scribes (vv6-8).  We must love others as God loves us.  We must also recognize God for who He is - as God not only has power to forgive sins but over everything. 
• Is there anything from the passage God wants us to obey?: Sins to avoid: questioning the authority of God or not fearing God. Promises to claim: Jesus forgives my sins and His mercies never cease and are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).  Examples to follow: According to our role at home and in the church, we must teach God's Word. We must also demonstrate compassion to serve others in need. Commands to obey: Love and forgive others as Jesus loved us.

Just as the paralytic's friends were desperate for healing for him, we must also be desperate for the spiritual healing as we are all broken, sinful and in need of a Savior.  Jesus is this Savior.  He will forgive and save, pour out mercies ceaselessly that are new every morning, and He will live in your heart changing you from the inside out to become progressively more like Him every day.  "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied (Matthew 5:6)." 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of incredible grace and compassion. Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of Your rich mercies and grace that are inexhaustible, and of course 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 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.  

That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

1 Samuel 18-22

That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:10

I continue with my study of - Ten Men of the Bible: How God Used Imperfect People to Change the World - eBook by Max Lucado (for purchase). This morning, I continue with the story of "David: Giant Problems and Colossal Collapses*".

*Title of lesson five from the Max Lucado study.

The commentary* of day two starts with Max Lucado discussing how after slaying Goliath and the Philistines, David finds himself favored by both Saul and all of Israel, the latter of whom see David as their new hero.  Saul is increasingly envious and jealous and begins to plot against David.  Yet David, instead of relying on God on first instinct as he did when facing Goliath, David relies on his own strength, and his own fears lead to sinful deception of others and he ultimately goes into hiding. Lucado wants us to see how:

• "After a victory, our enemy will go on the attack and try to bring us to a low place where we doubt the love and provision of God."
• "It is when we find ourselves cut off and in a lonely place that we will be tempted to seek refuge in things other God."
• "When we experience a setback and things are not going as planned, we need to regroup, rediscover our courage, and refocus ourselves on God."
  

Desperation often leads us to seek ungodly refuge.  Yet God wants us to be desperate for Him.

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God and I have felt Your strength during times of difficulty - You protect me and I am grateful!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving for how You never leave or forsake me.  I love You.  Yet I am undeserving of Your love for me and how You saved me.  I am harsh with words and actions.  Please forgive me Jesus.  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.

Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

Matthew 4, 8-9, Mark 1-2, and Luke 4-5

Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Mark 2:3-5, Luke 5:18-20

Day 295 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues as I move further into the New Testament - focusing this morning on the rapid growth of Jesus' ministry.  My commentary* notes that "[a]pparently in order to emphasize the nature of his ministry, Jesus does not come as a religious leader in any traditional sense. He holds no official position, nor is he specially trained to be a priest or other cleric." Jesus then goes into Galilee: "[u]sing the city of Capernaum as a base for his travels, Jesus teaches and performs miracles around the Sea of Galilee (Lake of Gennesaret) and throughout the entire province. It is here that Jesus gains popularity among the people and begins to see the crowds swell."

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

While all of Jesus' miracles in the reading today are of note, of particular note are how (1) people make extraordinary efforts to see and hear Jesus (see Matthew 9:1-2, Mark 2:1-5, Luke 5:17-20; see also , and (2) how Jesus knows our heart condition which is most important vs external behavior (see Matthew 9:3-8, Mark 2:6-12, Luke 5:21-26).

We must all reach a place in our life where we become desperate for God - He should become the most important focus in our life.  Like those who lowered the paralyzed men from the roof into the room to see Jesus, we must remove obstacles that prevent us from growing in a relationship with Jesus. 

“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell. Matthew 18:6-9

While Jesus refers to not just the literal meaning of removing obstacles, He is also referring to the figurative meaning of obstacles as discussed in this post on DesiringGod.com.  

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God and You removed all obstacles, even going to the cross for me, so that I could have forgiveness of sins and eternal life.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a gift - the greatest gift of all time.  My sin continues...worry, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus an 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.

“Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

Mark 7

 “Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” v28

Jesus encounters many who desperation draws them to Him - they are seeking something from this world that is not available - comfort, peace, joy, etc.  The Syrophoenician Woman in Mark 7:24-30 is such an example whose desperation brings herself to Jesus.  She is desperate (seeking mere "crumbs") of healing for her daughter.  Once again, like others, those who believe reach a point where they recognize that it is only Jesus who can provide them what they are seeking and even then it requires faith in Jesus to believe that Jesus can help them.

I reached this point 20+ years ago and I've seen others reach this point.

We must be "poor in spirit".

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an amazing God You are that You love me and died for me.  I am not worth such love - not by a long shot.  I gossip, have bad thoughts, and so much more.  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.

“Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”

Matthew 15

“Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” v27

A Canaanite woman pleads with Jesus to heal her demon-possessed daughter, yet Jesus ignores her plea initially and the disciples urge Him to move on.  Her pleas continue to the point of getting on her knees and debating with Jesus (see also Matthew Henry Commentary), and He agrees to heal her daughter - seeing the faith she has and the desire she has for Him and His healing powers.

God wants us to be desperate for Him, and for us to have a contrite heart - see also verses here.  We should acknowledge that we all sin and are in need of a Savior. 

David had a contrite heart:

When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.  Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.”
And you forgave the guilt of my sin. Psalm 32:3-5

Bottom line: Jesus wants us exactly where we are - desperate, humble, angry, etc.  We can debate with Him, etc.  We must however acknowledge who God is and remain in reverent fear of Him..

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are Lord of All, King of Kings, and You reign over the heavens and the earth - and You are my God.  You adopted me and died for me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such a God.  I am selfish, etc.  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.

To you, Lord, I call, for fire has devoured the pastures in the wilderness and flames have burned up all the trees of the field. Even the wild animals pant for you; the streams of water have dried up and fire has devoured the pastures in the wilderness.

Joel 1

To you, Lord, I call, for fire has devoured the pastures in the wilderness and flames have burned up all the trees of the field.  Even the wild animals pant for you; the streams of water have dried up and fire has devoured the pastures in the wilderness. v19-20

Joel is the 2nd of the minor prophets and the focus of Joel is Judah's sin, God's punishment for Judah, and Joel's efforts to bring about Judah's repentance.  Just like Israel, Judah turned away from God, and God uses a plague of locusts to bring famine to the land to get Judah's attention. 

There are times in our lives when God either allows something devastating to happen or He causes it.  It's not necessarily something we did (i.e. punishment), as God often allows or causes difficulties for strong believers so that His power is seen through His children.  In Joel, it is that Judah has turned away from God and God uses famine and Joel to get the attention of Judah - to get them to see their sin and to get them to repent and turn towards God.  Judah (as anyone experiencing a famine would) has nowhere to turn except to God - they become desperate.

We should not wait for calamity to happen - regardless of what we are experiencing in our life we should be desperate for God.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who provides for me during all times - good and bad.  Thank You Jesus.  I know that without You, I have no good things.  I am undeserving of the rich blessings You pour out for me.  I worry.  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.

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?

Psalm 42

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? v1-2

As a follow up to a post from a couple of days ago, we must recognize that we can do no good things and have no good things without God; we would also be lost and condemned without Him.  Therefore, we must be desperate for Him - He is life and without Him we would be dead.


Even further, we must see ourselves as dead without Christ.

As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. James 2:26

But Christ is life.

Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” John 7:38

“If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” John 4:10

But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. Romans 8:10

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an awesome God You are...You are life, You saved me and You provide life...to the full!  I am blessed and my cup overflows.  I am overwhelmed.  Thank You Jesus.  But I am not worth such love and blessings.  I worry.  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 do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.