For I have no one like [Timothy], who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 2:19-30 

For I have no one like [Timothy], who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. Philippians 2:20-21

I continue my study of Paul's prison epistles - Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.  Today I focus on Philippians 2:19-30 where Paul shares how he seeks to send Timothy and Epaphroditus to the church in Philippi to encourage them and as examples for how our brothers and sisters in Christ are to love, support and encourage one another. Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.  

• What do we learn from the text about God?: V21: Christ has His own interests, and they include that as many as possible from all nations be saved and that He be glorified - see also Matthew 28:19, Mark 10:45, John 12:28. V24: The Lord is trustworthy.  Indeed, God is faithful and all of His promises will come to pass - 2 Corinthians 1:20. V27: God is merciful.  Indeed not only are believers saved - given what we don't deserve and not given what we do deserve, but His mercies never cease and are new every morning - Lamentations 3:22-23.  V30: God gives all believers work - His work is broadly the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20), and He gives us the local church and each of spiritual gifts to be used in service of this work. 
• What do we learn from the text about people?: V21: People's motives are often impure, even within the church.  Vv19-20, 22, 25-28: God gives us our brothers and sisters in Christ with whom we serve, support and encourage.  What a blessing!    
• 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 selfish ambition and your own interests (Matthew 20:16).  Claim the promise that God is faithful and trustworthy.  Follow the example of Timothy who loved Christ and served the church in the advancement of the gospel.  Love, support, and encourage other believers within the church.  

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My Prayer: Father God, thank You for my salvation, for the mercies You pour out for me daily, for giving me the church and my brothers and sisters in Christ and how they love, support, and encourage me!  I am not deserving of my salvation nor any of the blessings You pour out for me daily.  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.

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Philippians 2:1-11 

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Philippians 2:5-8

I continue my study of Paul's prison epistles - Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.  Today I focus on Philippians 2:1-11 where Paul exhorts us to follow Christ's example to be humble. Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.  

• What do we learn from the text about God?: Paul uses a rhetorical statement/question in v1 that "if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy," we should then follow Christ's example.  Of course there are are these things in Christ!  We are encouraged for SO many reasons - with one key reason that God provides us the Holy Spirit who is in us as a Helper (John 14:26). We do get comfort knowing that we can never be separated from His love (Romans 8:38-39). We have a God that knows everything we experience because He took on human form - He does sympathize with us (Hebrews 4:15).  Vv5-8: Christ is our example of humility.  Vv9-11: Because Christ was humble and followed the will of God, for the sake of all humanity through all of redemptive history, took on flesh then died for us...because of all this, Jesus reigns in Heaven at the right hand of God. 
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Paul - as a disciple maker of the church in Philippi, and one of the world's foremost disciple-makers - is made joyful by believers who...in light of v1 that we do have these things, v2 seek the same mind and desires of Christ.  V3: Unlike those who preach with selfish ambition (see Philippians 1:17), we are called to be like Christ who is humble.  
• 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 selfish ambition or your own glory.  Claim the promise that we have a God that sympathizes with us and we will never be separated from His love.  Follow the example of Christ and His humility.  Be humble and love and serve others.  

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My Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your humility and the example You provide, and for living in my heart and life to give me not just my salvation, but also mercies that never cease and hope.  I am not deserving of my salvation nor any of the blessings You pour out for me daily.  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.

Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.

 Proverbs 11:25, Galatians 6:2, 6:10, Matthew 25:35-40, and 1 John 3:17-18

Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. Proverbs 11:25 

I pause my study of Numbers to focus on text that will be discussed Friday morning with my men's small group.  This text is focused on two sets of five texts that will be used to derive Godly wisdom for a personal situation faced by one of my brothers in Christ. Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.  

• What do we learn from the text about God?: God does want us to be a light like He is - He seeks for us to bless and do good so that others can see Jesus in us.  We are encouraged especially in Galatians 6:10 to do good "to those who are of the household of faith."  God seeks for us to build up the church as unity and strength of the church is important - this is amplified in 1 John 3:17-18 as John exhorts us to love our brothers and sisters in Christ.  God does not like when we see someone in great need - He wants us to attend to the needs who need it the most - the "least of these" (Matthew 25:35-40).      
• What do we learn from the text about people?:  My brother in Christ is struggling with a situation where He is not sure whether to give outside his family or to give within his family.  Both are good and this is indeed a struggle worthy of giving to God to seek His wisdom!
• 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 NOT being a light.  We should also avoid NOT abiding in God and His Word which is the source of all truth and wisdom.  We should claim the promise (2 Timothy 3:16-17) that all scripture is "is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."  We should follow the example of Jesus who gave everything that believers could have life to the full now and for eternity. Do good and be a light.  

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves.  Thank You Jesus for saving me and for also giving me Your Word that I might fellowship with You.  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.

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled....Jesus wept.

John 11:28-37

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled....Jesus wept. John 11:33,35

I continue my study of John and today I focus on John 11:28-37, where we continue the story of Lazarus, whom we know from the larger story arc is ill and dies, and that Jesus raises him from the dead.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method. 

• What do we learn from the text about God?: After learning of Lazarus' illness earlier in chapter 11, and then staying where He was for two more days, Jesus is now seen approaching the village where Martha, Mary, and Lazarus lived.  In response to Mary falling to Jesus' feet in grief over her brother's death (vv32), Jesus "was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled...[and He also] wept" (vv33,35).  Jesus sympathizes with us and our cares, concerns and worries.  Believers should understand that because Jesus took on flesh as the Incarnate Son of God, "we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15-16).     
• What do we learn from the text about people?: In v32, Mary reacts first in worship towards Jesus, as she falls to Jesus' feet.  Similar to her sister Martha (v21), Mary then expresses frustration towards Jesus as she believes that if Jesus had come earlier He would have healed Lazarus (v32) - this is frustration yes but also faith because Mary was definitive that "if you had been here, my brother would not have died."  The Jews in the village and with Mary and Martha consoled and loved them, and wept with them (vv31, 33) - this is a great example of how we are to love others (second greatest commandment).  Some of the Jews marveled at Jesus' love for Lazarus, while others questioned the extent of Jesus' authority and power as He recently healed the blind man (chapter 9), but He was not to keep Lazarus from dying (vv36-37).  There will always be people who doubt who Jesus is - but believers should never doubt that Jesus is God, and Lord and Savior - Creator and King of Kings - able to do anything (Colossians 1:15-17).    
• 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 doubt Jesus and who He is.  Claim the promise that He saves, is able to do anything, loves us and sympathizes with us.  Follow the example of Mary who worshiped Jesus and saw Him as able to heal her brother.  Love others as the Jews consoled and wept with Mary and Martha.  Believe and have faith.        

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an amazing God who loves, saves, and sympathizes with us.  Thank You Jesus for all that You do.  I am not deserving of how You bless 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.

The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

Mark 12:28-34

The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Mark 12:31

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 12:28-34.  Excerpts from the commentary's second (of two) division (vv31-34):

• The title of the second division per the commentary is "We Are Commanded to Love Others Genuinely." 
• "How you respond to the first [command] (loving God) will determine how you respond to the second (loving your neighbor). When you obey the second, it shows that you have embraced the first."  
• "Jesus adds Leviticus 19:18 to complement Deuteronomy 6:4-5. Growing out of my love for God, I love those who have been created by God in His image. “Neighbor” is not used here in a restrictive sense. All of humanity, even my enemies, are in view (see Luke 10:25-29)."  
• We are referred to a Don Carson sermon where he looks at the Parable of the Good Samaritan and Leviticus 19 and how the text instructs us to love our neighbors as ourselves, including commands from Leviticus 19: "care for the poor (19:10),  not steal (19:11),  not lie (19:11),  be fair in business dealings (19:14),  care for the deaf (19:14),  care for the blind (19:14),  deal justly with all (19:15),  avoid slander (19:16),  not “jeopardize” the life of your neighbor (19:16),  not “harbor hatred against your brother” (19:17),  rebuke your neighbor when necessary for his and your good (19:17), and not take revenge or bear a grudge against others (19:18)." 
• The commentary highlights v33 from the text for today and how Old Testament rituals "have no real meaning unless they are expressions of our love for Jesus and others."  We are referred to 1 Samuel 15:22, Proverbs 21:3, and Hosea 6:6.
• "Obeying rules and regulations will never get me into the kingdom because I can never measure up to God’s perfect standard. No, I need a new me. I need a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26). I need the grace and mercy of my God who can make me a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). I need to draw near to Jesus, who has brought the kingdom of God near (Mark 1:15). One draws near and enters the kingdom not by religion but by a relationship with Jesus, a relationship that results in loving God supremely and others genuinely."  
• The commentary for today's text wraps by sharing 1 John 4:7-12. 

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 My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You loved me first and while I was still an enemy and hostile to You, I was snatched from the fire and saved.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love.  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.

John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me.

Mark 9:30-50

John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. Mark 9:38-40

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 9:30-50.  Excerpts from the third (of four) division (vv38-41):

• For the third division, the title is: "Allegiance to Others."
• "At this point the disciples just aren’t there. Oh, they are zealous, but it is a misplaced zeal, myopic and self-centered. In fact it is downright sinful." 
• "The disciples are about to learn that God’s kingdom is bigger than their experience of it. It is so large that anyone who is for Christ is with us."  
• In response to the disciples trying to stop someone (though not a disciple) from casting out demons in Jesus' name, Jesus "responds with a strong command, “Don’t stop him.” On the contrary, stop what you are doing! Why? First, anyone doing these things in My name does so by the power of God. It is an evidence of My call on his life (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:3). No, do not try to hinder him. Help him. Don’t try to restrain him. Rejoice in and with him."  
• We are also referred to Philippians 1:15-18 that aligns with Jesus words from v40.
• V41 exhorts us to serve others as the commentary shares: "[s]ervice to others frees us. It gets our eyes off of us and onto others who need the same Christ we need. An anonymous author said, “World Missions is God’s major therapy for our sin of selfishness that eats the heart out of the local church” (source unknown)."

Believers know that the two greatest commandments (Matthew 22:34-40) are to love God then love others.  This life is not about us...it's about Him and for Him to get all praise, honor and glory.  He is worthy and we exist solely for His purpose. 

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My Prayer: You are an awesome God that loves me and who saves!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You save.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  I often focus on myself.  Please forgive me 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. 

And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.

Mark 6:30-44

And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men. Mark 6:41-44

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 6:30-44.  Excerpts from the commentary for the third (of three) division (vv37-44):

• The title of the second division per the commentary: "Like Jesus We Should Seek to Meet the Needs of Others." 
• "It is one thing to recognize a legitimate need. It is another to do something about it (James 2:14-17)."
• "Their problem [(the crowd's hunger)] was now clearly beyond their resources. If Jesus does not intervene, then it’s not going to happen. But He does intervene. He commands them to get organized, so in obedience they sit down by groups of fifties and hundreds (Exodus 18:21)." 
• "God loves to demonstrate His power and sufficiency in our lives. Often He allows problems to invade our lives that are far beyond our abilities or resources to handle. Why? He wants us to look to Him." 
• "Jesus now serves as the Host of a messianic banquet. The desolate place becomes a place of plenty. As Moses met Israel’s physical needs with manna and quail, a greater Moses, who is not only the “good shepherd” (John 10:11) but also the “bread of life” (John 6:35), will now feed His people with an abundant feast unlike any they have ever known."  
•  "[God's] provision is satisfying. (v42)."
•  "Where we see human problems, He sees and accomplishes divine possibilities. A little can become a lot with Jesus!"

Everything about Jesus is satisfying.  I am drawn to John Piper's definition of Christian Hedonism and how he says "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him." There is no higher pursuit in life than of Jesus - run after Him and seek Him - You WILL find Him when you seek Him with all of your heart (Jeremiah 29:13).  

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My Prayer: Father God You are an awesome God who loves, provides and who satisfies!  Thank You Jesus for the joy that You are and that You provide.  How great You are!  I am not deserving of how You save, bless and give such joy!  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. 

But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?”

Mark 6:30-44

But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” Mark 6:37

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 6:30-44.  Excerpts from the commentary for the second (of three) division (vv33-37):

• The title of the second division per the commentary: "Like Jesus We Should Have Compassion for Others."
• The commentary emphasizes how Jesus sought to minister to all of a person's needs: physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.  Jesus does this as the Shepherd Savior.  We are referred to text in Psalm 23, Luke 15:4-6, John 10:11, 1 Peter 5:4, Hebrews 13:30 and Revelation 7:17 where Jesus is described as the Great or Chief Shepherd.
• "We desperately need a shepherd, One who is compassionate and able to provide for us and protect us. We need a Shepherd Savior."  
• The text describes how Jesus (1) had compassion on the crowd (2) saw them as "sheep without a shepherd;" and (3) in need of direction and guidance (1 Peter 5:2).  
• We too are lost without Jesus - all are lost without Jesus - we are referred to John 10:12-13, Ezekiel 34:1-24, Numbers 27:17 where Israel is depicted as "lost, helpless, without guidance, malnourished, and lacking protection - their leaders were mere 'hirelings.'"  
• Numbers 27:17 is emphasized for how "God raised up Joshua in anticipation of the greater Joshua named Jesus" and how Ezekiel describes how Jesus is the greater David.    
• Jesus meets all our needs: physical needs, emotional, and spiritual. 
• Ultimately, we are to care for others as Jesus cares.  See Matthew 25:31-46. 
• "God wants us to have compassion on those in need, and He wants us involved in their lives meeting both spiritual and physical needs. We indeed minister to the whole person. That’s what Jesus did."

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves, guides, provides, etc. You are the Great Shepherd who 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. 

[H]e healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons.

 Mark 1:29-34

 [H]e healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. Mark 1:32

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, I focus on a commentary-assisted review of Mark 1:29-34, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary.  Excerpts from the introduction and first division for this text per the commentary - vv29-34:

• "With a sense of mission and urgency, Jesus is here and there, ministering to this one and then another. He truly is the Servant of the Lord, healing the physically sick and setting free spiritual prisoners held captive by the prince of darkness and his demonic hoards!" 
• The healings described in the text prompts a question in the commentary: "Is there healing in the atonement? Isaiah 53:5 says, “We are healed by His wounds.” Matthew 8:17, in the parallel account of these events, even adds a quote from Isaiah 53:4: “Yet He Himself bore our sicknesses, and He carried our pains; but we in turn regarded Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted.” The answer, then, is a resounding “Yes!” There is healing in the atonement! For some it is immediate but temporary, since all still die."
• "But for all who trust Jesus as Savior and Lord, it is eternal and permanent. This is plain in Revelation 21:4-5[.]       

The introduction to the commentary explores how personal relationships often form based on the premise of "what can you do for me?" Yet on this question, the commentary refers us to Mark 10:45 where the text shares that Jesus seeks not to be served but to serve.  Also, Jesus provides us with commands that position Him and others above ourselves: 

• Love God, and love others - the two most important commandments (Matthew 22:34:40). 
• Love one another as He loves us (John 13:34).
• Love your enemies and those who persecute you (Matthew 5:38-48).
• Bear with one another in love - forgiving as Jesus forgives (Colossians 3:13 and Ephesians 4:2)   

To follow Jesus is NOT about getting something from Him, it's a natural response to how good He is to us as He loved us and died for us while we were still enemies of Him and slaves to our sin.  He continues to pour out His love and grace for us on a daily basis.  See also this post from DesiringGod.com - humility is key as must allow Jesus to be seen through us - we must decrease and He must increase.   

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God You are an awesome God who loves and who sent Your Son to serve and die on the cross so that I can have life to the full now and for eternity.  Thank You!  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.

And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”

 Mark 1:21-28

And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” Mark 1:27

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 1:21-28, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary. Here's what we see in the text:

• At the start of His ministry, with his first four disciples - Simon, Andrew, James, and John - Jesus "immediately" went to the synagogue in Capernaum on the Sabbath and "was teaching."  The word immediately implies urgency similar to how Simon, Andrew, James, and John felt called to immediately follow Jesus.  Believers should act with urgency based on Jesus' call to serve.   
• Those in the synagogue were "astonished" at Jesus' teaching.  He taught with "authority" unlike anything they had seen - of course Jesus is the Incarnate Son sent by God, so this is no surprise!
• Even the unclean spirit recognized Jesus as the "Holy One of God."
• Jesus' rebuke of the unclean spirit is one of His first miracles 
• Witnesses were all amazed and they began to wonder who Jesus is.  Jesus' "fame" spread throughout the regions surrounding Galilee.     

The question in my mind is whether we as believers, if we are truly being the hands and feet of Jesus, are acting in such way for people to see Jesus in us - mercy, service, love, etc.  People should be attracted to us in a similar way to those in Capernaum who were all amazed at Jesus - we are NOT Jesus but we should be LIKE Jesus and becoming more like Him every day as this is sanctification in action.  If not, this is an opportunity for us as believers to examine whether we are truly abiding in Him and for us to desperately call out to God for us to help us abide in Him.

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My Prayer: Father God, You are amazing and You are the One True God who saves, who transforms hearts and lives, and molds them into more of Your image. Thank You Father God for saving me and transforming my heart and life - I am not deserving as 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 thus says the LORD of hosts: “As I purposed to bring disaster to you when your fathers provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the LORD of hosts, so again have I purposed in these days to bring good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; fear not. These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace; do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the LORD.”

Zechariah 8:1-17

For thus says the LORD of hosts: “As I purposed to bring disaster to you when your fathers provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the LORD of hosts, so again have I purposed in these days to bring good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; fear not. These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace; do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the LORD.” Zechariah 8:14-17

I continue my study of the last four books of the OT (complete: Zephaniah, Haggai; to complete: Zechariah, Malachi) - using the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary volume for this book.  For today, my focus is an unassisted review of Zechariah 8:1-17, which the commentary outlines as the fifth of five divisions for the text 7:1-8:23 (7:1-3/8:18-23, 7:4-7, 7:8-10, 7:11-14, 8:1-17). Here God offers great words of encouragement to His people in their journey as they settle once again in Jerusalem having returned from captivity and exile.  They are exhorted to rebuild the temple that was destroyed by neighboring countries. God paints an idyllic picture of life in fellowship with Him, including how both young and old will enjoy life in the streets of the city, which will experience peace and prosperity.  Vv14-17 compares the state of things prior to exile and how God punished His people for turning their back on Him to how He will restore His people and their city to peace and prosperity.  The text ends with a refrain from Zechariah 7:8-10 where God instructs His people to keep commandments relating to loving one another.  One could be tempted to think an earthly peace and prosperity is what God promises to those who believe and follow Him.  Yet this is not the case - on the contrary.  John 16:33 shares how believers will have trouble - trials and tribulations.  This same verse also shares how God helps us have a supernatural peace knowing that God has already defeated sin and death - the ultimate victory - and this provides us with a strong measure of comfort and a peace that surpasses (an earthly) understanding (Philippians 4:6-7). 

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My Prayer: Father, You are a good, good Father - so good to me in how You never leave or forsake me, seeing through all trials and tribulations.  I am SO grateful that You saved me and You continue to walk with me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of my salvation nor any of the blessings You pour out 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.