Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Matthew 6

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:31-34

I continue my pause from my studies of both Proverbs and Isaiah to listen to Part 3 of DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion on worry.  John Piper uses the Sermon on the Mount to unpack promises #5-7 that Jesus gives us in the text to encourage us in our battle against anxiety and stress. These promises are:

• #5: Matthew 6:31-32 > Piper states, using this text, that we should not feel as if "God is ignorant of [our] needs. He knows all of them. And he is “your heavenly Father.” He does not look on, indifferently, from a distance. He cares. He will act to supply your need when the time is best."
• #6: Matthew 6:33 > Piper states, using this text, that "All the food and drink and clothing — and everything else — that you need to do his will and glorify him. Which might mean his purpose is for you to die for him, but he will supply everything you need to do it for his glory."  Piper also uses both Romans 8:32 and 35-37 to encourage us that God provides for all our needs, that we are never alone as He (through the Holy Spirit) is always with us, and that He enables us to conquer all that we may face.
  
• #7: Matthew 6:34 > Piper seeks to encourage us with this text by pointing out that (using 1 Corinthians 10:13, Deuteronomy 33:25, Lamentations 3:22-23, and 2 Corinthians 9:8) that "God will see to it that you are not tested in any given day more than you can bear," and that He will give you daily strength and mercies, and all the grace you need for any good deed.
  

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are indeed a great God and You provide for all that I need, physically, emotionally, spiritually - thank You Jesus.  I need not worry - but I have and I am certain there will be times that I will - please forgive me for my worry.  Help me overcome and turn from it 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 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. 

Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people.

Hebrews 7

Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. v26-27

In describing Christ as a high priest, the author of Hebrews gives a great summary of some of the key attributes of our Lord and Savior.  More than anything, I am struck by how Jesus "truly meets our need".  Truly is defined as "with exactness of construction or operation" - in essence our need is met perfectly and only by God (see John Piper post here).  Note how the author uses the word need in the singular - implying that salvation is our greatest need above all (see also a Biblical worldview of Maslow's hierarchy of needs discussed here).  

While believers can acknowledge that we all sin and need a Savior (and that Jesus is that Savior) it is nonetheless important to examine our priorities and to remind ourselves of the primacy of our relationship with Jesus.

Jesus meets our need.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a a great God who meets my need - You do this solely and perfectly - thank You Jesus! I need You daily.  Yet I am undeserving of how You feed and sustain me.  I sin...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.

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away....Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. Do not be angry beyond measure, Lord; do not remember our sins forever.

 Isaiah 60-64

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away....Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. Do not be angry beyond measure, Lord; do not remember our sins forever. Isaiah 64:6, 8-9

Day 200 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 Isaiah as God seeks to comfort Israel in exile.  God's words through Isaiah are greatly comforting, including:

Though in anger I struck you, in favor I will show you compassion. Isaiah 60:10

Although you have been forsaken and hated, with no one traveling through, I will make you the everlasting pride and the joy of all generations. Isaiah 60:15

Twice God wants us to understand how He will be our "everlasting light" (Isaiah 60:19, 20). 

God reminds us that He is our Creator and we exist to glorify Him.

They [believers] will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. Isaiah 61:3

You [Zion] will be a crown of splendor in the Lord’s hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God. Isaiah 62:3

Isaiah once again prophecies the coming of the Messiah and how He gave His One and only Son (John 3:16):

I looked, but there was no one to help, I was appalled that no one gave support; so my own arm achieved salvation for me, and my own wrath sustained me. Isaiah 63:5

Israel responds to God in prayer (Isaiah 63:15-19, 64:1-12) with humility and a contrite heart...seeking God's favor.

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away....Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. Do not be angry beyond measure, Lord; do not remember our sins forever. Isaiah 64:6, 8-9

We all need to come to God out of humility as we all sin and need a Savior.  Jesus is that Savior.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of compassion and mercy for me - despite my sin.  Thank You Jesus - I am not deserving for Your rich love and mercy and certainly not deserving for my salvation.  I am often harsh with my words and I have other sins. Please forgive me and help me 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.  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.

Who am I, Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?

1 Chronicles 17

Who am I, Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? v16

Following a dream where God appears to Nathan who relays God's message to David, and how David's son Solomon will build The Temple, David appropriately goes to the Lord in prayer, expressing great humility.

We all need a savior, for we all have sin (Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:18).  While I have yet to meet anyone who does not claim to be without sin, I have met many, including those in my own family, who do not see the need for a savior.  We need a savior not only because of our sin, but also because of the consequences of our sin.  The wages of sin are death (Romans 6:23), which manifests itself in the cycle of sin, shame, guilt, more sin, etc. and ultimately the price of sin is eternal damnation.

James explains this process:

Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. James 1:15


Shame, guilt, and more sin is inevitable and only God can break this cycle by giving us freedom over both sin and death.  God does this by giving us His Son Jesus who is nailed on the cross - along with all of our sin - so that we have victory over sin and death. 

This is why we need Jesus and it starts with humility - which is why Jesus started the Sermon on the Mount with the following:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3

Lord Jesus, please give me humility.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has come to save me - thank You Jesus!  I am in desperate need of a Savior.  My sins are many - including 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.

And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.

Mark 11:12-25

And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it. Mark 11:14

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Mark 11:12-25.  Excerpts from the commentary's introduction and for the first (of three) division (vv12-14):

• The title of this chapter for the commentary is "A Savior for All Nations" and the main idea is: "Jesus is a Savior for all nations, without barriers."
•  We are first warned that believers' primary mission is to share the Good News.  The commentary states as it reflects on the declining state of the American church: "...we must change, or God will judge us for neglecting and even hiding the truth that we have “a Savior for all nations!” God judged His people Israel for this sin. Why would we think He would deal with us any differently?"
• As the entirety of the text vv12-25 focuses on Jesus in the temple in Jerusalem, we are reminded that a perfect temple exists in Heaven, in (and as) Jesus, and in all believers: "[Jesus] has a spiritual temple, which is the church (1 Corinthians 3:16). He now has a personal temple scattered all around the world as a witness that He is indeed a Savior for all nations. That temple is you and me (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Indeed that temple is anyone who recognizes that they are not their own, for they were bought with a price, the precious blood of “Christ our Passover” (1 Corinthians 5:7), “a lamb without defect or blemish” (1 Peter 1:19)."  
• Jesus did not like what He saw in the temple as He entered Jerusalem.  
• The title of the first division per the commentary is "Jesus Will Curse Those Who Put On a Show but Do Not Produce." 
• "[The cursing of the fig tree in v14] is (as we will see) an object lesson, an acted-out parable of our Lord’s judgment on Israel and on those who claim to be one thing but are actually another, who put on a show but do not produce. It is a curse on the temple and the nation of Israel. By application it could be a curse on you and me and on our churches."  
• "Though it is not yet “the season for figs” (v. 13), the presence of the leaves would indicate this tree would have fruit on it—if not full figs, at least paggim, small green figs (knops). Though not all that tasty, they were edible and could relieve His hunger. However, the tree bore no fruit. Its leaves promised one thing, but it had not produced. It was a hypocritical fig tree. The outward appearance, said, “Come here! I have fruit that will meet your needs.” However, when you arrive, you realize you have been deceived. It was a show with no substance."  
• Jesus saw Israel and the religious leaders when He saw the tree.  
• Once again we are exhorted to "produce fruit" lest we suffer the same fate as Israel.  
• "The prophets often spoke of Israel by the symbol of a fig tree (Jeremiah 8:13; 29:17; Hosea 9:10,16; Joel 1:7; Micah 7:1-6). Jeremiah 8:13 especially stands out[.]"  
• "There is a point without a doubt. Fruitlessness now may result in fruitlessness forever. Lose your usefulness for Jesus, and He may curse you and move on! It is not He who needs us, it is we who desperately need Him. We need Him to save us. We need Him to make us useful and fruitful."

Help me with those areas of my life where I have unbelief and have mercy on me! Indeed, Father God, continue and complete a work in me to produce fruit as You intend.  

Comment and discuss this post. 

My Prayer: Father God, You are a gracious God full of mercies that never cease and are new every morning.  You provide for all needs and You save - 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. 

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

1 John 1:5-10

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 1 John 1:5

I continue my preparation for leading Sunday school 15SEP, where our focus will be 1 John 1:5-10 and DesiringGod.com's Look at the Book video series for 1 John.  To provide another angle on my preparation, today I lean on the commentary to 1, 2, 3 John from The Christ-Centered Exposition Series, specifically, as it describes this text with the following divisions:

1. The World Must Know What God Says about Himself (v5): 1 John 1:1-4 describe Jesus Christ as "from the beginning" (v1), "the Word of life" (v1), "the eternal life" (v2), the Father's Son (v3), the source of fellowship (v3), and the source of joy (v4). "This is God’s witness concerning His Son and our Savior. This is what He thinks about Jesus Christ. Having met this Savior in repentance and faith, we have a divine assignment that involves the proclamation of a specific gospel with a universal scope (2:2). This message is for the whole world....[This] is an abiding and permanent mandate to get it to the nations, to all 16,500 people groups in the world, with 6,900 still unreached (JoshuaProject.net, as of Feb. 10, 2014)....That “God is light” is an embedded aspect of faithful gospel proclamation. It highlights the contrast between who God is and who we are without Him. The word “light” occurs in some form over 275 times in the Bible (95 times in the New Testament). It is a popular theme throughout the Scriptures....An essential component of faithful gospel proclamation is an understanding of the nature and character of God.  This is a theme that John will raise several times. For example, he teaches us that God is light (1:5), God is love (4:8,16), and God is true (5:20)....[T]he image of light...sometimes it points to God’s holiness, moral purity, and goodness. Other times the focus is on truth and revelation. It is certainly possible John wished to communicate all these ideas here....In the light of God is the fullness of the life of God, and there is no lack of life in Him at all. This is a non-negotiable tenet in faithful theology and faithful gospel proclamation. This is a message we must be passionate to share with the world."    
   
2. The World Must Know What God Says about Sin (vv6-10): "If we say we have fellowship with God—that God is our intimate friend, known in light and life—yet we walk in darkness—in death and all that accompanies spiritual death and darkness (cf. Ephesians 2:1-3)—we lie and do not practice or live out the truth. The verb “walk” is in the present tense and speaks of a continuous and consistent pattern of life. In essence, we say to others, “I know God,” but our beliefs and behavior contradict our words. By denying that Jesus is God in the flesh and downplaying the seriousness of sin, we lie to others about who we are....Those who live in death and darkness do not just lie to others, saying one thing while believing and living another. Eventually they lie to themselves, becoming self-deceived....It should be noted that the apostle John does not deny our need to be seen as sinless. He simply notes that we cannot find it in ourselves. We need an advocate. We need an atonement. We need another....John says...[if you] lie to others (1:6) and lie to yourself (1:8), and soon you will lie about God. In fact you will actually call God a liar....Someone else’s word says we have no sin problem. But God says we are sinners and need a Savior."

Comment and discuss this post. 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are SO good!  You give me the breath of life, amazing grace and mercies every day that never cease and You give me my salvation.  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.

And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay.

Mark 2:1-12

And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. Mark 2:3-4

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 2:1-5, which is the text for the first (of three) division of vv1-12 per the commentary.  Excerpts from the introduction to this chapter of the commentary as well as for the first division vv1-5:

• "All of us at some point in our lives will be forced to consider two critical questions: Can I be forgiven of my sins? Who can forgive me of my sins? That we must face such questions should not surprise us. Sin is our greatest problem. It is our greatest enemy and separates us from God. It renders us spiritually dead, and if left unforgiven, results in eternal death in a place called hell."
• "Who can forgive me? God can—the God who is revealed in the person of Jesus. This Jesus is the Son of God (1:1), the Son of Man (2:10), and the Holy One of God (1:24) who has come to take away the sins of the world. He is the only One who can deliver me from the penalty of sin, providing for my justification. He is the only One who can deliver me from the power of sin, ensuring my sanctification. And He is the only One who can deliver me from the presence of sin, promising my future glorification."
• Although those interested in Jesus sought more miracles, Jesus came back to Capernaum to preach. 
• "Jesus saw [the] faith [of the paralytic and his friends], probably referring to all five men, but at the very least encompassing the four friends. In either case our Lord clearly was impressed, and He honored their faith by pouring out mercy on the paralyzed man."
• Jesus forgave the man even though this is not what he sought. "Seeing the man’s whole situation, Jesus lovingly looked past his surface need and met his deeper need; He looked past the man’s immediate need and met his real need! Based on who He is and what He would accomplish on the cross, Jesus extended to a paralyzed sinner God’s full and complete pardon of sin. He may have needed healing, but even more he—like all of us—needed to experience the forgiveness of sins made possible by Jesus."  

We pray for much in our faith journey.  For many of our prayers, we assume they are unanswered.  However, God hears all of our prayers. We must also understand that God has a plan and this plan is perfect - we cannot fathom the depth and breadth of God's thoughts and ways (Isaiah 55:8).  While we pray for many things and don't understand the depth and breadth of God's plan - we do know that salvation is core to His plan as Jesus came to seek and save the lost - Luke 19:10. We are all lost without Jesus -  eternally damned.  Yet Jesus saves and He met not only the greatest need of the paralytic but the greatest need for all of humanity across all of redemptive history. Come to Jesus and be saved!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God that saves - meeting my greatest need.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a gift - the greatest gift of all time. My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

Lord, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us.

Isaiah 24-26, 32, and 35

Lord, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us. Isaiah 26:12

Day 185 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 a return to Isaiah's prophecies, this time of the coming Messiah and also of the last days and as my commentary* describes "the ultimate triumph of good over evil". Isaiah describes judgement for the wicked as well as deliverance for believers - praising God throughout.

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

This morning there are many verses that stand out, including:

Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago. Isaiah 25:1

Referring to Heaven:

On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. Isaiah 25:7-8 

And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it. No lion will be there, nor any ravenous beast; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there, and those the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. Isaiah 35:8-10

Most importantly for me this morning is Isaiah 26:12 where Isaiah worships God and attributes all that he is and all that he has to God - we all must start with fear of God and humility.  We all need a savior and Jesus Christ is that Savior.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who has provided everything for me - thank You Jesus!  You are also my savior - I am completely undeserving of all of this. I sin daily, including being harsh with others.  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 evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

 Mark 1:29-34

That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. Mark 1:32-34

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 1:29-34, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary.  Using ScriptureMARK (part of Blue Letter Bible), I highlighted: 

•  Vv29-30 describes how both Jesus and His new disciples acted with urgency, implying that Jesus' ministry was urgent - there are many who are lost, need the Good News of Jesus and healing, including both physical and spiritual healing.  To be clear, all of humanity needs spiritual healing and salvation because we all sin and are in need of a Savior. Jesus is this Savior.  V31 describes how Jesus took Simon's (Peter) mother-in-law by the hand and healed her.  
• Vv21-28 - covered by my previous three posts, shares how Jesus healed a man with an unclean spirit.  Vv29-34 builds on this healing, as not just Simon's mother is healed, but also as vv32-34 describes Jesus healed "many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons."
• As I posted yesterday, sin, evil, and brokenness (including disease and death) have existed since the Fall, and Jesus' death on the cross meant that people can have eternal life (John 3:16) once they confess (Romans 10:10) with their tongue that Jesus is their Savior.  Without salvation, there is no hope - because if you are not saved, you continue to be slave to sin and condemned for eternity.  Again, we all need salvation and Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10) - lostness encompasses both physical and spiritual healing and both are described in Mark 1:29-34.
•  V34b, where it shares how Jesus did not "permit the demons to speak, because they knew Him," implies that Jesus did not want others to know His true identity (as the Messiah) just yet because His time to go to the cross had not yet arrived.  It seems that Jesus was OK for others to see that He had power and authority, yet it seems that He was not OK that many others (i.e beyond people such as John the Baptist) did not know the extent of His identity.  Timing is often a subject in scripture as Solomon, the wisest person who ever lived wrote that (see Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) "[f]or everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven[.]"  
• Timing is a topic in the New Testament as well as Matthew 24:36 shares that "concerning [the] day and hour [when Jesus returns] no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only[.]"  Believers are often frustrated waiting - for example, we pray often for loved ones to be healed or saved, and our frustration mounts when we don't see prayer answered.  Believers can take comfort that God has a plan and that plan is good - see Romans 8:28.  We must trust God.      

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God that loves me, saved me, and who is constantly at work for me, providing mercies that never cease and that are new every morning, and whose plan is perfect and good.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You save, how You provide mercies, and how Your plan is good and perfect.  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. 

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

Romans 8

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32

I resume my study looking at the life of Paul using John Piper's 30 Reasons Why I Love the Apostle Paul.  Today, I move to chapter thirty - The Pursuit of Pure Doctrine and Passion for the Poor - wrapping use this book.  Here, John Piper points to Romans 8:32 as "the most important promise of his life.*"  Piper first starts by describing how Romans 8:32a and 8:32b construct an a fortiori argument. Thus, God gives us all things (the easier part) because He already gave up His One and Only Son Jesus (the harder part).  Piper then describes how God gave up His Son, sharing that this was the greatest obstacle between us and eternal happiness.  This was clearly the hardest for God to do vs "giving us all things" as Piper describes God's precious love for His Son.  Piper writes: "[n]othing greater or harder has ever happened. Or ever will.*" Piper then emphasizes how giving us all things does not guarantee a trouble free life - au contraire!  We are referred to Romans 8:36 and we can also refer to John 16:33. Piper shares how when God gives us all things He is giving us "all things we need to do his will. All things we need to glorify him. All things we need to move from predestined to called to justified to glorified— that is, to everlasting happiness (Romans 8: 30).*"  Piper then provides us examples from Romans 8 of what God gives us:

•  all things will work together for our good (v28)
• we will be conformed to the image of his Son (v29)
  
• we will be glorified (v30)
  
• no one can successfully be against us (v31)
  
• no charge shall stick against us (v33)
  
• nothing can separate us from the love of Christ (v35)
• in tribulation and distress and persecution and famine and nakedness and danger and sword, we are more than conquerors (vv35–37)
  
• neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (vv38– 39)

 Piper wraps the chapter by pointing us to 2 Corinthians 1:20a where Paul share that "all the promises of God find their Yes in him." Amen!  Praise God! 

*John Piper. 30 Reasons Why I Love the Apostle Paul

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are SO good - providing the hardest thing so You can give us everything!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of these blessings.  My sin is great and it continue...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 spouse 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.

How many wrongs and sins have I committed? Show me my offense and my sin.

Job 11-14

How many wrongs and sins have I committed? Show me my offense and my sin. Job 13:23

Day 254 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 Job. Job's friends Eliphaz and Bildad have addressed him to seek to comfort their friend Job, and to help him understand his suffering, and today we see his friend Zophar attempt to do the same. As I posted yesterday, once more today, we Job's pride and arrogance blind him from his sin.

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

Romans 8:32

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32

I agree with this post on DesiringGod.com that states that Holy Week is the most important week in all of history. As such, I continue with one of the recommendations from the post to prepare for Holy Week, which is to read John Piper's 40-day devotional Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die. Today I read reason #17: To Obtain for Us All Things That Are Good for Us.  Here, John Piper encourages us to see how Romans 8:32 shares how "[t]he two halves of [this verse] have a stupendously important logical connection."  Paul (and Jesus) use rhetorical questions as a means to engage us and to challenge us to go deeper in our understanding of scripture and doctrine.  This is what Paul does here in Romans 8:32.   Piper wants us modify the second half of the verse from a question to a statement so that it more clearly emphasizes Paul's key point, which is that God did the hardest thing of all by giving up His Son, so we can be assured that if we trust in Him we will see how He will give us everything we need in our life as followers of Him - He did the hard part already so everything else is easy.  Piper then ensures we have a right understanding of what is meant by "give us all things."  He refers us to later in the same chapter 8 of Romans where in 8:36 (quoting Psalm 44:22) Paul describes how Christians are not guaranteed an easy life (on the contrary see also John 16:33). We are then referred backwards in Romans 8 to verse 29 where Paul shares that God seeks to conform us to His image - sanctification - and sometimes this process is painful by design.  Piper describes this as "[God giving] us all things that are good for us."  Piper winds down the devotion by expanding on this by referring us to Philippians 4:19 and sharing: "[i]t’s the same as the other biblical promise: “My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus”....This promise is clarified in the preceding words: “In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:12-13). Rejoice in how God provides for all things that are good for us!

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an amazing God that provides for all of my needs, including mercies every morning that never cease, and eternal life with You.  Thank You Father God for my salvation, and for all of the blessings that 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.

And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

Luke 1

And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” Luke 1:16-17

This morning, my focus is DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, where John Piper seeks for believers to prepare our hearts for Christmas.  Today's Solid Joys daily devotion marks day 1 of Advent and Piper provides for us a daily devotion for Advent.  He starts by urging us (using Luke 2:11) to meditate on how we all sin and need a savior.  Piper writes: "[i]f you don’t need a Savior, you don’t need Christmas. Christmas will not have its intended effect until we feel desperately the need for a Savior. Let these short Advent meditations help awaken in you a bittersweet sense of need for the Savior." Next, he encourages (using Psalm 139:23-24) us to examine our hearts and make room in our hearts for Jesus. He then moves to inspire us to "build God-centered anticipation and excitement into [our] home." He wraps the devotion by stirring us to "be much in the Scriptures," in particular through scripture memorization.  He ends by referring us to Jeremiah 23:29 as he wants us to "[g]ather ’round that fire [God's Word] this Advent season. It is warm. It is sparkling with colors of grace. It is healing for a thousand hurts. It is light for dark nights."  What great words for us and a great start to Advent. 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an awesome God You are and I am excited for Advent and the season of Christmas where we celebrate Your birth.  You are worthy of this excitement and all the glory!  I am not deserving of what You do for me.  My sin is great and it continues...fear of man, worry, 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.  Help me 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 I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.”

Mark 9:14-19

So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” Mark 9:18b-19

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Mark 9:14-29.  Excerpts from the introduction for the entirety of the text and for the first (of three) division (vv14-19):

• The title for the entirety of the text is and the main idea: "Lessons Learned in the Fires of Failure," and "[w]e will fail, but God uses these failures to deepen our dependence on Him, our faith in Christ, and our discipline in prayer."
• "Failure is never fun and defeat is seldom something we take delight in. It can be painful, embarrassing, and humiliating. And our response can be life changing, altering our destiny. Failure can make us bitter, or it may make us better. We can take it as instructive and corrective and learn from it."
• "It is this last lesson the disciples need to learn and so many of us need to learn as well. But there is another truth we must hold on to as well: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). I can do nothing that really matters without Him, but this drives me continually to Him for help. I need to let my weakness drive me to His strength. I need to let my impotence drive me to His omnipotence. I need to let my limitations drive me to His unlimited resources. I need to let my humility drive me to His sufficiency."  
• For the first division, the title is: "We Never Advance Beyond Our Need for Jesus."
• "Mountaintop experiences are wonderful, and we need them from time to time for spiritual nourishment and the recharging of our spiritual batteries. However, God never intended for us to stay there. He wants us “down here” preaching the gospel to and ministering among the hurting and suffering. He wants us living with and serving real people devastated by the ravages of the fall and of sin. As His agents of redemptive love, we go in His name and with the promise of His presence. To forget this is to open ourselves up to all sorts of difficulty, challenges, and even failure, as nine of His disciples discovered with pain and humiliation."  
• "No doubt the scribes were mocking the disciples over their failure to heal the boy. Probably they used the lack of success as an opportunity to question Jesus’ authority."  
• "[T]heir failure reflected badly not only on them but also on Jesus!"
• "We never sin in a vacuum. We hurt ourselves, we hurt those we love, we hurt the gospel, and we hurt the reputation of Christ! When this happens, we do not need to look to ourselves but to Christ! Criticized by our detractors for our failures, we must point them to Christ, the One who does not fail—ever! We should encourage them to follow the example of the crowd in verse 15. They saw Him, they were amazed at Him, and they ran to Him. Our detractors may accurately point out our flaws and failures. Such, however, will never be found in Jesus. Oh how we need Him when enemies are nipping at our heels, ready to devour us if they can!"  
• "Many lessons are here. (1) We see that demons are real beings, not simply mythological creatures. Jesus clearly believes in the demonic. (2) Demons desire to inflict pain and death. (3) Demons are capable of inflicting physical suffering. This boy had symptoms resembling epilepsy (Matthew 17:15). (4) In our own strength we are helpless against the supernatural powers of the demonic. (5) Spiritual victories in the past (cf. Mark 6:7-13) are no guarantee we will be victorious today, especially when we operate with faith in ourselves rather than in Christ. (6) When all human efforts have been exhausted, we can turn to Jesus. Counter to our sinfulness and weakness, He is where we should turn from the start."
• "Whenever the disciples are separated from Jesus, they get in trouble and experience a crisis. What a valuable lesson: we never advance beyond our need for Jesus!"  

We are reminded that we must remain in Jesus to bear fruit - the lesson of John 15:1-17 is key. Apart from Jesus we can do nothing.  Daily study of God's Word, prayer, are key.  

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who provides for all of my needs, physical, emotional, and spiritual.  You never let me down.  You are SO good!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of my salvation nor how You bless and provide.  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 [Sin] is hidden from him, when he comes to know it, and realizes his guilt....

 Leviticus 5

...and [Sin] is hidden from him, when he comes to know it, and realizes his guilt.... Leviticus 5:2,3,4,5

This morning, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - continuing with chapter five - Five Eternal, Counter Cultural Truths about God, Us and Our Sin - covering Leviticus 5:1-13, looking specifically at the theme Sin Results in Guilt. Building on my post yesterday, my commentary right away points how in v5:2, 3, 4, and 5, God gives us instructions on how to handle sin once we realize our sin.  We are constantly sinning, with our thoughts in particular and even unintentionally - the point is that we are all born sinners and it pervades our life, and Believers are not immune to sin as we are human.  Yet even as we sin, our culture, in which we as Believers find ourselves, refrains from discussing sin as morality fades from public view.  My commentary points to a secular book Whatever Happened to Sin as an example of such discussion, and this book was written nearly 50 years ago!  The commentary then proceeds to describe guilt within secular culture as a bad thing - something to be alleviated just as another malady where perhaps we can take a pill, have a drink, etc. Yet the commentary urges all of us, Believers and non-believers alike, to see guilt as playing a necessary and critical role in pointing us to the need for God.  God alone provides the path for atonement and a means to reconcile us to Himself. We all sin and we all need a savior - Jesus Christ is that Savior! 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves us and who gives us a conscience, the Word, etc. so that we can all recognize our guilt and seek You.  Thank You Jesus!  What an awesome design!  I am not deserving of how You love me and how You design and provide for all of my needs.  I have anger and other sins.  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.

He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.

Leviticus 4

He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. Hebrews 7:27

This evening, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - continuing with chapter four - How God Deals with Sin - covering Leviticus 4:1-35, looking specifically at the theme Jesus Fulfills the Old Covenant Sacrifices for Sin. Here, my commentary focuses on how even as God commanded the Israelites to follow the sacrificial system as written in Leviticus, "God knew that He intended the levitical sacrificial system to be temporary.  God knew His people would corrupt His sacrifices." Ultimately, as my commentary goes further, "they went through the motions as if the ritual itself was sufficient to atone for sin, like someone attending church with the assumption that their mere presence in the building means that all is well with them spiritually."  The commentary refers to "legalism" and "ritualism" as over-emphasis on the "doing" of the letter of the law without concern to an appropriate heart condition that seeks to love God first and foremost and to glorify Him for who He is and what He has done. The commentary also raises an important question which is "why didn't God simply send His Son immediately after Adam and Eve's sin?"  The commentary responds by stating God intended to demonstrate a powerful lesson that was to be clear - NONE of us are able to be righteous without God and we also ALL need God to be reconciled to Him as our sin separates us from Him.  

The commentary then moves to describe how God's lessons regarding sacrifice prepared the way for Jesus.  In Leviticus, we see several types of sacrificial offerings - burnt, grain, peace/fellowship, purification - to demonstrate that no single sacrifice was sufficient and that even together such a system was imperfect as it was offered by humans.  The commentary points to several verses, including Hebrews 7:27, where it is stated that Christ died once for all and became the perfect sacrifice and atonement for all sin, for all of humanity, for all of eternity. He did this so that just so that we could have a path to atonement and reconciliation with Him - what an act of grace...amazing grace!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You offered Yourself and died on the cross so that I could have forgiveness from sin and be reconciled to You - amazing!  The greatest gift of all time.  I am not deserving of that or any other blessing You pour out for me.  Thank You Jesus.  Yet my sin continues...worry, gossip, harshness with others.  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.

“Therefore wait for me,” declares the LORD,“for the day when I rise up to seize the prey. For my decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them my indignation, all my burning anger; for in the fire of my jealousy all the earth shall be consumed.

Zephaniah 3:1-8

“Therefore wait for me,” declares the LORD,“for the day when I rise up to seize the prey. For my decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them my indignation, all my burning anger; for in the fire of my jealousy all the earth shall be consumed. Zephaniah 3:8

I continue my study of Zephaniah using the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary volume for this book.  For today, my focus is a unassisted review of Zephaniah 3:1-8, which is the text for the second division of the commentary's chapter covering Zephaniah 2:4-3:8.  The commentary further breaks down this second division into eight subdivisions. Turning from chapter 2 where Zephaniah shares God's warning to Judah's sinful neighbors and how He is going to pour out His wrath upon them, chapter 3 begins with a warning for both Judah and her neighbors.  V1 describes how Jerusalem is rebellious and defiled, and v2 describes how she listens to no voice, accepts no correction, does not trust in the Lord, and does not draw near to her God.  These verses alone are quite harsh, and while believers may think they do not describe themselves, to a certain degree this may be correct, but all of us are unclean and in need of a Savior because WE ALL SIN and need a SAVIOR.  Jesus is this Savior!  The message is clear: listen to God (read and study His Word), draw near to Him, pray to God (be in relationship with Him and talk to Him), accept His correction (view difficult circumstances in light of what He is doing to mold You or bring about His plan), and trust in God (have no fear or anxiety).  Vv3-4 describe the corruption of Judah's officials, including her priests.  V5 highlights how God is righteous, just, and faithful.  V6-7 then pivots to how God's anger burns against both Judah and her neighbors.  We are exhorted to live in reverent fear of God as He reigns.  V8 then declares a warning to repent and be ready, for when God pours out His wrath during the last days, His wrath will be terrifying indeed but those who are repent, believe in Him and are ready will be spared. 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who lives in my heart and life - protecting me from sin and sinful influences.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You provide refuge and protect.  My sin does though continue and I know there is more work for You to do.  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 Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins, declares the Lord.

Isaiah 59

The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins, declares the Lord. v20

We all sin (Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:8), sin separates us from God, and we all need a Savior to cleanse us from our sins and to free us from the sting of sin and death. 

Jesus is that Savior and He came in fulfillment of prophecy and because of His love for us.

All we need to do is confess, repent and ask for Jesus to come into our lives as our Savior.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for adopting me as Your son and for saving me from the sting of sin and death...for all that You are and do.  I love You.  Yet I am not worthy of such a God.  Please forgive me of my worry.  Help me turn from such sin towards You and help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Please 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.

He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

Matthew 12

He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. v39

Jesus wants us to have faith.  He also wants us to understand that life is not designed by Him to be easy (see John 16:33) - it has not been since the Fall (see Genesis 3, in particular v17-19).


We must all get to a place where we need Jesus -  and He is our Savior.


Once we acknowledge our need for a Savior, we must daily seek Him and build a relationship with Him, and He WILL transform our hearts and lives.

We must have faith - see Hebrews 11.

develop and cultivate relationship with God

And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

Mark 7:24-37

And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” Mark 7:36-37

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 7:24-37, 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?: Jesus is the incarnate Son of God and during His ministry, although He sought the Messianic Secret - that is He not be more fully revealed who He is until the appropriate time - it is difficult to fathom how Jesus could perform the miracles He did and word not spread about Jesus.  At the same time, John Piper describes a preventing "illumination" of the disciples in particular but also others and us by extension (see vv24, 36).  Piper explains how this "preventing" forces us to acknowledge how badly we need Him.  God's ways are difficult to fathom (Isaiah 55:8) but it is not difficult to fathom how desperately we need Him.  We all desperately need Jesus just as  the woman/daughter and deaf man in the text do.  God heals and saves.  God had a plan and regardless of how others could not follow His plan to prevent the spread of Him, Jesus' plan could not be stopped and Jesus ministry continued until the appointed moment where He died and rose again.  Jesus sought His Father's help in prayer - see v34. 
• What do we learn from the passage about people?: People, once they acknowledge the saving power of Jesus Christ, cannot help but share the Good News (v36, Acts 4:20).   
• Is there anything from the passage God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid,Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Jesus wants us to share who He is - not just what He did.  Yes Jesus performed miracles but most importantly He Saves!  We can also lay claim to the promise that, yes, although we don't know how God works, we do know that He does (Romans 8:28) and that once He starts a work in us, He will continue a work in us until completion - sanctification. This process may be slower than we like but it is according to plan!

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My Prayer: Father God, You are a good, good God.  Perfect in all Your ways.  I may not know how You work but I know that You do, and that You love and save.  I also know that I NEED a savior and You are that Savior.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love and 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.