Mark 6

Our unbelief in the power of the Trinity limits us. In the measure that we believe in Him is the measure that we can receive from Him. Doing something that is against what you know to be right always results in tragedy. Look at Herod with Herodias or King David with Bathsheba! The hardest people to convince of our sincerity are those who are closest to us. Correct your bad decisions, ask Him for forgiveness, reach out to Him and know that with God nothing is impossible!

6 Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him. 2 And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, "Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! 3 Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?" So they were offended at Him.

4 But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house." 5 Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.

7 And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits. 8 He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts— 9 but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics.

10 Also He said to them, "In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place. 11 And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!"

12 So they went out and preached that people should repent. 13 And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.

14 Now King Herod heard of Him, for His name had become well known. And he said, "John the Baptist is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him."

15 Others said, "It is Elijah."

And others said, "It is the Prophet, or like one of the prophets."

16 But when Herod heard, he said, "This is John, whom I beheaded; he has been raised from the dead!" 17 For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; for he had married her. 18 Because John had said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."

19 Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not; 20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.

21 Then an opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a feast for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. 22 And when Herodias' daughter herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the girl, "Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you." 23 He also swore to her, "Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom."

24 So she went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask?"

And she said, "The head of John the Baptist!"

25 Immediately she came in with haste to the king and asked, saying, "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter."

26 And the king was exceedingly sorry; yet, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he did not want to refuse her. 27 Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought. And he went and beheaded him in prison, 28 brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard of it, they came and took away his corpse and laid it in a tomb.

30 Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught. 31And He said to them, "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.

32 So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.

33 But the multitudes saw them departing, and many knew Him and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to Him. 34 And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things. 35 When the day was now far spent, His disciples came to Him and said, "This is a deserted place, and already the hour is late. 36 Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves 7bread; for they have nothing to eat."

37 But He answered and said to 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 them something to eat?"

38 But He said to them, "How many loaves do you have? Go and see."

And when they found out they said, "Five, and two fish."

39 Then He commanded them to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in ranks, in hundreds and in fifties. 41 And when He had taken the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and the two fish He divided among them all. 42 So they all ate and were filled. 43 And they took up twelve baskets full of fragments and of the fish. 44 Now those who had eaten the loaves were about five thousand men.

45 Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away. 46 And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray. 47 Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land. 48 Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by. 49 And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out; 50 for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them,  "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid." 51 Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. 52 For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.

53 When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and anchored there. 54 And when they came out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, 55 ran through that whole surrounding region, and began to carry about on beds those who were sick to wherever they heard He was. 56 Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well.

The NKJV Study Bibile says this: Jesus now went to minister in His own country, the area where He grew up, around Nazareth. The people readily acknowledged both Jesus' wisdom and His mighty works, but with insensitive hearts and spiritual callousness they rejected Jesus' message. A prophet is not without honor except in his own country is a maxim still repeated and still true today. Perhaps others were jealous of Jesus' popularity and huge following. Their envy even took the form of violence against Christ. Repentance was necessary to cultivate the new life Christ offered. So alarming was Jesus' sudden fame that Herod feared that John had risen from the dead. The disciples Jesus had sent out undoubtedly added to Herod's worry. It is clear that many did not recognize the divine mission that Jesus was fulfilling. The Gospels record several times that when Jesus saw a need He was moved with compassion. That compassion led to action. When we put the will of God first, He will care for our needs and provide our daily bread. Prayer was a vital part of Christ's communion with the Father and always preceded and accompanied especially difficult situations. This particular night followed a busy day when solitude was sought but not found. He could easily have calmed the waves from shore, but He wanted His disciples to understand His deity and mastery over all nature. Mark summarizes Jesus' healing ministry, noting how widespread it was. The hem of a garment was significant, for it was often woven with tassels that reminded the wearer of God's commandments.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Psalm 41

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

God sees the heart of a person. He alone knows the whole of you and loves you still. If we take care of those who cannot take care of themselves we have the heart of the Father. He protects and blesses those who follow His heart. When we give our life to Him, mind, body and spirit, He gives us His heart, His Holy Spirit, to guide and protect us all the days of our life. In Him we never walk alone.

1 Blessed is he who considers the poor;

The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.

2 The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive,

And he will be blessed on the earth;

You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies.

3 The Lord will strengthen him on his bed of illness;

You will sustain him on his sickbed.

4 I said, "Lord, be merciful to me;

Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You."

5 My enemies speak evil of me:

"When will he die, and his name perish?"

6 And if he comes to see me, he speaks lies;

His heart gathers iniquity to itself;

When he goes out, he tells it.

7 All who hate me whisper together against me;

Against me they devise my hurt.

8 "An evil disease," they say, "clings to him.

And now that he lies down, he will rise up no more."

9 Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted,

Who ate my bread,

Has lifted up his heel against me.

10 But You, O Lord, be merciful to me, and raise me up,

That I may repay them.

11 By this I know that You are well pleased with me,

Because my enemy does not triumph over me.

12 As for me, You uphold me in my integrity,

And set me before Your face forever.

13 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel

From everlasting to everlasting!

Amen and Amen.

The NKJV Study Bible says this: The poem is ascribed to David and speaks of the plight of a person suffering from serious physical illness. Ultimately, it presents the victory of the Savior Jesus over His enemies, especially the great enemy Satan. There are four movements in the psalm: (1) an affirmation of confidence in the Lord's power to deliver the godly from distress; (2) a description of David's distress; (3) a renewed expression of hope in the Lord; (4) a coda of praise marking the end of Book I of the Psalms. To bless God is to identify Him as the source of our blessings. The poor refers not only to those who do not have enough money, but also to those who suffer illness or misfortune through no fault of their own. For such persons, God is Defender, Deliverer, and Sustainer. Blessed on the earth refers to the acts of God's goodness in a person's life, including health, wealth, longevity, spiritual vitality, and harmony with God and people.

 

Joy in the Lord is our strength

May the powerful arms of the Father wrap you in His love knowing that with Him we never walk alone!

 

John 16:7 The disciples must have thought, "How can it be to our advantage to be alone? The Romans hate us because they see us as disturbers of the peace. The Jewish leaders hate us because they see us as blasphemers. You alone love us, and You are leaving us." So Jesus explained the benefits of His departure. When Jesus left, the believers would have (1) the provision of the Holy Spirit; (2) the potential of full joy; (3) the possibility of fuller knowledge; (4) the privilege of peace. I will send Him: Jesus explained that the Holy Spirit will convict the world and communicate truth to the apostles. The Holy Spirit would not be given to the world, but to believers. The coming of the Spirit would be more profitable to believers than even the physical presence of Christ, since the Spirit could dwell in all believers at the same time

 

John 16:9
of sin: Note the singular sin, not sins. Our witness should not focus on sins (adultery, gluttony, pride, and other sins), but on the full payment that Christ has made for all sin.
Reception of the full pardon is the only cure for the disease of sin.

 

Psalm
4:6 Although our lives often seem to be filled with uncertainty, there is never uncertainty with God. Those on whom the Lord shines His face are truly blessed. The joy God gives transcends the joy of the harvest. Agricultural produce, the result of abundant rain on fertile soil, was a blessing of God on His people. But there is something greater than full barns and overflowing cisterns—the joy of God's presence. The peace that God gives is far from a relaxation technique. It is a peace that enables an anxious person to lie down and sleep.

 

Deuteronomy
27:7 Peace offerings were occasions of great joy, celebrations of belonging to God, sensing His presence, and remembering and thanking Him for His good gifts. The joy came from recognizing their special place in God's gracious covenant.

 

Psalm 64:10 The joy of confident trust in God cannot be overstated. By placing our problems into God's hands, we can rest in His sovereign will for our lives. Concerns about the future can be cast aside, for the Lord controls our future and has good plans for us.

 

Philemon 1:7 Rather than merely being happy because of Philemon's love, the apostle remarkably stated that he had joy, even when he was in chains. A Christian's joy in trying circumstances is a testimony to God's peace.

 

Jeremiah 3

In the social environment that we live in it is easy to be sucked up into the vacuum of loneliness and despair that living for your own desires bring. Our unfaithfulness to the Father and the shame it brings can cause us to distance ourselves from the only Hope we have. The Lord only wants us to acknowledge our sin, ask for forgiveness and return to Him. Satan uses our past to keep us separated from the One who knew us from the womb, knew all the sins we would commit and loved us still!
Fall on your knees and thank Him for His mercy and His grace!

3 "They say, 'If a man divorces his wife, And she goes from him

And becomes another man's,

May he return to her again?'

Would not that land be greatly polluted?

But you have played the harlot with many lovers;

Yet return to Me," says the Lord.

3 Therefore the showers have been withheld,

And there has been no latter rain.

You have had a harlot's forehead;

You refuse to be ashamed.

4 Will you not from this time cry to Me,

'My Father, You are the guide of my youth?

5 Will He remain angry forever?

Will He keep it to the end?'

Behold, you have spoken and done evil things,

As you were able."

6 The Lord said also to me in the days of Josiah the king: "Have you seen what backsliding Israel has done? She has gone up on every high mountain and under every green tree, and there played the harlot. 7 And I said, after she had done all these things, 'Return to Me.' But she did not return. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it. 8 Then I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but went and played the harlot also. 9 So it came to pass, through her casual harlotry, that she defiled the land and committed adultery with stones and trees. 10 And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah has not turned to Me with her whole heart, but in pretense," says the Lord.

11 Then the Lord said to me, "Backsliding Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah. 12 Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say:

'Return, backsliding Israel,' says the Lord;

'I will not cause My anger to fall on you.

For I am merciful,' says the Lord;

'I will not remain angry forever.

13 Only acknowledge your iniquity,

That you have transgressed against the Lord your God,

And have scattered your charms

To alien deities under every green tree,

And you have not obeyed My voice,' says the Lord.

14 "Return, O backsliding children," says the Lord; "for I am married to you. I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion. 15 And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.

17 "At that time Jerusalem shall be called The Throne of the Lord, and all the nations shall be gathered to it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem. No more shall they  follow the dictates of their evil hearts.

22 "Return, you backsliding children,

And I will heal your backslidings."

"Indeed we do come to You,

For You are the Lord our God.

23 Truly, in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills,

And from the multitude of mountains;

Truly, in the Lord our God

Is the salvation of Israel.

25 We lie down in our shame,

And our reproach covers us.

For we have sinned against the Lord our God,

We and our fathers,

From our youth even to this day,

And have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God."

The NKJV Study Bible says this: After forsaking God, Israel had taken many other lovers—that is, the nation worshiped many other gods. Yet the Lord in His mercy still extended His loving hand to His unfaithful bride. The word return implies repentance. Upon these barren heights Israel committed physical and spiritual adultery. Like Arabs who were known for ambushing caravans, Israel lustily sought other gods. Israel was like a prostitute who was totally unashamed. Israel's appeal based on God's friendship with them will avail them nothing due to their hardness of heart. Judah pretended to repent in times of distress, but did not actually turn with its heart to the Lord. The heart means the people's will, mind, and emotion. If the people turned in repentance God's anger would not come upon them. The basis of this appeal is that God is merciful, faithful to His covenant promise. Israel's rebellious iniquity is identified as the pursuit of alien gods, idolatry committed throughout the land. Throughout the Bible the image of the shepherd is an important one. God provides shepherds for His people to watch over them, guide them, care for them, and lead them. From Moses in the OT to Jesus in the New, God provides faithful, devoted leaders after His own heart. God rules with a heart of knowledge and understanding, not falsehood and deceit. God would bring back His people and bless them in the land of promise, under the Lord's chosen Shepherd—the Messiah. The Lord's desire has always been to bless His people. The confession begins with acknowledgment of the Lord as God in accordance with the First Commandment. True salvation or deliverance could be found only in the true God of Israel. The people acknowledged the shame and reproach that they had brought upon themselves. They had sinned against God since their days of youth in the wilderness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Psalm 29

To God be all the glory.
Look around you and see the glory of the Lord. Look around you and see His footprints in the earth. God spoke the world into existence. Thank Him for the strength and peace He gives to those who place their trust in Him. My husband and I have just returned from a week in Lancaster County Pennsylvania. We took the time to admire the beauty of the landscape that God created. If we open our eyes we will see Him in all of His wonders.

1 Give unto the Lord, O you mighty ones,

Give unto the Lord glory and strength.

2. Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name;

Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters;

The God of glory thunders;

The Lord is over many waters.

4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;

The voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars,

Yes, the Lord splinters the cedars of Lebanon.

6 He makes them also skip like a calf,

Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox.

7 The voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire.

8 The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;

The Lord shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh.

9 The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth,

And strips the forests bare;

And in His temple everyone says, "Glory!"

10 The Lord sat enthroned at the Flood,

And the Lord sits as King forever.

11 The Lord will give strength to His people;

The Lord will bless His people with peace.

The NKJV Study Bible says this: Psalm 29 is a worship psalm. But it is also a royal psalm that uses striking language to assert the sovereign reign of the Almighty. David has taken over some of the vocabulary and poetic style of the Canaanites and used it to praise the living God. The psalm has three movements: (1) a call to the angels and all people to acknowledge the supremacy of God; (2) a description of the living God as Lord over storms; (3) a blessing from God, who is enthroned as King on high, to His people. Here the sound of thunder is a symbol of the voice of God. As at the beginning of the psalm, all the angels in the heavenly sanctuary acknowledge the surpassing glory of the omnipotent God. He even controls the waters at the height of their destructive power, the Flood. There is no one to oppose His glorious rule; He is King forever. The Lord will give strength. He is the true God, there is none other. Only He can empower His people.

 

 

Jeremiah 49:1-6

God's plan of redemption includes our sons and daughters even those who have strayed from Him.
His children and their descendants were always an integral part of the covenant that God made with man. In the New Covenant all those who follow Christ become His heirs. He will not allow Satan to rob Him of those who were destined to be His. We must trust God to accomplish that which we cannot do.

49 Against the Ammonites. Thus says the Lord:

"Has Israel no sons?

Has he no heir?

Why then does Milcom inherit Gad,

And his people dwell in its cities?

2 Therefore behold, the days are coming," says the Lord,

"That I will cause to be heard an alarm of war

In Rabbah of the Ammonites;

It shall be a desolate mound,

And her villages shall be burned with fire.

Then Israel shall take possession of his inheritance," says the Lord.

3 "Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai is plundered!

Cry, you daughters of Rabbah,

Gird yourselves with sackcloth!

Lament and run to and fro by the walls;

For Milcom shall go into captivity

With his priests and his princes together.

4 Why do you boast in the valleys,

Your flowing valley, O backsliding daughter?,

Who trusted in her treasures, saying

'Who will come against me?'

5 Behold, I will bring fear upon you,"

Says the Lord God of hosts,

"From all those who are around you;

You shall be driven out, everyone headlong,

And no one will gather those who wander off.

6 But afterward I will bring back

The captives of the people of Ammon," says the Lord.

The NKJV Study Bible says this: Milcom, the patron deity of the Ammonites, is pictured as taking possession of the land formerly belonging to the Gadites, a process that began in the days of the judges.

Psalm 119:113-120

There is no one righteous, no not one! Our only hope is in Christ Jesus, the Word made flesh, who took our sin and died in place of us so that we could have life. God's mercy and grace given in Christ Jesus covers a multitude of sin. To those who accept His free gift, the Holy Spirit will guide and direct them into all truth.

113 I hate the double-minded,

But I love Your law.

114 You are my hiding place and my shield;

I hope in Your word.

115 Depart from me, you evildoers,

For I will keep the commandments of my God!

116 Uphold me according to Your word, that I may live;

And do not let me be ashamed of my hope.

117 Hold me up, and I shall be safe,

And I shall observe Your statutes continually.

118 You reject all those who stray from Your statutes,

For their deceit is falsehood.

119 You put away all the wicked of the earth like dross;

Therefore I love Your testimonies.

120 My flesh trembles for fear of You,

And I am afraid of Your judgments.

The NKJV Study Bible says this: Commandments pertain to anything the Lord God has ordered. The word alludes to God's authority to govern His people. The commandments of God are positive and negative, specific and general, restrictive and permissive. Yet most important, they help a person to identify his or her way in a world that is filled with confusion, sin, and error. Although usually translated law, the noun torah is derived from the verb yarah, meaning "to teach," and should be understood as carrying the idea of "instruction." The term can refer to any set of regulations, such as the instructions of parents. The writer of Ps. 119 expressed great love for God's law, because it led him to wisdom and righteousness. In the NT, Paul also praised God's law because it pointed out his sin and made him realize his desperate need for a Savior. The psalmist's reference to God's mercy in this verse alludes to God's promise to show mercy to those who love Him.

 

Zephaniah 3

God is in control! Praise be to the Holy One of Israel. Trust in Him and live.

3 Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted,

To the oppressing city!

2 She has not obeyed His voice,

She has not received correction;

She has not trusted in the Lord,

She has not drawn near to her God.

3 Her princes in her midst are roaring lions;

Her judges are evening wolves

That leave not a bone till morning.

4 Her prophets are insolent, treacherous people;

Her priests have polluted the sanctuary,

They have done violence to the law.

5 The Lord is righteous in her midst,

He will do no unrighteousness.

2 Every morning He brings His justice to light;

He never fails,

But the unjust knows no shame.

6 "I have cut off nations,

Their fortresses are devastated;

I have made their streets desolate,

With none passing by.

Their cities are destroyed;

There is no one, no inhabitant.

7 I said, 'Surely you will fear Me,

You will receive instruction'—

So that her dwelling would not be cut off,

Despite everything for which I punished her.

But they rose early and corrupted all their deeds.

8 "Therefore wait for Me," says the Lord,

"Until the day I rise up for plunder;

My determination is to gather the nations

To My assembly of kingdoms,

To pour on them My indignation,

All My fierce anger;

All the earth shall be devoured

With the fire of My jealousy.

9 "For then I will restore to the peoples a pure language,

That they all may call on the name of the Lord,

To serve Him with one accord.

11 In that day you shall not be shamed for any of your deeds

In which you transgress against Me;

For then I will take away from your midst

Those who rejoice in your pride,

And you shall no longer be haughty

In My holy mountain.

12 I will leave in your midst

A meek and humble people,

And they shall trust in the name of the Lord.

13 The remnant of Israel shall do no unrighteousness

And speak no lies,

Nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth;

For they shall feed their flocks and lie down,

And no one shall make them afraid."

14 Sing, O daughter of Zion!

Shout, O Israel!

Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,

O daughter of Jerusalem!

15 The Lord has taken away your judgments,

He has cast out your enemy.

The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;

You shall see disaster no more.

17 The Lord your God in your midst,

The Mighty One, will save;

He will rejoice over you with gladness,

He will quiet you with His love,

He will rejoice over you with singing."

19 Behold, at that time

I will deal with all who afflict you;

I will save the lame,

And gather those who were driven out;

I will appoint them for praise and fame

In every land where they were put to shame.

The NKJV Study Bible says this: Jerusalem had become a center of oppression, rebellion, and apostasy.
It would soon be marked by destruction. The expression of grief is reflective of God's own heart. The princes, judges, prophets, and priests, whom God had especially designated to work for righteousness, were more wicked than the "regular" citizens of Jerusalem. These leaders were destroying and defrauding the weak, the needy, and the helpless. Because He is absolutely righteous, God had no place in the midst of such an evil people. God's response to the wickedness of Jerusalem was to declare His judgment. He would use other nations to punish the city for its rebellion. The focus of the text moves to a time of national regeneration and restoration. God's people would come from all nations to worship Him. The people are first commanded to abstain from fear, to keep from hanging their arms in a posture of resignation. Instead, they were to take encouragement and strength from the new reality that their God lived among them. God is going to make all things right. Those who are enemies of God's truth will be gathered and removed; those who are disenfranchised, God will restore. As in the beginning of His dealings with Abraham and Sarah (see Gen. 12:1–3), where God promised blessing, honor, and a renowned name, so here God promises fame and praise to each individual in His family. The implication is clear: "Listen and live!"

 

 

 

 

Mark 7

Our speech shows the world who we are and what we believe. Does hatred, prejudice, violence and injustice spew from our mouth? If we do not speak out of love, we dishonor God. As His ambassadors here on earth we can give others the impression that He is mean spirited, unloving and out of control. Remember, all things, whether of this earth or of heaven, are under His control. He appoints those in position as He deems fit, not us. Who are we to speak against God's power, mercy and grace?

7 Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem. 2 Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault. 3 For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders. 4 When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches.

5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?"

6 He answered and said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:

'This people honors Me with their lips,

But their heart is far from Me.

7 And in vain they worship Me,

Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'

8 For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men— the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do."

9 He said to them, "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. 10 For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.' 11 But you say, 'If a man says to his father or mother,  "Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban"—' (that is, a gift to God), 12 then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, 13 making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do."

14 When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear Me, everyone, and understand: 15 There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man. 16 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!"

17 When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable. 18 So He said to them, "Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, 19 because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?"20 And He said, "What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within and defile a man."

The NKJV Study Bible says this: The Pharisees and scribes (teachers of the law) were no doubt sent by the Jewish religious authorities to ascertain Jesus' position on the issues they counted important. The tradition of the elders was a series of rules meant to bolster the ceremonial law of the Jews. Its authority was not supported by Scripture. The question indirectly challenged Jesus, for as the disciples' teacher He was judged responsible for their actions. Jesus did not directly answer the question but instead addressed two more significant issues: (1) the superiority of God's law over man-made tradition and (2) the difference between ceremonial and true moral defilement. Jesus enters into the argument by calling His adversaries hypocrites. The term originally referred to actors who wore masks on stage as they played different characters. Thus the Pharisees were not genuinely religious; they were merely playing a part for all to see.

 

 

 

 

Daniel 7:1-14

God alone knows the beginning and the end. He gives prophesy to man. We need to listen carefully and record the facts. Come, Lord Jesus, come!

In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Danie had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, telling the main facts.

2 Daniel spoke, saying, "I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea. 3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other. 4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man's heart was given to it.

5 "And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to it: 'Arise, devour much flesh!'

6 "After this I looked, and there was another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it.

7 "After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. 8 I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.

9 "I watched till thrones were put in place,

And the Ancient of Days was seated;

His garment was white as snow,

And the hair of His head was like pure wool.

His throne was a fiery flame,

Its wheels a burning fire;

10 A fiery stream issued

And came forth from before Him.

A thousand thousands ministered to Him;

Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him.

The court was seated,

And the books were opened.

11 "I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking; I watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.

13 "I was watching in the night visions,

And behold, One like the Son of Man,

Coming with the clouds of heaven!

He came to the Ancient of Days,

And they brought Him near before Him.

14 Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom,

That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.

His dominion is an everlasting dominion,

Which shall not pass away,

And His kingdom the one

Which shall not be destroyed.

The NKJV says this: Ancient of Days is a reference to God the Father as certified by the submission of "the One like the Son of Man" to Him and His role in judgment. Fiery flame symbolizes judgment.
Its wheels refers to the chariot in which God rides to battle to exercise His sovereignty and to appear as Judge. The idea that the fate of the wicked is fiery destruction is apparent in the OT but reaches its fullest expression in the NT teaching about hell. Son of Man is Semitic for "human being." Daniel saw One like the "Son of Man," indicating that He is not a man in the strict sense, but rather the perfect representation of humanity. Jewish and Christian expositors have identified this individual as the Messiah. Jesus Himself used this name to emphasize His humanity as the incarnate Son of God. John uses the same expression to speak of Jesus coming in judgment. In contrast to the vanishing nature of the previous empires, His dominion is … everlasting.

 

 

2 Chronicles 11

The Lord does not condone fighting between churches or individual believers. They are our brothers in Christ. We are to help each other but we are not to fight over doctrine. God fights those battles. Anything done without love as its base is not of God. We are all His children, however misdirected. He has His own way of bringing us back into His fold.

11 Now when Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled from the house of Judah and Benjamin one hundred and eighty thousand chosen men who were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.

2 But the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, 3 "Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying, 4 'Thus says the Lord: "You shall not go up or fight against your brethren! Let every man return to his house, for this thing is from Me." Therefore they obeyed the words of the Lord, and turned back from attacking Jeroboam.

5 So Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defense in Judah. 6 And he built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, 7 Beth Zur, Sochoh, Adullam, 8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, 9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, 10 Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and Benjamin, fortified cities. 11 And he fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them, and stores of food, oil, and wine. 12 Also in every city he put shields and spears, and made them very strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side.

13 And from all their territories the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel took their stand with him. 14 For the Levites left their common-lands and their possessions and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them from serving as priests to the Lord. 15 Then he appointed for himself priests for the high places, for the demons, and the calf idols which he had made. 16 And after the Levites left, those from all the tribes of Israel, such as set their heart to seek the Lord God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the Lord God of their fathers. 17 So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong for three years, because they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.

The NKJV Study Bible says this: Shortly after the kingdom divided, the tribe of Benjamin joined Judah to form the southern kingdom. Benjamin was closer geographically to Judah than to the northern tribes. Shemaiah was a prophet who wrote. The writer of Chronicles depended on Shemaiah's writings for some of his information. Though Israel and Judah had split into two kingdoms, the priests and the Levites of Israel sided with Judah. One reason for this was that they knew that Rehoboam was David's offspring, and therefore the heir of God's covenant promise to David. Another reason was that Jeroboam had established his own religious cult which had no need for the true priests of God. Once the legitimate religious leaders had left Israel, the worshipers of God in the northern kingdom could no longer worship in good conscience, so they made pilgrimages to Jerusalem three times a year. Jeroboam's program of establishing a new religious structure in Israel apparently took at least three years. Meanwhile, the pilgrimage of godly Israelites from the north to Jerusalem strengthened Rehoboam and weakened Jeroboam.

 

Haggai 2

As I lay in bed early this morning, in that twilight zone right before awakening, I am having a conversation with my God. In it I mention that one of the things that I am looking forward to most in heaven is "Peace. No more depression, no more sorrow, no more injustice, no more lack, no more war. Haggai is where He led me to read when I woke up. We are refined in the furnace of affliction. IN Him we are safe and protected.
While we are here on earth we must work to build up the Body of Christ.
To God be all the glory!

2 In the seventh month, on the twenty-first of the month, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying: 2 "Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying: 3 'Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? In comparison with it, is this not in your eyes as nothing? 4 Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,' says the Lord; 'and be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land,' says the Lord, 'and work; for I am with you,' says the Lord of hosts. 5 'According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so My Spirit remains among you; do not fear!'

6 "For thus says the Lord of hosts: 'Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; 7 and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,' says the Lord of hosts. 8 'The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,' says the Lord of hosts. 9 'The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,' says the Lord of hosts. 'And in this place I will give peace,' says the Lord of hosts."

15 'And now, carefully consider from this day forward: from before stone was laid upon stone in the temple of the Lord— 16 since those days, when one came to a heap of twenty ephahs, there were but ten; when one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty baths from the press, there were but twenty. 17 I struck you with blight and mildew and hail in all the labors of your hands; yet you did not turn to Me,' says the Lord. 18 'Consider now from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day that the foundation of the Lord's temple was laid—consider it: 19 Is the seed still in the barn? As yet the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have not yielded fruit.
But from this day I will bless you.' "

The NKJV Study Bible says this: By our calendar this would be October 17, 520 b.c. In the ancient Jewish calendar this day was the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles or Succoth. During this holiday the people of Israel lived in booths, or temporary shelters, commemorating their departure from Egypt when they lived in temporary shelters in the wilderness. Haggai was called again to address the leaders Zerubbabel and Joshua and the true people of God. The Lord's words to the people were the same as His great words to Moses. The words of this verse draw a comparison between the events of this period and the events of the first Exodus. God brought the people back from Babylon as He had brought them back from Egypt. God would be present with them. Finally, the mission in the Promised Land was the same, to build a place for the true worship of God. The same covenant that related the people to God in their departure from Egypt bound them still. The events surrounding the decline of the nation and the people's captivity in Babylon had not rescinded the covenant relationship that insured God's presence with His people. The purpose of the day of the Lord is to prepare the earth for the glorious reign of Jesus Christ on earth. God owns the cattle on a thousand hills, the gold in all coffers, and the wealth of all nations. Peace includes good health, well-being, and an abundant life. The term speaks of everything being as it ought to be. The twenty-fourth day of the ninth month corresponds to December 18. Despite God's acts of withholding His blessing, the people still had not turned fully back to Him. God determined to bring His blessing on His people, but He demanded that they recognize Him as the source of their great productivity. Even though the people had been told they were still unclean in God's eyes, their leader Zerubbabel was encouraged to guide them through those spiritually trying times.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Job 23

Depression is mans way of handling the devastation that life can sometimes bring.
Life is not ours to control. It is not appointed for man to know how his fate. God alone controls life. We can only place our trust in Him, knowing that He loves us.
In times of trouble we need to hold onto our faith in Him as the anchor that keeps us from floating adrift.
Faith alone pleases God. We are refined in the furnace of affliction. If we persevere we will be gems in the crown of Christ Jesus.

23 Then Job answered and said:

2 "Even today my complaint is bitter;

My hand is listless because of my groaning.

3 Oh, that I knew where I might find Him,

That I might come to His seat!

4 I would present my case before Him,

And fill my mouth with arguments.

5 I would know the words which He would answer me,

And understand what He would say to me.

6 Would He contend with me in His great power?

No! But He would take note of me.

7 There the upright could reason with Him,

And I would be delivered forever from my Judge.

8 "Look, I go forward, but He is not there,

And backward, but I cannot perceive Him;

9 When He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him;

When He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him.

10 But He knows the way that I take;

When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.

11 My foot has held fast to His steps;

I have kept His way and not turned aside.

12 I have not departed from the commandment of His lips;

I have treasured the words of His mouth

More than my necessary food.

13 "But He is unique, and who can make Him change?

And whatever His soul desires, that He does.

14 For He performs what is appointed for me,

And many such things are with Him.

15 Therefore I am terrified at His presence;

When I consider this, I am afraid of Him.

16 For God made my heart weak,

And the Almighty terrifies me;

17 Because I was not cut off from the presence of darkness,

And He did not hide deep darkness from my face.

The NKJV Study Bible says this: When Job contemplates the unique power and sovereign freedom of God, he is terrified. To him, God seems to be a capricious despot who does as He pleases. This verse likely describes Job's deep depression, not only because of his losses, but also because of his failure to understand God's purpose.

 

Luke 14:7-24

What does your God require of you? God requires you to be fair, forgive freely and walk humbly with Him. We must put God first. If we deny His existence in our everyday life, He will deny us at our time of need. We need to permeate the lives of others with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in our words and in our deeds. We need to be His hands and feet to those who cannot repay us and are living without hope. Christ within, the hope of glory! We have been freely given the gift of eternal life; we need to freely give the hope of the gospel to others, the gift of abundant life in Christ Jesus.

7 So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them: 8 "When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; 9 and he who invited you and him come and say to you, 'Give place to this man,' and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, 'Friend, go up higher.' Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. 11 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

12 Then He also said to him who invited Him, "When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid. 13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. 14 And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just."

15 Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, "Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!"

16 Then He said to him, "A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, 17 and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, 'Come, for all things are now ready.' 18 But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.' 19 And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.' 20 Still another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.' 21 So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.' 22 And the servant said, 'Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.' 23 Then the master said to the servant, 'Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.' "

The NKJV Study Bible says this: True hospitality and service are given to those who cannot repay. Disciples must have a special concern for the poor, maimed, lame, and blind, as Jesus does. Even though there may be no reward in this life, God will not overlook what His servants have done to carry out His love and mercy. One of the guests at the meal reflected on the glory of sitting at the banquet table of God, an image of being saved and living in God's presence. The man probably assumed that many of the people attending the meal with Jesus would be present at God's banquet table. Jesus responded to the man's assumption with a warning. The maimed were excluded from full participation in Jewish worship. The master's second invitation extended the scope of the offer to those who were rejected by society. The essence of discipleship is giving Christ first place. Jesus' call here is to follow Him in the way of rejection and suffering. A disciple will be rejected by those in the world who do not honor Christ. Therefore, a disciple must be ready to face and accept such rejection. Following Christ is not something to be taken up on a trial basis. It calls for ultimate commitment. Jesus urged the people to think about what it would mean to follow Him, and not to take it lightly. Remaining useful to God means remaining faithful to Him.

 

 

 

 

Christian Honor

July 8^th,2009

God calls us to honor as Christians. We are to honor Him above all others. We are to honor our spouse. We are to honor those whom He places in charge of us in government. We are to honor those who have performed noteworthy acts of service. We bring honor to the Father when we as His children give the honor due others!

Psalm
66:1, 2 the call is not only for the people of Israel, but for peoples of all the earth to join in the praise of the living God, the Most High (Ps. 87; 96; 117). Sing out the honor of His name: The Lord is pleased with music that praises His glorious name (Ex. 15:2). The Lord's name describes His character, so honoring God's name is honoring God Himself (Ex. 3:14, 15).

Romans 13   Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. ^2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. ^3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. ^4 For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. ^5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake. ^6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God's ministers attending continually to this very thing. ^7
Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.

 

Esther 6:2, 3 The king might have been aware to some extent of Mordecai's deed when it originally occurred. In 2:23 the author says that the events were written down "in the presence of the king." Now the Lord led the king to this very text. It was customary for the Persian kings to reward promptly those who performed some noteworthy act of service. There are records of Darius and Ahasuerus bestowing such honors on deserving recipients. The two nouns honor and dignity mean "great honor."

 

1 Peter 3:7 Christian husbands are to demonstrate toward their wives the same unselfish spirit as Christian citizens (2:13–17), Christian subordinates (2:18–25), and Christian wives (vv. 1–6). A Christian husband should be intimately aware of his wife's needs, her strengths and weaknesses, and her goals and desires. He should know as much about her as possible in order to respond in the best way to her. A Christian husband gives honor to his wife because she deserves honor (vv. 1–6).

Matthew 7:13 and Luke 13:24

There are Two Ways of Life that are put before us. One leads to eternal life with Christ Jesus and the other to eternal damnation. It is a narrow path that we humbly walk with God, choose wisely. In Matthew 7:13 it is preceded by the command to love your neighbor as you love yourself. We need to examine ourselves and determine if we are doing the right thing For the right reason…LOVE. Any action not done in love is wrong in God's eyes. You will know them by their fruits…...the fruit of the Spirit is love, peace, mercy, and goodness.

Matthew 7:12 This so-called "Golden Rule" is the practical application of Lev. 19:18: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Matthew 7:13-14 13 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Luke 13:23-24 23 Then one said to Him, "Lord, are there few who are saved?" And He said to them, 24 "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.

 

Proverbs 2:8–13 The phrase paths of justice (v. 8) contrasts strongly with ways of darkness (v. 13). This contrast introduces one of the dominant themes of Proverbs, the contrast of two roads. Jesus spoke of two roads, one narrow and the other broad (Matt. 7:13, 14). The right road is marked by demands of righteousness, justice, and equity (see 1:3). These demands come from God's law.

 

Deuteronomy 30:15 Moses challenged the people to determine what path they would follow. One way led to life (Ps. 1:6; John 14:6) because God's blessings rested on it (Ps. 23:6). The other way led to death and evil because God's curses rested on it. Likewise, Jesus in His ministry challenged the people to determine what path they would take (Matt. 7:13, 14).

 

 

16:25 Contrasts of God's way with the way of the wicked figure in the teaching of Jesus as well as the proverbs (Matt. 7:13, 14). This proverb likens the wicked to being on the wrong road. They think they are going the right way, but in the end it leads to death (see 14:12). Death refers to physical death (as in 1 Cor. 11:29, 30; see also Rom. 6:23; 8:13; James 1:15; 5:20).

 

 
 

The Conclusion of the Sermon. The Lesson of Personal Righteousness Driven Home by Powerful Parables

Matthew 7:13-8:1 13 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. 15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them. 21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' 24 "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 "But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall." 28 And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, 29 for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him.

Luke 6:43-49 43 "For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. 45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. 46 "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say? 47 Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. 49 But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great."

Pentecost the “Day of Firstfruits “ of Christ’s Church

Pentecost was one of the three major Jewish festivals; the other two are the Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles. From the Greek word for "fifty," Pentecost was so named because it fell on the fiftieth day after the Sabbath of the Passover. Pentecost was also known as "the Feast of Weeks," "the Firstfruits of the Wheat Harvest," and "the Day of Firstfruits." During this harvest celebration, the Jews brought to God the first fruits of their harvest in thanksgiving, expecting that God would give the rest of the harvest as His blessing. This particular Day of Pentecost was the day of firstfruits of Christ's church, the beginning of the great harvest of souls who would come to know Christ and be joined together through the work of the Holy Spirit. It is difficult to imagine how the large crowd mentioned could have observed the activities in the upper room or congregated in the narrow streets outside the house where the disciples were meeting.

There appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire. After the great crowd-gathering sound came the visual manifestation of God.
Fire often indicated the presence of God. God initially appeared to Moses in a burning bush that was not consumed. God guided the children of Israel with a pillar of fire by night and He descended before them in fire on Mt. Sinai. God sent fire to consume Elijah's offering on Mt. Carmel, and He used a vision of fire to warn Ezekiel of His coming judgment.

The word translated tongues here is the normal Greek word for known languages. Speaking in "tongues" or diverse languages underscored the universal outreach of the church. These witnesses were speaking foreign dialects to the people who had gathered for Pentecost from other nations. The Day of Pentecost, as one of the three major Jewish celebrations, was a pilgrimage event. People who lived outside Israel traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate the festival. They came from Arabia, Crete, Asia, and even as far away as Rome. Many of these people stayed in Jerusalem for the entire 50-day celebration. Note that the text does not say that the Spirit spoke through the apostles, but that the Spirit gave them the ability to speak in languages that they had not previously known.

The visitors to Jerusalem probably expected the apostles to use Aramaic or Greek, but instead they heard their own dialect. The visitors were astonished because they knew this was most unlikely unless the speakers had come from their land. This was a sign from heaven, a supernatural event. It appears that the "speaking in tongues" did not consist of proclaiming the gospel. Rather, the apostles were praising God's mighty works.

1^st Corinthians 15:20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits
of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming. 24 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. 27 For "He has put all things under His feet." But when He says "all things are put under Him," it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. 28 Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.

 

Mark 20

We spend a good bit of our life competing for the approval of others. The only approval that we should be seeking is the Father's. It is our human nature to want to be respected, loved, and included. In the quest we talk about others and expose their faults to let others see that we are just as good as the ones they admire. How depleting of our time and abilities. Our quest for human approval stops us from our quest for God's approval. Lord, help me to only seek to hear from You, "well done My good and faithful servant". Help me to be an instrument of Your peace and to see the good in others as I want others to see the good in me.

20 Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him."

3 Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. 4 So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. 5 And he, stooping down and looking in, saw  the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. 9 For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.

11 But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13 Then they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?"

She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him."

14 Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?"

She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, "Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away."

16 Jesus said to her, "Mary!"

She turned and said to Him, "Rabboni!" (which is to say, Teacher).

17 Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.' "

18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.

19 Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them,
"Peace be with you." 20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

21 So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

The NKJV Study Bible says this: Mary Magdalene, out of whom Jesus had cast seven demons, was the last one at the Cross and the first one at the grave. The other disciple, whom Jesus loved, was John, the author of this Gospel. Peter went into the tomb to get a good look. He carefully examined the place where Jesus' body had been. The other disciple, commonly believed to be the apostle John, saw the tomb and the grave clothes and believed that Christ had been raised from the dead. Jesus had prophesied His death and resurrection in the disciples' presence, but the disciples had not understood what He was talking about. Later Jesus would instruct them about how His life and death fulfilled the Scriptures. When Christ uttered her name, Mary recognized His voice. Mary addressed Christ as Rabboni, an Aramaic term which John translates for his Greek readers. Mary had grabbed Christ and was holding on to Him as if she would never turn Him loose. Christ explained to her that He could not stay because He had to ascend to His Father. Though it may be that Mary was formerly a woman of ill-repute, this did not keep Jesus from commissioning her to bring the gospel message to the apostles. Jesus, as God, could perform a variety of miracles without requiring a change in His humanity. Here Christ's body was a physical body, the same body in which He died and was buried. The difference is that His flesh had been changed to take on immortality and incorruptibility. The ministry to which Jesus called the disciples required spiritual power. Here Jesus breathed the Spirit into the disciples. John states the purpose of his book. His purpose was to convince his readers that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah who fulfilled God's promises to Israel. Jesus is the Son of God, God in the flesh. By believing these things, a person obtains eternal life.