Jesus sometimes needed a place to withdraw.
Life can sometimes be so demanding, in a good way, that we can become scattered. Sometimes we just need to get away to collect our thoughts and hear God.
Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
By faith we believe God, that in Jesus Christ, we are saved.
Salvation is knowing that you are lost and believing in the perfect work of the Cross. When God created the world He saw that it was good it is the same with the Cross. His work was finished. Taking God by faith allows us to enter into His peace knowing we are not righteous but we know the One who is.
Proverbs 21:3 (ESV) "To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice."
God sees and knows my heart (Proverbs 21:2). In proverbs, we learn that righteousness and justice overflowing from a sincere heart are more valuable to the Lord than religious rituals (Proverbs 21:3).
Proverbs 21:21 tells us, "Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.”
God's heart is for us "to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with [our] God" (Micah 6:8). Righteousness is a journey. And along the way, we don't have to "put on a bold face" to disguise less-than-holy motives (Proverbs 21:29); instead, we can be honest with God and ask Him to transform both our hearts and our actions. Even when we choose fleshly desires, thankfully, His Spirit continually calls us back.
The goal of pursuing righteousness is not to achieve perfection; it is to know the One who is perfect. He is our great reward.
If we're fretting over news of wars or conflicts in our own lives, we have hope because Jesus, the King of kings, is Lord of all. God the Father, by the power of the Spirit, has given Christ authority over everything on earth (Matthew 28:18). And He can change the hearts and minds of people today. Jesus is able to redeem even our most dire situation for good (Romans 8:28). Sabbath Moments
What an insidious notion this is…that the conversation, or relationship, or prayer, or liturgy, or encounter cannot be embraced, until or unless it is perfect. And when we honor that perfection value system, we cannot find the touch of God in our imperfect (everyday) moments. Sabbath Moments
Mark 3:7-9
7 But Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea. And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea 8 and Jerusalem and Idumea and beyond the Jordan; and those from Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they heard how many things He was doing, came to Him. 9 So He told His disciples that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush Him. The New King James Version
Roman province corresponding roughly to the old testament kingdom of Judah, with Jerusalem as the capital. This list of places indicates that news of Jesus’ deeds has reached beyond Galilee. Idumea was a territory southeast of Judaea. The places mentioned here—Idumea, the region across the Jordan, Tyre, and Sidon—were inhabited predominantly by non-Jewish people, which suggests that Jesus was attracting non-Jews as well as Jews. Idumea is far south of Galilee, and Tyre is far north; this indicates the broad geographic spread of Jesus’ message.
The reception of Jesus by Gentiles is a significant theme in Mark.
Idumea is the territory south of Judaea that separates it from Egypt. It derives from biblical Edom, whose inhabitants colonized this region during the Persian and Hellenistic periods. The mention of Idumea here indicates that Jesus’ fame spread even further than that of John the Baptist, who drew crowds only from Jerusalem and Judaea. Also known as Perea. Two major Phoenician cities that dominated the Mediterranean coast to the north and west of Galilee. Faithlife Study Bible
Because of this plot against His life, Jesus withdrew with the disciples from the area. Still crowds flocked to Him from north (Galilee), south (Judea), and beyond. Idumea, the birthplace of Herod the Great, was south of Judea. Beyond the Jordan refers to the cities on the east side of the Jordan River. Tyre and Sidon (Phoenicia in the Old Testament), both on the Lebanese coast, were also cities Jesus visited during His earthly ministry and mentioned in His teachings. The NKJV Study Bible
Luke 6:17–19 And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed…
Matthew 4:24–25 Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them. Great multitudes followed Him—from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.
Matthew 12:15–16 But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all. Yet He warned them not to make Him known,
Matthew 11:21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
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