Tag Archives: Mark

Are you a good representative? (Mark 9:37) August 14, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – 1 Timothy 1-3

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Mark 9:37
Jesus: Whoever welcomes a child like this in My name welcomes Me; and whoever welcomes Me is welcoming not Me, but the One who sent Me.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

Jesus’ comments about the linkage between a child and Him and His Father started me thinking about the roles and responsibilities of representatives and ambassadors. As a nation, we have ambassadors all over the world representing the President and our country. They work as employees of the State Department, but each ambassador is approved by the Secretary of State and the President to sit in those positions. They are his voice to the leader of the country in which they serve. It’s an important responsibility.

As a republic, a form of government in which we elect individuals to serve as representatives for us to write and enforce legislation that governs the way our states and our country operates from day to day. These individuals also hold significant positions because they are our supposed to be our voice in governing. They represent us to make decisions that are in the best interest of the country, not single individuals, isolated groups, corporations, special interests, or their own advancement. Our representatives are supposed to look out for the welfare of the masses while making sure individuals are not harmed in the process. It’s a big job and a difficult one. One I’m afraid many of our representatives in government have forgotten over the last several decades, but that’s the role they are supposed to play in the republic as elected officials.

So that means elections are important. The honesty, integrity, and character of the representatives we choose for those critical positions determine the integrity and character of the nation as a whole because they set the tone from the top of the government. People tend to follow those who lead and if the leaders show poor character, those they lead tend to follow their example. Conversely, when leaders live lives of high moral character, those they lead tend to follow their example and live on a higher moral plain. That tells us that we should be careful in selecting those who will lead us into the next years.

This is an important thing. Paul tells us we should be good citizens. If you’re of voting age, you should register, avail yourself of all the information about the candidates running for all the offices up for reelection, pray about and for the candidates, and vote your conscience. Then whoever our nation, state, and cities elect, remember to pray for them. Remember that God allows men and women to hold positions of authority. They are there with His permission.

So that’s my citizen speech for the day, but there is another side to this representative, ambassador thought that come with this chain of thought. We consider ourselves the elect if we are followers of Jesus. The New Testament calls us the elect. God has elected us as His representatives on earth when He adopts us into His family. So what does that mean for us?

It means we should represent Him well. Perhaps using our politically elected officials is not such a good example these days since the majority of Americans are displeased with both Houses of Congress and the President. But then when you consider that polls for the last several years find no distinction in the behaviors of those who call themselves Christian and those who do not, maybe it is a good comparison. How do you think God feels about His elect when we fail to represent Him well on this foreign soil?

God expects us to represent Him here. He expects us to keep His reputation and His Name unsullied. God wants others to see His love in us. He wants us to share His grace and mercy to a world that sorely needs grace and mercy. That doesn’t mean condoning bad behavior. It doesn’t mean tolerance of evil. It doesn’t mean acceptance of things contradictory to God’s word. It means doing for others just what God did for you, extend His grace and mercy and love to those He created. Sharing His message of forgiveness. Introducing them to the one who can make a real difference in this world.

So here we are. In every election cycle some of those we chose as our representatives are rejected from their positions and someone else is chosen to take their place. What will God do if we do not carry out our responsibilities as His representatives, His ambassadors? What will He do if we behave in manners that tell the world He doesn’t matter? His law is just rubbish and we can do what we choose? Can we just assume that once we ask forgiveness we can do anything we want and drag God’s reputation through the mud by calling ourselves by His name yet living the same life as Satan’s minions?

That’s just not logical. Granted, some things God does don’t seem logical to us at times because we don’t have the mind of God. But throughout His word, He makes pretty clear that He treasures His reputation and the value of His name. I’m not sure I’d use the title of His company, Christian, and then live like the world. I’m not sure He’d let me stay in office very long. My election might be short-lived. So are you a representative of Christ or not? A good question for citizens of His kingdom.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

The servant of all (Mark 9:33-35) August 13, 2016

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – John 5-6

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Mark 9:33-35
At last, they came to Capernaum where they gathered in a house.
Jesus: What was it I heard you arguing about along the way?
They looked down at the floor and wouldn’t answer, for they had been arguing among themselves about who was the greatest of Jesus’ disciples.
Jesus: Whoever wants to be first must be last, and whoever wants to be the greatest must be the servant of all.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

There is a lot of talk about servant leadership, especially in Christian circles. We’re told if you want to really make an impact on the world you need to lead, but you need to serve the people you lead. You need to show others the way, guide them to the truth, teach them about God and His plans for this world and for all humankind, but do it as a servant. Leader and servant are pretty contradictory terms when you think about it.

A leader is defined as a person who leads: as a : guide, conductor b (1) : a person who directs a military force or unit (2) : a person who has commanding authority or influence c (1) : the principal officer of a British political party (2) : a party member chosen to manage party activities in a legislative body (3) : such a party member presiding over the whole legislative body when the party constitutes a majority d (1) : conductor c (2) : a first or principal performer of a group

While a servant is defined as one that serves others ; especially : one that performs duties about the person or home of a master or personal employer.

So how do you help others find their way to Christ, lead them toward Him, guide them to the truth, do the things that are described as the roles of a leader and yet live the life of a servant? Isn’t that an oxymoron, to ask someone to be both, to be a servant-leader? Does Jesus know what He’s saying when He tells us to lead from the back of the line instead of the front? How can we do that? What does He really mean?

I think the answer comes in two areas. First, we must check our character and our attitude. Jesus starts His ministry with the Sermon on the Mount. You can read it in Matthew chapters five through seven. He opens that sermon with a section we have title the Beatitudes. Stick a pause after the first sylable and you get His meaning in that sermonette. They are the Be Attitudes. He asks us to change how we think about ourselves and about others. He asks us to love God and love our all of His creation. He asks us to let God change our internal wiring so the way we think is transformed to the way He thinks about things. He wants our character, our attitude to mimic His.

When our character comes in line with His, we see others on an equal footing. All races, all socio-economic levels, all nationalities, both genders, all ages, everyone is created by God and for His purposes. When we recognize that, our attitude toward them changes. We begin to love all people. We begin to sorrow for those who cannot see the truth of God’s word because it is available to them and they know what it says about Jesus, the only way into God’s kingdom. If they choose to rebel against God, it is to their eternal peril. When we see the doom individuals bring upon themselves through God’s eyes, it should break our hearts.

The second thing this servant leader concept brings to mind is we must not only have Jesus’ attitude, but we must act like Jesus. No one can say Jesus did not serve those around Him. He proved Himself a servant day after day as He fed and healed and exorcised demons and preached and raised the dead and did anything and everything He could to ease the misery of those with whom He came in contact. Jesus served. I think He often served to the point of exhaustion. It why He sometimes had to get away and be alone with His Father. He just had to rest. He even washed His disciples feet as an example of His servanthood.

So are we to wash the feet of those we lead? Maybe. That’s not so necessary today since most people wear shoes and socks and we don’t have animals defecating in the streets anymore. But the point Jesus makes is that nothing is too demeaning for leaders to do if it furthers God’s kingdom. Nothing is below the level of what a leader should be willing to perform as we work along side those who work for us.

I have to tell you, the military and most organizations have their organization charts upside down. If we really focused on who is important in an organization, it’s the people at the bottom of those charts that do the work that make the products and clean the offices and answer the phones. Yes, the CEOs and the generals make decisions and take a lot of risk with their careers as they lead those within their organizations, but without all those people below them, the missions would never be accomplished. As a leadership consultant, I often shock those senior folks by showing those charts just that way, upside down, to get the point across. The people at the top should be the servant of all those they lead.

Jesus was a servant and He is the Son of God. If He can lower Himself to perform the lowliest task of the lowest servant in the household, washing animal feces off the feet of the guests before dinner, don’t you think we should serve those we lead as well? People flocked to His leadership style. If you want to be first, be last, the servant of all.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Help my unbelief (Mark 9/16-29) August 12, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Daniel 7-12

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Mark 9:16-29
Jesus (to the scribes): What are you debating with My disciples? What would you like to know?
Father (in the crowd): Teacher, I have brought my son to You. He is filled with an unclean spirit. He cannot speak, and when the spirit takes control of him, he is thrown to the ground to wail and moan, to foam at the mouth, to grind his teeth, and to stiffen up. I brought him to Your followers, but they could do nothing with him. Can You help us?
Jesus: O faithless generation, how long must I be among you? How long do I have to put up with you? Bring the boy to Me.
They brought the boy toward Jesus; but as soon as He drew near, the spirit took control of the boy and threw him on the ground, where he rolled, foaming at the mouth.
Jesus (to the father): How long has he been like this?
Father: Since he was a baby. This spirit has thrown him often into the fire and sometimes into the water, trying to destroy him. I have run out of options; I have tried everything. But if there’s anything You can do, please, have pity on us and help us.
Jesus: What do you mean, “If there’s anything?” All things are possible, if you only believe.
Father (crying in desperation): I believe, Lord. Help me to believe!
Jesus noticed that a crowd had gathered around them now. He issued a command to the unclean spirit.
Jesus: Listen up, you no-talking, no-hearing demon. I Myself am ordering you to come out of him now. Come out, and don’t ever come back!
The spirit shrieked and caused the boy to thrash about; then it came out of the boy and left him lying as still as death. Many of those in the crowd whispered that he was dead. But Jesus took the boy by the hand and lifted him to his feet.
Later He and His disciples gathered privately in a house.
Disciples (to Jesus): Why couldn’t we cast out that unclean spirit?
Jesus: That sort of powerful spirit can only be conquered with much prayer [and fasting].

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

I don’t know about you, but it seems the older I get, the more I hear the word cancer. Maybe because the population is growing, there is just a greater number of cases. Maybe it is more prevalent in society. Maybe I’m more attuned to it because I am getting older and I know that if you live long enough you will get cancer of some sort. But it’s not just the word cancer I hear. It seems there is just more illness around than I remember 30 or 40 or 50 years ago. I’m amazed at the number of clinics, emergency rooms, and hospitals being built in San Antonio right now. It seems they go up almost at the speed of fast food restaurants. Every day it looks like a new one springs up on another corner somewhere in the city.

So what does this growing population of sick and ill people in San Antonio have to do with today’s scripture? Well, let me press a little further with my sickness story. With all these hospitals and emergency rooms and clinics going up, obviously I get to see a lot of sick people when I visit someone in one of those facilities. And most often when I visit, I get an opportunity to pray with the person I’m visiting and with the family that is there.

Many times people get better. Sometimes when they get better, even the doctors are amazed at how quickly and completely the patient recovers. Often these are Christian people who have prayed for God to intervene on behalf of their loved one who has suffered some injury or illness that seems out of control and almost beyond repair by the medical community. Then they are shocked at the recovery. They are surprised by what the medical world said was an unexpected disappearance of the disease. They are stunned at the outcome that science can’t explain.

Why? Didn’t they ask for God’s intervention? Didn’t they pray expecting results? Did they just mouth some words and expect nothing to happen when they lifted their prayers to heaven and ask for healing?

More often than not, astonishment is the reaction I see on the face of even Christians when God heals His children when they pray. Shouldn’t we expect God to do what we ask if we pray in His Name and in His will? If we pray, not expecting anything to happen, do we have faith to believe He can? Why would God answer our prayers if we don’t expect Him to? Why should we be astonished when God does what we ask? Why, when we go to Him in earnest prayer and He answers in tangible ways do we carry with us any emotions other than praise and thanksgiving?

Maybe we don’t see much physical healing in our churches today because we really don’t have faith to believe God can do what He says. Maybe we don’t see forgiveness in our church because we don’t have enough faith to know He really can forgive us of our sins. Maybe we don’t see revivals sweeping across our land today because we who call ourselves Christians have lost what it takes to call down God’s Spirit on us in true faith and know He will answer when we ask Him.

The man who came to Jesus with His demon possessed son got it right that day. Maybe we need to get on our knees and emulate Him today. Lord, I do believe. Help me with my unbelief.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Just as it is written (Mark 9:12-13) August 11, 2016

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Proverbs 16

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Mark 9:12-13
Jesus: To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected? But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

Peter, James, and John get to see first hand the glory of Jesus as He talks with Moses and Elijah on the mountain top one day. He is clothed in garments brighter than the sun. The three of them are not just bathed in light, but radiate light so bright that the men cannot look at them. These three, the inner circle of Jesus’ closest disciples witness the most amazing sight they have ever seen. They have no doubts at this point that Jesus is the incarnate God. He came from heaven to rescue His people from the oppression and burden the guilt of sin lays upon each of us.

They fall on their face as the three figure in front of them converse. They don’t know what the three talk about in the short distance beyond them. They speak quietly among themselves and the disciples are so overwhelmed with the spectacle in front of them that the words would not register with them even if they could hear. These three just remain awed by the presence and power of Jesus, Moses, and Elijah.

After a few minutes, the light fades, Moses and Elijah are gone. Jesus stands alone and returns to His three friends. They rise and Peter offers the suggestion to build three tabernacles in honor of the three figures they just witnessed on the mountain top. Jesus refuses. Then the questions about the days leading up to the final judgment. Isn’t Elijah supposed to usher in the Messiah?

And Jesus answers their question implying John the Baptist served as Elijah, the prophet in the wilderness proclaiming the coming of the Messiah. The one heralding the good news that the Anointed One had come to redeem His people from the evil of this world. Peter, James, and John, the three closest friends of Jesus would become the pillars of the early church. Because of what Jesus shared with them in these intimate moments, they would never falter from the faith. These moments would cement their knowledge that Jesus was God incarnate.

But in this exchange, Jesus mentions one more thing at the end that many forget when they look at Jesus’ life and the way His lives of those around Him turned and twisted during His time on earth. “Just as it is written about him.” In those few words we can be assured that Jesus is who He said He is. Many around the world today will tell you that Jesus was a good man, a prophet, a wise teacher, but God? No. They just can’t believe it.

But look at these few words and then think about the probability that Jesus could fulfill all the prophecies about Him if He were not the Messiah. Some might say, “Well, He just studied the scriptures and followed along to make sure He did what the prophecies said.” But that doesn’t quite work, does it? How would He influence His virgin birth? Don’t think that’s possible. How would He influence Joseph and Mary leaving Bethlehem and escaping Herod’s murder of all the infants as a child less than two years old? Don’t think that hold much merit either, but there’s prophecy about it. How could Jesus make His parents live in Bethlehem, then Egypt, then resettle in Nazareth so all the prophecies could be fulfilled about Him before He was a teenager? Not possible unless He really is the Messiah.

Then look past His childhood. He did all the things the Old Testament said He would do. He taught, He prophesied, He healed, He became the sacrificial lamb for us. He did everything scripture talked about. So maybe His everyday actions as an adult could be a checklist of things He needed to do as Messiah. Maybe if we really stretched we could come up with a checklist and say someone could figure out how to create that itinerary.

But if He could make the checklist from the scriptures, how could He get the scribes and Pharisees and chief priests and Romans to play along? After all, they didn’t want anyone to recognize Him as the Messiah. They were doing their best to discredit Him, right? So why would they fulfill scripture by hanging Him on the tree, crucifying Him? Why would the Romans cast lots for His garments? They didn’t know they were fulfilling centuries old prophecy and certainly wouldn’t have if they knew. Why would they not break His legs as was their custom when they wanted to make sure they were speeding up the execution process? It would have taken little more effort or time snap Jesus’ shins than to thrust a spear into His side. So why fulfill prophecy if Jesus were not the Messiah? The Romans didn’t know any better. The Pharisees and chief priests would certainly have stopped it if they remembered.

What’s the probability that anyone could fulfill the prophecies about the Messiah in the Old Testament that Jesus fulfilled? Peter Stone and Robert Newman wrote a book several years ago entitled Science Speaks that determined the probability of the fulfillment of just eight of those prophecies – 1 in a quadrillion. That’s one with seventeen zero’s behind it. You have a better chance of being struck by lightning or winning the lottery. So just based on statistical analysis alone, I’d say odds are pretty good Jesus is the Messiah. Just as it is written. What do you think?

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

What is life worth? (Mark 8:34-9:1) August 10, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Psalms 93-95

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Mark 8:34-9:1
Jesus: If any one of you wants to follow Me, you will have to give yourself up to God’s plan, take up your cross, and do as I do. For any one of you who wants to be rescued will lose your life, but any one of you who loses your life for My sake and for the sake of this good news will be liberated. Really, what profit is there for you to gain the whole world and lose yourself in the process? What can you give in exchange for your life? If you are ashamed of Me and of what I came to teach to this adulterous and sinful generation, then the Son of Man will be ashamed of you when He comes in the glory of His Father along with the holy messengers at the final judgment.
Truly, some of you who are here now will not experience death before you see the kingdom of God coming in glory and power.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

I did another one of those quick Google searches today after reading these words of Jesus. His question about what can you give in exchange for your life made me think about the number of suicides that take place in our country every day. So I looked up the number. The websites admit that the number is probably not completely accurate. Some of those that commit suicide are probably not captured in the statistics represented in figures we get in the category called suicide given to us by those who perform autopsies and report those things to the authorities across the country.

You might wonder why someone wouldn’t report correctly, but there are a lot of reasons. If a person runs their car into a tree, is it an accident or suicide? The coroner doesn’t know and will more than likely call it an accident. If someone takes the wrong combination of prescription medications and dies in their sleep, is it an accident or suicide? The coroner often doesn’t know and will more than likely call it an accident. Often only the person who commits the act knows the answer and most often, the one writing the cause of death on the death certificate will shy away from calling a death a suicide because of the impact on the family when a death is declared a suicide.

You see, most insurance companies do not pay life insurance and sometimes even related health insurance costs to the beneficiaries if death is a result of suicide, so the family instantly suffers significant financial burdens. The family also suffers the pain, emotional, and psychological stigma that goes along with suicides. “Why didn’t I see it? What could I have done to prevent it? Did I contribute to it? Could I have done anything different over the last days or weeks or months to make him or her feel different about themselves to stop this senseless act? Am I or my children now predisposed to follow in their footsteps? How do I prevent it from happening again in my family?”

What is the number of people who throw their life away in desperation every day? That quick Google search says its about 117 a day in the United States. 117 decide there is nothing else to live for and the only way out is to just stop living. They love themselves little enough and feel others love them little enough that taking their own life is the best way to solve their problem. What a tragedy.

Jesus talks about the value of life. What can we give in exchange for our life? He, the creator of all things, says there is nothing more valuable than life. We could gain the whole world and it would not be worth our life. That’s how valuable one person, one soul, one life is to God. Somewhere along the line in the last several years we quit teaching our children just how valuable life is. Somehow we stopped valuing life as the precious commodity God created.

We can blame that failure on the violent television shows and movies or the violent video games our kids play. We can blame the failure on nature of the comics they read or the books they are exposed to in school and the literature that’s popular. But the truth is the failure comes as a result of what we teach our children and grandchildren in our homes as parents and grandparents. It’s the truths we pass down from generation to generation and instill in them by living those truths in front of them each day that teach them life, every life is worth more than all the wealth in all the world.

How do we fail in that effort? What do you tell your children about terrorists? They are still souls Jesus died for? How do you talk about gang members on the street? Jesus died for them. What do you say when your elementary school-aged child brings home the slang titles of a different race? God created them, too. Each person on earth is created by God. He died on a cross for their sins just as He died on the cross for yours and He died on the cross for mine.

Until we recognize the value of every life and begin to teach our children and their children the value of every life, we will continue to see society throw lives away. It might be by suicides or murders or abuse of children and the elderly or negligence of a race or socioeconomic group, but we will throw some group of people away as unimportant. But Jesus thinks every life is so important and so valuable that He gave His own life to redeem each one. What is each life worth to Him? Everything including His own.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

God’s truth always (Mark 8:33) August 9, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – 1 Chronicles 1-4

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Mark 8:33
Jesus (seeing His disciples surrounding them): Get behind Me, you tempter! You’re thinking only of human things, not of the things God has planned.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

Just think, Peter tells Jesus He is the Messiah, the One who would rescue them from the oppression and bondage sin brought on the world. He proclaimed Jesus is the Son of the Living God. But when Jesus tells the group of disciples gathered around Him the events that would unfold concerning His arrest, beating, torture, and death, Peter takes Jesus aside and rebukes Him. Can you imagine the nerve it takes to rebuke the person you just called the Son of God? Do you realize how bold you must be to believe Jesus is God and then tell Him what He said is not just wrong but to rebuke Him because He said it?

Think of that word, rebuke. It means to criticize sharply or to speak to someone in an angry and critical way. That’s what Peter did to Jesus right after He told Him he believed Him to be the Messiah, the Son of God, the Liberating King, the Anointed One. The unmitigated gall! How could Peter possibly think he could contradict the One He just proclaimed to be the Son of God? It just doesn’t make much sense, does it? At least he scripture says he took Him aside instead of making the rebuke in front of all the other disciples.

“Hey, Jesus, come over here a minute. We need to talk. I need to tell you a couple of things before you go any further with this line of discussion. You know you’re God, right? You can’t be talking about death and torture and sacrifice if you want to draw a crowd. You need to get a little more upbeat and get back on track with the healing and feeding multitudes. This gloom and doom talk isn’t going to get you very far in the ratings. I think you need to tone it down a little. Understand?”

Did Peter really know what he was doing? I’m not sure, but Jesus saw through the devil’s scheme to use one of His friends to detour Him on His journey to Jerusalem and the task He was to accomplish for us. Jesus knew Satan was putting words in Peter’s mouth to try to distract Him and keep Him from His mission, the salvation of humankind.

It would have been easy to listen to Peter and tone down the message. Talk about peace and prosperity and comfort for all God’s children. But that wasn’t God’s truth for those who remain on this side of eternity. This world is corrupted because of the fall of Adam. We all have that selfish seed of sin in us that must be dealt with and until we let God work on that problem in us, we are subject to the same fate as Satan and his minions of evil. All our thoughts are continuously drawn toward evil because of that self-centeredness that lives in us.

Jesus saw it in Peter, “You’re only thinking of human things, not the things God has planned.” That message is still true for too many of us. Paul tells us the same thing in Roman 7 and 8. We don’t do the things we want to do and we do the things we don’t want to do because we live in the flesh and stay centered in the flesh instead of living by the Spirit. If we will give ourselves over to the Spirit of God and just determine to say “yes” to His commands at every turn, we will find our lives very different than that of those trapped by the world’s decrees.

The tempter tells us our goals should satisfy our deepest desires. God says our goals should accomplish His will and His plans. The tempter says store up treasures here on earth. God says treasures on earth will pass away, you can’t take them with you when you die. So store up treasures in heaven where they cannot be corrupted. The tempter says you are more important than anything else. God said to Moses and to us, “I AM.” Everything else is created by Him, how can anything be more important than its Creator?

It’s easy in the din of the world, with it’s glitter and excitement and all the enticements that promise to satisfy that deep longing that each of us have within us to follow the world’s voice. But the world’s voice is poisonous. It’s the siren of mythology that leads you to certain doom when you follow her song. It is tempting to take that easy road. It’s tempting to avoid the temporary ridicule of the world, the short term pain and suffering the world doles out to God’s followers. It’s tempting to listen to the soothing sounds of the deceiver.

But that path leads to our destruction. Jesus knew His mission and His destiny on the cross. He knew this world is only a temporary stopping place on our eternal journey. He knew if we listen to the voice of the world we would miss the opportunity to live with Him eternally. He shows us with this encounter with Peter how subtle Satan can be. We must be on our guard against the wiles of the tempter. Be discerning in listening to the voices around you. Listen for that still small voice of God’s Spirit in you and follow His truth always. 

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Who do you say He is? (Mark 8/27-30) August 8, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Leviticus 25-27

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Mark 8:27-30
Jesus: Who do the people say that I am?
They told Him about the great speculation concerning His identity.
Disciples: Some of them say You are John the Baptist, others say Elijah, while others say one of the prophets of old.
Jesus (pressing the question): And who do you say that I am?
Peter: You are God’s Anointed, the Liberating King.
Jesus: Don’t tell anyone. It is not yet time.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

We talked about this conversation between Jesus and His disciples as it was recorded in Matthew. Then, I shared some thoughts about the two important questions Jesus asked, “Who do the people say that I am?” And, “Who do you say that I am?” I shared that getting the answer to this question right is the most important thing in your life, because it determines how you spend eternity. Either you believe Jesus is the Son of the living God as He says He is, or you do not. But He alone is the only avenue to heaven. So failure to believe in Him writes your destiny to eternal separation from the Father according to God’s word.

Today, though, I want to talk about that descriptive sentence in the middle of the discourse and the end of the discourse. How do these two things fit together and why?

First, let’s think about Mark’s summation of what was probably a much longer discussion between Jesus and His disciples. “They [Jesus’ disciples] told Him about the great speculation concerning His identity.”

Jesus had been around the block a little while at this point. His reputation was well known throughout the country. People flocked to hear Him and see Him. Think about the scenes we’ve discussed the last few days. The feeding of 5,000 men plus all the women and children gathered to hear Him in a remote area of Galilee. Then on the other side of the Sea of Galilee He preaches to and feeds another group of 4,000 that stayed and listened to Him for three days in another area, again so remote no food could be purchased for the crowd.

Wherever Jesus went from this point crowds always pressed against Him. It was difficult for Him to get away for some alone time with His Father except in the dead of night after everyone else went to sleep. Thousands heard His words. Thousands saw His miracles. Thousands witnesses this man who did things no other man could do. Things that look a lot the events of the opening chapter of Genesis. Making something out of nothing. Using dirt to make new eyes. Touching withered arms and recreating them. Who could do such things except God? The Creator Who spoke worlds into existence is the only One capable of such things, and yet this man also did these same things in front of them.

But these crowds lived in a pagan world. The Romans occupied Judea and the Greeks before the Romans. This small strip of land which the Jews called their homeland had not been theirs to rule since the Babylonians whisked them away in the sixth century BC. I mention that because even the most orthodox Jews found themselves influenced by the thoughts and writings and presence of these pagan nations. Their idols could be found in stores in the region. The representation of their gods littered the streets. Their greetings and salutations resounded with praise and exultation to their false deities. The Jews could not get away from their influence.

So some in the crowd, as the Israelites that fell down to Baal and other pagan gods before them, toyed with these pagan symbols and worried that Jehovah might not be by Himself but might be like Zeus with a pantheon of lesser gods to serve Him. So who was Jesus? Was He one of Zeus’ servants? Was He like of the mythical legends they had heard about from the Greeks, like Hercules, an earthly child born of a pagan god? Is that why Jesus could do these things?

Perhaps if you put yourself into the pagan world of Rome or Greece and remember the myths that ran through their religion, you might begin to understand the speculation that occurred. You might begin to see why some people in the crowd questioned who this Jesus really was. If you believed in a pantheon of gods, He could be just one more and so was no big deal except He decided to spend some time on earth instead of Mount Olympus.

But now move forward 2,000 years, Who do you say that Jesus is? Do you believe He is the Son of the Living God? Do you know there is only one God represented in three personalities, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and that Jesus is one of those personalities, part of the triune Godhead? Do you know that He is God incarnate, come to live along side us for those 33 years to share our troubles and sorrows and temptations? Do you know He came to give His life as the penalty for your sins and mine so that we would not have to pay with our life? Do you know Jesus, the God/Man, loves us enough to do that for us?

Today, there is still great speculation about Jesus’ identity. Some say He was just a great prophet. Some say He was a great teacher. Some say He was a rebel and a radical leader. Some say He was a marvelous rabbi, but twisted the scriptures in unusual ways. Some say He is the one and only Son of God, our perfect sacrifice, waiting to return to take His followers home to be with Him forever.

Who do you say that Jesus is?

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Clearer than trees (Mark 8:23-26) August 7, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – 2 Thessalonians

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Mark 8:23-26
Jesus: What do you see?
Blind Man (opening his eyes): I see people, but they look like trees—walking trees.
Jesus touched his eyes again; and when the man looked up, he could see everything clearly.
Jesus sent him away to his house.
Jesus (to the healed man): Don’t go into town yet. [And don’t tell anybody in town what happened here.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

Have you ever thought about why Jesus had to touch this man twice? What was it about this encounter that required Him to work in the man’s life two times instead of just once? In almost every other occasion we see Jesus speaking to someone or touching someone or doing something and the word says immediately the person is healed. So what is it about this encounter that is different? Why the second touch before this man could see clearly?

Was Jesus off His game that day? I don’t think so. Was this man worse than others Jesus’ had seen? Probably not. Did the man have some strange disease Jesus didn’t know about and that’s why it took a double dose of His cure? I doubt it. Jesus is God incarnate. He can do all things. This was just another simple case of healing. So why the difference?

Let me give you my thought that will run contrary to what some of you might think, but here it is anyway. You can choose to agree or disagree as you see fit, but I think there are also a lot of people who will agree with me. So here it is.

I think Jesus uses this event to teach us what Paul will later tell us about salvation and sanctification. Some say they are the same thing. I do not. I believe they are two separate, distinct actions that take place in the life of the repentant follower of Jesus. Can they happen simultaneously? They can, but I think, as illustrated by Jesus’ encounter with this blind man, they don’t have to, and the more we seem to progress in this world the farther apart these to events seem to happen in people’s lives. I’ll explain why later.

The two events, salvation and sanctification, are separate and distinct. Salvation is forgiveness of our sins. We are made right with God. He forgives the past. He pays the penalty we should pay and covers the debt we owe with His own blood. He redeems our life with His own. We belong to Him because He has purchased us with the price of His blood on the cross. Forgiveness for the past, that’s salvation, a distinct immediate action that happens when we in true repentance ask Jesus to forgive. He does and we are saved from death, eternal damnation, eternal separation from God.

Sanctification is also a separate and distinct event in the life of the follower of Christ. Can it happen at the same moment of salvation? Yes. Does it always? No. Does it often? I’m not so sure it does and here’s why, particularly in our world today. Sanctification means the setting apart of something for a sacred purpose. To make holy. That means we commit ourselves completely, totally to God. Everything we have, everything we are, everything we gain is His. Nothing held back. He hold 100% stock in us. He is the CEO and president of the company called me. He is the chairman and the board of directors of the company. I can vote, but my vote doesn’t count. He’s in charge. Period. I’m set apart, set aside, given up to Him.

And here’s why I think that setting apart seldom happens when we are forgiven of our sins at the time of our salvation. At age six, I knew what sin was. I knew I needed to ask forgiveness from God if I did bad things. And I would go the altar and ask for His forgiveness. I know He forgave me for those sins. Was that salvation? Yes. Was that sanctification? No. As a six-year old, I had no concept of what it meant to give my life completely, wholly to God. Was God still guiding me and helping me? Sure. When I asked Him to forgive my sins at 8 or 10 or 12 did that mean I was confused about salvation or sanctification? No, but I still didn’t understand what total commitment of life meant.

At eighteen, I got tired of the roller coaster life Paul describes in Romans 7, I do what I don’t want to do and what I want to do I don’t do. What a miserable life. Who can rescue me from this up and down, in and out battle? Thank God, there is one who can, Jesus, who gives us His Spirit to live in us and help us live by the Spirit instead of living by the flesh! I committed myself to Him fully, completely, totally at an altar on a rainy Sunday night in March of 1973. That was sanctification. God had given all of Himself to me, but that night I gave all of myself to Him. I am set apart for Him. His instrument. His tool to use any way He wants. That’s sanctification.

Can it happen at the same time? It can. But more often, I think we must come to an understanding of what it means to commit ourselves completely to Him. Like the blind man in this encounter with Jesus, when our sins are forgiven, we see His kingdom and His truth around us more clearly, but when we give ourselves completely to Him, His word opens up in ways that make His will and His love crystal clear. Instead of seeing people like trees, we see every detail. Commit to Him, you won’t be sorry. 

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Beware the yeast and leaven (Mark 8:15-21) August 6, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – John 3-4

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Mark 8:15-19
Jesus: Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.
The disciples didn’t understand what Jesus was talking about and discussed it among themselves.
Some Disciples: What?
Other Disciples: He’s saying this because we have run out of bread.
Jesus (overhearing them): Why are you focusing on bread? Don’t you see yet? Don’t you understand? You have eyes—why don’t you see? You have ears—why don’t you hear? Are you so hard-hearted?
Don’t you remember when I broke the five rounds of flatbread among the 5,000? Tell Me, how many baskets of scraps were left over?
Disciples: Twelve.
Jesus: And how many were left when I fed the 4,000 with seven rounds?
Disciples: Seven.
Jesus: And still you don’t understand?

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

Yeast and leaven. It spreads through the dough so quickly and thoroughly. In baking, it is such wonderful stuff. It makes tiny little air pockets in the dough so it makes it puff up and makes bread and cakes light and fluffy. Whoever discovered you could use leavening agents in baking did a great service for the world because it makes baked goods taste so good. But then again, maybe it was also part of our downfall since we have a tendency to eat too much of those tasty treats and it adds to the obesity of our generation. I digress, back to the story.

The disciples thought Jesus was talking about bread. He wasn’t. He was thinking about His recent encounter with those snakes, the Pharisees. He was thinking about they way they refused to listen and believe God even when they saw the evidence right in front of them of His hand at work. They wanted one more sign, one more proof, one more miracle, one more something. They were never satisfied because they wanted to be the center of attention, not God.

That’s want Jesus was talking about with the disciples that day. The Pharisees’ brand of religion put this selfish thought upper most in everyone’s mind. Put my way first. Put my rules first. Put my thoughts above everything else. It doesn’t matter what God wants. My way is more important. Self takes precedence. So when the Pharisees encountered Jesus and He challenged their structure and their way of life. They couldn’t handle it. When He disagreed with their emphasis on the petty things of life that they held as most important, they called Him an instrument of Satan.

The biggest problem, though, is Jesus saw their philosophy and their influence had the same influence in the world as yeast or leaven in bread. Once it gets into action, it is so difficult to stop it. It spreads and is hard to stop. People pick p on it and spread it and share it because Satan pulls this veil over our eyes. We like Adam and all of his offspring after him have this selfish seed in us that wants to believe Satan instead of God. We want to satisfy this selfish drive instead of giving ourselves to the God who made us.

And Herod was just as bad. His problem was not just hiding behind a religious veil saying he was a Jewish king, but then living the life of a Roman. He indulged in all the vices of the pagan world around him, but said he lived as one of God’s chosen people. The duel citizenship he thought he could live only showed how far away from God he really was. Yet many followed him thinking it was okay to live his same lifestyle since he was king.

Do we do the same thing today? Does the story fit us in this generation? I’m afraid so. Whether we want to talk about the Hollywood celebrities so many emulate, or the sports figures that pocket millions in salary but find themselves on the wrong side of the law, or politicians that think themselves above the law, or any number of other segments that we tend to focus on, there are those that spread leaven in our society. They plant seeds of evil, lifestyles that run contrary to the life God wants us to live. Yet we flock to them thinking it’s okay to follow their pattern of life. It’s not.

Look around, though, and you’ll find people wearing the same style clothes, styling their hair the same, using their same speech patterns. We fall into the trap of letting these leavening agents of sin slip into our lives, sometimes without even thinking about it. Jesus warns us, “Beware of the yeast, the leaven.” I don’t think He would use the terms Pharisee or Herod today. But instead He would point to those figures of authority we tend to blindly follow that will lead us to our destruction if we are not carefully discerning whether they are following God or self.

How can we tell? Know God’s word. If they act in a way that is not in concert with His word, beware. God does not contradict Himself. Beware the yeast and leaven. It spreads before you know it.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

We don’t need signs (Mark 8:12) August 5, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Daniel 1-6

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Mark 8:12
Jesus (sighing with disappointment): Why does this generation ask for a sign before they will believe? Believe Me when I say that you will not see one.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

The Pharisees must have all been born and raised in Missouri. We know that state’s nickname as “the show me state” because of Missourian’s tendency to ask for evidence to support every statement. They want to statements followed up with verifiable facts before they believe it. “Show me.” The Pharisees would fit right in. This encounter with Jesus teaches us that about them. He had just fed thousands of people. He showed up on the opposite side of the Sea of Galilee after no boat was available to transport Him there. He healed every illness and disease they were unable to heal. He spoke about the scripture with an authority and understanding they could not match. And still they come to Jesus with this demand, “Give us some sign so we know your teaching is from God.”

Really? This guy is doing things that no one can dispute. What other sign do you need than feeding 4,000 people from one lunch? Who can do that? What other sign do you need than people watching Him climb up the hill to pray while all the boats leave the shore and then He shows up on the other side of the Sea of Galilee in the morning with all the people in those boats telling you about their experience with the storm and their seeing Him walking on the water in the early morning hours? What other sign do you need that watching hundreds of lame, deaf, blind, diseased, deformed, sick, healed of their various maladies with just a spoken word or a touch of His hand?

These guys are even worse than Missourians. We would probably call them nut jobs needing more evidence than what they had already seen and heard to this point. And it seems Jesus feels the same way. You get no more signs. His actions speak for themselves. The healing, the teaching, the feeding, the compassion, the preaching, the love He pours out all around Him is enough to show He is who He says He is and no other sign is necessary.

It wasn’t enough for the Pharisees. They still rejected Him. Why? Because they just didn’t want to believe that God would visit us from heaven. They couldn’t believe He would correct their thinking about the law He had given Moses and they had been interpreting for Him through the centuries. Surely they were right and God in the flesh was wrong. They just couldn’t believe they needed to adjust their way of thinking.

But then…

What about us? Do we need a sign to believe that Jesus is who He says He is? Do we ask Him to do one more thing before we believe? Do ask for one more miracle or one more piece of evidence. Do we need one more fact before we can give our life to Him? What one more would it take? That was Jesus point with the Pharisees. They were not going to believe no matter what He did. So what about you? Does it matter what sign you see? If you’re waiting for a sign, it really doesn’t matter what that sign is, you still won’t believe, because you’ll ask for one more.

You’re answer when you see it will be, “Well, maybe that was a fluke. Well, it might not have been God. It was probably going to happen anyway.” And you’ll ask for one more sign. Just like the Pharisees. You see, it’s not about signs, it’s about faith. Do you believe He is the Son of God, able to forgive your sins or not? It’s really that simple a question. And when you believe He can and ask Him to, He will and He does. It’s just that easy.

But He doesn’t deal in signs. He doesn’t deal in hocus-pocus. He doesn’t make deals. He works in issues of faith. You believe or you don’t. You love Him or you don’t. You obey His word or you don’t. You live for Him or you don’t. It’s pretty black and white. No signs. No flashes in the sky. No banner headlines. No great visions or spirits rising from the grave. Just faith in Him. That’s the deal.

He still cares. He shows us that by what He did for those who were with Him for those three days without food. He fed them all until they were full. Probably some of those in that crowd hadn’t eaten until they were full in a while. But they did that day with baskets of food left over. Jesus cares. He showed it to those crowds by sticking around and healing all those who came to Him for healing. He touched everyone of them and took away whatever was wrong with them. They didn’t ask for a sign, they just asked for help and believed He could do it.

That’s what He asks from us. Just believe. Just trust. Just know that Jesus is the Son of the Living God. He was there at creation, He loves us and cares about our needs. And when we meet Him with eyes of faith, we don’t need any signs, we know who He is without them.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.