Update and prayer request

     I am not posting the verses or sermon this week. They will resume in September. I am busy with selling the house and moving.  Please pray I will get the apartment I have applied for. Thank you. 

The Weekend Sermon -- "Mark 7:1-23"

    Thank you for joining me for the message again this week. It is always a privilege and a pleasure to post these messages. I hope that everyone is doing OK. 

     We finally made it through Mark 6 last week, so that means we start chapter 7 this week. Our passage today is long, but it contains two core messages. 

     The religious leaders of Jesus' day were always trying to trap Him or get Him in trouble so as to discredit Him in the eyes of the people. On this occasion, they observed that Jesus' disciples did not do the ritual hand washing before they ate. They saw this as a grave violation, and they brought it to Jesus' attention. 

     Jesus used their criticism to launch a message about what was really important. He started by telling them about the importance of really following the way of the Lord verses simply following a tradition. Jesus used the example of the religious leaders saying that if something had been pledged to God they couldn't even use it to help their father or mother. Jesus said that this was a clear violation of the commandment to honor father and mother in the Ten Commandments. 

     Jesus made it clear that what goes into a person from the outside is not what spiritually defiles a person. On the contrary, what defiles a person are the actions that are manifested from a spirit that is not aligned with the Spirit of the Lord.  Jesus then finished His discourse by saying what the behaviors were that demonstrated the true defilement that comes from within. These include greed, slander and arrogance. 

     The first thing I want to point out in Jesus teaching is what He said about people following traditions instead of the clear teachings of the word. There is a lot of that that goes on today. People condemn others and make rules and regulations that don't have any basis in the Scriptures. 

     In the churches I grew up in as a boy, the tradition that was taught and enforced is that is was wrong for a man to have longer hair or a beard. There is nothing in the Bible about this. It is man made rules. Also, many churches I knew back then had a rule or tradition that the pastor had to be married. This is actually in contradiction to the teachings of Jesus and Paul. 

     What we need to do in our lives is to concentrate on putting into practice the things actually taught by the Lord. We could all do well to live according to the Golden Rule and the Great Commandment and the second commandment to love one's neighbor as oneself. If we would focus on those, the other things would all fall into place. 

     I also want to point out what Jesus was saying about what defiles a person. There aren't many places in the Gospels where Jesus outlines things that are sinful. This is one passage. Jesus says clearly, that adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly are sins. We would all do well to heed the words of Jesus and make sure that these behaviors are not a part of our lives. When Jesus speaks about things like this, we need to pay very close attention. 

     If we focus on following the exact and clear teachings of the Lord Jesus, we will not go or be led astray. Let us all follow Him and His Way until we see Him face to face. 

Prayer Requests

     I have sold my house, and things are progressing. However, I am having an issue finding a new place to stay. I get the money for the sale on Monday. Then, I am going full bore into finding a place. Please pray I will find one quickly. 

     Keep praying for an end to Ebola and Cyclospora outbreaks. Pray that the sick will recover. 

     Remember to keep praying for peace. The Middle East and Ukraine and Sudan all need our prayers. 

     For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of Senegal and Suriname. Pray that many will come to know Jesus. 

     Next week, I will post the verses on Tuesday, and for the message we will continue in Mark. May God bless you all.  

Verses For The Week

 Ecclesiastes 3:1 --"To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven."

Galatians 6:9 -- "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."

The Weekend Sermon -- "Mark 6:45-56"

     Thank you again for reading the sermon this week. I really do enjoy posting these messages, and I hope that you get something from reading them. I am particularly enjoying going through Mark as this is the first time on the blog I have gone through a Gospel chapter by chapter and verse by verse. 

     As I am sure you are aware, we are studying through Mark. Today, we are going to be finishing up chapter 6. We have been in chapter six for quite some time. 

     In our passage for today, we see the miracle of Jesus walking on the water. Jesus had just performed the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand. The crowd had dispersed. The disciples got into some boats to go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. However, Jesus did not join them. Instead, He went out into a lonely place in order to spend time in prayer. 

     During the course of their trip, the disciples ran into a big wind and they had to row against it in order to make progress on their journey. While they were rowing, Jesus was walking along the water. He was going to go right by them, but He heard the disciples cry out in fear because they thought that He was a ghost. 

     Jesus told them it was Him, and that they did not need to be afraid. He came over and got into the boat, and immediately the winds and the waves died down. The disciples were amazed. They still didn't understand who Jesus really was. 

     When they all came to the other side, the people were wanting to see Jesus. Whoever even touched His garment were healed and delivered. 

     The first lesson I believe that we have from this story is that Jesus is able to overcome the problems and storms of our lives. In this story, Jesus walked right on the stormy waters. He was able to calm the raging seas. 

     There are a lot of bad things that we go through in this life. We can face sickness, depression, loneliness and financial devastation. Jesus has the power to help us to make it through all of the things that life can throw at us. He delivers us through the storms of this life. 

     One way or another. Now, or in eternity, we will be delivered by the power of the Lord if we are in Him. Nothing can separate us from Him. Things may look bleak and dark, but He has the power to make sure that we will ultimately be with Him for all eternity. 

     While we are here on this earth, Jesus tells us to not be afraid. He is looking out for our best interests. He is helping us, leading us and showing us the way. He is guiding us in the way that is right for us until we see Him face to face in that place that He has gone to prepare for those who love Him. 

     We are in His hands. We need not fear. Jesus has the power, and His love and presence will get us through. 

     The final thing I want to point out today is that Jesus cared about everyone. The people came from all over and He ministered unto them. He loved everyone, and He loves you. He understands what you are dealing with. He is Savior, Lord and King. What is so amazing is that He wants to be with us and help us. He cares. Amen. 

    Prayer Requests. 

     Please keep praying about the house sale. Pray that everything will go right. Thank you. 

     Keep praying for peace. Ukraine is where I want us to focus our prayers this week. 

     Remember to keep praying for an end to the Ebola and cyclospora outbreaks. 

     Pray for those dealing with natural disasters. Pray that they will get the aid and the help that the need. 

     For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of Oman and Burkina Faso. Pray that many will come to know Jesus. 

     Next week, we will continue in Mark. I will post the verses for the week on  Tuesday. May God bless you all.  

Verses For The Week

      Hebrews 9:24 -- "For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one, He entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence. 

     Philippians 3:20 -- "But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ."

The Weekend Sermon -- "Mark 6:30-44"

      Thank you once again for reading the message for the week. I hope you have all had a good week of serving the Lord and enjoying the good things in this life. 

     If you have been with the blog for a little while, you know that we are currently in a series of messages on the Gospel of Mark. We are right now in chapter 6. 

     Today, our focus is going to be on an event that is recorded in all four of the Gospels which is the feeding of the five thousand. It has a lot to teach us on a multitude of different levels. 

     Our text for the day tells us that Jesus was preaching to a great crowd of people. They had been listening to Him all day. They needed to get something to eat, and the disciples wanted them to disperse and get some food. However, Jesus told them to give the people something to eat. Of course, they didn't have enough, but Jesus performed a miracle whereby even a small amount of food was enough to feed 5,000 people. It was a truly profound miracle. 

     The first thing I want to point out about this parable is why it is included in all of the Gospels. It is the only miracle in all four. Why is it so important to warrant this? It is because what it is demonstrating about the person and work of Jesus. 

     In His Sermon on the Mount when Jesus reinterprets the law, He is showing that He is greater than Moses the lawgiver. In this miracle, He is doing that again but in a different way. While Moses was leading the people in the wilderness, manna came from Heaven and fed the people. But Moses is not the one who gave the bread to the people. 

    In this miracle, by His power as God come in the flesh, Jesus is the one who gives the people bread in the desert. He is greater than Moses, as He is the source of sustenance. 

    There is also something very spiritual going on with this miracle. It shows that Jesus is the Bread of Life and the one that can provide what is necessary to sustain a person's soul. He Himself is the Bread that has come down from Heaven. He is the one who gives His life, His love and His forgiveness as true spiritual food. He truly is the Way, the Truth and Life. Only Jesus can provide what is necessary for abundant life now and in the world to come. 

    Now, there are a couple of other things I would like to point out in regard to this passage. Jesus tells the disciples that they are to give people something to eat. This works on both the physical and the spiritual level. 

    As followers of Jesus, we have the obligation to help to meet the physical needs of the poor and the hurting who are in this world. We have to feed the hungry and clothe the naked. We have to help people to have what they need to have the kind of life Jesus would want all people everywhere to have. That is one of our primary duties and one of the primary duties of the church working in this world. 

    We as Jesus' followers also have the duty to share His message and tell others that Jesus is the Bread of Life. He is the one who can forgive them and save them from their sins. He is the one who is able to deliver us from death, hell and the grave. We are to go into all the world and preach the Gospel and teach people about who Jesus is and what He has done. 

    Let each of us receive the blessings of the Lord. Let us share with others the goodness of the Lord. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     Please keep praying that all will go well with the house sale and with me finding a new place. Thank you for your prayers. 

     Keep praying for peace. Ukraine, the Middle East, Sudan, Myanmar and Sudan all need our prayers. 

     Pray for those suffering as a result of natural disasters. Pray that they will receive the aid and help they need. People in Venezuela, Japan, Spain, Canada and France all need our prayers. 

     Remember to pray for an end to the Ebola outbreak and the Cyclospora outbreak in US. 

     For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of Chad and Malaysia. Pray that many will come to know Jesus. 

    Next week, we will continue in Mark. I will post the verses on Tuesday. May God bless you all. 

Verses For The Week

 Luke 9:23 -- "Then He said to them all, whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow Me."

Ephesians 5:15 -- "be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise."