Category Archives: Jesus Christ / Yeshua

Compassionate, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Loving / Kind, Miracles, Seeking God

Jesus Has Compassion on Those Who Seek Him

Most of us who have followed after Jesus for any amount of time, have likely heard of the time He fed five thousand people with just a few loaves and fish. It is an amazing miracle and we should never take it for granted. However, it strikes me also that there is another lesson we should take note of in this event.

Jesus and the apostles were seeking a secluded place to be by themselves. John the Baptist had been killed, the apostles were returning to share about their journeys to preach the gospel, and there was clear intent to find quiet time. The people saw them and were so hungry for a shepherd in Jesus that they hurried there ahead of Jesus and the apostles.

How should Jesus react? Go somewhere else to find privacy and “me time”? Nope. Jesus felt compassion on them. He took time to teach them many things and ultimately this gathering became a great witness to the deity of Jesus through a fantastic miracle. Jesus is flexible and responsive to the needs of others! He truly loves those who seek Him! He will not turn them away.

Mark 6:30-44

    30The apostles gathered together with Jesus; and they reported to Him all that they had done and taught. 31And He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.” (For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.) 32They went away in the boat to a secluded place by themselves.

Five Thousand Fed

      33The people saw them going, and many recognized them and ran there together on foot from all the cities, and got there ahead of them. 34When Jesus went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things. 35When it was already quite late, His disciples came to Him and said, “This place is desolate and it is already quite late; 36send them away so that they may go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” 37But He answered them, “You give them something to eat!” And they said to Him, “Shall we go and spend two hundred denarii on bread and give them something to eat?” 38And He said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go look!” And when they found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” 39And He commanded them all to sit down by groups on the green grass. 40They sat down in groups of hundreds and of fifties. 41And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food and broke the loaves and He kept giving them to the disciples to set before them; and He divided up the two fish among them all. 42They all ate and were satisfied, 43and they picked up twelve full baskets of the broken pieces, and also of the fish. 44There were five thousand men who ate the loaves.

Do you truly seek Jesus as these people did? or do you take Him for granted? It is an honest question we should all ask ourselves from time to time. We should be hungry for a Good Shepherd and seek after Jesus, well beyond the point of inconvenience to our daily lives. When we do, He will not turn us away, but instead stop and engage with us. Our Lord loves those who truly seek after Him and feels compassion for them.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for Your compassion and love for those who seek You. Help me to feel a passion to seek You, that drives me past the distractions and busyness of this world. Let me not be content without a personal relationship with You. Help me trust You and pursue You and help me be teachable, willing to learn and change my ways to live more like You and Your instruction. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Love, Marriage

The Enduring Beauty of Admiration in Marriage and in Our Relationship with Christ

Our culture will often downplay the love and attraction of spouses enjoying one another, while playing up the wrongful lusts of those who are not married as if they are somehow more romantic. We are always better off when we embrace YHWH’s ways. For those of us who are married, or engaged and soon to be married, it is good for us to look with admiration and love upon our spouse or future spouse.

Song of Solomon 2

The Bride’s Admiration

            1“I am the rose of Sharon,
The lily of the valleys.”

      2“Like a lily among the thorns,
So is my darling among the maidens.”

      3“Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest,
So is my beloved among the young men.
In his shade I took great delight and sat down,
And his fruit was sweet to my taste.

      4“He has brought me to his banquet hall,
And his banner over me is love.

      5“Sustain me with raisin cakes,
Refresh me with apples,
Because I am lovesick.

      6“Let his left hand be under my head
And his right hand embrace me.”

      7“I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
By the gazelles or by the hinds of the field,
That you do not arouse or awaken my love
Until she pleases.”

      8“Listen! My beloved!
Behold, he is coming,
Climbing on the mountains,
Leaping on the hills!

      9“My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag.
Behold, he is standing behind our wall,
He is looking through the windows,
He is peering through the lattice.

      10“My beloved responded and said to me,
‘Arise, my darling, my beautiful one,
And come along.

      11‘For behold, the winter is past,
The rain is over and gone.

      12‘The flowers have already appeared in the land;
The time has arrived for pruning the vines,
And the voice of the turtledove has been heard in our land.

      13‘The fig tree has ripened its figs,
And the vines in blossom have given forth their fragrance.
Arise, my darling, my beautiful one,
And come along!’”

      14“O my dove, in the clefts of the rock,
In the secret place of the steep pathway,
Let me see your form,
Let me hear your voice;
For your voice is sweet,
And your form is lovely.”

      15“Catch the foxes for us,
The little foxes that are ruining the vineyards,
While our vineyards are in blossom.”

      16“My beloved is mine, and I am his;
He pastures his flock among the lilies.

      17“Until the cool of the day when the shadows flee away,
Turn, my beloved, and be like a gazelle
Or a young stag on the mountains of Bether.”

We should take care to avoid believing the narrative that a bride should make sure she remains independent from her groom. That somehow she must not depend on him for provision, but must work in a job as well. It is perfectly good for a bride to embrace her groom and look for him to provide and look upon him with admiration. Similarly, let not the groom be so hungry for money that he insists the bride also work just so they can have more money and instead sacrifice the intended role of wife and mother in the family unit.

Do not stop looking upon one another in the way demonstrated in Song of Solomon 2 just because you have been married awhile, either. Continue to look upon one another in admiration and love.

As a bonus to consider, recall that God compares our relationship as the church to Jesus to that of a bride to her groom.  While this aspect is non-sexual, some of the same principles apply. Be passionate in your pursuit of Christ. Dwell on what is good in Him. Trust Him completely to provide.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Faith / Trusting God, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Jesus (hearing from God), Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Miracles, Miracles, Share the Good News

Lessons from Jesus’ Sending of the Twelve: Applying Their Ministry Today

Whether we seek to learn about Yeshua or to take His message to others, we should pay attention to the early ministry of Yeshua and His disciples and apply what we learn to our lives today.

Yeshua sent out His disciples to preach that men should repent from their wrong ways and turn toward God’s ways and toward God, Himself. They cast out demons and anointed the sick with oil, healing them. It sounds very much like a reflection of Jesus’ ministry as He began. (Matthew 4:17; Matthew 4:23)

Mark 6:7-13

The Twelve Sent Out

      7And He summoned the twelve and began to send them out in pairs, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits; 8and He instructed them that they should take nothing for their journey, except a mere staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belt— 9but to wear sandals; and He added, “Do not put on two tunics.” 10And He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave town. 11“Any place that does not receive you or listen to you, as you go out from there, shake the dust off the soles of your feet for a testimony against them.” 12They went out and preached that men should repent. 13And they were casting out many demons and were anointing with oil many sick people and healing them.

It is a good thing when your ministry reflects that of the Master. We should pay close attention to His key message, which was repentance. This is a very important message. It is easy for each of us to conclude we are doing things “well enough” or “better than others”. However, that is not the standard to measure against. We are to measure against Yahweh’s holy standard. There is always more we can do, with His help, to identify and repent from sin in our life. It is not a one time decision. It is a decision and action we repeat every day of our lives. Sometimes we mess up and then we ask forgiveness and try again. For those who preach, the lesson is also that one should perhaps begin with the need for repentance as we preach or teach. People must understand their need for Yeshua… to be forgiven through His sacrifice to pay for our sins and mistakes.

I find it also very powerful that the disciples are sent with very little. They are to bring nothing extra. What a powerful statement! When we hear from Yahweh, we are to put our trust completely in Him to provide for our needs. He can and will do it. This does not necessarily mean to discard what He has already provided us, so seek His guidance prayerfully.  Jesus did not command the disciples to get rid of all their belongings or even to give them to the poor. He simply instructed them in regards to their missionary journeys not to take anything extra with them.

When they do enter a house, the intent is to stay there, perhaps to build relationships or perhaps to avoid the distraction of constantly having to worry about where they would stay the next night or week. They were not to move every night to another place.

If a place did not receive them, they are not to stay and force it, but rather shake the dust from their sandals and move on. We must take heed to this important lesson. Too often we may wish to force someone in particular to hear the message of Christ and repent. We can not force them to accept the message. Furthermore, if we continue to put our focus, time, and energy toward only those who reject Yahweh, then we will be delayed in bringing the gospel to others who are open to hearing and receiving the truth of Yeshua. Time is a limited asset and it is constantly passing. We must use it wisely.

The preaching of repentance was accompanied by casting out demons and healing. There are many examples where Yahweh allowed His followers to perform miracles in His name, in particular as they were spreading revelation from Him such as the good news about Yeshua as Messiah. When we go out to bring the good news of Yeshua, we are to accompany that with showing love and compassion to the people we meet. We are to try to help them and meet their needs, to alleviate their suffering. To those whom He calls, they can even do miracles in His name. Whether or not we can do miracles will be up to the LORD and, in part, our faith. With or without miracles, we can certainly have an impact in showing our love for people.

Both as disciples seeking to learn and follow after Christ, and as those seeking to bring the truth of Christ to others, we can learn a lot by prayerfully reflecting on scripture and the truth God reveals to us through it.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please show me clearly where You would like me to share the gospel and how I should approach any mission for which You send me. Let me not proceed on my own understanding but with strong faith and in obedience to Your direction. Amen.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Guide, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Marriage

YHWH’s Design for Marriage Includes Love and Passion

Song of Solomon is an interesting book in the Bible to be sure. It is focused on a passionate relationship between a bride and her groom. So many people mischaracterize YHWH’s position on sexual relations, claiming He just has a long list of “do nots”. Dismissing or getting angry at YHWH for that is like getting mad at someone who makes hair dryers for putting the label on it that says “keep away from water”. The warnings and boundaries are there for your protection. YHWH invented the gift of sexual relationship between a man and a woman. He gave it to us as part of the marriage relationship. He created us to feel passion and excitement, but it is intended only for marriage of one man and one woman. Yes, it is supposed to be enjoyed in marriage!

As you read Song of Solomon, realize that it was first written in a different time, place and culture. Do not get tripped up over some of the references (e.g. “like the tents of Kedar”), but seek to understand the excitement and passion they felt for one another… the love they felt for one another.

Another level to consider is that God compares our relationship with him to a bride and groom as well. Jesus is the groom and the church is the bride. We should think about how passionate we should be in our pursuit of Christ in how it compares to the example in Song of Solomon. I am referring to the passion and love, not the physical relationship… which in this perspective is not literal.

Song of Solomon 1

The Young Shulammite Bride and Jerusalem’s Daughters

      1The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s.

      2“May he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!
For your love is better than wine.

      3“Your oils have a pleasing fragrance,
Your name is like purified oil;
Therefore the maidens love you.

      4“Draw me after you and let us run together!
The king has brought me into his chambers.”

“We will rejoice in you and be glad;
We will extol your love more than wine.
Rightly do they love you.”

      5“I am black but lovely,
O daughters of Jerusalem,
Like the tents of Kedar,
Like the curtains of Solomon.

      6“Do not stare at me because I am swarthy,
For the sun has burned me.
My mother’s sons were angry with me;
They made me caretaker of the vineyards,
But I have not taken care of my own vineyard.

      7“Tell me, O you whom my soul loves,
Where do you pasture your flock,
Where do you make it lie down at noon?
For why should I be like one who veils herself
Beside the flocks of your companions?”

Solomon, the Lover, Speaks

     8“If you yourself do not know,
Most beautiful among women,
Go forth on the trail of the flock
And pasture your young goats
By the tents of the shepherds.

      9“To me, my darling, you are like
My mare among the chariots of Pharaoh.

      10“Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments,
Your neck with strings of beads.”

      11“We will make for you ornaments of gold
With beads of silver.”

      12“While the king was at his table,
My perfume gave forth its fragrance.

      13“My beloved is to me a pouch of myrrh
Which lies all night between my breasts.

      14“My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms
In the vineyards of Engedi.”

      15“How beautiful you are, my darling,
How beautiful you are!
Your eyes are like doves.”

      16“How handsome you are, my beloved,
And so pleasant!
Indeed, our couch is luxuriant!

      17“The beams of our houses are cedars,
Our rafters, cypresses.

I feel it worthwhile to mention, that though Solomon was granted great wisdom by YHWH when He was young, He still made a significant mistake in embracing the concept of more than one wife and of concubines that was more common back then. It was a fail on his part and drew Him apart from YHWH as Solomon got older. We have the opportunity to learn from him what is good and reject the mistakes he made.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

False Prophets / Teachers, Jesus Christ / Yeshua

Discerning the True Shepherd: Jeremiah 23’s Message for Today

Jeremiah 23 paints a stark contrast between the coming Messiah and gathering up His people who are scattered compared to the false prophets who lead the people away from God.

How important it is that we follow the right one, even today! We can’t simply follow everyone who preaches or teaches about God or claims to have a word from God.  We must use discernment. We must study God’s word and build a personal relationship with Him.

Jeremiah 23

The Coming Messiah: the Righteous Branch

      1“Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of My pasture!” declares the LORD. 2Therefore thus says the LORD God of Israel concerning the shepherds who are tending My people: “You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not attended to them; behold, I am about to attend to you for the evil of your deeds,” declares the LORD. 3“Then I Myself will gather the remnant of My flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and bring them back to their pasture, and they will be fruitful and multiply. 4“I will also raise up shepherds over them and they will tend them; and they will not be afraid any longer, nor be terrified, nor will any be missing,” declares the LORD.

      5“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD,
“When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch;
And He will reign as king and act wisely
And do justice and righteousness in the land.

      6“In His days Judah will be saved,
And Israel will dwell securely;
And this is His name by which He will be called,
‘The LORD our righteousness.’

      7“Therefore behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when they will no longer say, ‘As the LORD lives, who brought up the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt,’ 8but, ‘As the LORD lives, who brought up and led back the descendants of the household of Israel from the north land and from all the countries where I had driven them.’ Then they will live on their own soil.”

False Prophets Denounced

9As for the prophets:
My heart is broken within me,
All my bones tremble;
I have become like a drunken man,
Even like a man overcome with wine,
Because of the LORD
And because of His holy words.

      10For the land is full of adulterers;
For the land mourns because of the curse.
The pastures of the wilderness have dried up.
Their course also is evil
And their might is not right.

      11“For both prophet and priest are polluted;
Even in My house I have found their wickedness,” declares the LORD.

      12“Therefore their way will be like slippery paths to them,
They will be driven away into the gloom and fall down in it;
For I will bring calamity upon them,
The year of their punishment,” declares the LORD.

      13“Moreover, among the prophets of Samaria I saw an offensive thing:
They prophesied by Baal and led My people Israel astray.

      14“Also among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing:
The committing of adultery and walking in falsehood;
And they strengthen the hands of evildoers,
So that no one has turned back from his wickedness.
All of them have become to Me like Sodom,
And her inhabitants like Gomorrah.

15“Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets,
‘Behold, I am going to feed them wormwood
And make them drink poisonous water,
For from the prophets of Jerusalem
Pollution has gone forth into all the land.’”

      16Thus says the LORD of hosts,
“Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are prophesying to you.
They are leading you into futility;
They speak a vision of their own imagination,
Not from the mouth of the LORD.

      17“They keep saying to those who despise Me,
‘The LORD has said, “You will have peace”’;
And as for everyone who walks in the stubbornness of his own heart,
They say, ‘Calamity will not come upon you.’

      18“But who has stood in the council of the LORD,
That he should see and hear His word?
Who has given heed to His word and listened?

      19“Behold, the storm of the LORD has gone forth in wrath,
Even a whirling tempest;
It will swirl down on the head of the wicked.

      20“The anger of the LORD will not turn back
Until He has performed and carried out the purposes of His heart;
In the last days you will clearly understand it.

      21“I did not send these prophets,
But they ran.
I did not speak to them,
But they prophesied.

      22“But if they had stood in My council,
Then they would have announced My words to My people,
And would have turned them back from their evil way
And from the evil of their deeds.

      23“Am I a God who is near,” declares the LORD,
“And not a God far off?

      24“Can a man hide himself in hiding places
So I do not see him?” declares the LORD.
“Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the LORD.

      25“I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy falsely in My name, saying, ‘I had a dream, I had a dream!’ 26“How long? Is there anything in the hearts of the prophets who prophesy falsehood, even these prophets of the deception of their own heart, 27who intend to make My people forget My name by their dreams which they relate to one another, just as their fathers forgot My name because of Baal? 28“The prophet who has a dream may relate his dream, but let him who has My word speak My word in truth. What does straw have in common with grain?” declares the LORD. 29“Is not My word like fire?” declares the LORD, “and like a hammer which shatters a rock? 30“Therefore behold, I am against the prophets,” declares the LORD, “who steal My words from each other. 31“Behold, I am against the prophets,” declares the LORD, “who use their tongues and declare, ‘The Lord declares.’ 32“Behold, I am against those who have prophesied false dreams,” declares the LORD, “and related them and led My people astray by their falsehoods and reckless boasting; yet I did not send them or command them, nor do they furnish this people the slightest benefit,” declares the LORD.

      33“Now when this people or the prophet or a priest asks you saying, ‘What is the oracle of the LORD?’ then you shall say to them, ‘What oracle?’ The LORD declares, ‘I will abandon you.’ 34“Then as for the prophet or the priest or the people who say, ‘The oracle of the LORD,’ I will bring punishment upon that man and his household. 35“Thus will each of you say to his neighbor and to his brother, ‘What has the LORD answered?’ or, ‘What has the LORD spoken?’ 36“For you will no longer remember the oracle of the LORD, because every man’s own word will become the oracle, and you have perverted the words of the living God, the LORD of hosts, our God. 37“Thus you will say to that prophet, ‘What has the LORD answered you?’ and, ‘What has the LORD spoken?’ 38“For if you say, ‘The oracle of the LORD!’ surely thus says the LORD, ‘Because you said this word, “The oracle of the LORD!” I have also sent to you, saying, “You shall not say, ‘The oracle of the LORD!’”’ 39“Therefore behold, I will surely forget you and cast you away from My presence, along with the city which I gave you and your fathers. 40“I will put an everlasting reproach on you and an everlasting humiliation which will not be forgotten.”

Test everyone that is claiming to speak for God against the word of God in the Bible. Look for validation from God when someone shares a word with you. Seek to build a personal relationship with God so you will know the difference in His voice and a false prophet or teacher.

In all of this, also give thanks for God having sent Jesus as Messiah so we can be reconciled to God despite our sins.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Demons, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Miracles, Miracles, Satan, Spiritual Warfare

Live in Contrast to the World While Following Jesus

Many of us who follow Jesus will at one time or another be essentially mocked or called out as “out of our senses”.  The world struggles to understand how true disciples of Christ think and act. To follow in the example of Christ is very different from much of their worldview.

I can think of several examples simply ranging from declaring Jesus as God to giving generously while seeking nothing in return. Just declaring evolution as the false doctrine it is may be sufficient to evoke these kinds of responses. In fact, I remember one event where someone generously bought dinner for a large group at a restaurant which was unexpected. Rather than simply saying “thank you” and recognizing the person was “giving generously”, some actually mocked him as crazy for spending money that way. The world does not understand the followers of Jesus.

But take heart, Jesus experienced similar reactions. It may well be a good indicator that you are living apart from the world’s way. After going up to the mountain to appoint the twelve disciples, Jesus returned home to quite an uproar. The crowd gathered such that they could not even eat a meal. People said Jesus had lost His senses or was  possessed.

Mark 3:20-27

      20And He came home, and the crowd gathered again, to such an extent that they could not even eat a meal. 21When His own people heard of this, they went out to take custody of Him; for they were saying, “He has lost His senses.” 22The scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “He casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons.” 23And He called them to Himself and began speaking to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24“If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25“If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26“If Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but he is finished! 27“But no one can enter the strong man’s house and plunder his property unless he first binds the strong man, and then he will plunder his house.

Jesus certainly has a way of summarizing the issue.  How absurd that someone would say He is possessed by demons because He casts out demons! If Satan is the strong man in this scenario, then one greater than He must be present to “bind him” and cast out the demons.

Do not be discouraged when others do not understand the motivations and actions you exemplify in your life. Test to ensure that you are in line with Jesus Christ by studying and applying scripture. If that is right, keep on marching forward whether or not they think you may be crazy. Pray for God to help you be a light and draw others to Him through Christ.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Miracles, Seeking God, Spiritual Warfare

Rekindle Your Passion and Pursuit of Christ

It is good to reflect on the power of the miracles and teaching of Jesus and the impact it had on many who were there to witness it. Mark 3 captures the essence as crowds pressed in so forcefully, Jesus got in a boat to keep some space. He had healed and cast out demons. He taught the truth of God’s word.

Mark 3:7-12

      7Jesus withdrew to the sea with His disciples; and a great multitude from Galilee followed; and also from Judea, 8and from Jerusalem, and from Idumea, and beyond the Jordan, and the vicinity of Tyre and Sidon, a great number of people heard of all that He was doing and came to Him. 9And He told His disciples that a boat should stand ready for Him because of the crowd, so that they would not crowd Him; 10for He had healed many, with the result that all those who had afflictions pressed around Him in order to touch Him. 11Whenever the unclean spirits saw Him, they would fall down before Him and shout, “You are the Son of God!” 12And He earnestly warned them not to tell who He was.

Ask yourself, “Am I that hungry to pursue Jesus? Do my actions and choices in life reflect that about me?”

If the answer is “no”, then it is a good time for reflection and prayer to change your focus and priorities and pursue Jesus with greater passion.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Humility, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Obeying God, Teachable

Embracing the Truth: Humility and Teachability in Following Jesus

The Pharisees often struggled to understand the truth of Jesus’ teaching. They already thought they understood everything based on their rules and traditions and their application of God’s laws and commands. They struggled then to understand and accept when Jesus did differently than they expected because they did not have a humble and teachable attitude. They did not recognize and accept Jesus as divine authority with divine understanding of God’s law that was above their own understanding.

We must take a different approach if we are to learn from Jesus rather than cling to our existing man made traditions. We should test everything against the life of Jesus and the whole of scripture.

Mark 2:23-28

Question of the Sabbath

      23And it happened that He was passing through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples began to make their way along while picking the heads of grain. 24The Pharisees were saying to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” 25And He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions became hungry; 26how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the consecrated bread, which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests, and he also gave it to those who were with him?” 27Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. 28“So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

In today’s scripture, we can observe several key elements from Jesus’ behavior and discussion.

Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Thus, God did not make man just to worship Him on Sabbath for His own pleasure. Rather, God created the Sabbath as a much needed day of rest, prayer, and study of scripture to help man in his life to draw near to God and other people. Sabbath can rest and strengthen us as we go through difficult times and it can encourage us even in good times. It keeps us focused on God.

Not all of God’s commands are equally important in all situations. While we should strive to obey all of them, applied in proper context, there are situations where we need to use good judgment to recognize that we must deviate. One such example is cited by Jesus, Himself regarding David and his men. Another example is demonstrated by Jesus allowing His disciples to pick grain.  As I look to apply in my life, I have encountered situations where I have the opportunity to help someone on a Sabbath… that is good. However, even acts of service and love can interfere in our Sabbath rest and worship if we always schedule them for Sabbath. When practical I try to schedule on other days to keep my Sabbath open. I have to use good judgment to balance the decisions. We shall not be so literal as to miss opportunities to show love to one another and help one another when urgent. (Think about the parable of the good Samaritan. Take the time to help someone in need.)

Jesus clearly takes hold of the claim that He is the “Son of Man” and is “Lord even of the Sabbath”. While this may not be clear to some of us as we read from our culture and time, it is a clear statement that He is one with God. Only God is Lord of the Sabbath. Son of Man refers to the Messiah. Jesus clearly identifies Himself to those listening.

As we continue to try to learn more about the truth of God’s word, let us be careful to show grace to fellow believers in regards to our customs and traditions (e.g. such as around Sabbath). Teach and share truth as Jesus did, without rejecting those who seek to learn it just because they do not yet know it.  Not everyone understands the truth to the same level.

All of us are influenced by the worldly culture that surrounds us… that we grew up in. Sometimes it is hard to separate that out and reject it and turn fully toward God’s path. It certainly requires study and time to uncover the full truth of God’s word. It requires prayer and the help of the Holy Spirit to transform one’s life. Let us show grace to fellow believers who may not fully understand or apply the truth as we do and let us remain humble and teachable so that we can continue to learn more about God’s truth and how to apply it in our lives.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Repenting from Sin, Submitted / Servant, Teachable

Will You Answer Jesus’ Call Enthusiastically?

Jesus often calls upon those we least expect. As we read through the gospels, we see clearly that Jesus did not pick only those perceived to be most holy or perfect already. He chose people who were humble and teachable and knew that they were sinners. He chose as His inner circle those that were willing to put God first above the concerns of the world such as even family and business. He chose and discipled those answered His call with enthusiasm.

As we each seek to hear from God in our lives today, we should prepare ourselves to answer His call enthusiastically, as Matthew did and others who followed Jesus during His earthly ministry.

Beyond His inner circle, Jesus was also comfortable reaching out to sinners as a doctor reaches out to those who are sick. He did not make close friends with those who refused to repent from their sin, but He did reach out to them. Because of His approach, many were and are saved.

Mark 2:14-17

Levi (Matthew) Called

      14As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting in the tax booth, and He said to him, “Follow Me!” And he got up and followed Him.

      15And it happened that He was reclining at the table in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners were dining with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many of them, and they were following Him. 16When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that He was eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they said to His disciples, “Why is He eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners?” 17And hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Let us challenge ourselves to follow the example of Jesus in reaching out to sinners and showing them love and telling them the truth of the gospel. We must never “water down” the truth so as to make people comfortable in their unrepentant sin, but we must bring the truth to them… and that may lead us at times to places we would not normally choose to go to visit people we would not normally spend time with.

I pray that  God would strengthen me in this area for bold outreach and help me to do so more effectively for the glory of His kingdom. I encourage you to pray similarly and then to look for opportunities to reach out to those who do not yet know and believe in Jesus as Messiah.

Look for ways to support new believers as they respond to God’s call, even if they have a sinful past. Strive to remember that we all come from sinful pasts and none of us are worthy of forgiveness except through the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Faith / Trusting God, Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Grace / Forgiveness, Healer, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Repenting from Sin, Sin

Jesus: Messiah, Savior, and the Way to Reconciliation

I have encountered some that declare Jesus was just a good teacher and not God. Some say a prophet. Some insist that Jesus never even really said He was God. The sum total of scripture from Genesis through Revelation points to Jesus as Messiah. It is amazing that any can claim He is a prophet or good teacher, but not God. The fact is that Jesus also had very explicit examples recorded in scripture where He communicates that He and the Father are one… that He is God.

Perhaps one of the most obvious is in John 10.

John 10:24-30

24The Jews then gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me. 26“But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. 27“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29“My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30“I and the Father are one.”

There are other similar scriptures where Jesus could not be more plain and direct in this manner. There are also multiple examples where He communicates it in a more subtle, but still clear manner.

Mark 2:1-13

The Paralytic Healed

      1When He had come back to Capernaum several days afterward, it was heard that He was at home. 2And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room, not even near the door; and He was speaking the word to them. 3And they came, bringing to Him a paralytic, carried by four men. 4Being unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and when they had dug an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic was lying. 5And Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6But some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, 7“Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8Immediately Jesus, aware in His spirit that they were reasoning that way within themselves, said to them, “Why are you reasoning about these things in your hearts? 9“Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven’; or to say, ‘Get up, and pick up your pallet and walk’? 10“But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic, 11“I say to you, get up, pick up your pallet and go home.” 12And he got up and immediately picked up the pallet and went out in the sight of everyone, so that they were all amazed and were glorifying God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”

      13And He went out again by the seashore; and all the people were coming to Him, and He was teaching them.

Jesus clearly chose to talk about forgiving sins to communicate that He was one with God, because only God has authority to forgive sins.

For those of us who read the scriptures objectively and without bias, seeking truth, we must conclude that Jesus was not a good teacher or prophet. He was either a madman, a liar, or God in the flesh. Those are our choices.

For those of us who read and understand the scriptures, we know that Jesus is Messiah, who took the punishment for our sins and died on the cross for us. Through Him, we can be reconciled to God.

  • Admit that we are sinners in need of salvation.
  • Believe that Jesus died for us and rose again.
  • Confess with our mouths and our lives that Jesus is our Lord. Repent (turn away from our sins) and live according to God’s instructions.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.