I guess the biggest truth that was revealed to me this week was what an awesome Lord and Saviour that I serve.
I am always humbled and saddened when I read all that my Saviour suffered for me that I might have eternal life with Him one day. Praise the Lord, He didn't stay in the grave but rose again and I serve a risen Saviour! I remember when I was a new Christian and reading this and thinking how brutal these Romans were to Jesus "Why would anyone want to crucify the Saviour?" I wasn't seeing at that time that I was also responsible for Christ's Crucifixion because of my sin. I am so thankful that Christ was willing to suffer shame and be brutally beaten and nailed to the cross, without His Crucifixion, I would be doomed to an eternity in Hell. Praise the Lord for His great love!!
Many times in the Book of Mark, Jesus mentioned about the hardness of hearts, and to be watchful for false prophets. It seems to me that this is very important for us to be aware of.
The Bible tells us in II Timothy 2:15 to, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth".
He also stressed the importance of watching for His return that we would be ready. In Chapter 13: 33-37 Jesus says, "Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch".
I am looking forward to the rest of the reviews as well as for next weeks challenge. Until next time "Watch and Pray"!!!
Friday, March 23, 2007
Friday, March 16, 2007
BRF - Mark 9-12
I must say that I found this book challenging. I think because I have read, not studied, the book a few times that I tend to read over the words but not spend time thinking about what I read. I was reminded of a few things though, so I will share these.
In Chapter 9:24 Jesus teaches us about the importance of believing Him. It is not a difficult thing to believe in Jesus when everything is going well, but my belief is most certainly tested when the difficult times come. I can say with this boy's father, "...Help thou my unbelief".
Also we see the blessing of children and the lesson we can learn from them. Little children don't have a problem believing and because of this Jesus uses children as His illustration to us for entering into the Kingdom of God. "Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein". Jesus said, "Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not...". God sees children as a blessing and of importance.
I noticed in chapter 10 that Jesus again talks of the hardness of the hearts of the Pharisees. He has already talked about the disciples having hardened hearts in Mark 6:52 and Mark 8:17. It seems to me that Jesus is warning us about having hardened hearts that we will not hear the truth of His Word and be willing to let Him change us to be conformed to His image.
We are also told that we are to forsake all the things that pull us away from Christ if we want to be His disciple. The rich young ruler had many riches, that is not necessarily a bad thing as long it is not more important than Christ, it is plain that the rich young ruler did not have the proper attitude concerning his riches because they were more important than following Christ. I don't believe that God says we can not have money, but I do believe He expects us to keep money and the material things of this world in prospective. I need to ask myself, "What good will money and material things be to me in eternity?"
In Chapter 11, I am reminded again of how quickly we forget as the people in Jesus day did. They saw His miracles they walked with Him, they saw Him personally but we see Him through His Word. The people were praising Jesus and treated Him as a King crying,"And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way. And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest". Then not many days later they were crying Crucify Him,Crucify Him . I wonder would I have been any different, this flesh would like to believe that I would have been different!
Jesus also teaches in this chapter the importance of His house, vs15-17, "And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves; And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple. And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves". These people were making money off the people that had travelled many miles and could not bring their sacrifice with them. We are to be careful to treat His house with respect and not make it common.
Jesus teaches in Chapter 12 in this parable about Himself and the chief priests and scribes were upset with Him because they knew that it was of them that He spoke and what they would do to Him in a short time. They tried very hard to find something to tempt Christ, but nothing worked for them. You would think that they would have gotten the message by now.
Another thing I found to share in this review is in 10:38 where Jesus tells us again to be aware of false teaching. I am to know His Word so well that I will not fooled by false doctrine. This definitely encourages me with our BRF to keep going and study His Word. It helps to have all you ladies to keep me on track.
It is encouraging to me that as the song says,"Little is Much When God is in It". The widow lady with two mites is a testimony of how God sees a surrendered life to Him. She gave her all.
I hope this review is not too disjointed and that it will encourage you ladies. Until next Friday, keep trusting our Lord! Now I off to read other reviews:)
In Chapter 9:24 Jesus teaches us about the importance of believing Him. It is not a difficult thing to believe in Jesus when everything is going well, but my belief is most certainly tested when the difficult times come. I can say with this boy's father, "...Help thou my unbelief".
Also we see the blessing of children and the lesson we can learn from them. Little children don't have a problem believing and because of this Jesus uses children as His illustration to us for entering into the Kingdom of God. "Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein". Jesus said, "Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not...". God sees children as a blessing and of importance.
I noticed in chapter 10 that Jesus again talks of the hardness of the hearts of the Pharisees. He has already talked about the disciples having hardened hearts in Mark 6:52 and Mark 8:17. It seems to me that Jesus is warning us about having hardened hearts that we will not hear the truth of His Word and be willing to let Him change us to be conformed to His image.
We are also told that we are to forsake all the things that pull us away from Christ if we want to be His disciple. The rich young ruler had many riches, that is not necessarily a bad thing as long it is not more important than Christ, it is plain that the rich young ruler did not have the proper attitude concerning his riches because they were more important than following Christ. I don't believe that God says we can not have money, but I do believe He expects us to keep money and the material things of this world in prospective. I need to ask myself, "What good will money and material things be to me in eternity?"
In Chapter 11, I am reminded again of how quickly we forget as the people in Jesus day did. They saw His miracles they walked with Him, they saw Him personally but we see Him through His Word. The people were praising Jesus and treated Him as a King crying,"And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way. And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest". Then not many days later they were crying Crucify Him,Crucify Him . I wonder would I have been any different, this flesh would like to believe that I would have been different!
Jesus also teaches in this chapter the importance of His house, vs15-17, "And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves; And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple. And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves". These people were making money off the people that had travelled many miles and could not bring their sacrifice with them. We are to be careful to treat His house with respect and not make it common.
Jesus teaches in Chapter 12 in this parable about Himself and the chief priests and scribes were upset with Him because they knew that it was of them that He spoke and what they would do to Him in a short time. They tried very hard to find something to tempt Christ, but nothing worked for them. You would think that they would have gotten the message by now.
Another thing I found to share in this review is in 10:38 where Jesus tells us again to be aware of false teaching. I am to know His Word so well that I will not fooled by false doctrine. This definitely encourages me with our BRF to keep going and study His Word. It helps to have all you ladies to keep me on track.
It is encouraging to me that as the song says,"Little is Much When God is in It". The widow lady with two mites is a testimony of how God sees a surrendered life to Him. She gave her all.
I hope this review is not too disjointed and that it will encourage you ladies. Until next Friday, keep trusting our Lord! Now I off to read other reviews:)
Friday, March 9, 2007
BRF - Mark 5-8
I can't believe it is Friday already and time for another BRF review. Does everyone find the week flying by or is it just me?
A few thoughts from this week's reading of Mark 5 to 8. I found that Jesus was moved with compassion when He saw the crowds of people as sheep having no shepherd, how He healed the sick, how He fed the hungry. I cannot remember reading at anytime that Christ refused anyone that came to Him for healing and He refused. What a great Saviour we have!!!!
Chapter 6 was true for Jesus as it is many times for us as we witness to our family and friends, His family would not hear Him either, even though they had witnessed the many miracles that He did and knew that He was different. Jesus said in v.4, "But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house". I have often thought and said that it is easier for a stranger to win our families to Christ than it is for us.
In 6: 23 Herod made a foolish promise to his step daughter and no doubt because of his pride and the fact that he was expected to keep his word that when the daughter asked for the head of John the Baptist he complied even though he would have to bear the consequences. The Bible says,"And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath's sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her". This situation reminds me to think carefully before I open my mouth and make a promise. (Anyone who knows me, knows how often I open my mouth and speak before I think things through. I too often overbook myself).
In Chapter 7 Jesus teaches about traditions. There are many good traditions that we have as families, but we do need to keep these in perspective. If our traditions are more important than doing the things of God, I would say we need to let them go. Jesus taught in this chapter that the Pharisees were diligent to keep their traditions, but left doing the things of God. He taught us that the things we put in our mouth are not the things that are poison to us, but it is the things that we keep in our heart. In v. 18-23 He says,"And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him;it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man".
Chapter 8 the Lord was teaching his disciples to beware of the false teaching of the Pharisees, but the disciples didn't get it even though they had just witnessed the miracles that Jesus had done in feeding the hungry, they thought Jesus was annoyed that they had forgotten to bring food. They didn't understand the deeper things that Christ was teaching. I think that it is easy to criticize the disciples for not understanding, but would I have been any different. I find things hard to be understood and I have all of God's Word to guide me!
I like what Peter said in v 29 "And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ". Christ told them not to tell this to anyone as He had also told many of those that He healed earlier. I have heard said that this was because it was not yet time for Him to be revealed as the One who would go to the cross and pay the price for our sins, He had much more to accomplish before that day.
There is more to be said but this has become a book and not a review, so I am going to stop now wand go and glean truths from all of you.
I am looking forward to continuing on in Mark next week. Until next time!!
A few thoughts from this week's reading of Mark 5 to 8. I found that Jesus was moved with compassion when He saw the crowds of people as sheep having no shepherd, how He healed the sick, how He fed the hungry. I cannot remember reading at anytime that Christ refused anyone that came to Him for healing and He refused. What a great Saviour we have!!!!
Chapter 6 was true for Jesus as it is many times for us as we witness to our family and friends, His family would not hear Him either, even though they had witnessed the many miracles that He did and knew that He was different. Jesus said in v.4, "But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house". I have often thought and said that it is easier for a stranger to win our families to Christ than it is for us.
In 6: 23 Herod made a foolish promise to his step daughter and no doubt because of his pride and the fact that he was expected to keep his word that when the daughter asked for the head of John the Baptist he complied even though he would have to bear the consequences. The Bible says,"And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath's sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her". This situation reminds me to think carefully before I open my mouth and make a promise. (Anyone who knows me, knows how often I open my mouth and speak before I think things through. I too often overbook myself).
In Chapter 7 Jesus teaches about traditions. There are many good traditions that we have as families, but we do need to keep these in perspective. If our traditions are more important than doing the things of God, I would say we need to let them go. Jesus taught in this chapter that the Pharisees were diligent to keep their traditions, but left doing the things of God. He taught us that the things we put in our mouth are not the things that are poison to us, but it is the things that we keep in our heart. In v. 18-23 He says,"And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him;it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man".
Chapter 8 the Lord was teaching his disciples to beware of the false teaching of the Pharisees, but the disciples didn't get it even though they had just witnessed the miracles that Jesus had done in feeding the hungry, they thought Jesus was annoyed that they had forgotten to bring food. They didn't understand the deeper things that Christ was teaching. I think that it is easy to criticize the disciples for not understanding, but would I have been any different. I find things hard to be understood and I have all of God's Word to guide me!
I like what Peter said in v 29 "And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ". Christ told them not to tell this to anyone as He had also told many of those that He healed earlier. I have heard said that this was because it was not yet time for Him to be revealed as the One who would go to the cross and pay the price for our sins, He had much more to accomplish before that day.
There is more to be said but this has become a book and not a review, so I am going to stop now wand go and glean truths from all of you.
I am looking forward to continuing on in Mark next week. Until next time!!
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