Mark 14
Religious leaders look to kill Jesus verse 1- 2
After two days was the feast of the Passover
and of Unleavened bread
and the chief priests and the scribes sought
how they might take
HIM by craft and put HIM to death
BUT they said
Not on the feast day – lest there be an uproar of the people
Jesus anointed with spikenard verse 3
And being in Bethany – in the house of Simon the leper
as HE sat at meat
there came a woman having an alabaster box of
ointment of spikenard very precious
and she brake the box – and poured it on HIS head
Some complained of the waste verse 4- 5
There were some that had indignation within themselves
and said
Why was this waste of the ointment made?
FOR it might have been sold
for more than three hundred pence
and have been given to the poor
AND they murmured against her
Jesus defended the woman’s action verse 6- 9
And Jesus said – Let her alone – why trouble you her?
She has wrought a good work on ME
FOR you have the poor with you always
and whensoever you will you may do them good
BUT ME you have not always
She has done what she could
she is come afore hand
to anoint MY body to the burying
Verily I say to you
Wheresoever this gospel is preached
throughout the whole world
this also that she has done
shall be spoken of for a memorial of her
Judas went to religious leaders to betray Jesus verse 10- 11
And Judas Iscariot – one of the twelve – went unto the chief priests
to betray HIM to them
And when they heard it
they were glad and promised to give him money
and he sought how he might conveniently
betray HIM
Jesus sends disciples to prepare for
Passover dinner verse 12- 16
And the first day of unleavened bread – when they killed the Passover
HIS disciples said to HIM
Where will YOU that we go and prepare that YOU
may eat the Passover?
And HE sent forth two of HIS disciples and said to them
Go you into the city – and there shall meet you a man bearing
a pitcher of water follow him
And wheresoever he shall go in
say to the goodman of the house
The Master said – Where is the guest chamber
where I shall eat the Passover with MY disciples?
And he will show you a large upper room
furnished and prepared
there make ready for us
AND HIS disciples went forth – and came into the city
and found as HE had said unto them
and they made ready the Passover
Jesus informs disciples of betrayal verse 17- 21
And in the evening HE comes with the twelve
and as they sat and did eat – Jesus said
Verily I say to you
One of you which eats with ME
shall betray ME
And they began to be sorrowful
and to say unto HIM one by one – Is it I?
and another said – Is it I?
And HE answered and said to them
It is one of the twelve
that dips with ME in the dish
The Son of man indeed goes – as it is written of HIM
BUT woe to that man
by whom the Son of man is betrayed
good were it for that man
if he had never been born
Jesus institutes LORD’S Supper verse 22- 26
And as they did eat – Jesus took bread – and blessed – and brake it
and gave to them – and said
Take eat – this is MY body
And HE took the cup – and when HE had given thanks
HE gave it to them -and they all drank of it
HE said unto them
This is MY blood of the new testament
which is shed for many
Verily I say to you
I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine
until that day that I drink it new
in the kingdom of God
And when they had sung a hymn
they went out into the mount of Olives
Jesus predicts Peter’s betrayal verse 27- 31
And Jesus said unto them
All you shall be offended because of ME this night
FOR it is written
I will smite the shepherd
and the sheep shall be scattered
BUT after that I am risen
I will go before you into Galilee
BUT Peter said unto HIM
Although all shall be offended – yet will not I
And Jesus said unto him
Verily I say unto you – That this day – even this night
BEFORE the cock crow twice
you shalt deny ME thrice
BUT he spoke the more vehemently – IF I should die with YOU
I will not deny YOU in any wise
Likewise also said they all
Jesus prays in Garden of Gethsemane verse 32- 42
And they came to a place which was called Gethsemane
and HE said to HIS disciples
Sit you here – while I shall pray
And HE takes with HIM Peter and James and John
and began to be sore amazed
and to be very heavy – and said unto them
MY soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death
tarry you here – and watch
And HE went forward a little – and fell on the ground
and prayed that
if it were possible the hour might pass from HIM
and HE said – Abba – Father
all things are possible unto YOU
take away this cup from ME – nevertheless
not what I will BUT what YOU will
And HE comes and finds them sleeping – and says unto Peter
Simon – sleep you? Could not you watch one hour?
Watch you and pray – lest you enter into temptation
The spirit truly is ready – BUT the flesh is weak
And again HE went away – and prayed – and spoke the same words
and when HE returned – HE found them asleep again
(for their eyes were heavy)
neither was they what to answer HIM
And HE comes the third time – and said to them
Sleep on now – and take your rest – it is enough
the hour is come
BEHOLD -the Son of man is betrayed
into the hands of sinners
Rise up – let us go – lo – he that betrays ME is at hand
Judas comes to Garden to betray Jesus verse 43- 46
And immediately – while HE yet spoke
cometh Judas – one of the twelve
and with him a great multitude
with swords and staves
from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders
And he that betrayed HIM had given them a token
saying
Whomsoever I shall kiss – that same is HE
take HIM – and lead HIM away safely
And as soon as he was come
he goes straightway to HIM – and says
Master – Master – and kissed HIM
And they laid their hands on HIM – and took HIM
Peter cuts ear of servant of High Priest verse 47
And one of them that stood by drew a sword
and smote a servant of the high priest
and cut off his ear
Jesus informs Scripture fulfilled verse 48- 49
And Jesus answered and said unto them
Are ye come out – as against a thief
with swords and with staves to take ME?
I was daily with you in the temple teaching
and you took ME not
BUT the Scriptures must be fulfilled
John follows Jesus verse 50- 52
And they all forsook HIM – and fled
and there followed HIM a certain young man
having a linen cloth cast about his naked body
and the young men laid hold on him
and he left the linen cloth
and fled from them naked
Peter in High Priest’s courtyard verse 53- 54
And they led Jesus away to the high priest
and with him were assembled all the chief priests
and the elders and the scribes
And Peter followed HIM afar off
even into the palace of the high priest
and he sat with the servants
and warmed himself at the fire
False witness couldn’t agree verse 55- 59
And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against
Jesus to put HIM to death and found none
FOR many bare false witness against HIM
BUT their witness agreed not together
and there arose certain
and bare false witness against HIM
saying
We heard HIM say
I will destroy this temple that is made with hands
and within three days I will build
another made without hands
BUT neither so did their witness agree together
High Priest questions Jesus verse 60- 61
And the high priest stood up in the midst – and asked Jesus
saying
Answer YOU nothing?
What is it which these witness against YOU?
BUT HE held HIS peace and answered nothing
Again the high priest asked HIM – and said unto HIM
Are YOU the Christ – the Son of the Blessed?
Jesus states that HE is the “I AM” verse 62
And Jesus said – I AM – and you shall see the Son sitting on the
right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven
Reaction to Jesus statement verse 63- 65
THEN the high priest rent his clothes and said
What need we any further witnesses?
You have heard the blasphemy
What think you?
And they all condemned HIM to be guilty of death
and some began to spit on HIM – and to cover HIS face
and to buffet HIM and to say unto HIM – Prophesy
and the servants did strike HIM
with the palms of their hands
Peter denies Jesus verse 66- 72
And as Peter was beneath in the palace
there come one of the maids of the high priest
and when she saw Peter warming himself
she looked upon him – and said
And you also was with Jesus of Nazareth
BUT he denied saying – I know not
neither understand I what you say
and he went out into the porch
and the cock crew
And a maid saw him again
and began to say to them that stood by
This is one of them
and he denied it again
And a little after – they that stood by said again to Peter
Surely you are one of them
FOR you art a Galilaean
and your speech agrees thereto
BUT he began to curse and to swear – saying
I know not this man of whom you speak
and the second time the cock crew
And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said to him
Before the cock crow twice
you shall deny ME thrice
And when he thought thereon – he wept
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 7 For you have the poor with you always, and when so ever you will you may do them good: but me you have not always. (4434 “poor” [ptochos] means beggar, asking alms, destitute of wealth, lowly, afflicted, needy, of little value, inferior, lacking in anything, or relatively worthless)
DEVOTION: Jesus was one who had a concern for those who had little or nothing. HE watched as a widow put into the offering all that she had. HE commented that she would be blessed. Those who gave more were doing it for show and they wouldn’t be blessed.
On this occasion Jesus allowed a woman to take rich perfume and pour it over HIM. There was no small stir in the group that was with HIM. They thought it should be used for another purpose. They thought HE should have NEVER allowed her to waste such a expensive perfume. They started to complain against her.
Jesus defended her action. In fact, HE stated that it would be recorded in the Bible for the whole world to know what she had done. Where ever the gospel was preached that would be a part of the sermon. She would be famous.
Now those of us who are in the church today need to make sure our attitude is right toward those who are destitute of wealth. We can have a healthy attitude or a bad attitude. Sometimes we think that they should just get themselves up off the floor and start working. That might be true of some but not all. Some of them are working or can’t find work that can support their families and they just need a little help to make ends meet. These people should be helped by the church on a regular basis.
Then there are the lazy poor who the LORD made a comment that if they didn’t work they shouldn’t eat. God doesn’t approve of laziness but HE is concerned about the poor. We have to use our Godly wisdom to see which category those who attend our churches fall into and help those who need the extra help and encourage those who are lazy to get off their couch and go to work.
Our government here in America seems to like to put anyone they can into the lazy category and pay their way. That is wrong. Remember the church must have a different attitude. It should have a Biblical attitude and policy for those who are genuinely poor and in need of help.
CHALLENGE: If you know of someone who is genuinely poor and needs a little help take them some food or offer to buy some clothes that are necessary. God will bless you for your actions if done for the right people with a right attitude. We do have the poor ALWAYS with us!!!
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 14 And wheresoever he shall go in, say you to the goodman of the house. The Master says, where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the Passover with MY disciples? (3617 “goodman” [ oikodespotes] means householder, master of the house, a master whose sphere of authority is the household estate and its appurtenances, or landowner.)
DEVOTION: Our houses have to be available to the LORD. Here is the disciples walking up to a man and saying “The Teacher asks….” That was all that had to be said to this man and he took him into a chamber for them to have the last supper together before the resurrection.
We are to be a people who are given to hospitality. Our home should be a place where people can come and feel at home. There should be times of warm fellowship in our homes.
Some people are more given to this part of the Christian life than others. Many think their homes are not good enough to entertain other believers. That is not what should happen. We should have our homes kept in a Godly manner. Does that mean our homes will always be perfect for guests to drop in? NO. But it does mean that we could entertain angels unaware. We should not be a people that never have people in our house.
One of the churches I have helped in the past had individuals that NEVER invited their pastor to come visit them. In fact, they didn’t want him in their home. That is sad. Pastors should be in the homes of each of their members at least once a year. That could include regular attendees.
Children should be able to invite friends to their house to show them what a Christian home looks like.
CHALLENGE: We are to be available at all times to be used of the LORD. I have the keys to a few people’s homes for me to come anything and spend time with them. It is an encouragement to me.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 26 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. (5215 “hymn” [humneo] means to sing the praise of, to sing, or sing psalms from the Jewish Scriptures.
DEVOTION: We live in an age of culture wars in the church. There are some who would have us sing only the hymns in the hymnbooks. There are others who would have us only sing contemporary music. Some want to sing out of the hymnbooks, while others want to see the song on a screen. There are even books written about these battles.
The disciples ate the final Passover with the LORD before his death. After the supper was done they sang a psalm before leaving the room.
The children of Israel sang at all their special occasions. Each of the feasts had their own songs. They had songs for winning battles. David wrote many songs that he sang to the sheep as he watched them. He also sang for king Saul. Throughout the Word of God we find the people of God singing.
The LORD wants us to sing praise to his name on a regular basis. When we enter into a service that honors the LORD we should come with a song on our hearts. The Bible says that in heaven we will be singing a new song. Many times in a worship service we can watch others who are attending. One of the things we can observe is how they sing praises to the LORD. Many sing with very little enthusiasm. The expressions on their faces look like they are being tormented. Some don’t even sing. It is sad.
Our services should be so loud that they hear us in the streets. One of the greatest experiences we have is to join a large group who likes to sing. When we attend conferences with large amounts of people there is singing that carries into the streets.
We can pray that we are prepared to sing the new song in heaven with our good singing here on the earth. For some people it will be a new experience. That is sad also. Sing to the LORD!!!
CHALLENGE: Make a joyful noise unto the LORD each time you worship HIM. The LORD understands if you are not on key but HE still wants to hear your praises. One thought that is encouraging to me is that in heaven we will all sing on key. Praise HIS name!!!
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: 71 But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom you speak. (332 “curse” [anathematize] means bind with an oath, to devote to destruction, to declare one’s self liable to the severest divine penalties.)
DEVOTION: There are many believers who had a habit of using bad language before they became a believer. Many homes have parents that use this type of language all the time some children are growing up. Some homes even teach their children to use this type of language on purpose.
Peter was a fisherman before the LORD called him. It was probably a habit that he developed in that profession. Now he has been following Jesus around for three and a half years. He has gone on missions trips with Jesus. He has watched Jesus confront those who wanted to kill HIM. He has witnessed the many miracles the LORD had provided.
Now we have him confronted by some people in the courtyard of the High Priest. He was in the enemy’s camp. He was warming himself by their fire waiting to see what was going to happen to Jesus.
Remember Jesus had told him earlier that he was going to deny HIM three times before the night was over. Well, he denied it would happen.
Guess what, we do things we think we would never do as we follow the LORD. Peter denied the LORD the third time by using language he shouldn’t have used. He reverted back to the time before he was a follower of the LORD.
When confronted what would we have done? Do we have bad language in our past? Are we still using it at present? Is it a way that we deny the LORD even now?
CHALLENGE: Our language needs to be just like what Jesus would use.
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Jesus prayed in garden (three times) verse 32, 35, 36, 39, 41
Jesus tells disciples to pray verse 38
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Feast of Passover verse 1, 12, 14
Feast of Unleavened Bread verse 1, 12
Sang a hymn verse 26
Temple verse 49, 58
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Gospel verse 9
It is written verse 21, 27
New Testament verse 24
Scriptures must be fulfilled verse 49
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
Abba verse 36
Father verse 36
Christ communicates with Father verse 36
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
Woman with alabaster box of ointment verse 3
Anoints Jesus verse 3
Jesus verse 6, 18, 22, 27, 30, 48, 53, 55, 60, 62, 67, 72
Master verse 14, 45
Son of man verse 21, 41, 62
Shepherd verse 27
I am risen verse 28
Daily in temple teaching verse 49
Christ verse 61
Son of the Blessed verse 61
I AM verse 62
Son verse 62
Sitting on right hand of power verse 62
Coming in the clouds of heaven verse 62
Jesus of Nazareth verse 67
Man verse 71
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Kingdom of God verse 25
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Whole world verse 9
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Take by craft verse 1
Kill Jesus verse 1
Indignation verse 4
Murmured verse 5
Trouble verse 6
Betray verse 10, 11, 18, 21, 41, 42, 44
Seeking money verse 11
Deny Christ verse 30, 31, 68, 70, 72
Flesh is weak verse 38
Hands of sinners verse 41
Kiss of betrayal verse 44, 45
Thief verse 48
Forsook Jesus verse 50
False witness verse 55- 59
Blasphemy verse 64
Condemned Jesus verse 64
Spit on Jesus verse 65
Buffet Jesus verse 65
Curse verse 71
Swear verse 71
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Good work verse 6
Gospel verse 9
Preached verse 9
Memorial verse 9
Blessed bread verse 22
Thanks for cup verse 23
Sung a hymn verse 26
Sheep verse 27
Pray verse 32, 35, 38, 39
Watch verse 34, 37, 38
Obey will of God verse 36
Facing temptation verse 38
Spirit is ready verse 38
Rest verse 41
Teaching verse 49
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Chief priests verse 1, 10, 43, 53, 55
Scribes verse 1, 43, 53
Bethany verse 3
House of Simon the leper verse 3
Judas Iscariot verse 10, 43
Mount of Olives verse 26
Galilee verse 28, 70
Gethsemane verse 32
Elders verse 43, 53
Servant of high priest verse 47
High priest verse 53, 54, 60, 61, 63
Council verse 55
Maids of high priest verse 66
Church (New Testament people of God)
Twelve verse 10, 17, 20, 43
Disciples verse 12, 14, 32
Two disciples verse 13
First communion verse 22- 25
Sheep verse 27
Peter (Simon) verse 29- 31, 33, 37, 54
James verse 33
John verse 33
Denial of Peter verse 66- 72
Last Things (Future Events)
Kingdom of God verse 25
Sitting on right hand of power verse 62
Coming in the clouds of heaven verse 62
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QUOTES regarding passage
69–72 Peter’s retreat to safety was short-lived. The servant girl saw him slip into the entryway and reiterated her contention—this time to “those standing around,” presumably the guards and others in the pay of the high priest (v. 69). Her words—“This fellow is one of them”—seem to show that she recognized Peter as part of a group or movement whose leader was Jesus. Peter’s second denial (v. 70) was not convincing. So the next time, not the servant girl, but the others, apparently having their suspicions aroused by her and detecting Peter’s Galilean accent (Jesus was known to have come from Galilee), accused him. Peter was now like a cornered animal. He called down curses on himself if he was lying and swore that he didn’t know “this man you’re talking about” (v. 71). The first two times Peter had denied being identified with Jesus. The last time he denied Jesus himself. Hendriksen comments: “How deceitful is man’s heart! It is ‘exceedingly corrupt. Who can know it?’ (Jer 17:9).… Think of it: ‘Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.’—`I don’t even know the man’ ” (Matthew, p. 937).
The third denial was followed by the second crowing of the rooster (v. 72). Luke (Lk 22:61) tells us that at that very moment the Lord “turned and looked straight at Peter.” The first time the rooster crowed, Peter’s conscience was not awakened. This time he remembered what Jesus had said about his denial of him. The look of Jesus and the reminder of the crowing rooster proved too much for Peter. “He broke down and wept.”
The importance and relevance of Peter’s denial for the church to which Mark writes is obvious. To a church under severe pressure of persecution it provided a warning. If denial of Jesus Christ was possible for an apostle, and one of the leaders of the apostles at that, then they must be constantly on guard lest they too deny Jesus. The story also provided assurance that if anyone did fail Jesus under the duress of persecution, there was always a way open for repentance, forgiveness, and restoration (cf. 16:7). (Wessel, W. W. (1984). Mark. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke (Vol. 8, pp. 771–772). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
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Curse (ἀναθεματιζειν [anathematizein]). Our word anathema (ἀνα, θεμα [ana, thema], an offering, then something devoted or a curse). Finally the two meanings were distinguished by ἀναθημα [anathēma] for offering and ἀναθεμα [anathema] for curse. Deissmann has found examples at Megara of ἀναθεμα [anathema] in the sense of curse. Hence the distinction observed in the N. T. was already in the Koiné. Matt. 26:74 has καταθεματιζειν [katathematizein], which is a hapax legomenon in the N. T., though common in the LXX. This word has the notion of calling down curses on one’s self if the thing is not true. (Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (Mk 14:71). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.)
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The fact that Peter began to call down curses on himself and that he swore to them does not mean he used profanity. Rather he placed himself under God’s curse if he were lying to them and put himself under oath, as in a courtroom, to confirm the veracity of his denial. Carefully avoiding the use of Jesus’ name Peter emphatically denied any knowledge of this Man they were talking about. (Grassmick, J. D. (1985). Mark. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 184). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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First, one of the high priest’s servant girls spoke to Peter, and he denied knowing anything about Jesus. Then the cock crowed. Another servant girl pointed Peter out to some of the bystanders, and again Peter denied knowing Jesus. Finally, a man accused him of being one of the disciples, and some of the bystanders joined in; but Peter vehemently denied knowing Jesus, and even put himself under a curse. Then the cock crowed for the second time and the Lord’s prediction was fulfilled (see Mark 14:30).
However, it was not the crowing of the cock that convicted Peter; it was the remembering of Christ’s words. It is always the Word that penetrates the heart and brings about true repentance. Peter pondered what Jesus had said and what he himself had done; and then Jesus, on His way to Pilate’s hall, turned and looked at Peter. It was a look of love, to be sure, but injured love (Luke 22:61). His heart broken, Peter went out quickly and wept bitterly.
Before we judge Peter too severely, we need to examine our own lives. How many times have we denied the Lord and lost opportunities to share the Gospel with others? Do we, like Peter, talk when we should listen, argue when we should obey, sleep when we should pray, and fight when we should submit? Peter at least was sorry for his sins and wept over them, and the Lord did forgive him. After His resurrection, Jesus had a private meeting with Peter (Luke 24:34); then Jesus helped Peter make a public confession when He met the disciples in Galilee (John 21). (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, pp. 162–163). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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“He began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this Man of whom ye speak.” Terrified, Peter reverted to the language of his unconverted days and declared with oaths that he did not know the Lord Jesus Christ at all. To what depths may the believer fall if he gets out of fellowship with his Lord!
“Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him.” The crowing of a cock (the second time that early morning) brought Peter to his senses, and he remembered with grief the words of the Lord Jesus, who had forewarned him of this very failure.
Difference between Apostasy and Backsliding. Note the difference is illustrated clearly in the records concerning Judas and Simon Peter. Apostasy is a complete rejection of the truth, and hence of Him who came to proclaim it and who is Himself the Way, the Truth, and the Life. One may profess faith in Christ and give outward adherence to His teaching without ever being born again. In the hour of severe temptation, such an one may apostatize, completely repudiating all he once professed to believe. This is to become an apostate, and for such an one there is no promise of restoration. Backsliding, on the other hand, is a lowering of one’s spiritual experience until in the hour of testing there is no strength to stand, and so failure may come in to mar one’s testimony. But the Lord says, He is married to the backsliding one, and He will bring about restoration eventually (Jer. 3:14). Peter was a backslider. Though he fell into grievous sin, he soon realized his wretched plight and returned in deep penitence to the Lord he had denied. (Ironside, H. A. (1948). Expository notes on the Gospel of Mark. (pp. 225–226). Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers.)
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Ver. 71. But he began to curse and to swear, &c.] To wish the most dreadful things upon himself, and to swear by the living God; saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak; see the note on Matt. 26:74. (Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 1, p. 486). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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He began cursing and swearing, filling the night air with his blistering fisherman’s oaths. That put an end to their accusations. No genuine follower of Jesus would speak like that, they thought. They were content. Doubtless, he was a Galilean, but a disciple of Jesus? Never! Inside, Jesus had just taken the oath administered by Caiaphas, His implacable foe; outside, Peter poured out the oaths of his former unregenerate days. (Phillips, J. (2009). Exploring the Gospel of Mark: An Expository Commentary (Mk 14:71). Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp.)
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FROM MY READING:
MAYO CLINIC – DRINKING WATER
A cardiologist determined that heart attacks can be triggered by dehydration.
Good Thing To Know. From The Mayo Clinic. How many folks do you know who say they don’t want to drink anything
before going to bed because they’ll have to get up during the night?
Heart Attack and Water – Drinking one glass of water before going to bed avoids stroke or heart attack. Interesting…….
Something else I didn’t know … I asked my Doctor why people need to urinate so much at night time.
Answer from my Cardiac Doctor: Gravity holds water in the lower part of your body when you are upright (legs swell).
When you lie down and the lower body (legs and etc) seeks level with the kidneys, it is then that the kidneys remove the water because it is easier. I knew you need your minimum water to help flush the toxins out of your body, but this was news to me.
Correct time to drink water… Very Important. From A Cardiac Specialist!
Drinking water at a certain time maximizes its effectiveness on the body:
2 glasses of water after waking up – helps activate internal organs
1 glass of water 30 minutes before a meal – helps digestion
1 glass of water before taking a bath – helps lower blood pressure
1 glass of water before going to bed – avoids stroke or heart attack
I can also add to this… My Physician told me that water at bed time will also help prevent night time leg cramps. Your leg
muscles are seeking hydration when they cramp and wake you up with a Charlie Horse.
Mayo Clinic on Aspirin – Dr. Virend Somers is a Cardiologist from the Mayo Clinic who is the lead author of the report.
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Paul urges us to have his perspective: “To live is Christ, and to die is gain” (v. 21).
With Paul’s perspective on life, he cannot lose. Wherever he is, Paul considers it “the world” into which the Lord wants him to go to preach the Gospel. Even prison is a positive experience for Paul, because he is able to spread the Gospel there. And if he is to die, that is even better. To live is fruitful ministry, but to die is gain. Most of us have our affections too deeply implanted in the things of this world to identify with his perspective. We must learn to let go.
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LOOK FORWARD IN ANTICIPATION
For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
1 John 3:8
As we believe the message of the Gospel, we are translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light—the kingdom of God’s dear Son. He is building up His own kingdom; he is drawing men and women unto Himself out of the world; He is going on with the work. He is in glory seated at the right hand of God, and He must reign until His enemies shall be made His footstool. He is going on until the number of the elect shall have been gathered in. And when that has happened, He will come again. He will return into this world as King and Lord, and He will finally finish the work. He will come with a mighty sword, and not only evil and sin but Satan himself and all his cohorts shall be cast into the lake of fire and will finally be banished from the sight of God for all eternity. And our guarantee of all this is the glorious fact of the resurrection: He “was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”
Remember then what He has already destroyed, and look forward in anticipation; the blessed hope that faces us as Christian people is that He will destroy these works of the devil utterly, completely, and finally. Evil and sin will be finally destroyed out of existence, burnt, destroyed forever. God shall be all and in all, and if we are in the army of the mighty Victor who has already risen from the grave and thereby conquered death, if we belong to Him, we shall behold that final judgment of Satan, and we shall dwell for all eternity in a perfect state with no sin and no sorrow, with no sighing and no tears.
A Thought to Ponder
We shall dwell for all eternity in a perfect state with no sin and no sorrow, with no sighing and no tears.
(From Children of God, p. 69, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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The Power of Grace
“Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.” (Ephesians 3:7)
In the New Testament, the words for gift and grace are very closely related. The Greek term charis is most frequently translated “grace,” and charisma is most often rendered “gift.” We who are twice-born are to use our “gift” with one another as “good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10).
When God gifts us with faith so that we are saved by His grace (Ephesians 2:8), we are then “created in righteousness and true holiness” (Ephesians 4:24). This “new man” is granted the potential to understand the “exceeding greatness of his power” (Ephesians 1:19) and to participate in the “divine nature” so that we are able to escape the corruption that pervades the lust of this godless world (2 Peter 1:4).
When we preach the gospel, we are using “the power of God” that will result in the salvation of those who respond (Romans 1:16). Right after the day of Pentecost, the apostles gave testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus in a demonstration of that power so that “great grace was upon them all” (Acts 4:33). The message and the power and the grace of God are inseparable.
When our lives radically changed in response to the “new man” created in us by God, they did so by “the grace of our Lord” that is “exceeding abundant with faith and love” (1 Timothy 1:14). When we access the strength to rise above our infirmities or difficult circumstances, we are experiencing the Lord’s grace that is sufficient to deal with or overcome whatever may be hindering us
(2 Corinthians 12:9).
When we “work out” the salvation God has “graced” us with, we can be sure that God is working in us “both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12-13).
(HMM III, The Institute for Creation Research)
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A dispensation is a period of tiem during which man is tested I respect of obedience to some specific revelation of the will of God. Seven such dispensations are distinguished in Scripture.”
(p. 27, Dispensationalism by Charles C Ryrie)
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DAILY HOPE
Today’s Scripture
Numbers 35-36
God provides for the people He instructs to be stewards of His possessions. I had a professor at Moody Bible Institute that told his students the last thing he would discuss with a church while being interviewed for employment was the financial package. He felt that if God was calling him to a place of ministry, God also knew his family’s necessities.
As we conclude the book of Numbers, we are presented with the ways that God instructed the nation of Israel to care for the Levites and those who oversaw the tabernacle and later the temple. The Levites were assigned 48 cities which were given by the tribes so they could raise their families and pasture the livestock they had accumulated.
The cities were to be a designated size with pastureland surrounding them to accommodate animals. Six of these cities were designated as places of refuge where individuals could go when accidental or innocent blood was shed. Premeditated murder was to receive capital punishment with no sanctuary provided.
The final instructions of the book of Numbers cover tribal inheritance, boundaries and maintaining purity before the Lord. Previously, Manasseh had been confronted by daughters of Zelophehad maintaining the land rights of their father when no sons were in the family (Numbers 27:1-11). Here, it was further clarified the women were to be obedient to the law in order to maintain the ownership of the land within their father’s tribe.
The nation of Israel, disciples, and the churches through the centuries have all experienced God’s oversight of His people. During uncertainty and turmoil, the words of Jesus are a clarion-like promise, “’… I will never leave you or forsake you.’ So we may boldly say; ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:7-8). Draw comfort and strength from these promises God freely provides us to claim.
In Expectant Hope, Pastor Miller
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