Mark 8

Jesus wants to feed the crowd verse 1- 3

In those days the multitude being very great – and having nothing to eat

Jesus called HIS disciples unto HIM – and said unto them

I have compassion on the multitude

BECAUSE they have now been with ME three days

and having nothing to eat

AND IF I send them away fasting to their own houses

they will faint by the way divers of them came from far

Disciples say there isn’t enough food verse 4

AND HIS disciples answered HIM

From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread

here in the wilderness?

Evaluate amount of food verse 5

AND HE asked them

How many loaves have you?

AND they said – Seven

Jesus blesses food verse 6- 7

AND HE commanded the people to sit down on the ground

and HE took the seven loaves

And gave thanks – and brake

and gave to HIS disciples to set before them

and they did set them before the people

And they had a few small fishes – and HE blessed

and commanded to set them also before them

Crowd fed verse 8- 10

So they did eat – and they were filled

and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets

And they that had eaten were about four thousand

and HE sent them away

and straightway HE entered into a ship

with HIS disciples

and came into the parts of Dalmanutha

Pharisees want Jesus to prove HIS authority verse 11

And the Pharisees came forth

and began to question with HIM

seeking of HIM a sign from heaven

tempting HIM

Jesus disappointed at their desire for a sign verse 12- 13

And HE sighed deeply in HIS spirit – and said

Why does this generation seek after a sign? verily I say to you

There shall no sign be given to this generation

And HE left them

and entering into a ship again departed to the other side

Jesus warned disciples of teachings of Pharisees and Herodians verse 14- 15

Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread

neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf

AND HE charged them – saying

Take heed – beware of the leaven of the Pharisees

and of the leaven of Herod

Jesus tries to give disciples discernment verse 16- 21

And they reasoned among themselves – saying

It is because we have no bread

And when Jesus knew it – HE said unto them

Why reason you – because you have no bread?

perceive you not yet – neither understand?

Have you your heart yet hardened? Having eyes

see you not?

and having ears – hear you not?

and do you not remember?

When I brake the five loaves among five thousand

how many baskets full of fragments took you up?

They said unto HIM

Twelve

And when the seven among four thousand

how many baskets full of fragments took you up?

And they said

Seven

And HE said unto them – How is it that – you do not understand?

Jesus heals a blind man verse 22- 26

And HE come to Beethsaida

and they bring a blind man unto HIM

and besought HIM to touch HIM

And HE took the blind man by the hand – and led him out of the town

and when HE had spit on his eyes – and put HIS hands on him

HE asked him if he saw aught and he looked up – and said

I see men as trees – walking

After that HE put HIS hands again upon his eyes

and made him look up

and he was restored – and saw every man clearly

And HE sent him away to his house saying

Neither go into the town – nor tell it to any in the town

Disciples answer question regarding opinion toward Jesus verse 27- 30

And Jesus went out – and HIS disciples

into the towns of Caesarea Philippi

and by the way HE asked HIS disciples

saying unto them

Whom do men say that I am?

And they answered – John the Baptist – BUT some say – Elijah

and others – One of the prophets

And HE said unto them

But whom say ye that I am?

And Peter answered and said to HIM

You are the Christ

And HE charged them that they should tell no man of HIM

Peter confronts Jesus verse 31- 32

And HE began to teach them

that the Son of man must suffer many things

and be rejected of the elders

and of the chief priests – and scribes

and be killed – and after three days rise again

and HE spoke that saying openly

And Peter took HIM and began to rebuke HIM

Jesus responds to Peter verse 33

BUT when HE had turned about and looked on HIS disciples

HE rebuked Peter – saying

Get you behind ME – Satan

FOR you savor not the things that be of God

BUT the things that be of men

Jesus instructs regarding being a disciple verse 34-38

And when HE had called the people to HIM with HIS disciples also

HE said unto them

Whosoever will come after ME – let him deny himself

and take up his cross – and follow ME

FOR whosoever will save his life shall lose it

BUT whosoever shall lose his life for MY sake and the gospel’s

the same shall save it

FOR what shall it profit a man – IF he shall gain the whole world

and lose his own soul?

OR what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of ME and of MY words

in this adulterous and sinful generation

of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed

when HE comes in the glory of HIS Father

with the holy angels

COMMENTARY:

DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers

: 12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and said, Why does this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation. (389 “sighed deeply” [anastenazo] means groan deeply, sigh intently, give a deep groan, or to groan aloud)

DEVOTION: When you read the Bible, you find the question “Why” many times either implied or stated. Abraham might have asked why he had to leave his hometown to go on a journey. Jacob might have asked why life was so hard for him. Job could have asked and did ask many questions of the LORD regarding all his loses. He even asked why the LORD allowed him to be born. The Psalmist asked the same question in many of his Psalms.

Have you ever wondered if God ever said why regarding what the children of Israel kept doing in the wilderness with all that HE had done for them? We know that God the Father never asked why because HE knew the beginning from the end. While Jesus was on this earth HE was the God/man and is seems HE is asking what is wrong with these people that they really don’t get MY message. HE has been preaching. HE has been teaching. The problem was that the Pharisees wanted a sign that HE was really the Messiah. They wanted HIM to do something more fabulous than raising the dead. More fabulous than healing a blind man. More fabulous than turning water into wine. They were never satisfied. No matter what HE did it was never enough.

What would our reaction be when we have done everything, we can to show someone you love them and they want more. Would you groan? HE did because they never really understood but HE did know that they were blinded by Satan. HE knew that they were just being religious and not true followers of the Godhead.

It is true of those who are in leadership in the church that they try to get the church closer to the LORD and HIS service and many just don’t get it. They seem to be waiting for a sign from heaven that now is the time for them to start working for the LORD. It also seems that if they had a clue as to the date of the LORD’S return, they would work hard a few days before it would happen just to show the LORD that they cared.

Jesus was saying that they should just do what they are supposed to and not wait until the last minute. Are we waiting until we are sure we have no time left before we start really stop sitting in a pew and start serving the LORD each day of our life!

CHALLENGE: Are you waiting for a sign from heaven before you are sold out for the LORD? Do your present actions show that you are working on your growth in the LORD and your service to your King? Only you can answer both of these questions.

DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers

: 17 And when Jesus knew it, HE said to them, Why reason you, because you have no bread? Perceive you not yet, neither understand? Have you your heart yet hardened? (4456 “hardened” [poroo] means blind, cover with a thick skin, to make the heart dull, to be or become insensible, have a closed mind, to become dim, callus, or made stubborn or without feeling.)

DEVOTION: On a daily basis the LORD was training HIS disciples for the future. HE gave them the meanings of HIS parables. Any time they asked questions HE would answer them in a way that they would understand. HE sent them out on mission trips with the ability to spread the gospel wherever they went. HE gave them power to heal the sick and cast out fallen angels.

Each lesson HE taught them was to advance them in their knowledge and understanding on how HE worked in their life. This was just an introduction to how the Holy Spirit was going to work in their life in the future.

HE mentions a few times during HIS training that they might still have a hard heart. HIS teachings were not reaching into their inner man to help them understand what HE was saying. HE was disappointed that they were not thinking straight yet. It took all of the three years and HIS resurrection for them to begin to understand. It took the coming of the Holy Spirit to help them understand more and finally it took them a lifetime to understand what was going on.

No believer is fully trained until the day of their meeting with the LORD. HE does expect more sometimes than we give. HE seemed to expect more on this occasion than the disciples were ready to understand.

CHALLENGE: Keep praying for discernment in understand what the LORD is trying to teach you in your present circumstance. Don’t waste the training.

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: 23 And HE took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when HE spit on his eyes, and put HIS hands on him, HE asked him if he saw aught. (4429 “spit” [ptuo] means to expel or eject saliva from the mouth)

DEVOTION: Most of the time, we remember that the LORD did things instantly. HE even did things long distant. People came to HIM concerning people who needed healing. Some of them were demon possessed. HE cast out fallen angels out of people.

On a few occasions we find the LORD using other means in HIS healing of someone who has an ailment. This is one of those occasions. Instead of instantaneous healing there is more of a process.

Here we find the LORD taking HIS spit and placing it on the eyes of a blind man. HE then asks what the man sees. He says that he sees men as trees. So his eyes were not clear enough yet. He needed more vision to see clearly.

Next he put HIS hands on him again. HE had him look up again. His eyesight was fully recovered. He could see all men clearly. There were two steps to this healing process.

Remember the LORD was always teaching during HIS ministry. HE didn’t leave anything out that the disciples needed to know.

The lesson here seems to be that we shouldn’t always expect instantaneous healing. Sometimes healing comes as a process. If we are not healed immediately we should continue to pray. We should continue to wait on the LORD. Too often we give up if the healing or answer doesn’t come right away.

God uses doctors and hospitals sometimes in HIS healing process. Luke was a physician who followed the LORD and wrote two books of the Bible. He understood what was happening each time someone was healed.

Doctors and medicine are needed for healing some of the time. We need to pray about our health on a regular basis.

CHALLENGE: Sometimes HE heals and sometimes HE doesn’t but we need to make sure we don’t always associate sickness with sin all the time.

DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers

: 33 But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get you behind me, Satan: for you savor not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men. (4567 “Satan” [Satanas] means adversary, the prince of evil spirits, the inveterate adversary of God and Christ, or a Satan-like man)

DEVOTION: Satan is another name for the Devil. The Devil is the prince of all the evil angels that fell before the foundation of the earth. Some of these evil angels are in chains. Some of these evil angels want to possess human bodies. These evil angels are also called demons.

Here we have Christ telling Peter to get behind him. Peter had rebuked Christ for telling the disciples about his future death by the religious leaders. Peter didn’t want Christ to die. He and the rest of the disciples were still thinking that Christ was going to set up an earthly kingdom and they were going to reign with HIM.

Jesus called Peter – Satan. Why? When someone speaks, as the adversary would like him to talk, he is talking for our adversary. Here Peter was saying words that our adversary would like him to say. Jesus was saying that Peter was under the influence of the devil when he was rebuking HIM. Peter still had a closed mind to what was really going to happen at the first coming of Christ.

Sometimes Christians will come to church and in a meeting of the church they say that they want to be “the devil’s advocate” in a discussion. Is this the same thing that Peter was doing in front of Christ? If so, should it be done? Remember every idle word is recorded. Our church business meetings don’t need any “devil’s advocates.” Our churches don’t need any “devil’s advocates. Too often we don’t see the LORD working in a church because they don’t want to listen to what the LORD is telling them to do. Our Christian communities don’t need any “devil’s advocates.” We can sometimes be an “adversary” of the LORD’s work here on earth.

The LORD has given us specific commands regarding what we should be doing now until HE comes again. One of them is to reach our world with HIS message. Too many are sitting and not moving into their world to spread the Word of God.

CHALLENGE: Don’t be a “devil’s advocate.” Spread the Gospel in your neighborhood until HE returns.)

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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:

BODY

Chastity (Purity in living)

Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)

Fasting not good at the time verse 3

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 gives thanks verse 6

Blessed the food verse 7

Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)

Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)

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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:

Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)

Gospel verse 35

God the Father (First person of the Godhead)

Glory of Father verse 38

God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)

Jesus verse 1, 17, 27

Feeding of the four thousand verse 1- 9

Seven loaves

Few small fishes

Food blessed by the LORD

People filled

Seven baskets of meat left

All feed

Sighed deeply when Pharisees sought a sign verse 11

Healing of blind man verse 22- 26

Christ verse 29

Charged disciples to not tell HE is the Christ verse 30

Teach verse 31

Son of man verse 31, 38

rejected of the elders and chief priests

HE will be killed and after three days

rise again

Suffer verse 31

Rejected verse 31

Killed verse 31

Raised the third day verse 31

Son of man – comes in the glory of HIS Father

with the holy angels verse 38

God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)

Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)

Things of God verse 33

Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)

Satan verse 33

Holy angels with Christ verse 38

Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)

Sighed deeply in HIS spirit verse 12

Herod verse 15

Things of men verse 33

Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)

Sign from heaven verse 11, 12

Tempting Jesus (Pharisees) verse 11

Leaven of Pharisees verse 15

Leaven of Herod verse 15

Hardened heart verse 17

Having eyes but not seeing verse 18

Having ears and not hearing verse 18

Not remembering verse 18

Not understanding verse 21

Reject Christ verse 31

Killed verse 31

Rebuke Jesus verse 32

Ashamed of Jesus verse 38

Adulterous verse 38

Sinful verse 38

Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)

Compassion verse 2

Fasting verse 3

Give thanks verse 6

Blessed verse 7

Tempted verse 11

Understanding verse 17, 21

Teach verse 31

Rebuke verse 33

Things of God verse 33

Disciple must deny self and take up his

cross and follow Jesus verse 34

Save life shall lose it verse 35

Israel (Old Testament people of God)

Dalmanutha – Jesus and disciples to ship verse 10

Pharisees verse 11, 15

seeking a sign

tempting Jesus

Bethsaida verse 22- 26

healing of blind man

Caesarea Philippi verse 27- 28

Jesus asked disciples: Whom do men

say that I am?

John the Baptist

Elijah

Prophets

Elders verse 31

Chief priests verse 31

Scribes verse 31

Church (New Testament people of God)

Disciples verse 1, 4, 6, 10, 14, 27, 33, 34

Disciples wondering about no bread verse 16

Peter verse 29, 32

answered question: YOU are the Christ

Peter rebukes Jesus regarding his statement

regarding the future verse 32

Jesus rebuked Peter verse 33

told him: Get you behind me

Satan for you savors not the

things that be of God but

the things that be of men

Last Things (Future Events

What shall it profit a man IF he shall gain

the whole world and lose his own soul verse 36

Son of man coming with holy angels verse 38

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QUOTES regarding passage

38 Here is the climax of the warning. To be ashamed of Jesus and his words (the equivalent of saving one’s life in v. 35) has serious consequences. In the End, at the Judgment, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person. The Hebrew parallelism in this verse clearly identifies the “of me” (Jesus) in the first part with the Son of Man in the second part. The mention of “his Father’s glory with the holy angels” suggests the final judgment (cf. 2 Thes 1:7). (Wessel, W. W. (1984). Mark. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke (Vol. 8, p. 697). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)

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8:38. Structurally this verse parallels and complements verse 35 by carrying the thought to its ultimate consequence.

For (gar, confirming v. 35) a person who is ashamed of (denies) Jesus and His words (cf. 13:31) in this adulterous (spiritually unfaithful) and sinful generation (genea; cf. 8:12; Matt. 12:39; Isa. 1:4; Hosea 1:2), the Son of Man (cf. comments on Mark 8:31) will also be ashamed of him when (lit., “whenever”) He comes in His Father’s glory (visibly invested with God’s splendor), with the holy angels (cf. 13:26–27).

Clearly Jesus (cf. “Me, My”) and the Son of Man are the same Person (cf. 14:41b–42, 62). The veiled reference to His future role as Judge was appropriate because of the crowd’s presence.

To be “ashamed” of Jesus is to reject Him (cf. 8:34–35a) and to retain allegiance to “this generation” because of unbelief and fear of the world’s contempt. In return, when Jesus comes in glory as the awesome Judge, He will refuse to claim those as His own (cf. Matt. 7:20–23; Luke 13:22–30), and they will experience shame (cf. Isa. 28:16; 45:20–25; Rom. 9:33; 10:11; 1 Peter 2:6, 8). (Grassmick, J. D. (1985). Mark. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, pp. 141–142). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

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Jesus laid down three conditions for true discipleship: (1) we must surrender ourselves completely to Him; (2) we must identify with Him in suffering and death; and (3) we must follow Him obediently, wherever He leads. If we live for ourselves, we will lose ourselves, but if we lose ourselves for His sake and the Gospel’s, we will find ourselves.

Denying self is not the same as self-denial. We practice self-denial when, for a good purpose, we occasionally give up things or activities. But we deny self when we surrender ourselves to Christ and determine to obey His will. This once-for-all dedication is followed by a daily “dying to self” as we take up the cross and follow Him. From the human point of view, we are losing ourselves, but from the divine perspective, we are finding ourselves. When we live for Christ, we become more like Him, and this brings out our own unique individuality.

But note the motivation for true discipleship: “for My sake and the Gospel’s” (Mark 8:35). To lose yourself is not an act of desperation; it is an act of devotion. But we do not stop there: personal devotion should lead to practical duty, the sharing of the Gospel with a lost world. “For My sake” could lead to selfish religious isolationism, so it must be balanced with “and the Gospel’s.” Because we live for Him, we live for others.

Discipleship is a matter of profit and loss, a question of whether we will waste our lives or invest our lives. Note the severe warning Jesus gives us here: once we have spent our lives, we cannot buy them back! Remember, He was instructing His disciples, men who had already confessed Him as the Son of God. He was not telling them how to be saved and go to heaven, but how to save their lives and make the most of their opportunities on earth. “Losing your soul” is the equivalent of wasting your life, missing the great opportunities God gives you to make your life count. You may “gain the whole world” and be a success in the eyes of men, and yet have nothing to show for your life when you stand before God. If that happens, though you did own the whole world, it would not be a sufficient price to give to God to buy another chance at life.

Is there any reward for the person who is a true disciple? Yes, there is: he becomes more like Jesus Christ and one day shares in His glory. Satan promises you glory, but in the end, you receive suffering. God promises you suffering, but in the end, that suffering is transformed into glory. If we acknowledge Christ and live for Him, He will one day acknowledge us and share His glory with us. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 140). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

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8:38 me and my message. Jesus and the message of the Kingdom are again linked (8:35).

these adulterous and sinful days. This renders the phrase “in this sinful and adulterous generation,” in which “generation” has a moral overtone about the people of that time. The phrase “sinful and adulterous” appears only here, but the idea of people adulterating their relationship with God is common in the OT (Isa 1:4, 21; Hos 2).

the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person. The Son of Man is here viewed as a judge at the end times. Those who had paid attention to Jesus’ use of the phrase “Son of Man” would recognize this indirect reference to himself as that coming authority. (The parallel in Matt 10:33 simply says “I.”) This remark indicates the key issue of the Gospel. Will one identify with Jesus, the Son of Man to whom one’s soul is ultimately accountable? To shun the Son is to face the prospect of being shunned by him when he returns with the angels to exercise judgment in the power and glory of the Father (14:62). That is, to lose one’s soul. This is the first clear reference to a return in Mark, though 4:21–22, 30–32 have suggested it (France 2002:342 dissents, seeing it as about the Son of Man’s entry into authority, an unlikely reading, given the “shame” concept and the language of “coming in glory”). (Turner, D., & Bock, D. L. (2005). Cornerstone biblical commentary, Vol 11: Matthew and Mark (pp. 472–473). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.)

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Jesus urges would-be disciples to experience the rejection of this world and thus gain spiritual well-being. More than the loss of physical life is being discussed here, for what is lost is something thought to be protected and retained through the preservation of physical life. The choice to gain the world but lose one’s soul ends in emptiness as the self is obliterated in the process of rejecting God’s way.

Those who reject Jesus in this lifetime are ashamed of the Son of Man. In the last day, when the Judge comes in power and glory, he will be ashamed of those who have rejected him. The implication is that identification with the Son of Man preserves one’s spiritual well-being, both now and in the judgment to come. (Turner, D., & Bock, D. L. (2005). Cornerstone biblical commentary, Vol 11: Matthew and Mark (pp. 473–474). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.)

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Ver. 38. Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me, &c.] As suffering, crucified, and put to death; things he had been speaking of before: whoever through scandal of the cross, and fear of men, will be ashamed of Christ, and dare not profess faith in him, but shall conceal and keep it to themselves: and of my words; the doctrines of the Gospel, of remission of sins by his blood, of justification by his righteousness, and of salvation alone by him, with every other truth relating to him, or connected with these; in this adulterous and sinful generation; which was so both in a moral and spiritual sense; for both corporeal and spiritual adultery prevailed among them. And particularly the Scribes and Pharisees adulterated the word of God by their false glosses, in which they acted a very sinful part; and such was their authority, that few durst contradict them, or profess doctrines which were the reverse of them. Wherefore our Lord assures his disciples and followers, that should they be deterred by these men from a free and open profession of him, and his Gospel, by which it would appear that they were ashamed of both, of him also shall the son of man be ashamed; will not own such an one for his; he’ll take no notice of him; he’ll not confess his name; but, as one that he is ashamed of, he’ll turn away from him; not so much as look at him, or say one favourable word to him, or for him; but bid him be gone from him, as a worker of iniquity: this he will do, when he cometh in the glory of his father; the same that the father has; being his son, of the same nature with him, and equal to him; and as mediator, endued with power and authority from him, to judge the world; and when he’ll be accompanied with the holy angels; who will descend from heaven with him, and be employed on earth by him; see the note on Matt. 16:27. (Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 1, p. 445). London: Mathews and Leigh.)

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For a while, right now, Satan is the prince of this world, but his time is running out. He can bully and browbeat believers; he can mock them and martyr them. But Jesus is coming again, in glory and power and backed by the armies of heaven.

Satan has his men in our schools and colleges; sitting in the seat of the scornful; and intimidating, threatening, and seeking to bully the believer. He has his men in the business world and the world of education, men who wield power, men who curse and blaspheme and take the name of the Lord Jesus in vain, men who link that precious name to the foulest words that can be dredged from the dark sewers of the unregenerate mind. Such men try to cow the believer into silence. Satan has his men in government where they can pass laws against Christianity and threaten Christians with imprisonment, torture, and painful deaths. But Satan’s time is running out.

The Lord puts it all into perspective. We are to get our eyes on Him. Once we see Him and remember who He is and where He is, then we shall not be ashamed of Him. And He will not be ashamed of us.

The Lord puts it all into perspective. We are to get our eyes on Him. Once we see Him and remember who He is and where He is, then we shall not be ashamed of Him. And He will not be ashamed of us. (Phillips, J. (2009). Exploring the Gospel of Mark: An Expository Commentary (Mk 8:38). Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp.)

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FROM MY READING:

Ephesians 2
All men are dead in sin, but by grace through faith in Christ they may be saved from sin.
INSIGHT Two of the most wonderful words in the Bible occur in this chapter: “But God . . .” We were dead in our transgressions and sins; we followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the spirit of disobedience; we lived to gratify the cravings of our sinful natures; and we were by nature objects of wrath. BUT GOD, because of His great love for us, made us alive with Christ. We have been saved; God has raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms, that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. (Quiet Walk)

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HOLINESS

And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. 1 John 3:3
Holiness is not something we are called upon to do in order that we may become something; it is something we are to do because of what we already are. There is a great deal of teaching on this subject that really amounts to this: “We are to be holy and live the holy life in order that we may become truly Christians; every phase or aspect of the doctrine of justification by works really teaches that.” But any suggestion we may have in ourselves that we are to deny ourselves certain things, that we are not to do certain things, and that we are to discipline ourselves in order that we may become Christian is a denial of the doctrine of justification by faith. I am not to live a good and holy life in order that I may become a Christian; I am to live the holy life because I am a Christian. I am not to live this holy life in order that I may enter heaven; it is because I know I am going to enter heaven that I must live this holy life.
That is the emphasis here: “Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” I am not to strive and sweat and pray in order that at the end I may enter into heaven. No; I start rather from the standpoint that I have been made a child of God by the grace of God in the Lord Jesus Christ. I am destined for heaven; I have an assurance that I have been called to go there and that God is going to take me there, and it is because I know this that I am preparing now.
A Thought to Ponder : Holiness is not something we are called upon to do in order that we may become something; it is something we are to do because of what we already are.
(From Children of God, p. 41, By Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)

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God Knows Me
“O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.” (Psalm 139:1)
Perhaps the most frightening attribute of God is that He knows everything about us. Everything! He has “searched” (literally “penetrated”) us and “known” (“understood”) us. And since God is both omnipresent and omniscient, it obviously follows that nothing escapes His conscious knowledge about us. He observes our ordinary activities (v. 2) and our innermost thoughts. “Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways” (v. 3). The Hebrew word translated “compassest” suggests that He actually sees the formation of the words in our tongues before we begin to speak them (v. 4). That means that we are transparent to Him; we cannot deceive Him in any way. He knows what we are going to think; we cannot hide anything from Him. God knows what only we know about ourselves and those things we won’t even admit to ourselves.
Furthermore, He is everywhere around each one of us (vv. 7-10), wherever we are or could be. He fills all space, and there is no escape. We cannot hide from God. He is wherever we go. The apostle Paul once observed: “For in him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28). This very intimate and complete knowledge about us is what makes God’s salvation such a marvelous matter. “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6-8). God loves us in spite of what we have become. Yet, since He knows what we could be, He gives us eternal life through His Son so that we will realize, one day, what He knows we shall be.

(HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)

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When one senses this desire on the part of believers in Eastern Europe to witness for Christ under highly adverse conditions, one cannot but be stirred to a sense of personal guilt over the constant neglect of wider opportunities in the Free World. Their obedient devotion to Christ, within the range of their limited opportunities, reflects a quality of dedication that shames us and spurs us to greater evangelistic zeal. (p. 66)

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But the Church has the task of renewing men spiritually and morally so that they will aspire to do the good; the Church has no mandate to impose sectarian distinctives upon the world by legal compulsion. (p. 72) (Evangelicals At The Brink of Crisis by Carl H. Henry)

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DAILY HOPE

Today’s Scripture

Exodus 33-35

One person can make a difference as we have seen this week in the Ukraine. The president of that country has stood visibly defying the military strength of Russia. His actions have encouraged millions of people. A common characteristic of leaders is that they believe they can influence and make a difference in people’s lives and therefore have a great impact upon their followers.

Moses had been leading his people now for many years and the people had grown accustomed to seeing Moses go before the Lord and speak to Him. Moses’ influence was profound. When he was not present, the people slipped into bad habits and sinful activities. This is evident when the Lord threatened to destroy the entire nation because of their attitudes and unwillingness to follow and obey His commands (33:5).

Moses stood between the Lord and the people, interceding and being a buffer between the two rival parties. Moses pitched his tent outside the camp and made it a tabernacle of meeting between the nation and God. If a person wanted to speak with God, he would have to travel some distance to go to this tent. Moses, and his assistant Joshua, spent lengthy and consecrated times with the Lord. Moses was referred to as a friend of God and is even stated that he spoke face to face with Him (Exodus 33:11). Although Joshua’s relationship with the Lord was not as intimate as Moses’, his passion was to follow his leader’s example and worship the Lord.

When the Lord called Moses back up the mountain, he was instructed to bring two stones like the ones he had shattered in his anger toward the people. Moses cut the rock (34:4) and ascended the mountain to hear the instructions the Lord would give concerning a covenant and the 10 commandments for the people. Upon his return from the mountain, his face shone with the glory of the Lord and this caused fear in the people of Israel.

Parents are directed to instruct and pray for their children (Deuteronomy 6:4-7), husbands are to love their wives (Ephesians 5:28) and couples are to dwell together peaceably that their prayers may not be hindered (1 Peter 3:7). You can have a significant influence at home, work, church, and in your neighborhood. Take courage and let your face shine for the Lord!

Expectant Hope, Pastor Miller

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