Just A Thought 10.15.08

Hello My Friend/Guest,

Today we will continue our studies in the book of Mark, please read Chapters 6-7 in your Bible or Click Here to read them online. If the link does not work you can you can copy & paste this link to your browser: biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%206-7&version=9

Today we will read about, the apostles sent out two by two; the beheading of John the Baptist; Jesus feeding 5000 men; Jesus walking on water; Jesus rebuking the Pharisees; and the faith of a Syrophoencian woman. Today's message focuses on the importance of realizing that Satan often suggests evil thoughts, but it is when we dwell in them that they become sin.

If you ever felt bad or gotten upset over someone who did not understand your love for Jesus, you would not feel so badly when you see what Jesus himself had to go through in His own hometown. "And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him. And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. 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. And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them." (Mark 6:1-5). We can not let them get to us nor compromise what we believe, but what we can do is move on and pray for them to one day see what we see before it is too late.

The Pharisees always saw themselves as godly people, often siting Old Testament Scripture, but did not really follow true Scripture, it was more like the tradition of the elders. Jesus and His disciples were sitting down to eat when the Pharisees began to criticize them (the disciples) for not washing their hands. "Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables. Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?" (7:1-5). They believed that Jesus' disciples were defiled because they did not ceremonially wash before eating as prescribed by former scribes in the tradition of the elders.

Jesus rebuked them saying, "Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition." (7:6-9).

Later, Jesus explained to His disciples, "Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man." (7:18-23). what Jesus means here is that we will often be tempted by evil or ungodly thoughts, but it only becomes sin when we dwell on those thoughts. We are decieved if we assume that there is no harm in dwelling upon sinful thoughts as long as they were not spoken or carried out. The longer we think about them the more likely we are to carry them out.

Unlike the unsaved, Christians have the ability to resist temptation because of the Holy Spirit indwelling in them. When we are committed to reading God's Word with a desire to please Him we will produce inward changes in our conduct and attitudes to the effect that we think twice about what we say and do. The Apostle Paul said, "For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law." (Galtians 5:14-18).

Today's Prayer:
Dear Lord,
We earnestly seek You for wisdom regarding the daily circumstances of our lives. Help us to incline our hearts toward You for understanding all that You have to teach us in the lessons of life. During the quiet sessions when Your voice seems silent help us to trust You knowing that You work all things out for our good, for Your glory, and in Your time reference. In Jesus name.....Amen.

Enjoy the reast of your day and be blessed.
God Bless you,
Christina

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