We continue on this journey of Jesus’ last week on earth by looking at what he went through:
Before Pilate – “Very early in the morning…” – The “Holy Hefty’s” held an illegal trial of Jesus in the middle of the night and determined He was guilty. They brought Him to Pilate. And even though Pilate saw no crime, he handed Jesus over to be crucified. Jesus said nothing.
Mocking – They stripped Jesus, made fun of him, spit on Him, mocked Him and hated Him so much that they would lead our innocent Lord away to be crucified! Passers by hurled insults and the chief priests & teachers of the law mocked as well.
Jesus’ Death & Burial – For the first time in Jesus life, he felt loneliness. God, His Father, had turned His back on Him and for the first time ever there was a tremor in the Trinity as Jesus took on the sins of the world! The moment Jesus died, an amazing & symbolic event occurred: “The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” This was to show that all people, now through Jesus, can have instant access to God!
SO WHAT?!
*How do you react when being unfairly treated? Usually we argue or loudly plead our case or try to “prove” we’re right or maybe even get into a scuffle! We can learn a lot (again) from Jesus on this one. Was Jesus right? Yep! Were his accusers wrong? Yep! But Jesus left the results up to God. Peter puts it best: “When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.” (1 Peter 2:23)
*Loneliness is a terrible feeling. God made us for relationships! No one likes to feel alone or likes to feel like no one cares. Jesus felt it too and what did He do? He cried out to God! He had to go thru an excruciating experience BUT God came to Him, resurrected Him and exalted Him! Usually when God doesn’t immediately answer us in our lonely times, we can become offended. Let’s resist that temptation and continually go to God! Maybe even grab someone else who will pray with you – that’s a good start to combat loneliness!
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
260 in 2012 DEVOS - Day 42 - Mark 14: The Journey to the Cross is Painful
In this chapter we read of the events that led up to the crucifixion of Jesus. As we read it and take it in, we gain an ever-increasing thankfulness for what Jesus went through for us! Here is how the events lined up:
• Jesus Anointed – A lady dumps a really expensive jar of perfume on Jesus and everyone watching sees it as a waste. Not Jesus, He is honored - so much so that He states, “wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."
• Jesus’ Last Meal with the 12 – Gotta’ love the instructions Jesus gives about the dinner place! But as Jesus reveals “one of you will betray me” they are all sickened and each begin to wonder if it is them! Judas was soon to turn on Him. Jesus’ main concern – remember Me!
• Peter’s Pride – Peter thought he was better than other people who would ditch Jesus!
• The REAL Lord’s Prayer – Jesus gets away with his closest buddies to pray about the upcoming events because He knows He will need His Father’s strength. He is disappointed to find that His closest buddies couldn’t even stay awake to pray at His most crucial moment.
• Judas the Betrayer - He now hands Jesus over to be arrested. It’s one thing to have a friend turn on you, it’s another to have them attempt to be intimate while doing it. The kiss of Judas had to be terribly painful for Jesus!
• An Unfair Trial – “Some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: Yet even then their testimony did not agree.” The only thing they could accuse Jesus of was His claim that He was God – which He was and is!
• Peter Disowns Jesus – Just like Jesus told him, Peter ditches Jesus. Jesus is always right and Peter realized it “and he broke down and wept.”
SO WHAT?!
*What are you willing to give as a love offering to God? This lady poured out on Jesus the equivalent of a year’s wages. What about you? What are you lovingly willing to sacrifice for Jesus? Kind David said, “I will not give to the Lord that which costs me nothing.” How about you? How about me?
*Ever had a friend turn their back on you? If you have, you know the shock and the pain it brings. I certainly do. No one knew that more than Jesus and we can learn a lot from how He continued to treat that person. Jesus loved Judas and continued to show him mercy & grace until the very end. Oh Lord, only through YOU can we do the same to those who hurt us most! Help us/me Jesus!
• Jesus Anointed – A lady dumps a really expensive jar of perfume on Jesus and everyone watching sees it as a waste. Not Jesus, He is honored - so much so that He states, “wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."
• Jesus’ Last Meal with the 12 – Gotta’ love the instructions Jesus gives about the dinner place! But as Jesus reveals “one of you will betray me” they are all sickened and each begin to wonder if it is them! Judas was soon to turn on Him. Jesus’ main concern – remember Me!
• Peter’s Pride – Peter thought he was better than other people who would ditch Jesus!
• The REAL Lord’s Prayer – Jesus gets away with his closest buddies to pray about the upcoming events because He knows He will need His Father’s strength. He is disappointed to find that His closest buddies couldn’t even stay awake to pray at His most crucial moment.
• Judas the Betrayer - He now hands Jesus over to be arrested. It’s one thing to have a friend turn on you, it’s another to have them attempt to be intimate while doing it. The kiss of Judas had to be terribly painful for Jesus!
• An Unfair Trial – “Some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: Yet even then their testimony did not agree.” The only thing they could accuse Jesus of was His claim that He was God – which He was and is!
• Peter Disowns Jesus – Just like Jesus told him, Peter ditches Jesus. Jesus is always right and Peter realized it “and he broke down and wept.”
SO WHAT?!
*What are you willing to give as a love offering to God? This lady poured out on Jesus the equivalent of a year’s wages. What about you? What are you lovingly willing to sacrifice for Jesus? Kind David said, “I will not give to the Lord that which costs me nothing.” How about you? How about me?
*Ever had a friend turn their back on you? If you have, you know the shock and the pain it brings. I certainly do. No one knew that more than Jesus and we can learn a lot from how He continued to treat that person. Jesus loved Judas and continued to show him mercy & grace until the very end. Oh Lord, only through YOU can we do the same to those who hurt us most! Help us/me Jesus!
Monday, February 27, 2012
260 in 2012 DEVOS - Day 41 - Mark 13: Keep Watch
In this chapter we are told 4 times to “watch”, 3 times to “be on our guard” and another time to “be alert.” Jesus, through Mark, wants his readers to be ready! For what you say? For future stuff – specifically in this chapter, the tribulation and Jesus’ second coming.
The disciples were much like you & me, impressed with human accomplishments. Jesus shocks them by saying, "Do you see all these great buildings?" Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down." A bit taken back, finally, one of them asks Jesus later, “Tell us, when will these things happen?” This begins a quite lengthy answer by Jesus.
Mark records the description of a future period known as the tribulation, which appropriately describes what it will be like. False prophets, wars, deception, earthquakes & famines are just a few of the “birth pains”, or indicators, that we’re getting close. And we totally see all this stuff today, so hey, we’re close!
Other things that will happen is that believers will be persecuted, but through this persecution “the Gospel will be preached to all nations.” Unheard of abominations (a pig – unclean - was sacrificed on God’s altar) will occur, the biggest being someone else claiming to be the Messiah. This will be followed by dreadful times of murders, pain, and “days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now—and never to be equaled again.” Will believers go through all of this? Some theologians think so, some don’t. What we DO know is that it WILL happen just like God says and we are to be ready!
Then, some time after the tribulation (23-32), there will be some kind of disintegration of the universe just before we “see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.”
SO WHAT?!
*When you hear of the events described in this chapter, what reaction do you have?
• It can cause confusion – whenever we read of future things the details seem foggy.
• We may also react with some fears, I mean who can endure the things listed?
• It should also bring concerns for friends, family and neighbors we love.
*SO – HOW THEN SHALL WE LIVE?
• First and most important, we need to be sure we are right with God. Have you put your trust & faith in Jesus alone for the forgiveness of your sin that HE paid with His life in your place? If you’ve done this, your eternity is secure!
• Second, persevere: Ask God daily for strength to overcome.
• Finally, “What I say to you I say to everyone: ‘Watch.’” (vs37)
The disciples were much like you & me, impressed with human accomplishments. Jesus shocks them by saying, "Do you see all these great buildings?" Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down." A bit taken back, finally, one of them asks Jesus later, “Tell us, when will these things happen?” This begins a quite lengthy answer by Jesus.
Mark records the description of a future period known as the tribulation, which appropriately describes what it will be like. False prophets, wars, deception, earthquakes & famines are just a few of the “birth pains”, or indicators, that we’re getting close. And we totally see all this stuff today, so hey, we’re close!
Other things that will happen is that believers will be persecuted, but through this persecution “the Gospel will be preached to all nations.” Unheard of abominations (a pig – unclean - was sacrificed on God’s altar) will occur, the biggest being someone else claiming to be the Messiah. This will be followed by dreadful times of murders, pain, and “days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now—and never to be equaled again.” Will believers go through all of this? Some theologians think so, some don’t. What we DO know is that it WILL happen just like God says and we are to be ready!
Then, some time after the tribulation (23-32), there will be some kind of disintegration of the universe just before we “see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.”
SO WHAT?!
*When you hear of the events described in this chapter, what reaction do you have?
• It can cause confusion – whenever we read of future things the details seem foggy.
• We may also react with some fears, I mean who can endure the things listed?
• It should also bring concerns for friends, family and neighbors we love.
*SO – HOW THEN SHALL WE LIVE?
• First and most important, we need to be sure we are right with God. Have you put your trust & faith in Jesus alone for the forgiveness of your sin that HE paid with His life in your place? If you’ve done this, your eternity is secure!
• Second, persevere: Ask God daily for strength to overcome.
• Finally, “What I say to you I say to everyone: ‘Watch.’” (vs37)
Friday, February 24, 2012
260 in 2012 DEVOS - Day 40 - Mark 12: Stories & Answers That Offend
There is a line in the movie, “A Few Good Men”, that states, “You want the truth? You can’t handle the truth!” That could easily be the title for this chapter. The beginning story and all of Jesus’ answers afterwards cut to the heart, because truth is like that!
Picture the first scene: The religious peeps are listening intently to the story Jesus is telling and agreeing with what the owner of the vineyard does until it got personal. “Then they looked for a way to arrest him (Jesus) because they knew he had spoken the parable against them.”
Moving on to taxes, the religious peeps were again trying to outwit Jesus & catch Him (futile). But since money means very little to Jesus, he answers so wisely: “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” Ching-Ching!
Next – Who is gonna be married to whom in the resurrection. This is somewhat of an ironic question when you consider it is coming from the Sadducees who don’t believe in the resurrection (that’s why they’re “sad-you-see”….hehe)!~ But Jesus answers it anyway. We must always remember that, even though earth is all we have to compare with, we can’t compare heaven to here!
Next – Which is the greatest commandment? First = Love God, Second = Love People! I’m intrigued with Jesus’ reply to the teacher of the law: "You are not far from the kingdom of God." In this short reply, Jesus both complimented him and challenged him. He acknowledged his mention of the importance of love, but let him know that love needs to be shown, obeyed and accepted as well!!
Next – Who’s son is Jesus? Ummmm = God’s!
Next – Jesus makes it clear that giving has more to do with sacrifice than amount! This certainly offended the big givers who made sure their giving was noticed
SO WHAT?!
*Can you handle the truth? How are you doing as a student? A spouse? A parent? A friend? Etc…. Want to really know? Then ask the ones who count: teachers, spouses, children, peers, etc… But be ready to take the truth. I asked my son Drew how I was doing as a dad and he told me “ok”. Then I said, “If there were one thing (I limited him) I could do better as a dad, what would it be?” About 30 minutes later he came back & told me, “I don’t like it when you & mom argue.” It was truth, and like a knife, it cut deep! That night, Jean & I talked and we prayed and asked God to help us to handle the stress better in our home. I believe Drew would tell you we’ve done better. But it took a stab of truth to change us. How about you asking someone for some truth?! Then…………………swallow hard, take it and change to be more like Jesus!
*The Bible talks a lot about finances. God knows they often become an issue in this life, but remember, they won’t be an issue in eternity, so don’t make a bigger deal of them than they truly are. We are managers of all God gives us. Let’s just manage it, not own it.
Picture the first scene: The religious peeps are listening intently to the story Jesus is telling and agreeing with what the owner of the vineyard does until it got personal. “Then they looked for a way to arrest him (Jesus) because they knew he had spoken the parable against them.”
Moving on to taxes, the religious peeps were again trying to outwit Jesus & catch Him (futile). But since money means very little to Jesus, he answers so wisely: “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” Ching-Ching!
Next – Who is gonna be married to whom in the resurrection. This is somewhat of an ironic question when you consider it is coming from the Sadducees who don’t believe in the resurrection (that’s why they’re “sad-you-see”….hehe)!~ But Jesus answers it anyway. We must always remember that, even though earth is all we have to compare with, we can’t compare heaven to here!
Next – Which is the greatest commandment? First = Love God, Second = Love People! I’m intrigued with Jesus’ reply to the teacher of the law: "You are not far from the kingdom of God." In this short reply, Jesus both complimented him and challenged him. He acknowledged his mention of the importance of love, but let him know that love needs to be shown, obeyed and accepted as well!!
Next – Who’s son is Jesus? Ummmm = God’s!
Next – Jesus makes it clear that giving has more to do with sacrifice than amount! This certainly offended the big givers who made sure their giving was noticed
SO WHAT?!
*Can you handle the truth? How are you doing as a student? A spouse? A parent? A friend? Etc…. Want to really know? Then ask the ones who count: teachers, spouses, children, peers, etc… But be ready to take the truth. I asked my son Drew how I was doing as a dad and he told me “ok”. Then I said, “If there were one thing (I limited him) I could do better as a dad, what would it be?” About 30 minutes later he came back & told me, “I don’t like it when you & mom argue.” It was truth, and like a knife, it cut deep! That night, Jean & I talked and we prayed and asked God to help us to handle the stress better in our home. I believe Drew would tell you we’ve done better. But it took a stab of truth to change us. How about you asking someone for some truth?! Then…………………swallow hard, take it and change to be more like Jesus!
*The Bible talks a lot about finances. God knows they often become an issue in this life, but remember, they won’t be an issue in eternity, so don’t make a bigger deal of them than they truly are. We are managers of all God gives us. Let’s just manage it, not own it.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
260 in 2012 DEVOS - Day 39 - Mark 11: Beginning of the End
Starting in this chapter, we begin to look at the last week of Jesus’ earthly life. It begins with what has been know as “The Triumphal Entry.” This is Sunday of the week Jesus will be crucified. Jesus sends two disciples to a village with very specific instructions to get a donkey for Jesus to ride and it goes just as they were told. The put blankets on the donkey and Jesus rides it into Jerusalem. As he does, people are laying palm branches & clothing on the path and shouting “Hosanna” – which means “save us.” Maybe they recognized that He was fulfilling Zechariah 9:9. Whether they believed or not is up for grabs, because by Thursday, many of these same were shouting “crucify him.”
Jesus first act of business – curse a tree (because it wasn’t fulfilling it’s purpose) and then address the money-making schemes going on in the “temple’ = His house! People were getting scammed and in God’s house! This ticked off Jesus and “He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts.” Ohh, and as they go by the fig tree later they notice it had withered. Jesus basically tells them they just need faith to believe!
Finally, Jesus’ authority is again questioned and, again, Jesus answers their question with a question: "I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. John's baptism—was it from heaven, or from men? Tell me!" Duph – the religious peeps had to be thinking “He’s got us! “If we say, ‘From heaven, he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From men…” (They feared the people, for everyone held that John was a prophet.) So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Jesus’s reply? “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things."
SO WHAT?!
*The temple in Jesus day represented the dwelling place of the Lord. Today, God lives in people by His Holy Spirit because WE are now His temple! With that said, how are we treating God’s temple? Whenever we live for anything other than God, we too abuse His temple. We can also abuse it by not taking care of it: overeating, not exercising, smoking, drug abuse, pornography, etc… What are you doing to take care of God’s dwelling? Are we feeding ourselves spiritually as much as physically? Make time to take care of His temple!
*PS – After reading this chapter, it would be wise to never try to outwit Jesus!
Jesus first act of business – curse a tree (because it wasn’t fulfilling it’s purpose) and then address the money-making schemes going on in the “temple’ = His house! People were getting scammed and in God’s house! This ticked off Jesus and “He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts.” Ohh, and as they go by the fig tree later they notice it had withered. Jesus basically tells them they just need faith to believe!
Finally, Jesus’ authority is again questioned and, again, Jesus answers their question with a question: "I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. John's baptism—was it from heaven, or from men? Tell me!" Duph – the religious peeps had to be thinking “He’s got us! “If we say, ‘From heaven, he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From men…” (They feared the people, for everyone held that John was a prophet.) So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Jesus’s reply? “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things."
SO WHAT?!
*The temple in Jesus day represented the dwelling place of the Lord. Today, God lives in people by His Holy Spirit because WE are now His temple! With that said, how are we treating God’s temple? Whenever we live for anything other than God, we too abuse His temple. We can also abuse it by not taking care of it: overeating, not exercising, smoking, drug abuse, pornography, etc… What are you doing to take care of God’s dwelling? Are we feeding ourselves spiritually as much as physically? Make time to take care of His temple!
*PS – After reading this chapter, it would be wise to never try to outwit Jesus!
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
260 in 2012 DEVOS - Day 38 - Mark 10: Hard Lessons
In the three years the disciples spent with Jesus, they got to see Him do and hear Him teach amazing stuff! They also got to hear Him teach some hard & unpopular things. This chapter has some of those. First off, Jesus is asked by the Pharisees, who were always looking for loopholes and a chance to get Him to stumble,, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" Jesus addresses “lawful” vs “permitted.” Jesus replies, “God 'made them male and female. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." And if you divorce your spouse and remarry – you commit adultery because God doesn’t recognize the divorce. Go ahead and try to tell couples who get divorced that they can’t remarry. NOT popular.
Next, Jesus is asked by a rich man what it takes to inherit eternal life. Jesus tells him he must keep the commandments and the rich dude says he has – since he was a boy! I find this hard to believe, but Jesus doesn’t address it. He instead goes straight for the heart because he knows that where your heart is, your treasure is! "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." The rich man left sad. Why? He loved his wealth more than God and his keeping of all the commandments was for the wrong reasons! He was a fan, not a follower. It is hard for a rich man to enter heaven! NOT popular!
Following this, Jesus predicts his death for the third time and then is asked by James & John ( or maybe their mom) if they can sit on Jesus right & left in heaven. Guess they forgot the humility lesson from the last chapter! Anyway, as Jesus usually does, he answers their question with a question that in essence means “can you do & go thru what I will?” Ummmm no, but they answer yes. And in some ways they can because Jesus knows James will be beheaded for his faith and John will be exiled for his! NOT Popular! Jesus basically ends up telling them it’s not up to Him but God.
SO WHAT?!
*USA statistics on divorce mean that most of those reading this devo come from a divorced family. I did. My wife Jean did. It’s always a hard experience for all involved. But YOU AND I can get off the divorce train in our generation! Make sure both of you place GOD at the center of your marriage, KNOW the person whom you are marrying and finally, how about KEEPING your promise no matter what! You made it to God and to your spouse – just keep it! Jean & I have now been married since July of 1990 and we aren’t gonna’ divorce – we promised! And by the way, we LOVE being married to each other and WORK at keeping it that way! You too can make this decision right now, even if you’re not married yet!
*If world statistics are true, then ALL of us reading this (and the one writing it) are rich! Come on, we live in the US, in TEXAS, in KATY and next to CINCO RANCH………and we have JESUS! We’re rich. So let’s not let our riches be the treasure of our hearts, that’s where Jesus needs to be!
Next, Jesus is asked by a rich man what it takes to inherit eternal life. Jesus tells him he must keep the commandments and the rich dude says he has – since he was a boy! I find this hard to believe, but Jesus doesn’t address it. He instead goes straight for the heart because he knows that where your heart is, your treasure is! "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." The rich man left sad. Why? He loved his wealth more than God and his keeping of all the commandments was for the wrong reasons! He was a fan, not a follower. It is hard for a rich man to enter heaven! NOT popular!
Following this, Jesus predicts his death for the third time and then is asked by James & John ( or maybe their mom) if they can sit on Jesus right & left in heaven. Guess they forgot the humility lesson from the last chapter! Anyway, as Jesus usually does, he answers their question with a question that in essence means “can you do & go thru what I will?” Ummmm no, but they answer yes. And in some ways they can because Jesus knows James will be beheaded for his faith and John will be exiled for his! NOT Popular! Jesus basically ends up telling them it’s not up to Him but God.
SO WHAT?!
*USA statistics on divorce mean that most of those reading this devo come from a divorced family. I did. My wife Jean did. It’s always a hard experience for all involved. But YOU AND I can get off the divorce train in our generation! Make sure both of you place GOD at the center of your marriage, KNOW the person whom you are marrying and finally, how about KEEPING your promise no matter what! You made it to God and to your spouse – just keep it! Jean & I have now been married since July of 1990 and we aren’t gonna’ divorce – we promised! And by the way, we LOVE being married to each other and WORK at keeping it that way! You too can make this decision right now, even if you’re not married yet!
*If world statistics are true, then ALL of us reading this (and the one writing it) are rich! Come on, we live in the US, in TEXAS, in KATY and next to CINCO RANCH………and we have JESUS! We’re rich. So let’s not let our riches be the treasure of our hearts, that’s where Jesus needs to be!
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
260 in 2012 DEVOS - Day 37 - Mark 9: Transfiguration, Humility & Temptation
In this chapter we read of one of the “perks” of being Jesus’ closest buddies. Peter, James & John got invited on a mountain top experience they’d never forget. Jesus’ clothes turn glowingly white and suddenly they see Jesus talking with Moses & Elijah! Although they’re not exactly sure what to do, they know it’s a radical experience: “it is good for us to be here.” A cloud comes over, opens up (whatever that means) and God says “This is My Son whom I love. Listen to him.” Then poof - everyone is gone – whoah! God is again confirming who Jesus is!
Following this, Jesus heals a demon-possessed boy and then, for the second time, predicts His death. The disciples didn’t get it and were afraid to ask. Imagine that, Peter is speechless!~
The next two incidents recorded I believe have to do with humility. First, Jesus knows they’ve been arguing about who is gonna’ be the greatest in heaven, so He asks them “what were you arguing about on the road?” I can hear it already, “I told you He’d overhear us!~” Anyway, Jesus basically tells them that the way up is down! "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all." With these words, the arguing ceased.
The next lesson on humility was when John says to Jesus, “we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us." Kinda’ like, “Hey Jesus, we’re the ones in charge not this guy, so we told him so.” Ummm – wrong! What was Jesus’ reply? “whoever is not against us is for us.”
Finally we finish with a short but sweet lesson on temptation. The main point? We are to remove whatever causes us to sin, or another to sin, even if it means a part of our own body! For “It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell.” Is God serious about dealing with sin? Yes!
SO WHAT?!
*What is the most awesome experience you’ve ever had with God? E-mail me, I’d love to hear it! (mrbill6761@mac.com) And why not share that experience with someone else this week. You may be of great encouragement to a fellow believer or a great witness to a “pre-Christian.” Either way, you can’t go wrong!
*At what times are we most tempted to be prideful? When we’re good at something? When we don’t want to ask forgiveness? When we think we’re right? Regardless, pride is often at the center of our sinning. It’s always important to come before God and others in an attitude of humility. I’ve heard that doing this is often called “eating crow.” I’ve never had crow, but I’m guessing it’s better when it’s warm. So, make things right as soon as possible – with God and with others.
*What things tempt you most? Do you lust after people? Maybe it’s the latest iPhone or iPad or iTouch or iCan’t name them all……. Whatever it is, let’s pray “Lord help us to throw off everything that hinders, and the sin that so easily binds us and help us to run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Amen.
Following this, Jesus heals a demon-possessed boy and then, for the second time, predicts His death. The disciples didn’t get it and were afraid to ask. Imagine that, Peter is speechless!~
The next two incidents recorded I believe have to do with humility. First, Jesus knows they’ve been arguing about who is gonna’ be the greatest in heaven, so He asks them “what were you arguing about on the road?” I can hear it already, “I told you He’d overhear us!~” Anyway, Jesus basically tells them that the way up is down! "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all." With these words, the arguing ceased.
The next lesson on humility was when John says to Jesus, “we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us." Kinda’ like, “Hey Jesus, we’re the ones in charge not this guy, so we told him so.” Ummm – wrong! What was Jesus’ reply? “whoever is not against us is for us.”
Finally we finish with a short but sweet lesson on temptation. The main point? We are to remove whatever causes us to sin, or another to sin, even if it means a part of our own body! For “It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell.” Is God serious about dealing with sin? Yes!
SO WHAT?!
*What is the most awesome experience you’ve ever had with God? E-mail me, I’d love to hear it! (mrbill6761@mac.com) And why not share that experience with someone else this week. You may be of great encouragement to a fellow believer or a great witness to a “pre-Christian.” Either way, you can’t go wrong!
*At what times are we most tempted to be prideful? When we’re good at something? When we don’t want to ask forgiveness? When we think we’re right? Regardless, pride is often at the center of our sinning. It’s always important to come before God and others in an attitude of humility. I’ve heard that doing this is often called “eating crow.” I’ve never had crow, but I’m guessing it’s better when it’s warm. So, make things right as soon as possible – with God and with others.
*What things tempt you most? Do you lust after people? Maybe it’s the latest iPhone or iPad or iTouch or iCan’t name them all……. Whatever it is, let’s pray “Lord help us to throw off everything that hinders, and the sin that so easily binds us and help us to run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Amen.
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