Mark 8:31-33
Jesus Predicts His Death
31 Then Jesus began to tell them that he, the Son of Man, would suffer many terrible things and be rejected by the leaders,
the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, and three days later he would rise again.
32 As he talked about this openly with his disciples, Peter took him aside and told him he shouldn't say things like that.
33 Jesus turned and looked at his disciples and then said to Peter very sternly,
"Get away from me, Satan! You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God's."
(NLT)
Why did Peter take Jesus aside away from the disciples? Peter did not want the others to hear what he was saying so he did not look foolish in front of them. Peter should have known that this too was going to back fire in his face and it did. Jesus gave Peter a very stern and harsh rebuke for He new he was only thinking from a worldly view. Peter was afraid to lose Jesus because then he would have to step up to the plate.
In our walk with Christ we must think from God's perspective and not from our perspective. This is why we must study and understand scripture so that our minds can be renewed in our thinking. Romans 12:1-2 says, "And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice — the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask? Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is" (NLT). The world is nothing more than selfishness and chaos but in Christ there is peace, hope, joy, mercy, structure, guidance, wisdom, salvation, grace and above all love. Step up to the plate to what God wants you to do and to be. There is no better life than the life in Christ.
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Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Mark 8:26-30
Peter's Declaration about Jesus
27 Jesus and his disciples left Galilee and went up to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. As they were walking along, he asked them, "Who do people say I am?"
28 "Well," they replied, "some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other prophets."
29 Then Jesus asked, "Who do you say I am?" Peter replied, "You are the Messiah."
30 But Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.
(NLT)
Who do you say Jesus is to you? Is He your friend, your teacher, your buddy or is He more? Yes, Jesus wants these things but He wants more. What He wants is all of you. Not parts or pieces but all of you. Jesus is not going to settle for anything short of all of you. Jesus wants to be your friend, your Savior, your Messiah, your King and your God. Have you given yourself fully and completely to Him? If not, why not? Jesus wants you. Jesus chose you before the foundation of the world, before the world was created He chose you. He values you, cares for you, loves you and died for you. Jesus will not force Himself on you but He wants you and He wants all of you. Don't wait another minute but give yourself fully to Him and to His will for you. Don't delay, come to the one who loves you and chose you to be with Him forever. Our God is an awesome God.
Sponsored by BMCC Men's Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
Peter's Declaration about Jesus
27 Jesus and his disciples left Galilee and went up to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. As they were walking along, he asked them, "Who do people say I am?"
28 "Well," they replied, "some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other prophets."
29 Then Jesus asked, "Who do you say I am?" Peter replied, "You are the Messiah."
30 But Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.
(NLT)
Who do you say Jesus is to you? Is He your friend, your teacher, your buddy or is He more? Yes, Jesus wants these things but He wants more. What He wants is all of you. Not parts or pieces but all of you. Jesus is not going to settle for anything short of all of you. Jesus wants to be your friend, your Savior, your Messiah, your King and your God. Have you given yourself fully and completely to Him? If not, why not? Jesus wants you. Jesus chose you before the foundation of the world, before the world was created He chose you. He values you, cares for you, loves you and died for you. Jesus will not force Himself on you but He wants you and He wants all of you. Don't wait another minute but give yourself fully to Him and to His will for you. Don't delay, come to the one who loves you and chose you to be with Him forever. Our God is an awesome God.
Sponsored by BMCC Men's Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
Monday, February 27, 2012
Mark 8:21-26
Jesus Heals a Blind Man
22 When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Jesus, and they begged him to touch and heal the man.
23 Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village.
Then, spitting on the man's eyes, he laid his hands on him and asked, "Can you see anything now?"
24 The man looked around. "Yes," he said, "I see people, but I can't see them very clearly.
They look like trees walking around."
25 Then Jesus placed his hands over the man's eyes again. As the man stared intently,
his sight was completely restored, and he could see everything clearly.
26 Jesus sent him home, saying, "Don't go back into the village on your way home."
(NLT)
The reason Jesus did not heal the blind man in the village was that they just wanted to see a show. They were more interested in seeing a miracle then believing in Jesus. But the man must have wanted to be healed and believed that Jesus was the only one who could heal him. He did not want the man going back through the village so that the people there would ooh and aah over him. Jesus wants people who believe and trust Him. We need to intently look to Jesus so we too can be completely restored to the fellowship that Jesus wants.
Sponsored by BMCC Men's Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
Jesus Heals a Blind Man
22 When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Jesus, and they begged him to touch and heal the man.
23 Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village.
Then, spitting on the man's eyes, he laid his hands on him and asked, "Can you see anything now?"
24 The man looked around. "Yes," he said, "I see people, but I can't see them very clearly.
They look like trees walking around."
25 Then Jesus placed his hands over the man's eyes again. As the man stared intently,
his sight was completely restored, and he could see everything clearly.
26 Jesus sent him home, saying, "Don't go back into the village on your way home."
(NLT)
The reason Jesus did not heal the blind man in the village was that they just wanted to see a show. They were more interested in seeing a miracle then believing in Jesus. But the man must have wanted to be healed and believed that Jesus was the only one who could heal him. He did not want the man going back through the village so that the people there would ooh and aah over him. Jesus wants people who believe and trust Him. We need to intently look to Jesus so we too can be completely restored to the fellowship that Jesus wants.
Sponsored by BMCC Men's Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
Friday, February 24, 2012
Mark 8:10-13
Pharisees Demand a Miraculous Sign
11 When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had arrived, they came to argue with him.
Testing him to see if he was from God, they demanded, "Give us a miraculous sign from heaven to prove yourself."
12 When he heard this, he sighed deeply and said, "Why do you people keep demanding a miraculous sign? I assure you,
I will not give this generation any such sign."
13 So he got back into the boat and left them, and he crossed to the other side of the lake.
(NLT)
The Pharisees just wanted to argue, they were not interested in the truth but the debate. They wanted to prove that they were smarter than Jesus and that they were the godly ones. Sadly, each time they confronted Jesus they failed miserably. You can not argue with Jesus the creator of all that is, for you will lose every time. Demanding is a selfish act and demanding a miraculous sign showed their lack of true wisdom. Jesus sighed here because of their lack of understanding and their consuming selfishness.
Jesus is concerned about the heart not signs. Signs will not change your heart only the love of Jesus and faith in Him will ever change your heart. You can see a sign and still not believe it is true. But put your trust, hope and faith in Jesus who you do not see and let Him have control of your life then you will see with your spiritual eyes the wonderful changes He makes in your life and that will change your heart forever. Look unto Jesus the author and finisher of your faith.
Sponsored By BMCC Men's Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
Pharisees Demand a Miraculous Sign
11 When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had arrived, they came to argue with him.
Testing him to see if he was from God, they demanded, "Give us a miraculous sign from heaven to prove yourself."
12 When he heard this, he sighed deeply and said, "Why do you people keep demanding a miraculous sign? I assure you,
I will not give this generation any such sign."
13 So he got back into the boat and left them, and he crossed to the other side of the lake.
(NLT)
The Pharisees just wanted to argue, they were not interested in the truth but the debate. They wanted to prove that they were smarter than Jesus and that they were the godly ones. Sadly, each time they confronted Jesus they failed miserably. You can not argue with Jesus the creator of all that is, for you will lose every time. Demanding is a selfish act and demanding a miraculous sign showed their lack of true wisdom. Jesus sighed here because of their lack of understanding and their consuming selfishness.
Jesus is concerned about the heart not signs. Signs will not change your heart only the love of Jesus and faith in Him will ever change your heart. You can see a sign and still not believe it is true. But put your trust, hope and faith in Jesus who you do not see and let Him have control of your life then you will see with your spiritual eyes the wonderful changes He makes in your life and that will change your heart forever. Look unto Jesus the author and finisher of your faith.
Sponsored By BMCC Men's Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
Mark 8:14-21
14 But the disciples discovered they had forgotten to bring any food,
so there was only one loaf of bread with them in the boat.
15 As they were crossing the lake, Jesus warned them, "Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod."
16 They decided he was saying this because they hadn't brought any bread.
17 Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he said, "Why are you so worried about having no food?
Won't you ever learn or understand?
Are your hearts too hard to take it in?
18 'You have eyes — can't you see?
You have ears — can't you hear?'
Don't you remember anything at all?
19 What about the five thousand men I fed with five loaves of bread?
How many baskets of leftovers did you pick up afterward?"
"Twelve," they said.
20 "And when I fed the four thousand with seven loaves, how many large baskets of leftovers did you pick up?"
"Seven," they said.
21 "Don't you understand even yet?" he asked them.
(NLT)
How often do we not get what Jesus is doing in our lives? How often do we miss the point of scripture? We, for the most part, are like the disciples. We think too much about the earthly things rather than the heavenly things. Jesus has proven Himself to us over and over and over but yet we seem to miss what He is saying. We doubt, we don't fully trust Him or His ability to take care of things or us. And what have we done? We have offended Christ. Jesus was trying to warn the disciples of the false teaching of the Pharisees, the Sadducees (see Matthew 16:5-12) and the Herodians. But what were the disciples really thinking about? That they had forgotten to bring more bread, worldly food. Did they not just see Jesus feed 5,000 and then 4,000 people? Did they not see how much was left over from so little? Did they not trust Jesus to feed them if they lacked food? No, they did not. Do we? Jesus asked a series of questions pointed at their lack of faith and trust in Him. Can't you see? Can't you hear? But most importantly "Don't you understand even yet?" We must ask these same question about ourselves and where we are in our walk with Christ. Have we offended Him by our lack of faith and trust? If we are lacking, why? We are privileged to be called to be the children of the living God and we need to act like the children of God. We are to emulate Jesus in our lives. We must be constantly on our knees before God in prayer and in constant fellowship with Him. We tend to think that we are smart or that we are educated but God calls us sheep. And we know that sheep are not the smartest animal out there. Sheep need a Shepherd. To survive they need to trust their Shepherd and to depend on their Shepherd. We are no different. We need Jesus, we need to depend on Jesus, we need to trust Jesus and we need to put our faith in Jesus. Sheep can not survive on their own -- they need each other and they need their Shepherd. We need to bind ourselves together in Christ, we must fully depend on Jesus and trust Him fully. Jesus loves and cares for you.
Sponsored by BMCC Men's Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
14 But the disciples discovered they had forgotten to bring any food,
so there was only one loaf of bread with them in the boat.
15 As they were crossing the lake, Jesus warned them, "Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod."
16 They decided he was saying this because they hadn't brought any bread.
17 Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he said, "Why are you so worried about having no food?
Won't you ever learn or understand?
Are your hearts too hard to take it in?
18 'You have eyes — can't you see?
You have ears — can't you hear?'
Don't you remember anything at all?
19 What about the five thousand men I fed with five loaves of bread?
How many baskets of leftovers did you pick up afterward?"
"Twelve," they said.
20 "And when I fed the four thousand with seven loaves, how many large baskets of leftovers did you pick up?"
"Seven," they said.
21 "Don't you understand even yet?" he asked them.
(NLT)
How often do we not get what Jesus is doing in our lives? How often do we miss the point of scripture? We, for the most part, are like the disciples. We think too much about the earthly things rather than the heavenly things. Jesus has proven Himself to us over and over and over but yet we seem to miss what He is saying. We doubt, we don't fully trust Him or His ability to take care of things or us. And what have we done? We have offended Christ. Jesus was trying to warn the disciples of the false teaching of the Pharisees, the Sadducees (see Matthew 16:5-12) and the Herodians. But what were the disciples really thinking about? That they had forgotten to bring more bread, worldly food. Did they not just see Jesus feed 5,000 and then 4,000 people? Did they not see how much was left over from so little? Did they not trust Jesus to feed them if they lacked food? No, they did not. Do we? Jesus asked a series of questions pointed at their lack of faith and trust in Him. Can't you see? Can't you hear? But most importantly "Don't you understand even yet?" We must ask these same question about ourselves and where we are in our walk with Christ. Have we offended Him by our lack of faith and trust? If we are lacking, why? We are privileged to be called to be the children of the living God and we need to act like the children of God. We are to emulate Jesus in our lives. We must be constantly on our knees before God in prayer and in constant fellowship with Him. We tend to think that we are smart or that we are educated but God calls us sheep. And we know that sheep are not the smartest animal out there. Sheep need a Shepherd. To survive they need to trust their Shepherd and to depend on their Shepherd. We are no different. We need Jesus, we need to depend on Jesus, we need to trust Jesus and we need to put our faith in Jesus. Sheep can not survive on their own -- they need each other and they need their Shepherd. We need to bind ourselves together in Christ, we must fully depend on Jesus and trust Him fully. Jesus loves and cares for you.
Sponsored by BMCC Men's Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Mark 8:1-10
Jesus Feeds Four Thousand
1 About this time another great crowd had gathered, and the people ran out of food again. Jesus called his disciples and told them,
2 "I feel sorry for these people. They have been here with me for three days, and they have nothing left to eat.
3 And if I send them home without feeding them, they will faint along the road. For some of them have come a long distance."
4 "How are we supposed to find enough food for them here in the wilderness?" his disciples asked.
5 "How many loaves of bread do you have?" he asked. "Seven," they replied.
6 So Jesus told all the people to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves,
thanked God for them, broke them into pieces, and gave them to his disciples, who distributed the bread to the crowd.
7 A few small fish were found, too, so Jesus also blessed these and told the disciples to pass them out.
8 They ate until they were full, and when the scraps were picked up, there were seven large baskets of food left over!
9 There were about four thousand people in the crowd that day, and he sent them home after they had eaten.
10 Immediately after this, he got into a boat with his disciples and crossed over to the region of Dalmanutha.
(NLT)
Here we see Jesus again testing His disciples in faith. They still seem to be a little slow but it may be starting to sink in. This time Jesus tells the disciples "I feel sorry for these people" or "I feel compassion for these people," Jesus shows them His concern first then asks the question - feed them? They start out with the same excuse of how are we suppose to find enough food for them? In verse 7 it seems someone went looking for some fish and found some. And again Jesus shows His power through this miracle by how much food was left over.
When we miss the test of faith Jesus will again bring us back to the testing of faith. Why? Jesus wants our faith in Him to grow and not to stagnate. He will continue His test of faith until we get it even if it takes 40 years and 40 trips around Mount Sinai in the wilderness. This is not a fun place to be. Jesus loves us, is concerned about us and He wants us to have His best but we must walk in faith in Him. Heb 11:1 says, "What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see." (NLT) Jesus wants to build our faith that we can have confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. Jesus wants us to believe in Him and believe that He will accomplish that which He set out to do in us to the glory of God. Faith in Christ draws us closer to Him. What better place to be.
Sponsored by BMCC Men's Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
Jesus Feeds Four Thousand
1 About this time another great crowd had gathered, and the people ran out of food again. Jesus called his disciples and told them,
2 "I feel sorry for these people. They have been here with me for three days, and they have nothing left to eat.
3 And if I send them home without feeding them, they will faint along the road. For some of them have come a long distance."
4 "How are we supposed to find enough food for them here in the wilderness?" his disciples asked.
5 "How many loaves of bread do you have?" he asked. "Seven," they replied.
6 So Jesus told all the people to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves,
thanked God for them, broke them into pieces, and gave them to his disciples, who distributed the bread to the crowd.
7 A few small fish were found, too, so Jesus also blessed these and told the disciples to pass them out.
8 They ate until they were full, and when the scraps were picked up, there were seven large baskets of food left over!
9 There were about four thousand people in the crowd that day, and he sent them home after they had eaten.
10 Immediately after this, he got into a boat with his disciples and crossed over to the region of Dalmanutha.
(NLT)
Here we see Jesus again testing His disciples in faith. They still seem to be a little slow but it may be starting to sink in. This time Jesus tells the disciples "I feel sorry for these people" or "I feel compassion for these people," Jesus shows them His concern first then asks the question - feed them? They start out with the same excuse of how are we suppose to find enough food for them? In verse 7 it seems someone went looking for some fish and found some. And again Jesus shows His power through this miracle by how much food was left over.
When we miss the test of faith Jesus will again bring us back to the testing of faith. Why? Jesus wants our faith in Him to grow and not to stagnate. He will continue His test of faith until we get it even if it takes 40 years and 40 trips around Mount Sinai in the wilderness. This is not a fun place to be. Jesus loves us, is concerned about us and He wants us to have His best but we must walk in faith in Him. Heb 11:1 says, "What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see." (NLT) Jesus wants to build our faith that we can have confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. Jesus wants us to believe in Him and believe that He will accomplish that which He set out to do in us to the glory of God. Faith in Christ draws us closer to Him. What better place to be.
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Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
31 Jesus left Tyre and went to Sidon, then back to the Sea of Galilee and the region of the Ten Towns.
32 A deaf man with a speech impediment was brought to him,
and the people begged Jesus to lay his hands on the man to heal him.
33 Jesus led him to a private place away from the crowd. He put his fingers into the man's ears.
Then, spitting onto his own fingers, he touched the man's tongue with the spittle.
34 And looking up to heaven, he sighed and commanded, "Be opened!"
35 Instantly the man could hear perfectly and speak plainly!
36 Jesus told the crowd not to tell anyone, but the more he told them not to, the more they spread the news,
37 for they were completely amazed. Again and again they said, "Everything he does is wonderful.
He even heals those who are deaf and mute." (NLT)
Sadly the people just did not understand. Jesus was their Messiah but they just wanted to watch the show. Jesus sighed because He felt sorry for them that they did not recognize Him. He had fulfilled every scripture about who He was but they still did not see. Sometimes we miss Jesus when He is right in front of us. His arms are wide open and we walk right past Him. He wants so much to be the center of our heart and to heal every trouble and difficulty but we just want to see the show. Jesus wants your heart, He deserves your heart, He desires your heart and He died for your heart but we want to hold on to it and not let go. Jesus sighs because of our continued selfishness and lack of faith. But Jesus is not willing to give up and He won't. He died for you and He will not stop until He has all of you. His love for you runs so deeply that all He can think about is you returned to your right relationship with Him. It is so simple, yet we make it the most difficult and most complex thing to be done. But Jesus makes it simple, so then let go of your heart and let Jesus have it fully. Let Him fill your life and fill it with His love.
Sponsored by BMCC Men's Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
32 A deaf man with a speech impediment was brought to him,
and the people begged Jesus to lay his hands on the man to heal him.
33 Jesus led him to a private place away from the crowd. He put his fingers into the man's ears.
Then, spitting onto his own fingers, he touched the man's tongue with the spittle.
34 And looking up to heaven, he sighed and commanded, "Be opened!"
35 Instantly the man could hear perfectly and speak plainly!
36 Jesus told the crowd not to tell anyone, but the more he told them not to, the more they spread the news,
37 for they were completely amazed. Again and again they said, "Everything he does is wonderful.
He even heals those who are deaf and mute." (NLT)
Sadly the people just did not understand. Jesus was their Messiah but they just wanted to watch the show. Jesus sighed because He felt sorry for them that they did not recognize Him. He had fulfilled every scripture about who He was but they still did not see. Sometimes we miss Jesus when He is right in front of us. His arms are wide open and we walk right past Him. He wants so much to be the center of our heart and to heal every trouble and difficulty but we just want to see the show. Jesus wants your heart, He deserves your heart, He desires your heart and He died for your heart but we want to hold on to it and not let go. Jesus sighs because of our continued selfishness and lack of faith. But Jesus is not willing to give up and He won't. He died for you and He will not stop until He has all of you. His love for you runs so deeply that all He can think about is you returned to your right relationship with Him. It is so simple, yet we make it the most difficult and most complex thing to be done. But Jesus makes it simple, so then let go of your heart and let Jesus have it fully. Let Him fill your life and fill it with His love.
Sponsored by BMCC Men's Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Mark 7:20-23
20 And then he added, "It is the thought-life that defiles you.
21 For from within, out of a person's heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder,
22 adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, eagerness for lustful pleasure, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness.
23 All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you and make you unacceptable to God."
(NLT)
Sin comes from within. It is our thought-life that we struggle with most of our lives but we must fight and not give in. God has plans for us, wonderful plans and that is what we need to focus on. Scripture instructs us to bring every thought under control and through obedience to the Holy Spirit this can be accomplished. Proverbs is a good place to start. You can read one Proverb every day for the whole month and this will bring you much encouragement, discernment and wisdom. Let the Holy Spirit work His perfecting work in you.
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Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
20 And then he added, "It is the thought-life that defiles you.
21 For from within, out of a person's heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder,
22 adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, eagerness for lustful pleasure, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness.
23 All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you and make you unacceptable to God."
(NLT)
Sin comes from within. It is our thought-life that we struggle with most of our lives but we must fight and not give in. God has plans for us, wonderful plans and that is what we need to focus on. Scripture instructs us to bring every thought under control and through obedience to the Holy Spirit this can be accomplished. Proverbs is a good place to start. You can read one Proverb every day for the whole month and this will bring you much encouragement, discernment and wisdom. Let the Holy Spirit work His perfecting work in you.
Sponsored by BMCC Men's Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Mark 7:17-19
17 Then Jesus went into a house to get away from the crowds,
and his disciples asked him what he meant by the statement he had made.
18 "Don't you understand either?" he asked. "Can't you see that what you eat won't defile you?
19 Food doesn't come in contact with your heart, but only passes through the stomach and then comes out again." (By saying this, he showed that every kind of food is acceptable.) (NLT)
It is not what we eat that defiles us because Jesus has declared that all kinds of foods are acceptable. But Jesus is not concerned about what we physically eat but what we eat spiritually. Jesus is concerned about your heart because physical food does not effect your heart. Jesus is concerned about what goes into your heart. You can feed your heart what is good and what is bad or sinful. What you read, watch and think about is what affects your heart. What do you focus on the most? Is it good or is it sinful? In Phil 4:8-9 it says, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me — put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." Therefore our focus and thought life must be on Jesus because He is the one who is excellent and praiseworthy of our focus and thought life. He is to be our life.
Sponsored by BMCC Men's Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
17 Then Jesus went into a house to get away from the crowds,
and his disciples asked him what he meant by the statement he had made.
18 "Don't you understand either?" he asked. "Can't you see that what you eat won't defile you?
19 Food doesn't come in contact with your heart, but only passes through the stomach and then comes out again." (By saying this, he showed that every kind of food is acceptable.) (NLT)
It is not what we eat that defiles us because Jesus has declared that all kinds of foods are acceptable. But Jesus is not concerned about what we physically eat but what we eat spiritually. Jesus is concerned about your heart because physical food does not effect your heart. Jesus is concerned about what goes into your heart. You can feed your heart what is good and what is bad or sinful. What you read, watch and think about is what affects your heart. What do you focus on the most? Is it good or is it sinful? In Phil 4:8-9 it says, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me — put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." Therefore our focus and thought life must be on Jesus because He is the one who is excellent and praiseworthy of our focus and thought life. He is to be our life.
Sponsored by BMCC Men's Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
Mark 7:14-15
14 Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. "All of you listen," he said, "and try to understand.
15 You are not defiled by what you eat; you are defiled by what you say and do!" (NLT)
We are all called to come and listen to what Jesus has to say and to ask for understanding and discernment. We are to be always moving closer to Jesus, always learning and always seeking Him in everything. Jesus says that we are not defiled by what we eat but by what we say and what we do. We will be judged by God in how we live our lives, by what we do or did not do. Did we do things according to His will or our own will? This is why we need to be in His Word everyday, praying everyday and seeking Him everyday so that we can know Him and know the Christ who was crucified in our place. And then we are to apply Jesus' Word to our lives and live according to that word and according to His will for us. Therefore let us not lose sight of our purpose of living our lives fully for Jesus.
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Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
14 Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. "All of you listen," he said, "and try to understand.
15 You are not defiled by what you eat; you are defiled by what you say and do!" (NLT)
We are all called to come and listen to what Jesus has to say and to ask for understanding and discernment. We are to be always moving closer to Jesus, always learning and always seeking Him in everything. Jesus says that we are not defiled by what we eat but by what we say and what we do. We will be judged by God in how we live our lives, by what we do or did not do. Did we do things according to His will or our own will? This is why we need to be in His Word everyday, praying everyday and seeking Him everyday so that we can know Him and know the Christ who was crucified in our place. And then we are to apply Jesus' Word to our lives and live according to that word and according to His will for us. Therefore let us not lose sight of our purpose of living our lives fully for Jesus.
Sponsored by BMCC Men's Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
Monday, February 13, 2012
Mark 7:9-13
9 Then he said, "You reject God's laws in order to hold on to your own traditions.
10 For instance, Moses gave you this law from God: 'Honor your father and mother,'
'Anyone who speaks evil of father of mother must be put to death.'
11 But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, 'Sorry, I can't help you.
For I have vowed to give of God what I could have given to you.'
12 You let them disregard their needy parents.
13 As such, you break the law of God in order to protect your own tradition.
And this is only one example. There are many, ,many others."
Remember traditions should never take the place of God's Word or God's way. Traditions or even holiday should never overshadow God's Word or Jesus Christ.
On a different note we should honor our parents. God gave you your parents, they fed you, they clothed you and loved you. Granted some parents were good and some not so good but in the end they were the parents God gave you. The question is how do you handle them now? Regardless of how they treated you in the past you are to do things God's way and love them as God loves you. Give to them as they have need. Take care of them as they age because someday you too will be where they are now. Love is the key and the answer even if they do not love you back. The point is to honor your father and mother as you honor God. Sometimes taking care of our aging parents may be more about bringing you closer to the Lord Jesus Christ then it is about taking care of your parents. God is always concerned about your heart. So God's question to you is, where is your heart? He asks, is about you or is it about me? Love as God has loved you.
Sponsored by BMCC Men's Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
9 Then he said, "You reject God's laws in order to hold on to your own traditions.
10 For instance, Moses gave you this law from God: 'Honor your father and mother,'
'Anyone who speaks evil of father of mother must be put to death.'
11 But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, 'Sorry, I can't help you.
For I have vowed to give of God what I could have given to you.'
12 You let them disregard their needy parents.
13 As such, you break the law of God in order to protect your own tradition.
And this is only one example. There are many, ,many others."
Remember traditions should never take the place of God's Word or God's way. Traditions or even holiday should never overshadow God's Word or Jesus Christ.
On a different note we should honor our parents. God gave you your parents, they fed you, they clothed you and loved you. Granted some parents were good and some not so good but in the end they were the parents God gave you. The question is how do you handle them now? Regardless of how they treated you in the past you are to do things God's way and love them as God loves you. Give to them as they have need. Take care of them as they age because someday you too will be where they are now. Love is the key and the answer even if they do not love you back. The point is to honor your father and mother as you honor God. Sometimes taking care of our aging parents may be more about bringing you closer to the Lord Jesus Christ then it is about taking care of your parents. God is always concerned about your heart. So God's question to you is, where is your heart? He asks, is about you or is it about me? Love as God has loved you.
Sponsored by BMCC Men's Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
Friday, February 10, 2012
Mark 7:5-8
5 So the Pharisees and teachers of religious law asked him, "Why don't your disciples follow our age-old customs?
For they eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony."
6 Jesus replied, "You hypocrites! Isaiah was prophesying about you when he said,
7 These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away. Their worship is a farce,
for they replace God's commands with their own man-made teachings."
8 For you ignore God's specific laws and substitute your own traditions."
When it comes to teaching and traditions we must follow and obey scripture. We must be careful of what we say and what we teach. We need to carefully study scripture to make sure it is what God is saying and not us. We are not to relay what we think or feel but what God's Word says. We are sinners prone to error but God's Word is pure and holy and we must speak God's Word according to His Holiness. If you are unsure then spend the needed time with God and His Word and the Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth.
Sponsored by BMCC Men's Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
5 So the Pharisees and teachers of religious law asked him, "Why don't your disciples follow our age-old customs?
For they eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony."
6 Jesus replied, "You hypocrites! Isaiah was prophesying about you when he said,
7 These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away. Their worship is a farce,
for they replace God's commands with their own man-made teachings."
8 For you ignore God's specific laws and substitute your own traditions."
When it comes to teaching and traditions we must follow and obey scripture. We must be careful of what we say and what we teach. We need to carefully study scripture to make sure it is what God is saying and not us. We are not to relay what we think or feel but what God's Word says. We are sinners prone to error but God's Word is pure and holy and we must speak God's Word according to His Holiness. If you are unsure then spend the needed time with God and His Word and the Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth.
Sponsored by BMCC Men's Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Mark 7:1 - 4
1 One day some Pharisees and teachers of religious law arrived from Jerusalem to confront Jesus.
2 They noticed that some of Jesus' disciples failed to follow the usual Jewish ritual of hand washing before eating.
3 (The Jews, especially the Pharisees, do not eat until they have poured water over their cupped hands,
as required by their ancient traditions.
4 Similarly, they eat nothing bought from the market unless they immersed their hands in water.
This is but one of many traditions they have clung to - such as their ceremony of washing cups, pitchers, and kettles.)
I find it interesting that the Pharisees came to confront Jesus. About what? It doesn't say but I think that they got side tracked by what the disciples were doing or what they were not doing. Traditions can be fine if you know why you are doing them and as long as they do not override the Word of God. Traditions should never be more important than Jesus. Traditions never saved anyone or healed anyone or changed anybody's life. The washing of hands or dishes may be good for sanitizing but it should never take the place of Jesus. You should never cling to traditions because God's Word overrules all traditions. Remember that Jesus is concerned about your heart not your traditions. Jesus was not bound by traditions he was bound by the Word of God and so are we. Study what Jesus did, He followed God's Word not the traditions of the Pharisees or of the world and so should we. Jesus is more important then anything else.
Sponsored by BMCC Men's Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
1 One day some Pharisees and teachers of religious law arrived from Jerusalem to confront Jesus.
2 They noticed that some of Jesus' disciples failed to follow the usual Jewish ritual of hand washing before eating.
3 (The Jews, especially the Pharisees, do not eat until they have poured water over their cupped hands,
as required by their ancient traditions.
4 Similarly, they eat nothing bought from the market unless they immersed their hands in water.
This is but one of many traditions they have clung to - such as their ceremony of washing cups, pitchers, and kettles.)
I find it interesting that the Pharisees came to confront Jesus. About what? It doesn't say but I think that they got side tracked by what the disciples were doing or what they were not doing. Traditions can be fine if you know why you are doing them and as long as they do not override the Word of God. Traditions should never be more important than Jesus. Traditions never saved anyone or healed anyone or changed anybody's life. The washing of hands or dishes may be good for sanitizing but it should never take the place of Jesus. You should never cling to traditions because God's Word overrules all traditions. Remember that Jesus is concerned about your heart not your traditions. Jesus was not bound by traditions he was bound by the Word of God and so are we. Study what Jesus did, He followed God's Word not the traditions of the Pharisees or of the world and so should we. Jesus is more important then anything else.
Sponsored by BMCC Men's Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
Mark 6:53 - 56
53 When they arrived at Gennesaret on the other side of the lake, they anchored the boat
54 and climbed out. The people standing there recognized him at once,
55 and they ran throughout the whole area and began carrying sick people to him on mats.
56 Wherever he went - in villages and cities and out on the farms - they laid the sick in the market plazas
and streets. The sick begged him to let them at least touch the fringe of his robe,
and all who touched it were healed.
When you received Jesus into your life as your savior He now lives within you and wherever you go He is right there with you. Do people recognize Christ in you? If not, they should. Your new life is in Christ and that new life is to shine forth for Jesus. As John the Baptist said, "He must increase and I must decrease." We are to shed the old life, the old way of doing things, the old way of thinking and put on the new life in Christ. We need to think like Christ, act like Christ, be obedient to Christ and surrender to Christ for Him to live His life and will through us.
These people in these verses recognized Jesus for who He was and what He could do in their lives beyond just healing them physically. They believed that just touching the fringe of His robe would change life forever. They were willing to step out in faith for a better life and there is no better life than a life in Christ. Are you ready to step out in faith? Are you ready for a new and better life? Take the step and don't look back because there is nothing good behind you. Be ever and always moving forward to Christ and to His call.
Sponsored by BMCC Men's Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
53 When they arrived at Gennesaret on the other side of the lake, they anchored the boat
54 and climbed out. The people standing there recognized him at once,
55 and they ran throughout the whole area and began carrying sick people to him on mats.
56 Wherever he went - in villages and cities and out on the farms - they laid the sick in the market plazas
and streets. The sick begged him to let them at least touch the fringe of his robe,
and all who touched it were healed.
When you received Jesus into your life as your savior He now lives within you and wherever you go He is right there with you. Do people recognize Christ in you? If not, they should. Your new life is in Christ and that new life is to shine forth for Jesus. As John the Baptist said, "He must increase and I must decrease." We are to shed the old life, the old way of doing things, the old way of thinking and put on the new life in Christ. We need to think like Christ, act like Christ, be obedient to Christ and surrender to Christ for Him to live His life and will through us.
These people in these verses recognized Jesus for who He was and what He could do in their lives beyond just healing them physically. They believed that just touching the fringe of His robe would change life forever. They were willing to step out in faith for a better life and there is no better life than a life in Christ. Are you ready to step out in faith? Are you ready for a new and better life? Take the step and don't look back because there is nothing good behind you. Be ever and always moving forward to Christ and to His call.
Sponsored by BMCC Men's Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
Mark 6:47 - 52
47 When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land.
48 He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them.
About the fourth watch of the night he went out to them, walking on the lake.
He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost.
They cried out,
50 because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said,
"Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."
51 Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed,
52 for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.
Can you see yourself here? Struggling against the storm and the wind. Jesus was watching them trying to make a go of it in their own strength. But Jesus did not just leave them there. He came out to them, to be close to them when they would finally turn to Him. Jesus was never far away from them but always close, watching and ready to help. We too sometimes think it is something else when Jesus shows up not realizing it is Him and then finally we cry out to Him. Jesus tells us three things, first "Take courage," God told Joshua this before going into the promised land. Take courage or rather be courageous. Second "It is I," realize that Jesus is always right there close, watching and waiting for you to ask for His help. And third "Don't be afraid," don't be afraid to ask for Jesus' help, don't be afraid to be courageous, don't be afraid to have faith, don't be afraid to believe and don't be afraid to cry out to Him.
Sponsored by Men's Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead people into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
47 When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land.
48 He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them.
About the fourth watch of the night he went out to them, walking on the lake.
He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost.
They cried out,
50 because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said,
"Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."
51 Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed,
52 for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.
Can you see yourself here? Struggling against the storm and the wind. Jesus was watching them trying to make a go of it in their own strength. But Jesus did not just leave them there. He came out to them, to be close to them when they would finally turn to Him. Jesus was never far away from them but always close, watching and ready to help. We too sometimes think it is something else when Jesus shows up not realizing it is Him and then finally we cry out to Him. Jesus tells us three things, first "Take courage," God told Joshua this before going into the promised land. Take courage or rather be courageous. Second "It is I," realize that Jesus is always right there close, watching and waiting for you to ask for His help. And third "Don't be afraid," don't be afraid to ask for Jesus' help, don't be afraid to be courageous, don't be afraid to have faith, don't be afraid to believe and don't be afraid to cry out to Him.
Sponsored by Men's Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead people into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
Friday, February 3, 2012
Mark 6:45-46
45 Immediately after this, Jesus made his disciples get back into the boat and head out across to Bethsaida, while he sent the people home. 46 Afterward he went up into the hills by himself to pray.
Jesus sent the disciples on ahead of Him because He had another step for them to learn. While the disciples rowed across the lake Jesus went to a quiet place to pray. We need to follow Jesus' example and find that place where we can be alone with no distraction and spend time with our Heavenly Father. God loves it when we spend one on one time with Him and we need that one on one time with our Father. The world wants to do nothing more than to distract us from spending time with Jesus. This is a must in our Christian walk to spend time alone with Jesus. Find a regular time and place every day to spend quality focused quiet time with Jesus. He is waiting for you and He desires to be with you.
Sponsered by BMCC Men's Ministry
Our Missions is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
45 Immediately after this, Jesus made his disciples get back into the boat and head out across to Bethsaida, while he sent the people home. 46 Afterward he went up into the hills by himself to pray.
Jesus sent the disciples on ahead of Him because He had another step for them to learn. While the disciples rowed across the lake Jesus went to a quiet place to pray. We need to follow Jesus' example and find that place where we can be alone with no distraction and spend time with our Heavenly Father. God loves it when we spend one on one time with Him and we need that one on one time with our Father. The world wants to do nothing more than to distract us from spending time with Jesus. This is a must in our Christian walk to spend time alone with Jesus. Find a regular time and place every day to spend quality focused quiet time with Jesus. He is waiting for you and He desires to be with you.
Sponsered by BMCC Men's Ministry
Our Missions is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Mark 6:38-44
39 Then Jesus told the crowd to sit down in groups on the green grass.
40 So they sat in groups of fifty or a hundred.
41 Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven,
and asked God's blessing on the food. Breaking the loaves into pieces,
he kept giving the bread and fish to the disciples to give to the people.
42 They all ate as much as they wanted,
43 and they picked up twelve baskets of leftover bread and fish.
44 Five thousand men had eaten from those five loaves!
(NLT)
Jesus takes what we have, right where we are and creates a miracle out of it. We are to put our faith in Him, trust Him and believe He will do what He says. In verses 35 – 37 from yesterday we first see the disciples lack of faith in Jesus, then they put their faith in Jesus, then they started working toward faith and then put their faith into action. When Jesus saw that the disciples were starting to trust Him and were working toward faith in Him He took what they had and showed them what can happen through faith. Sometimes Jesus needs to keep taking us through the same process so we can eventually see what faith looks like and how faith works. Faith is not something we wait for but faith is trust in action. We are to be actively seeking Christ and His will for us and in this process Jesus meets us and shows Himself to us and then does mighty things through us just as He did when He feed five thousand men with two fish and five loaves of bread. He can do the same thing with you too. Have faith in Jesus.
Sponsored by BMCC Men’s Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
39 Then Jesus told the crowd to sit down in groups on the green grass.
40 So they sat in groups of fifty or a hundred.
41 Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven,
and asked God's blessing on the food. Breaking the loaves into pieces,
he kept giving the bread and fish to the disciples to give to the people.
42 They all ate as much as they wanted,
43 and they picked up twelve baskets of leftover bread and fish.
44 Five thousand men had eaten from those five loaves!
(NLT)
Jesus takes what we have, right where we are and creates a miracle out of it. We are to put our faith in Him, trust Him and believe He will do what He says. In verses 35 – 37 from yesterday we first see the disciples lack of faith in Jesus, then they put their faith in Jesus, then they started working toward faith and then put their faith into action. When Jesus saw that the disciples were starting to trust Him and were working toward faith in Him He took what they had and showed them what can happen through faith. Sometimes Jesus needs to keep taking us through the same process so we can eventually see what faith looks like and how faith works. Faith is not something we wait for but faith is trust in action. We are to be actively seeking Christ and His will for us and in this process Jesus meets us and shows Himself to us and then does mighty things through us just as He did when He feed five thousand men with two fish and five loaves of bread. He can do the same thing with you too. Have faith in Jesus.
Sponsored by BMCC Men’s Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Mark 6:35-38
35 Late in the afternoon his disciples came to him and said,
"This is a desolate place, and it is getting late.
36 Send the crowds away so they can go to the nearby farms
and villages and buy themselves some food."
37 But Jesus said, "You feed them." "With what?" they asked. "It would take a small fortune to buy food for all this crowd!"
38 "How much food do you have?" he asked. "Go and find out." They came back and reported, "We have five loaves of bread and two fish."
(NLT)
Jesus said, “You feed them.” I bet that made the disciples go “whaaat?” at least one of them said “with what?” Are we not like the disciples at times? Yes, we seem to forget that Jesus is the Creator of the universe. Where was the disciples' faith in Jesus? We need to remind ourselves that we serve the powerful God. There is no other God besides Him. God works in us according to our faith and we can see this in scripture. When the children of Israel were in battle God told Moses as long as your arms are raised you will win but if your arms go down you will lose. So when Moses arms got tired what did they do? Others came to hold Moses arms up so they would win the battle. Faith is kind of like this, when your arms are stretched out to Jesus and your faith is in Him you will win the battle but if your focus is not on Jesus and you have doubt you can not win the battle. But you were not meant to fight the battle alone. God sends others to help hold your arms up, to support you so that you and they can win the battle. Jesus wants you to put your trust and faith in Him because He will always follow through just as He did to feed these people.
Sponsored by BMCC Men’s Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
35 Late in the afternoon his disciples came to him and said,
"This is a desolate place, and it is getting late.
36 Send the crowds away so they can go to the nearby farms
and villages and buy themselves some food."
37 But Jesus said, "You feed them." "With what?" they asked. "It would take a small fortune to buy food for all this crowd!"
38 "How much food do you have?" he asked. "Go and find out." They came back and reported, "We have five loaves of bread and two fish."
(NLT)
Jesus said, “You feed them.” I bet that made the disciples go “whaaat?” at least one of them said “with what?” Are we not like the disciples at times? Yes, we seem to forget that Jesus is the Creator of the universe. Where was the disciples' faith in Jesus? We need to remind ourselves that we serve the powerful God. There is no other God besides Him. God works in us according to our faith and we can see this in scripture. When the children of Israel were in battle God told Moses as long as your arms are raised you will win but if your arms go down you will lose. So when Moses arms got tired what did they do? Others came to hold Moses arms up so they would win the battle. Faith is kind of like this, when your arms are stretched out to Jesus and your faith is in Him you will win the battle but if your focus is not on Jesus and you have doubt you can not win the battle. But you were not meant to fight the battle alone. God sends others to help hold your arms up, to support you so that you and they can win the battle. Jesus wants you to put your trust and faith in Him because He will always follow through just as He did to feed these people.
Sponsored by BMCC Men’s Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
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