Lesson 1664

(Lesson 1664)(04-30-16) Mark 10:17-31

"And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible. Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last first."

In the beginning of today's quote, Jesus demonstrated that it was virtually impossible for a person of great wealth to gain eternal salvation under the Law of Moses. As Jesus instructed that rich young man mentioned in today's quote, he had, not only obey all the rules of the Law, he had to give his fortune to the poor and follow Jesus in order to remain in good standing with the Law.

After Jesus told His apostles that it would be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter into heaven under the Law, the apostles asked, "who then can be saved". Jesus, in essence referring to His, soon to be enacted, new law of salvation by grace through faith, then explained that with God all things are possible.

Today, Thank God, since Jesus laid down His life for the sins of the all the world, even the rich can easily obtain eternal life simply by having absolute faith in the life, death, burial, resurrection and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ and obeying the two "great" commandments that Jesus put into place instead of the old Law; "The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:29-31 in part.)

Ephesians 2:8-9, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." In this passage of scripture we are assured that the restrictions and demands of the old Law no longer apply, salvation now comes by grace through faith, not the works of the Law.~

Lesson 1663

(Lesson 1663)(04-28-16) Mark 10:13-16

"And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them."

Today's quote relates that children are just as important to the church as are adults.

As Christian people, and in many spiritual ways literally children ourselves, we are to lift up our children to God while they are young, teaching them the full gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ before they are hardened by the ways of the world.

I shudder to think where my life would be today had my mother not taught me from a very young age that Jesus Christ is the savior of all those who will put their faith in Him.~

Lesson 1662

(Lesson 1662)(04-8-16) Mark 10:1-12

"And he arose from thence, and cometh into the coasts of Judaea by the farther side of Jordan: and the people resort unto him again; and, as he was wont, he taught them again. And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him. And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you? And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away. And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter. And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery."

In today's quote Jesus made it vividly clear that divorce is not an option to end a marriage among the children of God. He said that when a man and woman are married, they literally become one person and cannot be separated by any law or decree of man. However, in Matthew 5:21-22, in part, Jesus said, "I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

In the Matthew quote, Jesus allowed for divorce but only if one party was guilty of "fornication", or adultery. I have been unable to find any other reference to divorce that further clarifies this seeming contradiction, therefore, I would suppose that it is up to the individual bible student to prayerfully decide which of these accounts is the true answer to the possibility of ending a marriage.~

Lesson 1661

(Lesson 1661)(04-27-16) Mark 9:38-50

"And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us. But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is on our part. For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward. And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another."

Today's quote instructs the children of God to accept the efforts of those who work toward the ultimate will of God, even if their philosophy doesn't exactly match up with our own.

Today's lesson also warns of the consequences that await those who allow the desires of the body to override the intent of the spiritual mind. We should conduct ourselves as the "salt" of the earth in every thing we do and in every action we take. "Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." (Matthew 7:19-20)~

Lesson 1660

(Lesson 1660)(04-26-16) Mark 9:30-37

"And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it. For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day. But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him. And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all. And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me."

In today's quote, Jesus announced the coming of His supreme sacrifice. He said; "The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day."

Upon learning that Jesus was leaving them, His apostles began to squabble about which one of them would be the leader, or the greatest among the twelve. Knowing what they were thinking, Jesus made it very clear to them all that there was to be no one of them greater in prestige or political stature than any of the others. He said; "If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all."

The above text, along with many other New Testament examples, makes if vividly clear that the Roman Catholic contention that Peter was to be the supreme leader of the church on earth, is totally unfounded by the words straight out of the mouth of Jesus Himself.

In the last part of today's quote, holding a child in His arms, Jesus said; "Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me."

This passage means that the children of God are NOT to think of themselves as being above any other human being, especially the innocent children. We are to humble ourselves and lift up those who are the weakest among us, always remembering the two "great" commandments: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Matthew 22:37-40 in part.) ~

Lesson 1659

(Lesson 1659)(04-25-16) Mark 9:14-29

"And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them. And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him. And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them? And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not. He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me. And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose. And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting."

Today's quote relates how Jesus removed the "dumb and deaf spirit" from a young boy who had been afflicted since his birth.

It is interesting to note that in Mark's account, after Jesus' apostles asked why they weren't able to remove the evil spirit from the boy, Jesus said, "This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting." Yet in the Matthew account, Jesus said they could have removed the spirit if they had only had sufficient faith; "I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." (Matthew 17:16-21 in part.)

It appears that simply by commanding the evil spirit to leave, you or I, with sufficient faith should be able to remove it, without prayer and fasting. The interesting point is that in the Matthew account, the use of prayer and fasting appears to be presented as a question, rather than as a clear instruction as in the Mark account.

If someone of you has an explanation for this apparent conflict, please let me know.~

Lesson 1658

(Lesson 1658)(04-24-16) Mark 9:1-13

"And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power. And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them. And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them. And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus. And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid. And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him. And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves. And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead. And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean. And they asked him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come? And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought. But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him."

In today's quote, Jesus is meets with Elias a Moses on a mountain where Jesus was also recognized as the Son of God; "a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him."

In the latter part of this quote and much to the confusion of His Apostles, Jesus declares that He is that same Elias that was spoken of in the prophesies and that He must suffer death at the hands of His brethren (The Jewish hierarchy.) to be raised again in holy transformation on the third day. That great and wonderful resurrection assures eternal life to all who will deny all others and accept that supreme and divine sacrifice.~

Lesson 1657

(Lesson 1657)(04-23-16) Mark 8:31-38

"And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men. And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."

Today's lesson, should in a way, run concurrent with yesterday's in that it helps disprove the Roman Catholic contention that Jesus would choose Peter as the ultimate first "leader" and authority over all others in His church.

Jesus, speaking directly to Peter, said, "Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men." It is in my opinion totally illogical to assume that Jesus would appoint a man that He so readily referred to as "Satan" to such a position of high authority so as to rule over the beginnings of Christianity.

The fact that Peter was never intended to be any more of an authority over the church than anyone else is borne out by what Jesus Himself said in Matthew 20:25-28, in part, "Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. BUT IT SHALL NOT BE SO AMONG YOU: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your *minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to *minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

In the last part of today's quote, speaking to people like Peter who obviously placed earthly pride over the message of eternal salvation by grace through faith that Jesus conveyed, Jesus made it vividly clear that the things of this earth should by all means and on all occasions, take a back seat to the public ministry of His gospel.~

*The term minister, as it is applied in this text, is defined by Strong's bible dictionary as: "one who executes the commands of another, esp. of a master, a servant, attendant, minister, the servant of a king, a deacon, one who, by virtue of the office assigned to him by the church, cares for the poor and has charge of and distributes the money collected for their use, a waiter, one who serves food and drink.

Lesson 1656

(Lesson 1656)(04-22-16) Mark 8:22-30

"And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly. And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town. And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am? And they answered, John the Baptist: but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets. And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ. And he charged them that they should tell no man of him."

In the first part of today's quote, Jesus miraculously gave sight to a blind man ant told him to tell no one about the miracle.

In the latter part, Jesus asked his disciples what the people were saying about Him, to which some responded that He was John the Baptist, Elias; or others of the prophets come back to life. Jesus then asked who the apostles themselves believed Him to be. Peter said, "Thou art the Christ."(An absolute truth) to which Jesus, acknowledging that Peter was correct, responded that they were to tell no one.

It behooves every bible student to note that during the Matthew account of this conversation between Jesus and Peter, Jesus supposedly (according to some) chose Peter as the cornerstone of the church by saying, "That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church" (Matthew 16:18 in part). Roman Catholicism contends that Jesus also, by making that statement, designated Peter as the "father" of the church, and it's first "pope". The exchange between Jesus and Peter, upon which Catholicism bases its false contention, does not appear in any of the other gospel accounts, neither Mark, Luke nor John. The absence of that conversation in the other gospels, in my view, diminishes the probability of that particular interchange between Jesus and Peter as it is written in the Matthew account.

As I rationalize the overall message that is to be gleaned from the entirety of the New Testament, the omission of that part of the conversation between Jesus and His apostles causes me to wonder if the Catholic "church", who had control of almost all of the documented material concerning the ministry of Jesus, including Matthew, Mark, Luke and John's accounts, did not insert the supposed appointment of Peter as the head of the church themselves so as to give scriptural credence to their distorted version of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

This is only my opinion developed after much prayer and study, and I recommend that every bible student, through that same prayerful study, arrive at their own conclusion as to what the truth of this lesson really is comparing all four of the gospel accounts.~

Lesson 1655

(Lesson 1655)(04-21-16) Mark 8:10-21

"And straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha. And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him. And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation. And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side. Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf. And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread. And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened? Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember? When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve. And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven. And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand?"

Today's lesson demonstrates how hard it was during the ministry of Christ for some to believe in Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah.

The Pharisees, leaders of the most prominent Jewish sect during the ministry of Jesus, were always very sceptical of Jesus, even though He had proven His divine power over and over through all manner of miracles. He had even restored life to someone that had been declared dead.

In this quote, the Pharisees, ignoring the miracles they had already witnessed, requested that Jesus give them yet another kind of sign that would establish His divine authority. When Jesus rebuked those Pharisees and declared that there would be no other sign, He warned His apostles about the negative influence the Pharisees might have on those who might believe. The apostles confused that warning to be about their own failure to bring bread for the trip. By being confused the apostles demonstrated a total lack of understanding of what Jesus' message was all about. In frustration, Jesus said, that had they demonstrated even a tiny bit of faith, they could have piled up enough bread to feed thousands, just as He had already done.

Today's "churches" should take this lesson to heart because, just like the Pharisees of Jesus' day, and even His own chosen apostles, we suffer all manner of bad times simply because our lack of understanding and lack of sufficient faith, keeps us from relying totally upon God through Jesus Christ, to fulfill our every need.

He has promised that if we ask in faith, our prayers will ALWAYS be answered. "And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith." (Mark 11:22-23)~

Lesson 1654

(Lesson 1654)(04-20-16) Mark 8:1-9

"In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far. And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven. And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them. So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets. And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away."

Today's quote relates how Jesus again miraculously fed thousands of men with only a few loaves of bread and a few fishes.~

Lesson 1653

(Lesson 1653)(04-19-16) Mark 7:31-37

"And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis. And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him. And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue; And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain. And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it; And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak."

Today's quote relates how Jesus performed yet another miracle as He spread the news of the coming eternal salvation throughout the region. As would be expected, and in spite of what Jesus had instructed them, the people spread the news of His miraculous healing to everyone they met.~

Lesson 1652

(Lesson 1652)(04-18-16) Mark 7:24-30

"And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid. For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet: The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter. But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs. And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs. And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter. And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed."

In today's quote Jesus referred to the gentile woman as a dog before, because of her faith, He miraculously healed her daughter.

We must remember that during the time of Jesus' ministry, He was teaching exclusively to His Jewish brethren. It was considered a sin for the Jews to associate with Gentiles.

Jesus' teachings would, of course, apply to even the Gentiles after He had finished His divine mission, His life, death, burial, resurrection and ascension. That divine sacrifice took away the sins of all who will believe on Him and He appointed the apostle Paul to teach His gospel to the Gentiles.

When the Philippian jailer asked Paul and Silas, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." (Acts 16:30-31 in part.)~

Lesson 1651

(Lesson 1651)(04-17-16) Mark 7:17-23

"And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. And he saith unto them, 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."

Today's lesson is a continuance of yesterday's in that it further explains how it is what comes out of the hearts of mankind that defiles them before God, not those things that are eaten.~

Lesson 1650

(Lesson 1650)(04-16-16) Mark 7:1-16

"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? He answered and said unto them, 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 doctines 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. For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand: There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear."

In today's quote, Jesus made a point about what makes or breaks a true child of God that should be driven home to every soul that makes any pretense of being "Christian". Jesus said, "Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand: There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man."

This lesson should be on the minds of every one of us every minute of every day as we know that there is NOTHING in this world that can MAKE us more sinful in the eyes of God than we already are. The things we eat or drink, or the way we eat or drink can never make us appear more evil in the sight of God, however, vain and misleading words that might come out of our mouths can cause every good thing we do or say to be of no beneficial effect. They will also destroy what little positive image we might project.

Just as was the Hebrew religion of Jesus' time, today, what is commonly referred to as Christianity, is rife with non-scriptural, pompous and ritualistic traditions of mankind, created, not for the forwarding of the gospel of Christ but rather for the hypocritical ego boosting of a sin ravaged and self serving people. Observance of those pointless, and sometimes scripturally contradicting traditions provide excuses for lazy so-called Christians to avoid their true obligation, which is to spread the soul saving gospel of Jesus Christ and to love and care for every human being with which we come into contact.

It would serve the children of God well to abandon all the hype and ritual of what passes as today's Christianity and revert back to the simplicity of what Jesus told His people to do when He gave them the two "great" commandments: "The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:29-31 in part)~

Lesson 1649

(Lesson 1649)(04-15-16) Mark 6:47-56

"And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land. And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them. But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out: For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid. And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered. For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened. And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore. And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him, And ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was. And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole."

Today's lesson relates how Jesus walked on the sea to meet his apostles. It also relates how He continued to perform miracles of healing throughout the land of Gennesaret.~

Lesson 1648

(Lesson 1648)(04-4-16) Mark 6:33-46

"And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him. And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things. And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed: Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat. He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat? He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes. And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass. And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties. And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all. And they did all eat, and were filled. And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes. And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men. And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people."

Today's quote relates the miracle whereby Jesus fed five thousand men with only five loaves of bread and two fishes. There were twelve baskets of food left over.

If our faith is strong enough, God has promised that we can do the same today. "Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." (Matthew 21:21-22)

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8)~

Lesson 1647

(Lesson 1647)(04-13-16) Mark 6:14-32

"And king Herod heard of him; (for his name was spread abroad:) and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him. Others said, That it is Elias. And others said, That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets. But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead. For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her. For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife. Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not: For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly. And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee; And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee. And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom. And she went forth, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist. And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist. And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath's sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her. And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison, And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave it to her mother. And when his disciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb. And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. And they departed into a desert place by ship privately."

Today's quote relates how king Herod, after having had John the Baptist beheaded because of a promise to Salome, his wife's daughter, was so guilt-ridden for what he had done that he believed Jesus was John the Baptist risen from the dead.~

Lesson 1646

(Lesson 1646)(04-12-16) Mark 6:7-13

"And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits; And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse: But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats. And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city. And they went out, and preached that men should repent. And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them."

This quote relates that Jesus sent out His apostles to teach their fellow Jews about the coming of the Messiah. They were instructed to take nothing with them other than the message Jesus had given them and their faith in God.

Today there are many, so-called, Christians who insist that the children of God are to continually browbeat the lost with the gospel of Christ, whether or not they want to hear it. That approach is very clearly rejected in the instructions Jesus gave to His apostles in today's lesson; "And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.""

This instruction clearly tells us that we are to preach ONLY to those who choose to listen. We are to leave those who reject God's saving grace to the horrible wrath of that very same God.~

Lesson 1645

(Lesson 1645)(04-011-16) Mark 6:1-6

"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. And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching."

As today's quote relates, Jesus was not respected by those with whom He had been raised. Although they witnessed the miracles He performed, they still would not believe He was the Messiah, the Son of God.

This lesson demonstrates how hard it was during those days for even Jesus to convince people of His saving power. It also gives reason as to why it is even more difficult today to steer a lost soul to Christ. Even so, we should continually do everything in our power to spread the good news of eternal salvation to every lost soul we might influence and through the power of the Holy Spirit and the amazing grace of God, I believe we can win many more than we lose.~

Lesson 1644

(Lesson 1644)(04-010-16) Mark 5:21-43

"And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea. And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet, And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live. And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him. And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague. While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment. And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat."

Today's quote relates how the woman was healed of the blood issue simply by touching the hem of Jesus robe. The lesson also relates how Jesus, for the first time, raised someone from the dead.~

Lesson 1643

(Lesson 1643)(04-08-16) Mark 5:1-20

" And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea. And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done. And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine. And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts. And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him. Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel."

Today's quote relates how Jesus performed more miracles as He removed the demons from the man of the tombs, after which the freed man was left in his home land to spread the good news of the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.~

Lesson 1642

(Lesson 1642)(04-07-16) Mark 4:34-41

"But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples. And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"

Today's quote relates how Jesus held power even over the wind and the sea. It also demonstrated the weakness of faith among those who were closest to Him during His ministry. They, who had witnessed the many miracles He performed, yet still were reluctant to depend upon His ability to conquer all things.

Considering those we ask to put their faith in our Lord Jesus Christ today, how much more difficult must it be for them to believe without having witnessed the awesome power of Jesus Christ first hand.

We have a daunting task as we attempt to plant the seeds of eternal salvation among the lost, yet we should be relentless in our efforts, knowing that we too can demonstrate the awesome power of God through the Holy Spirit that dwells in those of us who believe.~

Lesson 1641

(Lesson 1641)(04-06-16) Mark 4:13-33

"And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables? The sower soweth the word. And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended. And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred. And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick? For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath. And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come. And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth: But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it. And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it."

The first ten verses of today's quote were meant to be a part of yesterday's lesson, since they simply further explain the parable of the "sower" as Jesus presented it to His apostles.

The latter part of this text explains the mystery of faith and how those who believe in Him will be continually blessed with heavenly rewards. Jesus said, "Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. For he that hath, to him shall be given:" The words "to hear", as they are applied in this quote, means to understand what has been taught and to have faith in the messenger that what He has said is truth beyond all doubt.

Jesus went further to say, "he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath." This means that to those who don't believe and have no faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ, not only will they not prosper, but rather, what they have earned on their own will be required of them in the end.

In simpler terms, this means that we will be rewarded for our faith and our efforts in the application of that faith toward the purpose of our Lord Jesus Christ. And, if we have no such faith, we can expect to lose all that we have, even our very souls.~

Lesson 1640

(Lesson 1640)(04-05-16) Mark 4:1-12

"And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land. And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow: And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred. And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them."

In today's quote, Jesus presented the parable of the sower wherein He explained how His church would come to grow and expand.

When Jesus was again alone with His apostles, they asked what the parable had meant. In explaining it, Jesus said, "Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them."

That explanation was necessary because it was not possible for anyone other than the apostles to understand what the full gospel of Christianity would be until such a time as Jesus had died, been buried, and had again arisen to fulfill His divine soul redeeming mission. The apostles were given to understand only because Jesus would teach them what was going to happen through the ministry of His gospel before He ascended back to the Father in heaven.

It behooves every child of God to remember that there was no such thing as salvation by grace through faith, as we know it today, until Jesus had died, been buried, and had taken the sins of the world to the grave with Him, leaving them there for those of us whom have placed our faith in Him. ~

Lesson 1639

(Lesson 1639)(04-03-16) Mark 3:31-35

"There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him. And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren? And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother."

Today's lesson makes it vividly clear that the family of those of us who believe in Jesus Christ, (The true church), should be much more important to us than even our flesh and blood families.

We must be willing to forsake even mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters in order to serve the Lord.~

Lesson 1639

(Lesson 1639)(04-03-16) Mark 3:20-30

"And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself. And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils. And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan? And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end. No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house. Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation: Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit."

In today's quote, the *scribes accused Jesus of being an agent of Satan and using Satan's power to cast out devils. Jesus quickly explained that Satan himself could not be his own enemy. Jesus said, "if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand". He then demonstrated by parable that in order to cast out Satan He must have overcome the power of Satan with the almighty power of God.~

*The Jewish scribes mentioned in today's quote were men who could transcribe Torah (Old Testament) scrolls, tefillin and mezuzot, and other religious writings. They were very important to the Jewish fundamentals of religion because they were responsible for keeping the religious writings pure to their original intent.

Lesson 1638

(Lesson 1638)(04-02-16) Mark 3:13-19

"And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him. And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils: And Simon he surnamed Peter; And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder: And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanite, And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him: and they went into an house."

In today's quote, Jesus, for the first accounted time, assembled all twelve of His chosen apostles in order to teach them the new gospel of salvation by grace through faith, the message they would be sent out to preach. Jesus gave them all power to heal and to cast out devils.

A thorough study of the New Testament reveals that every soul who accepts Jesus Christ as redeemer and savior, inherits that same power. "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:12-13) ~

Lesson 1637

(Lesson 1637)(04-01-16) Mark 3:7-12

"But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea: and a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judaea, And from Jerusalem, and from Idumaea, and from beyond Jordan; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him. And he spake to his disciples, that a small ship should wait on him because of the multitude, lest they should throng him. For he had healed many; insomuch that they pressed upon him for to touch him, as many as had plagues. And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. And he straitly charged them that they should not make him known."

Today's quote tells of how thousands from all over the region gathered around to follow Jesus as He worked many miracles and healed the sick.~