(Lesson 4247)(09-07-23) 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.”

 

    Today’s quote relates the meaning and intent of a Godly marraige between a man and a woman. 

    Jesus explained that marriage between a man and a woman creates a union that literally folds two separate individuals into one, for life. It also explains the penalty for adulterous violation of that union as being a sin against the innocent.~

Lesson 4246

 (Lesson 4246)(09-06-23) Mark 9:43-50

    “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 makes it very clear to those with wavering faith, that NO, either physical or material, obsession will be allowed to stand before ones faith in Jesus. In order to attain justification of ALL sin, and therefore eternal salvation, one must have ABSOLUTE faith in the virgin born life, death, burial, ressurection and ascension of Jesus.

    If a part of one’s faith is in some physical act, such as water baptism, that one has a split faith and CANNOT have absolute faith in the blood of Jesus.~

Lesson 4245

 (Lesson 4245)(09-05-23) Mark 9:33-42

    “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. 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.”

    Today’s quote verifies that we, the children of God, cannot turn our backs on ANYONE who is attempting to do the will of God through Jesus Christ. We are to honor them no matter their social standing or whether or not they might choose to do things differently than us.

    God’s plan for the eternal salvation of mankind through faith in Jesus, was, and is, extented to EVERY human being, no matter their stripes.~

Lesson 4244

 (Lesson 4244)(09-04-23) Mark 9:30-32

    “ 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.”

    In today’s quote, Jesus again told His apostles that He would be turned over to the Jewish hierarchy and killed only to rise again the third day. The apostles didn’t understand what Jesus was talking about but were afraid to ask.

    The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus was necessary to “justify” the sins of all who will put their faith in Him.~

Lesson 4243

 (Lesson 4243)(09-03-23) Mark 9:28-29

    “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 is a bit confusing to me. Therein, Jesus, referring to the evil spirt that He had just removed from a man, supposedly said, “This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.”

     I worship an Omnipotent God. I believe Jesus, being God in the body of a man, did not require “prayer and fasting” to remove that demon. I don’t understand the seeming conflict. I will write it off asuming that the author of the book of Mark misinterpreted the conversation.~

Lesson 4242

 (Lesson 4242)(09-02-23) Mark 9:14-27

    “ 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.”

    In today’s quote, Jesus healed a man with an evil spirit that, for lack of sufficient faith, His apostles were unable to accomplish.

    The lesson therein, is that we who believe with absolute faith can accomplish anything.~

Lesson 4241

 (Lesson 4241)(09-01-23) Mark 9:10-13

    “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 verifed that Elias had already come and the Jews had rejected him.~