Category Archives: Gospel of Mark

Middle Tense

Have y’all heard that (I guess for lack of better word in this moment) doctrine that says salvation is a three tense process? 

I am saved from the penalty of sin at rebirth
I am being saved from the practice of sin today
I will yet be saved from the presence of sin in heaven

Matthew 6: 32 For the pagans eagerly pursue all these things; yet your Father in heaven knows that you need all these. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.  source

Thirty two is the verse that started this! 

I read this and said to me: pagans EAGERLY pursue food, drink, clothes (oh yes and houses and cars too); what do Christians EAGERLY pursue? 

What do Christians EAGERLY pursue?
Is it not true we need food, drink, clothes (some of us need more fabric in those clothes – but I digress), shelter and transportation? 
For sure we do! So how do we live these verses?
May I suggest we are assured in these verses if we EAGERLY pursue JESUS first while working for food, drink, clothing, shelter, transportation that HE will make sure we have all these things?! 

And then I asked: What is GOD’s Kingdom? Click HERE for a very good answer. 

If I do less than eagerly seek the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness am I not acting like an unbeliever, a pagan even? 

Back to the beginning. 
I’m saved from the penalty of sin. I’m being saved from the practice of sin. I shall yet be saved from the presence of sin. 

And my conclusion is this: There is only one reason why I would not eagerly seek His Kingdom – unbelief.  Am I a practice-er of unbelief? 

Are you like me? Like very grateful?!

I have been saved from the penalty of unbelief.
I am in the process of being saved from the PRACTICE of unbelief.
I will yet be saved from the presence (and consequences) of unbelief

I read it decades ago, I can see the page yet in my mind, I have long-lost the page but this I remember: Blaise Pascal was given the credit for having said (my paraphrase) Any portion of the Bible that I say I believe but I have yet been moved to obey it, I can rest assured I do not truly believe it. 

Mark 9:24 (TLV) 24 Immediately the boy’s father cried out, “I believe! Help my unbelief!” source

Chazaq! 

Watching

Mark 12:41 He sat down opposite the treasury and began watching how the people were putting money into the offering box. Many rich people were putting in a lot.  source

He sat watching. Watching the people. Watching who came. Who went. Watching.

He saw her. 

Mark 12:42 Then a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, worth less than a penny. 43 Calling His disciples over, He said to them, “Amen, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those contributing to the box! 44 For they all put in from their surplus; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything she had, her whole living.” source

He saw her.  And He saw what she gave. He saw the others too. He saw what they didn’t give. He knew.  He knew the abundance. He knew the scarcity. He watched. He knew. He still does. 

Aren’t you glad? 

Chazaq! 

Through the Roof

The Bible is big business. Have you perused a magazine lately  to see just what is being offered? I have a catalog. 68 pages. Yes! 68 pages of Bibles.

Such as: New Study Bibles
Church & Recovery Bibles
Economy & Outreach Bibles
Children’s Bibles
Pew Bibles
Church Bibles
Discipleship & Recovery Bibles
Student & Teen Bibles
Bible Bargains
Parallel & Wide-Margin Bibles
Specialty Bibles & Accessories
Journaling & Note-Taking Bibles

There are more.

My point? Glad you ask. 

Selling Bibles is a lucrative business, I think.  However, I also think it’s not the business GOD was fostering when He had the Manuscript penned. Not that He begrudges the printing, the selling or even the acquiring of a financial profit on the making of Bibles. I really don’t think He minds paying the oxen for a good day’s work. :)

Having said that, let me step on my own toes: if all those Bibles sold were faithfully, consistently read and obeyed, we’d be living in a better culture than this. 

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for restoration, and for training in righteousness, 17 so that the person belonging to God may be capable, fully equipped for every good deed. source 

See what I mean?
So.
Are we going to make the reading, studying and obeying the Bible our business? When we do I dare say our ‘profits’ will go through the roof!

Speaking of through the roof. Here’s a story about through the roof.
Luke 5:17-39 or
Mark 2:1-12

[My Beloved has read his a few times (well, more than a few), from the aforementioned addresses, he immediately recalled the event. ]

Chazaq!