Category Archives: Gospel of Mark

2022, Gospel of Mark, Praying with my Sisters and Brothers in Holy Faith, Questions

A 180 Please

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Did you read Mark 7?

Did you see the Pharisees? 
Did you notice what concerned them? Ceremonial washing of hands. Did you get the idea that just anything, anything would do to accuse YESHUA and His followers? I think things have not changed. 

The LORD also addressed defilement with his Disciples. He made it clear it is not what we take into the stomach that defiles us. It is what our heart erupts into actions. Did you read the list of things that make a person unclean? 

21 For from within, out of a person’s heart, come forth wicked thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 greed, malice, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, arrogance, foolishness…. 23 All these wicked things come from within, and they make a person unclean.” source 

Another Scripture comes to mind that I am grateful to pair with this.

1 Corinthians 6:11  King James Version  11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.  

Do you see why?

Also in this Chapter, a woman of Greek descent – not a Jew — came to Him to heal her daughter. More specifically to drive out a demon. 
He tested her faith so she could see what she was made of. She passed! 
Her daughter was made whole.One more verse before I close. It’s so important.
A verse we need to more than commit to memory, a verse that we lean on to guard us daily.

37 People were overcome with amazement. “Everything he does, he does well!” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak!” 
source

See it? 

EVERYTHING He does. EVERYTHING.
He does ALL things well! 
He makes NO mistakes with YOU.  Or me. 

Father GOD, Thank You for Mark 7. Thank You for every WORD You breathed for us.  YOU do ALL things well. I am grateful. I am also grateful 1 Corinthians 6:11 is true; a true experience for me personally, and for every other man, woman, or child who has received Your Salvation.  If there are Readers here that have yet to receive Your gift of deliverance, it is my desire that You in mercy and grace will draw them to Yourself and enable them to trust You. Others who come here no doubt have needs of comfort, healing, strength, even confidence that You are willing to care for them; wisdom and discernment to resolve issues, relationships, just navigating this life in general. I know You are willing, please enable us to receive Your provisions for all our needs. Of all things here that are important, Father, I pray people will do a 180; that they will turn from sin TO YOU for forgiveness and deliverance from all evil. 
2022, Gospel of Mark, Praying with my Sisters and Brothers in Holy Faith, Questions

Five O’clock

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LORD willing I will be reading Mark 7 today.
Will you?
What’s your Go-To, Most Often Read Translation? 

As my regular readers have likely deduced I write and the next day the post goes live. 
Today, however, I have been wordier than usual, meaning I have already posted twice today (actually that is 3 times if you count KWT’s Back Page Musings) and now I have nothing for tomorrow, actually meaning today. :) 
Unless this that I am keying right now turns into something worth taking live. 

It’s nearly Five O’clock, Monday afternoon here in LA. 
(for those that may not know that’s Lower Alabama :) )
The rays of the sun have dropped from view; the house is quiet. Lunch was late so dinner is at the not hungry place. 
Technology has been good to me today. Phone calls and/or Text chats with daughters and friends. An encouraging message from a Teacher I catch from time to time. Articles I’ve read that told me what I needed to know even if I didn’t want to know.
And that lunch I spoke of – was broccoli cheese soup. It tasted good but the texture was off. Next time I’ll do better.
Texture matters. 

There should be a message in that I suppose but this evening, there isn’t. 

So let me end this silliness and pray for us.

Father GOD, thank You. Thank You for the gift of humor, written or face to face. As Mark 7 is read today, I ask You to enlighten us; change us as You will. You know I am not privy to who comes to this page but You are and You know their troubles. You know their sorrows. You know their gifts and joys. You know what events, happenings, words, songs, and messages are coming their way today; so I pray that in all these things that they will lean hard on You and experience Your faithfulness. I ask You to supply all their needs according to CHRIST JESUS. As best I know how I speak encouragement, hope, peace, and vision over them. And, Father, especially those with broken hearts, I pray for healing and mending. 

2022, Calendar Reading Notes from The WORD, Gospel of Mark, Questions

Just Keep It Up!

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Mark 5

A well familiar verse with Christians, right? 
I hope I can adequately show you in Mark 5 how well it is demonstrated. 
Mark 5 says of the woman:

27 She had heard about Yeshua, so she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his robe; 
28 for she said, “If I touch even his clothes, I will be healed.”
29 Instantly the hemorrhaging stopped, and she felt in her body that she had been healed from the disease.  source

Do you see the progression? 
She HEARD about Yeshua and she BELIEVED what she heard. That’s FAITH.
But that was not enough for her — it should not be for us either.
She ACTED on what she heard; she acted on her faith. That’s TRUST. 
She got out of the house (which I have been told was forbidden for her to do – she was considered unclean).
She got out of the house anyway and went looking for JESUS because she heard He was nearby. 
When we hear JESUS nearby, we need to seek Him out immediately! 

Jarius was the same. Look with me.
22 There came to him a synagogue official, Ya’ir [Jarius] by name, who fell at his feet
23 and pleaded desperately with him, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Please! Come and lay your hands on her, so that she will get well and live!”  source 
The man had heard, the man believed and because of his belief, he came looking for JESUS. 
And The LORD rewarded him!
If you go to Verse 35 you will see the word is brought to Jarius that his daughter is dead and he is ‘counseled’ to stop bothering JESUS with it — she’s dead. 
What does JESUS say to Jarius?
36 Ignoring what they had said, Yeshua told the synagogue official, “Don’t be afraid, just keep trusting.” source 

Just keep on TRUSTING!
And he did! 
If you read more you will find the unbelievers were not allowed to see JESUS raise the daughter from the dead. 
Their unbelief caused them to be shut out of the room.
I don’t want that ever! Do you? 

Father, there is a lot I have left unwritten; more parallels I see and could draw but I think I shall not for now. I am asking You, Holy Spirit, to bring Your Word alive for my Readers. Turn the LIGHT of understanding on brightly for them  –  it will mean so much more and give them so much more delight if You point out those parallels – those I see and those I have missed. Thank You for Your WORD – alive, nourishing, and beautiful to us! 
And, Father, I don’t know the requests, the cries, or the needs of my Readers here but You do and so I bring them before Your Throne of Grace and I ask You in the Merits of Your Son, our LORD JESUS to attend each and every one. Amen and amen.
2021, Gospel of Mark, Gospel of Matthew, Questions

He Lived Where?

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Mark 2 

Born in Bethlehem   
Escaped to Egypt     
Raised in Nazareth
Lived in Capernaum

From just this information, are you able to identify the person?

Mark 2:1 After a while, Yeshua returned to K’far-Nachum [Capernaum]. The word spread that he was back, 
2 and so many people gathered around the house that there was no longer any room, not even in front of the door. While he was preaching the message to them, 3 four men came to him carrying a paralyzed man.  source

The word spread He was back.
This is important to me. 
Needy people, sick people, honest-seeking people, curious people, and Pharisee People — they all heard He was back, and immediately they came.  Ponder that for a bit, let it simmer, and taste how delicious it is. 

The GODMAN. He was (and still is) the most loved and the most hated of people of all time. 

Matthew 4:12 When Yeshua heard that Yochanan [John] had been put in prison, he returned to the Galil [Galilee];
13 but he left Natzeret [Nazareth] and came to live in K’far-Nachum [Capernaum], a lake shore town near the boundary between Z’vulun [Zabulon] and Naftali [Nephthalim].  source
[added]

So The LORD had a place in Capernaum. 
We could study The GODMAN endlessly and we would never come to an end of Him.

We have the GOD-given Right to LIVE RIGHT in this WRONG world.