Knowledge and Understanding

Happy is the man who finds wisdom; and the man who gains understanding. Get wisdom; and get understanding. In reading and studying the Word; we get to know and understand the Father's GRACE. Our Lord desires for us to know Him and He wants to know us.

Thus says the Lord:
That I am the Lord, exercising loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
For in these I delight,” says the Lord.

Wednesday, 31 May 2017

Who Do You Say I Am (Mark 8)

Mark 8 : 1 - 21

Our Lord has compassion for the crowds and feeds the crowd.
What surprised me in this passage is that the disciples had already forgotten that He had fed 5000. Jesus patiently tells them to bring to Him what they have in their hands and He multiplies it.
Our Lord reprimands them toward the end of this portion of scripture for now they were worried that they had nothing to eat.
Our Lord is provider; He is kindness itself but we need to learn to trust.
Sometimes we cannot see His blessing as clearly as He does or perceive but we know compassion moves Him to provide for our needs. Let us not lose heart for no matter what when we trust and not lose heart we see the goodness of our Lord in our lives and in the life of those around us.

Mark 8: 22 - 26

Our Lord heals a blind man.

Mark 8: 27 - 30

Peter confesses that our Lord is the Messiah.
Who is He to you personally? Who do you say He is when you talk about Him.
The faith journey starts with uncertainty; I remember being excited at the beginning but afraid as well because the relationship was new. I remember experiencing the love and comfort of a Father when life throws me curve ball. I remember the friend when I was at the loneliest moments of my life.
Who is He to you fellow Christ-Follower?

Mark 8 : 31 - 33

Our Lord predicts his death and resurrection.
Peter in his passionate nature rebukes Him. His response sounds rather harsh does it not?
When we engaged in Timothy we learnt that we are to be about our Father’s plan; our Lord could see that Peter was missing the plan and concerning himself with things that were beyond his control. Trust the Father and let Him workout our faith.
  
Mark 8: 34 - 38

Take Up the Cross and Follow Him

34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”



Tuesday, 30 May 2017

Know Him Know You

Today I am sharing with you a worship song that blesses me. We will go back to finish the gospel by Mark. I apologise but the main reason we have this blog is to know our Lord as He is revealed in His Word and to also know who we are in Him."Made New" You're calling me overYou're pulling me closeWith love You surround meYou give me hope You're taking me deeperYou're making me wholeWith grace You redeem meYou restore my soul Now I'm made newBecause of You You hold my head upYou remind me who I amYou hold my head upI'm alive in You againI'm made new You're making me strongerYou're healing my heartWith Your hands You hold meAnd You set me apart You are my salvationI will not fearYou're the strength of my lifeI won't fearxx


Monday, 29 May 2017

Challenge Tradition (Mark 7)

Mark 7: 1 - 23

Our Lord challenges traditions.

We are born into societies with traditions upheld for so long that they become
the norm. The gospel is different and challenges those traditions.
Traditions and the old beliefs seem to be in the same class or category.
We cannot serve two masters and we cannot bear fruit if we dont follow our Lords
way.
When we teach another standard that is not in the Bible we make it difficult for
other people to join in this adventure becoming like our Lord.
I think it would be good if we were to search ourselves and find what have we
made the norm for a Christ FOllower that is not in the Bible. I truly believe in
studying the life of our Lord we can learn to be the kind of followers He wanted us
to be. Our Lord is our only example and we should emulate Him.


Mark 24 - 29

Our Lord heals a gentile woman's child.
Who have we deemed not worthy of the gospel. Who are our gentiles.
Who are those people we have deemed unworthy of our time and the truth we carry.
The woman pushed in this story and I think we are to be that woman too and push to
bring the gospel where its not accepted or well received, Yes we send out missionaries
to foreign lands and languages.
We too have a mission field in backyards; workplaces; supermarkest; bottlestores; what I am
trying to say is that every sphere of the communities we live in is our mission field.
Our Lord says to the woman that because of what she said her reply her child has been healed.
Imagine fellow Christ Follower if someone you pushed to share the gospel with turns and says
to you; because of the faithfulness  you have shown me I am now willing to listen and find out
for myself who this Jesus is.

Mark 30 - 37

Our Lord heals a deaf man.

Friday, 26 May 2017

Ordinary to Extraordinary (Mark 6)

Mark 6 : 1 - 6

And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man get these things?
And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands!
Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon?
And are not His sisters here with us?” So they were offended at Him.

Our Lords life and ministry proved who He was. But because of who they thought He was only; they were offended by
Him and rejected Him. They missed out on an extraordinary experience being with God.
Our case is different for we know Him as Lord but perhaps we miss out to experience Him when the source is not how
we think He would do it or who He would choose to do it.
Let us never box our Lord and miss out He turns the ordinary to extraordinary.

Mark 6 : 7 - 12

The twelve are sent out to do the same works; heal the sick and cast out demons.
Our Lord transfers His power to those chosen by Him to do the same works He did by His Spirit.
We also have the same privilege to bring HOPE to all with the news of His gospel. We also have the
same authority to bring healing and freedom in His name.

Mark 6 : 13 - 29

The account of John's beheading.
The purpose of this study of Mark is glorify our Lord as God; remind ourselves of His authority and power.
That through Him and His Word we too can be used for His Kingdom.
This portion reminds us that the road will not always be easy. Suffering and death may be part of our journey.
Our Saviour endured suffering and death on behalf and so as we celebrate Him we should forget that.

Mark 6 : 30 - 44

The feeding of five thousand.
Once again ordinary to extraordinary.
Our pastor preached on this not so long ago. What will you offer Him, that maybe you regard as of no value.
But our Lord will take that and do extraordinary things.
Let us never underestimate any gift or talent given to our Lord.

Mark 6 : 45 - 52

Our Lord walks on water during a storm.
Remember in the beginning of Mark our Lord says He does these things that we may believe that He is God.
This account asks the question when will you trust me?
Trust that I am God; I am Lord of all; I am with you and on your side?

Mark 6 : 53 - 56

Our Lord continues to touch and heal many.


Thursday, 25 May 2017

Lord of all HOPE (Mark 5)

Mark 5 : 1 - 20

Our Lord heals a man possessed by demons that no one had hope for.
In the study we are doing as a family the authority and clarity that Jesus
is the Lord and has power over all is the main theme.
Once again our Lord proves that He has power over all.
He says at the go back home and tell them how good the Lord has been to you
and how merciful He has been to you.
Let us not hide but tell of the Lords goodness to us; celebrate the mercy He shows us.

Mark 5 : 21 - 40

A woman is healed from a life long illness but she had hope having seen how our Lord can
heal. "Your faith has healed you."
A father desperate seeks the Lords help with his daughter on her death bed.

Hope is what our Lord brings to our lives when we face impossible situations.
When it seems not possible He makes it possible.
But we have to believe and trust.
Faith in Him; faith that He is the Lord and He is able.

As I finish off today I am challenged.
Am I celebrating His goodness and mercy towards me.
Do those I know and those around me know how good He has been to us the HOPE he has brought in
our lives. His presence in our lives changes everything.
If we are the light not hidden we talked about yesterday then how He has been good to us
has to be told.


Wednesday, 24 May 2017

The ground and seed (Mark 4)

Mark 4 : 1 - 20

14 The sower sows the word.

15 And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear,
Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.

16 These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
17 and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution
arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble.

18 Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word,
19 and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word,
and it becomes unfruitful.

20 But these are the ones sown on good ground,
those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

When I was considering this portion of scripture I realised I have been all of those people in my life.
I still continue at times even now I believe I am grown. My prayer for me and all of us who have chosen
to follow Christ that we would good ground more than any other ground.
Life is tough but we are all called to be sowers of the Word and to do that  we need ourselves to be good ground.

Mark 4 : 20 - 25

What caught my attention the most in this portion of scripture is
"Pay attention to what you hear for the measure you practice will be added unto you"
The Word illuminates many things to us when we get to know our Lord through His Word.
The light that has been revealed to us we are asked to share it (practice) it. The gospel is the foundation light we
have lets never let it be hidden.

Mark 4 : 26 - 32

Plant or throw the seed of the gospel wherever possible.
The greatest and most extraordinary thing about the Kingdom is that the seeds growth will never be dependent on you.
But the Father sees all and develops and grows all.
Just throw or plant and relax for He is waiting and watching.

Mark 4 :  33 - 35

He is Lord of all.


Tuesday, 23 May 2017

Lord over all (Mark 3)

Our Lord continues to reveal He is Lord over all.

Mark 3 : 1 - 6

He responds to a need and is questioned.
Our Lord is good and His goodness triumphs over all.
He frees us from rules and reminds us common sense and a practical
application of faith will always be above all rules and regulations.

Mark 3 : 7 - 12

Our Lord has power over sickness and darkness.
Because we belong to Him and He has authority over us;
we too have authority sickness and darkness through Him.

Mark 3 : 13 - 19

The call of the disciples, ordinary man transformed to do the
extraordinary and be part of the history of the gospel.

Mark 3 : 20 - 28

Because He cast out demons they begin to question if His power
came from the devil. In the previous chapter they praised Him and glorified the Father.
A house divided cannot stand Jesus says.

We cannot be divided in our faith; we cannot serve 2 masters.
This is often used when talking about money but as I was reading this portion
our own selves came to mind. Which master determines the steps of your life.

Monday, 22 May 2017

Son of God Son of Man (Mark 2)

Mark 2 : 1 - 12

In this passage Jesus heals a paralytic and He says to the man that his sins are forgiven. This of course causes the religious leaders to mumer amongst themselves.

But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

Our Lord revealing who He is that He has the authority not only to heal but to forgive sins making Him equal to the Father. I imagine that those who were with the Lord all His life on earth would have thought He was a good boy grew to be a good man. But He reveals in this passage that He is God as only He to whom we sin against has the authority to forgive those sins.


Mark 2 : 13 - 17

Our Lord chose those the religious leaders of the time disqualified.  He goes on to say that He came for the disqualified.
Not many of us are church leaders but in our lives who have we written off as not qualified for the gospel.

And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, “How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?”
When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”


This Sunday my pastor challenged me when he said we all should have people in our lives who dont know the Lord that we are talking to or discipling to be Christ-Followers. Except for family all my friends I met in church. Our Lord's life was missional so ours should be too.

Mark 2 : 18 - 28

We should never depend or regard certain actions or rules as the qualifier of our faith. The Lord in this portion is showing the religious leaders a new way. Fasting is not the qualifier but belonging and obeying Him is. He did not say we should not but when the time is right for it we will.

The next portion is similar but addresses the sabbath.

Our Lord continues to reveal that He is the Lord. Remember the commandment
Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you.

Then Jesus says
“The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”



Wednesday, 17 May 2017

Servanthood (Mark 1)

Hi

As a family we are doing a study through the gospel by Mark. I thought we would do our own study and glean lessons from this gospel.
It is the shortest gospel and rather fast paced, It is believed by scholars to be written to non-jewish believers. Our Lord  is revealed as a servant to the community, caring and meeting their needs. His authority is also established from the onset. I chose the title the Servanthood for the gospels are a revelation of our Lord coming to serve us and save us.

Mark 1:1-8

We are reminded of the foretelling by Isaiah thousands of years before that our Lord would be heralded by a messenger John.

“Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
Who will prepare Your way before You.”
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
Make His paths straight.’ ”



The beginning of the gospel the good news is by a fulfilment of a prophecy. I find great pleasure and fulfillment in prophecy fulfilled in our Lord and by our Lords life.  The timelessness of our Lord gives me a sense of security. My beginning and my end are in His hands. The inbetween is often not as good as we would like it to be but He was there and He will be there.

Mark 1: 9-13

Mark highlights the baptism of our Lord. Our Father affirmed our Lord as His own beloved.

Then a voice came from heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

As I read this I was reminded that now that we belong to Christ our Father sees us through the same light. The ones You have given me belong to You.

Our Father gave us as a gift to His beloved Son and His beloved Son through His sacrifice gives us back to the Father as a gift.


Mark 1:14 - 20

The calling of the disciples is recorded.

Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”

We too Christ-Followers are called to be fishers of men. We are called to use our life experiences; our careers; what we have;  gifts and talents; even our personality and passions to draw many to Him, fish many for His kingdom.

Mark 1: 21 - 45

This whole section records our Lord teaching in authority; healing the sick and delivering those with unclean Spirits.

Jesus is Lord and has authority over sin and darkness.
Jesus is Lord and has the authority to change and challenge  tradition and glorify our Father.
Jesus is Lord and seeks to enlighten and build mankind.

We as Christ-Followers through our Lord have authority over sin and darkness.
We as Christ-Followers through our Lord have authority to change and challenge  tradition and glorify our Father.
We as Christ-Followers through our Lord have authority to seeks to enlighten and build mankind.


Sunday, 7 May 2017

Engage 11 (2 Timothy)

2 Timothy 3: 1 - 9

Falsehood can be in the church too; Paul warns us.
We are asked to vigilant and protect the vulnerable as they can be easily led into false faith.
We are warned there are those who will come into the church just to start arguments and fights; just to be contrary and resist the gospel.

2 Timothy 3: 10 - 17

We are once again reminded that this journey will not be easy; there will be hardships and suffering.
We are also reminded that imposters and false teachers will mushroom all around us.

We are also equipped on how to conquer all of the above.

  • By always following the gospel teachings.
  • By always following the gospel conduct and purpose
  • By always acting and living in faith; and enduring in love.
Our Father promises us that when we live in faith He will rescue us.

2 Timothy 4: 1 - 5

I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

We are to fulfill what the Father has called us to do.
All scripture is inspired by the Father; it is for the good of those who believe and those who do not.
Therefore fellow Christ-Follower learn; know and meditate on the Word but do not end there; teach and proclaim the gospel;
persist against imposters and persist in suffering.








Engage 10 (2 Timothy)

2 Timothy 2 : 1 - 13

Our Lord's grace is sufficient for all our needs.
Paul reminds Timothy (therefore us) to find strength to face the challenges of our generation in the abundant gift of grace towards.
Our Father's grace towards us is our unwavering pillar of strength.
Our journey on this earth ergo our journey as Christ-Followers is hardly a smooth one; and in this portion of scripture we are reminded that  hard-work and endurance bears fruit for our Father's name.

2 Timothy 2 : 14 - 26

In this portion of scripture we are reminded of characteristics of a Christ-Follower; a servant of the Father; a gospel-carrier.

  • Does not argue or fight  over opinions
  • Is not ashamed of the gospel.
  • Is a teacher of the gospel and true to the gospel 
  • Does not engage in empty speeches 
  • Knows all gifts from the Father have purpose and place 
  • Calls upon the Lord with a pure heart; is not self serving
  • Endeavors to be gentle and kind in teaching
Who does these characteristics point you too?

Wednesday, 3 May 2017

Engage 9 (2 Timothy)

2 Timothy 1:1-18

Paul reminds Timothy to always keep ablaze the gift given to him by the Father.
What is your gift fellow Christ-Follower ? What have you done to keep it ablaze (functioning in it and developing it).
Do not  let it die keep ablaze and be diligent in tending to it.

We are never to be ashamed of the gospel. Paul makes this statement regarding his imprisonment, he wears the chains in glory to God.
The journey at times does not look victorious if we look with human eyes with no understanding. BUT we know we have been called according to the Father's purposes and plans. Therefore no matter the circumstance we find ourselves we should celebrate and rejoice for He who instructs and guides us is always in control. No challenge or suffering does He ignore.
Appearances are deceiving did not the devil think he had triumphed over our Lord in death? Death could not hold Him; He is victorious.
We are to keep the faith and hold our heads high as we endure in the name of our Lord.

Always remember the Spirit our Father has  given us knows no fear; it is a Spirit of LOVE (even LOVE for our enemies); and it is a Spirit of sound judgement.
Remember we started to engage to enable our selves to be vigilant that we may not hold dear false or contrary "gospels".
When one of our leaders start to err we are called to keep true to the call of LOVE. It is not our place to judge and condemn but to pray and seek the Father to bring them back to the truth of the gospel.

Exercise your gift; never be ashamed of the gospel;
Always remember the Power at work within you;
Be vigilant and stay true to the gospel knowing your Father takes care of you and what He has entrusted you with.