Feb 10
-
rsater added a text contribution Not far from the Kingdom?This particular scribe was questioning maybe even testing, Jesus regarding the greatest commandment. Jesus’ answer to his question seemed to satisfy him enough to inspire some commentary by the scrbe. Even more impressive though was the response that Jesus had to his commentary. Jesus almost sounds shocked at his grasp of things. Jesus recognized that this man had answered intelligently and was told that he was not far from the kingdom of God. It almost sounds like a compliment but at a closer… Read more »
Feb 8
-
rsater added a text contribution To Him be the gloryPaul just finished describing a deep mystery regarding the sovereign plan of salvation to the gentiles in light of Israel rejecting the gospel, and in time because of jealousy, Israel receiving their messiah, Christ Jesus. In the midst of a possibly hard thing to understand (even Peter acknowledged that some of Paul’s teaching were difficult) I like the way he closes it out. “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory. Amen!” This seems to be a proper way to resp… Read more »
-
rsater added a text contribution ....Out of seasonI’ve heard it said that Jesus was trying to teach his disciples a lesson about bearing fruit even out of season. In light of this it stands to reason that Paul would encourage Timothy and all those who strive to live as disciples of Christ to be ready to preach the gospel in season and out of season. Read more »
-
rsater added a text contribution Character changeJoseph does not boast in his gift here. I think it’s encouraging that Joseph recognizes this gift as being from God and not him. As his position as a prisoner he could have boasted in himself in hopes of promotion but he stayed humble and gave God credit. This is a change is his past character when he boasted to his brothers about his dreams of greatness. The trials in his life built humility and character. We have nothing to boast in but our weaknesses. Read more »
Feb 7
-
rsater added a text contribution Beautiful FeetWe are called to preach the gospel and make disciples. This is our purpose and this is what we should live and die for. Lord fill me with passion to seek you out for the sake of others. Use me as a conduit to display your voice, your actions, your emotions. Read more »
-
rsater added a text contribution Follow Paul as he follows ChristThis statement is amazing. Paul went to extra measures to make sure we knew he was telling the truth regarding this irrational mentality. I cannot relate to Paul here. I want people to be born again and have a revelation of Christ but I don’t want to be accursed for that to happen. This is what Paul said he would do, be accursed, loose his eternal position for the sake of Israel to have Christ revealed to them. This was not Paul but Christ living through him. Jesus actually was accursed and reje… Read more »
-
rsater added a text contribution Rest in His commitment not yours.This builds confidence. As much as I can develop a devotional life that helps my commitment to Christ, I must always and only pull strength from Christ’s commitment to me. He is fully committed. Read more »
-
rsater added a text contribution The big picture IIThe idea of not knowing how to pray seems like a random thought in the context of everything else. I can completely relate though. Prayer is difficult. God sees the big picture and we can’t; this why we need faith and also strength to pray according to the big picture. Read more »
-
rsater added a text contribution Bad news or good news first?The bad news is , suffering is the threshold to glory. There is no other way to glory. We must suffer. Peter encouraged us that since Christ suffered in the flesh we should arm ourselves with this same mindset. This sounds horrible but from an eternal perspective we are fueled with grace when we not just accept this but joyfully embrace it because of the outcome. These sufferings are not even worthy to be compared to the glory that is going to be revealed to us. That’s the good news. Read more »
-
rsater added a text contribution Led by the Spirit of GodThe concept of living by the Spirit is simple but it is not easy. It’s not some spooky, ethereal manifestation but simple acts of obedience that require a death to the deeds that don’t glorify God. By this we know we are sons of God. This is freedom not slavery. Read more »
-
rsater added a text contribution Christ in usThe reality of this is amazing. The power of God resides in us. We have so much strength and grace poured out in us. As we die, Christ brings life, even to these temporary mortal bodies on earth. God truly desires to live through His people so that all those around us can see Him. He wants the Word to continue to become flesh in our lives as it did in Jesus. Read more »
-
rsater added a text contribution Internal battleI love Paul’s honesty here and how he uses it to reveal deep truths concerning our battle as disciples and our position with God despite this intense internal battle. Read more »
-
rsater added a text contribution Eternal FaithfullnessThis analogy that Paul uses helps create a more clear picture of what Christ has done. We have died to the law, our old spouse and have remarried to a new spouse. This new spouse being Christ has a made a covenant to himself through us. If God rejected us because of our disobedience to the law and Christ fulfills it, then God has bound Himself to us for eternity because He bound Himself to us through Christ who has never disobeyed Him. God can therefore only separate from us according to His own… Read more »
-
rsater added a text contribution EncouragmentThese words seem to be words of wisdom meant to encourage Job, and us. God disciplines those who he loves and it bears righteous fruit. This is easier said than lived. I believe I can grow and even learn to rejoice in hard times. Read more »
-
rsater added a text contribution "For my name sakes and the gospel"This is the second time in the past couple of chapters Jesus used the phrase “For my name sake and the gospels sake”. In the context of living a radically obedient life we must look at our commitment to Christ as directly linked to preaching the gospel. We are in a war (spiritually) and there is fighting going on both internally and externally. I can’t focus in only on the internal fight and neglect the external. Likewise avoiding the internal for the sake of the external can lead to the same de… Read more »
-
rsater added a text contribution The big pictureRight before Jesus asks this man to possibly do the most difficult and painful thing in his life, Mark writes that Jesus looked at him and felt love for him. Could this be the proper context for such a difficult command. Even the most difficult and sacrificial acts of Spirit led obedience are asked to be done from a heart of love. Jesus himself was faced with temptation and can identify with the immense struggle to release things in our life we can see that are hindering us from a constant fello… Read more »
-
rsater added a text contribution Eternal RewardsGod’s reward system is amazing. Even the slightest act of obedience has eternal consequences. Once again, I pray for an eternal perspective on life. Help me to see this time on earth for what it is., a vapor , a small amount of time that I can serve God from a place of trust and faith… A place where so many temporary and unfulfilling purposes are offered to us but only one purpose is worth my time…worth my life. Lord your ways are amazing, you have filled us with such purpose. Read more »
-
rsater added a text contribution We were meant to be greatI think it’s interesting that Jesus did not rebuke the disciples for desiring greatness. He actually gave them a pathway to it. We were made in the image of a great God and this desire I believe is inbedded in us. I can’t repent of this desire (yes I desire greatness) I can only seek to access it according to the way Jesus prescribes and repent of any other path beyond this. Read more »
-
The disciples apparently tried to deliver this boy. Jesus was frustrated because they could not do it but makes it clear that this “kind” only comes out thru prayer….a consistent relationship with the Father. Jesus connects their inability to deliver this boy with their unbelief…. their lack of faith. Jesus teaches a parable in Luke regarding prayer as consistently crying out to God and asks if in this context, will he find faith on the earth, when he returns? Prayer (consistent connection with… Read more »
-
rsater added a text contribution Jesus AloneThe phrase “…Jesus alone” speaks volumes. Christ alone is what I should center my life around. Christ is who I am building a relationship with. There are hundreds and hundreds of denominations and religious sects that base their worldview from their interpretation of the bible, or part of it. “….Jesus alone” can seem oversimplified but still remains the safest way to process “truth” He has promised to lead us into all truth. I believe He can reveal himself through life circumstances, people, nat… Read more »
-
rsater added a text contribution Self PreservationPeter and the rest of the disciples had a paradigm about the messiah that was very political. They thought He would save them from the Roman empire and make them a free state…free to worship their God in a temple undefiled by the pagan amendments made to it by wicked rulers. This seemed noble and the Jews were zealous with expectation for their coming messiah. Why was Jesus so hard to see? He declares that His kingdom was not of this world and his death….his everyday obedience unto death was the… Read more »
-
rsater added a text contribution Walking toward deathIt’s amazing to me how Jesus was constantly trying to keep these miracles unnoticed by the public. You would think that He would want anyone and everyone to be drawn to Him because of this. He had great power and influence but never used it to take glory from his Father to appease his flesh. He was dying daily to the little things, taking one step closer to his final destination on this earth….the cross. Lord I thank you for your humility that you have filled me with. I pray that your death woul… Read more »
-
rsater added a text contribution Freedom of the heartJewish culture had developed a lot rules for foods they could and could not eat. These foods originated from levitical law but had morphed into an external act that gave people a false impression that they were still pure if they followed these dietary laws. Jesus cuts to the core and declares that following the letter of the law does not cleanse you. This teaching seems similar to his teaching on adultery and anger. Some people say that Jesus made it more difficult for people by saying that it… Read more »
Feb 4
-
rsater added a text contribution We are slavesPaul says that we are not to present our members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness. We are no longer slaves of sin but free and alive in Christ. Jesus said that those who sin are a slave to sin. We were created to be enslaved. I know what it’s like to be enslaved to sin. I know the strong impulsive pull that seems to take control of my heart and begs me to obey its request. I have known this all to well and according to Jesus I was a slave to sin. I acted out and was in bondage. The same… Read more »
-
rsater added a text contribution It is finishedGod has crucified our old self already. It is already finished for those who believe in Christ. God asks us to consider ourselves dead to sin and alive in Christ. He has defeated sin already and his death leads me to death and his resurrection to my ressurection in him. Christ did not die so I did not have to, but he did so that I could also join him in this. Lord continue to strengthen me in the reality of your finished work. Read more »