King
James Bible Daily Devotion – Learning
Scripture One Day At A Time
Date: Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Chapters: Mark 3-4 http://imfollowingjesus.com/Bible-Reading-287.html
Message Title: Where Is Your Faith?
Hello My Friend,
When God went to Abraham and told him that He was going to make him a nation so large that they would be as the stars in the sky he probably had no idea the impact it would have on the entire world. Abraham did not have a Bible to read everything he did was by faith, trusting God as He guided him. Did he mess up? Of course, but he sought forgiveness, believing in the promises that God had awaiting him. Abraham died having not witnesses many of these promises, but he never lost faith that they would come eventually. The Christian life is a race, one in which Jesus is our coach, the author and finisher of our faith. “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” - Hebrews 12:1,2.
The Pharisees claimed to live by faith, but they hated seeing Jesus around, they were convinced that He was of the devil and often sought opportunity to catch Him doing something that would discredit Him, including breaking the Sabbath. “And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand. And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him. And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth. And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace. And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other. And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.” - Mark 3:1-5.
And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts. Jesus gets angry too, these people saw Him face to face, they witnessed His great miracles, yet they they still did not believe. While He wants everyone to have faith in Him, He knows that many will harden their hearts to Him, and it grieves Him to see them not only reject Him, but cause problems for those who accept Him. Believing in Christ when we do not see Him is a great act of faith, and something that Jesus takes very seriously, so seriously that He gives eternal life to all who believe. “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” - 1 John 5:10-12.
The news of this preacher man who was able to heal people traveled for miles, Jews and Gentiles alike gathered to see if they can get a glimpse of Him in action. There were so many people around Him in one town that He got into a docked ship to speak to them. He always spoke the people in parables, these were short stories not of a specific person, but carried a great meaning concerning the Gospel and Kingdom of God. Many wondered why He spoke in parables, and even His own disciples had a hard time understanding them all. After the people left, Jesus spoke to the disciples. “And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath. And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.” - Mark 4:24-29.
It shall be measured to you: and unto you
that hear shall more be given. If we carefully listen to
what Jesus says we will understand Him and not only that be of help
to bring others to Him. To understand a parable or anything Jesus
says, we must be saved, get in God's Word, and let the Holy Spirit
guide us to that understanding. Those who live by faith, grow by
faith, and are blessed as they do, but those who never listen, even
having a Bible in front of them will die and end up in hell because
they never accepted the Gospel for what it is of Christ. Date: Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Chapters: Mark 3-4 http://imfollowingjesus.com/Bible-Reading-287.html
Message Title: Where Is Your Faith?
Hello My Friend,
When God went to Abraham and told him that He was going to make him a nation so large that they would be as the stars in the sky he probably had no idea the impact it would have on the entire world. Abraham did not have a Bible to read everything he did was by faith, trusting God as He guided him. Did he mess up? Of course, but he sought forgiveness, believing in the promises that God had awaiting him. Abraham died having not witnesses many of these promises, but he never lost faith that they would come eventually. The Christian life is a race, one in which Jesus is our coach, the author and finisher of our faith. “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” - Hebrews 12:1,2.
The Pharisees claimed to live by faith, but they hated seeing Jesus around, they were convinced that He was of the devil and often sought opportunity to catch Him doing something that would discredit Him, including breaking the Sabbath. “And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand. And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him. And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth. And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace. And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other. And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.” - Mark 3:1-5.
And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts. Jesus gets angry too, these people saw Him face to face, they witnessed His great miracles, yet they they still did not believe. While He wants everyone to have faith in Him, He knows that many will harden their hearts to Him, and it grieves Him to see them not only reject Him, but cause problems for those who accept Him. Believing in Christ when we do not see Him is a great act of faith, and something that Jesus takes very seriously, so seriously that He gives eternal life to all who believe. “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” - 1 John 5:10-12.
The news of this preacher man who was able to heal people traveled for miles, Jews and Gentiles alike gathered to see if they can get a glimpse of Him in action. There were so many people around Him in one town that He got into a docked ship to speak to them. He always spoke the people in parables, these were short stories not of a specific person, but carried a great meaning concerning the Gospel and Kingdom of God. Many wondered why He spoke in parables, and even His own disciples had a hard time understanding them all. After the people left, Jesus spoke to the disciples. “And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath. And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.” - Mark 4:24-29.
“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” - 1 Corinthians 2:9-11,14.
The word faith means to believe in something without seeing it, it is convincing the mind that everything God says is true and will happen. To be saved, we must have that firm belief of the Gospel, which leads to an entire reliance on Christ alone for our salvation. Does this mean that we never face any more trials? No, but it does mean that He never leaves us to handle them alone. After Jesus spoke He and the disciples got into another ship to go the other side of the river. Jesus physically tired and exhausted fell asleep, all the while a great storm arose, fearing for their lives, the disciples wake Him up.
“And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” - Mark 4:36-41.
And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow. There may be times when if feels like God is asleep and has left us to weather our storms all by ourselves, but what He is doing is looking for some faith. His own disciples, the men that were with Jesus almost 24/7 questioned who He was, even after seeing all the miracles He had done. No wonder Jesus asked them where their faith was? Jesus very well knew that the storm was there, He was testing their faith, and He does the same to all of us. We must have faith in Him at all times, good, bad, happy, sad, mad, angry, you name it, He wants to see our faith in all that we go through. “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” - Hebrews 11:6.
Today's Prayer: God, Lord, it is only by faith that we can please You. Help us to run this crazy race of life with patience, by faith, looking for the blessed hope that only You can give us. Lead us and guide us, give us Your power to walk by faith, talk by faith, and never give up hope in Your promises. Give us wisdom of Your Word and help us to understand Your ways and live by them for we are truly blessed when we live by faith and not sight. In Jesus' name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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