Modern Reformer
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  • My Blog
    • Helping in Turkana
    • Iceland overview
    • Day 1 in Iceland
    • Photos from the Amsterdam Trip
    • Trip of a Lifetime
    • Our Journey
    • This World Stinks
    • The Elements Shall Melt
    • False Prophets- - AMEN!
    • Death of the Church
    • Who was the last prophet sent by God?
    • Write the Vision
    • Fast Food Christians
    • Jesus Wept
    • The Demise of the Protestant
    • Considering Memorial Day
    • Judas
    • The Downfall of a Civilization
    • Divine Business
    • A Futuristic Short Story
  • Questions
    • Prophecy >
      • What is the point of the "Great Tribulation" if all of the Christians will be raptured?
      • How Do We Prepare for the Great Tribulation?
      • Many preachers say Jesus is coming soon, while there are no clear signs of it. Is it a scare tactic to make people do what they want?
      • Is it true that the Bible says that no one goes to heaven until Jesus comes back?
      • What does the Bible say about Jesus' Second Coming?
      • When does the 2nd Resurrection Take Place?
      • How will Jehovah God save Israel when he brings all nations against it ?
      • When the kingdom of God is established, in what manner ( physically or ?? ) will everybody who obeys Jehovah God will become like Adam ( they will no longer be males and females but all males ) ??
      • Spiritually, What are we on the verge of?
      • When did the 70 years desolation spoken by Jeremiah begin?
      • What is meant by Rome being called the Antichrist?
      • In the book of Daniel 11:21-24, is the despicable man that is mentioned here was Antiochus Epiphanes IV?
      • What is the difference between the Babylonia that were mentioned in the Old Testament and the Babylonia that was mentioned in the book of Revelation?
      • What are the comparison of the verses Ps 83:1-8,Ez 38:7-16, Zech 14:2-3,and Rev 20:8-9--are they the same in meaning?
      • Of that Day and that Hour
      • How Will Jesus' Second Coming Happen?
      • Will the End Times Battle Be Fought With Weapons
      • Biblically speaking what will the world be like after Armageddon?
      • End Times and Sodom and Gomorrah?
      • At which trumpet will Michael and his angels boot Satan and his angels from heaven to earth?
      • When does/did Jesus Christ's reign as King of God's Kingdom start?
      • Is the Beast in Revelation the Antichrist?
      • Jesus Would Return as He Left?
      • What do you think Jesus meant that if God had not shortened those days, no flesh would survive?
      • What are You Looking Forward To?
      • Is This the Beginning of the Apocalypse?
      • What does Jesus Mean When He Says This?
      • Evidence of the Signs of the Times?
      • What will the Kingdom Accomplish?
      • How Will the Scoffers Feel when Jesus Comes?
      • What is the Significance of the Word "Presence."
      • Why Does My Mom Say We are in the Last Day?
      • What Exactly do People Think the Apocalypse is?
    • Doctrine >
      • Can a person worthy of Heaven be OK with others going to Hell?
      • Can the theory of "being born a sinner" and the theory of "age of accountability" exist at the same time? How and why?
      • According to the Bible, why is everyone born a sinner?
      • Do those don't hear about Jesus go to hell?
      • How is Christ the Wisdom of God?
      • Why does the Soul of the Dead Sinner need to be Oppressed?
      • What did Jesus mean when He said: The Way, the Truth, the Life?
      • Is the Fire of Hell Literal? Why?
      • Did Jesus Redeem Everyone? Is Everyone Saved?
      • If a baby or infant died ....he'll become an angel?
      • What is Biblical Faith?
      • Do You Believe in Hell?
      • Water Baptism and Spirit Baptism, which is more important?
      • Question on Death, Sleep, Resurrection?
      • What is the soul?
      • The Rapture
      • Is John the Baptist going to heaven?
    • General Questions >
      • How can the Gospel transform individuals and the society today?
      • Why are dogs not allowed in heaven according to the Bible?
      • Question about Islam and Christianity
      • Is a Person Who Hasn't Heard About Christianity a Sinner...?
      • Are Saints in Heaven Free...?
      • Question on John the Baptist
      • Thief on the Cross Question
      • Does the Bible has a mention about the secret societies like...?
      • Is the Garden of Eden still on earth (hidden from mankind ) ?
      • Does the Bible prove all other religions false?
      • Why do Muslims hate Jews ?
      • What do you think of the Interpretation of Gen. 2:17?
      • Did God Hate Esau from the Womb?
      • What is your opinion of the theological terms kingdom of heaven and kingdom of God?
      • ​Please can you explain Colossians 2:14-17, where it's says "do not let anyone judge you"?
      • What do you mean by Regeneration..?
      • Is it literally mean that Turkey is the seat of Satan?
      • I'm a Christian but I don't like to go to church...I pray and read my bible in the house....what the bible teaches about fellowship?
      • Abraham the father of Isaac and Ismael...he was Jew or Hebrew..?
      • I'm a believer. I pray that I might win in lottery,sweepstakes, casino...I won....is this a sin?
      • Please Explain Romans 10:9,10
      • Can We as Christians be Guilty of Choosing Barabbas over Jesus?
      • What is the Purpose of Satan?
      • Why would God do this? And then punish Israel for it?
      • Is the Roman Catholic Church a true church established by Jesus Christ?
      • What is Heaven Like?
      • How long (on average) does it take one to join your religion?
      • Is a judge performing his duties in a courtroom violating Jesus' command, "Do not judge"?
      • How is it that even the demons "knew Him to be the Christ." How did they know?
      • Who is Jesus claiming to be in John 8:24 and what does it mean to "die in your sins"?
      • Does the Bride of Christ have to die first?
      • Can We as Christians be Guilty of Choosing Barabbas over Jesus?
      • What about Holidays?
      • What is a Biblical Family?
      • How do We Treat Family Members Who Say They are Christians but Don't Acts Like It?
      • What is the Second Death?
      • Question on the Parable of the Two Sons
      • Christ came that we would have life abundantly correct?
      • Who is the Son of Perdition?
      • What are your thoughts on Psalm 137:9?
      • What is the difference between the DOOR in Rev 3:8 and the DOOR in Rev 3:20 ?
      • Out of the Seven Churches in Revelation, which would you say is the closet to your church?
      • What is the main message in the book of Amos, what value does it hold for today’s modern society?
      • Gospel of Thomas question:
      • Question on Tithing
      • Are some people never going to be resurrected from the dead?
      • Does God Love Unconditionally?
      • What Percentage of the Bible Do You Have to Know?
      • Do you keep the Sabbath?
      • Why was Man Excluded Because No Wedding Garment?
      • It is the Day of Atonement...Will you offer a prayer & agree in prayer for their salvation?
      • Did Noah Keep Bees in the Ark?
      • As the Pope's 9-letter surname, Bergoglio, has the word GOG bang in the middle of it, I wonder if biblical?
      • Who is Peter talking about in 1 Peter 4:18?
      • What is the purpose of pigs?
      • Please explain how the meek inherit the earth?
      • Do You Know the Names of Jesus' Two Sheepfolds?
      • Is Jesus in His Human Body in Heaven?
  • Meditations of Joy
    • Overcoming Lack of Confidence to Connect and ‘Fit In’ Part 1
    • All Things in the Name of Jesus
    • The Treasured Life
    • Afflicted in Faithfulness
    • Making All Things New
    • Instinctive Trust
    • #721 Extracting the Precious from the Worthless
    • Some Keys to Dealing Faithfully with Criticism and Conflict Part 2
    • Some Keys to Dealing Faithfully with Criticism Part 1
    • Facing Change and the Unknown in Confidence
    • Glorify Thy Name in us, O LORD
    • Remembering Who We Are
    • Deliverance through Overwhelm
    • Finding Stability
    • Resurrection Power At Work
    • Diamonds in the Night (Revisited)
    • Final Faithfulness According to the Will of the Father Part 2
    • Final Faithfulness According to the Will of the Father
    • The Expanse of Jesus Prayer
    • The Reality of the Joy Set Before Him
    • The Determination To Do His Will
    • Choosing the Will of the Father
    • He Sustains the Weary with a Word
    • I am willing
    • Looking Forward: Making Isaiah 40.27-31 my own Part 2
    • Looking Forward: Making Isaiah 40:27-31 my own
    • Looking Back on Lessons in this Past Year Part 5
    • Looking Back on Lessons in this Past Year Part 4
    • Looking Back on Lessons in this Past Year Part 3
    • #698 Looking Back on Lessons in this Past Year Part 1 A Dear Brother wrote out the main things he was learning in the past year. As I read them I realized that that the Lord was teaching me along similar lines. First he shared: 1. “God’s
    • Looking Back on Lessons in this Past Year Part 1
    • Our True Source of Stability in Trying Times Part 2Blog
    • Humble Yourself Under the Mighty Hand of God
    • Our True Source of Stability in Trying Times
    • Thriving in the house of God
    • Living the Divine Dimensions of Their Love
    • Make Room for the Blessing! Part 2
    • Make Room for the Blessing! Part 1
    • Dealing with ‘What If’ Part 1
    • Abiding in Their Love
    • Serving by Night
    • Serving By Night
    • Tenacious Love Part 2
    • Tenacious Love Part 1
    • Reverence for God is an Access to Wisdom and Confidence
    • The Practice of Praise
    • Separate the Precious from the Worthless
    • Therefore I Will Remember You Part 2
    • Therefore I Will Remember You Part 1
    • #676 Only One Thing is Necessary
    • Antidotes for Personal Unrest Amid Unfolding Events of our Day Part 3
    • Antidotes for Personal Unrest Amid Unfolding Events of our Day Part 3
    • Antidotes for Personal Unrest Amid Unfolding Events of our Day Part 2
    • Antidotes for Personal Unrest Amid Unfolding Events of our Day Part 1
    • Pliability and Surrender Part 2 In the Care of the Shepherd
    • Pliability and Surrender Part 1 in the Hands of the Potter
    • The Choice to Rejoice
    • Dealing with Reaction to Criticism Part 3
    • Dealing with Reaction to Criticism Part 2
    • Dealing with Reaction to Criticism Part 1
    • Courage to Go Forward
    • Facing Challenge Equipped with His Armor Part 3
    • Facing Challenge Equipped with His Armor Part 1
    • The Holy Ground of Challenge
    • What We Remember, What We Forget
    • The Answer to Anxiety Part 3
    • The Answer to Anxiety Part 2
    • The Answer to Anxiety Part 1
    • Paul’s focus in Prison: Part 6b Resurrection power Beyond Our Comprehension
    • Paul’s Focus in Prison: In Awe of His Resurrection Power Part 6aBlog
    • Paul’s Focus in Prison: Part 5a Never give up praying for one another!
    • Paul's focus in Prison: Part 4 Guarded!
    • Paul’s focus in prison Part 3 Going forward with Passion
    • Paul’s focus in prison Part 2
    • Paul’s Focus in Prison Part 1
    • LIVING Hope and Joy
    • Arms Wide Open
    • Diamonds in the Night (Revisited from 2017)
    • “Yet Thou art Holy”
    • Resolutely Going Forward
    • Passover Love
    • Praying for a Word to Give the Weary
    • Content Whatever Lot I See Part 2
    • Content Whatever Lot I See Part 1Blog
    • A Night Journey to Peace Part 2
    • A Night Journey to Peace
    • Trusting His Choices
    • Peace Amid the Storm
    • Love is Patient
    • Proving His Name to His Glory
    • Watching in Hope
    • Glorifying His Name Begins with the Realm of Thought
    • "Father Glorify Thy Name"--Possible when we Let Him Love us
    • Father Glorify Thy Name Possible when we Let Him Love us
    • Father Glorify Thy Name Part 3 (A roadblock to be aware of)
    • Father Glorify Thy Name Part 2 (Practical application)
    • Father, Glorify Thy Name
    • Finding His Joy
    • The Blessing of Over-and-Over-Testings
    • Redefining Our Perception of Rejection
    • The Source of all Encouragement
    • Casting our Care and Leaving it There
    • Setting our Face Like Flint
    • Accepting God’s Will for our Beloved Brethren
    • Our Home in Every Challenge: Seeing Beyond the Illusion
    • Call to Consider: His Amazing Provision
    • Call to Consider: His Amazing Provision
    • Sure Proof of His Divine Provision
    • Some Lessons from David in Absalam's Rebellion and Unresolved Conflict
    • His Glory: Permission to Prune
    • His Glory: A Call to Re-focus
    • Trade in the Old Thinking for a New Song!
    • A Practical Look at the Armor of God
    • Resting in His Provision
    • His Perspective from the Heights, Borne on the Wings of the Eagle
    • What Would Jesus THINK?
    • The Joy of Wholeheartedness Part 2
    • The Joy of Wholeheartedness Part 1
    • The Joy of His Love Empowering us to Love Part 2
    • The Joy of Overcoming Irritation: Divine Love Empowering us to Love Part 1
    • The Joy of the LORD is your Strength: Sending Portions!
    • Finding Joy Part 2b: The Joy of the LORD is your Strength: Eat and Drink!
    • Finding Joy Part 2a: The Joy of the LORD is your Strength
    • Finding Joy: The Joy Set Before Us Part 1
    • The Refuge of His Wise and Loving Power
    • Facing the Challenge in the Beauty of Holiness
    • Facing the Challenge with Praise, Prayer and Perspective
    • Enthroning Him upon our Praise
    • Yet You Are Holy
    • Yet You are Holy
    • Another Look at “Arise, Let us go hence”
    • “My Peace” When We Feel Alone
    • “My Peace” Amid the Storm” Part 5
    • “My Peace” Amid the Storm” Part 4
    • My Peace” Amid the Storm” Part 3
    • “My Peace” Amid the Storm” Part 2
    • “My Peace” Amid the Storm” Part 1
    • A Prayer for the Power of His Penetrating Gaze of Love Part 2
    • A Prayer for the Power of His Penetrating Gaze
    • Trusting Enough to Get Out of the Boat
    • The Answer to Resistance: Trusting His Provision in the Process Part 2
    • The Answer to Resistance: Trusting that what He allows is GOOD.
    • He Knows What We Need, a Call to Praise Amid the Unknown!
    • My Heart is Fixed
    • My Heart is Fixed
    • The Creative Deliverance That Surrounds Us
    • How to Rejoice in the Midst of Whatever Happens Part 4
    • #547 How to Rejoice in the Midst of Whatever Happens Part 3
    • How to Rejoice in the Midst of Whatever Happens Part 2
    • How to Rejoice in the Midst of Whatever Happens Part 1
    • Our Prayerful Song in the Midst of Whatever Happens
    • #543 What Brings Us Peace No Matter What Happens
    • Freedom from the Trap of Old Thinking
    • Freedom from the Trap of Old Thinking Part 2
    • He Restores my Soul
    • “Look up and Let Go”
    • Nothing Shall Offend
    • Moment by Moment Deliverance from Fear
    • We Will Continue to Praise Him in the Midst of Every Circumstance
    • We Will Continue to Praise Him in the Midst of Every Circumstance Part 2
    • We Will Continue to Praise Him in the Midst Every Circumstance
    • Trust in His Perspective Frees us from Every ‘Prison’ Part 2
    • Trust in His Perspective Frees us from Every ‘Prison’
    • Run through the Open Door
    • Dwelling in ONE Master
    • Dwelling in His Shadow and Watching from the Wings
    • Dwelling in the Obedience of Christ
    • Overcoming Some Old Habits of Thought
    • Setting our Minds for Surrender Each Morning
    • Some of Peters Advice for Relationships in these Last Days
    • What Helps us to Accept Every Experience
    • His Leading through the Valley
    • Being His Valiant Warrior
    • Our Valiant Warrior
    • Living Deep-rooted Attachment in Christ
    • Keep on Sowing!
    • Surely the LORD is in the place
    • Red Sea Advice Part 4 The Red Sea Response
    • Red Sea Advice Part 3 The Red Sea Reaction
    • Red Sea Advice Part 2
    • Red Sea Advice Part 1
    • A Call to Peace
    • But Then on The Third Day
    • He Endured the Cross Part 3 Psalm 22 NIV
    • He Endured the Cross Psalm 22 Part 2
    • He Endured the Cross Part 1
    • The Cup that Crystallizes Part 3
    • The Cup that Crystallizes Part 2
    • The Cup that Crystallizes Part 1
    • The Yoke that Gives Us Rest
    • Proper Use of limitation, A Call For Balance
    • Another Lesson in Making Room for Their Surpassing Power Through the Proper Use of our Limitations
    • The Posture of Waiting and Trust that Allows Him To Demonstrate His Surpassing Power
    • To Demonstrate His Surpassing Power 2
    • To Demonstrate His Surpassing Power
    • WE will get through this!
    • Delight to do His will
    • I Know the Plans I Have for You
    • But for a Moment
    • Wake me up, Lord
    • We are a Team!
    • When we feel alone
    • The One Next Step
    • Trusting the Love that Stabilizes Us Through Every Storm
    • Triumph Over Appearance
    • The Joy of His Abundance
    • Express Gratitude
    • Numbering our Days
    • Expressions of His Love
    • The Breadth of His Provision
    • His Faithfulness Behind Every Challenge
    • He Stands at the Door of our Hearts
    • Your Tender Mercies Give Me Life
    • The Craftsmanship of His Workmanship in us
    • With You Wherever You Go
    • Listening to His Voice Amid the Physical Challenge of Shingles
    • A Refuge Better than People Pleasing
    • My Prayer in the Morning
    • They Will Not Prevail
    • When Things Don't Go My Way
    • How To Be a Refuge Like Him
    • A Very Present Help in Trouble
    • How to be a Refuge Like Him
    • Humble Yourselves Under the Mighty Hand of God
    • On Which Side Will We Dwell?
    • The Light That Shines on Our Challenges
    • Rewriting our Negative Memories and Thoughts Part 6
    • Plow My Thoughts
    • Rewriting our Negative Memories and Thoughts Part 5
    • Rewriting our Negative Memories and Thoughts Part 4
    • Rewriting our Negative Memories and Thoughts Part 3
    • Rewriting our Negative Memories and Thoughts Part 2
    • Rewriting our Negative Memories and Thoughts
    • Stand in Awe in the Midst of Depression
    • Patient Waiting in the Face of Challenge
    • Our Expectation and Refuge in the Face of Fear
    • His Way of Escape
    • Healing the Root of Fear pt 2
    • Healing the Root of Fear
    • Weeding Day
    • Another Aspect of Wash Day!
    • Wash Day!
    • The Cup of Blessing Which We Bless
    • Our Abba Father
    • Accepting the Gift and Passing it On
    • Accepting the Gift of His Training
    • Open Our Eyes to See
    • The Breath of Forgiveness Part 2
    • The Breath of Forgiveness
    • Living Each Moment for Him
    • Diamonds in the Night
    • His Word that Sustains us in Times of Weariness Part 7
    • His Word that Sustains us in Times of Weariness Part 6
    • His Word that Sustains us in Times of Weariness Part 3
    • His Word that Sustains us in Times of Weariness Part 3
    • His Word that Sustains us in Times of Weariness Part 2
    • His Word that Sustains us in Times of Weariness Part 1
    • Faithful in the Hour Part 1
    • Delight in His Delight
    • The Beauty of Brokenness Surrendered to Him
    • How to Never Give up Part 2
    • How to Never Give UP part 1
    • Whatever We Do Part 2
    • Whatever We Do
    • Resurrection Power At Work
    • Tested by the Word of God
    • Waiting on the LORD
    • My Dad Road Sign
    • The Amazing Privilege of Being Coached by the Most High God
    • Casting Both Circles of Care Upon Him
    • The Heart of Deliverance
    • Say Amen!
    • Amen
    • Trusting Where He Leads
    • Made Strong to Listen
    • This is Who I AM
    • The Mindset of Deliverance
    • Strongholds
    • Your Love Has Conquered My Resistance
    • Our Stability Amid These Times and Seasons of Change
    • Precious in the Sight part 2
    • Precious in the Sight of the Lord
    • His Battle
    • Looking to Him
    • Proving Him Holy
    • Rejoice in the Road
    • The Divine Ectetera
    • Waking up to Hope in God in the Present Moment
    • Hiding His Word in Our Heart
    • The Power of Acceptance
    • The Power of Listening From His Love
    • The Gift of Spiritual Eyesight (In Relationships)
    • The Gift of Spiritual Eyesight Part 2
    • The Gift of Spiritual Eyesight
    • The Past and Present Reality of Deliverance
    • Willing To Trust
    • Quieting the Noise So We Can Hear His Knock and Receive Feasting in Place of Empty Snacking
    • An Olive Tree in the House of God
    • Our Choice at Break of Day
    • From Accusation to Acclamation
    • The Pure Joy of What Is
    • Arise and Eat
    • Power Over the Pit
    • His Altar (The Dimensions of Love)
    • Living The Dimensions of Love
    • The Dimensions of Love
    • All My Springs are in You
    • Crucified with Christ--A Prayer
    • Psalm 22 on the Cross to the Ninth Hour
    • The Mind of Christ Revealed on the Cross Part 2
    • The Mind of Christ as Revealed on the Cross Part 1
    • Stop and Savor His View
    • The Final Hymn
    • The Keeping Power of the Father and the Son part 3
    • The Keeping Power of the Father and the Son part 2
    • Keeping the Power of the Father and the Son part 1
    • Father Glorify Thy Name
    • She Has Done What She Could
    • The Megaphone of God
    • Teach me to be an influence that honors You
    • Fill Me with Your Willingness and Skill
    • The Greatest Reality Amid any Overwelm
    • Seeing Something New
    • Trusting Him Anew
    • The Power of the Yoke of Jesus
    • How to be Humble
    • Building Faith to Prepare for Any Collision
    • Opening the Door of our Language to God
    • Safe in His Compassions
    • Who He Is in Every Experience
    • Continual Praise
    • Beside Still Waters
    • Faith and Hope in the Midst of Challenge
    • The Beauty of Flaw Wrapped in Perfection Revisited
    • Empowering Love
    • Discovering the Hidden Treasure
    • Thoroughly Known
    • Very Present Help
    • Not by Might
    • Under His Wings I Trust
    • Aiming at Eternity
    • What to Forget, What to Remember
    • Ready to Turn My Life Around for God
    • Triumph Over Circumstances--Don't Kill the Messenger
    • Waterlogged and Triumphant
    • Escape from Stress When We Don't Understand
    • Escape from Stress, Equipped with Hinds Feet
    • Surely the Lord is in the Place
    • Escape from Stress When We Fail part 2
    • Escaping from Stress When We Fail part 1
    • Escape From Stress When We don't Understand
    • From Stress to Peace Part 1
    • Step by Step Escape from Stress
    • Making Room to be Filled
    • Making Room to be Filled
    • The Power to Love When We Cannot
    • The Power to Love When We Cannot
    • Overcoming Illusion
    • The Blessing of Overwelm
    • Jesus is the Door
    • In Perfect Faithfulness
    • The Space to Choose
    • Discipline, Not Condemnation
    • Discipline, Not Condemnation
    • The Voice of our Risen Lord
    • Passover Perspectives: A Night of Watching
    • Passover Perspectives: The Protection of the Father in the Midst of the Cross
    • Passover Perspectives: The Deliverance that will Never Be Forgotten
    • Passover Perspectives: No Fear
    • Passover Perspective: The Far Reaching Power of His Sacrifice
    • Passover Perspectives: Living Unleavened
    • Passover Perspectives: Eating on the Run
    • Passover Perspectives: The Fires that Proved Him Faithful
    • Passover Perspectives: The Power of his Sacrifice
    • Passover Perspectives Exodus 12: The Keeping of the Lamb
    • Passover Perspectives: A collective celebration
    • Passover Perspectives: A New Beginning
    • A Prayer for God's Glory
    • Road Sign
    • The Beauty of Perfection
    • Every Hour
    • What will we put in the Relationship Box?
    • Discovering His Everlasting Love
    • His Timing and Strength in Every Phase of Life
    • Trusting Him in Every Valley
    • Trusting the One Who Pours the Cup
    • Smallest Beginning, Greatest Gift
    • Thoroughly Known, Thoroughly Pursued
    • Red Sea Rule #10
    • Red Sea Rule #9
    • Agreeing with God
    • Red Sear Rule #8
    • Red Sea Rule #7
    • Red Sea Rule #6
    • Red Sea Rule #5
    • Red Sea Rule 3 & 4
    • Red Sea Rules #2
    • Red Sea Rules--part 1
    • What Great Honor
    • What do you see?
    • The Power of a Living Faith
    • Awe for God in the Face of Fear
    • No Trial Will Ever Be Too Severe
    • The Work of the Gardener and the Architect
    • Wisdom Out of the Whirlwind
    • Hold On
    • Dwelling in Hope: The power of what we expect and believe
    • Conflict as a Call to Loving Action
    • Trusting His Infinite Wisdom
    • Emotion Management through The Power of Discretion
    • Do Not Delay; The Golden Moments Fly
    • Delight in the Lord
    • Loving New Part 2
    • Loving New
    • To Change the Paradigm
    • My Yoke is Easy, My Burden is Light
    • The Way of Escape
    • Equipped to Face Whatever Comes
    • Time to Trust part 3
    • Time to Trust part 2
    • A Time to Trust
    • Words of Wisdom
    • Wake Up New and See the Bigger Picture
    • Weeping and Finding
    • Resurrection Legacy
    • His Seamless Garment
    • Resurrection Legacy
    • Compelled by Love
    • Test of the Dream Part 3B
    • Test of the Dream --Part 3
    • Test of the Dream --Part 2
    • The Test of the Dream
    • The Love of God in Christ--part 2
    • The Love of God in Christ
    • Shedding Light on Discouragement
    • No More Re-Runs and No more Previews
    • No More Re-Runs
    • Triumph of Trust
    • With You Always, Day by Day
    • Triumph over Temptation
    • Step by Step
    • The Lord, My Confidence --part 2
    • The Lord, My Confidence--part 1
    • Seeking the Face of God and Christ
    • My Always Faithful God
    • The Answer to Overwhelm
    • Every Knee Shall Bow
    • Free to Experience the Intentions of God
    • Finding Bread at Midnight
    • Faithful Wounds
    • Battlefield Strategies
    • Take Time to Be Kind
    • Oh Magnify the Lord with Me by the Power of Thanksgiving
    • What do You Expect?
    • Unlikely Battlefield Strategies Part 2
    • The Miracle of Acceptance
    • Crisis Control
    • When Things Don't Go My Way
    • The Power of Pure Choice in Christ
    • Let the King of Glory In!
    • Whose Wall Do I Trust?
    • The Power of Thanksgiving
    • The Postures of Possiblities
    • If You Trust Me Let Go
    • Barefoot!
    • Holy Ground: Accepting the Mission
    • Holy ground: Facing the Fire
    • After the Battle
    • Accessable
    • Surrender in Awe and Wait in Joy
    • The Strength of our Spiritual Root System
    • Space to Trust
    • Full of Sap Part 3
    • Full of Sap Part 2
    • Full of Sap
    • The Mind of Mature Persistence part 3
    • The Mind of Mature Persistence part 2
    • Mind of Mature Persistance
    • Expect the Unexpected
    • Hearing Through the Ears of Jesus
    • Our Memorial Legacy: Keeping the Feast
    • Our Memorial Legacy
    • The Heart of the Father
    • The Cattle on a Thousand Hills
    • Patient with Process
    • He is Risen! Continue to Seek
    • Never Out-Numbered--Never Give Up!
    • Never Out-Numbered
    • Gathering Forces No Match For the Lord of the Harvest
    • The Power of Sanctified Choice – A Testimony
    • The Power of Sanctified Choice on the Cross
    • Jesus' Last Prayer part 8
    • Jesus' Last Prayer part 7
    • Jesus' Last Prayer part 6
    • Jesus' Last Prayer part 5
    • Jesus' Last Prayer part 4
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Mark Chapter 7

 
Mar 7:1 MKJV  And the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem.
 
Having come from Jerusalem: This was another “official delegation” of religious leaders from Jerusalem, coming to evaluate the ministry of Jesus. We saw a previous delegation in Mar_3:22, and they pronounced a harsh, condemning judgment against Jesus. This delegation from Jerusalem has already made up their mind about Jesus. Now they are just trying to “pin” something on Him.
 
The concept of evaluating Jesus’ ministry was fine. In outward appearance, these men were protecting Israel from a potential false prophet or false messiah. But they way they actually evaluated Jesus was all wrong. First, they already made up their mind about Jesus. Second, they did not evaluate Jesus against the measure of God’s Word. The evaluated Him against the measure of their religious traditions. (Guzik)
 
Are you guilty of coming together about a matter with your minds already made up before you start?
 
 
Mar 7:2 MKJV  And when they saw some of His disciples eating loaves with unclean hands, that is with unwashed hands, they found fault.

 
Jerusalem was alarmed at the new movement resulting from the mission of the Twelve, their miracles, and the mighty works which He Himself had lately wrought. And a deputation of Pharisees and scribes came from this center of ecclesiastical prejudice, to bring Him to account. They do not assail His doctrine, nor charge Him with violating the law itself, for He had put to shame their querulous complaints about the sabbath day. But tradition was altogether upon their side: it was a weapon ready sharpened for their use against one so free, unconventional and fearless.

The law had imposed certain restrictions upon the chosen race, restrictions which were admirably sanitary in their nature, while aiming also at preserving the isolation of Israel from the corrupt and foul nations which lay around. All such restrictions were now about to pass away, because religion was to become aggressive, it was henceforth to invade the nations from whose inroads it had heretofore sought a covert. But the Pharisees had not been content even with the severe restrictions of the law. They had not regarded these as a fence for themselves against spiritual impurity, but as an elaborate and artificial substitute for love and trust. And therefore, as love and spiritual religion faded out of their hearts they were the more jealous and sensitive about the letter of the law. They "fenced" it with elaborate rules, and precautions against accidental transgressions, superstitiously dreading an involuntary infraction of its minutest details. Certain substances were unclean food. But who could tell whether some atom of such substance, blown about in the dust of summer, might adhere to the hand with which he ate, or the cups and pots whence his food was drawn? Moreover, the Gentile nations were unclean, and it was not possible to avoid all contact with them in the market-places, returning whence, therefore, every devout Jew was careful to wash himself, which washing, though certainly not an immersion, is here plainly called a baptism. Thus an elaborate system of ceremonial washing, not for cleansing, but as a religious precaution, had grown up among the Jews. (Expositor’s)
 
The Pharisees laid great stress on ritual. They followed endless rules, both intricate and troublesome, as to ablutions and outward ceremonials. So long as their devotees were careful in the minor observances, they were permitted a wide license so far as the weightier matters of the Law were concerned. This is a natural tendency of the human heart. It is glad to be able to reduce its religious life to an outward and literal obedience, if only its thoughts may be unhampered. In the life of true holiness everything depends on the control of the thoughts. “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” With infinite wisdom the wise man said, “Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life,” and Jesus put “evil-thoughts” first in the black category of the contents of the evil heart. A gang of thieves sometimes put a very small boy through a tiny window that he may unlock the front door. So one evil thought will often admit an entire crew of evil. Heart of mine, hast thou learned this lesson? Art thou careful enough of thy cleanliness? That the hands should be often washed, that vessels of household use should be kept cleansed, that there should be decorum and neatness in the outward life, all these customs are good. But it becomes thee to inquire whether thou art not more eager for the outward than the inward cleanliness. “Create in me a clean heart,” should be thy constant prayer. (Meyer)
 
But eat bread with unwashed hands: The religious leaders speak of elaborate ceremonial washings, not washing for the sake of cleanliness. The observant Jews of that time strictly observed a rigid, extensive ritual for washing before meals.
 
The hand-washing described here was purely ceremonial. It wasn’t enough to properly clean your hands if they were very dirty. You would have to first wash your hands to make them clean, then perform the ritual to make them spiritually clean. But why would they ever have such traditions?
 
ii. They even had an accompanying prayer to be said during the ritual washing: “Blessed be Thou, O Lord, King of the universe, who sanctified us by the laws and commanded us to wash the hands.” (Cited in Lane) (Guzik)
 
 
Are your traditions more important than the Word of God?
 
Are there things that you practice in your religious belief that are not founded on scripture? Do you look down on others who do not follow your traditions?
 
 
Mar 7:3 MKJV  For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they immerse their hands with the fist, holding the tradition of the elders.
 
 
Wash their hands -- Consuming much time, and burdensome on the poor, who had no servants to do these things for them, and not doing them, were considered unclean. Had become an important part of the Jewish observance though nowhere found in the Law. It was the making of such formal washing a part of their religion that Jesus objected to.


Tradition of the elders -- Jesus suited none of them. To the impure he was too pure; to those of hypocritical profession he was too sincere; to the worldly-wise he was too frank. Shaping their lives by the Talmud; so many Christians today, while recognizing the Bible have their own theory, proof-texts and catechism. The theories and opinions that had been formed and handed down from the past that were not based upon the inspired testimonies of the prophets. (Russell)
 
holding the tradition of the elders: For these ceremonial washings, special stone vessels of water were kept, because ordinary water might be unclean. To wash your hands in a special way, you started by taking at least enough of this water to fill one and one-half egg shells. Then, you poured the water over your hands, starting at the fingers and running down towards your wrist. Then you cleansed each palm by rubbing the fist of the other hand into it. Then you poured water over your hands again, this time from the wrist towards the fingers.

i. A really strict Jew would do this not only before the meal, but also between each course.

ii. The rabbis were deadly serious about this. They said that bread eaten with unwashed hands was no better than excrement. One rabbi who once failed to perform the ritual washing was excommunicated. Another rabbi was imprisoned by the Romans, and he used his ration of water for ceremonial cleansing instead of drinking, nearly dying of thirst. He was regarded as a great hero for this sacrifice.

iii. If they were as concerned about cleansing their hearts as they were about their hands, they would be more godly men! We always want to think there is some ritual we can do to cleanse ourselves.

iv. It’s easy for us to think these religious leaders, or this whole religious culture was really stupid and phony for their emphasis on traditions like this. But we don’t realize how subtly these things emerge, and how spiritual they seem to be, especially in the beginning. Many rituals or traditions seem to be built on unshakable spiritual logic:

• Doesn’t God want us to honor Him in everything we do?
• Didn’t God command the priests to wash their hands before serving Him?
• Shouldn’t every faithful follower of God have the same devotion as a priest?
• Isn’t every meal sacred to God?
• Shouldn’t we take every opportunity to make ourselves pure before the Lord?
• Doesn’t God say, Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart (Psa_24:3-4)?

When the questions are put this way, it’s easy to say “Yes, yes, yes,” until you have agreed with the logic supporting the tradition. But if in the end you have a word of man, a tradition of man, a ritual of man, that has the same weight as the Word of God, you’re wrong. Your “spiritual logic” doesn’t matter. You’re wrong. (Guzik)

Do you have traditions like the Pharisees?
 
Do you look down on others who don’t keep your traditions?
 
 
Mar 7:4 MKJV  And coming from the market, they do not eat without immersing, and there are many other things which they have received to hold, the dippings of cups and pots, and of copper vessels, and of tables.
 
Mar 7:5 MKJV  Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat loaves with unwashed hands?

 
These washings were commanded by tradition, not by Scripture. The religious leaders knew this, yet they still criticized the disciples for not obeying these traditions.

i. In Judaism of that time, they honored the Scriptures - what we would call the Old Testament - as the written law. But there was also the oral law, which was written down, but was man’s tradition and interpretation on top of the written law. Many Jewish leaders of Jesus’ time honored the oral law even more than the written law.

ii. “Rabbi Eleazer said, ‘He who expounds the Scriptures in opposition to the tradition has no share in the world to come’ . . . The Mishna, a collection of Jewish traditions in the Talmud, records, ‘It is a greater offense to teach anything contrary to the voice of the Rabbis than to contradict Scripture itself.’“ (Wiersbe)

iii. “The Jews have several ordinary sayings, that show in what esteem they had these traditions, as If the scribes say our right hand is our left, and our left hand is our right, we are to believe them. And, There is more in the words of the scribes than the words of the law . . . The Jewish Rabbi Jose saith, He sinneth as much as who eateth with unwashen hands, as he that lieth with an harlot.” (Trapp)

iv. “There had grown up a great body of traditions; traditions which in the first place were intended to be interpretations of the law, and applications of the law to local circumstances; traditions which in the second place became interpretations of traditions, and applications of traditions; and the traditions in the third place, which were interpretations of interpretations of interpretations of traditions!” (Morgan)

v. What a person says never has the same authority as God’s Word. Even if they sincerely say it is from God, it never has the same authority as God’s Word. Even if everyone accepts it, it never has the same authority as God’s Word. Even if it makes perfect sense, it never has the same authority as God’s Word.

vi. “It was Jesus’ failure to support the validity of the oral law which made him an object of concerted attack by the scribes.” (Lane) (Guzik)
 
Are you getting the message?
 
 
Mar 7:6 MKJV  But He answered and said to them, Well has Isaiah prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, "This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.
 
 
Why was Jesus so stern in His reply? Because the leaders were far too concerned with trivial matters like ritual washing. When they focused on these trivial traditions, they excluded everyone who didn’t keep the traditions, and so they discouraged them from coming to God.

i. The Living Bible paraphrases Isaiah’s quote: These people speak very prettily about the Lord but they have no love for Him at all. Their worship is a farce, for they claim God commands the people to obey their petty rules.

b. This people honors Me with their lips: Yes, they honored God with their lips; but in fact, God said of them their heart is far from Me. It is possible to have the image of being religious or spiritual, but actually be far from God. This was exactly the case with these religious leaders.

i. This is the whole idea behind the word hypocrite. The word in the ancient Greek language referred to “an actor” or “someone who wears a mask.” The image they promote is more important to them than what they actually are.

ii. Would God say something similar to us?

• “They attend church, but their heart is far from Me”
• “They read their Bible, but their heart is far from Me”
• “They pray eloquently, but their heart is far from Me”
• “They contribute money, but their heart is far from Me”
• “They do ministry, but their heart is far from Me”
• “They love to sing, but their heart is far from Me”
• “They talk to others about Jesus, but their heart is far from Me” (Guzik)
 
With their lips -- "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." (Exo_20:7) "Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." (2Ti_2:19)

Heart is far from me -- The Lord regards anything short of simple candor and honesty of heart with aversion. (Russell)
 
Where is your heart?
 
 
Mar 7:7 MKJV  However, they worship Me in vain, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."

 
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men: This is one of the pillars of legalism. Taking a commandment or opinion of men, and teaching or promoting it as a doctrine from God is what supports legalism. It gives man’s word the same weight as God’s word.
 
If I say, “In my opinion, you should no longer eat hamburgers from MacDonald’s” then you are free to say “That’s a nice opinion, now leave me alone.” But when someone says, “God says you should no longer eat hamburgers from MacDonald’s” then they make it seem like you are opposing God if you don’t do as they say.
 
Not everything in the Christian life is a matter of right and wrong. Some things - many things - are simply matters of personal conscience before God. The Scriptures do not command ritual washing before meals. If you want to do it, then fine. Do it unto the Lord, and without a sense of spiritual superiority before your brothers and sisters. If don’t want to do it, fine also. Don’t do it unto the Lord, and don’t look down upon those whose conscience compels them to do the ritual washing. (Guzik)
 
Are you guilty of trying to make your doctrinal or prophetic understanding something people have to agree with in order to have fellowship with you?

For example—are you guilty of not fellowshipping or even listening to another’s point of view on prophetic matters—(say you believe the Plagues of Revelation are poured out and someone else thinks they are all future)?
 

 
Mar 7:8 MKJV  For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men, the dippings of pots and cups. And many other such things you do.
 
Mar 7:9 MKJV  And He said to them, Do you do well to set aside the commandment of God, so that you may keep your own tradition?

 
You reject the commandment of God: This is another pillar of legalism. It would be bad enough to add the commandments of men to the word of God. But almost without fail, the legalist or religious hypocrite goes the next step - to reject the commandment of God and to keep your tradition. In doing this, they subtract the real essence and focus of God’s word.

i. “He made it perfectly clear first of all that the tradition of man misses its own aim. Men are still defiled, wash they ever so often.” (Morgan)

ii. “To the spiritual mind, it is a question of unceasing wonder that men should be so ready to follow and even fearlessly contend for the authority of human traditions, while they are just as ready to ignore the plain teachings of the Word of God.” (Ironside) (Guzik)
 
The tradition of men -- While professing great Bible study, it is in ruts and grooves, and so hampered by creed-chains that progress or growth, or Bible-rearing is impossible.
 
Reject the commandment -- Both Jesus and the Pharisees claimed holiness and strict observance of the divine Law, but Jesus held to the Word of God and rejected the Talmud, and the Pharisees neglected the Word of God and held to the traditions. Comparatively few of the "common people" of Christendom realize how thoroughly the Word of God has already been rejected by the leading Doctors of theology. (Russell)
 
Are you guilty of choosing the words of men over the Word of God?
 
 
Mar 7:10 MKJV  For Moses said, "Honor your father and your mother." And, "Whoever curses father or mother, let him die the death."

 
honour thy father and thy mother, Exo_20:12, the sanction of which law is, and whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death, Exo_21:17. As the former of these commands is to be understood, not only of honouring parents in thought, word, and deed, but also of providing for them, when in want and distress, through poverty and old age; so the latter is to be interpreted, not merely of wishing or imprecating the most dreadful things upon parents, which some may not be guilty of, and yet transgress this command; but likewise of every slight put upon them, and neglect of them, when in necessitous circumstances: and both these laws were broken by the Jews, through their tradition hereafter mentioned. (Gill)
 
Are you providing for your parents?
 
How often do you spend time or attention on them?
 
Now while the world is in quarantine do you take the time to call or send a letter to those of your family who are isolated?
 
 
Mar 7:11 MKJV  But you say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, Corban! (that is, A gift to God, whatever you may profit by me)
 
Mar 7:12 MKJV  and you no longer allow him to do anything toward his father or mother,

 
Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban: In this practice, a son could say that his possessions or savings were Corban - that is, specially devoted to God - and therefore unavailable to help his parents.
 
He shall be free -- The commandment had been changed by the Talmud and any man might be free from honoring his parents by consecrating himself and substance to God and religious uses. (Russell)
This is the form of a vow, which a man having made on purpose, to free himself from the charge of the maintenance of his parents, when reduced, repeats unto them; or which he makes upon their application to him: various forms of this kind of vows, which see: this was not the form of an oath, or swearing by Corban, or the sacred treasury in the temple, mentioned in Mat_27:6, of which I do not remember any instance; nor was it a dedication of his substance to holy and religious uses; to the service of God and the temple; but it was a vow he made, that what he had, should be as Corban, as a gift devoted to sacred uses: that as that could not be appropriated to any other use, so his substance, after such a vow, could not be applied to the relief of his parents; though he was not obliged by it to give it for the use of the temple, but might keep it himself, or bestow it upon others. (Gill)
 
Do you find ways to get out of your obligations?
 
 
Mar 7:13 MKJV  making the Word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have delivered. And you do many such things.

 
Through this, a son could completely disobey the command to honor your father or mother, and do it while being ultra-religious. Jesus called this making the word of God of no effect through your tradition. (Guzik)
 
Making the word of God of none effect, through your tradition,.... Beza says, in his most ancient copy it is read, "your foolish tradition"; and such it was indeed, that a vow made rashly, and in a passion, or if ever so deliberately entered into, should be more binding upon a man than the law of God; that rather than break this, he should transgress a divine command; and that though he might see his folly, and repent of his sin in making such a wicked vow, he could not go back from it, without the permission of a wise man: should his poor distressed parents come to him for assistance, he was obliged to answer them, that he had bound himself by a vow, that they should receive no advantage from his substance; and should they remonstrate to him the command of God, to honour them and take care of them, and observe that that command is enforced by promises and threatenings; he had this to reply, and was instructed to do it, that it was the sense of the wise men and doctors, and agreeably to the traditions of the elders, to which he ought rather to attend, than to the words of the law, that he should keep and fulfil his vow, whatever command was neglected or broken by it.

and many such like things do ye; meaning, that there were many other traditions besides this now mentioned; whereby, instead of preserving the written law, which, they pretended, these were an hedge unto (y), they, in a great many instances, made it void. (Gill)
 
 
Jesus, our pattern and teacher, gave no authority for binding ourselves with creeds and traditions. The same is true of Christians today. Each denomination has its own theory, its own proof-texts, its own catechism. (Russell)
 
Are your “creeds” and “traditions” in harmony with God’s Word or contrary?
 
Will you continue to follow your “traditions” ?
 
 
Mar 7:14 MKJV  And calling near all the crowd, He said to them, Listen to Me, every one of you, and understand.
 
Mar 7:15 MKJV  There is nothing from outside a man which entering into him can defile him. But the things which come out of him, those are the ones that defile the man.
 
Mar 7:16 MKJV  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.

 
 
There is nothing that enters a man from the outside which can defile him: This is not to say that there are not defiling things that we can take into ourselves (such as pornography). But in this specific context, Jesus spoke about ceremonial cleanliness in regard to food, and He anticipated when all foods would be declared kosher (Act_10:15).

b. The things which come out of him, those are things that defile a man: The fundamental principle is simple. Washing with “unclean hands” or any other such thing that we “put into us” is not defiling. Rather, what comes out of us defiles, and reveals that we have unclean (defiled) hearts.

“Although it may not seem so now, this passage, when it was first spoken, was well-nigh the most revolutionary passage in the New Testament.” (Barclay) (Guzik)
 
but the things which come out of him; the Arabic: version reads, "out of the mouth of man", as in Mat_15:11, for the things are, all sinful words which proceed from the imaginations and lusts of the heart; as all idle, unchaste, blasphemous, and wrathful words and expressions: and may include evil thoughts, words, and actions; which actions first in thought, take their rise from the corrupt heart of man; and in word, come out of the mouth; and in action, are performed by some one or other of the members of the body: these are

they that defile the man: his mind and conscience, the faculties of his soul, and the members of his body; and render him abominable in the sight of God, and expose him to his wrath and displeasure; See Gill on Mat_15:11. The sense of the whole is, that not what a man eats and drinks, and in whatsoever way he does either, though he may eat and drink with unwashen hands, or out of cups, pots, and platters, not properly washed, according to the traditions of the elders, renders him a polluted sinful man, in the sight of God; or such as one, whose company and conversation are to be, avoided by good men; but that it is sin in the heart, and what proceeds from it; as all evil thoughts, wicked words, and impure actions; which denominate a man filthy and unclean, and expose him to the abhorrence of God, and of his people…The Ethiopic version renders it, "it is not what enters from without into the mouth of man, which can defile him; but only what goes out of the heart man, this defiles the man": the Persic version adds, "and is the sin of death"; or sin unto death, a deadly, mortal sin. (Gill)
 
What is in your heart?
 
 
Mar 7:17 MKJV  And when He had entered into the house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable.
 
Mar 7:18 MKJV  And He said to them, Are you also without understanding? Do you not perceive that whatever enters into the man from outside cannot defile him,
 
Mar 7:19 MKJV  because it does not enter into his heart, but into the belly, and goes out into the waste-bowl, purifying all food?

 
 
Mar 7:20 MKJV  And He said, That which comes out of the man is what defiles the man.
 
 (Mar_7:17-23) Jesus speaks to His disciples about religious externalism.
 
Are you thus without understanding also? In response to the parable, Jesus amplifies the point made to the multitudes. We are defiled from the inside out rather than from the outside in, and this is particularly true of ceremonial things like foods. (Guzik)
 
 The parable - The “obscure” and difficult remarks which he had made in Mar_7:15. The word “parable,” here, means “obscure” and “difficult saying.” They could not understand it. They had probably imbibed many of the popular notions of the Pharisees, and they could not understand why a man was not defiled by external things. It was, moreover, a doctrine of the law that men were ceremonially polluted by contact with dead bodies, etc., and they could not understand how it could be otherwise.
 
Entereth not into his heart - Does not reach or affect the “mind,” the “soul,” and consequently cannot pollute it. Even if it should affect the “body,” yet it cannot the “soul,” and consequently cannot need to be cleansed by a religious ordinance. The notions of the Pharisees, therefore, are not founded in reason, but are mere “superstition.”
The draught (KJV) (The Waste-bowl) - The sink, the vault. “Purging all meats.” The word “purging,” here, means to purify, to cleanse. What is thrown out of the body is the innutritious part of the food taken into the stomach, and leaving only that which is proper for the support of life; and it cannot, therefore, defile the soul.
 
All meals - All food; all that is taken into the body to support life. The meaning is, that the economy or process by which life is supported “purifies” or “renders nutritious” all kinds of food. The unwholesome or innutritious parts are separated, and the wholesome only are taken into the system.
 
Hat which cometh out of the man - His words; the expression of his thoughts and feelings; his conduct, as the development of inward malice, anger, covetousness, lust, etc.
Defileth the man - Makes him really polluted or offensive in the sight of God. This renders the soul corrupt and abominable in his sight. See Mat_15:18-20.
 
Are you “without understanding” as were the Apostles?
 
Are you hung up on Kosher (according to the Law) and unkosher foods?
 
 
Mar 7:21 MKJV  For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
 
Evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications: This is a thirteen-part list that exposes the kind of evil that lives in the human heart. You don’t need to travel a long distance to find the source of these sins. You don’t need to conduct an exhaustive search. All you need to do is look at your own heart. “The source from which these rivers of pollution proceed is the natural heart of man. Sin is not a splash of mud upon man’s exterior, it is a filth generated within himself.” (Spurgeon)
 
  1. “I sicken as I think how man has plagued his fellow-men by his sins. But I will not go through the list, nor need I: the devil has preached upon this text this week, and few have been able to escape the horrible exposition.” (Spurgeon)
 
  1. There’s a huge danger in looking at this list and saying, “I sure would never do this or that.” If we don’t see the capability of these kind of sins in us, then we are out of touch with the reality of our fallen nature.
 
 
Evil thoughts: “Every outward act of sin is preceded by an inward act of choice; therefore Jesus beings with the evil thought from which the evil action comes.” (Barclay)
 
“Thoughts are the eggs of words and actions, and within the thoughts lie compacted and condensed all the villainy of actual transgressions. If men did but more carefully watch their thoughts, they would not so readily fall into evil habits; but men first indulge the thought of evil, and then the imagination of evil; nor does the process stay there. Picturing it before their mind’s eye, they excite their own desires after it; these grow into a thirst and kindle into a passion.” (Spurgeon)
 
Are these things in your heart?
 
Are you trying to clean your heart?
 
 
Mar 7:22 MKJV  thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:

 
Evil thoughts (hoi dialogismoi hoi kakoi). These come out of the heart (ek tēs kardias), the inner man, and lead to the dreadful list here given like the crimes of a modern police court:
fornications (porneiai, usually of the unmarried),
adulteries (moichaiai, of the married),
thefts (klopai, stealings),
covetings (pleonexiai, craze for more and more),
murders (phonoi, growing out of the others often),
wickednesses (ponēriai, from ponos, toil, then drudge, bad like our knave, serving boy like German Knabe, and then criminal),
deceit (dolos, lure or snare with bait),
lasciviousness (aselgeia, unrestrained sex instinct),
evil eye (ophthalmos ponēros) or eye that works evil and that haunts one with its gloating stare,
railing (blasphēmia, blasphemy, hurtful speech),
pride (huperēphania, holding oneself above others, stuck up),
foolishness (aphrosunē, lack of sense), a fitting close to it all. (Robertson)
 
Are any of these in you?
 
 
Mar 7:23 MKJV  All these evil things pass out from inside and defile the man.

 
Blasphemy: “When this is used of words against man, it means slander; when it is used of words against God, it means blasphemy. It means insulting man or God.” (Barclay)
 
This is a powerful reminder that what God first wants from us is our heart. We can only really be changed before God from the inside out. If the life and the power and the work of God isn’t real in our heart, then it isn’t real at all. (Guzik)
 
Thus our Lord defended his disciples by a beautiful chain of reasoning, wherein he has shown the true nature of actions, and loaded with perpetual infamy the Jewish teachers and their brood, who in every age and country may be known by features exactly resembling their parents, the main strokes of which are, that by their frivolous superstitions they weaken, and sometimes destroy, the eternal and immutable rules of righteousness.” — (Macknight)
 
Can you grasp the dangers of “traditions of men”?
 
 
 
Mar 7:24 MKJV  And He arose from there and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon. And He entered into a house and desired no one to know it. But He could not be hidden.
 
Jesus traveled some 50 miles to the north to visit these Gentile cities (the region of Tyre and Sidon). This is unusual in Jesus’ ministry, because His focus was on the lost sheep of Israel (Mat_15:24).
 
  1. It also shows that Jesus did not obey the Jewish traditions that said a faithful Jew would have nothing to do with Gentiles, and would never enter a Gentile’s house.
 
  1. “The previous incident shows Jesus wiping out the distinction between clean and unclean foods. Can it be that here, in symbol, we have him wiping out the difference between clean and unclean people? Just as a Jew would never soil his lips with forbidden foods, so he would never soil his life by contact with the unclean Gentile.” (Barclay) This was “a concrete example of Jesus’ disregard for the scribal concept of defilement.” (Lane)
 
  1. Wanted no one to know it: At the same time, Jesus didn’t want to needlessly offend people. He knew that time for breaking down the wall between Jew and Gentile by bringing them into one body (the church) was still in the future. So while not keeping His presence in the region of Tyre and Sidon strictly secret, He did not want it publicized.
 
But He could not be hidden: It’s a glorious principle - Jesus cannot be hidden. Anytime Jesus is present at all, He finds a way to touch lives, because He cannot be hidden. (Guzik)
 
of Tyre and Sidon — the two great Phoenician seaports, but here denoting the territory generally, to the frontiers of which Jesus now came. But did Jesus actually enter this heathen territory? The whole narrative, we think, proceeds upon the supposition that He did. His immediate object seems to have been to avoid the wrath of the Pharisees at the withering exposure He had just made of their traditional religion.
and entered into an house, and would have no man know it — because He had not come there to minister to heathens. But though not “sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Mat_15:24), He hindered not the lost sheep of the vast Gentile world from coming to Him, nor put them away when they did come - as this incident was designed to show.
but he could not be hid — Christ’s fame had early spread from Galilee to this very region (Mar_3:8; Luk_6:17). (JFB)
 
 
Mar 7:25 MKJV  For a woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of Him and came and fell at His feet.
 
An unclean spirit -- Possessed of an evil spirit, a demon--"obsessed." So far as we have any knowledge, most of these fallen spirits, demons, are unclean, depraved, and their influence upon those possessed by them is an unclean, injurious one.


And came -- Prompted by her love for her daughter and her confidence in Jesus.


Fell at his feet -- After the custom of the East, so expressive of humility, dependence and entreaty.  (Russell)
 
 
 
Mar 7:26 MKJV  The woman was a Greek, a Syro-phoenician by race. And she begged Him that He would cast the demon out of her daughter.

 
 
Our Lord desired to withdraw from the excited crowds who were flocking after Him as a mere miracle-worker and from the hostile espionage of emissaries of the Pharisees, ‘which had come from Jerusalem.’ Therefore He sought seclusion in heathen territory. He, too, knew the need of quiet, and felt the longing to plunge into privacy, to escape for a time from the pressure of admirers and of foes, and to go where no man knew Him. How near to us that brings Him! And how the remembrance of it helps to explain His demeanour to the Syrophcenician woman, so unlike His usual tone! Naturally the presence of Jesus leaked out, and perhaps the very effort to avoid notice attracted it. Rumour would have carried His name across the border, and the tidings of His being among them would stir hope in some hearts that felt the need of His help. Of such was this woman, whom Mark describes first, generally, as a ‘Greek’ (that is, a Gentile), and then particularly as ‘a Syrophcenician by race’; that is, one of that branch of the Phoenician race who inhabited maritime Syria, in contradistinction from the other branch inhabiting North-eastern Africa, Carthage, and its neighbourhood. Her deep need made her bold and persistent, as we learn in detail from Matthew, who is in this narrative more graphic than Mark. He tells us that she attacked Jesus in the way, and followed Him, pouring out her loud petitions, to the annoyance of the disciples. They thought that they were carrying out His wish for privacy in suggesting that it would be best to ‘send her away’ with her prayer granted, and so stop her ‘crying after us,’ which might raise a crowd, and defeat the wish. We owe to Matthew the further facts of the woman’s recognition of Jesus as ‘the Son of David,’ and of the strange ignoring of her cries, and of His answer to the disciples’ suggestion, in which He limited His mission to Israel, and so explained to them His silence to her. Mark omits all these points, and focuses all the light on the two things-Christ’s strange and apparently harsh refusal, and the woman’s answer, which won her cause. (MacLaren)—Matt. 15:21-28
 
Are you happy with the crumbs?
 
 
 
 
Mar 7:27 MKJV  But Jesus said to her, Let the children first be filled. For it is not right to take the children's loaves and to throw it to the dogs.
 
Jesus seems to discourage the woman, reminding her that the children (the Jewish people) get priority over the little dogs (Gentiles like her).

i. In that day, Jews often called Gentiles “dogs” in a very derogatory way. “The dog was not the well-loved guardian that it is to-day; more commonly it was the symbol of dishonour. To the Greek, the word dog meant a shameless and audacious woman; it was used exactly with the connotation that we use the word bitch to-day. To the Jews it was equally a term of contempt.” (Barclay)

ii. Yet Jesus did not use the normal word for “dogs.” Instead He softened it into little dogs - essentially, reminding the woman of her place as a Gentile, yet not wanting to push her completely away. “In Greek, diminutives are characteristically affectionate. Jesus took the sting out of the word.” (Barclay)
 
 
First be filled -- Resisting her, not because he didn't understand the case, but to draw out her faith, preparatory to the giving of the blessing desired. The Lord may also ignore our petitions to increase our faith and appreciation of the blessing we desire. He may make a test of humility before he responds to our requests.

Unto the dogs -- The typically clean Jew called the outsiders "heathen" and "dogs," and would never eat, marry, nor have any dealings with them. (Joh_4:9) The Gentiles, in comparison to the Jews, were as the dogs of the household.
 
Not an answer of disdain, contempt or indifference to her woe; but of interest and sympathy, explaining a reason why she was not a proper subject. Had there been pride in the heart, this response would have been sufficient to have put the woman upon her dignity and she would have openly tiraded against the Lord and all Jews as ecclesiastical bigots.
 
 
Mar 7:28 MKJV  And she answered and said to Him, Yes, Lord, yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs.
 
Mar 7:29 MKJV  And He said to her, For this saying go, the demon has gone out of your daughter.

 
 
The woman responds with great faith. First, she accepted her low place before Jesus by not debating the reference to little dogs. Second, she asked Jesus to deal with her on her own low level (even the little dogs under the table eat). She therefore received from Jesus.

i. We need to see the power of coming to God as we are, and letting Him make true His promises to those weak and unclean. If the woman had responded, “Who are you calling a dog?” she would not have received from Jesus what her daughter needed. Her humble, faith-filled submission to Jesus brought the victory.

ii. “Nothing appealed to our blessed Lord more than faith coupled with humility.” (Ironside) Some people come to God with a kind of faith, but without humility. Others come to God with a kind of humility, but without faith. But if the two are combined it is a powerful thing before God. (Guzik)
 
Yet the dogs -- She was willing to confess herself one of the Gentile dogs, with no right to claim healing for her daughter, because not a Jew. With wonderful keenness and humility acknowledging that she was not one of the children who had a right to the Father's blessing. So she, as a Gentile, might be granted her request, without saying that she was as worthy as a Jew of his mercy and favors. We, too, should persistently hold on to the Lord for the blessings we may be sure he will be pleased to grant in his own due time and way.


The children's crumbs -- That, as an outsider, she might be granted some of the Lord's favors without in any degree working disadvantage to the Jews, to whom the Lord's ministry was specially sent and given. In contrast, he has set before us "meat in due season" in great abundance. We need not importune for these; they are ours for the taking. (Russell)
 
Is your faith as strong as this woman’s?
 
 
Mar 7:30 MKJV  And when she had come to her house, she found the demon had gone out, and her daughter lay on the couch.
 
 
And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed — But Matthew (Mat_15:28) is more specific; “And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.” The wonderfulness of this case in all its features has been felt in every age of the Church, and the balm it has administered, and will yet administer, to millions will be known only in that day that shall reveal the secrets of all hearts. (JFB)
 
 
Come to her house -- Showing her further faith, in accepting the Master's word and going to her house. Many today hear the Lord's word assuring them their sins are forgiven, yet Little Faith bids them doubt and keep on bemoaning their sins and requesting forgiveness.

Upon the bed -- The demon was gone out and in leaving had thrown the child in a fit upon the bed. (Russell)


And she went away to her house. This sketch of her return is peculiar to Mark. She had obeyed the command: ‘Go thy way.’—Laid, or, ‘thrown,’ upon the bed. Just as the demon left her, but in a quiet condition, which was the evidence that the demon had gone. The correct order favors this view. The exhaustion was natural, and a sign of complete dispossession. (PNT)
 
Can you trust in the Lord?
 
 
Mar 7:31 MKJV  And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, He came to the Sea of Galilee, in the midst of the borders of the Decapolis.
 
 
And again, departing -- So far as the record goes, our Lord did nothing else in that quarter except for the poor Syrophenician woman. (Russell)
 
Decapolis - Mat_4:25. He did not go immediately into Capernaum, or any city where he was known, but into the retired regions around the Sea of Galilee. This was done to avoid the designs of the Pharisees, who sought his life. (Barnes)
 
 
Mar 7:32 MKJV  And they brought a deaf one to Him, hardly speaking. And they begged Him to put His hand on him.
 
 
They bring - That is, his friends brought, or the people brought.
One that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech - Not entirely mute, but who spoke indistinctly or with difficulty. His deafness might not have been of long standing, and his speech, therefore, not entirely ruined.
To put his hand upon him - That is, to cure him. Blessings were commonly imparted by laying on the hands. (Barnes)
 
They begged Him to put His hand on him: This is another example of intercession. The friends of this troubled man came and brought his need to Jesus. (Guzik)
 
Would you intercede for your friends?
 
Do you pray for your friends and family each night? (or just once in a great while?)
 
 
 
Mar 7:33 MKJV  And He took him aside from the crowd and put His fingers into his ears. And He spat and touched his tongue.

 
 
Jesus used a curious manner in healing this man. Why would Jesus use such an unusual way of healing?
 
Jesus used many different ways of healing. He healed with a word, healed without a word, healed in response to one’s faith, healed in response to the faith of another, healed those who asked, and He healed those He approached. Jesus didn’t want to be tied down to any “one method” to show that His power was not dependent on any method, but on the sovereign power of God.
 
Many people cared about this man, and perhaps many had prayed for his healing. But no one every stuck their fingers in his ears and spit on his tongue like this. Jesus did something completely new to catch this man’s attention, because He could not catch his attention with words. “Through touch and the use of spittle Jesus entered into the mental world of the man and gained his confidence.” (Lane)
 
Undoubtedly, Jesus knew there was something special in His manner that would minister to this man. “He adapts His method to the peculiar circumstances of need of the one with whom He is dealing. I am quite convinced if we could perfectly know these men we should discover the reason for the method. In each case Christ adapted Himself to the need of the man.” (Morgan) (Guzik)
 
Took him aside -- Perhaps to impress upon him the lesson. A peculiarity in this miracle, that he healed him privately.


Put his fingers -- These methods were used to attract the deaf man's attention and assist his faith. As he could not hear, nothing said to him could explain the situation; he could see the spitting, feel the touch and thus understand what was going on. (Russell)
 
Do you try to deal with people where they are at?
 
Do you come to their level?
 
 
Mar 7:34 MKJV  And looking up to Heaven, He sighed and said to him, Ephphatha! (that is, Be opened!)
 
Looking up to heaven -- Giving the man a lesson that the power for his cure was expected from God. As indicating that the sympathy of heaven was moved for the man's assistance.

He sighed -- Indicating his deep sympathy with the man before him and with the groaning creation in general. "He was touched with a feeling of man's infirmities." (Heb_4:15) The fact that he was perfect did not make him cold and unsympathetic, rather the reverse. His perfect mind would make all his sensibilities more active than ours, his sympathy would be stronger, his sense of pain keener. (Russell)
 
 
He sighed:  “The ‘sigh’ was an inward groan, our Lord’s compassionate response to the pain and sorrow sin has brought into the world. It was also a prayer to the Father on behalf of the handicapped man. (The same word is used in connection with prayer in Rom_8:23, and the noun in Rom_8:26).” (Wiersbe)
 
Do your actions give credit to God in heaven?
 
 
Mar 7:35 MKJV  And instantly his ears were opened and the bond of his tongue was loosened, and he spoke plainly.

 
 
Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly: The ancient Greek word for impediment in his speech is mogilalon, and is only used here in the New Testament. It is a word that is also used once in the Septuagint translation of the Old Testament, in Isa_35:5-6 : Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb [mogilalon] sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert. Mark wants us to know that the Messiah is here, bringing the glorious benefits of His rule. (Guzik)
 
 
Mar 7:36 MKJV  And He commanded them, that they should tell no one. But the more He commanded them, so much the more they proclaimed it.
 
And he charged them,.... The man that had his hearing and speech restored to him, and those that brought him, and as many as were witnesses of the miracle:
 
that they should tell no man; of the cure that was wrought, being not desirous of the applause of men; and knowing it would bring upon him the envy of the Scribes and Pharisees; and be a means of putting the common people upon setting him up as a temporal king, such as they expected the Messiah would be:
 
but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it; or "spake of him", as the Ethiopic version reads it; for they looked upon his charge merely to proceed from modesty, and that made them the more forward to speak of his greatness and in his praise, to publish his mighty works, and spread the fame of his miracles far and near. So, such who have received the grace of God, are become acquainted with Christ, and have a real experience of divine things, cannot but speak of them; they are like new wine which hath no vent; and are ready to burst like new bottles; to forbear speaking is a pain, and weariness to them; nay, they think, should they hold their peace, the stones in the walls would cry out. Wherefore, partly for the glory of God, the magnifying of the riches of his grace, and the honour of Christ, and the blessed Spirit; and partly to show their own sense of things, the gratitude of their minds, and the thankfulness of their hearts, as well as for the use, comfort, edification, and instruction of others, they must speak, and cannot be silent, whatever restraints are laid upon them. (Gill)
 
Does this describe you?
 
 
Mar 7:37 MKJV  And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak.
 
saying, he hath done all things well; not by Beelzebub, the prince of devils, as said the Scribes and Pharisees; nor in any ostentatious manner, for the sake of the honour and applause of men, as they plainly saw; but for the good of mankind, and for the glory of God: and as all the miraculous works, which Christ did, were well done by him. (Gill)
 
Done all things well -- Not merely this one healing, but many. (Mat_15:29-31)

The deaf to hear -- His mission was not to heal the sick, but "to give his life a ransom for all"; secondarily to call his footstep followers, and only incidentally, as an illustration of his kingdom, to do miracles and cures.  It would have been a still greater work for Jesus to have expounded the divine plan and open the eyes of their understanding, but this was not possible at that time. Jesus said to his disciples, "Greater works than these shall ye do, because I go to my Father." (Joh_14:12)

As new creatures we already have had our eyes opened, our ears unstopped and our tongues loosed, that we may speak of his goodness and love to others. (Russell)

In the kingdom "all the blind eyes shall be opened and all the deaf ears be unstopped." (Isa_35:5)
 
Are your ears and mouths opened? Are you proclaiming the Lord like the ones here?
 
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