How is Your Giving?

 N.T. #418 "How is Your Giving?"

Nov. 6, 2024 

Mark 12-Part 8

For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living. (verse 44)

LET IT GLOW 

In the last month, our church has been giving to the max. We gave to a local church who is till feeding people after the tornadoes. We gave to our youth program so kids could go to camp next summer, we gave items to the flood victims in another state, in addition to giving appreciation gifts to our pastors. Needless to say, we have a very giving church. They are so loving, too.  

Shall we take a seat with Jesus over by the treasury? What is He is disciples observing? This was an area where 13 receptacles were placed to receive offerings and taxes for the Temple. Jesus had just commented on how the scribes took advantage of and plundered poor widows. (verse 40)

What did Jesus observe?

• The rich gave large sums of money. (verse 41)
• A poor widow, probably unnoticed by anyone else, dropped in two tiny coins worth very little. (verse 42)
• Jesus couldn't let the teachable moment escape, so He called the disciples over for it. (verse 43)
• Although the widow had contributed next to nothing, she had given more than all the others. (verse 43)
• The rich had given out of their surplus, leftovers. After they paid all of their expenses, they gave an offering, still had money was left. The widow gave out of her poverty. (verse 44)  

How are we doing in the giving department? Do we give what is left over after bills or do we give God first place, giving to Him?

LET IT GROW

We know this situation as" the widow's mite." A mite is just a tiny portion of our penny. But that is not the focus of the teaching. It is her heart in giving her all to God. Do we give our all to our God or just a portion, a tiny portion? Or are we loving Him with all our heart, soul, mind, strength? And our everything.

Stewardship is a matter of the heart. The way we relate to money is an indicator of our heart's state. The widow gave sacrificially from what little she had, because she loved God. When God considers our Christian stewardship, He looks not merely at the amount of our gifts but at our motives. (Tony Evans)

The widow gave all she had to live on because she loved her God.  Are we showing we love God by giving our tithes, offerings, time, sharing our home?

 LET IT GO

Thank You Jesus for giving Your all for us sinners!

May we give all back to You as we give to others.

A Pretense

 N.T.#417 "A Pretense"

Nov. 5, 2024 

Mark 12-Part 7

LET IT GLOW 

David believed in the Messiah to be the Son of God. He called the Messiah My Lord." Jesus is a descendant of David, He is called the son of David. (verses 35-37)

The Jesus warned the people about the scribes describing them as:

• loving to parade around wearing long clothing (robes);
• loving salutations (respectful greetings) in the marketplaces;
• have chief seats in the synagogues and uppermost rooms at feasts(banquets);
• devour widow's houses (cheating them out of property);
• make long, pious prayers in pretense in public. (verses 38-40)

It was all done for appearance sake (pretense). The scribes will receive more severe punishment.

LET IT GROW 

Is our life one of humility and godliness? Are being a good example? Is our life a model for others in service? Or are we doing things for display of false piety?/

Be careful that our actions line up with our words. Let's not be a phony Christian. 

LET IT GO

Open our eyes to those in need, Lord Jesus.

Help us put on the apron of service today.

You are the One we serve, worship, and love.

Fill us with Your love for others, a selfless love.

Love Again

N.T.#416 "Love Again"

Nov. 4, 2024

Mark 12-Part 6

LET IT GLOW 

How are others treating you? How are you treating them? Is it with selfless love?

The last of the five groups which tried to undermine Jesus' being the Messiah of Israel were the scribes. The scribes were respected and feard as Israel's experts on the Law. They were devoted to copying the Scriptures by hand with meticulous care. Spending housrs reading and writing the Word of God should have given them sufficient time to memorize passages and think about them. Although the scribes were theologians, they twisted the sacred texts to suit their purposes like the Sadducees and Herodians. (Swindoll)

One of the scribes asked Jesus what was the greatest of the commandments, to which He answered to love God and neighbors. To be clearer, Jesus said to love the Lor thy God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. The scribe said to love God with all our heart, understanding, soul, and strength, plus our neighbor. He added: is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. (verse 33b)

Love is the key to our living and pleasing God. That is my conclusion.

 Mere religious observance is worthless. Conforming to external religious regulations and practices-without love-will not get you close to God. We are to love God with the totality of our being. It is one thing to claim we love God, but to show it with what we think, say, and do is proof. Jesus connects the vertical love of God with the horizontal love of others. To love others is to decide to compassionately and righteously seek their well-being. (Evans)

LET IT GROW 

Love is the leading affection of the soul; the love of God is the leading grace in the renewed soul. Loving God with all our heart dethrones all those things that are rivals with Him. Do we set our affections on God? Do we delight in Him? Is He in sole possession of us? (Matthew Henry)

Jesus told us that there is no greater commandment than these two. (verse 31b) Are we working on this? To love God and our neighbor is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices, according to that scribe. (verse 32b) Was it the Prophet Samuel that said the same thing-obedience is better than sacrifice?

Genuine love for God and people is our duty as believers. Obeying God's Word is what He wants of us. How can I help you? That should be our theme. Whether we are cleaning dirty dishes, changing dirty diapers, or scrubbing filthy commodes, we are to do it because we love and honor God.

Maybe it is turning the other cheek and forgiving that is showing we love God and others. Do it millions of times. Don't waste years of being mad at someone. If we are walking by faith, then we are to be walking in love.

LET IT GO 

Help us to love again, sweet Jesus.

To forgive those who hurt us. Let go of those hurts.

Love again today.

What is Life About?

N.T.#415 "What is Life About?"

Nov. 1, 2024 

Mark 12-Part 5

LET IT GLOW

Of course, most folks have regrets whenever a loved one passes. I could have done more... It was like I gave up doing loving things for my brother the last year. He had made fun of our faith throughout the years. I had visited him and taken him food whenever he had surgeries and rehab. All I could do was pray for him, that his heart would change. God answered my prayers. Five days before he passed away, I spoke bluntly with him. Was he ready to see Jesus? Had he asked God to forgive his sins. Yes, was the answer to both questions. Our conversation covered each admitting we were not the right kind of brother and sister we should have been. Forgiveness was in us. Now I can rejoice that God can do what we cannot do. Love was with us; God was in us. Now we will be together for all eternity. 

The religious leaders were trying to discredit the man claiming to be the Messiah or else lose their hold on power. So they sent people into the crowds to pretend to be seekers and to catch Jesus in a theological or political trap. Yet, Jesus answered with wisdom that won the trust of sincere hearts and reinforced His identity as the Messiah.

Swindoll identified 5 Jewish factions who conspired to undermine Jesus' claim to be the Messiah:

1. The Sanhedrin, a governing body of 70 Jewish statesmen for Israel. He showThey were like our supreme court or a parliament in other countries. It was a modern political body which included 2 opposing parties-the Sadducees and the Pharisees. Although they were cut throats, they shared a common threat to their power, so they banded together as partners in crime to eliminate Jesus.
2. The Pharisees held themselves to the highest standards of Jewish Law and advocated complete separation from all Gentile influence. 
3. The Herodians were descendants of Herod the Great or served the royal family in some way. The were the Roman royal court. (verse 13)
4. The Sadducees believed the soul perished with the body. They believed rewards and punishment of God was only experienced here in this life. They did not believe in the resurrection nor afterlife.
5. The scribes were the experts on the Law in Israel. With their long robes, the scribes were respected, had chief seats in the synagogues, and were the highest social rank in the community. However, they were guilty of fraud and cruelty letting status influence decisions.

No wonder the common people had hope in Jesus. He showed them love, demonstrated God's Word, and encouraged them life after death came through faith, not works.

LET IT GROW

Let's take a closer look at those groups. We have already discussed the Sanhedrin, the Pharisees and Herodians, and the Sadducees. Now let's consider the scribes.

One of the scribes asked Jesus which command is the most important. How did Jesus answer?

First, Jesus said, The Lord our God is one Lord. (verse 29, Deut. 6:5)

The culture around Israel was polytheistic, worshiping many gods. Israel was told to be monotheistic, only worshiping Jehovah. We are to love God with the totality of our being. We are to demonstrate our love for God through everything we think, say, and do. 

In verse 30, Jesus tells us to love the Lord thy God with what? All of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. This shows us the completeness of the kind of love we are commanded to have. Is our love thorough and fervent for God?

Secondly, Jesus said, Thou shalt love they neighbor as thyself. (verse 31, Lev. 19:18) Believers are to measure their love for others by what they wish for themselves.(MacAurthor)

Jesus wants these two commands to rule our thoughts, decisions, and actions. When we are uncertain about what to do, ask ourself which course of action best demonstrates love for God and love for others.(Life Application Study Bible)

That is our mission here on earth. While we love God, we are loving others to God. Does our life show that? 

LET IT GO

Keep on praying for our loved ones to come to Jesus.

Keep showing His love, even when it is not returned. 

Love God and others, for that is what life is about, right?

Larry's Going Home Soon

 Dear Friends,

I wanted to take this time to share what the Lord Jesus is doing in my family. Do not quit praying for your loved ones to come to know Jesus as their Savior. It may take years before they get to that point of need in their life and admit they need forgiveness.. 

My brother is on his death bed now as I type this. Cancer is trying to take his life, and probably will.  It has been working for years now. First, he had a kidney removed due its conquer. Then spots kept coming into his bladder. The doctor would scrape it out. Now cancer has spread and is in 90% of his liver. Beside all of that, he had a stroke years ago and lost his wife on top of that. Needless to say, Larry has had a rough road. but pride stood in the way to the narrow way-Jesus.

Despite all of that, he has had many regrets in his life. Except for his three kids, all the other family has deserted him. I would pray for him, but he led a different lifestyle from mine and I quit visiting him, regretfully. Although, every time he had surgery, I would visit him in the hospital, in rehab, take him food, etc. I was civil, just not very forgiving and loving. Doing my sister duty, you know.

Sunday afternoon, my husband and son went to visit Larry in the hospital. I knew his time was short and I was very blunt. I asked him if he was ready to see Jesus and if he had asked Jesus to forgive him of his sins. He answered yes. Then he did something shocking-he asked me to forgive him. Tears flowed down my face and his as we forgave each other and shared the love of Jesus in our hearts. What is past is in the past now. I just wish he had not waited so long to make amends-wasted years. 

Yet, God works things out for our good and His glory. Cancer may have the last control of his body, but not his soul. Larry went on to apologize to my husband and son, too. Also, he dictated apologetic letters to other family members. What an evidence of Jesus changing a sin-stricken heart. So, I will probably not be posting on our Bible study the rest of the week. I want to spend what time we have together with my brother.

Do not give up on praying for your loved ones. God is in control. It may take cancer intruding in a life that brings them to repentance. I am on a mission now. Serving my family with Jesus' love. So please pray for my family during this tough time. 

Seven of the eight cousins got together for som walks down memory lane, childhood excursions on my parents' farm. What fond memories they had together. It was soothing to my aching soul at the loss of my brother.

The grave isn't going to have the victory. There is grace and mercy ready to be poured out on the lost soul. Forgiveness and love abounds in our Savior, Jesus.

In His Name,

Linda

Resurrection

N.T.#413 "Resurrection"

Oct. 22, 2024 

Mark 12-Part 3

LET IT GLOW

The second group to question Jesus was the Sadducees. The were the most wealthy, influential, and aristocratic of all the Jewis sects. All the high priests, chief priests, and the majority of the Sanhedrin were Sadducees. They ignored the oral law, traditions, and scribal laws of the Pharisees, viewing only thew pentateuch as authoritative. Their most distinctive theology is they believed Moses did not teach a literal resurrection from the dead. so they lived for the moment and whatever profit they could make. Since they controlled the Temple businesses, they were extremely upset when Jesus cleansed the Temple of the money changers, cutting into their profits. This is why they wanted to discredit Jesus in front of the people.  (MacArthur)

Do you believe in afterlife following death? Do you believe Jesus rose from the dead? 

LET IT GROW

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.  (John 11:25)

Resurrection means raised to life again; a resurrection from death. 

Jesus was speaking to Martha at that time. He is the One who has the power of resurrection and life for He can give life at any time. Martha had accepted the I AM as the Christ (Messiah), the Son of God. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. 

How about you, dear one? Do you believe in Jesus as your Savior, the giver of life?

He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err. (verse 27) 

Jesus told the Sadducees their doctrine was wrong. There is life after death. 

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

LET IT GO 

Thank You Jesus for Your dying for me a sinner.

What a wonderful Savior, who rose from the dead. 

We are trusting our eternal life to You. 

To Whom is Our Allegiance?

N.T.#412 "To Whom is Our Allegiance?"

Oct. 21, 2024 

Mark 12-Part 2

LET IT GLOW 

Many people have been put in prison because of their allegiance to God. How strong is our faith?

How do we find out about something if we don't ask questions? However, the 3 questions put to Jesus was not for learning or instruction. The three groups of people questioning Jesus were not for information, but to test or trap Him. Maybe they could get Jesus to say something for which He could be arrested. 

The first group was the Pharisees and Herodians to ask buttered Jesus up first, saying, Teacher, we know how honest you are. You are impartial and don't play favorites. You teach the way of God truthfully. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar of not? Should we pay them, or shouldn't we? (verses 14-15a, NLT)

they began with flattery and sweet talk, Jesus knew they were trying to trap Him, so He asked for a Roman coin. Whose picture and title are stamped on it? (verse 16)

How did Jesus answer? Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.  (verse 17)

His reply completely amazed them. Until Christ returns, we need money, but we must not serve it. We obey governing authorities, but we do not serve them when their law conflicts with God's. (Swindoll)

The Pharisees and Herodians failed to trap Jesus with their tax question.

LET IT GROW

As a Christian, when is it right to resist, defy, a government?

1. When a law commands us to violate a command of God. An example is found in Acts 4:19-20:
2. When an authority commits immoral or unethical acts. 
3. When an authority compels us to compromise our Christian convictions, which violates our Spirit-guided conscience. (Swindoll)

God is sovereign and His authority we yield to, therefore, we render to God the things that are God's. He ordained government authority to keep humanity from tearing itself apart. We don't advocate overthrowing the government just because it is not God's kingdom.

Are we giving to our government the taxes required in order for us to be a good citizen? Are we giving our tithes and offerings to God as we should? Is our commitment to God greater? Are we giving to God what is rightfully His?

LET IT GO

Gjive us strength to remain faithful to You, Father God.

May our life honor You as we show we are a good citizen.