THE WORD AND THE POWER
Today’s Reading: Mark 12
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).
Through a passage off the north side of the Western Wall (Wailing Wall) of the platform on which the Temples of Solomon, Ezra and Herod were built, is a collection of Jewish holy books. This man is reading an ancient scroll protected by glass. A Torah scroll is a handwritten copy of the Torah or Pentateuch, the holiest book within Judaism. It must meet extremely strict standards of reproduction. Written entirely in Hebrew, a sefer Torah contains 304,805 letters, all of which must be duplicated precisely by a trained sofer or scribe. This is an effort which may take as long as 18 months.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where Reynold took the photo, click HERE.
Key Verse: Mark 12:24
Jesus answered and said to them, “Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God?…”
Jesus taught that we learn about God by knowing both the Scriptures and the Power of God. There are those who concern themselves with one or the other, and who fail to have both the Word of God and the working of the Holy Spirit in a balanced Christian life. Failure to give attention to both will produce a lopsided and ineffective believer. Therefore, we should take quality time reading God’s Word in a systematic way (this blog will help), and after we’ve heard from God, take time to pray fervently for the infilling of the Holy Spirit for the new day of service. This chapter begins with the parable of those who were unwilling to recognize the servants that the owner of the vineyard had sent to them. With a diligent effort to balance the head and the heart with Scripture and the experience of God’s Spirit, we will not fall into error or fanaticism.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Father God, Your Son and our Saviour showed us how a Christian should live in balance. May He live fully in me so that Your Word and Your Spirit will produce daily the fruit and the gifts of the Holy Spirit in a balanced way (Gal. 5:22-25 and 1 Cor. 12:4-11). I pray this through the Person of Jesus Christ, in whom I live. Amen!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
Before I write this blog, I know that in order to communicate as I should, I must spend time reading God’s Word, meditating on that Word, and an equal time in prayer. I try to spend the same amount of time on my personal devotions as I do writing these words. This discipline goes back to my earliest days in witnessing for Jesus. I really messed up a great opportunity to win a man for Christ by a lack of wisdom (“He that wins souls is wise” Proverbs 11:30), and a failure to keep filled with the Holy Spirit. I watched this man turn away from God. I cried out to God in my private time and was taught the reason for my failure…the lesson of today’s blog. One other lesson from today’s reading: When God counts the amount of our giving of offerings to Him, He counts the size of our gift by how much we have left over after we’ve given, not the actual cash value of our gift. Think about it the next time you give.
Yours for both the Scriptures and the Power of God,
David
Tough parable. David’s message is so true–we can only center each morning by spending alone time with God and reading His Word. Praise God for our blessings, saints. We are alive because of Christ who breathes in us. Wow!
The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him;
though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.
Psalm 37:23-24 NIV
So Will I Lyric Video (100 Billion X) – Hillsong United | New Hope
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7sslCfl0XY
Thanks to your dad Ron, Ann et al. This is such a great way to learn God’s Word and share with other believers. Blessings on all saints today and always.
This is a good poem I found:
God sometimes will give me a light
No other man can see,
A light that teaches me a way
That’s only shown to me,
Then shall I follow on although
All else in darkness be,
I’d rather let God’s will be done
Than men speak well of me.
Henry Drummond, The Greatest Thing in the World
Love it.Thanks,Lynda
Inspired by Psalm 73:24-25
With wise counsel Thou will guide me
‘Til in glory Thou make me free,
For Who in heaven have I but Thee
And with no mortal I choose but with Thee to be,
For earthly strength may up and flee;
But Thou be my portion for eternity.
(G.W.)Bill Marshall/Oct 09, 2015
G’day.David was surely not a hypocrite living the example Jesus taught and trying to impart that desire in us who follow his teachings of Jesus.For his gift in teaching becomes his gift to us (through the holy Spirit,of course) and freely we must try to give it to others.(Which reminds me I must copy and paste the 100 Words link in my Facebook page.)
Myself and one other count the offering in our little church and if I do miss a Sunday then I double up on my next offering and occasionally I put a little extra in my envelope.”I don’t want to cheat the Lord.” is my motto.(Our bible camp is a favorite need for giving.) Yall have a great day.God bless
Can’t Be Bought
May happiness be yours to share
And joy be your constant kin,
So you have peace beyond compare
As He cleanses the temple within
And as the world sees your face,
Will be seen what they have not,
For this gift is an unearned grace
From a Love that can’t be bought.
GW(Bill) Marshall 24 Aug, 2015
I write the names of those who I wish to pray for on newspaper, in BIG letters and then I pray the Lord’s Prayer….the paper will eventually go to recycle BUT the Lord will continue to bless the people and me also..
for discipline I always write out my cheques for my tithe at the beginning of the year and give them to the Treasurer at Church. Each Sunday he puts one in the offering, if I didn’t do this I would never probably tithe…..I am thankful I can do this….also I don’t always get to church….
Praying for rain, some fires in BC have gone out, many still burning deep down….
Please pray my son will contact me, it was his birthday on the 1st of Aug; have not seen anyone for 20 years, so someone sent him an e mail to contact me and I pray he will, I wish to apologize for any hurts I may have caused him, tell him I am truly sorry and ask for his forgiveness
TY Lord
Sah:I am hoping and praying that you son will call you very soon. Dear Father in Heaven I pray for this son of Sah’s that you you would by your Holy Spirit, put a desire in his heart to call his dear mom. That he would put all his past hurts aside and just call her. I ask this in the precious name of Jesus. Amen.
Amen, Eleanor. Praying for reconciliation with your son, Sah, that he will meet you to hear you say I am sorry and ask for his forgiveness. Lord, God, bring healing and restoration to this family. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. Oh, what a miracle of healing that would bring.