INSIDE OUT
Today’s Reading: Mark 7
(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).
This pool (now a cistern) is located at the northwestern corner of Jerusalem’s Temple Mount and measures 52 x 14 metres. It is located along the Via Dolorosa. This cistern is accessible from the lower area of the Sisters of Sion convent and from the tunnel that runs along the western wall of the Temple Mount.
GOOGLE MAPS – See where Reynold took the photo Click HERE.
Key Verse: Mark 7:20
And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man…”
“Pharisees,” a religious denomination within the religion of Judaism, put great emphasis on tradition, ceremonies, and keeping the letter of the law in a most meticulous way. They had added a multitude of details and interpretations to the Law of Moses. Jesus said to them, “[you are] making the Word of God of no effect through your tradition” (verse13). Jesus then lists some of the evil that comes from within a person (verses 21-23). Jesus came with the message that true faith is inward and produces good fruit on the outside. Paul lists the manifestation of the inner life produced by a daily drawing from Jesus, Who lives in the believer. This includes LOVE, JOY, PEACE, LONGSUFFERING, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, and SELF CONTROL (Galatians 5:22-23).
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord Jesus, You said, “I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Through reading Your Word, prayer, and this blog, I’m abiding in You. Therefore, I expect to produce good fruit today. In Your fruitful Name, Amen!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
My Dad told the story of when he first went to Egypt as a missionary. The year was 1922 when, in a Model T Ford car, several veteran missionaries drove him into the desert where he spotted a tree which had delicious-looking fruit on it. “Try it,” they said. He did and it was the most bitter fruit. They laughed and informed him that this fruit was called “Apples of Sodom.” This was one of the many stories I was raised on. Dad would laugh heartily at the memory. Over the years, I’ve tried to tell my family stories (in an interesting way) from the past, as well as my own stories. My great-granddaughter, Aliyah Stowell, had just turned three when she, her younger brother, and her Mom and Dad travelled with me across the prairie provinces for two months during my “Thank You Canada Tour.” As I told her one of my stories, she said, “Great Grandpa, I love you very, very much…but I don’t want to listen to you anymore.” Since then she’s given me permission to tell more stories. However, I make sure to make them more interesting!
Yours so that when someone takes a bite of you, you will taste really good,
David
P.S. Below is a photo of my great-granddaughter, Aliyah, in the motorhome during my Thank You Canada Tour in 2012.
We have a very serious problem in our world today and it has a name …. EVIL. Jesus says in Mark 7″20 “…it is what comes from inside that defiles you.” Society has largely abandoned God and his precepts and have gone it’s own way, to it’s peril. So now we have violence of all sorts, disobedience towards authority, rampant immorality, gender identity confusion, the giving over of truth for lies … and I could go on and on. The truth of the matter is we need the Holy Spirit to speak into our lives to keep us on the right path, to bring to light God’s Word in our hearts and to keep and protect us from the evil one. Our God lives and He is able. Know Jesus and know life to it’s fullest!
Amen!!!
Amen
AMEN!!!
I didn’t understand Jesus’ comment about the dogs in Mark 7:27. So…..off to Google I went and found one explanation:
http://practicaljesus.blogspot.ca/2008/08/toss-childrens-bread-to-dogs.html
🙂
I like that Lynda–off to Google I went…
Here is Matthew Henry’s commentary on Mark 7:27-:30:
Note, The greatest blessing we can ask of Christ for our children is, that he would break the power of Satan, that is, the power of sin, in their souls; and particularly, that he would cast forth the unclean spirit, that they may be temples of the Holy Ghost, and he may dwell in them.
2. The discouragement he gave to this address (Mark 7:27); He said unto her, “Let the children first be filled; let the Jews have all the miracles wrought for them, that they have occasion for, who are in a particular manner God’s chosen people; and let not that which was intended for them, be thrown to those who are not of God’s family, and who have not that knowledge of him, and interest in him, which they have, and who are as dogs in comparison of them, vile and profane, and who are as dogs to them, snarling at them, spiteful toward them, and ready to worry them.” Note, Where Christ knows the faith of poor supplicants to be strong, he sometimes delights to try it, and put it to the stretch. But his saying, Let the children first be filled, intimates that there was mercy in reserve for the Gentiles, and not far off; for the Jews began already to be surfeited with the gospel of Christ, and some of them had desired him to depart out of their coasts. The children begin to play with their meat, and their leavings, their loathings, would be a feast for the Gentiles. The apostles went by this rule, Let the children first be filled, let the Jews have the first offer; and if their full souls loathe this honeycomb, Lo, we turn to the Gentiles!
3. The turn she gave to this word of Christ, which made against her, and her improvement of it, to make for her, Mark 7:28. She said, “Yes, Lord, I own it is true that the children’s bread ought not to be cast to the dogs; but they were never denied the crumbs of that bread, nay it belongs to them, and they are allowed a place under the table, that they may be ready to receive them. I ask not for a loaf, no, nor for a morsel, only for a crumb; do not refuse me that.” This she speaks, not as undervaluing the mercy, or making light of it in itself, but magnifying the abundance or miraculous cures with which she heard the Jews were feasted, in comparison with which a single cure was but as a crumb. Gentiles do not come in crowds, as the Jews do; I come alone. Perhaps she had heard of Christ’s feeding five thousand lately at once, after which, even when they had gathered up the fragments, there could not but be some crumbs left for the dogs.
4. The grant Christ thereupon made of her request. Isa. she thus humble, thus earnest? For this saying, Go thy way, thou shalt have what thou camest for, the devil is gone out of thy daughter, Mark 7:29. This encourages us to pray and not to faint, to continue instant in prayer, not doubting but to prevail at last; the vision at the end shall speak, and not lie. Christ’s saying that is was done, did it effectually, as at other times his saying, Let it be done; for (Mark 7:30) she came to her house, depending upon the word of Christ, that her daughter was healed, and so she found it, the devil was gone out. Note, Christ can conquer Satan at a distance; and it was not only when the demoniacs saw him, that they yielded to his power (as Mark 3:11), but when they saw him not, for the Spirit of the Lord is not bound, nor bounded. She found her daughter not in any toss or agitation, but very quietly laid on the bed, and reposing herself; waiting for her mother’s return, to rejoice with her, that she was so finely well.
Thank you Beverlee Kay. Great interpretation and makes good sense. There are a gazillion interpretations to this bible passage and I thought we weren’t to interpret the Bible.
Every time I start to get anxious or worried, the verse Phillipians 4:6 comes to mind. Very comforting.
Blessings on all saints.
You are a wonderful story-teller, David. Thank you fellow saints for your loving prayers of support. Sometimes the going is tough but we have our God and each other to rely on for strength and we will overcome and bring the Glory to His Name! Amen. Blessings to all, today.
Echoes of Eternity, July 31 (this one really spoke to me):
“Light rises in the dark places when they are opened to My presence. Light dispels the negative and gloomy thoughts and feelings, and scatters the shadows of night. I am the Daystar, the Light-giver who brings hope and gladness to your soul. Welcome Me, My child, with a wide open door—for I come bearing precious gifts. You are not called to dwell in sadness or to pine for those things that cannot be. Let their absences free you to see the wonders I have to unfold before you, and be fully present to them. Trust Me to guide your way, to guard what you have entrusted to Me, to keep you and your loved ones safe from harm—and let My joy be your strength.”
“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” 1 Peter 4:12–13, NIV
Welcome Holy Spirit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPyqkFWqwTE
My friend is dying, she is on palliative care at her apartment in Toronto. She says she is not scared of dying, but thinks she is good enough to get to Heaven!
I have shared the Gospel with her again today, on the phone, and she seems receptive.
I have asked her to call the prayer lines at Huntley Street, and she says she will.
I am asking that you pray for her salvation. Her name is Margaret, and she has congestive heart failure, and nothing can be done medically for her.
Thank you for your prayers for her.
You are absolutely right! Medically nothing can be done BUT God can do all things in His mighty Name! Lord God I declare through the blood of Your Son, Our Saviour, complete healing for Margaret! I declare she will be smiling, laughing and able to enjoy the every day things of life! A smile! A flower! A child! the sun, moon, stars, the wind! Yes Lord we come before Your Throne and ask for complete and total healing for Margaret and that she will share her Joy with everyone she meets! IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY!
AMEN!
Yes, we pray for Margaret that she will gladly receive the gospel, be saved and be ready to meet the Lord in Jesus Name . Amen. Yes, you are a good story teller David and I love your personal stories. Thanks for all your postings fellow bloggers. Very enlightening! Blessings on your long weekend. Our family is meeting for a reunion.
Beautiful blog today – love the picture & story of little Aliyah – & the comments. May God bless & keep each of you; and please Lord God, save Margaret we pray, in Jesus’ name, amen
And a special thanks to you, Beverlee Kay, for all your fine input. You are a blessing too.
Always good to read your stories Pastor David…thank you for sharing.
Out of the mouth of children; the innocent heart, speaks truth, (tell it like it is); Thank you for the picture of your great-granddaughter…how precious!!!
Great lesson and word this morning…its from the heart, the mouth speaks; whether good or bad. “for as a man thinks in his heart, so is he” (Pr.23:7)
please pray for Jason, he may have an opportunity for a different job, something that would be much better for him, less pain, better pay, God needs to speak clearly to Jason, should he move his family when he gets the work, pray that God will speak very clearly; pray the next time he goes to light up a smoke, that it will taste very terrible in his mouth and he will throw the smokes away thank you Lord amen
also pray for Jeremiah, he has a chemical imblance, mental illness, he needs some mild meds to calm him down, he needs to listen to people who care for him and give good wisdom, he needs to learn to LISTEN to God, LISTEN to his mentors, he has a lovely gal in his life, Jeremiah needs to get life in order, they have a dog and he smokes and this prevents them from finding a place to live, please pray that the next time Jeremiah lights up a smoke, may it taste terrible and he will throw it away forever, thank you Lord for this young man, he wants to do the best he can, please guide him Lord TY Lord in Jesus Name We Pray amen
Agreeing in prayer with you Sah….for Margaret, Jason and Jeremiah. In Jesus’ precious name we pray, Amen! Nice to have you back…..have missed your comments and encouraging prayers!
Dear David and Norma-Jean,
I congratulate both of you for the celebration of your birthdays. The ministry of 100 Huntley Street has been a part of my faith-journey and God continues to inspire me with His spirit and the hope of His glory and pathway of life for mankind. During your broadcasts I am held by God’s precious Holy Spirit with the knowledge that I am a part of God’s people who have to keep on keeping on until I am ushered into God’s presence at His appointed time for me. God bless everyone at 100 Huntley Street! Amen!