#23 Walk in God's Righteousness

A blessed Wednesday to all (".)
Isn't it wonderful to see a child being led by his father on a walk? How much more our Father in Heaven as He led us to walk in His light :)


Today's sharing: September 7- Day 7- Chapter 7 in the Book of  Mark

Mark 7 (excerpts)
That Which Defiles 

5...the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?”
 6 He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:
 “‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
7 They worship me in vain;
their teachings are merely human rules.’
 8 You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”
 9 And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! 13...you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”
 14 Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. 15 Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.”
 20 He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. 21 For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

Jesus Honors a Syrophoenician Woman’s Faith 

25...a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure spirit came and fell at his feet. 26 The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.
 27 “First let the children eat all they want,”he told her, “for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”
 28 “Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”
 29 Then he told her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.”
 30 She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

Jesus Heals a Deaf and Mute Man 

32...some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him.
 33...Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. 34 He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). 35 At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.
37 People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

note: the complete text can be found on this link--

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+7&version=NIV

May our Loving Lord open our minds and hearts for His words.
Another very timely reminder for all of us (".)

"For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven."- Matthew 5:20

What is a hypocrite?
- someone who pretends to be better than he really is or to be pious, virtuous without really being so; a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion;

Jesus taught us not to follow the example of hypocrites- those making long public prayers, employing extreme measures to ensure others noticed their fasts, parading their gifts to the Temple and the poor, and so on...They revealed only an outward attachment to the Lord. Pharisees of that time performed well their dramatic role as public examples of religious virtue, but failed miserably in the inner world of the heart where true virtue resides.

Hypocrites are still evident at present times, even professing Believers/Christians. Of course, not everyone who claims to be a Christian is truly a Christian. To this day, prominent Christian leaders have fallen into terrible sins. Financial and sexual scandals sometimes seem to plague the Christian community. 


Numerous biblical passages confirm that those who truly belong to Christ will exhibit the fruit of the Spirit- But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.- Galatians 5:22-23


Not all professions of faith in Him are genuine. Sadly, many who profess to belong to Him will be stunned one day to hear Him say to them, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!”- Matthew 7:23 

All Christians fail to perfectly live up to the standard the Bible teaches. No Christian has ever been perfectly Christ-like. However, there are many Christians who are genuinely seeking to live the Christian life and are relying more and more on the Holy Spirit to convict, change, and empower them. There have been multitudes of Christians who have lived their lives free from scandal. No Christian is perfect, but making a mistake and failing to reach perfection in this life is not the same thing as being a hypocrite.

As Christians, sinlessness is to be our goal, though not achievable in this lifetime, it's a fact that we will fail to live up to God's perfect standard. However, as we grow and mature in faith, our lives should more and more reflect the truths that we profess to believe.

As we walk in the Spirit, we try "not to quench the Spirit"- 1 Thessalonians 5:19  but rather submit to it and be filled with it - "be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." - Ephesians 5:18-21


God gave us The Bible, His Word, to equip us for every good work- "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."- 2 Timothy 3:16-17. It teaches us how to live and what to believe, it reveals when we have chosen wrong paths, it helps us get back on the right path, and it helps us to stay on that path.
Hebrews 4:12 tells us that the Word of God is living and powerful, able to penetrate to our hearts to root out and overcome the deepest sins of heart and attitude.
The psalmist talks about its life-changing power in-depth in Psalm 119. 



Treat our Bibles as the "Book of Life" - memorize it, meditate on it, apply it to our daily lives; confess the sins it reveals, and praise God for the gifts it affirms. The Bible is the tool the Spirit uses in our lives, an essential and major part of the armor that God gave us to fight our spiritual battles.

Pray! Acknowledge our own limitations, turn to God's inexhaustible power, ask for His strength and what He wants us to do, not what we want to do.

Be on fellowship with other believers. In the wisdom literature of the Old Testament, we are told that "as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another"- Proverbs 27:17. "There is strength in numbers."- Ecclesiastes 4:11-12.

Sometimes victory over sin comes quickly. Other times, victory comes more slowly. God has promised that as we make use of His resources, He will progressively bring about change in our lives. We can persevere in our efforts to overcome sin because we know that He is faithful to His promises.
(ref: got questions- Bible-answered questions)

Inspirational Prayer:
"In all I say;
    In all I do;
      Teach me O Lord, to center it all to You!"


Glory to our Almighty and Loving GOD!

#22 Faith is a Grace from God

September 6- Day 6, Chapter 6 in The Book of Mark 

Faith - is “belief in, devotion to, or trust in somebody or something, especially without logical proof.”; also defined as “belief in and devotion to God.”

Mark 6 (excerpts)
A Prophet Without Honor 
Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” 5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 He was amazed at their lack of faith.

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve 

7 Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits.
8 These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. 9 Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. 10 Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town.11 And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”
12 They went out and preached that people should repent. 13 They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

John the Baptist Beheaded 

16 But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!”
17 For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison.

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand 

32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. 33 But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.
36 Send the people away so that they can go...buy themselves something to eat.”
37 But he (Jesus) answered, “You give them something to eat.”
38 “How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.”
When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.”
41 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. 42 They all ate and were satisfied, 43 and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. 44 The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.

Jesus Walks on the Water 

46 After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.
48 ...he (Jesus) went out to them, walking on the lake. 49 but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, 50 because they all saw him and were terrified.
Immediately he spoke to them and said,“Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 51Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, 52 for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.
53 ...they landed at Gennesaret... 54 ...people recognized Jesus. 55 They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.


note: please read the complete text (Chapter 6 in the Book of Mark) at this link--
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mark%206&version=NIV


Thanks be to God for the light on His words (".)


Aren't we glad we are not born during Jesus' time? We are not there to size Him up. We are so blessed we have been given faith, one of the innumerable grace He bestowed upon us, not discounting the fact that we are undeserving of all His gifts. We have the Holy Spirit to guide us "all the way" in our walk with Him. Thank You so much Loving Lord! 


"Faith can move mountains"- ...Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”- Matthew 17:20. If we have faith in God, an unrelenting faith, nothing is impossible. It is an unquestionable grace from God. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God"-- Ephesians 2:8. It is so humbling to be called by Him, to be adopted as His children. But more so, it is overwhelming that when we let Him move into our lives, take-over our whole being, He is making us into a new creation- a creation not of this world, but of His Kingdom- "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"- 2 Corinthians 5:17


As shared by Charles Stanley, faith is the cornerstone of our Christianity. We believe in God’s existence by faith. Faith can fail us at times, but because it is the gift of God, given to His children, He provides times of trial and testing in order to prove that our faith is real and to sharpen and strengthen it.- "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."- James 1:2-4

Our Loving God gave us His Book- The Bible, so that we are continually reminded that His guidance and instructions are all in there and if we abide by it, we will never be lost in our walk with Him. - "These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."- Deuteronomy 6:6-7

Remember: Everything comes from Him. Faith is a grace from Him; He will overcome all unbelief; He will grow our faith; He will nurture and strengthen it....but we have to start believing in Him, even as small as a "mustard seed".  

"Don't be afraid; just believed"- Mark 5:36

Jesus said: "Eveything is possible for one who believes"..."I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"- Mark 9:23-24

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.- Hebrews 11:1


...Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. ”- Matthew 17:20

Inspirational Prayer:
Loving Jesus, how we love your words! Praise your beautiful name! Thank you for the beautiful message you have imparted on us today. Thank you for being our Shepherd. May you continue to grow our faith in you. May you help others find their way to you too. May you also give the unbelievers your grace of faith. Help us continue our walk with you with vigor and enthusiasm everyday. Glory to you everyday, every moment, every breath. In your mighty name, Amen.

A blessed day to all (".)

#21 The Power of Jesus

A blessed Monday to all (".)
Chapter 5 in the Book of Mark for Day 5.

Mark 5 (excerpts)

Jesus Restores a Demon-Possessed Man 

2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. 4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.

6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7 He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” 8 For Jesus had said to him,“Come out of this man, you impure spirit!”

9 Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”

“My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” 10 And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.

11 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. 12 The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” 13 He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.

 18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 19 Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”20 So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis (the Ten Cities) how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

Jesus Raises a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman 

21 ...a large crowd gathered around him (Jesus) while he was by the lake. 22 ...Jairus fell at his feet. 23 He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” 24 So Jesus went with him.

A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”

31 “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ”

32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

35 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?”

36 Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

39 He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” 40 But they laughed at him.

After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). 42 Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. 43 He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.

note: you may read the complete text of Chapter 5 (Book of Mark) through this link - 

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mark%205&version=NIV

Points to Ponder:
Do we really believe in the power of our Almighty God? Are we holding on to Him? Are we not doubting Him? Are we letting Him navigate the course of our lives?  


To be one with God, we have to really surrender all of us to Him... then, He will display His power in us, in our lives.


(1) In "Jesus restores a demon-possessed man", our Loving God, Jesus, was moved with mercy and compassion of a man with more than a thousand (2,000) impure spirits inside him. He immediately restored the man by commanding the impure spirits to come out of him and they oblige with fear and begged to be sent to the herd of pigs. That is how awesome Jesus' power is! Then, the restored man begged Jesus if he can go with him, but Jesus gave him a different direction, Jesus told the man- "tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." And the man completely oblige, and the people who heard the news were all amazed.     


(2) In "Jesus Raises a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman", through the display of faith, the power of Jesus has manifested. The bleeding woman's faith: “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. Jairus, the father of a dying child (or have just died) professed his faith to Jesus': "My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” Then Jesus raised her up: “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around.


Nothing is impossible to Jesus, He is our Almighty God! Out of His love, His mercy, kindness, compassion, and deep sympathy for all of us is apparent. We are not deserving of all unmerited favor and blessings from Him everyday we live our lives and yet He continues to give it to all of us. How can we not make Him the first of everything and everyone. How can we not honor Him with our whole being. He is the only one deserving of all worthiness and honor-- Glory to Jesus, the God of the Most High, our Almighty God! 


Inspirational Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for the display of your power then and now, in us and in our lives. Help us always see everyday that the "good life" will be found in You, not in the abundance of the things we possess. Cultivate in us a sense of contentment in what we have. Strengthen the faith in us Lord God, may we always see that selflessness is the key to living the "good life", that in reaching out with others, we will be able to display the same character you want us to have- mercy, kindness, compassion. Glory to You everyday, every moment, every breath. We praise you Jesus, our Almighty God! Amen.


Remember: To read His Book wholeheartedly is to submit to Him and experience His power!


(1) The Gospel is the "power of God" - "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes"--Romans 1:16

(2) Life is in His "words" - The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.--John 6:63

(3) His "words" are alive and active - "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."--Hebrews 4:12 

#20 Listen to Jesus, He is Teaching Us

A blessed Sunday (".)
Day 4- Chapter 4 in The Book of Mark.
Our Loving God, Jesus, is teaching us again today, He is the only one who has the unquestionable authority to teach; may we all listen to Him with all our hearts.

Mark 4 (excerpts)

The Parable of the Sower 

... please see my blog- post#15 We will be fruitful...in God's light- to read more about "the parable of the sower", thank you :)
http://ingodslight.blogspot.com/2011/08/15-we-will-be-fruitfulin-gods-light.html

A Lamp on a Stand 

21 He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? 22 For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.”

24 “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. 25 Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”

The Parable of the Growing Seed 

26 He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29 As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”

The Parable of the Mustard Seed 

30 Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? 31 It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. 32Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”

33 With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. 34 He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.

Jesus Calms the Storm 

35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

note: please see the complete text of Mark 4 through this link--

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mark%204&version=NIV

Jesus, He is the only one who has the sole authority, and He is teaching us; how can we not listen to Him? 
Here is the light He shed, through the Holy Spirit, so we can understand His words for us today:


(1) In the "parable of the sower", He is reminding us, to be one with Him, we all need to be the good soil, and to be fruitful, total reliance on Him, on His strength and His power, is His request from all of us; as we remain in Him, He will let us see His purpose for our lives;


(2)  In the "lamp on a stand", He is telling us, nothing will be concealed from Him, no secrets; all will be revealed in His time, whether we did good, not so good or really something bad; but we never have to be afraid, as we learn to be in tune with Him, as we let Him guide us, He will teach us the right way- the path that is good and is pleasing to Him.

"Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the duty of all mankind.
For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing,
whether it is good or evil.''-- Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

(3) In the "parable of the growing seed", He is letting us know that the "seeds" are His "words" being planted in all of us. And He is letting it grow in us; as we continue to lean on His understanding and wisdom, we will be able to discern what He wants us to know and apply in our lives, and when the time of His Kingdom come, He will harvest us. May we be part of the fruitful harvest He wants us all to be.


(4) In the "parable of the mustard seed", He is instilling in us, if we have faith in Him, even just as small as a mustard seed, He will let it grow in us, He will nurture it, He will take care of it, He will make it blossom, and in time, in His beautiful time, He will let us see how we become the largest plant- an unadulterated Christian, worthy of all the promises He gave us.


"He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you".-- Luke 17:6    

(5) In "Jesus calms the storm", there are two-sides He wants to present: the side of the disciples who are with Him (Jesus) and yet fear is still in them, and His side, the Son of God, who shows them His Mighty Power- that even the storm, the force of nature, He can command to quiet down. This is like a mirror of our walk with Him today. Yes, we are Christians, we believe Him, we acknowledge Jesus as our God, and yet, sometimes, the "storms" in our lives tends to distort how we should respond. There are times, we doubt how we will pass through it, but assuredly, as we hold onto His hands, as we let Him take over and be the One in-control, He will strengthen us- He is our God Almighty! All the "storms" in our lives- past, present and future, is just a miniscule compared to His power. Remember: Our God is bigger than any "storms" we will face.


Inspirational Prayer:
Dear Loving Jesus, teach us more and more on how to live our lives for you. Open our minds, our hearts, our whole being so that we are always in tune to you. Let us continue to walk in your light so that we may discover the beauty of the lives you want us to live. You are our Almighty God! We will be able to face all our "storms" praising you by the strength you will give us. We thank you everyday, every moment, every breath. Praise You Jesus, our Mighty God! Amen.


May we all remember that we will find the power and strength of God from His book- The Bible; may we all adhere in reading and contemplating on it everyday (".)


Proverbs 4:20-22 20 

My son, pay attention to what I say; 

turn your ear to my words. 
Do not let them out of your sight,
keep them within your heart;
for they are life to those who find them
and health to one’s whole body.

#19 Honor the Holy Spirit that comes from God

A blessed Saturday to everyone (".)

It's September 3 and we are now in Chapter 3 in The Book of Mark. May we all again be reminded that when we contemplate on God's Words, our lives are enriched through it, we are guided by it, protected and encouraged.

Glory to our beautiful God and most wonderful Lord!

Psalm 119:105

Your word is a lamp for my feet, 

a light on my path.

Mark 3 (excerpts)

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath 

4 Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.

5 He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.

Crowds Follow Jesus 

7 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. 8 When they heard about all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon. 9 Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. 10 For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him. 11 Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” 12 But he gave them strict orders not to tell others about him.

Jesus Appoints the Twelve 

14 He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach 15 and to have authority to drive out demons. 16These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), 17 James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Jesus Accused by His Family and by Teachers of the Law 

20 Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. 21When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”

22 And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.”

23 So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.26 And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. 27 In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house. 28 Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.”

30 He said this because they were saying, “He has an impure spirit.”

31 Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.”

33 “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked.

34 Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”
(complete text--
 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mark%203&version=NIV)

Our Loving Lord, Jesus Christ, came into this world to extend His help, His healing and most especially, His love. Many followed Him, they sought for healing and He did not fail them, more than that, He preached the good news. 

But there are also people, mostly teachers of the law, the all-knowing ones, who accused Him of being one with "impure spirit", and yet our Loving God, Jesus, did not retaliate, but instead, He spoke in parable:

"Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin."

So what is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? 

Blasphemy-- generally defined as “defiant irreverence.” 

The term can be applied to such sins as cursing God or willfully degrading things relating to God. It is also attributing some evil to God, or denying Him some good that we should attribute to Him. 

“The blasphemy against the Holy Spirit”- has to do with someone accusing Jesus Christ of being demon-possessed instead of Spirit-filled. 

The closest example today would be attributing the miracle of a redeemed person’s changed life to Satan’s power rather than to the effects of the indwelling Holy Spirit. 

The blasphemy of the Spirit today, which is the same as the unpardonable sin, is the state of continued unbelief. There is no pardon for a person who dies in unbelief. Continual rejection of the Holy Spirit’s promptings to trust in Jesus Christ is the unpardonable blasphemy against Him. 

Remember what is stated in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Further on in the same chapter is the verse “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him” (John 3:36). 

The only condition wherein someone would have no forgiveness is if he is not among the “whoever believes in Him,” for it is he who “rejects the Son.”

(ref: Got Questions: Bible-answered questions)

But how would we know if the Spirit in us is from God?

1 John 3:24

The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and He in them. And this is how we know that He lives in us: We know it by the Spirit He gave us.

1 John 4:1-6

1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5 They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.

Inspirational Prayer:

Dear Jesus, we have not met you personally but we are so grateful that we have the Holy Spirit in us, signifying You are with us in Spirit. Living our lives for You is more than wonderful and beautiful. May we continue to honor you with our lives everyday, every moment, every breath. Thank you for the gift of life. This we pray in Your Mighty name, Amen.

"Finally, be strong in the LORD and in His mighty power!"- Ephesians 6:10

#18 Jesus said...Son, your sins are forgiven

A blessed Friday to all (".)

Another great day to give back glory to our Lord Almighty-- Praise You dear God!

It is day (2) on our "growing deeper into Christ". In all sincerity, I am glad that you are reading and contemplating the messages I share; may all our hearts be lifted up to Him whatever we face at this very moment.

Mark 2 (excerpts)

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man 

3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? 9 Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? 10 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.”

Jesus Calls Levi and Eats With Sinners 

14 As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.

17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Jesus Questioned About Fasting 

19 Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. 20 But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast.

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath 

27 Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

Here is the link for the complete text of Chapter 2- The Book of Mark -- http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+2&version=NIV

It is a fact, it is human nature- we are sinners and we are capable of always committing sins deliberately or not. No one in their right mind can say- "I am a righteous man, I am perfect, I do not sin."

Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous,
no one who does what is right and never sins.- Ecclesiastes 7:20

The heart is deceitful above all things 

and beyond cure.
Who can understand it?- Jeremiah 17:9

There are six things the LORD hates, 

seven that are detestable to him:
haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,
a false witness who pours out lies
and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.- Proverbs 6:16-19

(7) Deadly Sins:

haughty eyes-- disdainfully proud; we think whether because of money, education, or looks, that we are apparently above others.

lying tongue-- untruthful; someone who cheats; insincere; dishonest; deceitful; a hypocrite; devious;
hands that shed innocent blood-- killers; murderers;

a heart that devises wicked schemes-- someone who always plans others downfall;

feet that are quick to rush into evil-- rash; hasty; impulsive; insensitive; hotheaded;

a false witness who pours out lies-- cunning;

a person who stirs up conflict-- gossiper; starts arguments; someone who causes faction or trouble;  

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.- Galatians 5:19-21

Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.- 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.- 1 John 1:8

Praise God! We are all truly blessed to have a God who has given His life for all of us so we can be saved; He bore all our sins when He died for us in the cross.....and we have life again because of Him.

“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”- 1 Peter 2:24

May we all embrace God's true gift of life- His eternal salvation for all of us. He came down from Heaven, humbled Himself to the lowest level because of His love for all of us, and adopted us to be His children. More than appreciation and gratefulness of God's gift for all of us, may we learn to live the new life He gave us only for Him, for His glory, for His honor and for His Kingdom.

A very moving verse to help us all live continuously in His light (".)

Galatians 5:16-17

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever

 you want.

Glory to our GOD Almighty!

#17 Let Us All Follow Jesus

A blessed Thursday to all (".)

It's the 1st day of September, a new month, a new beginning for all of us. May we always see God's light as we continue to walk in His guidance, in His truth and in His way...

The beautiful part of being a Believer is we want to be worthy to the Loving God who have saved us and who made us His children. With such, a deepening relationship with Him is what we want and it starts with meditating on His laws day and night.

Psalm 1:2

but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, 

and who meditates on his law day and night.

My sharing for today is strengthening the journey with our Lord, and we will start the day with (1) chapter a day in the Bible, particularly, the Book of Mark where we will read and contemplate on His words and His messages for us-- may He gives us the discernment and enlightenment for the words He wants us to know. (note: it's encouraging to share that this is in keeping with the move to unite the Believers to be one with God, especially with His words-First Christian Church)

Mark 1 (excerpts)

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah,the Son of God, 2 as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

“I will send my messenger ahead of you, 

who will prepare your way”— 

3 “a voice of one calling in the wilderness, 

‘Prepare the way for the Lord, 

make straight paths for him.’”

4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.5...all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 7 ...his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

The Baptism and Testing of Jesus

9 ...Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

13 and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. 

Jesus Announces the Good News

15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

Jesus Calls His First Disciples

16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 18 At once they left their nets and followed him.

19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

Jesus Drives Out an Impure Spirit

22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. 23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, 24 “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

Jesus Heals Many

30 Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. 31 So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. 34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.

Jesus Prays in a Solitary Place 

35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. 

Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy 

40 A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”

41 Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” 42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.

45 ...Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.

(note: the complete text is linked, please checked it out at Biblegateway-- http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%201&version=NIV)

It is not my intention to omit some words on the whole passage, I made it an excerpt-type of sharing to give emphasis on how I took on His words and His approach to me but nevertheless, I linked the whole chapter from the source (Biblegateway) so that you all can read the whole chapter.

This is how He let me perceive His sharing for today:

(1) The good news is- Jesus came to save us all; He wants us to repent, confess on all our sins and be baptized by water... and after such, the Holy Spirit will come to all of us.

(2) Jesus is the one True God, the God incarnate, the Son of God and it is without doubt- He has the authority on everything!

(3) Jesus wants us to follow Him naturally, without second thoughts. 

(4) Jesus cares so much for us all- He is our Healer, physically and spiritually, no one else.

The people of that time came to Jesus from everywhere because they have heard of the good news. In my heart, I know that they have found their hope in Jesus....today, may we all be given the insight to follow Him too, He is our only Hope (".)