Daily Reminders #14

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Psalm 100

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Me!

Mark 9:36-50

"Teacher," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us."

"Do not stop him," Jesus said. "No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them,"Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me."
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other."
Mark 9:38-50

"Teacher," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us."

"Do not stop him," Jesus said. "No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us.

Likewise, whoever is not for God is against him. There's no neutral zone on these battle lines. You're either fighting for God, or your fighting for Satan and there's no nice way to put this. We all have a choice and when choosing sides, there are two. I'll back track a little bit. Before this, the disciples had tried to cast some demons out of a boy, but another man was able to. And there was possibly some jealousy here.
I personally would be jealous, I don't know about you, but I think I'd be cool to do a miracle, but miracles that are done in Gods name. Everything we do should be to bring the glory to God.
John was interrupting Jesus while he was talking about children, here's what Jesus was saying before, in verse 36 and 37


He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them,"Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me."


And then John threw in his comment. I think either because he was jealous that a man was able to drive out demons and he couldn't, or he didn't want to hear what Jesus had to say. 


I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward. And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck. 


Jesus is jumping back to his previous point now, it would seem random to mention children, had you not read verse 36 and 37 which is why it is important to read the whole passage or else scripture might be taken out of context. Keep in mind that "He took a little child and had him stand among them" So I'll assume the child hasn't moved in these few verse. So when Jesus was saying "if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin" he was most likely gesturing to the child standing among them. Even so, when "little one" is mentioned in the bible, it is generally talking about a child or infant. "it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck." This point is probably talking about if you cause a child to sin on purpose.


If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.


I always read this part in horror. It's hard to know if Jesus was trying to say that sin is a big deal, or if he wants us to really do this. It most certainly is better to be in heaven with one hand or foot than in hell with two. But you should get rid of anything that causes you to sin. I think that you should get rid of anything that bring sin, totally destroy it, but I'm not sure that I would need to cut off a hand of foot.
It seems gross to me to imagine someone having there eyes pluck out...just because they sinned. As I was writing that I realized I said just. Is it just sin to me? Sin is a big deal. Sin is such a big deal that God killed his son. Sin is not just sin. Sin is a major problem. Sin is what causes people to burn in and and writhe in pain for a eternity. Sin is a big deal, no matter what the world says. The world ranks sin, but God doesn't no matter if murdered and stole, or if you told lies, God will send all sinners to hell...or at least he if that's what he sees. When Jesus died for us, he gave us the choice of letting him cover up our sin. If you welcome Jesus into your life, then he will cover up your sin and then God will look at you and he will a holy person, though you are not holy, but God will see the who is holy and he'll let you into heaven.


Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other."
Mark 9:38-50


In Mathew, Jesus says that we should be salt to the earth. I have never had any salt that wasn't salty, but salt is used for flavor and Christians are called by God to flavor the word with their saltiness and bring people to Christ. If a christian lost hi saltiness, how would he bring flavor to the world? And like Jesus says, "Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again?" In Mathew, this is what Jesus says about salt:


You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
Mathew 5:13


It is so important to be salt and flavorful because Jesus went as far as to say that if you aren't salty, then you are good for nothing.
Jesus didn't just compare a christian to salt in Mathew, he also said:


You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Mathew 5:14-16


So do not stop. Don't stop lighting up or flavoring the World. Don't stop people who are spreading the gospel don't stop someone casting out demons in Jesus' name. Don't stop spreading the gospel. (If you haven't started, the you should) And don't stop doing what Jesus would. Don't stop anything that's good, but stop everything that's bad.

No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. 


Just remember that God know's what is best, he has the map and he's not just telling where your going, he's also telling you how to get there. God might be taking you on a back road, but DON'T STOP because he's holding the map. In your map, it may appear that taking the main road is better, or going a different way, but it's not the right way. DON'T STOP going the way God tells you.

If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.
Luke 6:29-35

Men in the Bible: Jabez

Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, "I gave birth to him in pain." Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request.
1 Chronicles 4:9-10

Jabez's story is right in the middle of 4 chapters worth of genealogies. Jabez's story doesn't seem to fit where it was placed. Here are a few things we can get out of these two verses.

1. He came into the world without a welcome.
Hopefully non of reader have a name that means pain or sadness or death. Most parents give their child a name with a pleasant meaning. For whatever reason, Jabez's mother received him with fear or sadness.
There are many reason this might be the case. It could have been the death of his father, financial difficulties, the child might have been shameful for whatever reason...we can only guess.
But while his mother was predicting a dark future, God was planning something better. And despite the his name Jabez became the most honorable of all his brothers.
2. Faith wins
Mothers are designed to nurture their children and to encourage them, but Jabez experienced quite the opposite. His mother gave him an awful name, one that would stick with him his whole life.
Jabez probably didn't have a lot of friend and he didn't have the support of his family. His family was expecting failure at everything he did.
Jabez was more honorable than his brothers because he has faith. He had faith that God would get him through.
Here is what Jabez prayed:

"Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain."

Jabez prayed to be free from pain. Jabez was probably talking about the pain of bearing his name I can say this because if he had an awful disease, he would not be ruler of a territory because in his times, anyone with a bad disease was sent away from the town and lived with others who had that disease. So this pain he speaks of is probably not from a disease, but more likely from how others look at him.
He wanted to be free from the doubt, from the those who were waiting for him to fail. He wanted success. And when Jabez prayed faithful, God answer. Jabez was better than his brothers because he had faith, even when the odds were against him.

Next: Ananias

Sources:
Men of the Bible: Some Lesser-Known Characters

Prayer

I've been doing a study on prayer (and how God wants us to pray) for a few days, and I am going to share what I found out about prayer.

Preparation:

• Pray alone. (Mathew 6:6; Mathew 14:23)

I am not saying group prayer are wrong, the bible actually does encourage it (Mathew 18:20). What I mean by this point is that the group prayer should not be the only praying you do. While group prayers are good, you also need some time to talk with just God.

• Awareness (Romans 8:26-27)

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God.
Romans 8:26-27
Be aware that you prayers are never going to be the way God wants them to be (We don't even know what should pray about). Just be aware of the fact that you can't pray in the right way.

What does God look for in Prayer?

• Heartfelt reverence (Hebrews 5:7)

During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.
Hebrews 5:7-9

• Emotion (Hebrews 5:7)
• Praise (Mathew 6:9; Luke 11:2; 2 Thessalonians 1:12)
• A humble spirit (Proverbs 28:9; Mathew 6:7-8)
• Boldness and Persistence (Luke 11:8; Hebrews 5:7)
• Thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; James 5:13)
• Admitting your needs and the needs of others (Luke 11:3-4; Mathew 6:11-12; James 5:13; Philippians 4:6; Ephesians 6:18) 
• Asking for strength when your tempted. (Luke 11:4; Mathew 6:13)
• Prayer for your enemies (Mathew 5:44)

Conclusion:

God wants us to pray all the time! (Ephesians 6:18; 1 Thessalonians 3:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:17)