Mark 10 - 4.29.26

Scripture

Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate. (Mark 10:9)

Observation

Jesus clearly teaches about God’s design in marriage in this chapter. In the beginning of creation, God performed the first marriage between Adam and Eve (Mark 10:6). Today, when a man and a woman get married, they are not signing a contract. They are entering into a covenant before God. It is God who solemnizes marriage. It doesn’t matter if the marriage was arranged (as in the Eastern culture) or was entered into through love and dating (as in the western culture). It is God who seals the covenant of marriage. The man and the woman leave their parents, and become one (Mark 10:7). Marriage is for life. “What God has joined together, let no man separate” - this is God's commandment (Mark 10:9). We are not permitted to break what God brought together. Only God can dissolve a marriage, by the death of one of the two people in it, and then the other person is free to marry. 

Application

There is a heavy spiritual assault on marriage today. Culture has desensitized us to the sacred solemnity of marriage. Hollywood glorifies pre-marital sex and makes it appear normal. Marriage seems to be an after-thought in movies. When disagreements arise, it is easy to walk away and look for another mate. That is not God’s will. 

God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16). Some Christians try to spiritualize divorce by saying, “He (she) was not God’s will for me”. That is a baseless excuse. If you are married, God expects you to honor that covenant. Joshua and the children of Israel entered into a covenant with the Gibeonites, against God’s will. They did not ask for counsel from God, and entered into it based on their own wisdom (Joshua 9:14,15). However, centuries later, King Saul violated this covenant by attacking the Gibeonites, and God’s judgement came on Israel (2 Sam 21:1). Later, we see King David repenting and doing the restitution to receive God’s forgiveness for this sin (2 Sam 21:14). 

We are called to love and forgive - and that includes our spouses. Let us look to God’s definition of love. Love is patient and kind, love does not envy or boast. It is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way. It is not irritable or resentful. It does not keep a record of wrongs. It does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (1 Cor 13:4-7). 

This is not to condemn you, if you have divorce in your past. All of us have done things in our past, which we are not proud of. You have repented. You were washed, you were sanctified, and you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God (1 Cor 6:11). There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:1). God is able to take all the broken pieces of our past (all of us have broken pieces), and make it all work out for good. God makes all things work out for good for those who love God and those who are called according to his purpose - “all things” include your mistakes (Rom 8:24).

Prayer

Dear Father, I pray for the married couples in the church. I pray that you will help us to resist the enemy who comes to steal, kill and destroy what you have given us (John 10:10). Help us to submit to you and resist the devil, knowing that when we do so, he will flee from us (James 4:7). Help us to guard what you have given us as most precious. Help us to love as you have loved us, and forgive as you have forgiven us. I pray for the young people in the church. I pray that they will guard their bodies as the temple of the Holy Spirit. Help them to keep themselves pure for their future marriage partners. Help us to be the bride without a spot, that you are seeking when you come (Eph 5:27). Help us to be holy as you are holy (1 Pet 1:16). In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.

- Asha Chacko George

Genesis 4 - 4.28.26

SCRIPTURE:  Genesis 4:2b-7 

“Now Abel kept flocks, Cain worked the soil.  In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. And Abel also brought an offering - fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock.  The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering He did not look with favor.  So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry?  Why is your face downcast?  If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

OBSERVATION:  When Adam and Eve sinned, they impacted all humanity by introducing sin into the world. Without a doubt, Cain and Abel brought their offerings because God had revealed to them the necessity of the offering. Their son Cain brought an offering to the Lord, and though the Bible doesn’t specifically say why Abel’s offering was regarded by the Lord, and Cain’s wasn’t, I noticed something that stood out!  Abel’s offering included some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions, while Cain’s offering was some of the land’s produce; ordinary crops. God considered Abel’s offering better because it represented his “best”.   It was the firstborn of his flock, reflecting his heart of devotion, whereas Cain’s offering was merely a routine sacrifice, potentially lacking sincerity and obedience. Abel brought a blood sacrifice, and Cain brought a bloodless sacrifice.  (Got Questions.com).

“By Faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did.  By faith he was approved as a righteous man, because God approved his gifts, and even though he is dead, he still speaks through his faith.” (Hebrews 11:4).

APPLICATION:  “The Lord does not look at the things people look at.  People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” ( 1 Samuel 16:7b). The best offering we can possibly present to the Lord is our body;  a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - this is our true and proper worship.  God desires for us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds as we live to honor and glorify Him. 

PRAYER:  Dear God, You deserve my very best because of Who You are, and for all You’ve done for me!  EVERYTHING I have is from You!   May I be willing to offer You my entire life, and faithfully and cheerfully give back to You what You have required because of my genuine love and obedience to You.  Amen

- Robin Orefice

Mark 8 - 4.27.26

Scripture

Mark‬ ‭8‬:‭27‬-‭29‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.””

Observation

In this passage Jesus and His disciples are traveling from village to village, doing ministry together. Jesus then asks his disciples two very important questions:

 1). “Who do people say I am?”

2).  “Who do you say I am?”

His disciples respond to that first question by saying that the public look at Jesus as John the Baptist, Elijah or one of the prophets. Basically the public saw Jesus as a holy figure, but not the Messiah.

But, Peter responds to Jesus’ second question by acknowledging Jesus as the Messiah, the promised Deliverer.

Application

Who is Jesus to you?

It is a pivotal point in the gospel and in all world religions today. Who is Jesus? Some religions think he is great guy, a great teacher. Some think of Jesus as a prophet. Some believe Jesus is just one of the many ways to get to Heaven and believe it or not, some religions even think Jesus is the “spirit brother” of Lucifer! 🤦🏽‍♂️ 

Peter knew exactly who Jesus was. He saw it up close and personal. That is why in this passage Peter acknowledges Jesus as the Messiah and if Peter’s admission wasn’t enough for you, we also have the 4 gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). These men were personal eyewitnesses of Jesus. They lived with Him. They broke bread with Him. They did life with Him. They even died for Him because they wanted to share the Good News of who Jesus was with everyone. 

So, even if you don’t buy in to what Jesus’ disciples are testifying to, historians can even vouch that a man named Jesus DID exist and walked the earth. He did have great life teachings and perform many miracles. He did die and 3 days later, his tomb was empty.  Now I don’t know about you, but if you put two and two together, (what the disciples witnessed and wrote about, and what historians wrote about), it is clear to me Who Jesus is and I have to say that I concur with Peter. Jesus IS the Messiah. He IS the Son of God. He lived a perfect life yet died a sinner’s death. He did it to pay for my sins and the world’s sins. Jesus is exactly who He says He is. 

“Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I Am!” -John‬ ‭8‬:‭58‬ 

“Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!””-John‬ ‭14‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ 

If Jesus is who He says He is, we better take a good hard look at how we answer that question, “Who is Jesus to you?”. It better determine how we choose to live our lives. Our eternal destination depends on it.

Prayer

Thank You Jesus for being exactly who You said You are. Thank You for being my Rock, my Redeemer, my Savior, my Lord, and my friend. May the life I live bring You the glory You deserve. I pray for others who may not know You the way I do. I pray that they may come to the logical conclusion of who You are. I pray for You to open their eyes so that they may see, open their ears so they may hear, and may You open their hearts so they may believe. In Your Holy and precious name I pray, Amen.🙏🏽

-Moses Gaddi