2 Corinthians 3:6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant - not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Romans 2:29 No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person's praise is not from other people, but from God.
It's incredible how much we are told about the future of this world through the Scriptures. And it still astounds me that some do not see the connection.
This is what Jesus told the disciples when they asked Him when destruction would happen and what the signs will be.
Mark 13:5-8 Then Jesus began by telling them: "Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and they will deceive many. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, don't be alarmed; these things must take place, but the end it not yet. For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains."
It's amazing to think about how much of these signs have come already and are happening these days. I'm not saying the end times are right now, but I believe we are drawing near.
I also wanted to address something. As I have been drawing closer to the Lord the past few weeks (for I am sick of living in this dirty world - my soul longs to be in communion with Him), I have noticed that I am undergoing more persecution from not only strangers, but also from people close to me. This is difficult for me because I am a sensitive person who lets her emotions get the best of her at times. However, I am learning to have a discerning heart and will speak with anyone who is open and willing to have a real conversation. Not one whose only goal is to spew out the limited information they've heard or read snippets of and is unwilling to listen and be open to any type of rebuttal. It's not worth my time and energy. I will continue to go forth and speak of God's Word and mighty works and leave those unwilling people alone for the Lord to work in them. The strongest thing I have is prayer.
Mark 13:10-13 "And the good news must first be proclaimed to all nations. So when they arrest you and hand you over, don't worry beforehand what you will say. On the contrary, whatever is given to you in that hour - say it. For it isn't you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. Then brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise up against parents and put them to death. And you will be hated by everyone because of My name. But the one who endures to the end will be delivered."
May I endure to the end and speak only what the Spirit gives me. Let me dwell in God's Word and impress it in my heart so that I will know right from wrong and live in the ways of my Creator.
The Lord gave the Israelites commands on how to live to receive His full blessing that He had promised them in Egypt. This portion of Deuteronomy 11 stuck out to me during my reading, as this is how I want to live.
Deuteronomy 11:18-23 "Impress these words of Mine on your hearts and souls, bind them as a sign on your hands, and let them be a symbol on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, so that as long as the heavens are above the earth, your days and those of your children may be many in the land the Lord swore to give your fathers. For if you carefully observe every one of these commands I am giving you to follow - to love the Lord your God, walk in all His ways, and remain faithful to Him - the Lord will drive out all these nations before you, and you will drive out nations greater and stronger than you are."
Some great verses that stuck out to me from the passages I read today.
Deuteronomy 8:3 He humbled you by letting you go hungry; then He gave you manna to eat, which you and your fathers had not known, so that you might learn that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
Deuteronomy 8:17-18 You may say to yourself, 'My power and my own ability have gained this wealth for me,' but remember that the Lord your God gives you the power to gain wealth, in order to confirm His covenant He swore to your fathers, as it is today.
Mark 12:28-31 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"
"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'
The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."
I also adore the widow's gift story in Mark 12. Many people came to give offerings into the treasury. Rich people gave large sums, and this poor widow went and gave two tiny coins. Jesus said this:
Mark 12:43b-44 "I assure you: This poor widow has put in more than all those giving to the temple treasury. For they all gave out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she possessed - all she had to live on.
Mark 11:12-14 The next day when they came out from Bethany, He was hungry. After seeing in the distance a fig tree with leaves, He went to find out if there was anything on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. He said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again!" And His disciples heard it.
I didn't quite understand this text until I read the side notes to it:
It's context makes it clear that Jesus intended His actions as an acted-out parable about His unsuccessful search for fruit in Israel and subsequent rejection of the religiously active but unproductive temple. Though it was not the season for figs, Jesus could reasonably expect to find "early figs" on the tree.
Oh so so good!! I was flipping to the spot in the Bible where I am on my Bible reading plan, and stopped on the page of Mark 8-9. I kept reading one of the "titles" of the section where the chapters switch, entitled "Take Up Your Cross."
I realized I was further than this and was about to turn the page, but I couldn't. I felt drawn to read this passage again. Divine intervention. I long to do this!!!!
Mark 8:34-38 Summoning the crowd along with His disciples, He said to them, "If anyone wants to be My follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me and the gospel will save it. For what does it benefit a man to gain the whole world yet lose his life? What can a man give in exchange for his life? For whoever is ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."
Amen to that! Let me not be ashamed!! I want to make my Father smile, laugh, and be glad with me :D
