Mark 7:27 "Jesus told her, "First I should help my own family...It isn't right
to take food from the chldren and throw it to the dogs."
After telling the religious leaders the meaning of clean and unclean....Jesus now heads for "unclean" Gentile country - Tyre. Interesting that Jesus would go there.... when you remember what Jesus said about Tyre in Matthew 11:21. "There Jesus began to denounce the cities where He had done most of his miracles....."For if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre...their people would have sat in deep repentance long ago, clothed in sackcloth and throwing ashes on their heads to show their remorse."
I can imagine the religious leaders saying, “Why is he going there? What is he doing in Gentile country? Doesn’t he know that these people are unclean?” Even his disciples had to be wondering, “Jesus, why are we here? What are you doing going here? Shouldn’t we be preaching to our own people? Why are we here far away from home?”
What I glean from this---first we are to share with our family, neighbors, co-workers---with those all around us. And then,
to those who are DIFFERENT than us. Even to a wicked city like Tyre....The wickedness and idolatry of this city are frequently denounced by the prophets and it's final destruction predicted (Isa 23:1; Jer 25:22; Eze 26;28:1-19; Amo 1:9,10; Zec 9:2-4). But, here a church was founded soon after the death of Stephen, and Paul, on his return from his third missionary journey spent time there teaching the disciples (Act 21:4).
Why do we look and long for a place to go that is NOT like Tyre---.is it because I/we have forgotten that our purpose here on earth isn't to find our comfortable, safe, peaceful place===and wait for the LORD's return. We are to go to those around us to those who desire a deep repentance.
So who are these "Crumb Snatchers" and where do we find them? Probably, in places like Tyre...where wickedness and idolatry are out of control. Those who deserve forgiveness the least...need forgiveness the most. That's when I got saved...living like those in Tyre...but, that's also the time when my heart was longing and crying out.....I didn't know what it was I was crying for----until I saw some "crumbs on the floor".
Blessings on your day,
Sharon
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
"The Seed is Planted"
Mark 4:3 "....A Farmer went out to plant some seed."
Before we can begin to reap, or even expect a harvest...first a seed must be planted.
Planting a seed can be used to describe many things....conception of a child, birth of a nation, a seed of faith. Without the seed, nothing grows. But, if that seed is to grow..it first must be planted and for it to continue to grow...there must be some response to it.
If the "seed" of faith that each of us has is not cared for and nurtured, it will die just a surely as a new new-born baby will die if it is not fed, changed and cared for constantly. We must feed our faith through the study of God's Word, prayer and keeping a close watch for anything that will come into our life...sin...and injure our faith.
Isaiah 28:9-10 "Whom will the LORD teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts? For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little."
Our growth and maturity in the LORD will not happen overnight. It takes time, maturing, growing, learning, studying and submitting to the Holy Spirit. But as we understand and apply God's Word to our life....we will grow...here a little, there a little. Becoming strong in faith and our life will become more victorious in Christ.
It's in this fertile soil that the seed will take root and a crop...fruit will be produced.
John 15:8 "This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."
Father, help me to continue focus my heart and mind on your Word so that Jesus' words will continue to take root in me...bearing more and more fruit. In Jesus name, amen.
Blessings on your week,
Sharon
Before we can begin to reap, or even expect a harvest...first a seed must be planted.
Planting a seed can be used to describe many things....conception of a child, birth of a nation, a seed of faith. Without the seed, nothing grows. But, if that seed is to grow..it first must be planted and for it to continue to grow...there must be some response to it.
If the "seed" of faith that each of us has is not cared for and nurtured, it will die just a surely as a new new-born baby will die if it is not fed, changed and cared for constantly. We must feed our faith through the study of God's Word, prayer and keeping a close watch for anything that will come into our life...sin...and injure our faith.
Isaiah 28:9-10 "Whom will the LORD teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts? For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little."
Our growth and maturity in the LORD will not happen overnight. It takes time, maturing, growing, learning, studying and submitting to the Holy Spirit. But as we understand and apply God's Word to our life....we will grow...here a little, there a little. Becoming strong in faith and our life will become more victorious in Christ.
It's in this fertile soil that the seed will take root and a crop...fruit will be produced.
John 15:8 "This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."
Father, help me to continue focus my heart and mind on your Word so that Jesus' words will continue to take root in me...bearing more and more fruit. In Jesus name, amen.
Blessings on your week,
Sharon
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