Tag: Pharisees

Daily Word

Matthew 15

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Read Mathew 15 – Jesus,  Jesus,  Jesus…. What a wonderful name. Today, we get to walking with him on the lakeshore…. We get to watch as he takes no bologna off the Pharisees over hand washing, and teaching us what he meant in the exchange. (:1-9)

Jesus gave them (us) courage to offend the Pharisees (false teachers)  by shedding this light on them.  “It’s not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out; this defiles a person. ” :11 And regarding these hypocrites he says,  “Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into the pit.” :14

The passage with the Canaanite woman is amazing whenever one is feeling insignificant. :21-28 She has been made to feel insignificant by society and Jesus kind of lets that play out. But she doesn’t let go. She reminds him that even the dogs get the crumbs that fall to the floor…. With Jesus, even a crumb is more than enough! And Jesus answers,  “O woman,  great is your faith! Be it done as you desire.” :28

We walk with Jesus beside the Sea of Galilee, and up a hillside as he teaches and heals people for three days.  Then he feeds them by once again giving thanks for the seven loaves of bread and a few fish. Gratitude can turn not enough into plenty with Jesus. 

Beloved, what do you need to seek Jesus over today? Will you carve out some quiet time to be with him?

Daily Word

Matthew 12

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Read Matthew 12 – Legalism in practice is the craziest thing. My husband and I traveled to Israel in 2019 and had a peek at life under the law. As travelers, we stayed in very nice hotels, but on the Sabbath odd things happened. One of the strangest things to me was the elevator. It had a Shabbat mode where it operated without lights and stopped on every floor so that one would not be guilty of doing the work of pushing the elevator button.

In our chapter, the disciples got hungry, plucked and ate some heads of grain on the Sabbath. The Pharisees accused them of acting unlawfully because of this.

Jesus brings reasonableness to the law with Old Testament accounts of grace, and plainly states. “And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” :7-8

The Pharisees took God’s good and perfect law and imposed ridiculous levels of legalism into it – while considering themselves above the law. What a discouraging way to live.

But the crowds sought Jesus for healing and he did heal ALL on the Sabbath. :15 (ALL is a very cool word in the bible…it doesn’t mean most or some or a few, all means all and that’s all that all means.) Their faith took the action of coming to Jesus believing he could heal them and he blessed their faith with healing. It was a spectacular day!

And that’s why we’re all here, reading the Word. We show up in faith to know real Jesus in truth and love. The world is like the Pharisees, pointing fingers and making accusations about Jesus. Yet here he is in Scripture, saving a wretch like me.

Daily Word

Mark 3

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Reflections on Mark 3 – Oh tragedy, the religious have lost their way! Religion is such a foul word to most believers. In Mark 3 we begin to see where it missed the mark in Jesus’s day.  

Mark 3 begins with Jesus entering the synagogue and discovering a man with a shriveled hand.  

Beloved,  notice how Jesus goes straight to the impossible.   Are there areas of your life that are impossible, but for Jesus?

In :2, we see the religious men are watching Jesus to see if they can accuse him.   According to their religious interpretation, healing on the Sabbath was considered working and therefore, illegal. Fortunately, our Jesus does not hold such a legalistic view of His own Word. Jesus is all about restoration, mercy, grace and love.   The fact that those entrusted to represent the Word of God were anything but angered Him,  :5.  Jesus told the man to stretch out his hand. 

Beloved,  this is where our part comes in. The man might have told Jesus he couldn’t because his hand was shriveled, but instead he did the impossible, trusting if Jesus told him to stretch it out that he would be able to. The impossible is possible with Jesus. Can you think of any areas of your life where you are holding back? Do you have excuses why Jesus can’t heal things because….

In verse :7-10 we see a problem developing as people from everywhere heard about the healings and wanted their own to the point where Jesus had a boat ready, lest the crowd crush Him.   People pushed in for healing without care for who Jesus was or what he came to do. 

Beloved, soul’s are eternal, infirmities are not. Many more incredible things happen in our chapter.   What was your favorite?  Were any hard to wrap your head around?   It’s okay to have questions, but pursue answers, always remembering that God is good. 

Enjoy chapter 4 next.