Rob Parker's Blog

March 9: Not Mine But Yours-Mark 14:1-42

robp — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:22:18 +0000

One of the best lessons we learn from Jesus is a life that was unselfish. Everything Jesus had done was stemmed by doing the will of His Father. He never once had his own agenda or plans. Rather he came to be a servant and to reflect servant leadership to those around him.

We see this best in the first half of this chapter. I know that many see the washing of the diciples feet as one of the greatest examples of leadership but what about the Gethsemane account? Here you have Jesus knowing he was going to die, knowing he was going to be betrayed and denied and still chose to do the will of His Father. Was there hesitation and struggle? The bottom line was Jesus desired to be obedient to God.

For each of us living in our western world we operate quite contrary to Jesus’ model. We function in expecting God to line up His will with our will rather then the other way around. The problem occurs when we realize that is not how God works.

Today, meditate on the Gethsemane account. Ask God to give you both the desire and ability to say as Jesus said, “Not my will but yours!”

March 8- Keep Watch!

robp — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:10:20 +0000

For the past two months we have been going through Scripture on a daily basis. We have gone through John, Daniel, some of the Psalms and Proverbs and now we are almost through Mark. There is a common theme in both the books o f the Old Testament and the New Testament. That theme is, there is something next!

What do I mean by something next? We red in John Jesus had pointed to the afterlife. He had pointed to the end when all death and destruction would be gone away with. He wrote that there would be a better, perfect place. We read the same thing in Daniel and now in Mark that there is an eternal place, an eternal plan for those who follow the way of Yahwah, of Christ.

As we have read about the perfect eternal dwelling there is an urgency in the writers voice. Mark tells us to “Keep Watch, to Watch Out,” because noone knows when this will take place. He writes of Jesus teaching of a parable in reference to this. For some this maybe terrifying, thinking about the afterlife. That was not the intention, rather Jesus’ teachings and Daniel’s teachings were to encourage us, to prepare us for that which is better then now.

How do you react to the words of Jesus? Does fear creep in or excitement? Today, be alert to what is going on around you. God is preparing an eternal dwelling where there is no pain or sorrow, no fighting and only love and unity. May we be ready and say in confidence, “Come Lord Jesus, come!”

Weekend Reading- Psalm 5 & Proverbs 5

robp — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 13:41:35 +0000

Saturday Psalm 5

1 O LORD, hear me as I pray;
pay attention to my groaning.
2 Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God,
for I pray to no one but you.
3 Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD.
Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.

4 O God, you take no pleasure in wickedness;
you cannot tolerate the sins of the wicked.
5 Therefore, the proud may not stand in your presence,
for you hate all who do evil.
6 You will destroy those who tell lies.
The LORD detests murderers and deceivers.

7 Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house;
I will worship at your Temple with deepest awe.
8 Lead me in the right path, O LORD,
or my enemies will conquer me.
Make your way plain for me to follow.

9 My enemies cannot speak a truthful word.
Their deepest desire is to destroy others.
Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave.
Their tongues are filled with flattery.*
10 O God, declare them guilty.
Let them be caught in their own traps.
Drive them away because of their many sins,
for they have rebelled against you.

11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them sing joyful praises forever.
Spread your protection over them,
that all who love your name may be filled with joy.
12 For you bless the godly, O LORD;
you surround them with your shield of love.

Proverbs 5

1 My son, pay attention to my wisdom;
listen carefully to my wise counsel.
2 Then you will show discernment,
and your lips will express what you’ve learned.
3 For the lips of an immoral woman are as sweet as honey,
and her mouth is smoother than oil.
4 But in the end she is as bitter as poison,
as dangerous as a double-edged sword.
5 Her feet go down to death;
her steps lead straight to the grave.*
6 For she cares nothing about the path to life.
She staggers down a crooked trail and doesn’t realize it.

7 So now, my sons, listen to me.
Never stray from what I am about to say:
8 Stay away from her!
Don’t go near the door of her house!
9 If you do, you will lose your honor
and will lose to merciless people all you have achieved.
10 Strangers will consume your wealth,
and someone else will enjoy the fruit of your labor.
11 In the end you will groan in anguish
when disease consumes your body.
12 You will say, “How I hated discipline!
If only I had not ignored all the warnings!
13 Oh, why didn’t I listen to my teachers?
Why didn’t I pay attention to my instructors?
14 I have come to the brink of utter ruin,
and now I must face public disgrace.”

15 Drink water from your own well—
share your love only with your wife.*
16 Why spill the water of your springs in the streets,
having sex with just anyone?*
17 You should reserve it for yourselves.
Never share it with strangers.

18 Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you.
Rejoice in the wife of your youth.
19 She is a loving deer, a graceful doe.
Let her breasts satisfy you always.
May you always be captivated by her love.
20 Why be captivated, my son, by an immoral woman,
or fondle the breasts of a promiscuous woman?

21 For the LORD sees clearly what a man does,
examining every path he takes.
22 An evil man is held captive by his own sins;
they are ropes that catch and hold him.
23 He will die for lack of self-control;
he will be lost because of his great foolishness.

March 5: Impartial- Mark 12:14

robp — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:41:21 +0000

“Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You are impartial and don’t play favorites.”

How often do we see favoritism and partiality played out around us every single day. This seems to be such a childish behavior, something that happens on the playground but no. Who did our kids learn it from? They learned it by watching the “adults” around them.

As a Chrisitian, a follower of Jesus, we are given the example that we do not play favorites. Jesus was impartial to the people around him. We probably could even take it a step further and say he went out of his way to do more for the less fortunate then those who had any form of power or positiion.

This weekend be aware of how you respond to the people around you. Ask yourself who do you tend to be drawn to more, those who can do something for you or those you can do something for?

March 4: Victory Is Ours!- Mark 11:1-11

robp — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:42:16 +0000

It was a seen like no other. For centuries the Jews had waited for the day of their King! They were cheering and celebrating as THE ONE road on the colt. Their hope was that oppression would be taken away and prosperity would be the new way of life.

Jesus had looked at this picture very different. It was a time of celebrating knowing that victory had come. He was able to take in the excitedment of the people. He welcomed their enthuisasm, knowing their hope was for the Messiah to be present.

There was also the other side of what Jesus was feeling. He knew that victory was present but he also knew he had to finish the course to bring about the complete victory. This victory would cost him his very life. This vicotry would be won through pain and yet he was willing to go through with it.

We are in a similar state as a Christian. We know that death is defeated and our salvation is secure. We understand that the stronghold of sin no longer has control over us. What we also know is we must finish the course of this life. We, like Jesus know that victory is in the present and we hold onto the future one as well. There is pain ahead of us. We are going to be tempted and tried. We also know that as we hold on to the present victory we, like Jesus can celebrate in the moment because of the victory that we have.

March 3: How To Handle People- Mark 10

robp — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:49:06 +0000

For so many, Christianity is looked at as self rightous, narrow-minded and seperatist. I find that very hard to believe when you read the words of Jesus. Just look at Mark Chapter 10. It is in this chapter that there are so many different situations and each situation Jesus handles the situation at hand in reference to the heart of that person.

It was the teachers of the Law that wanted to pin Jesus down and have him answer in a way to trap him. The disciples and others wanted to keep the children and lame away from Jesus not to bother him but he welcomed them. Matter a fact he was bothered by how the children were pushed aside. What about the rich man, he wanted to be that person who did all the right things and Jesus confronted the treasure he valued most. And what about the two who wanted to be great, Jesus said, greatness is symbolized by being a servant rather then a king.

There is a lesson about the Christian faith and how we deal with people. First, Jesus dealt with the heart of the person. He was more concerned with the deception that had taken hold rather then the perfect person. God wants to deal with our hearts. Secondly, Jesus dealt with each person differently. He never swayed from who he was or what he stood for. Rather he was sensitive to the person in front of him and dealt with the situation by dealing with the individual.

Today, we will all interact with many people. Be like Jesus and look past the surface and ask God to help you speak to the heart of the person before you.

March 2: GET RID OF IT!!! Mark 9:38-49

robp — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:15:32 +0000

Get rid of it! I have heard this one too many times as a child. It always had to do with something that got me in trouble. Why is it when we are young trouble seems to find us and stick with us. The problem is if you don’t get rid of it, it will get you.

In this passage there is a lot of strong language Jesus uses. We often don’t like to take such a passage seriously. We try to down play what he is saying and the consequences he is referring to. We do this because there are things that we like that we are unwillingly to get rid of. It is like the kid who clinches onto a toy that is not theirs and will not let it go.

Let me ask you, what do you need to get rid of? What are the things in your life that cause you to sin: greed, dissension, lust, anger, pride, the love of wealth or the need to control? Here is what Jesus is saying, if anything pulls you away from God, GET RID OF IT!

Just remember, when we give over something to God, He always replaces it with something better.

March 1st: Don’t You Trust Me?- Mark 8:1-26

robp — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:40:43 +0000

I believe the two biggest issues we all deal with are fear and trust. Both these go hand and hand because when we have fear we are unable to trust. This also goes with when we trust, fear is no longer present.

The disciples had been with Jesus sometime now. They had seen all the miracles and had a part to play in some of them. They had found themselves again with a crowd of people who were hungry and Jesus was wanting to feed. You would think by now they would realize when people were hungry all you need to do is give Jesus some bread and a couple fish and there you have it, a meal.

Once again, the human nature steps in and the disciples begin to freak out. ”How will we feed them? What will we do?” Jesus must have been frustrated and reminds them of the past miracles. Why is it that they believed Jesus was a one hit wonder rather then their consistent provider?

Jesus had revealed himself in this passage to be Jehovah Jirah, their Provider. Jesus wants to be our constant Jehovah Jirah, our Provider. Do not let fear keep you from trusting God in being your provider in the everyday of life.

Weekend Reading- Psalms 4 & Proverbs 4

robp — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 16:30:27 +0000

Psalm 4

FOR THE CHOIR DIRECTOR: A PSALM OF DAVID, TO BE ACCOMPANIED BY STRINGED INSTRUMENTS.
1 Answer me when I call to you,
O God who declares me innocent.
Free me from my troubles.
Have mercy on me and hear my prayer.

2 How long will you people ruin my reputation?
How long will you make groundless accusations?
How long will you continue your lies? Interlude
3 You can be sure of this:
The LORD set apart the godly for himself.
The LORD will answer when I call to him.

4 Don’t sin by letting anger control you.
Think about it overnight and remain silent. Interlude
5 Offer sacrifices in the right spirit,
and trust the LORD.

6 Many people say, “Who will show us better times?”
Let your face smile on us, LORD.
7 You have given me greater joy
than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine.
8 In peace I will lie down and sleep,
for you alone, O LORD, will keep me safe.

Proverbs 4

A FATHER’S WISE ADVICE
1 My children,* listen when your father corrects you.
Pay attention and learn good judgment,
2 for I am giving you good guidance.
Don’t turn away from my instructions.
3 For I, too, was once my father’s son,
tenderly loved as my mother’s only child.

4 My father taught me,
“Take my words to heart.
Follow my commands, and you will live.
5 Get wisdom; develop good judgment.
Don’t forget my words or turn away from them.
6 Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you.
Love her, and she will guard you.
7 Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do!
And whatever else you do, develop good judgment.
8 If you prize wisdom, she will make you great.
Embrace her, and she will honor you.
9 She will place a lovely wreath on your head;
she will present you with a beautiful crown.”

10 My child,* listen to me and do as I say,
and you will have a long, good life.
11 I will teach you wisdom’s ways
and lead you in straight paths.
12 When you walk, you won’t be held back;
when you run, you won’t stumble.
13 Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go.
Guard them, for they are the key to life.

14 Don’t do as the wicked do,
and don’t follow the path of evildoers.
15 Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way.
Turn away and keep moving.
16 For evil people can’t sleep until they’ve done their evil deed for the day.
They can’t rest until they’ve caused someone to stumble.
17 They eat the food of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence!

18 The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
which shines ever brighter until the full light of day.
19 But the way of the wicked is like total darkness.
They have no idea what they are stumbling over.

20 My child, pay attention to what I say.
Listen carefully to my words.
21 Don’t lose sight of them.
Let them penetrate deep into your heart,
22 for they bring life to those who find them,
and healing to their whole body.

23 Guard your heart above all else,
for it determines the course of your life.

24 Avoid all perverse talk;
stay away from corrupt speech.

25 Look straight ahead,
and fix your eyes on what lies before you.
26 Mark out a straight path for your feet;
stay on the safe path.
27 Don’t get sidetracked;
keep your feet from following evil.

February 26- Traditional or Biblical- Mark 7:1-23

robp — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:36:07 +0000

Traditional or Biblical? How true this passage rings clear for the Western Church today. Jesus was dealing with the man-made traditions of his culture. He had confronted the leaders with their self righteous acts because this had begun to reign supreme.

We see this all the time in the church today. Think about it, how many Churches believe in the super natural power of God? How many Churches believe in the effect of the demonic? How many Churches teach freedom in Christ but cause people to live under the weighty obligations they put on people?

We were told by Jesus just a few things we are comanded to do, “Love God and our Neighbor.” We were also told to pray, fast and take care of the oppressed. Maybe the real question we need to ask ourself today is why do we like tradition more then seeing what the Bible says? The answer maybe simple, being Biblical means we need to deal with the condition of our heart and being traditional allows us to control our righteousness.