Author: Melissa Lynne

Day 65 One-Year Daily Bible Passages – Numbers 6:1–7:89; Mark 12:38–13:13; Psalm 49:1-20; Proverbs 10:27-28

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And for a Pretence Make Long Prayers
And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation. – Mark 12:38-40 

Pretence – insincere or false profession

There Came a Certain Poor Widow
And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: for all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living. – Mark 12:41-44 

There Shall Not Be Left One Stone Upon Another
And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here! And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. – Mark 13:1-2 

These are the Beginnings of Sorrows
And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled? And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows. – Mark 13:3-8 

The Gospel Must First Be Published Among All Nations
But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them. And the gospel must first be published among all nations. But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost. – Mark 13:9-11

He that Shall Endure Unto the End, Shall be Saved
Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. – Mark 13:12-13 

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A Nazarite
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the LORD: he shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried. All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk. All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow. All the days that he separateth himself unto the LORD he shall come at no dead body. He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration of his God is upon his head. All the days of his separation he is holy unto the LORD. – Numbers 6:1-8

Bless the Children of Israel
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them. – Numbers 6:22-27

Their Service was that They Should Bear Upon Their Shoulders
But unto the sons of Kohath he gave none: because the service of the sanctuary belonging unto them was that they should bear upon their shoulders. – Numbers 7:9 

The Voice of One Speaking Unto Him from Off the Mercy Seat
And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation to speak with him, then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat that was upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubims: and he spake unto him. – Numbers 7:89

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God Will Redeem My Soul
But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: For he shall receive me. Selah. – Psalm 49:15

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The Fear of the LORD Prolongeth Days
The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: But the years of the wicked shall be shortened. The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: But the expectation of the wicked shall perish. – Proverbs 10:27-28

Day 64 One-Year Daily Bible Reading – Numbers 4:1–5:31; Mark 12:18-37; Psalm 48:1-14; Proverbs 10:26

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In the Resurrection Whose Wife Shall She Be?
Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man’s brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed. And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise. And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also. In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife. – Mark 12:18-23 

When They Shall Rise They Neither Marry, Nor are Given in Marriage
And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God? For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven. – Mark 12:24-25 

He Is Not the God of the Dead, But the God of the Living
And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err. – Mark 12:26-27

Hear, O Israel
And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. – Mark 12:28-31

In this passage Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy.

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. – Deuteronomy 6:4-7

This passage in Deuteronomy also instructs us to teach our children and talk of the things the Lord has done, leading to our passages in Psalms. It never ceases to amaze me how God so often lines up our readings to give a theme and a Word.

Thou Art Not Far From the Kingdom of God
And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question. And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the son of David? For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I make thine enemies thy footstool. David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly. – Mark 12:32-37

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Tell the Generation Following
Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments. Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof. Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following. For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death. – Psalms 48:11-14

I am so thankful as I approach this day that God is with me to guide me through it. He is here no matter what is in store. Our Father knows and has planned out my course, just as He did for His Children of Israel as He led them through the wilderness toward the Promised Land. Even in their wanderings, He was there! He is still here today, and as our forefathers have done, we are to tell the next generation of all that God has done for us. God uses our testimonies to encourage and guide us.

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No Room for Sluggards
As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him. – Proverbs 10:26

God wants to be Lord over every area of our lives.  We should do everything we do as unto Him. There is no room for laziness in the Kingdom of God. If there is a sluggard on the job, someone else has to pick up the slack, which means someone is getting paid to do less than he should, while another is getting paid less than he should because he is doing more.

Sluggard –  a person who is habitually inactive or lazy.

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The Charge of Their Burden
As for the sons of Merari, thou shalt number them after their families, by the house of their fathers; from thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old shalt thou number them, every one that entereth into the service, to do the work of the tabernacle of the congregation. And this is the charge of their burden, according to all their service in the tabernacle of the congregation; the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and sockets thereof, and the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords, with all their instruments, and with all their service: and by name ye shall reckon the instruments of the charge of their burden. – Numbers 4:29-32 

There are no menial tasks when it comes to God’s work. In the reading in Numbers today, it is evident that how they took care of and moved the Tabernacle was important to God. He cared about who did a task because He assigned them, and they were Holy tasks. When I read this, I think about everyone having a job, and it took everyone doing their part. Of course, we know that caring for the Tabernacle was given to the Levites regarding the Tabernacle. Still, it took every tribe to do their assignments and not jump ship or cross into another’s assignment or be as the “sluggard” that we read about in the Proverbs today to accomplish all that God was doing in the place He had them.

The Levites Shall Be Mine
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be mine: I am the LORD – Numbers 3:44-45

Day 63 One-Year Daily Bible Passages – Numbers 2:1–3:51; Mark 11:27–12:17; Psalm 47:1-9; Proverbs 10:24-25

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My Inheritance is an Everlasting Foundation
As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation. – Proverbs 10:25

Storms pass over the wicked and the righteous, but in the end only the righteous will stand.

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Authority
And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders, and say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things? And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me. And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him? But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed. And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things. – Mark 11:27-33 

The religious leaders had a duty to investigate any person claiming to be of God. So they came to Jesus. Their investigation was one-sided, though, because he threatened the place they had set themselves. So they worked to trap Him to destroy Jesus. They couldn’t act openly, however, because the people were convinced that Jesus was of God. 

Jesus knew their heart. So when he answered the question, he only posed another question to them about John the Baptist. The leaders found themselves unable to answer because to answer one way would incite the crowds against them. To answer another way would expose their hearts to reject the truth for a lie to keep their world intact and their status unchanged. To deny truth and embrace hypocrisy and crowd-pleasing is to set yourself up to pay an eternal price. It is an excellent question to ask ourselves, do our actions or answers (the things we speak) have any hypocrisy or need for worldly approval attached to them? If so, we are on very shaky ground. Speak truth and align your heart with it. Speak life!

They Took Him, Killed Him, and Cast Him Out of the Vineyard
And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled. And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some. Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be our’s. And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. What shall therefore the Lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others. – Mark 12:1-9

The Stone Which the Builders Rejected
And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected Is become the head of the corner: This was the Lord’s doing, And it is marvellous in our eyes? – Mark 12:10-11 

They Knew He Had Spoken the Parable Against Them
And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way. – Mark 12:12 

Render to Caesar the Things that are Caesar’s
And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words. And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Cæsar, or not? Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it. And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Cæsar’s. And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Cæsar the things that are Cæsar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him. – Mark 12:13-17 

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The Levites Were Not Numbered Among the Children of Israel
But the Levites were not numbered among the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses. – Numbers 2:33 

Eleazar and Ithamar Ministered in the Sight of Aaron Their Father
And these are the names of the sons of Aaron; Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest’s office. And Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD, when they offered strange fire before the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest’s office in the sight of Aaron their father. – Numbers 3:2-4 

Thou Shalt Give the Levites Unto Aaron’s and to His Sons
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him. And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle. And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle. And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel. And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest’s office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death. – Numbers 3:5-10 

I Have Taken the Levites Instead of All the Firstborn
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine; because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am the LORD. – Numbers 3:11-13

Thou Shalt Take the Levites For Me Instead of the Firstborn
And thou shalt take the Levites for me (I am the LORD) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of Israel. – Numbers 3:41

The Levites Shall Be Mine: I am the LORD
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be mine: I am the LORD. – Numbers 3:44-45

The Levites had no inheritance among the Children of Israel. They were not counted among them because they were the Lord’s portion. God was their inheritance, and they were His. He chose the Levites instead of the firstborn of each tribe. (Interesting that the firstborn – first fruits – are always His anyway. 

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My Inheritance is His Choice
He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah.- Psalm 47:4

Jacob’s inheritance was that during shakings (famine in the world), Jacob, who God loved, was spared from death and settled in Egypt’s best part (Goshen). So is our portion as God’s children.

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Father, Thank You that You are our Everlasting Foundation and built upon You, we will forever stand. Thank You that You are our inheritance and all we need or will ever need. Thank You that You have chosen our inheritance for each of us, and it is good. Thank You that You are our authority, and as we walk in obedience to Your perfect will, we will also walk in the power and authority given to us by Your Son, Jesus Christ. Help us never to take You and these beautiful gifts for granted – YOU, MY GOD!!! Our inheritance, our authority, our foundation! Help me keep my eyes and my heart on YOU alone. In Jesus Name, we pray. Amen.

Day 62 One-Year Daily Bible Passages – Leviticus 27:14—Numbers 1:54; Mark 11:1-26; Psalm 46:1-11; Proverbs 10:23

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I Will Rejoice
There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. – Psalm 46:4-5

He Maketh Wars to Cease Unto the End of the Earth
Come, behold the works of the LORD, What desolations he hath made in the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; He breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; He burneth the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. – Psalm 46:8-10

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Every Devoted Thing is Most Holy Unto the LORD
Notwithstanding no devoted thing, that a man shall devote unto the LORD of all that he hath, both of man and beast, and of the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed: every devoted thing is most holy unto the LORD. – Leviticus 27:28

Keep the Charge
But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them. For the LORD had spoken unto Moses, saying, Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel: but thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle. And when the tabernacle setteth forward, the Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death. And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their hosts. But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of testimony. And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they. – Numbers 1:47-54

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Hosanna
And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him. And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither. And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him. And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt? And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go. And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him. And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way. And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest. And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve. – Mark 11:1-11

A Fig Tree Having Nothing but Leaves
And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry: and seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it. – Mark 11:12-14

My House Shall be Called of All Nations the House of Prayer
And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves; and would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple. And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves. And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine. And when even was come, he went out of the city. – Mark 11:15-19 

Behold, The Fig Tree Which Thou Cursedst is Withered Away
And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. – Mark 11:20-24 

And When Ye Stand Praying, Forgive
And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses. – Mark 11:25-26

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Understanding
It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom. – Proverbs 10:23

Day 61 One-Year Daily Bible Passages – Leviticus 25:47–27:13; Mark 10:32-52; Psalm 45:1-17; Proverbs 10:22

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Servant of All
And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him, saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles: and they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.

 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire. And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you? They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized: but to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.

And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John.

But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: and whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. – Mark 10:32-45

Jesus didn’t come the way the people imagined. They expected that He had come as a military leader to wipe away Roman oppression and set up the Kingdom of God, promised throughout the Old Testament. 

Jesus did come as that leader, but not as they expected. He didn’t come to first overthrow ungodly leaders and set up a new government, but to establish His Kingdom in the hearts and lives of man.

The disciples, who were closer to Jesus and spent more time with Him than other people, were no different in their expectations. So, Jesus took the opportunity of their arguing over who would be great in His Kingdom, to teach them that to be truly great, you must be a servant to all.

All these years later, expectations have not changed. In our hearts, don’t we often pray, Come, Lord Jesus, but not because we have finished our course? Don’t we sometimes pray that asking that He come and deliver us from the “bad guys,” from sickness, death, and all kinds of evil? Don’t we often focus more on going to heaven ourselves to rule and reign with Him than we do serving and bringing His Kingdom to those in our world that He loves and desires to save? To a lost and dying world?  

Just my thoughts…I preach to myself here!!!

Son of David Have Mercy on Me
And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimæus, the son of Timæus, sat by the highway side begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. – Mark 10:46-48 

What Wilt Thou that I should Do Unto Thee?
And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee. And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way. – Mark 10:49-52  

Please help us, Father! Please help me! Help me to be Your servant! Give me a burden for the lost and a heart to serve. Help me not to pick and choose but to follow You and live a life of service. In Jesus Name, I pray. Amen!

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My Heart is Inditing a Good Manner
My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: My tongue is The pen of a ready writer. – Psalm 45:1 

Make His Name to Be Remembered
I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever. – Psalm 45:17

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Blessing
The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. – Proverbs 10:22

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His Servants
For unto me the children of Israel are servants; they are my servants whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God. –  Leviticus 25:55

If Ye Walk In My Statutes and Keep My Commandments
If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. – Leviticus 26:3-4

But If Ye Will Not Hearken Unto Me
But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments; and if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant: I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you. – Leviticus 26:14-17

In the Land of Their Enemies I Will Not Cast Them Away
And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the LORD their God. But I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the heathen, that I might be their God: I am the LORD. – Leviticus 26:44-45 

All the Tithe of the Land is the LORD’s
And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD’s: it is holy unto the LORD. – Leviticus 27:30  

Day 60 One-Year Daily Bible Passages – Leviticus 24:1–25:46; Mark 10:13-31; Psalm 44:9-26; Proverbs 10:20-21

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Eye for Eye, Tooth for Tooth
And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him; breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again. -Leviticus 24:19-20 

Divine Favor = Divine Responsibility
Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I am the LORD your God. – Leviticus 24:22

There is not to be one law for the Children of Israel and another rule for strangers. At first glance, it looks like this could favor the stranger in some ways. But this law is for everyone because not only can there not be a separate law for the stranger, but the stranger must abide by every law of the Children of Israel. Therefore they have the same responsibilities.

Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land
Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubile to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land. And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family. – Leviticus 25:9-10

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Suffer the Little Children to Come Unto Me, and Forbid Them Not
And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them. – Mark 10:13-16

Sell Whatsoever Thou Hast and Give to the Poor
And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. – Mark 10:17-22 

Hardly Shall They that have Riches Enter the Kingdom of God
And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible. – Mark 10:23-27

Lo, We Have Left All and Have Followed Thee
Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, but he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last first. – Mark 10:28-31  

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Who Then Shall Be Saved?
Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

You must receive Jesus and trust in Jesus as a child.

And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God.

You must trust Jesus alone and let go of your riches (or anything that you put your trust in…friendships, status, heritage)

And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? – Mark 10:15, 23, 26

Who then can be saved?

For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved? – Romans 10:13

If you indeed call upon the Name of the Lord, when He calls, you will follow in obedience and leave everything else as the disciples did to put all focus on Jesus and Jesus alone!

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Lips that Feed Many
The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom. – Proverbs 10:21

Every Secret of Every Heart
If we have forgotten the Name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god; Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart. – Psalms 44:20-21

No use trying to hide our impurities. The Father knoweth every secret of every heart.

I want to feed many. Help me, God.

Heavenly Father, I come before You this morning to say, I love You. I love You, Your Son, Your Word, and Your Holy Ghost that You have given so freely. Please help me today to follow after You alone and forsake all You would have me to abandon that I might live by Your Word and Your perfect will. Touch my heart that it would be like Yours and that my lips would speak only life-giving words. Father, we have been born into Your Kingdom and are therefore strangers in this land. Please help us to realize the Divine favor that gives but also the Divine responsibility. Help us to live according to Your perfect commands. In Jesus’ precious and holy and wonderful Name, I pray. Amen!!!

Day 59 One-Year Daily Bible Passages – Leviticus 22:17–23:44; Mark 9:30–10:12; Psalm 44:1-8; Proverbs 10:19

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These are My Feasts
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts. – Leviticus 23:1-2 

The Sabbath
Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings. – Leviticus 23:3 

The Passover
These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD’s passover. – Leviticus 23:4-5 

The Feast of Unleavened Bread
And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. – Leviticus 23:6 

The Feast of the First Fruits
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: and he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. = Leviticus 23:10-11

The Feast of Weeks
And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD. – Leviticus 23:15-16 

And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God. – Leviticus 23:22 

The Feast of Trumpets
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation. – Leviticus 23:24 

The Day of Atonement
Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD. – Leviticus 23:27 

The Feast of Booths
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD. – Leviticus 23:34 

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They Understood Not that Saying and Were Afraid to Ask Him
And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it. For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day. But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him. – Mark 9:30-32 

What Was it that Ye Disputed Among Yourselves By the Way?
And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all. And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me. – Mark 9:33-37 

No Man Doing a Miracle in My Name Can Lightly Speak Evil of Me
And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us. But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is on our part. – Mark 9:38-40 

Whosoever Shall Offend One of These Little Ones
For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward. And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. – Mark 9:41-48 

Have Salt in Yourselves and Have Peace One with Another
For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another. – Mark 9:49-50  

Is it Lawful for a Man to Put Away His Wife?
And he arose from thence, and cometh into the coasts of Judæa by the farther side of Jordan: and the people resort unto him again; and, as he was wont, he taught them again. And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him. And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you? And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away. – Mark 10:1-4 

What God Hath Joined Together, Let No Man Put Asunder
And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; and they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter. And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery. – Mark 10:5-12 

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He that Refraineth His Lips is Wise
In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: But he that refraineth his lips is wise. – Proverbs 10:19 

When there are many words, transgression and offense are unavoidable, But he who controls his lips and keeps thoughtful silence is wise. – Proverbs 10:19 AMP

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I Will Not Trust in My Bow, Neither Shall My Sword Save Me
For I will not trust in my bow, Neither shall my sword save me. But thou hast saved us from our enemies, And hast put them to shame that hated us. In God we boast all the day long, And praise thy name for ever. Selah. – Psalm 44:6-8  

Day 58 One-Year Daily Bible Passages – Leviticus 20:22–22:16; Mark 9:1-29; Psalm 43:1-5; Proverbs 10:18

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My Exceeding Joy
O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles. Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God. – Psalms 43:3-4

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The Kingdom of God Shall Come with Power
And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power. – Mark 9:1 

He was Transfigured Before Them
And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them. And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them. And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus. And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid. And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him. And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves. And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead. And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean. – Mark 9:2-10 

Elias is Indeed Come
And they asked him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come? And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought. But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him. – Mark 9:11-13 

What Question Ye with Them?
And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them. And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him. And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them? – Mark 9:14-16 

Thy Disciples Could Not Cast Him Out
And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; and wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not. He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me. And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. – Mark 9:17-22 

If Thou Canst Believe
Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose. – Mark 9:23-27 

This Kind Can Come Forth by Nothing, but by Prayer and Fasting
And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting. – Mark 9:28-29

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Separation
Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, spue you not out. And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them. But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey: I am the LORD your God, which have separated you from other people. Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fowls and clean: and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean. – Leviticus 20:22-25 

These last years, I have lost some close friends to other friendships and new callings. I don’t take offense at it, but there are days I look back, and on those days, I sometimes ask why. Then the Holy Ghost brings to remembrance that I asked the Lord to be my closest friend. I asked Him to show me the truth of “deep calling unto deep.”

This passage touches me because I know there is a promised land. I know the Father is answering prayer. And though it has required a cost I never counted, the Holy Ghost is taking me to deep places that I likely would have ignored if life were busy with a larger circle of friends. The Lord, my God, has separated me from other people (as the scripture says of the Israelites in today’s passage) for His Glory and my good. It is the Lord that does this…

I know if He has separated me, He has separated others.

That They Profane Not My Holy Name
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, and that they profane not my holy name in those things which they hallow unto me: I am the LORD. – Leviticus 22:1-2  

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He That Hideth Hatred
He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool. – Proverbs 10:18

So often, I have had offense and anger toward someone and think the right thing to do is “fake it till I make it.” This verse tells me that approach is foolish. I don’t need to fake anything because faking is a lie. I need to deal with the hatred, the anger – what is according to scripture a spirit of murder.

Help me, Lord, to deal with anger that left unattended turns to so many other things as it grows. Please help me not to speak evil or with evil intent regarding others.

Forgive me, Lord, for those times I have failed in this area. Holy Ghost, I ask You to do Your work in my life right here, right now.  Jesus, please help me to bring these things to You rather than to deal with them myself or by taking them to otheres. Help me to cast away the sinful things in my heart. Help me to remember that the consequences of picking up this kind of evil are to be a fool and separated from Your glorious Presence. Such wickedness is not worth that high cost. Help me, Father. I can’t do it without Your grace. But with in the strength of Your grace, I know I can do all things.

Day 57 One-Year Daily Bible ReadingLeviticus 19:1 – 20:21; Mark 8:11-38; Psalm 42; Proverbs 10:17

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MY Sabbath and MY Sanctuary
Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord. – Leviticus 19:30

One little (huge) Word in this verse struck me this morning. MY. God doesn’t say THE sabbath or THE sanctuary. He says MY sabbath and MY sanctuary!

It is sad how few of us keep His sabbath and give reverence to His Sanctuary. Preaching to myself here!!! Some say it is just a building, and that is in some ways right, but most church sanctuaries were set apart for the Lord when they were initially built. Over time they have changed. But even if it were true that it is just a building or part of the building,  the way we treat God’s house (the building) is very representative of how we keep God’s house (our heart). You say, well, His Sabbath is actually on Saturday. It is just a day. But then Saturday or Sunday, if we keep His Sabbath day by treating it as just another day, it very likely an indication of how little time is given to God every day.

This passage hits home for me and brings me conviction. I am more apt to revere His sanctuary (the building) than my heart, His Sanctuary.  Do we treat our hearts and what goes in our hearts with reverence? Do we regularly clean out anything that is not in line with His Word and His Way? In the same line, keeping His Sabbath, as  He created His Sabbath to be, has become less and less a day of rest and worship and more like just an hour or two at church before we go out to lunch and then head off to other things of this world. If we keep on the path of slowly eliminating one thing and then another that we think doesn’t matter, eventually there will be only shells of the church but no real church. It is not just a building. If we aren’t gathering together, we are scattered abroad. When I see old churches that are closed down, I often wonder where the people are now.

Keep – To hold to; retain in one’s possession; not to lose or part with; to preserve; to retain; to tend to.

Reverence – Fear mingled with respect; to regard with respect and affection. We reverence superiors for their age, their authority, and their virtues. We should reverence God, His Word, and His ordinances; an act of respect such as a bow or a curtsy.

God help me to keep your instructions, even as You told us in our Proverb today, that I might be on the correct path – the Way of LIFE. Help Your church, Father!!!

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Keep His Instruction
He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth. – Proverbs 10:17

Keep His instruction, and you will be on the right path; refuse it, and you will lose your way.

Erreth – to go astray in thought or belief; be mistaken; be incorrect; to deviate from the Truth

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Thirst
My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? – Psalms 42:2

Thirst is a hard thing to bear. Thirst, if left unfulfilled, can cause desperation and panic. This verse makes me ask myself, am I thirsty for God? Am I desperate to appear before Him, to draw close to Him and know Him? Help me, Lord, to thirst for You!!!

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Why Doth this Generation Seek After a Sign?
And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him. And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation. And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side. – Mark 8:11-13 

How is it That Ye Do Not Understand?
Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf. And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread. And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened? Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember? When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve. And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven. And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand? – Mark 8:14-21 

He Put His Hands Again Upon the Blind Man’s Eyes
And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly. And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town. – Mark 8:22-26

Who Do You Say That I Am?
And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am? And they answered, John the Baptist: but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets. And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ. And he charged them that they should tell no man of him. – Mark 8:27-30

We each have a personal relationship with Jesus. He asks each of us, Who do you say that I am? Jesus is not interested in you saying what you heard the person next to you saying. He is not interested in what you read on the internet. He wants to know who you say He is, what is in your heart regarding Him.

Get Thee Behind Me Satan
And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men. – Mark 8:31-33 

Whosoever will come after Me…
And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34

Deny yourself– to refrain from satisfying one’s desires or needs; practice self-denial
Take up your cross – to hold, grasp or grip; pick up; receive and accept willingly
Follow Him –  to come after; to conform to, comply with, obey; to imitate or copy; to go in pursuit of

What Shall a Man Give in Exchange for His Soul?
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. – Mark 8:35-38 

Day 56 One-Year Daily Bible Passages – Leviticus 16:29–18:30; Mark 7:24–8:10; Psalm 41:1-13; Proverbs 10:15-16

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Yet the Dogs Under the Table Eat of the Children’s Crumbs
And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid. For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet: the woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter. But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it unto the dogs. And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs. And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter. And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed. – Mark 7:24-30

And Straightway His Ears Were Opened
And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis. And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him. And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue; and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain. And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it; and were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak. – Mark 7:31-37 

They that Had Eaten Were About Four Thousand
In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: and if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far. And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven. And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them. So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets. And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away. And straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha. – Mark 8:1-10

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The Blood
For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. – Leviticus 17:11

Life is in the Blood. Thank You for Your blood, Jesus. Your Blood is LIFE to me. Your Blood made atonement for me. Your Blood heals, delivers, cleanses, saves.

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The Destruction of the Poor
The rich man’s wealth is his strong city: The destruction of the poor is their poverty. – Proverbs 10:15 

The Labour
The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin. – Proverbs 10:16

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. – Romans 6:23

The fullness of life is God’s reward to those rooted in Him and living out their faith. It’s incredible how God came down and took our place on the Cross that we may be made righteous. It’s amazing how we can just believe in Jesus and have eternal life but also then become a channel of LIFE (the labour) to bring others to believe (tendeth) in Jesus (Life) that they may also be a channel of LIFE….and it goes on and on.

Blessed is He that Considereth the Poor
Blessed is he that considereth the poor: The LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: And thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. – Psalm 41:1-2 

Everlasting to Everlasting
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen. – Psalms 41:13

Psalm 41 affirms to me that the Lord is my first and my last. Jesus is my everything. He is here when I need Him and when I suffer and go through various trials. When I am in the midst of hard things for His Name, Holy Ghost is closer than I can ever realize or comprehend. He is my Hope, my deliverer, and He is my very present help in my time of need. I bless my God and my Savior, Jesus Christ, and the precious and ever-present Holy Ghost.

Blessed – Worthy of adoration, reverence, or worship; divinely or supremely favored
Everlasting – eternal; lasting forever
Amen – It is so; so be it

Please help me, Father, today!!! Touch my mind, body, and my spirit that I may live this day pleasing to You. In Jesus Name, I pray! Amen and Amen!!!