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Monthly Archives: April 2018

Getting Behind Christ

As we continue to study the Gospel of Mark, we see the Lord bringing His disciples to a deeper level of knowledge about Himself.

He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
Mark 8:31-32

Jesus began to explain to the disciples that the Messiah must undergo rejection by Israel. Then, He needed to die on the cross, be buried and three days later, rise from the dead.

Peter was obviously upset by this. He was so taken back by hearing about the Lord’s death that he totally missed the part about rising from the dead. He began to rebuke Jesus for His “negative confession.”

But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”
Mark 8:33

No, Peter was not possessed by the devil at this time. The Greek word, satan, means accuser. Jesus was not calling Peter the devil, but describing his actions. (Actually, the devil would have enjoyed seeing Jesus die.)

In his statement, Peter was accusing Jesus of being out of the will of God for his life. Peter was placing himself on the same level as Christ, telling Him what He should be doing.

That’s why the Lord told him to get behind me. In other words, you’re not my peer; get back in line following me where you belong. He explained that Peter was not thinking like God thinks, but like men think.

Jesus took this as a teachable moment.

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.”

“What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”
Mark 8:34-38

Christ makes it clear that in following Him, we have to give up our fleshly, human way of thinking. Ministry in the kingdom of God is not based on what I think is best for God. It’s about what He thinks is best.

Too often we’re guilty of giving God our opinion of what should be done. Then, we run off with our plans and seek God’s blessing on it. We then get frustrated wondering why it has no effect.

Instead, we need to seek the Holy Spirit to change the way we think. We need our minds to be renewed. Because if I can think the way God does, then I’m going to want His perfect will.

This is important. I won’t need to seek His will; I’ll know it because I want what He wants. Then it will be blessed – not because I prayed for God to bless it, but because it’s already anointed by God.

That’s why we need to spend quality time in the Lord’s presence. But not spending all our time seeking things and answers to problems. We must desire to know Him better – His thoughts, His will, and His heartbeat.

Question: What’s the difference between seeking God’s will and seeking God’s heart?

The Importance of the Unseen

04 Apr

Over the last few posts, we can see that the disciples following Jesus seemed to be pretty slow in their trust of the Lord. They have a hard time applying what He did in the past, to their present challenges. Of course, that’s our problem sometimes as well.

I’ve found that the questions Jesus asks are just as important as His teachings. It draws out what’s really going on inside of us. He wants to activate the faith that may be lying dormant within us.

For this reason, He asks the disciples some questions.

Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”
Mark 8:27-28

This is an interesting conversation between the Lord and His followers. Jesus asks them who the crowds think He is. In reading the original Greek, it sounds like their initial answer is, “John the Baptist.” Then they added that some say Elijah or another lesser known prophet.

That’s funny when you think about it because Jesus was baptized by John. They were seen together on a few occasions.

This actually shows us how society works. When someone becomes famous, and people start to recognize their name, it’s as if they had never existed before that moment.

When Jesus was baptized by John, He probably stood in line like everyone else. Even though John recognized who the Lord was, to the casual observer, Jesus was simply one of many being baptized that day.

They didn’t see Jesus studying and meditating on the Scripture for His first 30 years. They didn’t see the hours of fasting and prayer over His future ministry to Israel. They never knew about the 40 days He spent in the wilderness being tested.

The foundation of the house is the most important part, yet it’s the part rarely seen in the completed structure. That’s why there can be no shortcuts in the preparation seasons of our ministry. It’s frustrating to realize it, but most will never know the hard work that went into what people eventually see in public.

The disciples knew the reality.

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Peter answered, “You are the Christ.”
Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.
Mark 8:29-30

They were finally able to voice what they had been thinking inside. It was no longer a question; could this be the Messiah? Now it was a definitive statement.

We need to follow the example of Christ. Are you believing for God to accomplish something extraordinary through you? Then don’t look for the shortcuts.

Don’t become so frustrated that you drop out during your season of preparation. Continue to do what you know to do. Allow the Lord to bring you to the place you need to be in Him. Then, at the appointed time, you’ll see the manifestation of God’s Word to you.

Question: What are you believing God to bring about in your life?

Unbelief is Transferable

02 Apr

Are you careful about whom you spend a lot of time with? Who are your close friends? Are they enhancing or hindering your spiritual walk? Jesus makes it clear that those around you affect your ability to receive from God.

They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?”
Mark 8:22-23

This is a very important Scripture, yet many read it without ever seeing the key issues. The townspeople wanted to see this blind man healed, so they brought him to Jesus. Look at Jesus’ response.

The Lord took his hand and brought him outside the city before He would minister healing. Why would He do something like that? By this simple act, the Lord was testifying against their refusal to trust Him as their Messiah.

How do I know this? By Jesus’ own testimony. At one point He denounced some of the cities that He visited.

“Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.”
Matthew 11:21

They were looking for the Lord to heal this man. What they didn’t want was for Christ to change their lives. They didn’t want to accept Him as their Lord and Savior.

This attitude even had an effect on the blind man’s ability to receive his healing. Jesus laid His hands on the man then asked if he could see.

He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.”
Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don’t go into the village.”
Mark 8:24-26

The first time Jesus touched him, the man only received a partial healing. It took another touch for him to be completely healed. Then, once healed, the man was told not to go back into the village. He didn’t need to be around that kind of unbelief. It would only hinder his future trust in Christ.

We need to take this to heart. If that’s how it worked under Jesus’ ministry, then it’s the same today. Who you spend most of your time with determines who you’re going to become like. It’s very easy to pick up attitudes, whether good or bad.

Just like with the blind man, you can still receive from the Lord if you pick up the unbelief of others. It just takes longer for the Holy Spirit to get you to the point where you’re in a position to receive.

If you want to progress spiritually, then spend more time with those who are walking in the truth of the Word.

Question: How have you experienced the attitudes of others affecting you?

The Spirit and the Word

Monthly Archives: April 2018

Getting Behind Christ

The Importance of the Unseen

Unbelief is Transferable

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