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October 31st

The bible reading today is in Matthew 19 and Mark 10.

In these two chapters, Jesus crosses from Perea back into Judea. In Jericho, he teaches God’s very words on marriage, divorce, riches, and service. But he also tells his disciples what awaits him in Jerusalem, without one fear or one hesitation.

Even after three years of powerful ministry of love and sound teaching and many signs and wonders accomplished in fulfillment of messianic prophecy, Pharisees took turns to dog his steps and craft questions intended to make what he has said and done look like opposition to the law.

“And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭10:2-4‬

Jesus said...” yes, but only because of the hardness of your heart...it was not so from the beginning...man and woman became one flesh in marriage and whatever God put together no man or woman was to pull asunder...divorce...except for the cause of adultery.”

Most of us concentrate on the loophole for divorce. Jesus concentrated on the oneness that God made...marriage was intended as love for a lifetime.

After this, Jesus used a personal meeting with a rich man to put the kingdom of God in the heart perspective.

“I've kept all these commandments...what else do I have to do?”

“Follow me...be like me...trust me...open your hands and heart and give your stuff away to those who need it and you won't be tempted to trust your stuff to save you...you’ll trust me.”

“And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.”

But Jesus said to them, “whoever would be great among you must be your servant,

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭10:35-37, 43, 45‬

O Lord, help us to give our lives away for the sake of the gospel...serving You and Your church with our whole cheerful hearts.

“And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve again, he began to tell them what was to happen to him, saying, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭10:32-34‬

And it all happened just like that.

And the disciples would remember these words spoken by their master. “He said this was his path and he walked it with faith and courage. Why are we so afraid?” Why did they forget his words about rising from the dead?

I don't know. Why do I forget his word for my dark nights of my soul?

Have a great day