Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath

 

 

Mark 2: 23- 28

 

May 3, 2020

 

 

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath

^“ One Sabbath he was going through the grain fields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain.   And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”   And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him:  how he entered the house of God, in the time of^] Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?”   And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.   So, the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”

 

God gave clear direction on what man should and should not do on the Sabbath. It is clear that man was to rest and not to labor at all. One must remember that the Pharisees were all about appearance and rules, and it is clear that by their standards, the disciples were breaking the Sabbath by plucking heads of grain.  

 

He reminds them of David taking the bread when fleeing from King Saul, which only the priests were allowed to eat. The twelve loaves of unleavened bread, representing the 12 tribes of Israel, were placed in the temple's holy places each Sabbath. David not only lied to the High Priest but was also deceptive in getting what he needed to flee from Saul.

 

And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.   So, the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”  Jesus is proclaiming His authority over the Sabbath. He is telling the religious guys, you are not worshiping God, but the Sabbath.  Was not its purpose to give a day of rest, a day to be still and give praise to God for His many blessings?  

I wonder if our lifestyle of busyness has not contributed to much of the physical and mental problems of our nation.  Now I’m not talking about the unchurched, but those who are active in worship each Sunday.  We, the Church, are not much different than our unchurched neighbors in many of our actions, could it be that we have a misunderstanding of Jesus as our Sabbath rest?

This morning I asked a friend, Erik, his thoughts, and He replied that as a follower of Christ, each day should be a Sabbath rest.  I was silent, wanting more information, and he directed me to some Scriptures in the New Testament that gave that truth.  When the class was over, I began a new study on the Sabbath rest, first looking at Matthew 12:8, “For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”  It would be helpful to read the full account from chapter 12: 1-8.

 

Explore with me how that is an established truth, it is shown to us in Hebrews 10:12-14,  ^“But when Christ^[ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,  waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet.   For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.”  

So, as we go each day, we have this promise of a Sabbath rest, from the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit.  It is found in Hebrews 10:15-17, And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,”  then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”  I would encourage you to keep reading chapter ten and learn more about your true identity in Christ.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Jesus Calls Levi

 

May 2, 2020

 

Mark 2: 13 - 22

 

Jesus Calls Levi

^“He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them.   And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.

 And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.   And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”   And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Levi had one thing in common with the other three that were asked by Jesus to follow Him, and it is a requirement of all who will follow Jesus then and now: obedience.   Now it sounds as if Jesus is at Levi’s home, and being a tax collector was not a popular job, his friends would also be tax collectors.  Remember that a Pharisee is a self-righteous person and very religious, and it’s not all that hard to be a Pharisee. I find myself in that role, but the Lord will always confront me that true righteousness is found in Him alone.  As long as our righteousness is found in self, we cannot receive the blessing God has for us.

A Question About Fasting

^“ Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?”   And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.   The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day.   No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made.   And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”^[

As a follower of Christ, you will always have a contrast with the World system, and with the religious system.  You will be asked by the Holy Spirit to go and do and speak in a manner that is not in agreement with either of those two systems.  The question is, will you follow Jesus?  It is impossible to do both; follow the desires of the world and Jesus.  Jesus told us in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”

 

When we come into Christ and He comes into our life, we become that new wineskin, and the Holy Spirit gives us the light we need to be Christ's disciples in a world that loves darkness, for their deeds are evil.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice 

Jesus Heals a Paralytic

  

Mark 2: 1 – 12

 

May 1, 2020

 

 

Jesus Heals a Paralytic

“And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home.   And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them.   And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.   And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay.   And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”   Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts,    “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”  And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts?   Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’?   But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.”   And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

This chapter gives five accounts of religious people having issues with the way Jesus is doing things.  In this account, it is not that Jesus is teaching in a home; it was probably Simon's home.  Do you recall the friends of the paralytic who carried him to Jesus and could not get in the door, because of the number of people inside and waiting to get inside?  They removed the roof, and it seems like debris must have fallen on those inside the house.  Now they lowered the man on his mat to Jesus.  Jesus is amazed at the faith of these men, and Mark reports the following: Verse five, “And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, 'Son, your sins are forgiven.” 

In the New Testament, we are introduced to Scribes, Pharisees, and Priests, all were religious people; they could have dragged a hard-working Baptist around the school yard teaching them how to be more religious.  I mean, they had it down, but it was all rules, and they even added a few new ones so that they could look good and do what they wanted.  An example was the distance one could go on the Sabbath from their home.  During the week, they would place a household good at that distance, and it allowed them to go twice as far.   When Jesus said to the man, Your sins are forgiven, they were all saying to themselves, That is blaspheming; only God can do so.  Jesus knew what was in their mind and hearts. This is recorded in verses 8 – 12, Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts?   Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’?   But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” 

 

Religion does not have an answer for this, even the scribes gave glory to God, saying we have never seen anything like this!

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

Jesus Preaches in Galilee

 

Mark 1: 35 – 45

 

April 30, 2020

 

 

Jesus Preaches in Galilee

 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.  And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.”   And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.”   And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.

It is not going to be an easy thing to put yourself in the story, but if I were Simon or the other three, I’m very confused at this point.  Are the people looking for Jesus the Messiah, or do they want someone to wow them and heal their sick?  We must understand that Jesus, God in the flesh, did not look to Himself but to the Father.  He changes not, and we see all through His ministry how Jesus sought out a desolate place to spend time with the Father.  Yet one as weak as me often forgets how much I need the Lord and run to Him.

If you are a bottom-line person, then Luke’s gospel 19:10 is the reason Jesus came, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”  Now Simon and the others did not understand that yet, and they said everyone is looking for you, and Jesus responded, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.”

 

Jesus Cleanses a Leper

And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.”   Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.”   And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.   And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once,  and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.”   But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.

Now this may not be as hard as putting on Simon’s shoes, but now you are the Leper, you, first of all, cannot recall the last person who touches you, for you have to howler out to all that you are unclean, a Leper, with no hope of getting well.  Not only did Jesus listen to you, but He also touched you and made you clean, so that you back to be a part of the community.  What will you do? Now let us get real, you were no different than a Leper, controlled by sin, and Jesus touched you and set you free.  That's what Jesus came to do, and you have experienced it. Now what have you done, or are you like the Leper?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

 

 

Jesus Heals Many

  

Mark 1 : 29 -34

 

April 29, 2020

 

 Jesus Heals Many

^“And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.  Now Simon's mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her.   And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.  That evening at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons.   And the whole city was gathered together at the door.  And he healed many who were sick with various diseases and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.”

In the Gospel of Mark, you're going to get the impression that Jesus was rushing from one thing to another, yes, He had a plan, yes, He is about His Father’s business, but it is my understanding from the Gospels He was not rushing, He listens, and He ministers to everyone that He is supposed to.

Simon, later to have his name changed to Peter the apostle, was married, for it seems impossible to have a mother-in-law any other way.  She was sick with a fever and in bed when Jesus entered with James, John, and Andrew into Simon's house.  It must have been a large house where Jesus and the four stayed.  The only thing that is reported is that Jesus entered her room and took her hand and lifted her up, and she began to serve them.  Now the four got excited, my word not in the Scripture, and at sundown they brought to Jesus all who were sick or oppressed by demons.  Many were healed, and the whole town was at the door, no report of the rejoicing of the family as they witnessed the healing of family members, but it is reported that Jesus did not allow the demons to speak, for they knew Him.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice 

 

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

  

Mark 1: 16 – 28

 

April 28, 2020

 

 Jesus Calls the First Disciples

 

^“Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.  And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”  And immediately they left their nets and followed him.   And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets.   And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.”

Have you tried putting yourself into the boat, your business is catching fish, and that is all you know how to do, it’s what your family does to make a living?  One day, Jesus shows up and He rocks your boat, and Jesus says, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”  Do you drop your net and follow Him, without hesitation, you just obey the call?

At that moment, all four of these men decided to be followers of Jesus. Did you stay in the boat?  If not, have you come to the understanding of these simple fishermen that they know that obedience is doing immediately what Jesus asks you to do?  Tonight, as I lay in bed, the Spirit confronted me on a statement I had made to my wife about wearing a mask to church.  I had said to her, if that is a requirement, to attend worship, I will stay home, but the Lord asked me this question, When did you start making the decisions?  As a follower of Christ, my job is to follow the requirement of obedience immediately.

Jesus Heals a Man with an Unclean Spirit

“And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching.   And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.   And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out,  “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.”   But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!”  And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him.   And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”   And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.”

Mark reminds me of a young child who has learned a new word that they believe is the coolest thing in the world,​ and his were immediately. This is the account, it is the Sabbath, and they have entered Capernaum, and they enter the synagogue.  Jesus not only begins to teach, but His teaching is with authority.  He is different than the scribes.​  His message is not read​ing from the scrolls, but He is proclaiming it as if He were the author.

Now Mark uses his favorite word, “immediately,” as a man with an unclean spirit confronts Jesus, now do not pass over this man has an evil spirit indwelling him.  And he cried out,   “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.”  You will notice the man is where worship is happening, and he is not there to worship God; you may want to give more thought to this point.  It is also clear that the enemy of your soul knows that Jesus is God's only Son.  And he also knows his time is limited, and like you and me, he does not know the day or the hour.

Now, when God shows up, it is clear you are standing in the presence of authority, all authority.  Not only was his teaching amazing, but He also had authority over the unclean spirit, and Jesus commanded it to come out of the man, and it obeyed immediately.  

As I read this paper to my wife on April 4, 2025, that almost five years later, I marvel at the faith of these 4 fishermen.  Jesus did not promise them a better life, more wealth, are any of the things we set value on.  “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”   Do you understand that is the same calling of today?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

http://fromourbackporch.blogspot.com/

Has your Life Mattered

 

Has your Life Mattered  

 

If not, why?

 

April 2, 2025

 

My dad had written in his will that he wanted to be buried in a Christian manner.  As his youngest child, I understood what that meant.  My dad would not be known for his great accomplishments in business, nor as a man of great wealth.  But his life matters in that, from a child, he told his three children that the Bible was the written word of God, that God loves us and desires a personal relationship with each of us.  My dad played football before they had the safety gear; he went both offense and defense in college, and had to quit because he had destroyed his knees.  We were on the under-resourced side, no car, so dad walked to work almost three miles. He had a second job he also walked all the places where he sold uniforms to anyone who needed them.  Yes, my dad did what it took, wrapping ace bandages around swollen knees to make sure his family had food, and clothes, and a house to live in.  My dad died at 59 years of age. Not one person who spoke at his funeral or after said anything but that he was a hard worker, but many told stories of how my dad was there when they needed him.  One that stuck in my mind was a person who said your dad was known for when someone lost a love one to be the greeter of those who came to the house, and was one of the greatest servants we knew.  My dad made a difference in my life, and we buried him in a coffin and in a way he called a Christian manner.

 

What I am going to share is my opinion, you do not have to like it or agree with it, but will you give thought to what I’m going to share?

 

Bob Rice will not be known for his career at 3M, nor for wealth, even though he has been blessed by the Lord.  In fact, at the age of 27 in Victoria, Texas, in a hotel room, he encountered the God who loved Him, and that night he asked Jesus into his life.  It took God sending many men into his life and he learn to listen and learn from them.  His first mentor was Dry Hole Jack, as he was known in the oil business.  His first 19 wells were dry holes, but he and eleven other very successful business men were invited to Laity lodge by Howard Butt, and all of them ask Jesus into their lives.  Jack was in his forties when this happened, and I was just a young guy who was impressed with him wanting to spend time with me.  He was new in his walk with the Lord, and all he could teach me was that God loved me, and I needed to know that, because I was struggling with how He could love a rascal like me.  Now I’m soon to be 83 years of age, and I have been blessed to have a few men who have come and asked if they could spend time with me to learn how to be the man God desires them to become.  I like my dad want to be buried in a way that brings glory to my Lord.  Yes, I want a memorial service, but not to talk about my accomplishments, in that it would be a very short service, and a waste of time.  

 

But I want people to know what my big God could do with a rascal like me when you come to the understanding that it's not about you, it's about God.  Let me be clear, He gave me all that I have, the faith to receive Him as Lord, to submit to His authority, and to show me how to understand that life is not found in stuff, but in relationship, and the most important is with Jesus Christ.

 

My first and foremost relationship is with the Lord, next my wife of almost 60 years, and my daughter and son-in-law.  Then a great relationship is with those two amazing young men who refer to me a Bob-Bob.  Next are my brother and sister, who have been a blessing to me, and the many men who have blessed me in both my business life and as brother and sister in Christ.  I could tell you about many very special people, like pastors and men like Bob Keese, who asked me at the age of 26 to go to a Bible study on setting men free.  I thought I was free and resented the thought that anyone would think differently.  But that was the beginning of a six-month spiritual battle for me, understanding freedom was not found in religion, but in Jesus Christ.

 

Now I know this may not sit well with some of you, but will you open a Bible and read Romans 10:9-10, and ask the Lord to give you the faith to believe what you read.  If you do so, it matters not what you have done, Jesus will change you not only now but for eternity.   And your life will matter, for in Christ there is life now and eternity.  If you miss a relationship with Jesus, and put your faith in yourself, or religion, and not a personal relationship with Jesus, eternity without God is going to hell.  It is all about your choice.  Joshua 24:15, “And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

http://fromourbackporch.blogspot.com/

 

 

The Baptism of Jesus

 

Mark 1: 9 – 14

 

April 27, 2020

 

 

The Baptism of Jesus

 In those days, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.  And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.   And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased.”

Forty times the term immediately was used by Mark in his Gospel; each of us needs to recall these words of 2 Peter 1:21, “For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”  The Holy Spirit used Mark to give us insights into aspects of Jesus baptism in a rapid action, like when Jesus came out of the water, the heavens being torn open, the Spirit descending on Jesus in the form of a dove, and God’s statement; “You are my beloved Son”, with you I am well pleased.  We must not overlook that all three persons of the Trinity are present at the baptism of Jesus.

The Temptation of Jesus

“The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.   And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.”  The Scriptures make clear that the Spirit that descended on Jesus at His baptism is also the same Holy Spirit that forced Him into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan.  Mark is led by the Holy Spirit and wants the reader to understand that it was the very next thing in Christ's ministry.  I believe this happens often to young men called out of the workplace and to go through the trial of getting a seminary degree and end up in a small church, which is not open to doing anything new, and they often run them out of the ministry.  We have many accounts of 40 years, for example, the children of Israel in the wilderness, Moses before returning to Egypt, and even 40 days, such as Elijah in the wilderness.

 

Jesus Begins His Ministry

 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”  There was at least a year of Jesus' life that took place before John the Baptist was arrested and put to death.  But the message was that the Messiah was walking around in an earth suit.  In John’s gospel, we understand the Jewish people were not open to repenting and believing, especially the religious leaders.  

John 1:11-13,  ^“He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.   But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,  who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”  It is beyond understanding how they could have rejected the Messiah or is it, or are they different than you?  They wanted to be the captain of their ship; they wanted God on their terms.  It is going to happen, one way and only one, I learned that in Vacation Bible School as a child, but like many, I bought into the foolish ways of the world for 27 years of life, and God's love and grace were offered at such a young age.  He is still waiting for so many. Do not be foolish, the world and its desires are passing away, but the person who does the will of God will live forever.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

 

 

http://fromourbackporch.blogspot.com/

 

Have you encounter a person like John

 

Mark 1: 4 – 8

 

April 26, 2020

 

 

“John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.  Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey.  And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.  I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

 

This reminds me of a man named Del, who came to our church in Spring, Texas, with a caravan of people living in travel trailers.  One of the families was expecting any moment a child to be born, and I, for one, was vocal with the men I prayed with each Saturday morning, that was the craziest thing I had ever heard.  It was not a one-week revival, but two, and guess what, they wanted my wife and others to cook for them in our church kitchen, three meals each day? 

 

Now it was called the “Life Action Singers” and I could not help but wonder how we were going to survive two weeks of singing.  We had heard that at the last church they had stayed for a full month; I was sure not looking forward to this!

 

Do you recall that Isaiah the prophet of God stated that God was going to send a forerunner to prepare the way for His Son’s entry into ministry?  Do you recall how different he was, but do you also recall he came baptizing, but it was a baptizing of repentance of sins.  Do you recall his dress was different, his approach to ministry was not even close to what the Jewish Priest was doing at the temple service?  What happened?  People were awakened to sin, they confessed their sins, and they repented of them!

 

Why did I begin by talking about Del Fehsenfeld Jr., the founder of Life Action Ministries?  Because for the first time in my spiritual life, I witnessed a revival in a local body of believers.  Del was different than anyone in ministry I had ever met, and I believed he and John the Baptist had a lot in common.  It is recorded that Del often said; 

 

“One of the problems in much of our church work today is that we sit in a meeting room and make our plans, then ask God to bless them … rather than getting in the Word of God on our knees first and getting the mind of God, then moving ahead with the confidence of knowing that what He has ordained, He will bless!”

 

The Life Actions Singers stayed for three weeks, and many came and confessed sins. One of the staff got up one night and stated that God had shown him he was not teachable and asked for prayer.  The night that God got hold of me, the Life Action Singers passed out a paper called the “Complete Spiritual,” it was three pages front and back, and as I took the test, it became clear I had failed, it was part three and I had several question marks, three, yes and it stated if you circled one or more yes, check this box.  Then it quoted Proverbs 6:16 &17, “There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,”  and this thought came into my mind, I’ve never shed innocent blood, but I’m surely guilty of the other two.  I’m glad I did not quit taking the test, for the next six questions should have been answered yes, and I did, but I knew I was not being truthful, and I also knew God knew I was not being truthful.  It states in print:  Realize “. . . Your iniquities have separated between you and God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, that He will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:2)

 

Spring Baptist is a large church, and many seemed to have finished the test quickly, and the noise was upsetting. How could they be so happy when I was in such pain, I had failed the test!  I was a follower of Christ; I had entered into Him and He lived in me, but pride and arrogance had made me like a Pharisee, and that night I confessed to my Father and was restored to fellowship with the LORD.

 

The Complete Spiritual ended with this statement: “Let us search and try our ways and turn again to the Lord.” (Lamentations 3:40)

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

 

 

 

Introduction to Mark and the first 3 verses

                                                                

 

Marks Gospel

    April 25, 2020

 

The Introduction and verses 1-3

 

Today I’m using the introduction found in the Holman Christian Standard  Study Bible

 

“Mark’s Gospel emphasizes actions and deeds.  Jesus is on the go – healing, casting out demons, performing miracles, hurrying from place to place, and teaching.  In Mark, everything happens “immediately.”  As soon as one episode ends, another begins.  The rapid pace slows down when Jesus enters Jerusalem (11:1).   Therefore, events are marked by days and His final day by hours.”

 

 

Mark 1: 1 - 3

“The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.   As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,”

Jan and I are very blessed to have come to know Jesus as our Redeemer and Lord. We were both in our twenties, and our experiences are different, about a year apart, mine in a Hotel room and hers in the back of a Church building, and she recalls little that the preacher said.  As we reflect on our early time with the Lord, people were sent to us to mentor and encourage us in the ways of God.  I am so thankful for my first mentor, an amazing man who I later found out was an All-American football player at TCU and played pro-ball for the New York Giants.  He was also referred to as Dry Hole Jack in the Oil industry, in that the first 19 holes he drilled were dry.  Then one day he drilled the 20^th and became a millionaire.  He came to Christ in his early forties, and He began with me in the book of John.  What Jack taught me was that I am loved by God!  Jack did not do the correct things, like bowing your head when it was just the two of us; he just brought Jesus into the conversation.

What does this have to do with the book of Mark, a lot of Johns Gospel is an introduction to how much God loves you and me, it is about a promised one who would come and redeem his people, it is about them rejecting Jesus and you and I being grafted into Christ, it gives us an account of the disciples and their doubt and unbelief.  Most of all, John was not jumping from one event to the next.  Mark is telling the same thing, but it is always immediate.  As a New Creation in Christ, I needed someone who was in love with Jesus, someone whom I could look up to and at the same time see a man who knew that the only thing of value in his life was his new friend, Jesus Christ.  I grew up in church and knew all about Jesus, and I believed that He was the Son of God, but I could not believe he could love someone as evil as I was.  God knew my need for love and acceptance. He sent Jack so I could learn how God loved me, a mess, yes, in Christ, but still trying to hold on to a little of the worldly things.  I hope you will explore the book of Mark with me, and allow the Holy Spirit to teach you whatever it is you need at this stage in your life.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Job did what God told him to do

  

 

 

 

 

Job 42: 10 – 16

 

April 24, 2020

 

 

“And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job when he had prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.  Then came to him all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before and ate bread with him in his house. And they showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him. And each of them gave him a piece of money and a ring of gold.

 And the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning. And he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys.   He had also seven sons and three daughters.   And he called the name of the first daughter Jemimah, and the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-happuch.   And in all the land there were no women so beautiful as Job's daughters. And their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers.   And after this Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, four generations.  And Job died, an old man, and full of days.”

What lessons have you learned not so much about Job, but about yourself?  Are you going through a hard time with the Pandemic of Fear, maybe someone you love has turned against you in this Covid-19 coronavirus, in that you no longer meet the social, emotional, or financial needs, as you did just months ago?  

Maybe you’re a pastor of a large church and worry about how to meet the needs of your flock, knowing that people are not going to be happy with you for the decision you are going to require in this pandemic of fear.  If so, you understand a little about where our President and governors are coming from.  If they open the economy too soon and the first person that gets sick, they will be blamed by the media, and if no one gets sick, they will be blamed for not opening sooner and the damage they have done to so many families.

Leadership is not for sissy’s!

Now, this is what Job did: He listened to the only one who has complete knowledge, and did what God had instructed him to do, and because of that, Job was in right standing with both God and man.

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Job prayer for his three Friends

 Job 42:7 -  9

 

April 23, 2020

 

 

“After the Lord had spoken these words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.  Now, therefore, take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.”  So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did what the Lord had told them, and the Lord accepted Job's prayer.”

 

Often, God uses others to confront us about sin. I will never forget the action of a young man. I was staying at his home when my life was in total rebellion, wanting what I thought I wanted and not concerned that I was disgracing the name of my Redeemer, Jesus Christ.  One day I said something I’m not sure what, and my friend Ronnie, who at that time did not profess to be a follower of Christ, said something I knew was God speaking through him.  Ronnie’s reply was so powerful, “Bob, I thought you professed to be a Christian, that is not the way Christians talk or act.”  

 

Job’s three friends, while trying to defend God, made wrong judgments and accusations about the reason for Job’s condition.  It became clear that they did not understand God’s love for His creation and made God out to be an insensitive enforcer of justice.

 

 I totally missed that Job's three friends had left Job, and by the time they returned, Job’s health was restored.  Now that may have happened the moment Job confessed or weeks later, the Scripture does not give us that insight.  For them to have a right relationship with the Father, they had to do as God required of them.

 

I remember one of the best Lay Renewals Jan and I went to was in Amarillo, Texas, led by my friend and mentor Jack Archer.  We had witnessed God moving amazingly, and we had taken two or three young girls with us.  I stopped for gas, and the person running the station said something to me that I reacted to in the wrong way.  The young girls heard my reply, it was harsh but not wrong, till the Lord spoke into my mind to turn around and go back the 20 or so miles and ask the man to forgive me.  I had a great argument, we had a long way to go, it was going the wrong way, but it seems God was saying, Do you want to have my hand on you? If so, go back and ask the man to forgive you.  I went back, the man was not into forgiveness but instead said ok, but I do not even recall who you are or why I’m forgiving you.  That was not his words, but it was close to that.  As I drove off to Houston, I understood it was not about the gas attendant, but my willingness to be obedient.  Job’s friends were obedient, and God used Job’s prayer to make them in right standing with Him.

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

 

Job's reply to God

  

 

 

 

Job 42:1 – 6

 

April 22, 2020

 

 

 

Then Job answered the Lord and said:

“I know that you can do all things and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.  ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’  Therefore, I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.   ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’  I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore, I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”

 

As followers of Christ, I understand we will not stand at the White Throne Judgment, only those who have rejected Jesus Christ as God’s only Son, who died on the Cross for your sins and mine.  We who have bowed a knee will be judged, I’m not at all sure how it is going to work, but I can only imagine a very large screen that is playing back every word that was idle and foolish, every act that did not bring glory to our Lord, since the time we bowed our knee to Christ.  It will not change our relationship with the Father, but it will be a less blessed gift we can bring to our Savior.  You may want to examine Romans 3:10 and Romans 2:16.  Romans 3:10 states clearly that no one is righteous, not one, so if your righteousness is based on your works, and not on Christ, who is your righteousness, you have a big problem.  Romans 2:16 makes it clear that not one thing will be hidden from God, and the Holy Spirit or the Son, I’m thinking the playback is not for God but for us.  I am so thankful it is not based on my performance but on a time in a hotel in Victoria, Texas, where I bowed my knee to the Lord Jesus and ask Him to forgive my life of unbelief, and looking to self, and not the Cross where He overcame by His blood; sin and the grave, and rose in three days and sits at the right hand of the Father.  The good news is He is coming back to rule on the earth for a Thousand Years, and His saints will be with Jesus for eternity.

 

I’ve never been ashamed to confess Jesus as my Lord, but I often have not done so because I know it will not be received. I now understand that’s not my call. I did find this quote from George MacDonald of interest: “We are often unable to tell people what they need to know because they want to know something else.”

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice