But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you. For you bless the righteous, O LORD; you cover him with favor as with a shield. (Psalm 5:11-12, ESV)
"As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God" (1 Peter 4:2).
What Does This Scripture Mean for Us?
I've always been puzzled by what value there was, if ANY, in suffering: Why does God allow his people to suffer?
I'll not claim to have the answer to that one -- preachers, teachers, theologians, philosophers, and tons of other folks with impressive sounding names and titles have wrestled with the problems of suffering far longer
than I will!
But perhaps God gives us some "clues" in this passage of Scripture -- suffering has a wonderfully powerful "purifying" effect on our actions and attitudes. One of my favorite study Bibles suggests that serious suffering often focuses our attention away from sinful desires and those things of the "world" which seemed so attractive, and focuses it directly on living for Jesus.
Perhaps that's so. Suffering for ANY reason certainly isn't fun. I would never recommend that anyone seek out suffering or avoid ending it for any reason. But when it comes -- and as part of life, suffering WILL come! -- perhaps we can handle it better if we allow the problems we have to focus us more passionately on our faith in Jesus, on our dependence upon God!
"He could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people anc cured them. And he was amazed at their unbelief" (Mark 6:5, 6).
What Does This Scripture Mean for Us?
It's amazing, as you read through Mark's gospel, to find how many times Jesus' work is NOT connected to our faith, but to our lack of faith, our unbelief. This passage is a prime example of that -- he was able to give the people of his hometown some wonderful gifts and healings, but he was limited by their unbelief.
I'm not trying to say God's failure to work in our lives is linked to unbelief, because his will is primary, not our ability to muster up faith. He works in our lives according to his plan, even when we do lack faith.
What I want to suggest is that which our pastor suggested at our weekly men's Bible study this morning regarding these verses in Mark 6. His comment was this: "Faith makes us open to receive what God wants to give us."
No matter what comes into your life today, God is saying to you, "Just trust me on this." Our faith can open our lives to receive all the wonderful things God has for us today!
I've been looking around YouTube at the many videos there related to Bible study. I think it would be very useful to post an occasional video here, because there are many who learn more and learn better from videos.
The video below is about "The Daily Bread Bible Study Method." For many years, I've used a process much like this when looking at a small portion of Scripture. I didn't know there was necessarily a name for it, and I never do it step-by-step exactly like this video. But I can recommend much of what's suggested here.
On the other hand, I know nothing about the website recommended, about "Pastor Andy," or anything about the book mentioned on the recommended website. So do not consider this as any "endorsement" or free publicity for all that. But I think there are some good ideas in the video that you can take into your prayer life and your study of Scripture. Enjoy:
"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect" (1 Peter 3:15).
What Does This Scripture Mean for Us?
Ever since the day -- would you believe it's been more than 54 years ago?? -- I first turned my life over to Jesus, I have been generally eager and willing to tell people about Christ, about his love for me and for them.
But, being filled often with more zeal than good sense, I haven't always been ready or able to share Christ with "gentleness and respect." Especially when I was a young lad, it was hard to understand witnessing by my actions and attitudes toward others as well as my words.
Think about it -- do you REALLY believe people come to Jesus because of your stand on the latest political issues? Or how you feel about the latest problems in our society and culture? And do you really think one person has turned his or her life over to Jesus because Christians held protests over objectionable films or music?
I have found time and again that the most effective way to bring people to Jesus is with personal gentleness and respect -- a respect that loves and accepts "sinners" just the way they are, allowing the Holy Spirit to "clean up their lives," not trying to force them to change their lives as I see fit.
Share Christ today -- and do it with gentleness and loving respect.
"Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover up for evil; live as servants of God" (1 Peter 2:16).
What Does This Scripture Mean for Us?
Someone in the history of the church -- Luther? Augustine of Hippo? I don't remember -- once said that the true definition of "freedom" and the idea of human "free will" was not the ability to choose to do evil, but it was the ability given Christians by the grace of God to always choose to do right instead of evil.
Probably that's a lot more profound than I can handle, if you think carefully about what all it means about us and our relationship with God. But this one thing is clear, based on today's Scripture reading (see especially the quoted verse): No matter what culture we live in, nor what form of government we live under, we have the ability in Christ to be free in the fullest extent. We are free to love God and follow Him, no matter what. We can use that freedom to follow Christ and draw others to Him as they see the quality of our lives and our love for one another!
