MARK & LUKE

It is Saturday and I fly out in a few hours.  I will be teaching Summer School at Hyles-Anderson College this next week, and I have to fly out today in order to be there for the 8:00am teaching sessions.  I will be teaching from 8-12:30pm each day, Mon-Fri.  Pray for me that the LORD will use that time to help some young men.  Here are some thoughts from Mark and Luke: 1) PRESERVATION- Mark 13:31 says: "Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away."  So, you see, it doesn't matter how many liberal Bible teachers talk about scribal error, or corrupted texts that they have to fix; we either take their word, or the word of our Savior Jesus Christ.  Well, I'm taking Jesus' side on the issue and believe that we have a preserved Bible and I do believe that the King James Bible from the Textus Receptus is the Preserved Word of God for the English Language.  I believe that God preserves it for all languages, for all time. 2) THE LORD WORKING WITH THEM.  I liked this when I read it in Mark 16:20, the last verse of the book.  It says: "And they went forth, and preached every where, the LORD working with them, and confirming the word with signs following.  Amen."  We do not do the work of God alone, the LORD works with us.  In fact, I would quit if we had to do it all alone.  We can look to God and know that He is working along side of us to accomplish what He desires us to accomplish. 3) THE WORDS OF JESUS-  I would have loved to hear them, but I sure enjoy reading them.  In Luke chapter four, I say three things about the words of Jesus: a. Gracious Words in Luke 4:22; Powerful Words in Luke 4:32; and Authoritative Words in Luke 4:36!  The Words of Jesus made a difference in people's lives, and they still do today!! 4) A WORD FOR YOUR IMPOSSIBLE SITUATION- Jesus said to Jairus after hearing the news that his precious daughter was dead:  Mark 5:36 "Be not afraid, only believe."   Now, that is the Word of God today for your impossible situation..... be not afraid, only believe.  This is not psyco babble, this is the King of kings, and Lord of lords, telling us what to do when we are confronted with dead ends in our lives.  This is the God of all power and all resources, telling us where and upon whom to put our trust.  This is our Savior, talking to His lowly creatures (us) and comforting us when these wonderful words in the midst of our inability to control any situation.... Be not afraid, only believe!  LORD, please help me and others to take this truth to heart today!  My resources are gone.... yours are only beginning.  Thank you Jesus.  5) NOT A VACATION- Mark 6:31 says:  "Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while."  When Jesus said this, He was not talking about a vacation.  We use that verse to apply to one, and certainly vacations are wonderful diversions that are important in life, but here Jesus is talking about going in the desert and spending time recharging our spiritual batteries.  There were no hotels in the desert in His day... not flat screen TV's... no theme parks.... no beach front condos... no, this is the desert.  Perhaps a shack at best and time under the stars at night and solitude throughout the day to soak up God!  How I wish I had a place like this to spend a few days ever so often.  A little room in the middle of no where to be alone with God for a few days.  To open up our spirit to His, to meditate on Him with no distractions, to come back re-focused, re-energized, re-committed, and with the power of God on our lives.  Wow!  I'd love to have such a place for a few days.  To fast and pray and read and pray, and walk and talk with God each day.... alone.... just He and me.  (let me know if you know such a place).  We all need to go somewhere like this ever so often. 6) TROUBLE NOT THE MASTER- This is what the crowd said when Jarius' daughter was dead in Luke 8:49, but there are so many good reasons to still "trouble the master" when things seem hopeless.  For one, He is God!!  He can work the impossible!  For another, He says : "It's no trouble!"  We can come to Him when we are weary and loaded down, and He will help us. Casting all of our care upon Him, for He careth for us!! Hope you have a wonderful and blessed day and a great day tomorrow.... it's Sunday!!  Blessing on you friend.  Pastor Mike Mutchler