The Word of God for wisdom:
Proverbs 10:13-14 (HCSB)
13 Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning, but a rod is for the back of the one who lacks sense.
14 The wise store up knowledge, but the mouth of the fool hastens destruction.
The Word of God for inspiration:
Psalm 40:11 (HCSB)
11 LORD, do not withhold Your compassion from me; Your constant love and truth will always guard me.
The Word of God for encouragement:
Mark 7:1-5 (HCSB)
1 The Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Him.
2 They observed that some of His disciples were eating their bread with unclean—that is, unwashed—hands.
3 (For the Pharisees, in fact all the Jews, will not eat unless they wash their hands ritually, keeping the tradition of the elders.
4 When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they have washed. And there are many other customs they have received and keep, like the washing of cups, jugs, copper utensils, and dining couches.)
5 Then the Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, "Why don't Your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders, instead of eating bread with ritually unclean hands?"
My observation:
The religious leaders came to Jesus and asked him a question regarding the behavior of His disciples. Because Jesus had the ability to see into their hearts, and discern their motives, they got more than their ears were willing to hear, and their hearts were willing to receive. Listen carefully to what Jesus said to them.
Mark 7:6-9 (HCSB)
6 He answered them, "Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: These people honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.
7 They worship Me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commands of men.
8 Disregarding the command of God, you keep the tradition of men."
9 He also said to them, "You completely invalidate God's command in order to maintain your tradition!
We need to be careful not to put the traditions of men on the same level as the Word of God. The authority in matters of faith should be the bible alone. Beware of the warning of Jesus in verse six. Be sure you teach the Word of God, and not the traditions of men.
Jesus gives another warning, and those who fail to heed this warning are doomed to utter failure. God forbid that we would come to the place where we replace the Word of God with the traditions of men. That is what Jesus warned about in verse nine. Given the choice of the tradition of men, and the bible; I will go with the bible.
My prayer:
Father God, my dear Father, I pray that you would keep me near the cross, and in the Word of God so that I may know and do your will, and walk in your way. Father, give me ears to hear, listen, and obey.
Mark 7:16 (HCSB)
16 If anyone has ears to hear, he should listen!
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Mark 4:20 (ESV)
20 But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold."
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