I'm Following Jesus – Page 1286 – Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

King James Bible Study – “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” – Mark 8:34

Date: Saturday, October 17, 2020
Chapters: Mark 6, Luke 9
Message: Right To Choose

Hello My Friend,

As I was reading how Herod had John the Baptist killed, a man that he knew did no wrong, all because he lusted over a woman, I felt a deep sense of sadness. It truly is quite astounding just how heartless people are, John was an adult, but this week the debate of a woman’s right to choose whether or not she wants to let the life that was created inside of her live has been rampant. It is really heartbreaking that people are willing to kill a life right as it is being delivered, and the person who executes that life, well, I am sorry, but they ought to be tried for murder. Sadly, they are not, all because of a law that protects them. Regardless, of what you believe, life begins at conception!

[Psalms 139:13,16-18 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. 16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. 17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! 18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.]

[How precious also are thy thoughts unto me,] How precious are God’s thoughts to the entire human race? They are so precious that He sent His Son to die for them so they could live forever with Him. You see, God does give us the right to choose, if we choose not to believe in Him, then that is our prerogative. That does not make that choice valid, we will all stand before Christ one day, regardless if we choose to believe in Him or not. The majority of people who choose not to believe have already laid it in their heart that no matter how many miracles they see, they will never believe in Him. We find this when Jesus returned to His hometown.

[Mark 6:2-6 And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. 4 But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. 5 And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. 6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.]

[A prophet is not without honour,] If you ever wondered why the second someone who chooses not to believe in Christ will push you away at the mere mention of His name, this is the reason. All they see us as is who we were before Christ came into our lives and refuse to accept Him themselves. Now, Mark also gives an account to Jesus sending out the disciples to preach the Gospel, which means to repent of their own righteousness saving them. Mark adds that the only thing they were to take with them as they witness to people was a staff.

[Mark 6:7-12 And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits; 8 And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse: 9 But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats. 10 And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place. 11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city. 12 And they went out, and preached that men should repent.]

[save a staff only;] Staff; A stick carried in the hand for support or defense by a person walking; hence, a support; that which props or upholds. They were commanded to take one staff with them, if they did not have one, one would be provided for them. The staff was their reminder that their support is Christ, and He will forever uphold them, no matter what happened to them, [II Corinthians 5:6-10 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. 9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.]

[whether it be good or bad.] Do you think that Herod did not stand before Jesus when he died? Oh, he did, and he is in hell right now. You see, when Herod heard the news of Jesus, he did not believe that all the miracles he heard about was the Son of God, he thought he was actually John the Baptist who was raised from the dead.

[Mark 6:14-18 And king Herod heard of him; (for his name was spread abroad:) and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him. 15 Others said, That it is Elias. And others said, That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets. 16 But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead. 17 For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife: for he had married her. 18 For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother’s wife.]

[Others said,] Everyone was wondering who Jesus was and came up with every kind of answer, except for the one that was true. As Jesus was alone praying, the disciples near by, He stops praying as asks them who the people say that He is.

[Luke 9:18-24,27 And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am? 19 They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again. 20 He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God. 21 And he straitly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing; 22 Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day. 23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. 27 But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.]

[till they see the kingdom of God.] You want a harsh lesson in your right to choose not to believe in Christ? It will be when you stand before Him the second you die and He will tell you to depart because He never knew you and are immediately cast into hell, [Matthew 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:]

Remember, it is God who prepares our heart to receive Christ when the time is right. While some may not believe right now, if they at least have faith in God, and believe that Jesus is the Son of God, then they have the opportunity to come to know Him as their Saviour. Remember when Jesus passed though Samaria and came up to the woman at the well? Well, Jesus passed through it before, in fact, He was not received by them.

[Luke 9:51-56 And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, 52 And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. 53 And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. 54 And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? 55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. 56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.]

[Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.] The disciples did not consider that the conduct of the Samaritans was the effect of national prejudices between them and the Jews. Although they refused to receive Christ and His disciples, at this time they did not have any ill toward them, and for that reason they were not to be compared to those who rejected Elijah. So, for the time being Jesus just moved on to another village. We must understand that God never denies anyone the opportunity to be saved. Yes, some are reprobates and will never believe, but Jesus died for all. Whether we chose to believe that He was coming to save them, just as Elijah believed and Abraham was saved upon their faith who who believe that He in fact came to save us all live by the same hope and faith, [I Thessalonians 4:13-15 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.]

Today’s Prayer: God, Thank You for giving us Your Word to show us the truth about Your Son, and for giving us the right to choose whether or not we believe in Him. If we left it up to man to teach us then we would all be in hell because the world wants to believe their righteousness will save them, or even worse that once they die there is no life after this. Yet life is so precious to You that You sent Your only begotten Son to die for us so that we do not have to end up in hell because we were so ignorant to the truth. Now, we who accept Your Son as our Saviour are subject to much rejection because of our faith, and yet we do not have to fear because our hope is in You. Lord, Lead us and guide us, give us Your Holy Spirit power to walk by faith, and not be afraid to preach the Gospel to those You lay upon our heart. As we take our staff with us, give us Your mercy, grace, and protection, as You send us to reach the lost. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,

Christina

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