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Today is Friday October 15, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the Book of Mark, chapters 6-7. If you would like to read today's chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: imfollowingjesus.com/bible-october-15 . In today's Bible reading we will read about, Jesus being rejected by His own town, the death of John the Baptist, Jesus feeding five thousand men, and Jesus healing more people.

Today's Message: A Prophet With Honor
All throughout the Bible you will read about God choosing specific people to speak for Him, also known as prophets. A prophet was a believer, someone who had a personal relationship with Him, and someone that He trusted to tell others word for word what He wanted them to know. It was an honor to be chosen of God to be His voice, since the world had no clue who God was it was important that He chose the right people to the job. The Bible says,“But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort..For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. ” - I Corinthians 14:3,33. The word edification means to enlighten or educate and the word exhortation means to inspire or encourage. In other words God did not allow anyone to speak on His behalf unless he believed, spoke the truth, encouraged, and was a comfort to others.

Today, as Christians, we have been given the knowledge of what the holy prophets spoke of through God's Word and now we are God's voice, His prophets so to speak, through Jesus Christ. God has trusted us to tell others word for word the Gospel, to enlighten, educate, and be of comfort not only those whom do not know Christ, but those whom have been mislead or fallen away from Him as well. “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” -II Corinthians 1:3,4.

Did you ever notice that you face more opposition from family and friends than complete strangers? Did you ever notice that it is much harder to convince a family member or friend to live for Christ than a stranger? I knock doors on Thursday nights, minister to complete strangers at my church, and here online, but can not get one of my family members outside my house or old friends to commit to Christ. It is astounding, but not surprising, Jesus explains that He too faced opposition from His own, “And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him. 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? 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. 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. And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.” - Mark 6:1-5.

Regardless of whether or not we grew up in a Christian home, people we grew up with or worked with see us as ordinary sinful people, in which (except for Jesus) we are, but the difference between us and them is Christ. Those who walk with Christ acknowledge that they too are sinners, but have trusted in Jesus Christ for forgiveness of their sins and their salvation. Those who do not walk with Christ take offense to those who do as if they are telling them that they better than them, such is the case when Jesus tried to teach them the Gospel in His home town. So, why is a prophet without honor by family and friends? People that live in sin are actually being convicted when they are around those who live right, so, naturally they react in a negative way. “Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.” - II Corinthians 4:1,2.

You know what the most astounding thing is? You can talk about God all day long and no one will become offended, but the second a person talks about Jesus it is as if you pulled a gun out on them. How can this be? False gods are not a threat, that's right, false gods, anytime a religion comes up with commands and rules that go against God's Word they are creating a false god. However, Jesus is a threat because everyone knows who Jesus is, regardless of whether or not they know Him personally, they know He has something to do with the One and only living God. Jesus explains this as religious leaders were questioning why the disciples were not following the law they though to be from God. “Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.”- Mark 7:5-9.

People create a false image of God when they bypass His truth to make their sinful lives look as though it is justified by their works. However, when we take that first step to personally know Christ we see the true image of God, that He is a loving, caring, correcting God and that we are justified by faith in Christ and not our works. “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” - Galatians 2:16.

Since we are God's voice that means we are going to face some opposition as well as criticism and even ridicule from time to time, even from fellow Christians. However, our faith to stand for Jesus and keep going through our strength in Him makes all the opposition worthwhile. You are honorable and blessed. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,... That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: - I Peter 1:3,7,8.

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and have an awesome weekend.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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