Mark 7:24-30 “30+ miles North into Unclean Territory!”

from [the first 'n last] WORD

There goes Jesus, traveling up into the region of Tyre… Gentile Land and according to the Jewish oral law, the land of unclean people. Is Jesus trying to prove a point here?! Jewish tradition said: If you are a faithful Jew, you will have nothing to do with the Gentiles and you will never enter a Gentile’s home. So there goes Jesus, traveling up north some 30-50 miles, not just to have dealings with Gentiles, but to actually be hosted by a Gentile family! SCANDALOUS!!! {Mmm, according to whom? and what?}Previously, Jesus wiped out the difference between ‘clean’ and ‘unclean’ foods, and said that it’s your HEART that makes you defiled (a sinner). NOW – Jesus is wiping out the difference between the Jew and the Gentile, the clean people and the unclean people. Both have heart issues that God wants to deal with. Jesus would soon…

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To live for such a time as this

Naomi Fata

Are we content to live without giving everything? Without purpose? Without God-given direction?

These words from this first song by Matthew West is a sober reminder that we don’t want to come to the end and realize we have only gone through the motions.

I don’t wanna spend my whole life asking
What if I had given everything
Instead of going through the motions?

…………………………………

I first heard this next song on a CD of my brother’s college choir about a decade ago. And I found the words pushing me forward in search of my God-given purpose – believing that He has placed me and each of you on this earth for such a time as this.

From the pages of the book of Esther

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And…

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The Gospel According To Jesus – Part 14

“Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road is broad that leads to destruction, and there will be many who will go through it. How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it.
Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves. You’ll recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thorn-bushes or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So you’ll recognize them by their fruit.
Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but [only] the one who does the will of My Father in heaven. On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord didn’t we prophesy in Your name, drive out demons in Your name, and do many miracles in Your name?’ Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers!'”
Matthew 7:13-23 (HCSB)