Writing with faith, hope, and love
Express your letters to the Editor

Editors note: These devotionals are taken from the PS archives and are based on the time I spent with the Lord in His Word. I wanted to share them with you this new school year from the Gospel of Mark! Revisions have been made!

May the Lord Jesus Christ empower you to do His will now and forever showing you His favor in your life! Amen!

“When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him. They went to Capernaum and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law." (Mark 1:19-22, NIV)

Observations:

I asked myself what does Jesus do?

1. Jesus went a little farther after calling Simon and Andrew.

2. Jesus sees James and John mending their net and without delay calls to them.

3. He arrives at the synagogue and began to teach.

4. He taught them as one who had authority not as teachers of the law.

Interpretations:

I found it very interesting that Jesus sees James and John and calls them WITHOUT DELAY. There is no procrastination with Jesus. Jesus started His ministry and looked for helpers immediately to help Him carry it through. That is so cool that Jesus turned to fallible human beings to help accomplish His purposes. James and John at hearing the voice of Jesus leave their father Zebedee with the hired help and follow Jesus. After that, Jesus stepped into the synagogue and began to teach on the Sabbath in Capernaum. Jesus did not waste time.

Observations:

I asked myself, how did the people react to Jesus' teaching?

The people were amazed at His teaching!

Interpretations:

When Jesus taught, He captivated the audience and they could not help but listen. They were utterly amazed with Jesus' style. They saw the authority of Jesus' teachings as opposed to what they were used to listening from the 'teachers of the law.'

This is very important to realize because Jesus is God, incarnate and knew exactly what the people needed to hear rather than what they wanted to hear. He gave them God's Word every time He spoke and His Words had authority than what they were used to listening from 'teachers of the law.'

Jesus condemned the teachers of the law many times because they acted as though they were following and giving people God's Word but in actuality they could have mixed their own man made traditions. Jesus lets the teachers of the law know that in other passages.

Implications:

I saw important implications for my own life in this passage. To accomplish things for the honor and glory of the Lord, I cannot do things on my own but should enlist help. I also learned the value of listening to Jesus and following Him! It is the best value we can attain because He will give us the right message!

I ask you now dear friend whose teaching do you listen to?
           Dear friend, I personally love to listen to teachings/sermons that focus directly on God’s Word and is given in expositional format. Mostly, I look to see if the person speaking to me is speaking from the Word of God and relating it to current life or whatever is spoken can be backed up by Scripture.

         Knowing whose teaching we intend to listen to is very important for our Christian growth so we need to be part of a church that wants Jesus Christ to be known and be known by Him. This happens when the bishops/ pastors/ priests/ ministers, etc speak God’s Word to the congregation than their own personal views.

With personal views can enter man made traditions over God's Word and hurt the congregation more than help it. Jesus spoke with authority because He was giving them the right message as opposed to what they were getting from the teachers of the law.

When you go to church and you hear a pastor say something that conflicts with what you have known from God's Word, don't just accept it just because that person is a pastor. Only accept it after you have tested it with God's Word. Anything that is contrary to God's Word is not valuable to take in no matter how comfortable it makes you feel. If it is contrary to God's Word, the joy and the message will not last.

This does not apply just to pastors but anyone who teaches God's people. God's people need to hear what God wants them to hear rather than selective listening. When I used to do full-time ministry and put in 40-80 hrs/week, I wanted the students to know that they could question me anytime if what I said was not in line with the Word of God. For that to happen, I encouraged them to seek the Scriptures and study them. Even now when I share my devotional times with others, I encourage them to do the same.

"Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world"(1 John 4:1)

In conclusion, I believe it is so important to be part of a Church that puts a heavy emphasis on God's Word than their own teachings. In any situation, a person needs to spend time in prayer before the teaching so that Scripture cannot be twisted and made to sound like what they want people to hear rather than what God wants them to hear. Our prayer should be that we hear Christ's voice through the messenger speaking His Word so today, everyday answering Christ's homily indeed nurtures greatly souls!

"May my spoken words and unspoken thoughts be pleasing even to you, O Lord my Rock and my Redeemer." (Psalm 19:14)

I don’t know what church you are part of or if you are looking for a church. There are many Bible-believing churches in Pittsburgh. I personally know of six churches that I visited of which I am part of one. All six of them have emphasized the importance of God’s Word and I have seen exposition of Scripture there. They are listed in alphabetical order. If I did not mention a church you are part of, it just means I don’t know about the church. Also, there are more churches out there that are Bible-believing but I have not had an opportunity to visit them to comment on them!

Allegheny Center Alliance Church (North Side)

Asian Indian Christian Church of Pittsburgh (Forest Hills)

Covenant Church of Pittsburgh (Wilkinsburg)

New Hope Christian Community (North Dithridge St)

Pittsburgh Chinese Church (Oakland)

Shepherd’s Heart (Oakland)

"Today, Everyday Answering Christ's Homily Indeed Nurtures Greatly Souls!" (T.E.A.C.H.I.N.G.S)/"I ask you now dear friend, whose teachings do you listen to?"

Prayer:

Dear Lord Jesus, thank you so much that we mean so much to you. You teach with authority and want us to have your Word hidden in our hearts. Help us please to follow you faithfully. I thank you so much Jesus. We give our lives to thee and ask you to be in control of our lives. Help us to do your will please Lord. Please forgive us of our sins, for we are sorry. Thank you so much Jesus! Lord, thank you for your teachings in our lives. Thank you for enlisting the help of James and John too to carry out your work. I thank you that you enlist us too. Lord, most of us are in the academic field and learn a lot of stuff. Sometimes what we learn does not agree with your Word. Help us to be able to take everything our instructors/professors give and separate your Truth from them. Thank you Lord you have allowed humanity to take part in so many academic fields that can be used for your honor and glory as they are used to serve humanity. Help me to use whatever I learn to bring honor and glory to you. You remind me how you decided to use Andrew and Simon’s profession to become fisherman for the souls of men. You can use our fields too to bring you honor and glory and spread the Gospel. I thank you for that Jesus. I entrust our lives into your care! Help us please to be part of a church that will give us your teachings and your Word. I thank you for that Jesus! Thank you for hearing our prayers and answering us! In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!