King James Daily Bible Study Devotional
Message Title: And He Saw Their Faith
Date: Thursday October 13, 2011
Chapters: Mark 1-3
Click Here to Read Them or Go to: http://imfollowingjesus.com/bible-october-13

Hello My Friend/Guest,

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen...Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear...But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him...By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went...Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised...These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country...But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.” - Hebrews 11:1,3,6,8,11,13,14,16.

Abraham and Sarah, like multitudes of others, did not have the Bible we have today to look up Scripture when they wanted to see what God had to say. Yet, everything they did was by faith. Did they mess up? Of course they did, but they, just like many of us, sought forgiveness, believing it the promises that God had awaiting them and still has awaiting them as they await the day Jesus returns to earth to set up His kingdom, looking unto the author and finisher of our faith. “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” - Hebrews 12:1,2.

The Gospel of Mark is the second book of the New Testament, the forty-first book of the Bible, is the second book telling the Gospel of Christ, and contains sixteen chapters. The Author of the book is Mark and it was written to all believers, but was particularly intended to get the attention of the Romans, the Gentiles, whom represented Jesus as a servant of God. The timeline for these events is approximately between 30AD-33AD. The purpose of the book was to present the ministry of Jesus, stressing His role as a servant and the Son of man. What we are to learn from the book is that we should seek to minister to or serve others rather than to be ministered to ourselves. The purpose for all four Gospels was to present the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus to both Jew and Gentile and to show all that we are all to receive and minister the Gospel to everyone. “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” - Mark 16:15.

The word faith means to believe without seeing, it is a convincing of the mind, having that firm belief of God's testimony, and of the truths of His Word and completely relying on His Word to live by. To be saved, we must have that firm belief of the Gospel, which influences the will, and leads to an entire reliance on Christ for salvation. The Book of Mark, unlike Matthew, begins when Christ began His ministry, He walked the earth approximately three and a half years preaching the Gospel. Amazingly, even though many saw Jesus in the flesh, not all believed that He was the Son of God, in this book, known as the Son of man, a Jewish title given as they awaited the Messiah. They too had to have faith even though they saw Him, Jesus would not force Himself on any person, He strictly went to anyone who came to Him believing.

“And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed. And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away; And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.” - Mark 1:40-45.

Leprosy is an incurable, highly contagious disease, anyone with leprosy was not allowed to even step foot near a clean person, let alone touch them. By faith this man kneeling before Jesus, looked for some kind of hope that he would be cured, Jesus saw his faith, touched him, and healed him, but He did not make Himself above the law, He commanded the leper to follow the law of Moses, which was to bring an offering to the priest, showing himself clean. Before we receive Jesus we are as a leper, we carry an incurable disease around us known as sin, the only way to be cleansed of this incurable disease is by humbling ourselves before Jesus and asking Him to save us. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” - I John 1:9.

Four men had so much faith in Jesus to heal a paralyzed man that they climbed up on top of a roof to reach Him. “And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house. And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them. And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.” -Mark 2:1-5.

It is important that we who have faith never stop living by faith, sometimes it is only by our faith that encourages others to have faith. These four men had so much faith in Jesus that they knew He would cure this man, the man also had to have faith to be healed, our faith alone cannot save others, they must do their part as well. We cannot pray someone to get saved, we can pray the their hearts would be tender to get saved, but we cannot pray for them to get saved, they must receive Him personally to get saved. “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” - Romans 10:10.

Of course, no matter how much faith you can have, some people will never believe, even if they saw Jesus face to face. The Pharisees claimed to live by faith, hated seeing Jesus around, they were convinced that He was of the devil and often sought opportunity to catch Him doing something that would discredit Him, yet they distorted every one of Moses' laws, including the Sabbath.. “And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand. And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him. And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth. And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace. And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other. And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.” - Mark 3:1-6.

Just as Jesus sees our faith, He sees the bitterness and anger of those who have hardened their hearts to the truth. While He wants everyone to have faith in Him, He knows that is not going to happen, but He gives everyone the opportunity to accept Him. “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” -I John 5:10-12.

Today's Prayer:
Dear God,
Lord, it is only by our faith in You that we can please You. Help us to run this crazy race of life with patience, by faith, looking for the blessed hope that only You can give us. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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