by Don Ruhl

Read the Bible in a Year This evening read Mark 9:30--50

Cut It Off!

Jesus shows how radical we need to be to avoid sin, when He says,

43 And if your hand makes you sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched-- (Mar. 9:43).

Whatever you have to do to stop sinning, do it. The place, the person, or the circumstance, might be dear to you, like your own hand, nevertheless, if it causes you to sin, get rid of it, now! Think about eternity. Would you not much rather go to heaven missing that thing you cherish, then to go to hell having it as part of your life? Remember hell is everlasting. The fire is never quenched there. Do you see how serious this is? Your eternity hinges upon your decision.

Don Ruhl Church of Christ 220 NE Savage Street Grants Pass, Oregon 97526-1310 541-476-3100

by Don Ruhl

Read the Bible in a Year This morning read Numbers 34--36

They Offered a Ransom for Barabbas

The Law of Moses is explicit,

31 Moreover you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death (Num. 35:31).

There is Jesus standing with Pilate before the Jews. Pilate has a custom of releasing a prisoner to them during the Passover. Do the Jews want Jesus released or do they want Barabbas released? They choose Barabbas. He is guilty of murder. Yet, the Jews offer Jesus as a ransom to die in the place of Barabbas. This violates Numbers 35:31, adding to the list of sins that the Jews commit that day.

Does Barabbas know what is done for him that day? Does he know who is to die in his place? Barabbas may not have known then, but at the present, he knows.

Does the world know what was done for it that day? Does the world know who died in its place? Do I know?

Don Ruhl Church of Christ 220 NE Savage Street Grants Pass, Oregon 97526-1310 541-476-3100

by Don Ruhl

Read the Bible in a Year This morning read Mark 9:1--29

What Would You Do If You Saw the Apostles?

Jesus is with Peter, James and John on a high mountain. Suddenly the clothes of Jesus start shinning, becoming whiter than any white humans have ever seen. Then the three disciples see Elijah and Moses talking with Jesus. Peter speaks up, and says to Jesus that it is good to be present for this awesome event, and Peter asks for permission to make three tabernacles, one each for Jesus, Moses and Elijah. Then Mark adds this note,

6 --because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid (Mar. 9:6).

Peter and the others needed to learn that Moses and Elijah are not on the same level as Jesus. Yet, what would we do? What would we do if suddenly Paul, Peter and John appeared to us? We honor these men above all others, but have we exalted them too high? Yes, they spoke the word of God, as the Holy Spirit moved them, but they were only men. Let us not be quick to criticize what Peter said on that day to the Lord, but let us understand him, sympathize with him, but do what he eventually learned to do, live and die for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Don Ruhl Church of Christ 220 NE Savage Street Grants Pass, Oregon 97526-1310 541-476-3100

by Don Ruhl

Read the Bible in a Year This morning read Numbers 31--33

Irritants and Thorns

God is clear on what He wants Israel to do when they enter the Land of Canaan, and He is clear on what shall happen, if they do not obey Him.

55 But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall be that those whom you let remain shall be irritants in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land where you dwell (Num. 33:55).

Having an irritant in the eye, or a pain in your side, is not totally debilitating, but it does slow you down from what you want to do. It takes away some of the joy of what you are doing. Wait until we get to the Book of Judges, and you shall see that this is what happens to Israel. Israel possesses the land, but they have constant irritants in the eyes and thorns in the side.

It is a good idea to do what the Lord tells us to do from the very start. Do you obey the Lord immediately, do you wait before doing what the Lord commands, or do you modify what He says to do?

Don Ruhl Church of Christ 220 NE Savage Street Grants Pass, Oregon 97526-1310 541-476-3100

by Don Ruhl

Read the Bible in a Year This evening read Mark 8:22--38

How Do We Look at Death?

Mark says that Jesus begins to teach His disciples that He must suffer, be rejected, be killed and rise again from the dead. Then Mark makes this comment,

32a He spoke this word openly (Mar. 8:32a).

He has no fear. He knows that this is why He came to earth. It is simply a matter of fact, and so He speaks. How do I look at the prospect of my own death? Jesus is our Master and Model. Let us follow His example, even when death confronts us.

Don Ruhl Church of Christ 220 NE Savage Street Grants Pass, Oregon 97526-1310 541-476-3100