February 1, 1973 Ex. 30-32, Acts 8

Ex. 31:2,3 – Old Testament people were filed with the Spirit of God too. Here is an example: Bezalel (v. 2-3).

Verse 6 – God “inspires our skills or talents for work for Him. Here He gives more skill to some men who are already talented to make things (tabernacle, ark etc.).

God gives Moses His written Law – *(Ex. 31:18). Chapters on the Law – Ex. 20-31.

Exodus 32:14 – The Hebrews under Aaron make the golden calf and God is furious, ready to destroy them, but Moses talks Him out of it!!

The Book of Life: Ex. 33:32-33 – “But now if Thou wilt forgive their sin and if not please blot me out of Thy book which Thou has written. And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Whoever sinned against Me, I will blot out of My book.”

Here in Acts 8 is a good example of a later baptism in the Holy Spirit after conversion. The people of Samaria had received the gospel and been baptized, but obviously knew nothing of the power of the Holy Spirit.

The story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch—Philip was really “in touch” with God.

+ I must learn to listen to God’s voice.

February 2, 1973 Ex. 33-34, Ps. 16, Acts 9

Exodus 33:11 – “Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face-to-face just as a man speaks to his friend.” That must have really been neat. Jesus is my friend now too.

+ “Now therefore I pray Thee, if I have found favor in Thy sight, let me know Thy ways, that I may know Thee, so that I may find favor in Thy sight” (Ex. 33:13).

Chapters 33 & 34 are beautiful chapters on Moses’ intimate relationship with God Himself. They talked, and Moses saw Him (not his face) and Moses’ face shone after being with God. God is Spirit, but He is very much a Person on the pages of this book. 

God has really been comforting me today on His guiding me: “Thou wilt make known to me the path of life” (Ps. 16:11).  I have been praying a lot about guidance and the future – He is answering.

Paul’s (Saul) miraculous conversion on the Damascus Road and the beginning of his ministry for Jesus. Peter also performs a couple of miracles here–showing the power of the Holy Spirit in the Early Church. I believe we are seeing it again today.

February 3, 1973 Ex. 35-36, Acts 10

God gave Moses and the people his laws and specifications for the tabernacle etc.  and now the people begin to GIVE what they have to make the things.

*God loves a cheerful giver!! The people were so generous they brought too much.

Bezalel, filled with the Holy Spirit, makes the tabernacle exactly as God had commanded. 

Acts 10 is a very critical chapter for a person like me – a non-Jew. Up until this time, salvation had been preached only to the Hebrew people. Here, through Cornelius, a Roman, Go begins the universal plan of salvation using Peter.

+ Acts 10:35 – “but in every nation, the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him.”

Acts 10:43-48 – Cornelius and his group hear the message of salvation (v. 43), the Holy Spirit comes upon them (vs. 44-46) and they speak in tongues and are baptized in water (vs. 47-48).

Waikeria, New Zealand

We’re at Waikeria Borstal today (prison). We really need your power and guidance today, Lord Jesus.

February 4, 1973 Ex. 47-38, Ps. 19, Acts 11

Ex. 37-38 – Describes how Bezalel made the tabernacle and all its furnishings. 

Ps. 19 – Neat song. God’s Word is a beautiful thing. It “restores the soul, makes wise the simple, rejoices the heart, and enlightens the eyes (vs. 7-8).

The good news of Christ should be my meat and drink.

Ps. 19:4 – “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”

In Acts chapter 11, the Word of God begins to go worldwide as Peter explains his vision and the meeting with Cornelius with the leaders in Jerusalem. The gospel is for EVERYBODY now, and the disciples begin to advance.

*Acts 11:26 – “and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.” A Christian is a disciple. A dedicated follower of the Lord Jesus. 

February 5, 1973 Ex. 39-40, Ps. 15, Acts 12

The tabernacle is completed and set up and the “glory of the Lord” fills it. Aaron and his sons begin ministering as priests and God guides his people again by cloud and fire.

Acts chapter 12 is a neat chapter showing the power of prayer.

Acts 12:5 – “So Peter was kept in prison, but prayer was being made fervently for him by the church of God.” Fervent prayer is very powerful! The disciples had united to beg of God to deliver Peter out of prison, and He does. Quite a miracle.

*I’m convinced that we don’t accomplish big things today because we don’t unite in prayer really asking and expecting God to do something.

February 6, 1973 Leviticus 1-3, Acts 13

Lev 1 – Law of burnt offering. A male without defect – blood. JESUS. Lev. 2- Law of grain offering – does this correspond to our money offering? Lev. 3- The law of the peace offering – This again is an unblemished male animal whose blood is sprinkled around the altar, namely Jesus.

+ The verse that comes into my mind here was Romans 5:1 – “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Acts 13:2-4 – The Holy Spirit “calls” Saul and Barnabas to go out for Jesus and the believers pray and send them out from Antioch. Verse 16-41 – Paul, filled with the Hold Spirit, speaks for Jesus in this Galatian synagogue in Pisidian Antioch. Verses 38,39 are really similar to the theme of Paul’s later letter to the Galatian people. “And through Him everyone who believes is freed from all the things which you could not be freed from through the Law of Moses.”

The theme of freedom. Gal 5. Hallelujah!

Verse 52 struck me: “And the disciples were continually filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.”

*A man of God will radiate JOY because of the Holy Spirit. Christ bears our burdens.

February 7, 1973 Lev. 4-6, Acts 14

Lev. 5-6 show that a man sins whether he is aware of it or not. You can sin unintentionally, and you must be forgiven.

We learn of 2 more offerings: sin & guilt. Jesus took care of these too.

Acts 14:3 – “Therefore, they spent a long time there, speaking boldly with reliance on the Lord…” 

*Are we to do the same here at Waikeria (prison ministry) We must rely on the Lord as to how much long we are supposed to be here.

In Lycaonia, Paul is stoned until they think he’s dead, but he gets up and continues saying, ‘through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God’” (Acts 14:22). Then Paul and Barnabas return to Antioch having completed their first missionary journey to the Gentile world.

February 8, 1973 Lev. 7-9, Acts 15

These are the offerings the Lord commanded Moses: burnt, grain, sin, guilt, ordination and peace.

Lev. 8:6-12 – Aaron and his sons are commissioned as priests. Are New Testament parallels: baptism, Christian armor, filling of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 15 – The old argument comes up and prompts a leaders’ gathering in Jerusalem. What is the basis of our salvation? Peter answers, “But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus “(Acts 15:11).

*We are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8,9). Not by works!

Paul begins his second missionary journey after having an argument with Barnabas about taking John Mark along. Because of it, Paul & Barnabas split company and Silas goes with Paul.

Even the great men of God made mistakes!

February 9, 1973 Lev. 10-12, Acts 16

Two of Aaron’s sons offer a wrong offering before the Lord and He strikes them down. The Lord demands obedience. Lev. 11 is the Jewish food list of what to eat and what not to eat. I wonder why the Lord makes these distinctions?

Acts 16:1-3 – Paul meets Timothy in Lystra and they immediately hit it off. Paul picks up Luke in Troas because, suddenly the narrative changes.

The gospel enters Europe: led by vision, the group heads to Philippi and the first convert is a woman—Lydia (Acts 16:14).

The story of the Philippian jailer and his dramatic conversion after Paul and Silas had been beaten and thrown into jail. Acts 16:25 – “But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God.”

+ Prayer and praise work miracles!!

February 10, 1973 Lev. 13-14, Acts 17

Man, I don’t understand this leprosy bit. Why does God go through this long and detailed oration on this ONE disease, and the offering that has to be made for it? I don’t get it.

Thessalonica – Acts 17:11 – Paul as a witness for Christ 1) Reasoned with the people from Scripture (v.2), and 2) Jesus the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead (v.3). The Bereans “received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.”

Paul gives his famous talk to the “men in Athens.”

*The Lord has given me a leading today/ Acts 17:2 – Paul spoke for Christ on 3 Sundays or for three weeks in his witnessing. We should do the same. God wants us here in Waikeria either for three weeks or Sundays—I’m not clear. I would say three weeks—meaning our time is about up.

February 11, 1973 Lev. 15-17, Acts 18

This is a weird chapter (15). It is about the uncleanliness of discharge. “et dreams.” Women’s menstruation etc.

*Chapter 16 – Important Chapter. Explains the act of ATONEMENT for the sins of Israel, done once a year by a blood sacrifice. *Leviticus 17:11 – the reason for the blood sacrifice is that “the life of the flesh is in the blood.

Acts 18 – Paul was a tentmaker by trade and did this to support himself I Corinth. Meets Titus.

The Corinthian church begins with Crispus and his family (Acts 18:8). Paul comes to Ephesus and comes back to Antioch by way of the Galatian region.

We meet Apollos (Acts 18:24) who must have been a real man of God.

+ I just can’t concentrate today. Too much confusion here.

February 12, 1973 Lev. 18-19, Ps. 13, Acts 19

Lev. 18:4 – “You are to perform y judgments and keep my statutes, to live in accordance with them. OBEDIENCE.

Lev. 18 is a whole list of ordinances for sexual purity. Undefiled sexual purity is important to God. (v. 22) is about homosexuality and verse 23 is about sodomy.

“You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God, am Holy.” Christians are “set apart” because God IS and wants us to be.

*This is neat. Here, way back in the Old Testament, is the all-encompassing law of love. Lev. 19:18 – “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27). God’s dealings with man don’t change. God was always a God of love.

There are all kinds of practical stuff in this chapter about hair, spiritism, tattoos, Sunday etc.

Ps. 13 is a neat little song about trust. Despite everything – circumstances, we must “sing to the Lord because He has dealt bountifully with me (Ps. 13:6).

Acts 19:1-6 – Paul arrives in Ephesus and meets 12 believers who know nothing about the Holy Spirit. They were ignorant, unaware of Him. Paul laid hands on them and they were filled with the Spirit – all of them. * God doesn’t withhold his gifts from seekers.

Ephesus must have been quite a place! Paul was performing extraordinary miracles there – a real battle of spirits was taking place. Then this riot began over the pagan god Artemis that was no small affair.  Reading this chapter really expands the historical background.

+ Lord, thanks for re-inspiring me. This little holiday is going to do my good. Help me to be consistent today, a “workman who needs not to be ashamed.”

February 13, 1973 Lev. 20-22, Acts 20

Lev. 20:7 – “You shall consecrate yourselves therefore and be holy” (Romans 12:1). 

Lev. 20:10-21 – *Another list of sexual sins punishable by death! God must really love the human body and its capacity for love if He gives all these warnings on its improper use. 

Lev. 20:23 – A Christian is called to be “different.” Lev. 12:13,14 – *God wanted the priests to marry virgins. I’m glad I’m going to do that also.

Wow, God is strict! Of course, He has a right to be—He is the Lord.

Acts 20 – The Christian message is this: “repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21).

This is a really touching chapter. Paul, knowing he will never see these people again, summons his friends from the Ephesian church, and Luke records his beautiful farewell talk (Acts 20:18-38).

Here is a rough outline of his talk. First, he refreshes their memory about his serving among them, pointing to the message of the gospel as his motivation. He then tells them that he knows, by witness of the Spirit, that he must go to Jerusalem and he knows he is heading for persecution and maybe death. But that doesn’t worry him (v. 24). He has followed his Savior—finished his course.

And then he inspires them to go on with God, “shepherding the flock and being on guard against the attacks of Satan. Then Paul commends and commits them to God’s care in hope, and finally knelt and prayed with them all.

There are a lot of lessons to be learned here: 1) Sacrifice of self for the gospel, 2) Message of the gospel is repentance and faith, and 3) The prayer – We should pray when we leave each other.

February 14, 1973 Lev. 23-24, Ps. 24, Acts 21

Chapter 23 is a record of the appointed holy days and sacrificial days to the Lord (convocations). There are a lot of them.

God is showing His justice – a man is stoned to death for cursing God (Lev. 24:23).

Acts 21 – A great spiritual battle is going on in Paul at this point. The Spirit, through other people, is telling him not to go to Jerusalem, but he feels like he must. Hence, “the will of the Lord be done (Acts 21:14).

There seems to be some phoniness here. The elders in Jerusalem seem to think they’re still under the Law (Acts 21:20-25). They tell Paul to go through some ritual to show that he is still an orthodox Jew. And he does it! Is this the same man who talks about “freedom in Christ: in his letters?

*Boy, some of the early Christians made as many mistakes as I do. Even Paul. I can’t wait to hear his address tomorrow.

February 15, 1973 Lev. 25, Ps. 25-26, Acts 22

I didn’t get much out of Leviticus 25.

Ps. 25:4,5 – “Make me know Thy ways, O Lord. Teach me Thy paths. Lead me in Thy truth and teach me, for Thou are the God of my salvation. For Thee I wait all day.

*This is my prayer today. I need guidance and direction here in Auckland now before returning home.

Psalm 26: 8 – We should love to go to church. Love it!

Acts 22 – There’s a good example here by Paul in Jerusalem. He gives his testimony. There is real communication and conviction behind a person telling realistically how Jesus changed his life. Paul tells everything –his persecuting Christians, watching the stoning of Stephen, and his conversion.

*Our testimonies can be used greatly by God.

Auckland, New Zealand

February 16, 1973 Lev. 26,27. Acts 23

The theme at Valley Road this year has kind of started out to be obedience, and I’m feeling the same as I read. Over and over God says, “If you obey…” (Lev. 26)

God wants Repentance. (Lev. 26:40a,41b,42). “If they confess their iniquity or if their uncircumcised heart becomes humbled so that then they make further amends for their iniquity, then I will remember my covenant with Jacob, and I will remember also my covenant with Isaac, and my covenant with Abraham as well, and I will remember the land.”

+ Acts 23:11 – “Take courage, for as you have solemnly witnessed to my cause in Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.

*I feel God is speaking to me here. Either about Auckland, Port Orchard, or both. I’m ready to step out – I’ve gathered my strength. “Teach me to do Thy will, For Thou art my God. Let Thy good Spirit lead me on level ground (Psalm 143:10).

February 17, 1973 Num.1-2, Acts 4

On the opening pages of the book Moses, God has Moses take a census of the men of Israel and organizes them into 12 functional groups or armies. Their army was pretty good size—600,000 men. Only the Levites were not part of this. They were responsible for the tabernacle and worship (Numbers 1:50).

+ God is a God of organization. He organizes the Hebrews into a mobile unit.

Acts 24:14 – Paul, in making his defense before Felix, say that according to the gospel of Jesus, he believes all the Old Testament too. 

*The Bible is a whole. We must believe all of it.

Paul gets a chance to witness to Felix and his wife in his imprisonment (Acts 24:24). Felix must be under deep conviction! Paul did this for two years – He was imprisoned in Caesarea for two whole years until Felix is replaced by Festus.

*Paul witnessed everywhere—God has laid this spirit on my heart. Today I begin.

February 18, 1973 Numbers 3-4, Act 3-4

God is still numbering…Now the Levites. “Every hair of your head is numbered” (Luke 12:7). God is a God of order.

Acts 25 – Paul appeals to Caesar. And the scene is set for his first and final visit to Rome.

*Last night Steve (Wilson) and I really prayed—Yesterday Satan really gave us a spirit of apathy and boredom, and we didn’t want to go through that again—We’ve got to move out for God. NOW!

Lord, I pray today that you will fill us to the brim with your power and excitement of your Holy Spirit. We need courage — we need faith – We need you in these rotting human shells of ours that are sidetracking us from the awesome delivery force of the Name of Jesus.

Equip us today. Take our months—our bodies. Hive the world a glimpse of eternity. We love you… 

February 19, 1973 Num. 5-6, Ps. 22, Acts 26

Num. 5:6,7 – Confession of sins is important. We need to confess.

The law of jealousy is a weird one –but again God shows how important the physical unity of a male and female is.

Num. 6:1 – A Nazirite (like Samson) is a person who “dedicates himself to the Lord—doesn’t drink alcoholic beverages or cut his hair.

+ The Lutheran benediction: Numbers 6:24-26.

Psalm 22 – What a prophetic song! David wrote this psalm one thousand years before Jesus and yet it is a perfect picture of Jesus’ death. What a promise in verse 27-28. God will draw all nations to Himself. Not just the Jews (Gen 12:3). Hallelujah!

Acts 26 is really a neat chapter—Paul preaches and gives his testimony to King Agrippa.

This is Jesus’ commission to Paul on the Damascus Road, “But rise and stand on your feet, for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things which I will appear to you, delivering you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles to whom I am sending you to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God in order that they might receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in me.”

+ I feel that this is an affirmation of my calling—today. Acts 26:16-18. I think that the purpose of this trip was to instill this desire in my heart and now God has given me the scripture to back it up. Praise His Name!

Now I, like Paul, must witness for Jesus with the hope that “all who hear me this day might become such as I am” (Acts 26:29). A Christian!

Thank you, Lord. Give me your courage and motivation today.

February 20, 1973 Num. 7, Ps. 23, Acts 27

Num 7 – God is very ritualistic here—I wonder why? (Hosea 6:6)

*Psalm 23 – What a beautiful song…The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. I never really thought before of the real promises of guidance here (vs. 2-3). “He leads me beside quiet waters…He guides me in the paths of righteousness.”

Acts 27 – The story of Paul’s ship-wrecked voyage on the way to Rome. (v. 35) – Paul gives a good example of giving thanks before eating.

*Saw “Fiddler on the Roof” last night and enjoyed it. It had a real message about God and life. Today I’m going to start studying the Bible in depth again. I pray that the Lord will guide me and teach me.

*Memorize Acts 26:16-18.

February 21, 1973 Num.8-10, Acts 28

Num. 8 – The Levites are commissioned for service as God’s priests—had a laying on of hands.

*Today—I am a priest! Praise the Lord. The Hebrews were guided by God personally—cloud by day, fire by night. They’re moving toward the Promised Land, a unified efficient nation. Not like before—They are organized—the Law. How will they fare?

Acts 28:8 – Paul heals a man on the island of Malta after prayer. 

Man, this is the state of our world today. Acts 28:26,27, take from Isaiah 6: For the heart of this people has become dull. And with their ears they scarcely hear. And they have closed their eyes, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and turn again, and I should heal them.”

*I need to pray more—use more of God’s power to open these “unseeing eyes.”

February 22, 1973 Numbers 11-12, Ps. 27, Mark 1

Num. 11:2 – Moses was a man of prayer.

Num 11:17 – Moses was really filled with God’s Spirit and had too many responsibilities, so God said He will send the Spirit upon seventy elders of the people.

+ God says that He will feed the Jews for a month, meat, and Moses doesn’t see how He will do it. God answers, “Is the Lord’s power limited? Now you shall see whether my Word will come true for you or not” (Num. 11:23).

(v. 25) – The seventy elders were filled with the Spirit of God and prophesied. Moses’ prayer: “Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!”

God’s answer: (Joel 2:28-29). YES.

What made Moses great? Numbers 12:3 – He was the humblest man on earth.

*Moses must have been the greatest man who ever lived. After Miriam and Aaron murmur against him about his marriage to a foreigner, God speaks to the three of them, telling them of Moses and His relationship (Numbers 12:6-8). They speak “mouth to mouth” and Moses beholds his form.”

+ Numbers 12:13 – Moses has an unanswered prayer! About Miriam’s leprosy.

Psalm 27 – For Friday night God has given me these words (at the Hare Krishna meeting): “The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? I shall be confident. Wait for the Lord. Be strong and let your heart take courage. Yes, wait for the Lord” (Ps. 27:1,3,14).

Mark 1:12 – The Spirit “impelled” Jesus to go out into the wilderness.

*Mark 1:15 – “The time is fulfilled. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel.”

Jesus preached and used miraculous power to heal and cast out demons. We must do the same. We said we would.

Mark 1:35 – The Master was a man of prayer. Like Master, like servant.

February 23, 1973 Num. 13-14, Ps. 90, Mk.2

Num. 13-14 – The Israelites came to the border of Palestine and 12 spies are sent to check it out—Then they come back and say how mighty the people are, and so strong the cities, they grumble against God. Have they forgotten Numbers 11:23 so quickly? Anyway, God sends an edict: All that disbelieving generation will die in the wilderness (40 years – 1 year for each day the spires were in the land). Only Joshua and Caleb would be spared—they BELIEVED God! (Numbers 13:30, 14:8,9).

Psalm 90 – a psalm of Moses about the sin of the people that I’ve been reading about. Here is my verse: “So teach us to number our days that we may present to Thee a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12).

Mark 2 – Jesus heals the paralytic and forgives his sins because of his faith (vs. 5). Jesus spent his time among undesirables because these were the people who needed Him. “The Sabbath was meant for man, not man for the Sabbath. Consequently, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath (Mark 2:27,28). 

*Sunday – and LIFE were created to enjoy. They were created for us.

February 24, 1973 Numbers 15-17, Mark 3

The Lord is very stiff—A man gathers wood on the Sabbath, and he is stoned to death (Numbers 15:32-36).

Man, this is really dissension in the camp. Some people because of pride are swallowed up into the ground – 250 are consumed by the fire of the Lord—They grumble against God and 14,000 are struck down by a plague.

*God will not tolerate disobedience. It hurts Him. Some strange dealings here.

Mark 3:14 – “And He appointed twelve that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach.”

There are things here in this chapter, but Satan is really frustrating me this morning. I must start praying…the blood of Jesus must cleanse away these temptations.

February 25, 1973 Num. 18-19, Ps. 29, Mk. 4

Numbers 18,19 – I don’t know why the Lord makes such a big deal about being “clean” or “unclean.” He just must be showing His purity.

Ps. 29: 10b,11 – Yes, the Lord sits as King forever. The Lord will give strength to His people. The Lord will bless His people with peace.”

Mark 4:3-20 – The parable of the sower and Jesus’ explanation of it. According to this parable, when a person hears the Word of God, one of four things take place: 

1) “Beside the road” – people who hear but don’t believe because of Satan (vs. 4, 15), 

2) “On rocky ground” – people who don’t make a will decision, or who don’t really repent—their faith is shallow, no roots—maybe just emotional and they “fall away” (verses 6, 16-17),

 3) “seed fell among thorns” – people who hear the word but will not give up the pleasures and riches of this life for it, and they chuck it up (vs. 7, 18-19),

4) “good soil” – true believers—they hear the word and accept it and produce! (vs. 8,20)

+ A lot of lessons here.

Parables – the Kingdom of God. 1) Like a seed, 2) A mustard seed—though so small it grows up to take over everything.

Mark 4-36-41 – The story of the calming of the sea. I just love Jesus! He is so positive and great!! And all we need is FAITH and God will calm the oceans in our lives.

*This makes me think of Pearl. I must share these verses with her today. Thank you, Lord.

February 26, 1973 Num. 20-21, Ps. 28, Mk. 5

Num. 20:12 – Throughout the whole Bible our standing before God is based on our belief. Here, because of Aaron and Moses’ unbelief, God says they will not enter the promised land.

Num. 20:28 – God takes Aaron to Himself. The Israelites grumble again, and God send snakes among them. The Moses “lifts up” a serpent on a pole in the wilderness—a “type” of Jesus, He said Himself (John 3:14, 15).

*They are moving toward the promised land.

“The Lord is my strength and my shield. My heart trust in Him and I am helped” (Psalm 28:7).

Mark 5 – Three miracles in this chapter. Jesus casts out the “legion” of evil spirits in that one man; a woman touches his clothes and is healed “by faith,”; and Jesus raises Jairus’ daughter from the death.

*What power Jesus had! I’ve got to read a bit about demons. 

February 27, 1973 Num. 22-24, Mark 6

Num. 22-24 – This is the remarkable story of Balaam, a foreign prophet of God. Israel had been conquering peoples and they were approaching Moab over which Balak was king. So, Balak summons Balaam to curse Israel and three times he blesses them! Why? Because “the Spirit of the Lord came upon him” so that what the Lord speaks I will speak.” He said he was God’s messenger—He LISTENED for the word of the Lord.

Mark 6:1-6 – In Nazareth, Jesus’ power was limited because f the people’s unbelief—They thought He was just Mary’s son, the carpenter. Jesus sent out the disciples in pairs. “And they went out and preached that men should repent” (Mark 6:12).

Mark 6:14-29 – The story of John the Baptist’s death. Jesus feeds the 5,000 and walks on water.

+ The pressures on Him must have been astounding. The people wouldn’t leave Him alone.

February 28, 1973 Num. 25-26, Mark 7

Mark 7 – Here is a beautiful example of much of the Christian Church today. Isaiah 29: 13 – “Because the people draw near with their words, and honor Me with their lip service, but remove their hearts from Me, and their reverence for Me consists of traditions learned by rote.”

*There will be judgment on this, “beginning with the household of God” (1 Peter 4:17).

Mark 7:15 – Man’s problem is an inward one—not the outward things that come into his body. Sin originates and must be dealt with from within.

+ Jesus declared all foods clean (free to eat) – Mark 7:19.

The story of Jesus casting the demons out of the Gentile woman’s daughter (Mark 7:25-30). Jesus came to the Jews “first,” but healed the girl because of faith.

*Luke 4:18,19 comes to mind. The Spirit of God was upon Jesus to do these mighty miracles.