"What Do You Want Me To Do For You?

"Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, 'Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.' And He said to them, 'What do you want Me to do for you?' They said to Him, 'Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.' But Jesus said to them, 'You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?' They said to him, 'We are able.' So Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism that I am baptized with you will be baptized; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared.' " (Mark 10:35-40)

"Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, 'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!' Then many warned him to be quiet (just a blind beggar, they thought); but he cried out all the more, 'Son of David, have mercy on me!' So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, 'Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.' And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus. So Jesus answered and said to him, 'What do you want Me to do for you?' The blind man said to Him, 'Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.' Then Jesus said to him, 'Go your way; your faith has made you well.' And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.'' (Mark 10:46-52)

Obviously, a request for a glorified position, without the benefit of learning how to serve, was rebuked. Their request was outside even His position of authority. Yet Bartimaeus' request to receive sight so he may follow Jesus on the road was provided. What do you want Him to do for you? Do you want to see clearly so that you may follow Him?

Pray That Your Flight Might Not Be In Winter!

Mark 13:14-23

"So when you see the 'abomination of desolation', spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter to take anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! AND PRAY THAT YOUR FLIGHT MAY NOT BE IN WINTER. For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be. And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days. Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'Look, He is there!' do not believe it. For false Christ and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand."

Those who have experienced Winter know it is the coldest time of the year; the sun is at a farther distance relative to Summer, Spring and Autumn. The time of the 'abomination of desolation' in Israel will be the coldest of times, spiritually. Jesus was teaching Israel, even at that time, to begin to pray then, now and continually so that their flight may not be in this coldest of spiritual times. It will be a more, even very difficult time to receive,  as Satan's manifestation on earth during the times of greater tribulation will be increased. The timing of YOUR FLIGHT should be when He comes to receive the precious fruit of the earth: those who have become fellow servants and are among the brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Pray so that your flight is when the Sun of Righteousness (Malachi 4:2) is at full strength!

Questioning What Rising From The Dead Means?

"And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He spoke this word openly. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, 'Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.' " (Mark 8:31-33)

"When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, 'Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.' " (Mark 8:34-38)

“And He said to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power." (Mark 9:1)

"Now as they came down from the mountain, He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen (v.2-8) till the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant."(Mark 9:9,10)

Peter would learn in his spirit, soul AND body what Jesus means by 'whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it". As Jesus had been crucified AND resurrected by His Father, so would Peter and all the disciples. Peter's approach to Jesus Christ had to be brought low, tasting the humiliation of his denial, so the kingdom of God could preside with power upon him!

Subjects Of Eternal Condemnation

"And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, 'He has Beelzebub,' and, 'by the ruler of demons He casts out demons.' So He called them to Himself and said to them in parables: 'How Can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but has an end. No one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods unless he first binds the strong man. And then he will plunder his house. Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; but he who blasphemes AGAINST the Holy Spirit never HAS forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation' -  because they said, 'He has an unclean spirit.' "(Mark 3:22-30)

Why would those who blaspheme against the Holy Spirit be unforgiven, yet any other sin or blasphemy be eligible for forgiveness? Because the new and living way that Jesus Christ brought to Israel, and now to all men, cannot be "had" without learning to be led by the Holy Spirit. Look at the context in which the scribes made their blasphemy against the Holy Spirit: He was preaching/teaching the kingdom, healing the sick, providing sustaining miracles, making little much with some left over, and casting out demons which left those who had been overcome in a right state of mind. All that ministry could not be considered anything but good. Yet, I am impressed that "greater things than these (these healings, deliverances) you also will do, because I go to the Father" was on His mind. We cannot become like Him without the indwelling and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. As the Word of God informs us, 'to walk just as He walked'.

"There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death."(Romans 8:1,2)

We are made a new creation, speak with other tongues, understand what we are called to in Him and become complete all by the Spirit of Christ Jesus. You see then that mankind never "has" forgiveness, walking with Jesus Christ as He walked and manifesting His Father's ways, if they blaspheme AGAINST the Holy Spirit.

"Then He said to them, 'Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. For whoever HAS, to him more will be given; but whoever DOES NOT HAVE, even what he has will be taken away from him." (Mark 4:24,25)

Plundering The Strong Man’s Goods For Heaven’s Enduring Posessions

"Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad."(Matthew 12:25-30)

"At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, 'Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?' Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said,  ‘Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.' "(Matthew 18:1-4)

"Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods." (Matthew 24:45-47)

I am convinced that the "goods" Jesus described are not monies or materials, but the true riches of readiness for the Son of Man as He comes to His house, His temple. There must be a clearing of ourselves (who we are, or, our "goods") so He can fill us with Himself, that "this gospel will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations". This plundering is the overtaking of who we are for who He is. It's an exchange; painful as pruning.

“But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings: partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated; for you had compassion for me (Paul) in my chains, and JOYFULLY ACCEPTED the PLUNDERING OF YOUR GOODS, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven." (Hebrews 10:32-34)  The "plundering" of yourselves for heaven's enduring possession!

Every Son Should Ask For This Bread

 "Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things TO THOSE WHO ASK HIM!" 
(Matthew 7:9-11)

"Now this is the confidence we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the  petitions that we have ASKED OF HIM." (1 John 5:14,15)

"I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world." (John 6:48-51)

"He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood ABIDES IN ME and I in him."
(John 6:56)

Since we understand there is not now, nor was there then, any way to literally, physically accomplish what Jesus taught (His body to eat and blood to drink), we know that He wants us to abide in Him by partaking of the substance of who He is and what He did. Jesus is teaching us the way to "keep ourselves" so that the wicked one does not touch us: through His bread AND His blood. I would say this is the "understanding" that John says He had given to them. Without question we are to follow Jesus Christ and these disciples. A son should ask for the good things: that He will show us how to believe the testimony that God has given of His Son! (1 John 5:10)

Why So Few?

"Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, 'The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.' "(Matthew 9:35-38)

"Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and confined (difficult) is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."
(Matthew 7:13,14)

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord’, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the work of my Father in heaven.  Many will say to Me in that day, ‘have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' "

(Mt. 7:15-23)

Is Jesus rebuking those who would prophesy, cast out demons and do wonders in His name? If He is, He contradicts Himself just a couple minutes later, when He gives His disciples power to do these very things. (Mt. 10:7,8) He is not an author of confusion! He is warning the original twelve disciples, and those disciples to follow, not to get caught up in these supernatural works, but to learn from Him what it means to practice righteousness, not lawlessness. Paul writes, "and we know that all (these) things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose...” (Romans 8:28)

Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock."    
(Mt. 7:24,25)

The gospels are filled with supernatural acts by Jesus Christ, and a blessing those acts are, but it was still necessary for Him to go to and through the cross; practicing righteousness. Now, pray therefore, to be sent into His harvest!