<html><head></head><body><div><div><div><div><div><div><br></div>Mark 1;14&amp;15<div><br></div><div><b>14. &nbsp;Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God,</b></div><div><b>15. &nbsp;and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel.”</b></div><div><br></div><div>John the Baptist was arrested for speaking God’s truth to king Herod. &nbsp;Herod had taken his brother Philip’s wife (Herodi-as) to be his own. &nbsp;John said to Herod, <i>“It is not lawful for you to have her.’</i><br>(Matthew 14:4).&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>We do not know if Herod along with other inhabitants of Jerusalem had gone out to see and&nbsp;hear John the Baptist preach and baptize repenting people, or, if John the Baptist went to Jerusalem or some other unknown location to confront Herod. &nbsp;All we know is that John ‘spoke truth to power’.</div><div><br></div><div>John was such a well know and dynamic figure in Judea at the time of Jesus, we may well understand John’s own words about himself and Jesus, <i>He must increase, and I must decrease.” </i>(John 3;30)</div><div>to in part mean, ‘My ministry in public must decline, but Jesus’ ministry among us&nbsp;must become greater.’</div><div><br></div><div>John’s words saying, <i>“I must decrease” </i>actually apply to us all, just as a bride takes a new identity, changing her last&nbsp;name when she marries to that of her husband. &nbsp;And, with that new name she is endowed by law with all his&nbsp;wealth. &nbsp;We too give up trusting in our own righteousness and receive the very&nbsp;righteousness of God through&nbsp;faith. (Romans 3;21&amp;22)</div><div><br></div><div>Using conservative Biblical dating, the time from the fall into sin by Adam, to the birth of Christ, is about 6000 years….that is quite a wait for the promise of the <i>“woman’s Seed” </i>(Genesis 3;15) to be born. &nbsp;This is “<i>the time” </i>Jesus is referring to.</div><div><br></div><div>How much longer before His return? &nbsp;Jesus says, “<i>”But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” </i>(Matthew 24;36)</div><div><br></div><div>God never command us to do anything which he has not himself enabled us to do.</div><div>Repentance is God’s gift to us. &nbsp;(Acts 5;31) Faith is also God’s gift to us. (Ephesians 2;8&amp;9, Romans 10;17). When we repent and when we believe, all credit and glory goes to God. &nbsp;If we reject repentance and faith, we alone&nbsp;get the blame, and will burn with self-hate and anger over our stubborn &nbsp; stupidity and self-worship&nbsp;for eternity.</div><div><br></div><div>Prayer: &nbsp;Merciful Father, Your own love empowered John the Baptist to boldly&nbsp;speak Your truth to Herod. &nbsp;Grant us courage to use the repentance and faith You have given into our souls to do the same. &nbsp;Make our faith active Father, not just intellectual. &nbsp;In Jesus we pray, Amen</div><div><br></div><div>Love,</div><div>Dad/Baba/Eric</div><div>Grandpa Pickle Pastor</div><div>“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word. &nbsp;God’s Word is our habitation, and we are His.”</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br><div><a href="https://mail.onelink.me/107872968?pid=nativeplacement&amp;c=Global_Acquisition_YMktg_315_Internal_EmailSignature&amp;af_sub1=Acquisition&amp;af_sub2=Global_YMktg&amp;af_sub3=&amp;af_sub4=100000604&amp;af_sub5=EmailSignature__Static_" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><br></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>


Mark 1;14&15
14.  Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God,15.  and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel.”
John the Baptist was arrested for speaking God’s truth to king Herod.  Herod had taken his brother Philip’s wife (Herodi-as) to be his own.  John said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have her.’
(Matthew 14:4). 
We do not know if Herod along with other inhabitants of Jerusalem had gone out to see and hear John the Baptist preach and baptize repenting people, or, if John the Baptist went to Jerusalem or some other unknown location to confront Herod.  All we know is that John ‘spoke truth to power’.
John was such a well know and dynamic figure in Judea at the time of Jesus, we may well understand John’s own words about himself and Jesus, He must increase, and I must decrease.” (John 3;30)to in part mean, ‘My ministry in public must decline, but Jesus’ ministry among us must become greater.’
John’s words saying, “I must decrease” actually apply to us all, just as a bride takes a new identity, changing her last name when she marries to that of her husband.  And, with that new name she is endowed by law with all his wealth.  We too give up trusting in our own righteousness and receive the very righteousness of God through faith. (Romans 3;21&22)
Using conservative Biblical dating, the time from the fall into sin by Adam, to the birth of Christ, is about 6000 years….that is quite a wait for the promise of the “woman’s Seed” (Genesis 3;15) to be born.  This is “the time” Jesus is referring to.
How much longer before His return?  Jesus says, “”But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” (Matthew 24;36)
God never command us to do anything which he has not himself enabled us to do.Repentance is God’s gift to us.  (Acts 5;31) Faith is also God’s gift to us. (Ephesians 2;8&9, Romans 10;17). When we repent and when we believe, all credit and glory goes to God.  If we reject repentance and faith, we alone get the blame, and will burn with self-hate and anger over our stubborn   stupidity and self-worship for eternity.
Prayer:  Merciful Father, Your own love empowered John the Baptist to boldly speak Your truth to Herod.  Grant us courage to use the repentance and faith You have given into our souls to do the same.  Make our faith active Father, not just intellectual.  In Jesus we pray, Amen
Love,Dad/Baba/EricGrandpa Pickle Pastor“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word.  God’s Word is our habitation, and we are His.”




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