<html><head></head><body><div><div><div><div><br></div>Mark 16;1-4<div><br></div><div><b>1. &nbsp;And when the sabbath was passed, Mary Magdalene, and Mary&nbsp;the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him.</b></div><div><b>2. &nbsp;And very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen.</b></div><div><b>3. &nbsp;And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?”</b></div><div><b>4. &nbsp;And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back; for it was very large.</b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div>Here, we see Believers who are ‘walking by the Spirit.’</div><div><span>Their hearts have convinced them,</span><span> that they have a task given them, to further minister to the dead body of Jesus. &nbsp;Such a task was normally reserved for family members. &nbsp;There was a ‘price to pay’ for doing such service.</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>(It is important to remember that in Jewish culture, to touch a dead body renders one ritually unclean.</span></div><div>There was a seven day period of purification required before anyone who had touched a dead body could re-enter Jewish society. &nbsp;Until then, the unclean person had to withdraw from all interactions with society. &nbsp;They had to wash themselves and their clothing.)</div><div><br></div><div>In spite of the inconvenience of social withdrawal, the women were willing to serve their Lord in this one last act of devotion. &nbsp;They actually used their own money to finance this their last ministry to Him. &nbsp;They were not just volunteer servants, they were also paying their own way to serve.</div><div><br></div><div>In addition, there&nbsp;was a matter before them which prevented them from being able to do what they wanted, <i>“the stone,…&nbsp;it was very large.” &nbsp;</i>No male disciple had volunteered to help with rolling back the stone, still they went forward, not knowing how they would do what they believed they should do. &nbsp;This is ‘walking by the Spirit.’</div><div><br></div><div>Carnal Believers, see obstacles&nbsp;greater than their strength,&nbsp;and give up. &nbsp;Spirit walking Christians see obstacles greater than their strength,&nbsp;and still in faith and hope,&nbsp;keep moving forward. &nbsp;They don’t know how they can accomplish what they believe is their loving duty, but they do not give up. &nbsp;They believe that God has answers, even when they do not know what those answers are. &nbsp;They keep going.</div><div><br></div><div>This is exactly how God wants Believers to serve Him. &nbsp;In faith and in hope, not trusting in themselves but trusting in Him. &nbsp;This is why costly Christian ministries, (like operating a Lutheran school)&nbsp;fail. &nbsp;Those who are seeing the need give up, because they do not see by faith the Lord who <u>is</u>&nbsp;with them, and who&nbsp;has the answers. &nbsp;For them, unless the money to get through the year is already guaranteed, unless they have the money in the bank before the school year begins, or at least they are certain of the earthly sources from&nbsp;where it will come from, they fail. &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Walking by faith means going forward in faith,&nbsp;not knowing how God will supply, but believing that somehow, He will. &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Better still, to try and fail, than to not try at all.</div><div><br></div><div>Prayer: &nbsp;Merciful Father, forgive our carnality we pray, and by the Holy Spirit lead us in ways our flesh fears to go. &nbsp;Teach our hearts to daily look to You for answers, not ourselves. &nbsp;In Jesus we pray, Amen.&nbsp;</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><i><br></i></div><div><i><br></i></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br><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></body></html>


Mark 16;1-4
1.  And when the sabbath was passed, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him.2.  And very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen.3.  And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?”4.  And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back; for it was very large.
Here, we see Believers who are ‘walking by the Spirit.’Their hearts have convinced them, that they have a task given them, to further minister to the dead body of Jesus.  Such a task was normally reserved for family members.  There was a ‘price to pay’ for doing such service.
(It is important to remember that in Jewish culture, to touch a dead body renders one ritually unclean.There was a seven day period of purification required before anyone who had touched a dead body could re-enter Jewish society.  Until then, the unclean person had to withdraw from all interactions with society.  They had to wash themselves and their clothing.)
In spite of the inconvenience of social withdrawal, the women were willing to serve their Lord in this one last act of devotion.  They actually used their own money to finance this their last ministry to Him.  They were not just volunteer servants, they were also paying their own way to serve.
In addition, there was a matter before them which prevented them from being able to do what they wanted, “the stone,… it was very large.”  No male disciple had volunteered to help with rolling back the stone, still they went forward, not knowing how they would do what they believed they should do.  This is ‘walking by the Spirit.’
Carnal Believers, see obstacles greater than their strength, and give up.  Spirit walking Christians see obstacles greater than their strength, and still in faith and hope, keep moving forward.  They don’t know how they can accomplish what they believe is their loving duty, but they do not give up.  They believe that God has answers, even when they do not know what those answers are.  They keep going.
This is exactly how God wants Believers to serve Him.  In faith and in hope, not trusting in themselves but trusting in Him.  This is why costly Christian ministries, (like operating a Lutheran school) fail.  Those who are seeing the need give up, because they do not see by faith the Lord who is with them, and who has the answers.  For them, unless the money to get through the year is already guaranteed, unless they have the money in the bank before the school year begins, or at least they are certain of the earthly sources from where it will come from, they fail.  
Walking by faith means going forward in faith, not knowing how God will supply, but believing that somehow, He will.  
Better still, to try and fail, than to not try at all.
Prayer:  Merciful Father, forgive our carnality we pray, and by the Holy Spirit lead us in ways our flesh fears to go.  Teach our hearts to daily look to You for answers, not ourselves.  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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