Gary Gleans

http://biblehub.com/parallelgospels/The_Gadarene_Demoniac.htm Daemons and their ability to possess people are one of the most frightening things about living in this sin-cursed world.  There are many things that we don’t understand about daemons and daemonic activity.  Today’s text gives us a little bit of insight into this world and records how Jesus handled a very difficult situation involving daemon possession.  As we read this passage and consider the things we learn from the text; we should be careful not to imagine that the passage represents some sort of manual on how to deal with daemons.  The passage is a narrative on how Jesus handled this particular situation.  There are certainly things we can learn from the text but it is important that we remember who Jesus is as well as who we are.  Namely, we are not Jesus.  Just because Jesus did something in a certain way does not mean that it is our responsibility of even that we have the abilit...

Matthew 8:23-27 23  When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him.  24  And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep.  25  And they came to  Him and woke Him, saying, “Save  us,  Lord; we are perishing!”  26  He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm.  27  The men were amazed, and said, “What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” Mark 4:35-41 35  On that day, when evening came, He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side.”  36  Leaving the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him.  37  And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much ...

Matthew 8:18-22 18  Now when Jesus saw a crowd around Him, He gave orders to depart to the other side  of the sea.   19  Then a scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.”  20  Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air  have  nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”  21  Another of the disciples said to Him, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.”  22  But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead.” There is a price to pay for following Jesus.  The crowds who surrounded Jesus spent time around Him for a wide variety of reasons.  Some genuinely wanted to learn from His teachings.  Others were looking to be healed or hoping to see a miracle.  Still others were looking for an opportunity to condemn Him for doing or saying something they considered to be wrong.  However, none of these people...

Mark 4:21-25 21  And He was saying to them, “A lamp is not brought to be put under a basket, is it, or under a bed? Is it not  brought  to be put on the lampstand?  22  “For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has  anything  been secret, but that it would come to light.  23  “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”  24  And He was saying to them, “Take care what you listen to. By your standard of measure it will be measured to you; and more will be given you besides.  25  “For whoever has, to him  more  shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.” Luke 8:16-18 16 “Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it over with a container, or puts it under a bed; but he puts it on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see the light.  17 “For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor  anything...

http://biblehub.com/parallelgospels/The_First_Large_Group_of_Parables_to_the_Crowds_by_the_Sea_of_Galilee.htm Why did Jesus teach in parables?  This is the question that Jesus answers in today’s text.  There were many different people who heard Jesus speak.  Not all the people who were in the crowds that followed Jesus truly interested in learning from Him.  Some people were curious and simply wanted to see the miracles He performed.  They were following Jesus in order to be part of the crowd and be entertained.  Other people were out to entrap Him.  They were just waiting for Him to do or say something wrong so they could try to discredit Him.  Finally, there were His disciples that truly wanted to hear and understand His teachings.  It was this final group that Jesus was most interested in teaching.  It was this group that asked Jesus about His teaching methods.  The answer Jesus gives is instructive and should help us evalua...

Happy 4th of July.  May God grant our leaders wisdom and may our nation be used of Him to spread the fame of Jesus to all the nations.

http://biblehub.com/parallelgospels/The_First_Large_Group_of_Parables_to_the_Crowds_by_the_Sea_of_Galilee.htm Responses to the teaching of God’s Word are varied from person to person.  The parable of the sower describes six different types of soils on which the seed of God’s Word falls.  The main thing that all of them have in common is that they all hear the Word of God.  Three of the soils in the parable are unproductive.  The other three soils are productive at different levels.  This teaching about typical responses to God’s Word is important for everyone who proclaims the Word of God to remember and for everyone who hears the Word of God to evaluate.  Each of the three unproductive soils have a different enemy that hinders reproduction.  These principles are vital for every teacher and hearer of God’s Word to understand. HEARING WITH DISTRACTION: The wayside is soil that has been compacted by equipment or people repeatedly stepping on it....