S – The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, demanding of him a sign from heaven to test him. ¹² Sighing deeply in his spirit, he said, “Why does this generation demand a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.” ¹³ Then he left them, got back into the boat, and went to the other side.

Mark 8:11–13 CSB

O – Commentary: 

What they sought was a miraculous sign from heaven—that is, directly from God—that would demonstrate once for all that Jesus was the Christ. No sign, however, could ever convince them of this. For those whose hearts were open to the truth, the miracles that Jesus had already done (Luke 7:22) were clear and irrefutable signs that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God. For those outside (4:11–12), no sign could make them believe (cp. Luke 6:19–31).

 New Living Translation Study Bible 

A – It comes down to the heart.  If your heart is open to God and His Truth, a sign would affirm what you believe.  If your heart was closed, a sign would confirm. Promova: “Affirm’ often implies making a statement or assertion to validate or declare something as true.  ‘Confirm’ generally implies verifying or establishing the truth or accuracy of something, often as a subsequent or additional assurance.”  I want to declare who God and Christ is, not test Him.

R – Heavenly Father, I ask for your Holy Spirit to lead me in all truth today.  I affirm that You are God and there is no other.  I affirm that Jesus is the Son of God and my savior.  Help me to model the love You have for me to others today in my thoughts, words and actions.

S – The reward of the righteous is life; the wages of the wicked is punishment.

Proverbs  10:16 CSB

O – Commentary: 

Wages (10:16) refers not to money but to the natural result or “return” for righteous living. That result is a meaningful life (cf. 3:18, 21–22; 4:4; 7:2a). But the wicked reap trouble

“Proverbs,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – If we want a life with true meaning and legacy, following God’s integrity, character and righteousness has to be part of it.

R – Heavenly Father, thank you for the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us into all righteousness.  Help us to choose Your ways and not our own. 

S – For from within, out of people’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immoralities, thefts, murders, ²² adulteries, greed, evil actions, deceit, self-indulgence, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. ²³ All these evil things come from within and defile a person.” 

Mark 7:21–23 CSB

O – Commentary:

The catalog of evil Jesus gave has a strong Old Testament flavor and consists of 12 items. First, there are six plural nouns (in Gr.) depicting wicked acts viewed individually: sexual immorality (porneiai, “illicit sexual activities of various kinds”); theft (klopai); murder (phonoi); adultery (moicheiai, illicit sexual relations by a married person); greed (pleonexiai, “covetings”), insatiable cravings for what belongs to another; malice (ponēriai, “wickednesses”), the many ways evil thoughts express themselves.

Second, there are six singular nouns depicting evil dispositions: deceit (dolos), cunning maneuvers designed to ensnare someone for one’s personal advantage; lewdness (aselgeia; cf. Rom. 13:13; Gal. 5:19; Eph. 4:19; 2 Peter 2:2, 7), unrestrained and unconcealed immoral behavior; envy (opthalmos ponēros, lit., “an evil eye,” a Heb. expression for stinginess; cf. Prov. 23:6), a begrudging, jealous attitude toward the possessions of others; slander (blasphēmia), injurious or defaming speech against God or man; arrogance (hyperēphania, used only here in the NT), boastfully exalting oneself above others who are viewed with scornful contempt; and folly (aphrosynē), moral and spiritual insensitivity.

All these evils defile a person, and have their source from inside, from one’s heart. So Jesus took the focus of attention away from external rituals and placed it on the need for God to cleanse one’s evil heart (cf. Ps. 51

“Mark,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – Two concepts – Evil thoughts that express themselves in words and actions. Secondly, a person’s disposition – a person’s inherent qualities of mind and character.  If we don’t actively move our alignment in our thoughts and disposition with God, our default is sinful and self-seeking.

R – Heavenly Father, I surrender and worship You today.  You are unlimited and worthy of praise.  I confess my human nature is sinful.  I choose to align with You and Your Word today so that my words, thoughts, actions and disposition would be one of honor and glorifying You.  Give me the strength and courage to succeed in this today.

S – The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

Proverbs 10:11 CSB

O – Commentary: 

His words of wisdom are free-flowing and as refreshing as a cool spring to a weary desert traveler. In the second part of 10:11; the idea is either that his mouth conceals or deceptively hides violence “Proverbs,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures,

“Violence” – châmâç,  violence; by impl. wrong; unjust gain:— cruel (-ty), damage, false, injustice, × oppressor, unrighteous, violence (against, done), violent (dealing), wrong

The New Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words

A – Our words are powerful.  This proverb says they can be wise, refreshing, and filled with freedom.  Or, they can be cruel, damaging, false, or oppressive. Violence is not always physical.  I want my words to be wise and draw people closer to God.  It statrts with allowing God to work on me on the inside so that it flows out to “lifegiving” on the outside.

R – Father, please work on the inside of me first today.  I invite you Holy Spirit to reveal to me those areas that don’t line up with you.  Let my thoughts, words and actions be a reflection of the work you are doing inside of me.  Then, let me speak with others in a way that will show them Your love.

S – Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And aren’t his sisters here with us?” So they were offended by him.

Mark 6:3 CSB

O – Commentary:

The phrase Mary’s Son was also derogatory since a man was not described as his mother’s son in Jewish usage even if she was a widow, except by insult (cf. Jud. 11:1–2; John 8:41; 9:29). Their words, calculated insults, also suggested they knew there was something unusual about Jesus’ birth

Thus since the townspeople could not explain Jesus, they took offense (from skandalizomai, “to be caused to stumble, to be repelled”; cf. comments on Mark 14:27) at Him, finding no reason to believe He was God’s Anointed One.

  “Mark,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – Sometimes, the people closest to us can be our biggest hurdles.  Our circle of influence must have like-minded people who love and follow God like we do.  They should build our faith, not belittle it or tear it down

R – Father, thank you for the people who you put in my life that cause me to grow closer to you. They are a true gift. We invite you to draw all of us closer to you and to be led by your Spirit today.

S – The one who lives with integrity lives securely, but whoever perverts his ways will be found out.

Proverbs 10:9 CSB

O – “Integrity” – tôm,  completeness; fig. prosperity; usually (mor.) innocence:— full, integrity, perfect (-ion), simplicity, upright (-ly, -ness), at a venture. 

“Securely” – eṭach, beh’takh;  a place of refuge; abstr. safety, both the fact (security) and the feeling (trust); often (adv. with or without prep.) safely:— assurance, boldly, (without) care (-less), confidence, hope, safe (-ly, -ty), secure, surely

“Perverts” – ˓âqash, to knot or distort; fig. to pervert (act or declare perverse):— make crooked, (prove, that is) perverse (-rt).

 The New Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words

A – The person is “complete” in God it isn’t perfection.  It is the relationship of that person’s honest, genuine best and God makes up the difference in our imperfections and shortcomings.  It brings security because we know God takes us where we cannot go.  There is freedom knowing we are not in this alone and can openly admit that we are not enough. 

R – Heavenly Father, we invite your Holy Spirit to lead us today.  We are not enough and do not want to go through today without You making up the difference in us. We surrender and worship You. Thank you for Your love and protection daily.

S – Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord has spoken: 

I will demonstrate my holiness^, to those who are near me, 

and I will reveal my glory^, before all the people.” 

Leviticus 10:3 CSB

O – Commentary: 

The two eldest sons of Aaron (cf. Ex. 6:23; 28:1; 1 Chron. 6:3), either through ignorance or presumption, offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, contrary to His command. This incident interrupted the regular pattern of the previous two chapters in which everything was done in accord with the commands of the Lord (cf. Lev. 8:36). It is not stated what made their offering of incense “unauthorized”…“The moral of the story” as summarized by Moses is that those who have the privilege of being nearest to God must bear special responsibility to exemplify His holiness and glory.

“Leviticus,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – Every day, we have the opportunity to be near God and with it comes the responsibility of displaying His holiness and glory.  This isn’t just for OT priests.  It is for us as His ambassadors to walk in a manner that honors Him.

R – Heavenly Father, we invite Your presence into our lives today.  Help us to honor You in our thoughts, words and actions.  We desire to exemplify Your holiness and glory in our lives today.  Draw us closer to You so that we can do this genuinely.

S – He poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed and consecrated him.

Leviticus 8:12 CSB

O – Commentary: 

Moses then poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head … to consecrate him (cf. Ex. 29:7; 30:30; 40:13). The purpose of these anointings was to set apart the tabernacle (Lev. 8:10), the various articles of sacred furniture (vv. 10–11), and the priest who ministered in the sanctuary (v. 12) as most holy to the Lord

“Leviticus,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

Consecrate – qâdâsh,to be  clean (cerem. or mor.):— appoint, bid, consecrate, dedicate, defile, hallow, (be, keep) holy (-er, place), keep, prepare, proclaim, purify, sanctify (-ied one, self), × wholly.

The New Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words 

A – God wanted the priests to be set apart.  All throughout the NT, we are encouraged to do the same.  When we put distance between ourselves and those things, desires or temptations that will trip us, we are saying “I am God’s first.”  

R – Heavenly Father, we choose to consecrate ourselves today.  We are your vessel.  We desire to be holy in mind, body and spirit.  We cannot do this without the blood of Jesus and the forgiveness of our sins daily applied to our lives.  Give us a fresh annointing today to be led by You.

S – Trust in the Lord and do what is good; dwell in the land and live securely.^, 

Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires

Psalms 37:3–4 CSB

O –  Commentary:

Rather one should trust in the Lord who can answer prayers of the heart (vv. 3–4). The promise, He will give you the desires of your heart, is based on the condition, delight yourself in the Lord. One who delights in Him will have righteous desires

  “Psalms,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – When our heart lines up with God, it aligns the rest of us.  As our faith grows in who God is, we become more like him in our character.  We will not be perfect but our love and faith in God will reveal the areas of sin.  We will be able to ask for forgiveness and restore health to that area.  Our desires will be an outflow of this growth.

R – Lord, thank you for your love for us.  It works inside of us to transform our earthly being and desires into a vessel of your love and Spirit.  Help us to grow into the person you created us to be so we can share your love with others in a tangible way.

S – A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son, heartache to his mother. 

Proverbs 10:1 CSB

O – A child’s actions reflect on the parents who raise them.

A – There is a love parents have for their children.  Foundationally, a child grows as they learn lessons.  Wisdom demonstrates moving toward growth and understanding.  Foolish is selfish and immature.  The consistency in the journey is what brings either joy or frustration to the parents.  The same principle could be applied to our walk with God.

R – Heavenly Father, thank you that your love for us does not waver.  Help us to be wise today.  We invite the Holy Spirit to lead us in our thoughts, words and actions.