Stone People

Mark 7:5-23 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unclean hands?” He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.” He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban”—‘ (that is, a gift to God), then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.” When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear Me, everyone and understand; There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!” When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable. So He said to them, “Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?” And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these things come from within and defile a man.”

Jesus was against religion and tradition. He was all about relationship with Him. Religion places burdens on us that we are not meant to bear.

In the book of Acts, the people of the Way were always getting in trouble with the religious people of the day to the point of imprisonment, stoning, and beatings. They are to this day in other countries and even in America, though not to the same extent…yet. The religious folk were jealous to the point of rage, but the truth is….they could have enjoyed the same life in Him! (See Romans 2 and 3)

My friend Kelly had a vision. It was God’s people gathered in a church building and they were made of stone. She watched in sorrow as the stone people began to topple like dominos and break into pieces.

Believers can be as stone because rather than coming to know the Father, they place themselves under the Law.

In 2 Corinthians 3 Paul teaches us that the letter (Law) kills, but the Spirit gives life. He goes on to the end of the chapter to say that as we spend time with the Lord relationally, we are then transformed into His image.

I’m not saying to break the Law. I don’t kill….don’t want to….I want to love. Please hear my heart…..law, rules and traditions put you in bondage and take away from precious time with Him. They cloud your vision of who He is and who you are in Him.

I used to drive myself nuts if I didn’t read my daily Bible readings, my Daily Bread, and My Utmost for His Highest devotionals every day. If I got behind, I would be all stressed out trying to catch up and it sure wasn’t fun. I was making it a religious duty.

Law mindedness hindered the priests, captain of the temple, Sanhedrin, Sadducees, and Pharisees and hinders you and me from enjoying life in Him as Him.

When we are religious, we try to make the changes and they are only temporary. When we are relational, the Spirit births change in us and we bear fruit, being changed into His image.

Please read my post titled “Know Him” to learn more about relationship with the Father.

Romans 7:4-6 Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—-to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.

My prayer for you today is that you would see yourselves as His bride and spend time getting to know Him and that Holy Spirit would sharpen your hearing. You know His voice. He said His sheep know His voice. I pray that you would lay down all the religious and traditional things that hinder you from walking in the fullness of Christ Jesus and that you would just love Him and let Him love you. Amen.