Good evening, dear people.
Interesting day. Thano’s boys are with us this weekend, so we attended Thano’s church in Colton—True Life. Very good message.
In view of the fact that Kaden has a birthday coming up next weekend when he won’t be here (age 10), we orchestrated a little advanced birthday party this afternoon at 3pm with a few neighbor kids. They seemed to have a great time together.
I’m not yet sure how tomorrow will play out. All I know is that there is plenty to keep me busy—and then some. So maybe I should go skiing. I’m kidding. At least I think I’m kidding.
Have a good night. Blessings. Ray.
Isn’t that kind of puzzling?! Here Jesus had just asked His disciple one of the most critically important questions of all time—“But who do you say that I am?” (8:29, TPT). In fact, I view that question and the answer thereof so critically important as to determine the very eternal destiny of every person in the entire human race! How could any question get any bigger than that! Yet, right after Peter responds with a commendable and correct answer—“You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God!” (v. 29)—Jesus instructs them to keep it a secret—don’t let anyone know what you know! Wow!
There is a clue of explanation offered in this reading—Mark 9:9—“As they all hiked down the mountain together, Jesus ordered them, “Don’t tell anyone of what you just witnessed. Wait until the Son of Man is raised from the dead” (TPT). In other words, prior to Christ’s death and resurrection was not quite THE RIGHT TIME. But whereas that is over and done with, there is no longer any reason to WAIT for the RIGHT TIME. Not only is NOW the acceptable time to promote Christ as the Messiah, Savior, and Lord—to do so is a mandate!
Once I grasp WHO Jesus really is and how essential it is that I personally embrace Him as both Savior and Lord, it becomes an ALL-OR-NOTHING proposition. While many bristle against that narrow exclusivity, we must “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ” (Colossians 2:8, NIV). Let’s be reminded what “Christ” and following Him really means. We can do so in no uncertain terms right here in today’s reading: “Jesus summoned the crowd, along with his disciples, and had them gather around. And he said to them: “If you truly want to follow me, you should at once completely disown your own life. And you must be willing to share my cross and experience it as your own, as you continually surrender to my ways. For if you let your life go for my sake and for the sake of the gospel, you will continually experience true life. But if you choose to keep your life for yourself, you will forfeit what you try to keep. For what use is it to gain all the wealth and power of this world, with everything it could offer you, at the cost of your own life? And what could be more valuable to you than your own soul?” (8:14-17, TPT)