Mark 7:24 – 8:38

August 08, 2012

As I was reading about all the miracles Jesus did in these verses, the old song "Only Believe" came to my mind. I don't remember all the words, but some of them are, "Only Believe, Only believe; all things are possible, only believe. Only believe, Only Believe; all things are possible, only believe.

I googled the rest of the words.

Only Believe

Fear not, precious flock, from the cross to the throne

From death into life He went for his own

All power in earth, all power above

Is given to Him for the flock of His love.

Fear not, precious flock, he goeth ahead

Your shepherd selects the path you must tread

The water of Mara, He will sweeten for thee

He drank all the bitter in Gethsemane.

Fear not, precious flock, whatever your lot;

He enters all rooms, the doors being shut

He never forsakes, He never is gone

So count on His presence in darkness and dawn.

Only believe, only believe: all things are possible only believe.
Only believe, only believe: all things are possible, only believe.

I wonder how many years it has been since I have heard that song? Listen to it here.

The woman whose daughter had evil spirits—believed—and her daughter was healed. The man that was deaf—believed—and he was healed. The blind man—believed—and his sight was restored. Jesus fed the five thousand. Jesus fed four thousand. He healed the blind, the deaf, the sick, and what do the Pharisees ask for? A miracle from God. What do they think they were witnessing?

The truth is they didn't want a miracle  Their only purpose in asking was to try and trap Jesus. Jesus' response is interesting. He sighed. He had to be thinking, "they just don't get it." How much more would it take? They were set in their "religious" ways and they weren't going to submit to the authority of Jesus. And Jesus sighed. Then He told them, "No sign will be given to you." (Mark 8:12) Jesus warned His followers about the danger of listening to the Pharisees. What they appeared to be and who they really were, was as different as night and day. They appeared to be religious when in fact they were religious unbelievers.

Jesus told the crowds and His followers that it would cost them to follow Him. They/we must be willing to give up everything. EVERYTHING! They/we must be willing to submit ALL to His authority. What we try to save is what we will lose. What we are willing to give up is what we will gain. "It is worth nothing for them to have the whole world if they lose their souls." (Mark 8:36)

We are willing. We choose to submit our ALL to Him.

"Only believe, only believe: all things are possible ONLY BELIEVE." We believe.

Addendum: 1/13/2016 ~ What stood out to me today was the phrase, "Your shepherd selects the path you must tread" from the song Only Believe. The shepherd selects the path. IF—we are His sheep, THEN—He selects the path and we must tread on it. He is in control. The shepherd wants the best for His sheep.  e doesn't take them down a path to harm them. His path is for our safety! Where there is bitter water, HE sweetens it.

We are on His path, and we will follow His lead.  


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