Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.

In Mark 10, a rich man asked Jesus, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17).

Jesus replied, “You know the commandments: don’t murder, commit adultery, steal, or lie. Honor your parents.” 

The man said, “Good. I’ve done that since I was young.” 

Jesus said with compassion, “You’re missing something. Sell everything you have, give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then, follow me” (Mark 10:21). 

The man went away sad because he was wealthy. 

Let’s look at this story through three lenses. 

1. First, what was the rich man missing? Faith? Treasure in heaven? Poverty? 

The rich man had honored God and kept his commands, but that wasn’t enough for Jesus. But Jesus didn’t tell him what exactly he was missing. 

Perhaps you are a commandment keeper like the rich man. And perhaps you have a bank account and investments and retirement savings. If Jesus asked you, would you give all that away? Would I?

2. A second window to the story is to ask, “Where is your treasure stored?” Jesus advised the rich man to sell his earthly treasures and acquire treasure in heaven.To  exchange what was visible and tangible and secure for a treasure he couldn’t see or touch or spend. Jesus didn’t make it easy for the rich man to follow him. 

I wonder what Jesus say to me about eternal life? That my faith is too hypothetical, that my treasure is only on earth? Would he advise me to dispose of my wealth? I hope that’s not my route to eternal life. 

3. There’s a third window to this story. When Jesus greets me in heaven, will he ask, “Did you read that story about the rich man?” What will I say? Can I tell him, “Yes, I read it. Good story, but you didn’t expect that level of commitment from me, did you?” 

Let’s pray. 

O father, Job said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked will I return” (Job 1:21). When we return to you, where will we hide our rich lifestyle? How will we disguise our half-hearted commitments? 

Help us on our earthly journey to hear Jesus’ voice, to discern what he asks of us, and to obey. And where we fail, may the grace of his cross and the mercy of your fatherhood bring us to everlasting life and true treasure in heaven. 

Amen. 

I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.  

YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube

Ep411. Mark 10. Jesus Talks Divorce 

Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.

In Mark 10, the Pharisees asked Jesus, “Does God’s law permit a man to divorce his wife?” (Mark 10:2). 

“What did Moses say?” asked Jesus. 

They replied, “Moses said a man could write a divorce certificate and send her away.” 

Jesus replied, “Moses wrote that law to accommodate your hard hearts. But God’s design is for a man and woman to marry and never separate. Anything else is outside God’s design” (Mark 10:5-9). 

Interestingly, Jesus put God’s law and God’s design on different sides of the divorce issue. God’s design doesn’t accommodate divorce, but the law supplies rules for a just divorce.

God’s plan was for Adam and Eve to get along, but after they ate the forbidden fruit, they blamed each other and the serpent. As history continued through Genesis, 
  – Abraham fathered a son by his wife’s Egyptian servant (Gen 16)
  – Lot fathered sons by incest with his daughters (Gen 19)

  – Jacob had children by two wives and two servant girls (Gen 29-30)
  – Judah fathered a son by his daughter-in-law when she posed as a prostitute (Gen 38)
  – When Dinah was raped by Canaanities, her brothers wiped out an entire village (Gen 34) 

Moses’ law tried to put order into this complicated situation. It declared rape, prostitution, and incest illegal; but it permitted polygamous marriage (Lev 18:18). 

Moses’ law did not treat all people equally. For example, the punishment for illicit sex with a female slave differed from the punishment for sex with a free woman (Lev 19:20-22). 

Here are a few observations. 

1. Adam and Eve had the first troubled marriage. Most of their descendants are in the same gene pool. 

2. To the patriarchs in Genesis, polygamy and having children by servant girls was situation normal. Genesis is realistic about troubled marriages, troubled families, and aberrations like incest, prostitution, and rape. 

3. Moses’ law does not try to implement and enforce God’s original design. As Jesus noted, it accommodates divorce, and tries to protect the vulnerable partner. 

4. Moses’ law deals compassionately, justly, and realistically with human brokenness, while still aiming to respect God’s design. For example, people with physical disabilities were full members of society, but were banned from the priesthood (Lev 21:18-20). Today, we would call this a clear case of discrimination. 

5. The fact that Moses’ law permits divorce raises complex questions for today’s Christians. Do we want laws to enforce our understanding of God’s design? Or should we copy Moses’ example by devising laws that deal compassionately and equitably with divorce, sickness, domestic violence, sexual preference, abortion, war, and other departures from God’s design?

Let’s pray. 

O father, our bodies, our culture, our relationships reflect our brokenness and the brokenness of our world.   

Give us wisdom to understand your design. Wisdom to love and serve those who live in the shadows of brokenness–Down’s syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, sexual brokenness. Give us wisdom to understand, like Moses, which cultural practices to accommodate. Divorce? Abortion? Euthanasia? Same-sex relationships? Other practices? 

Soften our hard hearts. Teach us to live by your design. Teach us to have grace for all who are unable or unwilling to live by your design. 

Amen. 

I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.  

YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube

Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.

Mark chapters 8 and 9 reported two world-shaking events. Peter recognized Jesus as the anointed one, the Messiah. And not long after, Jesus stepped into God’s glory on the mountain, talking with Moses and Elijah. 

After these events, Jesus taught his disciples that he would soon suffer and die. The disciples didn’t believe him. Peter said, “Not so,” and Jesus replied, “Get behind me, Satan” (Mark 8:33). The next time Jesus mentioned suffering and death, his disciples stayed silent. They didn’t pull another Peter, but among themselves, they argued about who would be greatest (Mark 9:33-34). 

This prompted Jesus to make several comments about greatness. 

First, he pointed out that God was planning a Great Reversal. “Whoever is first must be last, must be the servant of all.” he said (Mark 9:35). In the Great Reversal, servants become rulers, the insignificant gain status, and slaves become kings. If you’re following me, Jesus said, don’t count your kingdoms before you are king.

Second, Jesus took a child in his arms and said, “Whoever welcomes a little child in my name welcomes me” (Mark 9:37). The children’s Sunday School teacher is as great as the preacher.  

John, thinking about welcoming children, also thought about who wasn’t welcome. He said, “We saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we told him to stop, because he’s not one of us” (Mark 9:38). Jesus replied, “You’re making a mistake. Whoever drives out demons or does miracles or even gives a cup of water in my name, is on our side” (Mark 9:39-40). 

Clearly, the disciples needed to expand their view of Jesus followers. Whoever respects the name of Jesus is our ally, whether they are conservative, liberal, or even non-Christians. As Jesus said, “Whoever is not against us is for us” (Mark 9:40). 

The disciple’s argument about who was greatest didn’t fare well in Jesus’ views about servants and children and outsiders. Continuing his response, Jesus warned against harming children’s faith. He said, if you cause one of these little ones to stumble, it would be better if you swam with pockets full of stones and drowned. If your hand or eye or foot causes you to stumble, cut it off (Mark 9:42-49). 

Wow. The great disciples aren’t permitted even to lord it over children!

And Jesus warned, “Everyone will be salted with fire” (Mark 9:49). Don’t try to climb the corporate ladder of Jesus’ kingdom. Rather, prepare to go through the fire that will strip away sins and false aspirations, and maybe even the self that you love.

Jesus’ final comment to the disciples was, “Have salt among yourselves and be at peace with each other” (Mark 9:50).  You’re a salty, earthy, edgy lot of disciples. But there’s no need to argue about who will be greatest. Be salty with each other, but do it peacefully. 

Let’s pray. 

O father, Jesus tells us that in his kingdom, the first are last and the last are first. 

We are the first. We have studied the scriptures and the life of Jesus, and we have worked out how best to follow him. Surely our efforts have moved us up the corporate ladder. 

But Jesus’ instructions bring us down to earth. Care for the children, don’t think you’re above outsiders who serve him. Attend to the small things. Be a servant, do the dishes, shine the shoes, clean the bathtub, sweep the sidewalk. 

O father, give us wisdom and vision to follow his teaching. 

Amen. 

I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.  

YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube

Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.

After Jesus spoke with Moses and Elijah on a mountain, a man with a demon possessed son was waiting in the valley. “I asked your disciples to drive out the demon, but they couldn’t,” the man said. 

Jesus sighed and said, “You unbelieving generation. How long shall I put up with you?” (Mark 9:19). 

They brought the boy to Jesus, but the demon threw the boy into convulsions, and he fell down foaming at the mouth. The father said to Jesus, “If you can do anything, take pity and help us.” 

‘“If I can”?’ said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” 

The boy’s father said, “I believe. Help my unbelief.” Jesus healed the boy. 

The disciples, just coming off a successful ministry trip of preaching, healing, and casting out demons, asked Jesus, “Why couldn’t we cast out that demon?” 

Jesus replied, “That kind comes out only by prayer” (Mark 9:29). 

This story repeats several themes Mark has been highlighting in his gospel–lessons that Jesus’ disciples then (and today in 2025) are still slow to learn.  

First, Jesus expressed surprise at how spiritually obtuse the disciples were. “O unbelieving generation,” he said. “How long shall I put up with you?” (Mark 9:19).

Jesus put up with his disciples for three years. I wonder what emotion he was feeling about putting up with them this time. Disappointment? Annoyance? Frustration? I wonder what he feels about me.

Second, Jesus raised the question of faith. “Everything is possible for one who believes,” he said to the boy’s father (Mark 9:23).

Do you believe? Is everything possible for you? If not, what’s your excuse? These are questions I often ask myself. 

A third lesson: desperation trumped proper religious form. The mainline religious leaders argued with the crowd, but could not exorcise the demon (Mark 9:14). Jesus’ disciples were there too, but their faith and spirituality just wasn’t up to the task. 

What touched Jesus was the father’s desperation: “I believe. Help my unbelief!” Jesus accepted how difficult faith can be for humans, he received the father’s pain, and granted his request.

Does this story teach that I need to be more desperate in order to grow in faith? Interesting question, but I don’t see an answer in Mark’s gospel. 

My experience is that sometimes Jesus helps the desperate with a miracle. Sometimes he leads us through desperation to a more stable emotional life. And sometimes he lets us go on being desperate. The lesson I’ve learned is to bring whatever I feel of faith, unbelief, and desperation to Jesus, and wait for his answer.

The last lesson is that, once again, Jesus encouraged the disciples to pray. “This kind of demon comes out only by prayer,” he said. I wonder what was wrong with the disciples’ prayers. Were they praying the wrong prayers? Maybe they didn’t pray enough? Perhaps their prayers lacked fervency and conviction?

Jesus didn’t analyze or correct what was wrong with their prayers. He didn’t give instructions for improving their prayer life. He didn’t tell them how long and how fervently to pray. All he said was, “What you are missing is prayer.” 

Let’s pray. 

O Jesus, you often went to quiet places to pray. 

But when others came to you, we see desperation, not quietness. The disciples in the storm prayed, “Master, don’t you care if we drown?” The leper prayed, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” The synagogue leader prayed, “My daughter is dying. Please heal her.” 

O Jesus, when we lead lives of quiet desperation, transform and heal us. When we live lives of quiet comfort, teach us to pray in quiet places, as you did. 

Teach us that everything is possible to those who believe. Teach us that we can cast out entrenched sin and even demons by prayer. Teach us to pray. 

Amen. 

I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.  

YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube