Most of us eat every day, some of us too much, because yesterday's
food is not enough to supply energy for today's needs. Why then, do
some of us expect yesterday's portion of heavenly manna, the word of God to
keep us through today's challenges. On this program, we are going to change
all of that. Let's experience God's words today and receive the power we need
to live healthy, vibrant lives. Welcome to Your Daily Portion with your host,
author speaker, Elle David Harris. Good morning, Good morning, Good
morning. It is Monday, July fifteen, twenty twenty four. Hello,
my name is El David Harris. I am your host, and this is
your Daily Portion where we give you God's word every single day, and today
is no exception. We are continuing in our Lesson study series through the Book
of Mark. Our caption for today is calling Levi and the fasting question,
or the question of fasting. Calling Levi and the question of fasting. That's
complicated. I know we'll get into that in just a moment, but first
I'd like to say welcome to you and ask you to please go over to
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And this is a way that we will continue to build faith and fellowship.
Let's go ahead and pray, and then we will get underway. Father and
Heaven. Thank you for giving us this new day. Thank you for loving
us. Please help us when we hear your call to accept your call.
In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen and Amen again, Levi. And
the question of fasting controversies, controversies. If this is your first day with
us, then you'll need to scroll back for just a few days and you'll
see that that is kind of what we are. There are people who,
when they're in God's presence, they choose controversy instead of conversion. There are
people who, when they are in the presence of God, they choose to
be cantankerous rather than to be converted by God. And so what we're dealing
with here is, you know, several instances where God pressed through the dark
cloud of people trying to figure out how they're supposed to like respond to him
over and against their con controversial nature, like it's weird. And so we
go into the Bible Book of Mark, chapter two for this part of the
story, beginning at verse thirteen, and the Bible reads and he went forth
again by the seaside, and all the multitude resorted to him. I think
we said something like that before, like yesterday, there may be an echo
in here. When Jesus was present, people knew where he was because he
was a prominent figure. Why was he a prominent figure Because he was transforming
people's lives, healing the sick, raising the dead, giving people food when
they didn't have any food, like delivering people from sin bondage. And so
there are a lot of people there, and he taught them. That's what
he did. That's what made what he did so special Verse fourteen. And
as he passed by, he saw Levi, the son of al Faeos,
sitting at the receipt of custom. And he said to him, follow me.
Now, Levi Matthew, by the way, was a tax collector.
And the tax collectors might as well have been like one of the worst types
of people in that culture in that day, like they would they would put
tax collectors and pick negative sin fill in the blank right here, like put
all of that into into one. Buts like Levi Matthew was from a set
of people in the community that the people just said, just call him a
sinner, like he's a tax collector center same thing. Okay, So this
is what we're dealing with. And so Jesus is calling Levi Matthew. And
part of it is because they these guys were scammers, like some of them
were genal, like they would overreach, and so that's what we're dealing with
here. And it says he said, follow me, and he arose and
did what followed him Verse fifteen. And it came to pass that as Jesus
sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners and more of them,
you had more tax collectors and sinners set also together with Jesus and his
disciples, and there were many that followed him, and the scribes and the
Pharisees saw him eat with oh, my goodness, publicans, Like you're eating
with tax collectors and sinners. That's what they That's what they're saying, like
he's eating with publicans and sinners, and of course and their mindset. It
was like, if you're eating with them, then you're just like them,
and so you're condoning their lifestyles and behavior. So you should not be unclean
like that, like you should not be attached or associated with these people,
because how how could you be how could you be from God and be willing
to eat in the presence of publicans and sinners. Boy, they had it
all wrong. They had it all wrong. And they said, unto his
disciples, how is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?
And when Jesus heard it, he said, unto them, Uh, they
that are whole have no need of a physician, but they that are sick.
What is Jesus saying here? Is he saying that the people who are
asking these controversial questions from a dark heart, that they're sick and they need
a physician, and that they should be getting healed. But rather they are
being controversial. They are standing in the way of other people. Getting healed,
as he also potentially saying that, well, why would you are you
gonna You're just gonna have a club, a club full of an exclusive club
full of people that are special and don't need any assistance, and bring them
all together. Jesus is saying that in my presence, all of the laying,
the main, the blind, the sick, the halt, the people
who can't speak, the people who are sick, the people who are sinners
in the quote worst ways, those individuals get the deliverance that they need.
So what's the controversy here? Continuing verse seven, Oh, no, I
said that already verse seventeen, Verse eighteen. At seventeen it says, I
came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. And the disciples
of John and of the Pharisees used to fast. And they came and say,
unto him, why do the disciples of John and the Pharisees fast,
but your disciples they don't? Verse nineteen, and Jesus said, unto them,
can the children of the bride chamber fast while the bridegroom is with them?
As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast Jesus
is saying, why are you worrying about fasting? The fullness of the presence
of God in human form is here. The power of God is present to
heal. And you want to have a discussion about fasting. Why I'm right
here the epitome of all that you could get or the benefit that you could
derive by fasting and praying, and your sackcloth and ashes, throwing dust and
covering yourself in burlap bags. All of the benefit that you could receive by
humbling yourself in that way is present right here. So why in the world
would you do all of that when I'm right here? Ask what you need?
Experience all that God is gonna do this in this space and time,
and you're worrying about fasting. Come on, man verse twenty. But in
the days it will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them,
and then they shall fast in those days. No man also soe a piece
of new cloth on an old garment, else the new piece that filled it
up would take away from the old, and the rent is made worst.
And no man putteth new wine in old bottles, else the new wine doth
burst the bottles and the wine spilleth, and the bottles will be marred,
and the new wine must be put into new bottles. I said to you
yesterday on that last point, that there are people who are so stubborn spiritually
speaking, people spiritually spiritual know it alls, people who would rather be in
air quotes, technical right in their own eyes and arguments than to actually experience
the presence of God, to experience the power of God unto salvation in their
hearts, to deliver people who are bound financially, spiritually, emotionally, and
ear in some other way from a health perspective, they would rather have an
argument and have discussion, intellectual discussion to make themselves feel intelligent, than to
accept the word of God. And so what God is saying to us is,
first of all, be present for people who need to be connected to
God, and also be present when you need to be connected to God,
like don't make yourself so rigid that you cannot change. Make it a great
day. Thanks for joining us listening. Friends. Always remember we cannot live
by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
This has been your daily portion with El David Harris. Make it a
great day. Yeah,