2/7/24 let the rain fall. ❤️

Mark 8:13-38
And He went away and left them and, getting into the boat again, He departed to the other side.
Now they had [completely] forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat.
And Jesus [repeatedly and expressly] charged and admonished them, saying, Look out; keep on your guard and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herodand the Herodians.
And they discussed it and reasoned with one another, It is because we have no bread.
And being aware [of it], Jesus said to them, Why are you reasoning and saying it is because you have no bread? Do you not yet discern or understand? Are your hearts in [a settled state of] hardness?
Having eyes, do you not see [with them], and having ears, do you not hear and perceive and understand the sense of what is said? And do you not remember?
When I broke the five loaves for the 5,000, how many [small hand] baskets full of broken pieces did you take up? They said to Him, Twelve.
And [when I broke] the seven loaves for the 4,000, how many [large provision] baskets full of broken pieces did you take up? And they said to Him, Seven.
And Hekept repeating, Do you not yet understand?
And they came to Bethsaida. And [people] brought to Him a blind man and begged Him to touch him.
And Hecaught the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village; and when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands upon him, He asked him, Do you [possibly] see anything?
And he looked up and said, I see people, but [they look] like trees, walking.
Then He put His hands on his eyes again; and the man looked intently [that is, fixed his eyes on definite objects], and he was restored and saw everything distinctly [even what wasat a distance].
And He sent him away to his house, telling [him], Do not [even] enter the villageor tell anyone there.
And Jesus went on with His disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way He asked His disciples, Who do people say that I am?
And they answered [Him], John the Baptist; and others [say], Elijah; but others, one of the prophets.
And He asked them, But who do you yourselves say that I am? Peter replied to Him, You are the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).
And He charged them sharply to tell no one about Him.
And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must of necessity suffer many things and be tested and disapproved and rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be put to death, and after three days rise again [from death].
And He said this freely (frankly, plainly, and explicitly, making it unmistakable). And Peter took Himby the hand and led Him aside and then [facing Him] began to rebuke Him.
But turning around [His back to Peter] and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, Get behind Me, Satan! For you do not have a mindintent on promoting what God wills, but what pleases men [you are not on God’s side, but that of men].
And Jesus called [to Him] the throng with His disciples and said to them, If anyone intends to come after Me, let him deny himself [forget, ignore, disown, andlose sight of himself and his own interests] and take up his cross, and [joining Me as a disciple and siding with My party] followwith Me [continually, cleaving steadfastly to Me].
For whoever wants to save his [higher, spiritual, eternal] life, will lose it [thelower, natural, temporal lifewhich is lived only on earth]; and whoever gives up his life [which is lived only on earth] for My sake and the Gospel’s will save it [hishigher, spiritual lifein the eternal kingdom of God].
For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life [in the eternal kingdom of God]?
For what can a man give as an exchange (a compensation, a ransom, in return) for his [blessed] life [in the eternal kingdom of God]?
For whoeveris ashamed [here and now] of Me and My words in this adulterous (unfaithful) and [preeminently] sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when He comes in the glory (splendor and majesty) of His Father with the holy angels.