Title: Power Validation / Topic: Miracles

• NOTE: This post is a recreation of one that was lost due to a blogger.com technical problem. I have done my best to convey the gist of what I posted originally.

Today’s Reading: Job 26; Job 27; Mark 15; Mark 16

Scripture: Mark 16:20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

Observation: I love this verse and the idea that God gave a supernatural stamp of approval to validate the message of the disciples: He sent miracles.

Application: Boy, we need these today. Some say we don't need the accompanying miracles because we have the completed Bible. But I think that is stupid. If somebody doesn't believe the Bible (and there are more all the time who don't), then giving them Bible verses to prove God is pointless. But if they or someone they know is healed, really healed, then it would be hard for them to deny the God of the Bible. I want to see the real dramatic miracles: we have plenty of blind, deaf, mute, and lame people around who could use God's touch. And the world could use the testimony of God's power -- and so could the church.

Prayer: Lord, send the miracles to testify of the validity of the Gospel message. Send Your power Lord -- give us miracles so many can repent and find You.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: A Lord Worth Living For / Topic: Jesus

Today’s Reading: Job 25; Mark 13; Mark 14

Scripture: Mark 14:64-65
64 ...They all condemned him as worthy of death. 65 Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, "Prophesy!" And the guards took him and beat him.

Observation: As I read this I think of my Lord, the loving Jesus, being brutalized by people He came to save. Even the sins they were committing by beating Him would be among those that His impending sacrificial death would provide forgiveness for.

Application: He bore my sin, my shame and as they were hurting Him, He endured this maltreatment out of His heart of love for me. Sometimes I think of the cross in almost abstract terms, but the suffering of Jesus was not abstract. It was personal, painful, and real. He took the beatings that I deserve. He is worthy of all worship and adoration and yet He allowed Himself to be spit upon. This is a Lord worth living for.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for Jesus. Thank You for sending Your only Son to live and die as my Savior. Lord, it pains me to think that my sin brought pain to Your Son. But I am thankful that through Your love, Jesus came to make it possible for me to know You as my Lord and God. Help me to live as Jesus did -- following Your word, sharing love, and giving my life for others.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: The Hidden Truth / Topic: God's Vision

Today’s Reading: Job 23; Job 24; Mark 11; Mark 12

Scripture: Mark 12:41-44
41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.
43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on."

Observation: Once again, we see Jesus showing us deep truth of the Kingdom. According to God, the widow put the most into the offering.

Application: We are so controlled by the physical realm that it is difficult to think outside the material box. But Jesus helps us. He points out that God looks on the heart. Of course, we cannot look on the heart of others. So how does this help us? Two ways. First, we can look at our own hearts and do everything possible to make sure our motivation is pure. And second, this helps us to remember that what we can see can be very misleading. This helps us not to be judgmental. It does not mean we shouldn't make judgments based on people's behavior, but it means that we should be hold those judgments lightly and be open to alternative interpretations of their actions. And we should be especially open to the voice of the Spirit as it gives us discernment regarding another's heart or motivation.

Prayer: Lord, I thank You that You are not swayed by PR. You see what is really going on in the heart. I want to be like this widow and give You my all. Help me to lay it all down at Your feet.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: The Bookend Brothers / Topic: Destiny

Today’s Reading: Psalm 121; Mark 9; Mark 10

Scripture: Mark 10:35-40
35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask."
36 "What do you want me to do for you?" he asked.
37 They replied, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory."
38 "You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said. "Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?"
39 "We can," they answered. Jesus said to them, "You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 40 but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared."

Observation: James and John make private request of Jesus. They want to be His special assistants. Sitting on the right and left of any ruler are the second and third most powerful of the kingdom. James and John want to reserve their spots in advance so no one else can get these places of privilege and power. They picture Jesus, sitting as King and Messiah, on a great throne, and the two of them, sitting on His immediate right and left, like two important bookends. Of course, Jesus tells them that those positions are not to be dispensed in this way. But interesting to me, James and John did end up being bookends, and, as a result, very privileged and unique in Jesus' Kingdom. They were bookends in that James and John were the first and the last martyrs of the disciples! James was the very first disciple to be killed for his faith. And John was the very last disciple to die for the Lord.

Application: We may think that God should give us this or that special place or recognition, but we really do not know the ultimate destiny that God has for us. James and John wanted honor, but they got a far greater honor than that which they sought. We do not know just how this journey will end, but we know the ultimate destiny is to be with the Lord, and we have His continued strength and encouragement to finish the course.

Prayer: Thank You, Lord, for choosing me. Help me to accept Your path for my life and to not chafe against it. May I embrace both the blessings and the limitations that are my lot. I ask You to help me to make the most of every opportunity that You bring to me.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Internal And Invisible / Topic: Spirituality

Today’s Reading: Job 22; Mark 7; Mark 8

Scripture: Mark 7:18-23
18 "Are you so dull?" he asked. "Don't you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him 'unclean'? 19 For it doesn't go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body." (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods "clean.")
20 He went on: "What comes out of a man is what makes him 'unclean.' 21 For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean.' "

Observation: Jesus addresses the common misunderstanding which associates spirituality with certain outward behaviors related to eating or drinking. If you do or don't eat or drink certain things, or if you do it in certain ways, you are thought to be more or less spiritual. But Jesus makes it clear that while many often focus on these outward behaviors, the real issue lies elsewhere. It is internal and invisible. The heart of the problem is the problem of the heart. It's not what goes in that makes a man "clean" or "unclean," that is, spiritually pure or impure. It's what comes out that shows the true condition.

Application: We just need to remember that most of what really matters to God is invisible to us. It is a real temptation to look on the outside and make a determination about the spiritual condition of a person. But as easy as it is to fall into that, it is important to avoid it. True, you can know a tree by its fruit, but that is referring to character attributes and not mere behaviors.

Prayer: Lord, give us discernment to better understand and help more people. And help us to reach out in love rather than judgment as a matter of regular practice. We want to represent You well and reach many people for You.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: "We'd Rather Have Pigs" / Topic: Priorities

Today’s Reading: Job 21; Mark 5; Mark 6

Scripture: Mark 5:14-17
14 Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. 15 When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 16 Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. 17 Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.

Observation: The people want Jesus to leave. Why? Because of Him, they lost their pigs. "Yeah, I know that he fixed that dangerous whacko. But, we gotta have our pigs! We can't take a chance on jeopardizing our pigs!"

Application: Not everybody wants what Jesus has to offer. Lots of people prefer to be left alone with their stuff (even if it is just a bunch of pigs), rather than to be confronted with power they can't control or explain. But, notice, Jesus does not try to talk they out of their preference. He respects their wishes and leaves.

Bottom line: Share the Gospel and let people decide. If they don't want it, move on.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, I want You more than anything. Thank You for Your mercy that draws me to You. Help me to share Your goodness with everyone in such a way that they want You too.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Sow Seed! / Topic: Evangelism

Today’s Reading: Job 20; Mark 3; Mark 4

Scripture: Mark 4:3-8
3 "Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times."

Observation: I notice that the sower just keeps sowing the seed. He does not look at the soil and say, "This isn't good soil. I won't waste my seed here." He scatters the seed.

Application: I try to sow where I think I am guaranteed results (or at least I think I have a good chance of results). But it seems from this parable that I need to be much more liberal with scattering seed. I need to get the seed out everywhere and give the soils a chance to react and respond. Perhaps there will be growth where I don't expect it. (Especially since I've seen little or no growth where I did expect it.)

Prayer: Lord, help me to be bold and unhindered with sharing the Gospel. I've got good news -- help me to share it more freely and frequently. Give me opportunities and I will take them. I want to win many souls.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.