February 18, 2015
Christ’s three-prong strategy for reaching the world with the gospel: 1) Appoint disciples, 2) Call them to follow Him, and 3) Send them out to preach the gospel. Notice that Christ’s first call is to Himself. And so, the twelve followed Him day and night for three years. And after they saw the resurrected Lord, they preached the gospel that turned the world upside down. This simple strategy worked because they had first spent time with Jesus and were filled with His Spirit. I’m glad that Jesus is still appointing disciples “that they might be with Him.” Are you spending time with Jesus?
February 17, 2015
The Mosaic sacrificial system was very specific and demanding, yet it revealed our desperate need for a Savior that could set us free not only from sin’s penalty, but from sin’s power over us. Yet, the principles revealed in the old system for receiving forgiveness are still true. We still must admit our sin, confessing it specifically to God. Then, we must trust in Christ as our ultimate, once-for-all, sufficient “trespass offering” to God for the forgiveness of our sins. Under the Old Testament sacrificial system, our sin offerings would never be enough. The work of sacrifice would never finish. But Christ finished it. The New Testament is the fulfillment of the Old. Have you confessed your sin and placed your trust in the sacrifice of Christ as payment?
February 16, 2015
The Gospel of Mark is unique among the four in that it was written in present rather than past tense. Mark’s action-oriented writing is marked by his favorite phrase, “and immediately,” which is found throughout the book. Each gospel presents a different perspective of Jesus. Matthew sees Him as King, Luke as Son of Man, and John as Son of God. But Mark presents a man of action, Jesus the Servant of all. And whatever Jesus does, He does “immediately.” Is there any urgent need requiring Christ’s immediate attention in your life?
February 15, 2015
Jesus made Capernaum His center of operations when He first began His ministry. Located at the Northern end of the Sea of Galilee, it was a major crossroads with the Via Maris (“Way of the Sea”) passing through it and the King’s Highway intersecting just North, connecting Cairo to Damascus and beyond. Here, Jesus called His first disciples and began to teach, “Repent of your sin and believe the Good News!” Great crowds of people began to travel to the area to see and hear Jesus. This is our calling today, to pray and declare the Good News, so that the “news about Jesus” spreads quickly throughout our world.
February 14, 2015
Our God is both Lord and Father. Recognizing God’s holy justice and our own sinfulness, we fear Him. A holy terror comes over us as one entering a lion’s lair. But this fear is only the “beginning of wisdom.” Being made right with God through Christ we gain understanding of our relationship with him as loving Father, so that the fear of God is united with the love of God. And so, Jesus taught us to pray, “Our Father, which art in heaven (loving relationship), hallowed be Thy Name” (holy, to be held in awe).
February 13, 2015
God is honored when His people worship Him with “stirred” hearts and “willing” spirits. The first has to do with the emotion and the other the will. One with a stirred heart is filled with passion for God’s kingdom work. They enthusiastically bring their offering of praise. One with a willing spirit serves God, not out of duty, but out of desire. They want to serve and give. God cares more for the condition of our heart in giving, than in the content of our gifts.
February 12, 2015
God gave Moses and the Israelites instructions on how to offer worship that honored Him. True worship might be described in two moves: 1) Recognizing God’s worth and 2) Giving God His worth. We are to bring our worship into God’s house with us, not come hoping to respond to the worship of others. It’s called a church “service,” because we are called to come and serve, not be served. Stop coming before God “empty-handed.” Bring your worship with you!
February 11, 2015
I love the old hymns. Hymns like “Amazing Grace,” written in 1779 by John Newton and later joined with the tune “New Britain” in a hymnbook published in 1847. Yet, I also love to sing a new song written by a new generation of believers. As a generation gets older it is easy to reject anything new. We cling to that which moved us when we were young. But I especially love when modern artists combine the old and new, like Chris Tomlin’s version of “Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone).” Tomlin “skillfully” brought the old song into the present giving it new life. We have to be careful not to worship the old songs, rather than the Lord of which they were written to praise. Our goal should be to “sing to Him” and to “play skillfully” to Him. Every culture and generation should yearn to sing new songs and to play them with excellence because our Lord is the One who inspires our worship.
February 10, 2015
When Jesus was arrested, Peter tried to blend in as one of the crowd, following Jesus from a distance. This, after following so close must’ve been unbearable. Following Jesus at church is one thing, but following Him in the public square is another. Do you try to blend in with the crowd? Are you trying to follow Jesus from a distance? When will you go public with your devotion?
February 9, 2015
Trials and temptations often come in pairs. We can’t avoid the former, but we can watch and pray, so that we avoid falling into the latter. Be alert to that which tempts. Pray in advance for strength so you won’t be led into its trap. Pray as Jesus taught us, “Lead us not into temptation…”