Mark

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“Jesus said, ‘give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God'” (Mark 12:17)

March 4, 2012

We have dual citizenship. We are born into Caesar’s kingdom, but born again into God’s. We are to live at peace with the temporal king, while proclaiming the imminent return of the Eternal One. When the two kingdoms are at odds, we bow only to King Jesus!

“Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God” (Mark 10:27)

March 1, 2012

In what hope or dream from God have you given up? Does it seem impossible to you now? Pray and cast all your cares on Him. All things are possible with God. He exposes our unmet needs, so that we understand that He alone can meet them.

“What do you mean, ‘If I can’?’ Jesus asked. ‘Anything is possible if a person believes.’ The father instantly cried out, ‘I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!’” (Mark 9:23-24)

February 27, 2012

We have divided minds and hearts. We even have divided believing. But trusting Christ for everything we become undivided in our devotion and in our believing. Exercised faith grows.

“If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it” (Mark 8:35)

February 26, 2012

What have you given up for the Gospel? Time? Money? These represent symbols of your life, but have you yet bled for it? Most have not. Have you risked anything yet? Stop just hanging on. Give it up for Jesus!

“You let them disregard their needy parents. And so you cancel the word of God” (Mark 7:12-13)

February 24, 2012

The 5th commandment says to “honor” your parents. This means to “give them their due.” What are they due? Respect & love? Yes. But also, financial support. Jesus warned the Pharisees about not caring for their parents. Children are to care for their elderly parents.

“And the crowd began pleading with Jesus to go away and leave them alone” (Mark 5:17)

February 20, 2012

I wonder how many have turned Jesus away because they were afraid of the changes He would make in their lives? If they would have invited Him to stay, there would have been another chapter in the Gospel of Mark. Instead, just this… He got back in the boat and left them.

“To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given” (Mark 4:25)

February 19, 2012

Listening precedes understanding. Jesus taught this maxim after speaking in parables that some didn’t get. Our ADD culture offers no help here. We must learn the habit of listening to God’s Word. It is a spiritual discipline that takes time. The more you listen, the more you understand.

“I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners” (Mark 2:17)

February 17, 2012

The problem in our culture today is that no one sees themselves as a sinner, because relativism has done away with the very idea of sin. If there are no absolutes, then everyone is right in their own eyes. Lord, help us to answer and carry Your call to a lost world.

“Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him” (Mark 1:41)

February 16, 2012

While others avoided even looking at lepers, Jesus touched and healed them. Their rotting flesh too terrible to see or smell, lepers were avoided by all. But Jesus touched them. People didn’t realize that sin had made them all spiritual lepers. And what love it took for the Holy One to touch even them.

“At the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me'” (Mark 15:34)

March 11, 2011

This cry was not a mark of failure, but one of prophecy fulfilled and the human condition felt. Jesus said the very words of Psalm 22:1 prophesied for Him. He who knew no sin became sin for us. He suffered separation so that we might be brought near to God.