Mark Devotions

Go to Mark 4:26-34

[Please do read the passage before (or after) reading the devotion.]

Reminder: There will be NO daily devotion tomorrow, Sunday. Hopefully most of you will be in a House of Worship listening to God yourselves. Go prepared with open hearts, though!

Jesus then tells 2 parables on the nature of spiritual growth. Both of them are pictures of God’s grace (His undeserved, unconditional and powerful love) at work. They are to reassure and encourage the follower of Christ in their walk with Him. Both remind the hearer that all spiritual growth begins with God – it is always His initiative; all we do is respond in surrender and obedience. Then, with Him in control (after all, He is “King”), the first result is that He will grow us, His way: His methods, even His time (and that usually is unique to each of our relationships with Him). The second is that slowly, but surely that growth in us will affect those who need Him in some form of the other, just like the mustard plant becomes a source of refuge to birds, among other things. So, be encouraged; when God’s in charge of your life, you will grow in ways unimaginable!

Prayer: I am so grateful, Lord, that when you are in charge of my life, I don’t need to bother about the way I grow, and how much. I know you know me; you know my resistance to your working and are patient with me. You know what fears I have, and so you build me up with courage. I give my life to you afresh, my Lord: be my King. And grow me the way that brings you pleasure, and draws me closer to you. Amen

 Mark Devotions

Go to Mark 4:21-25

[Please do read the passage before (or after) reading the devotion.]

God is generous with His (spiritual) gifts to us, as well as the fruit that He wants to grow in us. Yet there is responsibility involved in both. When God works in us, giving and growing, it is not just for our own benefit. It’s like an apple tree trying to hide its apples within its trunk. [You know that is not possible, and is even a laughable.] Yet we humans do it. God in His grace sends His Holy Spirit into the believer so that Jesus Christ’s Presence is experienced and His Character is formed in us. But so often we would rather keep that to ourselves – or worse still not really believe that any of that has happened (or is happening). Jesus encourages us to let His Presence be revealed through our lives by word and works. The more we do, the more He fills us; the less we do, the more we allow Him to diminish in us.

Prayer: Thank you for your generosity, my Lord and Savior. You have given everything we need “for life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3). And yet I am not satisfied, and sometimes even unbelieving. I wish you would give me what I want, not realizing that you have given me all I need. Forgive me for not wanting to reveal the fruit that you want to bring forth from me – fruit that will refresh and sustain other lives. I hear your voice Lord that bids me to show your love, patience, kindness, joy, peace, and all the other fruit that you are growing in me. May your fruit overflow from me Lord Jesus, for your glory. Amen.

 Mark Devotions

Parable of the Sower

Go to Mark 4: 13-20

[Please do read the passage before (or after) reading the devotion.]

The seed that fell on the good soil produced a large harvest – many times that of the original. Jesus said that these were like people that opened themselves up to God’s working. They actively listened. This is the kind of listening that is intentional, focused, like a mother listening for the sound of her child and/or vice versa. On hearing the Word, they accepted (or gladly received) it. Like a thirsty traveler that drinks water after hours of being without it. [Luke 8:15 adds persevering after this.] And finally produces that huge crop. Amazingly this part belongs more to God, if we do the previous three. The reason for the plant is not to just grow, but also to produce fruit. Are you the “fruity” person that God made you to be, and Christ gave His life for?

 Mark Devotions

Parable of the Sower

Mark 4: 13-20

[Please do read the passages before (or after) reading the devotion.]

Prayer: O Master Sower, I know that you have sown your Word many times in my heart. And yet I don’t always see the fruit of that Word in my life that brings you glory. Show me which kind of “soil” I am. Forgive me when there have been times I did not take You and Your Word seriously. Forgive me for times when I allowed my faith to be purely based on feeling, so when the feeling faded, so did you. Lord Jesus, I want to make you the sole focus of my life; let nothing distract me from you. I love you, Lord, because You loved me first. Amen.

Listen to Song

 Mark Devotions

Go to Mark 4:9-12

[Please do read the passage before (or after) reading the devotion.]

Jesus did much of his preaching in the form of parables, but they were not entirely unique to him. An example from the Old Testament is when the prophet Nathan confronted King David with his sin of adultery and murder (2 Samuel 12:1-6).  Parables were simple stories which easily connected to everyday life, yet their intent was to get across a deeper meaning without the hearer suspecting that they were somehow part of the story – until it was too late! Jesus used parables to draw people into the story of what God is doing in our everyday lives, and by identifying with either the characters in the story or the event (or both), he forces us to make the choice of whether we want to go along with what God is doing or go our own way. Parables were meant to make the hearer uncomfortable (because they always called for the hearer to return to God in some way), or else the hearer was not really listening. Do you listen?

Mark Devotions

Mark Devotions

Go To Mark 3:22-30

[Please do read the passage before (or after) reading the devotion.]

Reminder: There will be NO daily devotion tomorrow, Sunday. Hopefully most of you will be in a House of Worship listening to God yourselves. Go prepared with open hearts, though!

It must take a very cynical mind to imagine that spiritual (or religious) authority is used only by evil persons for evil purposes. Because that was what Jesus was being accused of, by the religious leaders of his time. And we must be careful not to fall into the same trap whether it is Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, or any other religion. According to Jesus, real spiritual authority comes only from God through the Holy Spirit; and it was to overcome evil, which was what Jesus was doing. Resistance to such authority was really resisting God. And when we intentionally resist God, even God cannot/will not change that, because He has chosen to limit Himself in His love. He does this so that we creatures have the freedom to either choose Him…or reject Him.

Prayer: Gracious God, forgive me for so easily judging and condemning others either for their convictions or religious stance, because I think they are resisting You. But have I been resisting You as well by my plans, activities, thoughts, that intentionally (or UN-intentionally) exclude you? Lord Jesus, I realize that I live in a world of evil, and the only way I can do my part in resisting evil is to choose to surrender to You. Come Holy Spirit and fill my life with spiritual authority to overcome every kind of evil that surfaces at home, work, play, anywhere! Amen.

Mark Devotions

Go To Mark 3:20-22

[Please do read the passage before (or after) reading the devotion.]

Ever felt misunderstood – even by those closest to you? When those you love and respect thought that they could run your life better than you could? Jesus’ own family (with the exception of Mary, his mother) did exactly that to Jesus. Because he was so involved in what God was doing through him for people in need, there were times he and his disciples didn’t get time to eat. So, his family tried to “take over” his life. They even thought he was crazy to be so completely invested in people. Added to that the religious authorities accused him of being on the side of the devil because of his apparent authority over the forces of evil. But did that stop him, do you think?? [Check out how Peter (Acts 5:29) and Paul (Galatians 1:10) responded.]

Prayer: Lord, as I follow you and your ways, I see myself looking more and more different from the others around me. It makes me uncomfortable and I so often cave in to pressure, because I want to be liked. I don’t want to be rejected by being “different” even if it’s because of you. Forgive me for times when I have compromised, just to merge with the crowd. Gracious God, give me the strength, wisdom and courage to stand for the faith you have put in me, for the purpose you have called me to. And let me do it with humility and gentleness so that ultimately the world will see You glorified in me. Amen.

Listen to Song

Mark Devotions

Go To Mark 3:13-19

[Please do read the passage before (or after) reading the devotion.]

Jesus chooses (calls) 12 men from among those that followed him; they were to be his “sent out” ones (that’s what apostle meant). He chooses them for 3 reasons. First was that they had to just be with him. There’s no better way to know a person than to listen to them, see what they do, and how they do it. Maybe even participate in what they do. Without even knowing it, you even grow in a relationship with that person, especially if you are with them 24/7, like those 12 were. Are you consciously with Jesus 24/7, in (the) “Word”, prayer, thoughts, deed? Secondly, there would come a time when Jesus would send them to take his Word – somewhere (neighborhood, workplace, school, family), and to somebody (the discouraged, sad, hope-less, broken, purpose-less, hell-bound). Thirdly, they were to be intentional in their stand against every kind of evil, with His authority. The 12 are named; among them one that would choose to betray him, another to deny him, and all who would one day desert him. Jesus knew this; and yet he chose them.

Prayer: Loving God, thank you that it is you that has chosen me, and not the other way around. Because that means you did it knowing my inadequacies, weaknesses, and brokenness. And you chose me because you knew that the only real hope for me was to be with you. Lord Jesus, I want to be a disciple that you can trust with others’ brokenness and needs; I want to stand against the evil that shows up so regularly knowing that I have the authority as your disciple to do so. Remind me Lord, that when you send me anywhere and to anyone, not only will you bring change there, you change and grow me as well. Amen.

Listen to Song

Mark Devotions

Go To Mark 3:7-12

[Please do read the passage before (or after) reading the devotion.]

It’s curious, but while Jesus was on Earth he never really wanted people talking about him and his healings. And he shut up those unclean evil spirits who knew without a doubt his identity as God’s Son. Does that mean that we shouldn’t tell others about him and what he’s done? There are three things to remember. Jesus does want us to talk about him with others, but first he wants us to have an intimate relationship with him. Sharing about anyone based on a superficial relationship is dangerous; besides, why will we want others to know him unless we ourselves have a growing experience of the wonderful Person that he is? Second, there is a matter of “timing” – you need to know when God wants you to do it. It’s like the farmer who sows the seed only after he has ploughed and cultivated the ground. And thirdly, if that person’s life reflects the world and its evils, Christ is not interested in getting “good press” from “unreliable sources.”

Prayer: Father, I am so often afraid to talk about you. But even if I did want to talk about you, what would I say? Lord, I realize that maybe I need to grow in my intimacy with you. Like Paul I want my prayer to be, “I want to know you, Christ” – the depth of your love, the wonder of you as Creator, the beauty of your holiness… I want to be so excited about you that every conversation I have with others will be an opportunity for you to manifest yourself. Help me understand that when I radiate your growing Presence in me, you will prepare the ground for people to want to know the Person that makes all the difference in my life. Amen.

Listen to Song