155th Week, Mark Chapters 8-11 (Click on Title for Video Introduction)

 Click on Title for Video Introduction

Monday, Mark Chapter 8

Mark 8

Verse 11

Jane Jones

Verses 11:  The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven. He sighed deeply and said. “Why does this generation ask for a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to it.” Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.

THOUGHT

Have you ever tried to convince someone of something? I can remember growing up as a child and trying to convince my sister that it was her turn to wash dishes and MY turn to dry them. I can’t at this particular moment remember whose turn it really was, but facts, verification from Mom, and double verification from Gare still did not shake Jeanie’s mind. Or maybe it was the other way around. 

This scripture shows us that the Pharisees tried to work hard at explaining justification for the miracles Jesus performed. They wanted a sign from Heaven…from God Himself. And Jesus would not give it to them. He knew in His heart that no matter what He did, they would not believe.

Some of us have already decided what we are going to believe before we even go to God. We have convinced ourselves that we will never be able to “meet the demands of our jobs”, “ever get out of debt”, “never have children”, “never get a new car”, “never be rid of digestive problems”, “and never lose weight”. We could go on and on. We pray for a sign. Friends, there may not be a sign. The answer is in your heart, in your faith walk. Don’t harden your heart to the point that even the most convincing FACTS and signs will not change your mind. Stop and think the reason you are not receiving a sign is because the Lord knows you wouldn’t believe it anyway. Faith comes from our hearts, not from our eyes for what we see or our minds for what we think is right.

PRAYER

Thank You, Jesus, for the miracles You have performed on earth. We know that they continue even today for those that believe. We wait with expectation.  We thank You for the sleep we will get tonight to help us through another day in Your Kingdom. AMEN

Tuesday, Mark Chapter 9A (Verses 1-29)

Mark 9A

Verse 29

Jane Jones 

Verse 29:  He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”

THOUGHT

I just finished reading an outstanding book by Bill Hybels, Senior Pastor of Willow Creek Church in Chicago. It was entitled, “Too Busy NOT to Pray”. Very powerful book about how most of us have trouble finding time to pray. He made the discovery that prayer doesn’t happen on the run.

Have you ever felt like you were in such a crisis that you were in a deep, deep valley with no way to get out?  You felt beyond hope, and the emptiness drew you deeper and deeper into the pit.  Prayer was the last thing on your mind. But Jesus tells us in this short verse in Mark 9 that some things can come out only by prayer. Think back on a time in your life where you wished you would have “stopped-dropped-and prayed” as Jeanie puts it.

Prayer is the key that unlocks faith in our lives. Effective prayer needs both an attitude--complete dependence and an action--asking. Prayer demonstrates our reliance on God as we humbly invite him to fill us with faith and power. There is no substitute for prayer, especially in circumstances that seem impossible.

PRAYER

Lord, make us aware that when we pray we are praying to the Creator of the world, the King of the universe, the all-powerful, all-knowing, all-faithful God. Make us aware that we are praying to the God who made the mountains and who can move them if necessary. Make us aware that we are praying to the God who has always been faithful to us, who has never let us down no matter how frightened we were or how difficult the situation looked. Make us aware that we are praying to a God who wants to bear fruit through us.  May we trust that he is going to use us tomorrow, not because of who we are, but because of who He is. He is faithful. GREAT IS HIS FAITHFULNESS!! AMEN 

Wednesday, Mark 9B (Verses 30-50)

Mark 9B

Verse 50

Jane Jones

Verse 50:  Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other.

THOUGHT

What better verse for the Salt Shakers than this?  Jesus used salt to illustrate three qualities that should be found in His people:

1) We should remember God’s faithfulness just as salt when used with a sacrifice recalling God’s covenant with His people.

2) We should make a difference in the ‘flavor’ of the world we live in, just as salt changes meat’s flavor.

3) We should counteract the moral decay in society, just as salt preserves food from decay.

When we lose this desire to ‘salt’ the earth with the love and message of God, we become useless to him. Salt Shakers, let’s live up to our name and live for Him.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, it wasn’t by accident that we were assigned the name Salt Shakers. Please direct us where, when, and how You want us to ‘salt’ the earth for You. We will rise to the challenge and task, and may we never lose our saltiness. AMEN

Thursday, Mark Chapter 10

Mark 10

Verse 14

Jane Jones

Verse 14:  “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”

THOUGHT

When I read this verse I couldn’t help but think about five little cousins that were at Heather and David’s wedding. What a fun time. Jesus blesses little children. He loves on them. How special it was to see Sierra, Crystal, Hunter, Keslyn, and Micah all together.

Little children will accept the kingdom with no questions asked. They truly do believe in the power of God. I was visiting with Sierra at the wedding, and she told me that she prays for a brother and a sister every night and also for an apple tree. I asked her why she wanted a brother or a sister. She informed me that she wanted one of each because she wanted to have two sisters and one brother. I asked about her apple tree. She told me that she planted an apple seed in her yard. She waters it a lot. She prays that God will make it grow.

This story is why God blesses children. This is why God puts His hands on them. They accept Him with faith as strong as a little apple seed. They believe. May we take this lesson to heart and grow our faith to be as big as children have. If we do, we too will receive the Kingdom of God.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, thank You so much for the faith of little children. We praise and thank You for the little children who belong to all the Salt Shakers. We praise You for their parents and for the teaching power they have in introducing Jesus to them. We are so blessed to have such wonderful Christian parents.  For all the things You are to us and all the things You do for us, we say thank You with grateful hearts. AMEN

Friday, Mark Chapter 11

Mark 11

Verse 24

Bart Strayer

Verse 24:  Therefore I tell you, “whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

THOUGHT

I have just one thing to say about this verse, ‘Wow’!!  A little tid-bit of information left out of this verse has everything to do with our hearts being in alignment with God and nothing to do with getting everything we want.  How many times have I prayed needlessly about things that God had no intention in saying “yes” to?  Answering “yes” would have had a detrimental impact on my walk to the throne.

Here is a silly example. In 2004 I asked God to mold me into a wise securities trader.  In 2005 I bought interest rate call options on long bonds and lost money.  I asked God to make them go up.  He didn’t. I was devastated.  In 2006—2007 I realized that the wiser trade was the opposite trade and since then have made consistent profits.  If God would have made them go up the first time, it would have reinforced a wrong concept.  And let me add, this was a 3—year process.  We may go months and years without knowing what God is doing, but trust me, He is “doing” just fine.

We can’t possibly comprehend God, however, we can comprehend that our God is a good God, and He has infinite wisdom and foresight. In conclusion, I don’t always have confidence in myself to truly understand God’s will in all circumstances, so I find myself just praying, ‘God, I don’t know all

that is going on, but just let Your Will be done in this situation. Amen.’

PRAYER

Lord, we need to seek You out.  Help us find Your Will before we pray.  Align our hearts with Yours.  Help us to never doubt Your answer, but stand firm in confidence.  AMEN