Author: Bill Hall

Mark 1:15
   There are those who, of course, do not believe the truth about Christ, and yet presume to teach on the Bible anyway. Some, as a result, say that Jesus got his early message from John the Baptist, and then built it from there. Well, this is one of those arguments built upon itself. John got his message from Jesus, not the other way around. But, because this connection was necessary and proper, unbelievers have used it as an excuse for their assertions.

Bible Reading: Ezekiel 41:1-43:27

Scripture Memory: James 5:1 “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your love for us. You give us such amazing blessings. Our children are a constant reminder of Your amazing power and wonderful love. They are, each of them, miracles. Thank You for the every-day miracles all around us. We cannot forget Your glory! You are above all. Thank You! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man in a nursing home. Pray for an elderly woman who just lost her husband.

Journal Entry #14342

Mark 1:14
   There has been much confusion about what Jesus is actually teaching here. Because of the fact that his preaching is referred to as the gospel of the kingdom of God, many have interpreted this to be something different from what we would think of as the regular gospel. The fact is that the plan of God has a lot to do with the response of the people of God. Of course history would flow differently if people had, throughout that history, responded differently to God’s truth. The fact is, however, that has not happened, and people have generally been unresponsive, as the Bible has predicted.
   It is because of this that we are told by some that Jesus was preaching the gospel of the kingdom. By this they mean that Jesus was saying the kingdom of God would literally, physically, come to the world at that time, if the Jews would wholeheartedly repent. Though this is true, in a sense, we need to keep in mind the fact that it had already been determined this would not happen. Scripture had already indicated and prophesied that the Jews would not respond in this way.
   The best way to understand this might be to go back to the beginning of creation. Though Adam could have obeyed, he did not. God knew before Adam ever sinned that he would indeed sin. Thus, God’s offer a blessing to a perfect mankind was no less legitimate, even though he knew mankind would not remain perfect. In the same way, Jesus’ offer of the Kingdom at that time to a wholeheartedly repentant Jewish nation was no less legitimate, even though that would not be forthcoming.
   As result, I feel it is always best to have unity in our view of the message of God throughout history. Rather than trying to divide God’s message up into different sections, it is better to realize that God’s message is always based on repentance, faith, and obedience to it. God knows who will respond, and how they will respond. Thus, the content of the message will always be tailored to the response of those who hear. The message of God, then, even before the time of Christ, has always been repent and believe. Obedience out of a true heart of love for God is always what he has asked for of us, and it is what he will always ask for of us. Because of this, it is not necessary to separate the gospel of the kingdom from the gospel of the cross. As we will see in the next verse, repentance and faith is what the Lord is asking for.

Bible Reading: Ezekiel 38:1-40:49

Scripture Memory: James 4:17 “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, it is so good to know that you always tell us the truth! You have never once lied. All that you have promised, you truly mean. And, you are faithful to perform every promise you have made. We could never accuse you of dishonesty, flattery, impiety, cruelty, or injustice. You love us genuinely, devotedly, and faithfully. May we reciprocate with like kind. May praise for you always be found in our mouths! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man with several health issues. Pray for a man who is trying to decide whether to return to the mission field in spite of poor health. Pray for a woman who recently lost her husband.

Journal Entry #14340

Mark 1:13
   If we are not careful in our understanding of the will of God, it would be very easy to become confused by this particular verse. It is not God’s will for evil to happen. However, he may allow evil to do things for a time. He allowed for Jesus to be put into the wilderness, in a situation where he was challenged and tempted physically. Jesus was hungry, Jesus was tired, Jesus was in want physically. Emotionally and spiritually I’m sure it was difficult as well. However, the difference between him and our original father Adam, is his divinity. Though we have record in the other gospels of the temptation of Satan at the end of the 40 days, the entire temptation extended for this entire time. There have may have been other interchanges between the evil one and Christ. But, our record of the last encounter would be how the other ones had gone as well. Our sinful foe only has 3 tricks up his sleeve. And he uses them over and over with mankind. With the Christ, however, they fell flat.
This mention of wild beasts may seem strange to some. However, it serves to remind us of the horrible weight of sin upon the creation. Even the animals are affected by the punishment of sin, the curse reaches to them as well. It is, then, after this long testing, a significant number of days, that the angels come to minister to the Lord Jesus. No living man had ever been through such an ordeal of testing, trial and temptation. But the blessed Son of God, the Christ, came through it unscathed and uncompromised.

Bible Reading: Ezekiel 35:1-37:28

Scripture Memory: James 4:17 “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for this wonderful day! May we lift Christ high in everything that we do. May we give him always the preeminence in all of our actions, words, thoughts and deeds. May we always keep in mind the fact that only you have our best interests at heart. You alone know the right path for our feet. You alone will always guide us in the ways that are best for our lives. We owe you our allegiance, we owe you our worship. May we give you both in humble service. We find our worth in your infinite power. We find our satisfaction in your infinite love. May all praise be to you dear Father! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for our Christmas play. Pray for a woman with emotional issues. Pray for a woman who is very elderly.

Journal Entry #14339

Mark 1:12
   As we read this verse it is important to understand what is not being said. The Spirit leads, or sends, Jesus into the wilderness. The idea expressed in the Greek here does not require that we interpret this to say that Jesus was forced in to the wilderness. Christ was not pushed or pulled by the hands of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit of God worked in the Son of God to bring Him to the place that was will of God the Father.

Bible Reading: Ezekiel 32:1-34:31

Scripture Memory: James 4:17 “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your leading in our lives. You have a plan for each of us. Thank You for just telling us the truth. In spite of our shortcomings, You have given us the chance to do what is right through Christ. Thank You for Him! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man who is in and out of the hospital. Pray for a man in rehab, and for his family.

Journal Entry #14339

Mark 1:11
   One of the things that we seem to forget to emphasize is the design God has for everything. The Father glorifies the Son, and the Son glorifies the Father. The Spirit works in us to bring honor to the Son, and the Father, and glory to the Godhead. So, it’s really not about us. It’s about Him!

Bible Reading: Ezekiel 28:1-31:18

Scripture Memory: James 4:16 “But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, only you know what a day will bring forth. Thank You for the blessings that even now You have planned. You know what You will do in our lives before we could ever conceive of what will happen next. Thank You for Your great plan! You are worthy of all honor and glory. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for several people who have the flu.

Journal Entry #14338

Mark 1:10
   Starting with verse nine, Mark’s focus is on Jesus. Thus, in this verse both of the personal pronouns refer to Christ. Though we know that John observed the same thing, it is Jesus’ perspective that is being reported here. The real movement of this gospel, which is noticeable throughout, begins in this verse. Straightway, or immediately, is one of Mark’s favorite movement ideas. He gives the sense that Jesus is in constant motion. He moves the reader from one event to the next. Thus, this baptism is the starting point for a whole plethora of events that make up the earthly ministry of the Christ.

Bible Reading: Ezekiel 24:1-27:36

Scripture Memory: James 4:16 “But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your daily faithfulness. You are always there, loving us. May we never lose sight of Your holiness, and Your great power. You are so wonderful, it is easy to take for granted, and we must not do that. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man in critical condition. Pray for a man in rehab.

Journal Entry #14337

Mark 1:9
   I like to ask strange questions. A question that I had early on was why Christ waited so long to start his public ministry? There are surely several good answers, but here we have the clearest, most straightforward reason. Jesus was waiting on John. John’s ministry was vital to the timing of Christ’s ministry. John’s ministry began later in his life for good reasons as well. A man of less than thirty would likely not be heard or trusted like John and Jesus both were. It’s kind of like our age requirement for the President of the USA. We expect a certain level of maturity and experience. John could establish himself as a prophet successfully at an older age, rather than in his late teens or early twenties. The same was true for Jesus. Thus, their ministries began as quickly as they could be expected to begin.

Bible Reading: Ezekiel 22:1-23:49

Scripture Memory: James 4:16 “But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your amazing, faithful, mercy, grace, and truth. You continue to work in our lives each and every day. You never stop. May we never stop serving You as we should. If we had months of Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas, we could not even begin to thank You enough. And get there is so much that You do in the lives of people all over this globe that we know nothing about. That is an overwhelming thought. I could spend years praising You for blessings that I don’t even know about. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a family that just lost a loved one. Pray for a man who may have MERSA. Pray fro a woman who is unsaved. Pray for a man who is trying to lead others to Christ.

Journal Entry #14336

Mark 1:8
   This a very important verse for understanding biblical baptism. Though when we think of baptism today, we think primarily of water, John did not see it that way at all. Though he may have anticipated water baptism continuing, he understood that the baptism of the Holy Spirit was the thing to focus on. His words here cannot be made to mean other than what they do very plainly mean. Jesus would have the power to baptize with the Holy Spirit of God. Though water baptism continues as a sign of the change that has occurred, the baptism of the Spirit is the transforming agent. This of great importance in the ministry of Christ. Indeed, it is a great contrast with all that had gone before in the Jewish experience. No matter who God had used to bring His people closer to Him, nobody had the power to do this. Christ alone brings the very Spirit of God into the heart and life of an individual. Without Christ, the Spirit remains veiled, removed from the people because of the defilement of sin. This was a teaching so great, and so significant, and yet many of the followers of John probably did not understand it. Even today it is hard for us to fathom. That God would see fit to allow us to be his temple is beyond amazing. Only He could make that possible. Only by Christ has it been made possible.

Bible Reading: Ezekiel 20:1-21:32

Scripture Memory: James 4:15 “For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I could spend a lifetime enumerating the blessings that we have through Christ. May I at this time of year be extremely grateful for Your love for us. You have done all to bring great glory to Yourself. You deserve all of it. You are the Great and Mighty God of All. Christ is Your beautiful plan. He is Your most wondrous gift. All that is good we have in Him. May we praise You for all of eternity for the simple blessings of Christmas, hearth and home, and Your love as we have it from so many directions. You surround us with Your goodness, even when our lives are filled with difficulty and pain. No matter what happens, we seem to find no way to be discontent, for Your eternal promises come streaming into our hearts once and again, reminding us that You are the Source of all good things. Thank You for it all, Father! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man in critical condition. Pray for a woman having trouble with her hip. Pray for a man with colon cancer. Pray for several people with the flu.

Journal Entry #14335

Mark 1:7
   Has the unique nature of the message of John the Baptist ever struck you? If not, you have not understood the nature of gospel preaching. As John, gospel preachers even today are still holding high the Name of Christ and pointing to Him as the Savior and Lord. This is not a common message. Adherents are not kept this way if you are following man’s methods. This way of humility about your message is not the way to garner personal followers. Indeed, John was intentionally pointing his listeners elsewhere. He was admitting openly that he was nothing great, but that he was only the servant of that Great and Mighty One. Even today the true teachers of the gospel will not hold men to their teachings with anything more that the preeminence of the Sovereign Christ. There is no force to coerce men to their faithfulness to Him except for His character. The true ministers of the cross ask for a voluntary and heart-felt allegiance that is neither bought nor paid for. No organization holds it, nor does any government contain it. The church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an organic entity held together by our allegiance to one overarching idea — Jesus is Lord! Where you find not this humble finger pointing the way to the Man on the Cross, you have not a true message from Almighty God. Where Christ is not the central focus, there is nothing but the ministry of demonic pretenders. If our allegiance be not held by the Person of Christ and that alone, we are a league of mind-washed idiots. We must all, in submitted humility, fall down to worship at His feet.

Bible Reading: Ezekiel 17:1-19:14

Scripture Memory: James 4:15 “For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.”

Prayer: Pray for a man waiting for test results. Pray for a man in ICU who is trying to recover from a serious injury. Pray for a man who just had a stroke.

Prayer Requests: Heavenly Father, we live in awe of Christ! He is the subject of our thoughts, the focus of our art, the theme of our song. I may not escape His wonderful goodness. The hope He gives to me by His work on Calvary is the driving force in my life. I cannot understand this world without Him. It is nonsensical outside of His Sovereign Power. Father, Your Will and Work in this world is what shows me why and how it all works. Without Your truth I would try to make my own destiny and end with no hope but pure survival, and that only temporary. You drive me on. You show me that there is One greater than myself, and thus, something better than this present mankind. You hold before me the way of humility in contrast to the deception of pride. You call us to do all for the sake of Christ. That is the goal of our lives. To serve Him is to embrace a greater motive. To live for Him is to live for eternity. Because of Jesus we may have a perpetual existence with a limitless horizon, and the wisdom to know how to use it. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Journal Entry #14334

Mark 1:6
   John was very similar to an earlier prophet, Elijah the Tishbite. As we see in 2 Kings 1:8, Elijah was a person that was easily recognized and remembered. John was intended to be the same way. He was a person who was meant to stick in one’s mind. It was part of his message as a prophet. For those who might think that a diet of locusts is an unrealistic exaggeration, insects of various kinds have been a part of man’s diet for hundreds of years. Though not used regularly in richer nations, things such as locusts are eaten with pleasure. Indeed, locusts would be a fairly nutritious diet when compared to other things that some have tried to live on down through history. Though we have the idea today that a varied diet is required for life, this is not necessarily the case. And, although variety may promote health, it is not necessary for survival.

Bible Reading: Ezekiel 14:1-16:63

Scripture Memory: James 4:15 “For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, no matter how obvious You make Your truth, there will be those who fail to see it. Often we believe what we want to believe. Thank You for being merciful to us! You give us the opportunity to accept Your truth. Help us to faithfully proclaim Your truth to others. We realize that Your message is so important. Jesus is the One everyone needs. He is our Hope. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man who had a car accident. Pray for a woman who is in the hospital.

Journal Entry #14333