Category: Uncategorized

Mark 1:30
   Apparently they didn’t tell him about her right away. Likely they didn’t see any reason to. Though we would think that they would assume he could heal her, that is not necessarily the case. Even the disciples seemed to be slow about realizing the nature of the Christ. They had to learn, just as we do, to trust him with everything.

Bible Reading: Matthew 12:1-13:58

Scripture Memory: James 5:6 “Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your great wisdom. You always know exactly what needs to be done. You know what we are thinking. You have the solution before we understand the problem. You have all the answers! You’re goodness never runs dry. Thank you for your Son, and all that he means to us! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man recovering from heart surgery. Pray for a woman who just had some lung tests done.

Journal Entry #15014

Mark 1:29
   Apparently Peter and Andrew his brother were originally from Bethsaida (John 1:44), not Capernaum. However, being fishermen, they had likely relocated for business interests. Having the same dwelling would not be strange for brothers, especially if Andrew was still unmarried.

Bible Reading: Matthew 10:1-11:30

Scripture Memory: James 5:5 “Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for your greater plan. We don’t always understand, but your ways are higher than ours. Who can advise you? Who will question your great wisdom? Man cannot begin to know all that you know already. You alone see the future, because you’re already there. We are so limited in comparison to you. Father, thank you for being so amazing! You are the Eternal God, and we praise you! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a woman’s unspoken requests. Pray for a boy that is sick. Pray for a man having surgery at the end of the month.

Journal Entry #15013

Mark 1:28
   Jesus was quite popular in his early ministry. But he wasn’t worried about popularity. So many famous people will exchange popularity for meaning. Jesus was no fool.

Bible Reading: Matthew 7:1-9:38

Scripture Memory: James 5:5 “Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.”

Prayer: Heaven;y Father, let us never fall in love with fame. Popularity is deceptive. So many things that we seem to want so much are just a lie. Thank you for the truth. Thank you for your love and kindness to us! Thank you for Jesus! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man who is sick. Pray for a man with several health and financial issues. Pray for a man with emotional and spiritual issues.

Journal Entry #15012

Mark 1:27
   Why was this so astonishing? Why did they wonder if it was a new doctrine? What were they saying? The answer is actually quite simple. What Jesus had just done, much like his teaching, was done with authority. But, how could he have authority over evil? That is what they were wondering about. They rightly realized that One who had power and authority over evil spirits must be very great indeed. However, they had not yet come to the conclusion that he was the Messiah. Thus, they wondered how any man could have this kind of command over evil. Unlike the Jewish leaders later, they did not think he was of the devil, so they knew it was by the power of God that this had been done.
   We today must recognize the same truth. Jesus has absolute authority. He may command who he will. And why? Because he is God. As the Second Person of the Trinity, he is able to do all of this and more. His authority is complete because it is by him that all things were made, and by him all things hold together. This was new for sure. God himself in human form was among them. As Emanuel he had there in his person all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. This was new because this had not happened before. Yes, the Lord had visited his people, but not like this. This was new, and this authority of Christ on earth was the beginning of the Church age.

Bible Reading: Matthew 5:1-6:34

Scripture Memory: James 5:5 “Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, may we give ourselves to you fully. Thank you for giving to us your promises. If we will respond to your faithfulness, the is no end to what you may do with us as we yield totally to you. Make us your servants in every part of our lives, Father. We must hold nothing back. You are worthy of our fullest devotion. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for our national leaders. Pray for missionaries all over the world. Pray for police and fire personnel.

Journal Entry #15011

Mark 1:26
   There are occasions where having a good knowledge of Greek can be quite helpful. And why is this? Well though it is possible that the man was here literally ‘torn’ or hurt in some way, that is most likely not the case. A couple of friends you can often turn to for sticky Greek issues are Robertson and Wuest. Though I would hesitate to approve everything they ever wrote, these two fellows can help in jams where a good handle on the Greek comes in handy.
   Looking to help such as this we can gather that, though the word here can mean to tare, it is more likely to mean to convulse. Indeed, Robertson will tell you that the loud outcry was more of a high-pitched scream than anything.
   So, with the help of these friends, we can see what is really happening here. The unclean spirit, being much like a spoiled brat deprived of a prized toy, is throwing a little temper tantrum as he is forced out of the man. He throws the man into a fit and screams with one of those blood-curdling deals that simply means ‘I’m mad because I’m not getting my way!’ In other words, as the book of Revelation shows, the evil world loses, and that’s that. The devil and all of his followers can scream as much as they want, but it won’t change the fact that Jesus Christ is Lord!

Bible Reading: Malachi 4:1-Matthew 4:25

Scripture Memory: James 5:4 “Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for your knowledge about us. You know our shortcomings. You understand our sin. You know what we need, and you solve the problem your way. You don’t give us what we want so much as what we need. Thank you for taking good care of us. Your wondrous love is absolutely amazing! May we never cease to focus on your glory and honor rather that on our shortcomings. We have fallen short, period. Only you may change that. To look to you in your great Power and Holiness is all that we can do. Your Son is our only hope. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for the high level of gang activity in Chattanooga. Pray for a woman exposed to sickness at work. Pray for a lot of people that will be looking for work next year.

Journal Entry #15010

Mark 1:25
   Was Jesus afraid of this demon? Is that why he responded so quickly? Did he not want to be made known? Quite the contrary. Statements of belief from evil spirits don’t pose a problem to Christ, but they are not a help either. When Satan is the source of a statement about Scripture or God, it is completely worthless. It is always tainted by his twisting of the truth. So, instead of fear, Jesus was simply acting with decisiveness against an enemy that needed to be made aware of the fact that whatever might happen would only come to light when Jesus was good and ready for it. In other words, Jesus had a plan in motion, and he would decide how much of that the devil would be privy to, and how much he wouldn’t.
   The wording here is interesting. Saying ‘hold your peace’ sounds really nice, but it could be translated more literally – Shut up! Get out! No explanations or answers are provided. No time for reflection on past actions is offered. Jesus didn’t even allow for one phone call! Immediate, powerful, authoritative, and decisive action was the response of the Lord Christ. And, as we see elsewhere, even Satan himself in person did not fail to obey that voice or heed that command.

Bible Reading: Zechariah 12:1-Malachi 3:18

Scripture Memory: James 5:4 “Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, keep your truth ever before us. Oh how we fail to see that the devil is a liar! He has never done anything else but lie to us. It is impossible for this evil world to operate any other way. Lies are all that the evil one can produce. Thank you for your truth, your Word is truth. Your Son is the Truth. How can we think that we know better than you? Only you know what is real. Your truth turns on the light while all else lies in darkness. We praise you for your truth, dear Father! May we never try to live without surrendering to your truth. We know you are always trustworthy. Thank you! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a young man who just took his first job. Pray for a man with the flu. Pray for a man with a blood clot.

Journal Entry #15009

Mark 1:24
   This phrase where the unclean spirit asks what Jesus has to do with them is a figure of speech. It is a way of saying that hey have nothing in common, and that they should naturally be completely separated. The demon is thus, in an agitated and angry state, telling Christ that the powers of evil do not see any reason for him to intrude upon their world. The demon then inquires about Jesus’ plan of action. It wonders whether Jesus had come there to destroy the evil spirits. Finally, it proclaims a complete knowledge of the identity of Jesus.
   It is helpful to understand what is going on here. Confusion in these matters is commonplace. The enemy, the old devil, sees this world as his domain. And, he does have dominion in it for the moment. So, the anger of the evil spirits is directed at Jesus because they rightly identify him as a threat. But, Satan does not think like God does. His reasoning is warped. Thus, though he is highly intelligent, he and his demonic hoards do not understand the motivations and plans of God properly. They cannot because evil can never comprehend good. As a result, the evil spirit wanted to know the plans of this powerful adversary so that he might gain all the advantage possible. Please remember, the devil and his followers are full of pride, thinking they can somehow subvert the power of Almighty God if they can but get the upper hand.
   That the demon knew Jesus might seem odd to some. However, Satan prides himself in his knowledge. He thinks that he can somehow outwit God. His followers are the same. This spirit identified Christ not out of any desire to glorify him, but to show off the resources and prowess of the underworld. This will always be the way with the devil. He and his are smart but weird, powerful but prideful, and resourceful but ridiculous. His rule can never stand because he is not, and never could be, Almighty God.

Bible Reading: Zechariah 7:1-11:17

Scripture Memory: James 5:4 “Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for your knowledge. Though we like to think we know so much, your truth is so much better. You know everything! You can give us an understanding of this world that we could never have on our own. Your Word shows us the very foundation of the cosmos. we can be led into truth by your Spirit. Beyond this, you know us more than we know ourselves. You can see the truth that we need. You know where we are deficient. You can answer our most important questions with a better grasp of the truth. Thank you for your gifts, Father! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man who needs to move out of a nursing home. Pray for a man that has heart problems. Pray for a woman with a stomach virus.

Journal Entry #15008

Mark 1:23
   It might make us wonder how that a man possessed could be in the synagogue. But, this is not really that surprising for several reasons. Demonic possession, as we see throughout the gospels, does not always manifest itself in the same way. Some appear very ill or deranged. Others are very clearly overrun by an evil influence. Yet others might go for a time and not seem possessed at all. Thus, possession is not as clear cut as we might think. Also, even if the man was known to be a problem, it may be that the synagogue leaders thought they could help the man, or had admitted him out of a sense of openness to all of the community. Indeed, what is even more likely is that this particular outburst was quite uncharacteristic for the man’s condition, and that before this time no one had suspected the influence of the enemy.

Bible Reading: Zechariah 1:1-6:15

Scripture Memory: James 5:3 “Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.” 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I keep coming back to this idea that you have my best interests at heart. Oh Father, help us to trust you implicitly, because you are worthy. I know that if I had the power to make the best possible plan for my life, and then carry it out, it would be exactly what you had in mind all along. I can’t outdo you when it comes to what is best for me. You can guide us, dear Father, even when we can’t see how to put one foot in front of the other. Why then do we often fail to follow your lead when we think that we can see clearly? Lord may we always let you guide. May we always be surrendered to your will. Thank you for your love! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a woman who will be having surgery in a week. Pray for a little girl who is sick. Pray for a man with high blood pressure problems.

Journal Entry #15007

Mark 1:22
   Though it may seem to some foolish to presume, I think we can know why it is that Jesus’ teaching brought about such astonishment. This is not because we are somehow as wise as the Lord Christ. It is simply because we know the message of the gospel. We understand the great contrast between the teachings that the Jewish people were used to, and the contrast that the truth presents. This is not to say that Jesus astonished them only because of the content of his message. Jesus astonished them because he is the Christ, and it would only be expected for him to astonish all of his hearers. But, it is not just his own delivery of truth that impressed, it was also the message itself. For his message, the truth of God’s Word, is uniquely his own anyway. When it is taught today it still astonishes because it is his. The gospel minister is passing on not his own teaching, but the teaching of Christ. Paul said it this way: “We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.”
   In other words, the Lord Jesus astonished his hearers because the message of Christ contains this authority that the people sensed. Truth and authority go hand in hand. Absolute truth needs the approval of absolute power. Timeless truth needs the energy of a timeless existence. Transforming truth needs the influence of a transforming Agent. Christ taught of himself. And he did it clearly, directly, and with all of the authority of heaven.
   His message was very different from that of the scribes. They had man’s ways. They used subtle fables, fancy wordings, and showy analogies. Their teaching left the listener with an enigmatic idea of what was actually being said. Trying to be on the cutting edge of truth, they were so far out in left field they couldn’t find their own line of reasoning. They had to appear righteous, sagacious, elite, and powerful. But, a blow-fish will be sniffed out. And the people knew the difference.
  Jesus taught the same law, but he taught as thought that law had been written twenty-five minutes ago to a mankind that might go into eternity in the next five. Every word was important. What the text said, it actually meant. The Words of the Almighty Jehovah God they were all used to hearing suddenly became the words of their own dad or mom when they were growing up telling them the true lessons of life. It had a familiar, poignant, intensely significant ring to it. It seemed as if all of heaven and earth hung upon what was being said. Indeed, those who would have heard Christ would come away with a strong sense that what he had just said was more real and sure than the very ground underneath their feet. It was at the same time a beautiful dream and a rock-solid reality. Thus is the truth from the Christ.

Bible Reading: Zephaniah 1:1-Haggai 2:23

Scripture Memory: James 5:3 “Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, it is easy for us to look at the lives of others and think that they have it all together. We wonder why we are not serving you as well as it seems they are. We think we need a change of scenery, or a different occupation. We get caught up in our circumstances and feel trapped. We think that if things were different we would somehow be better off. But no. Your ability to lead us and guide us does not change no matter what our circumstances may be. Yes, we need to be in your will. But your will for us will always start with exactly where we are right now. We have to be fully surrendered to your way in our present circumstances. Only then would we even know if a change is needed. Lead us in the way that you would have us to go, rather than what we might want. Father, I know that my purpose can be found right where I am. If you need me elsewhere you will not move me unless I am following you right where I am. Thank you for the Lord Jesus, he is the realm in which I need a change. I can grow in him every day. I do need a fresh start, and new horizon, a different home, another occupation, more responsibility, a different set of activities – and I need all of these within the person of Christ, not in my circumstances. All of the new and different that my soul longs for can be found in the familiar, constant, daily relationship with this Wonderful Person that I call Savior. If it were not so, what kind of a God would you be? Ah, all that we could ever need may be found in you, Almighty Creator. You are the theme of my song, the inspiration for my art, the spark of my imagination, the flame of my love, the motive for my ambition, the juice of my creativity, and the very expression of my meaning. You embody all that I need to explore for all of eternity. I can never exhaust all that I might find in your gentle gaze. Thank you for loving us, dear Father! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a husband and wife that are sick. Pray for a young lady with an important test today. Pray for a man who has cancer and is unsaved.

Journal Entry #15006

Mark 1:21
   Though synagogues were not directly a part of what had been commanded in the law, they seem to have worked in the favor of good doctrine on many occasions. And why is this? Well, though the hypocritical Jewish leaders did use the synagogues against Jesus, they had difficulty controlling them outside of Jerusalem. Indeed, the synagogue became a part of Jewish life and culture that somewhat transcended the temple worship at the time. Though this was not meant under the law, because of the prophesied failure of the law’s system due to disobedience, the synagogue became an idea seedbed for the gospel in Jewish life. Though this ‘new’ synagogue system was a man-made solution, it had one very helpful feature. There were many of them. Multitude and variety have their perfecting work when it comes to sifting out the evil of the mass of men. Though mob sentiment is never good, the collective sentiments of a large mass of people sifted out by these small institutions from city to city have a great work in crystallizing a good intent and better learning among the whole.
   Indeed, it is this very type of pattern that the church of Jesus Christ itself follows. Though the church has much more in the way of benefits and improvements than the synagogue could ever dream of, the pattern is somewhat similar. When we find a large number of congregations in various places, city to city, town to town, rather than large, mono-headed ecclesiastical synods or hierarchies, we find a greater sense of the true desire of Christ for his glorious church. The multiplicity filters out the weird tendencies instigated by our sinful frame and pulls together a beautiful body of persons who are unified in their intent to worship the Lord Jesus. So, if anything, the synagogue was, as John was to Jesus, a good (but temporary) forerunner to the church.
   It is then to the synagogue in Capernaum that Jesus comes to teach. We should not be, by the way, surprised that he was allowed entrance and audience. Even if he had not been familiar in some way to them, any teacher with some credit to his name might be found to have a minute to speak in this venue. Indeed, the synagogue was a good place for the less ‘accepted’ ideas to spout forth. Though this may be a danger in many cases, as we see here it is often a great blessing. The tide of the truth and revival will not generally issue forth from the seminary turrets, but from the makeshift pulpits of the country and inner-city churches.

Bible Reading: Nahum 2:1-Habakkuk 3:19

Scripture Memory: James 5:3 “Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for the messages yesterday and the things you have been teaching me over the last few days. It is amazing how it all goes together. I am sure you know just exactly what I need to hear. I finally realize that if I continue to make my life all that I ever hoped it would be I will fail. I can trust you because no matter how surrendered to you I become what you have in mind for my life is infinitely better than all that I might want for myself. I can trust you. You are the One who gave me hope to begin with. My very life is designed and made by you. You have the blueprints, so you can handle it. Oh Father, may we all live in service to you! You are worthy of our very breath! To live for you is a joy, and to come to you would be far better. May we live to serve your ways and will for our lives. You have the best plan. Let me lay mine down so that I might see what yours looks like. I know that if I do I must accept all that it is with joy. But, I have no fear of your plan because I know it is the consummation of all that I could ever hope to be. You have never let me down. Thank you for your love! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a man hoping to come home from the hospital this week. Pray for a man hoping to get out of rehab this week. Pray for a woman burdened for several lost family members.

Journal Entry #15005