Mark 2:27
   What does Jesus mean by this? The fact is that the Sabbath was instituted much like circumcision. God did not command early mankind to keep the Sabbath. Nor did he give such a command to Noah and his progeny. Yet, that the seventh day was and is special is obvious from as far back as the first week of earth’s existence. God rested on that day and made it special because of it.
   Jesus is saying that the Sabbath was made as an institution, a command, for the Jewish people, that was meant to be a blessing, and not a curse. Though those Jews who early on failed to observe the Sabbath were killed, this does not mean that mercy has no place on this day. As Jesus points out in another place, if the ox is in the ditch on the Sabbath, it is fine to pull the poor thing out. Like circumcision, the observation of the Sabbath and the operation of the temple associated with it were required for the law system. However, as the Apostles made it even more clear later, Jesus had come to fulfill the law. So, many parts of the law system are no longer in force. Such as circumcision, which is very clearly not required anymore.
   The Jewish leaders had come to create all kinds of rules and regulations about the observation of the Sabbath. Thus, much of their idea of what was not allowable was drawn from their traditions, and not from the law. Regulated piety is generally a show because it leaves out the attitude of the heart. A submissive, contrite, and obedient heart will not be rejected by God. But a heart full of the wrong motives, and even downright rebellion, will not be accepted, no matter how many rules are observed.

Bible Reading: Acts 9:1-10:48

Scripture Memory: James 5:20 “Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us all that we need to serve you. You don’t expect us to try to live our lives as Christians all on our own, but yet you give us the ability to live our lives as Christians. Thus, the strength, the love, the virtues that are needed are all from you, but you have set them in our hand that we may use them as we serve you. May every movement of our lives be for your honor and glory. May we live in such a way that others will glorify you, and not notice us. Let us live humbly that we may live godly. You are worthy of our every praise and thanksgiving! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for travelling safety for those that must be on the road today. Pray for a man who is very sick. Pray for a man who needs physical rehab. Pray for woman with cancer.

Journal Entry #15057

Mark 2:26
   In this example Jesus makes it clear that what was done was not lawful, and yet it was allowed and not condemned afterwards by God. Thus, Jesus shows that, as he clearly says in Matthew 12:7, mercy outweighs sacrifice. The concern that we find throughout the Old Testament is that the Jews had neglected the mercies of the law and had gone after idols. In Jesus’ day the preoccupation with idols was gone, but it had changed forms in that the same stubbornness was now attached to an empty religiosity.
   Some may object to this passage on the basis of the reference to Abiathar. Ahimelech was the high priest it seems at that time rather than Abiathar. However, just as with the kings of the divided kingdoms, there is overlap with fathers and sons, name swapping, and the like going on with the priesthood through out the history of it. This is nowhere more obvious than in Jesus’ own day where the office of the high priest had come to be bought and sold because of the rule of the Romans.

Bible Reading: Acts 7:1-8:40

Scripture Memory: James 5:19 “Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, may we always understand the blessedness of being your servants. When we try to make life fit our plans it always runs out. We cannot control our circumstances, but in Christ we can be happy in them. Joy in the Lord is possible no matter how crazy the day gets. We must remember to Whom we belong and serve Him faithfully. Thank you for your manifold blessings and care for us! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a woman looking for a job. Pray for a man who recently came home from the hospital.

Journal Entry #15056

Mark 2:25
   Jesus begins to remind the Pharisees of the story of how David and his men partook of the hallowed things.Notice his question. He asks if they had ever read this passage, which is of course a rhetorical question. They had no doubt read it, but obviously they had misapplied it or misunderstood it. This is one of many occasions in which Jesus corrects the Jewish leaders very specifically from Scripture.
   Notice the qualifications given here. David and his men were in need. They had a lack of food, and were not sure where or when they might obtain it. They hungered. They were at that present moment in need of something to eat, being weak from their journey. I do not call these justifications, but qualifications. There was not a need for David to try to justify breaking the law, but to qualify for God’s mercy, which brings its own justification. Salvation is the same. The sinner is guilty before the law, but qualifying for the mercy and grace of God, he is justified and made guiltless.

Bible Reading: Acts 5:1-6:15

Scripture Memory: James 5:19 “Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we act as if trusting you is such a difficult task. And, indeed, our flesh finds it hard. But, it is truly quite easy. When we consider your faithfulness, trusting you is the easiest thing we can do. When we consider your love, trusting you is the easiest thing we can do. When we consider your mercy and grace, trusting you is the easiest thing we can do. When we consider your plans for our future, trusting you is the easiest thing we can do. When we consider your holiness in contrast to this evil world, trusting you is the easiest thing we can do. When we consider everything about you, Almighty God, trusting you becomes a simple task. Thank you for you! You are so wonderful! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a woman who just had a baby. Pray for a man in a nursing home. Pray for a baby that is not feeling well.

Journal Entry #15055

Mark 2:24
   The Pharisees may indeed have been following Jesus around. Or, at the least, it may have been some of the disciples of the Pharisaic rabbis. Either way, their question is intended here to be not just an inquisition, but a condemnation of the disciples of Christ. Comparing other passages from Matthew and Luke, we can see that it was said with a disdainful tone, and they assumed that they were right beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Bible Reading: Acts 3:1-4:37

Scripture Memory: James 5:19 “Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we think of so many things as our valuable commodities. Our time, our money, our possessions, our opportunities, they all mean so much to us. Yet the truly important thing is our relationship with you. Father, may we never lose sight of that! We can be doing well in all of these other areas and be far from you. May we value our walk with you above all that is in our life. May our attitude towards you be the central focus of our hearts. To bring you praise and to rely on you in our hearts, rather than being full of our own selfishness and our own plans, is absolutely vital to our spiritual health. I praise you today, Father, for the ever-present blessings that we have through Christ. What you have given us never goes away. Please accept this day as a gift to you to honor you and glorify you. I will honor you as you enable me to do it. If you had not already given me a mouth to praise you, and feet to serve you, I could not. But, I will use what you have given me for your service. Thank you, dear Lord! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a woman with a bad cold. Pray for a man with Alzheimer’s and for his family as they care for him. Pray for a young girl who is sick.

Journal Entry #15054

Mark 2:23
   Here we enter upon a beautiful passage of Scripture. In it Jesus helps us to understand the true weight and significance of the law of Moses. First of all, we find the Lord and his disciples travelling on the Sabbath day. This itself could be seen as an infraction by the narrow definitions of the Pharisees. However, they do not mention it because they themselves would have needed to travel to catch them in this activity.
   Next, we find the disciples taking the liberty to grab a bite to eat along the way as they went through this field. There was nothing unlawful about taking food from someone else’s field, by the way. That is why the Pharisees said nothing about that part of it. The disciples were doing this because they were hungry and were headed to another location without any extra provision. It was a needful thing. They had no intention to profane the Sabbath, nor were they being careless.

Bible Reading: John 21:1-Acts 2:47

Scripture Memory: James 5:18 “Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we seem to get things backwards so much. We ask to be used, you ask us to serve. We seek to be empowered, you have already enabled us. We think you will ask us to sacrifice big things to you, you ask for the small things every day. We want to be obviously yours, you desire to be obviously ours. We think we must be devoted, you remind us that to this world we are dead. We commit to a voluntary obedience, you ask for complete service. May we learn to wait on you, dear Father, hand and foot. For then we may be the feet and hands of Christ on this earth. Thank you for your service to us in your Son. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for the pastors today. Pray for missionaries all over the world. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Journal Entry #15053

Mark 2:22
   Now I am sure that putting newer wine into much older wine bottles is a bad idea. However, unless those bottles would be exceedingly old and brittle, the wine would likely not make the bottles break. So, what is Jesus talking about? Well, they most likely did not use bottles for wine in Jesus’ day. Any bottles produced in that day would be nothing like what we think of as a bottle today. They would be made of clay or some other handy material of that time.
   The most likely solution here is that Jesus is speaking of wine skins. This is the meaning of the Greek term used here as well as in Matthew and Luke. Old wine skins could not be filled with newer wine without the risk of bursting. Either way, whether you prefer to read here bottles or skins, the meaning is the same. Jesus is giving a simple illustration to point out the incompatibility of trying to add the new into the old. The new was a complete replacement for the old. Jesus had not come to do away with the old law, but to fulfill it.

Bible Reading: John 19:1-20:31

Scripture Memory: James 5:18 “Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, may we never devalue our lives to the point that we think we have no time for your Word! May we always sit before that golden spout that Mary left the side of Martha for. Give us a sense of the importance of it in every situation as Paul had. Make us run to the familiar sound of your voice in its pages, which was such a blessing to Peter and John, James and Jude, Timothy and Titus. We could have no better company than those throughout history that have been given wholly to dependence upon your holy Word. Thank you for it! You are truly wonderful and your book shows us your glory. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for travelling safety for those in the snow and ice today. Pray for our upcoming revival.

Journal Entry #15052

Mark 2:21
   There was to be great difficulty for even believing Jews to accept the truth of the church age. For the Jews, the nation of Israel is the only hope for righteousness in the world. Though God has indeed blessed the Jews, and though they are most clearly a part of his plan for the future, God’s plan is bigger than any one nation. The same God who found Abram the Syrian and chose him for his friend has sent his own Son to Jew and Gentile alike.
   So, Jesus here uses an illustration, trying to help these men understand that they must not force their ideas upon the truth, but must let God reveal the truth just as it is. The person of Christ was the key to the transition between the old and new testaments. But he was the element that the Jewish leaders would not except.

Bible Reading: John 17:1-18:40

Scripture Memory: James 5:18 “Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, may I never fail to praise you! You are worthy of all of our devotion. You alone can fulfill our deepest needs. Because you are so wonderful, we find all that we can ever be in you. You bring our existence to fullness. Thank you for caring for us! I praise you and lift high the name of the Christ! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for several children that need salvation. Pray for the leaders of our nation.

Journal Entry #15051

Mark 2:20
   Fasting is appropriate at this time. However, as Jesus goes on to explain, the reasons for fasting differ somewhat from before. In this day, fasting shows our dependence upon the Lord. Believers have the Spirit in them, but fasting is an outward manifestation of an inward dependence and faith.

Bible Reading: John 14:1-16:33

Scripture Memory: James 5:17 “Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for being so faithful! We hear so much about waiting on you, but maybe you are waiting on us! We so often want what we don’t need and need what we don’t want. Thank you for teaching us the difference. Your ways are so much better than ours. You can give the best gifts and guide the right ways. You are altogether holy, and your authority is absolute. I want to honor you with my life. May the name of Christ be constantly in my mouth. May he be praised! Salvation is the most beautiful thing ever! You have made your glory apparent to all, dear Father. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a woman who is not feeling well. Pray for a man who has been in the hospital for a very long time.

Journal Entry #15050

Mark 2:19
   The Pharisees should remember John the Baptist calling Jesus the bridegroom. If these men had believed in Christ as the Messiah, this question would not have been asked. Note how Jesus says this, ‘they cannot’ fast. It would be wrong for them to do so at the time because fasting shows our patience and devotion in spite of our position as strangers and pilgrims in this world.

Bible Reading: John 12:1-13:38

Scripture Memory: James 5:17 “Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, no matter what it takes to know you, it is worth it. You cannot be compared to anyone. You are beyond my fondest imaginations of you. Were it not for your Holy Word I could never conceive of the Great and Wonderful Person that you are. You are the Almighty God of all. And, you have made it possible for me to know you. All that I might ever have or need can be found in you. What a wonder is this relationship! For man to know God, that is a mystery! But, it is a fact that is possible by the blood of Christ. Thank you, Father! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for our missionaries. Pray for a woman having a spinal tap done. Pray for a man recovering from several surgeries.

Journal Entry #15049

Mark 2:18
   There were likely those among the Pharisees that were truly searching out the truth. Some of them came to belief in Christ, though precious few. The majority were concerned with discrediting Christ and justifying themselves. A question like this makes that obvious. They were going through their list of requirements and found Jesus wanting in this area.

Bible Reading: John 11:1-57

Scripture Memory: James 5:17 “Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, May we always allow you to lead us to the next step in your plan. We want your way, and yet we often do not follow your lead. We will submit ourselves to your plans. We are not able to see what we need or know what we truly want. You alone can guide us the right way. Your wisdom is perfect. Your ways are right. Your power is limitless. Your holiness is wonderful. We will praise you and follow your ways forever! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Prayer Requests: Pray for a little boy who is not feeling well. Pray for a man having an arteriogram done.

Journal Entry #15048