THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 6:30-34 “When Jesus saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them.” (Mark 6:34) Jesus is concerned for his disciples, and invites them to a quiet time of retreat. Jesus is concerned for the desperate, and teaches them about God’s kingdom. Jesus is concerned for you, for me, and for all people….
Author: Norm
A new and better master!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 6:21-29 “Because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her.” (Mark 6:26) Why do we do things we shouldn’t do, or not do what we should do? How much does external pressure prompt our bahaviour? A desire to be thought well of, or to save face,…
Is Jesus haunting your conscience?
THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 6:14-20 “Herod said, ‘John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!’” (Mark 6:14-16) I have found through experience that a guilty conscience agitates the mind. You become paranoid that others may know or find out. Herod is flustered; he thought he had silenced guilt by killing John. The Spirit of…
Do I need to change the way I think?
THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 6:6-13 “They went out and preached that people should repent.” (Mark 6:12) Mark uses one word – repent – to summarize the message. That word – metanoia – literally means ‘to change one’s mind’. Change the way you think about God, yourself, the world, life, sin, etc! How we live is an…
His strength seen in me!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Psalm 48 “In the city of our God: God makes her secure forever.” (Psalm 48:8) What made David great when he stood before Goliath? What made Jesus great when He was attacked by Satan? What makes me great in the face of life’s challenges and struggles? Not me, but God in/with/for me —…
Who is really in charge here?
THE STORY OF JESUS: 1 Kings 20-22 “I saw the Lord sitting on his throne with all the multitudes of heaven.” (1 Kings 22:19) So who is really in charge of our world? As humans, we manage God’s creation for Him, though we do it poorly. Among us some humans use and abuse that power as leaders. In these…
The desire to hear His voice!
THE STORY OF JESUS: 1 Kings 17-19 “And after the fire came a gentle whisper.” (1 Kings 19:12) In these chapters we see dramatic signs of God’s power. Yet the signs are still not enough to convince Elijah. Similarly, Jesus performed great miracles, but people still doubted Him. It was only in hearing God’s Voice through Him that some…
True or harsh?
What do you think?
Missing out?
THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 6:1-6 “He could not do any miracles there…” (Mark 6:5) Imagine a new cure has been discovered for a terrible illness. But some people are skeptical; they refuse the treatment and stay sick. Doctors will not be able to heal these people because of their lack of faith. Wouldn’t this be frustrating,…
“Don’t be afraid!”
THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 5:35-43 “Jesus told him, ‘Don’t be afraid; just believe.’” (Mark 5:36) What does Jesus mean when He says ‘don’t be afraid’? His daughter is dead, his heart is melting in grief and sorrow!? I hear Jesus saying ‘don’t give in to your despair, trust me on this one!’ Fear, grief, despair, sorrow,…