Author: Norm

SCRIPTURE: Mark 6:45-52 Jesus needs His time alone with God, for personal renewal and strength. He is intentional about stepping back, both from the crowds and from His close friends. But while He is away from people, He does not forget about them… He helps to them in their crisis. I do not think His plan…

SCRIPTURE:Mark 6:35-44 Have you ever been overwhelmed by all the need and difficulty out there… or in your own life? Like the disciples, we want the problem to go away; if we can avoid it, we will, otherwise we will plead with God to send it away. But God has other ideas, He created us to…

SCRIPTURE: Psalm 49 Sooner or later, rich or poor, wise or foolish, we are all going to die. The psalmist is focusing on people who spend their whole lives seeking happiness through wealth. But in the long run having money does not buy happiness of long life or security. Understanding, or wisdom, is more valuable than…

SCRIPTURE: 2 Kings 1-8:15 What do you sense the Lord saying to you? PRAYER

SCRIPTURE: Mark 6:30-34 Jesus is concerned for his disciples, and invites them to a quiet time of retreat. Jesus is concerned for the masses that follow Him, desperate for God and good in their lives, and He teaches them about God and His kingdom. Jesus is concerned for us, He sees us overwhelmed and stressed, and…

SCRIPTURE: Mark 6:17-29 John was a holy man who did what was right… and he was beheaded for it; Jesus was a holy man who did what was right… and he was crucified for it. Do you want to be a holy man or woman, are you committed to doing what is right? Jesus invites us…

SCRIPTURE: Mark 6:14-16 God was doing amazing things through Jesus, and people were taking notice. But Jesus’ message challenged peoples selfish hearts – including religious and political leaders. It was these every leaders who eventually crucify Jesus, to protect their own selfish hearts. Herod knows he is guilty, and Jesus makes Him uncomfortable. If we really…

SCRIPTURE: Mark 6:6-13 Jesus is sent by God to rebuild His world, to rescue His family, to restore His kingdom. Jesus sends out His disciples to do the same thing, in the same way as He does (John 20:21). He authorizes His followers to represent God, to demonstrate God’s love and power. They are to love, to…

SCRIPTURE: Psalm 48 When God is at the centre (of a city, a nation, a fortress, or a person’s heart), there is hope, security and joy. The psalmist is thinking in terms of Jerusalem, with the temple at the centre, and how God makes them confident. But we can apply this to our own lives, to…