Author: Norm

SCRIPTURE: Mark 9 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: “’If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” [Mark 9:23-24] I have often used these words myself, they describe how I often feel about my own weak faith. This passage presents Jesus as a glorious messiah…

SCRIPTURE: Mark 8 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?” He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.” Once more Jesus put…

SCRIPTURE: Mark 7 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: Nothing outside a man can make him ‘unclean’ by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him ‘unclean.’” [Mark 7:15] By ‘unclean’, Jesus is not talking about visibly dirty, but spiritually dirty, and therefore unacceptable to God. His point in this passage is that God is…

SCRIPTURE: Mark 6 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their lack of faith. [Mark 6:5-6] Why do some people experience miracles, and others do not? I believe miracles are happening all around us, but not everyone sees them…

SCRIPTURE: Mark 5 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” [Mark 5:36] This passage reveals the power and authority of Jesus – over demons, over sickness, even over death. This is why Jesus is the hope of the world, He is the only one that can overcome the power…

SCRIPTURE: Mark 4 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables” [Mark 4:11]. When Jesus spoke in public, He kept His message simple, in stories that made people think. He did not explain His stories, He was intentionally…

SCRIPTURE: Mark 3 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. [Mark 3:5] Jesus must have often felt anger and deep distress about the stubborn hearts of the people He came to…

SCRIPTURE: Mark 2 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, he pours new wine into new wineskins.” [Matthew 2:22] Jesus did not come to start a new religion; Jesus came to replace religion (what…

SCRIPTURE: Mark 1 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” [Mark 1:8] First of all, I need to say that there were a number of verses I could have picked to focus on, there is so much I this chapter. I picked this verse because it describes the key…

SCRIPTURE: Judges 21 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: WARNING – DISTURBING CONTENT!!! In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit. [Judges 21:25] This is in a nutshell what is wrong with our world. We’ve rejected God as King of this world, and we now do as we see fit. And the world as we see it…