THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 2:1-12 “The Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” (Mark 2:10) The teachers of the law were partially right, only God can forgive sins… AND… those that God gives the authority to forgive for Him. In Genesis 1, God assigned His authority to Adam and Eve as His appointed rulers….
The Jerusalem God loves!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Psalm 122 “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.” (Psalm 122:6) When this Psalm was written, the old covenant temple was in Jerusalem. Today, the new covenant temple (believers) are everywhere. “For God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.” (1 Corinthians 3:17) As Jesus followers, our Jerusalem is wherever Jesus followers are. Pray…
Above all else, guard your heart!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Proverbs 4 “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” (Proverbs 4:23) The physical heart is central to human health, we need to take good care of it. The spiritual heart is central to human health, we need to take good care of it. Many people are finding…
Which tree am I leaning towards?
THE STORY OF JESUS: Proverbs 3 “Wisdom is a tree of life to those who take hold of her; Those who hold her fast will be blessed.” (Proverbs 3:18) God places two choices before humans, symbolized by the two trees. A choice that leads to life, and a choice that leads to death. Everyday we face the…
Got to tell someone!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 1:40-45 “Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news.” (Mark 1:45) This man disobeyed Jesus, who needed Him to stay quiet so He could get around. Jesus’ command not to share is not for us; we are called to be witnesses (Acts 1:8) Can you blame this man for…
Setting our priorities!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 1:35-39 “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus prayed.” (Mark 1:35) “Let us go… to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also.” (Mark 1:38) As a follower of Jesus, we look to Jesus for guidance in how to live. Here we see Jesus prioritizing His time – His…
Bring them to Jesus (i.e. pray!!!)
THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 1:29-34 “The people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed.” (Mark 1:32) As a follower of Jesus, I’ve prayed for sickness and demons. People who deny the spiritual reject both healing and the reality of demons. And yet miracles still occur, and demons still impact our world, believe in or not….
Tell it to be quiet!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 1:21-28 “‘Be quiet!’ said Jesus sternly. ‘Come out of him!’” (Mark 1:25) When is the last time you dealt with an ‘impure spirit’? Depending on what you think it is, you may not think you have. Let me assure you, you have… and so have I… and all people! Most of our…
Am I looking in the right places?
THE STORY OF JESUS: Psalm 121 “I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from?” (Psalm 121:1) The challenge for me today is to answer this question honestly. Where, or to whom, do I look for help when I am struggling? When things get hard, who (or what) do I naturally turn…
The pursuit of wisdom!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Proverbs 2 “If you cry aloud for understanding… you will find the knowledge of God” (Proverbs 2:3,5) According to this passage, wisdom needs to be actively and aggressively pursued. It doesn’t just fall in our lap, we need to struggle and ‘cry out’ to find it. God wants us to want it first;…