Tag Archives: faith

Who is Jesus to you? (Mark 6:30-56), Feb 27, 2015

Leave a reply

Today’s Podcast


Subscribe in: iTunes|Download

Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Mark 6:30-56
Set – Numbers 23; Mark 6
Go! – Numbers 21-23; Mark 6

Mark 6:30-56
30 Now the twelve returned from their travels and told Him what they had done, whom they had seen, and how they had spread the news of God’s kingdom.

Jesus (to the disciples): 31 Let us go out into the wilderness for a while and rest ourselves.

The crowds gathered as always, and Jesus and the twelve couldn’t eat because so many people came and went. 32 They could get no peace until they boarded a boat and sailed toward a deserted place.

33 But the people would not be put off so easily. Those along the shore who recognized Jesus followed along the coast. People pushed out of all the cities and gathered ahead of Him 34 so that when Jesus came ashore and saw this crowd of people waiting for Him in a place that should have been relatively deserted, He was moved with compassion. They were like sheep without a shepherd.

He began to teach them many things 35 as the day passed; at last the disciples came to Jesus.

Disciples: It is getting late, and there is nothing around for miles. 36 Send these people to the surrounding villages so they can buy something to eat.

Jesus: 37 Why don’t you give them something to eat?

Disciples (looking at Him): What? It would cost a fortune[a] to buy bread for these people!

Jesus: 38 Does anyone have any bread? Go and see.

Disciples (returning from the crowd): There are five pieces of flatbread and two fish, if that makes any difference.

Jesus: 39-40 Listen, tell them to gather in smaller groups and sit on that green patch of grass.

And so the disciples gathered the people in groups of 100 or of 50, and they sat down.

41 Jesus took the five pieces of flatbread and the two fish, looked up to heaven, thanked God for the food, and broke it. He gave the pieces to the disciples to distribute, 42 and all of the people ate until no one was hungry. 43 Then they gathered twelve baskets full of leftovers.

44 That day, 5,000 men ate their fill of the bread when Jesus fed the hungry crowd.

45 Not long after, He sent His disciples out onto their boat to sail to Bethsaida on the other shore, and He sent the crowd away. 46 After everyone had gone, He slipped away to pray on a mountain overlooking the sea.

47 When evening came, the boat was out on the sea and He was alone on the land. 48 He saw that the disciples were making little progress because they were rowing against a stiff wind. Before daylight He came near them, walking on the water, and would have passed by them. 49 Some of them saw Him walking on the surface of the water, thought He was a ghost, and cried out. 50 When they all saw Him, they were terrified.

Jesus (immediately calling out): Don’t be frightened. Do you see? It is I.

51 He walked across the water to the boat; and as soon as He stepped aboard, the contrary wind ceased its blowing. They were greatly astonished; 52 although they had just witnessed the miracle of Jesus feeding 5,000 with bread and fish, and other signs besides, they didn’t understand what it all meant and their hearts remained hard.

53 When they finished their journey, they landed the boat in Gennesaret.54 People at once recognized Jesus as the Healer. 55 Immediately they hurried to collect the sick and infirm—bringing them to Him in beds if they had to— 56 laying them out in the markets of any village, city, or field where He might pass.

Gennesarites: Just let us touch the fringe of Your robe.

Even the people who touched only it were made whole again.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

It was so hard for people to recognize Jesus for who He was, God incarnate. The disciples watched Him heal the sick with just the touch of His hand or the words He spoke. They watched Him feed crowds with just a handful of food. They watched Him share the scriptures with wisdom and authority that confounded the Pharisees and scribes, those who should have profound knowledge of the verse He made clear with His parables and simple language. The disciples should have easily understood who Jesus was if anyone did. They spent the most time with Him. But as Mark relates in his description of Jesus walking on the water to them. Their hearts were still hard. They didn’t understand Him or His power as God.

They saw a man. One who did incredible things. One who healed when no one else could. One who seemed to perform magic if not miracles, but God? They just had a hard time wrapping their minds around it. Their scriptures said He would come. But for the Messiah to come from Nazareth? How could that happen? For the Messiah to have such lowly beginnings instead of having a high position in the temple? Who could believe such a thing? To believe Jesus was God incarnate stretched their knowledge, their understanding, all the priests and leaders told them. It stretched their faith significantly.

What about today? Is it any easier to believe Jesus is the Son of God? That He lived as both man and God and performed the miracles recorded in scripture? Is it easy for you to believe He willingly gave Himself as a sacrifice for your sins? Who would do such a thing? Would you die so that others could find forgiveness? Do you know any other person who would willingly face the cruel torture Jesus suffered as punishment for someone else?

So today, we seem to set aside the man part of Jesus and focus on the God part. We forget He walked among us and suffered the same aches and pains we do. We forget He experienced the same emotions we experience. We set Him above man and forget He felt every hurt and temptation we feel. What was different about Him is He didn’t bow to the temptations. He remained sinless through the temptations. He instead went to the Father for strength to overcome.

During Lent, set aside time to meditate on who Jesus is to you. Is He just a man? Is He just God? He is both. He is God incarnate. God made flesh to live among men. God wrapped in human flesh to show you how to live each day. God come to live with you for a time to share life and experience everything you experience so He can act as the perfect sacrifice, as the perfect mediator for you. He is God, there from the beginning of creation. He is also man, born of a virgin, who walked with you and showed you how to live. He is who He said He is. You can trust Him. Put your faith in Him today.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

How is your faith? (Mark 5:21-43), Feb 26, 2015

Leave a reply

Today’s Podcast


Subscribe in: iTunes|Download

Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Mark 5:21-43
Set – Psalms 28; Mark 5
Go! – Numbers 19-20; Psalms 28; Mark 5

Mark 5:21-43
21 After Jesus returned across the sea, a large crowd quickly found Him, so He stayed by the sea. 22 One of the leaders of the synagogue—a man named Jairus—came and fell at Jesus’ feet, 23 begging Him to heal his daughter.

Jairus: My daughter is dying, and she’s only 12 years old. Please come to my house. Just place Your hands on her. I know that if You do, she will live.

24 Jesus began traveling with Jairus toward his home.

In the crowd pressing around Jesus, 25 there was a woman who had suffered continuous bleeding for 12 years, bleeding that made her ritually unclean and an outcast according to the purity laws. 26 She had suffered greatly; and although she spent all her money on her medical care, she had only gotten worse. 27 She had heard of this Miracle-Man, Jesus, so she snuck up behind Him in the crowd and reached out her hand to touch His cloak.

Woman (to herself): 28 Even if all I touch are His clothes, I know I will be healed.

29 As soon as her fingers brushed His cloak, the bleeding stopped. She could feel that she was whole again.

30 Lots of people were pressed against Jesus at that moment, but He immediately felt her touch; He felt healing power flow out of Him.

He stopped. Everyone stopped. He looked around.

Jesus: Who just touched My robe?

31 His disciples broke the uneasy silence.

Disciples: Jesus, the crowd is so thick that everyone is touching You. Why do You ask, “Who touched Me?”

32 But Jesus waited. His gaze swept across the crowd to see who had done it. 33 At last, the woman—knowing He was talking about her—pushed forward and dropped to her knees. She was shaking with fear and amazement.

Woman: I touched You.

Then she told Him the reason why. 34 Jesus listened to her story.

Jesus: Daughter, you are well because you dared to believe. Go in peace, and stay well.

35 While He was speaking, some members of Jairus’s household pushed through the crowd.

Jairus’s Servants (to Jairus): Your daughter is dead. There’s no need to drag the Teacher any farther.

36 Jesus overheard their words. Then He turned to look at Jairus.

Jesus: It’s all right. Don’t be afraid; just believe.

37-38 Jesus asked everyone but Peter, James, and John (James’s brother) to remain outside when they reached Jairus’s home. Inside the synagogue leader’s house, the mourning had already begun; the weeping and wailing carried out into the street.

39 Jesus and His three disciples went inside.

Jesus: Why are you making all this sorrowful noise? The child isn’t dead. She’s just sleeping.

40 The mourners laughed a horrible, bitter laugh and went back to their wailing. Jesus cleared the house so that only His three disciples, Jairus, and Jairus’s wife were left inside with Him. They all went to where the child lay. 41 Then He took the child’s hand.

Jesus: Little girl, it’s time to wake up.

42 Immediately the 12-year-old girl opened her eyes, arose, and began to walk. Her parents could not believe their eyes.

Jesus (to the parents): 43 Don’t tell anybody what you’ve just seen. Why don’t you give her something to eat? I know she is hungry.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

In the events Mark relates in these verses, he tells of two individuals of great faith. You probably understand the great faith of the woman who touch Jesus’ robe. There were hundreds, perhaps thousands who touched Him that day, but only one had the faith to believe that if she could only touch His clothing she would find healing from her ailment. Everyone else wanted Jesus to lay His hands on them, say some pray for them, or do some other kind of physical action so they could see that something was happening from His perspective.

But this woman whose name only I know, had the faith to understand the real healing power that My Son carried within Him. It wasn’t His touch that made the difference. It wasn’t some ritual or some magical potion that provided the healing. It was faith to believe He was God incarnate. Faith in Him produced healing both physically and spiritually. It’s the same today. I still heal body and spirit. Sometimes it’s through the hands of the physicians I give intimate knowledge through. Sometimes it’s through a miraculous cure. Sometimes it’s through suffering until that day when ultimate healing takes place and you find yourself with a new body with Me in eternity. But she understood the healing power of faith.

We don’t think as much about the faith that Jarius possessed. But Jarius held the position of a leader in the synagogue. To go to Jesus for healing for his daughter meant he disobeyed the edicts of the temple leadership. The high priest and the leaders of the Jewish faith said Jesus was a heretic and must be denounced as such. No leader should put their faith in this itinerate preacher.

That meant Jarius likely lost his position in the synagogue by going to Jesus for help. His faith probably cost him his livelihood. His faith no doubt made him an enemy of the temple leadership. His faith made him a later target of the Roman rulers. His faith would cause him to have difficulty buying and selling in the market as he would find himself shunned by the rules of the society at the time.

But Jarius faith won his daughter back. Darius faith gained him a place in the Kingdom of God. His faith demonstrated his confidence in the life-giver and he found his prayers answered as a result. His faith led him to life…more abundant. His faith allowed him to testify to all around him that Jesus is God incarnate, the author of life. He would suffer for his faith, but ask Jarius if it was worth the suffering. You would find no hesitation in his answer. Of course the small amount of suffering we endure here is worth the prize awaiting us.

The unnamed woman and Jarius, two great examples of faith Mark shares with us. How do you rate on the faith scale? 

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Unmatched Faith (Luke 7:1-10), Jan 7, 2015

Leave a reply

Today’s background scripture comes from Luke 7:1-10

I hoped My chosen people would accept Me as the Messiah when I came to them. I found few who believed in Me. Many followed Me to see what miracle I might perform next. They wanted to see water turned to wine or the blind see or the lame walk. Many in those crowds thought the same thoughts I hear from crowds around some of the faith healers today.

“It’s just a show.”
“He had that man planted in the crowd.”
“I think I saw that same woman in the crowd at the last meeting.”
“If He really is the Messiah, why do the Pharisees want to do away with Him? He must be a fraud.”

I know frauds exist today to make money in My name. They will pay for their sins. But I still work miracles just as I did 2,000 years ago. I still look for those who believe in Me, not for the next trick they hope to see, but because they know “I Am.” Reading My word and seeing My work on earth should convince you I am who I say. If that is not enough, the stories tell of the miracles I performed. If that is not enough, My Spirit more than makes up for any story, vision, miracle, or anything else anyone could do to convince you. My Spirit in you provides the assurance I am the Messiah, God incarnate.

The centurion whose servant fell ill believed in Me. He weighed the evidence from the reports he received as his soldiers policed the villages and towns around Capernaum. He knew the scriptures My people should have known. He studied them to better understand the people he must help control in occupied Israel. And when the Jewish leaders asked Me to heal his servant, the centurion sent a messenger to Me understanding My power and authority over disease as the Messiah. He believed in Me and knew distance, like time, meant nothing to God.

Believe! That’s My desire for you in this new year. Just believe. Stretch your faith and understand that I am able. Period. You might not always like the answer I give you, but I will always answer in a way that brings Me glory and is best for you. You will sometimes not understand now, but one day you will. Trust Me! Believe in Me!

Ready – Luke 7:1-17; Psalms 3
Set – Genesis 18; Psalms 3; Luke 7
Go! – Genesis 18-19; Psalms 3; Luke 7

Luke 7:1-17; Psalms 3
Luke 7:1-17
Jesus shared all these sayings with the crowd that day on the plain. When He was finished, He went into the town of Capernaum. 2 There, a Centurion had a slave he loved dearly. The slave was sick—about to die— 3 so when the Centurion heard about Jesus, he contacted some Jewish elders. He sent them to ask Jesus to come and heal his dear slave. 4 With great emotion and respect, the elders presented their request to Jesus.

Jewish Elders: This man is worthy of Your help. It’s true that he’s a Centurion, 5 but he loves our nation. In fact, he paid for our synagogue to be built.

6 So Jesus accompanied them. When they approached the Centurion’s home, the Centurion sent out some friends to bring a message to Jesus.

Message of the Centurion: Lord, don’t go to the trouble of coming inside. I am not worthy to have You come under my roof. 7 That’s why I sent others with my request. Just say the word, and that will be enough to heal my servant. 8 I understand how authority works, being under authority myself and having soldiers under my authority. I command to one, “Go,” and he goes. I say to another, “Come,” and he comes. I say to my slave, “Do this,” and he obeys me.

9 Jesus was deeply impressed when He heard this. He turned to the crowd that followed Him.

Jesus: Listen, everyone. This outsider, this Roman, has more faith than I have found even among our own Jewish people.

10 The friends of the Centurion returned home, and they found the slave was completely healed.

11 It wasn’t long after this when Jesus entered a city called Nain. Again all of His disciples accompanied Him, along with a huge crowd. 12 He was coming near the gate of the city as a corpse was being carried out. This man was the only child and support of his widowed mother, and she was accompanied by a large funeral crowd.

13 As soon as the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her.

Jesus: Don’t weep.

14 Then He came to the stretcher, and those carrying it stood still.

Jesus: Young man, listen! Get up!

15 The dead man immediately sat up and began talking. Jesus presented him to his mother, 16 and everyone was both shocked and jubilant. They praised God.

Funeral Crowd: A tremendous prophet has arisen in our midst! God has visited His people!

17 News of Jesus spread across the whole province of Judea and beyond to the surrounding regions.

Psalm 3
1 Eternal One, my adversaries are many, too many to count.
Now they have taken a stand against me!
2 Right to my face they say,
“God will not save you!”

3 But You, Eternal One, wrap around me like an impenetrable shield.
You give me glory and lift my eyes up to the heavens.
4 I lift my voice to You, Eternal One,
and You answer me from Your sacred heights.

5 I lie down at night and fall asleep.
I awake in the morning—healthy, strong, vibrant—because the Eternal supports me.
6 No longer will I fear my tens of thousands of enemies
who have surrounded me!
7 Rise up, O Eternal One!
Rescue me, O God!
For You have dealt my enemies a strong blow to the jaw!
You have shattered their teeth! Do so again.
8 Liberation truly comes from the Eternal.
Let Your blessings shower down upon Your people.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.