Category: Mark

The love for Jesus prompts our souls to run to Him. It is an irresistible force that keeps us needing to seek Him in all our days…

Mark 6:30-34
30 The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. 33 But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

To be able to learn from Jesus through reading His word is much the same as it must’ve been as these people ran to see Jesus. It was irresistible, and love prompted them to do it. It is the lost sheep that gets the attention. The sheep that is reliant upon God for direction through His Word.

We are the sheep, and He is our Shepherd. Jesus is the perfect Shepherd. The Shepherd who gave His life for the life of His sheep. For you and I. Unconditionally, He gave us freedom from death, freedom from sin, freedom from the chains of this world. Choose to love Him today and find time to be intimate with Him today. He loves you. #JesusSaves

Amen.
DK

John the Baptist, as the final Old Covenant Prophet, had left quite an impression on those who heard him. He was sent to prepare the way for Jesus…

Mark 6:14-29
14 King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying,[b] “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”

15 Others said, “He is Elijah.”

And still others claimed, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.”

16 But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!”

17 For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, 20 because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled[c]; yet he liked to listen to him.

21 Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22 When the daughter of[d] Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests.

The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” 23 And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”

24 She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?”

“The head of John the Baptist,” she answered.

25 At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”

26 The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27 So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, 28 and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. 29 On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

John and Jesus knew of each other. Jesus was actually baptized by John, and through this John knew that Jesus was the Messiah. Herod had been touched by John’s teachings as he spoke truth. When Herod heard of Jesus, he actually thought John had returned to life.

The execution of John the Baptist is horrible, considering that it came at the hands of one who knew of John personally. Herod respected John as a “Man of God.” But as many of us have and will be in the future, he was stuck with his humanity, and it got in his way of seeing. What Herod did is horrendous and insane, yet there is a man in that body. A man that Jesus died for, as He hung on that cross. On it were our worst, most hideous sins imaginable. Jesus took those for us to the grave, and as He did this…He forgave us. All of us. But a step is required. Pray this prayer now and let Jesus into your life:

Lord Jesus, I ask You to forgive my sins and save me from eternal separation from God. By faith, I accept Your work and death on the cross as sufficient payment for my sins. Thank You for providing the way for me to know You and to have a relationship with my heavenly Father. Through faith in You, I have eternal life. Thank You also for hearing my prayers and loving me unconditionally. Please give me the strength, wisdom, and determination to walk in the center of Your will. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Now you can begin to strengthen your relationship with Jesus Christ.

Amen.
DK

We should not worry or concern ourselves with this world…

Mark 6:6-13
6 Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. 7 Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits.

8 These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. 9 Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. 10 Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. 11 And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”

12 They went out and preached that people should repent. 13 They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

Shake the dust from your feet. Yes. Do not let even one speck of dust weigh you down or cause you to stray from your efforts in His name. How many times can you remember that you allowed the response of another to distract from doing the “right” thing? I know I can remember many.

The instructions from our Creator are to shake the dust from your feet and move on. Keep throwing the seed. Keep sowing. Fear not what they will do or say. Move on. Share anyway. Share His love for you. It is through relentless, sheer, and dogged determination that you will spread His word to the masses. Just the way that Jesus did.

It will not be easy. Many will not understand. But if we push. If we press. If we persevere, He will win. The world will change. One spoken word at a time. You are the 12 now. #JesusSaves

Amen
DK

This is truly Faith vs. Sight…

Mark 6:1-6
1 Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. 2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.

“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? 3 Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph,[a] Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

4 Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” 5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 He was amazed at their lack of faith.

Jesus lived a perfect and sinless life, yet it is the blinding effects of this world that did not allow even those from His hometown to see who He truly was. Perhaps if they acknowledged that He was truly the Messiah, they would feel ashamed for not having known sooner. Whatever the reason, an opportunity for redemption stared them in the face, and they did not have the faith to change their own sight.

This earth is blinding. Similar to the way a deer can be caught in headlights and not move, we are stuck in the enemy’s realm if we rely only on what we see and feel. We must give all to Him who created us. Once we do, He will reveal the way, the truth, and the life. #JesusSaves

Amen.
DK

Jesus will heal and bring you to life even if you do not know how to ask…

Mark 5:35-43
35 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?”

36 Overhearing[c] what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. 38 When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39 He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” 40 But they laughed at him.

After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). 42 Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. 43 He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.

Amen! There was a revelation in the middle of this passage shown to me. Jesus was not even asked to raise the dead girl. He did it without being prompted. Those who told the father of the girl to go away lacked the faith and ability of Jesus, or they assumed that Jesus was too “busy” for that now.

We should never limit the ability and love of God shown through Jesus Christ here on Earth. Jesus was able to teach many with this one act, this one miracle. He taught those who told the man to go away that we should not limit His power. He taught the parents of the girl that faith and hope and love are the most powerful abilities in the world. And lastly, He teaches us that even if we do not feel that Jesus can heal us, if we only believe and have faith, hope, and love, Jesus will work in our lives where He knows we need it most.

Today I ask for your prayers for my son Gavin. He is 9 years old and is going in for surgery this morning at Renaissance Hospital. Please pray for him all day long. He is a sweet boy with a beautiful heart for God.

Amen.
DK

True FAITH…

Mark 5:21-34
21 When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. 22 Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. 23 He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” 24 So Jesus went with him.

A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”

31 “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ”

32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

It is faith, pure faith, that drove this woman to seek Jesus. Even with thousands clamoring to see Jesus, she has the will and need to merely touch His cloak. If she could only touch it, she would be healed.

Jesus felt her faith when she did that. So strong that even with so many pressing and pushing against Him, He felt her faith. Through the madness, He knew she was near. It was her faith in Him that changed her circumstances. That is the way it is for us. However, we do not need to touch His cloak to be healed and saved. We just need to submit to His plan for our lives. HIS plan, not ours.

If we trust Jesus and His will upon our lives, then our faith will catch His attention, and He will feel our presence. His spark will ignite a fire in our lives that will begin to grow into world-changing belief in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. #JesusSaves

Amen.
DK

In our eyes it was a big price to pay. In His eyes…

Mark 5:9-20
9 Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”

“My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” 10 And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.

11 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. 12 The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” 13 He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.

14 Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. 15 When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 16 Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. 17 Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.

18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 19 Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis[b] how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

A man possessed with a legion of demons. Wow! Enough demons to possess 1000 pigs. What is so amazing about this is that all of the demons know Jesus and are afraid of Him. They beg and plead for Jesus not to destroy them. What a scene it must’ve been.

How about the once-chained and now-free man? Once possessed by a legion, yes, an entire legion of demons. The demons are now gone, and he is in his right mind, yet that did not impress the villagers. They wanted Jesus gone. Again, they could not see the truth behind what Jesus had done. He had done what needed to be done. No more. No less. Just the right moves at the right time.

The man? He was instructed to stay and spread the word of how he was healed. He was to be the witness for all. Did you see that? Who did Jesus choose? Yes. He chose a naked, chained, filthy, demon-possessed man to spread His word. He chose us also. Let’s go. #JesusSaves

Amen.
DK

Every knee will bow at the sound of His name…

Mark 5:1-8
1 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. 2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. 4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.

6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7 He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” 8 For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!”

This demon-possessed man from across the sea knew His name! Not only knew His name but was afraid of Him. How?

The enemy cringes at the mere thought of Jesus, and as you say His name, fear and anger overtake the devil, and he lashes out at us. The enemy does this by attacking the weakest areas of our lives.

The way to guard yourself and fight is to turn and run. Sounds manly, huh? It is the only way. You cannot beat the enemy alone. Turn and run to Jesus. He is waiting, arms open wide, to protect you. Don’t be ashamed. He made you. Even with all of your weaknesses, He made you. If given to Him, He will make your weaknesses your strengths.

When you wake in the morning, let the first word you say be, “Jesus!” #JesusSaves

Amen.
DK

The storm is coming. Whether it deals with the weather at all is beside the point. The storm is coming…

Mark 4:35-41
35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

To be able to truly understand what happened is not hard once you know that it is the Creator Himself who is with you. I imagine myself in that boat with Jesus, rocking in the waves and getting seasick and being afraid. At this point, you see, Jesus had performed miracles and was a great teacher. But to still the wind and waves, wow! This is more than they could fathom.

The last question is awesome, “Who is this?” Could it be rhetorical, or did they not quite know yet that this was the Messiah? Otherwise, they were just that panicked and awed in a situation that amazed them.

Whatever the case, these verses remind us to have faith in Jesus, God on Earth in human form walking with us. Which, in case you did not know, walks with us still to this very day. And He will be waiting for you when you get up. #JesusSaves

Amen.
DK

Jesus knew us well and knew exactly who He was speaking to…

³⁰ Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? ³¹ It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. ³² Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”

³³ With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. ³⁴ He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.

Stories, or parables, are how Jesus teaches. He does this so we can understand. He could have easily blown us away with the full truth, but He knew what we needed. And He knew what we could handle.

He was speaking to the people who had not known how to read. He spoke to the poor, the tired, the humble, the poor in spirit, and you and I. He came to save us. He did not come to judge or condemn us.

Now…read. Start with the New Testament. Read every day. It’s a promise that you will grow and succeed in God’s plan for your life and the life of your family. #JesusSaves

Please let me know if you want to talk about Jesus. I would love to tell you about Him.

Amen
DK