Walking Through The New Testament

John the Baptist, as the final Old Covenent Prophet, had left quite 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, 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 that 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, ad He hung on that cross. On it, was our worst, most hideous sins imaginable. Jesus took those for us to the hrave, 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 ate 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 the 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

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 that 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 that 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, hmHe teaches us that I leven if we do not feel that Jesus can heal us, if we only believe and have faith, hope and love, that 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 4:21-34
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 the 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 them, 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 your life. HIS plan, not ours.

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

Amen.
DK