Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Psalm 1:1-6
How blessed is the man who does not
walk in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 And he will be like a tree firmly
planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season,
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so,
But they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the wicked will perish.
(NASB)
Blessed are we when we do not walk in sin or wickedness.
Our delight is to be in the Word of God daily.
To meditate on it and to study it day and night.
And in so doing we will be like a tree firmly planted.
Firmly planted by the life giving water Jesus Christ.
In our obedience we will bear fruit and we will not wither.
And in whatever we do according to the will of God, we will prosper.
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Monday, January 30, 2012
33 But many people saw them leaving, and people from many towns ran ahead
along the shore and met them as they landed.
34 A vast crowd was there as he stepped from the boat,
and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd.
So he taught them many things.
(NLT)
Compassion, do you have compassion for others? There are many people who are lost and have no one to lead them to the Great Shepard. That person is you and me. Compassion softens our hearts so that Christ can use us to do His will. When we turn from compassion our hearts harden and this makes it harder for us to hear the Lord speaking to us. Are you willing to teach when they come? Are you willing to open up your life as Christ opened up His life to you? Jesus Christ is meant to be shared not withheld. You were chosen for this, this is why you received Christ to share and to reflect Christ. Go, share, give as He has given to you and have compassion on whom Jesus has compassion on. Blessed be the His name.
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Friday, January 27, 2012
30 The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour
and told him all they had done and what they had taught.
31 Then Jesus said, "Let's get away from the crowds for a while and rest."
There were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn't even have time to eat.
32 They left by boat for a quieter spot.
(NLT)
When you have obeyed the Lord and completed the task He called you to do He will bring you into a time of rest. He knows how excited you are about serving Him but He also wants to make sure you rest. Sometimes we think we need to keep going and time is running out. But Jesus has plans for you and it is not always about doing, doing, doing sometimes it is about rest and reflection. Even Jesus took time to rest. He would go off to a secluded place to rest and pray. He knows we need that too. Maybe you need to get in a boat and go to quieter spot or to relax at the beach or spend time in the wilderness or maybe it is time at home with nothing else to do but to sit back and relax. Burnout occurs because we push ourselves further then Christ had intended for us to go. Jesus said you can not do anything in and of yourself but all things are possible through me. We must do things Jesus’ way for any other way is the wrong way. Follow Jesus where He leads you.
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Thursday, January 26, 2012
The Death of John the Baptist
14 Herod Antipas, the king, soon heard about Jesus, because people everywhere were talking about him. Some were saying, "This must be John the Baptist come back to life again. That is why he can do such miracles." 15 Others thought Jesus was the ancient prophet Elijah. Still others thought he was a prophet like the other great prophets of the past. 16 When Herod heard about Jesus, he said, "John, the man I beheaded, has come back from the dead." 17 For Herod had sent soldiers to arrest and imprison John as a favor to Herodias. She had been his brother Philip's wife, but Herod had married her. 18 John kept telling Herod, "It is illegal for you to marry your brother's wife." 19 Herodias was enraged and wanted John killed in revenge, but without Herod's approval she was powerless. 20 And Herod respected John, knowing that he was a good and holy man, so he kept him under his protection. Herod was disturbed whenever he talked with John, but even so, he liked to listen to him. 21 Herodias's chance finally came. It was Herod's birthday, and he gave a party for his palace aides, army officers, and the leading citizens of Galilee. 22 Then his daughter, also named Herodias, came in and performed a dance that greatly pleased them all. "Ask me for anything you like," the king said to the girl, "and I will give it to you." 23 Then he promised, "I will give you whatever you ask, up to half of my kingdom!" 24 She went out and asked her mother, "What should I ask for?"Her mother told her, "Ask for John the Baptist's head!" 25 So the girl hurried back to the king and told him, "I want the head of John the Baptist, right now, on a tray!" 26 Then the king was very sorry, but he was embarrassed to break his oath in front of his guests. 27 So he sent an executioner to the prison to cut off John's head and bring it to him. The soldier beheaded John in the prison, 28 brought his head on a tray, and gave it to the girl, who took it to her mother. 29 When John's disciples heard what had happened, they came for his body and buried it in a tomb.
(NLT)
It is sad to read of the death of John the Baptist but as John said “Jesus must increase and I must decrease.” And so it is with us, Jesus must increase and we must decrease. Each day we must deny ourselves and let Christ come through. Each day people need to see more of Jesus and less of ourselves. Our life is in Christ, about Christ and for Christ. We were saved to carry Christ, show Christ and to share Christ with others who are in need of Him. We needed Him and some shared with us, so then we need to go and do likewise. Go and show the love of Jesus with everyone you meet.
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Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
14 Herod Antipas, the king, soon heard about Jesus, because people everywhere were talking about him. Some were saying, "This must be John the Baptist come back to life again. That is why he can do such miracles." 15 Others thought Jesus was the ancient prophet Elijah. Still others thought he was a prophet like the other great prophets of the past. 16 When Herod heard about Jesus, he said, "John, the man I beheaded, has come back from the dead." 17 For Herod had sent soldiers to arrest and imprison John as a favor to Herodias. She had been his brother Philip's wife, but Herod had married her. 18 John kept telling Herod, "It is illegal for you to marry your brother's wife." 19 Herodias was enraged and wanted John killed in revenge, but without Herod's approval she was powerless. 20 And Herod respected John, knowing that he was a good and holy man, so he kept him under his protection. Herod was disturbed whenever he talked with John, but even so, he liked to listen to him. 21 Herodias's chance finally came. It was Herod's birthday, and he gave a party for his palace aides, army officers, and the leading citizens of Galilee. 22 Then his daughter, also named Herodias, came in and performed a dance that greatly pleased them all. "Ask me for anything you like," the king said to the girl, "and I will give it to you." 23 Then he promised, "I will give you whatever you ask, up to half of my kingdom!" 24 She went out and asked her mother, "What should I ask for?"Her mother told her, "Ask for John the Baptist's head!" 25 So the girl hurried back to the king and told him, "I want the head of John the Baptist, right now, on a tray!" 26 Then the king was very sorry, but he was embarrassed to break his oath in front of his guests. 27 So he sent an executioner to the prison to cut off John's head and bring it to him. The soldier beheaded John in the prison, 28 brought his head on a tray, and gave it to the girl, who took it to her mother. 29 When John's disciples heard what had happened, they came for his body and buried it in a tomb.
(NLT)
It is sad to read of the death of John the Baptist but as John said “Jesus must increase and I must decrease.” And so it is with us, Jesus must increase and we must decrease. Each day we must deny ourselves and let Christ come through. Each day people need to see more of Jesus and less of ourselves. Our life is in Christ, about Christ and for Christ. We were saved to carry Christ, show Christ and to share Christ with others who are in need of Him. We needed Him and some shared with us, so then we need to go and do likewise. Go and show the love of Jesus with everyone you meet.
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Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Mark 6:6b-13
6b Then Jesus went out from village to village, teaching.
7 And he called his twelve disciples together and sent them out two by two,
with authority to cast out evil spirits.
Up to this point Jesus has been teaching the disciples God’s Word. He has been showing them what faith looks like and how to have faith and how to put their trust in Him. Now it is time for them to put their knowledge of scripture, faith and trust in Christ into practical application. They went out two by two because two are stronger than one. With two you have someone to have your back and someone as a companion with the same goal. There comes a time that you need to step out in faith and trust and apply the Word not only to your own life but to share that faith with others who need to hear it. You may ask “How do I know who I‘m suppose to share with?” The answer is everyone because you don’t know exactly who needs to hear but the Holy Spirit does. So just go and do.
8 He told them to take nothing with them except a walking stick —
no food, no traveler's bag, no money.
9 He told them to wear sandals but not to take even an extra coat.
10 "When you enter each village, be a guest in only one home," he said.
11 "And if a village won't welcome you or listen to you,
shake off its dust from your feet as you leave.
It is a sign that you have abandoned that village to its fate."The best way to learn a second language is “Total Immersion.” Sometimes you just need to go cold turkey and take that first step into faith. No money, no food, no luggage, no extra clothes or shoes and not even a coat. Total and complete trust in Christ and Christ alone.
12 So the disciples went out, telling all they met to turn from their sins.
13 And they cast out many demons and healed many sick people,
anointing them with olive oil. (NLT)
So the disciples went out and did what Jesus asked them to do. Have you? Are you? God is glorified when we do what He asks us to do. Therefore go and glorify God your Father.
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6b Then Jesus went out from village to village, teaching.
7 And he called his twelve disciples together and sent them out two by two,
with authority to cast out evil spirits.
Up to this point Jesus has been teaching the disciples God’s Word. He has been showing them what faith looks like and how to have faith and how to put their trust in Him. Now it is time for them to put their knowledge of scripture, faith and trust in Christ into practical application. They went out two by two because two are stronger than one. With two you have someone to have your back and someone as a companion with the same goal. There comes a time that you need to step out in faith and trust and apply the Word not only to your own life but to share that faith with others who need to hear it. You may ask “How do I know who I‘m suppose to share with?” The answer is everyone because you don’t know exactly who needs to hear but the Holy Spirit does. So just go and do.
8 He told them to take nothing with them except a walking stick —
no food, no traveler's bag, no money.
9 He told them to wear sandals but not to take even an extra coat.
10 "When you enter each village, be a guest in only one home," he said.
11 "And if a village won't welcome you or listen to you,
shake off its dust from your feet as you leave.
It is a sign that you have abandoned that village to its fate."The best way to learn a second language is “Total Immersion.” Sometimes you just need to go cold turkey and take that first step into faith. No money, no food, no luggage, no extra clothes or shoes and not even a coat. Total and complete trust in Christ and Christ alone.
12 So the disciples went out, telling all they met to turn from their sins.
13 And they cast out many demons and healed many sick people,
anointing them with olive oil. (NLT)
So the disciples went out and did what Jesus asked them to do. Have you? Are you? God is glorified when we do what He asks us to do. Therefore go and glorify God your Father.
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Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Mark 6:1-6
1 Jesus left that part of the country and returned with his disciples to Nazareth, his hometown.
2 The next Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished.
They asked, "Where did he get all his wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?
3 He's just the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon.
And his sisters live right here among us." They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.
4 Then Jesus told them,
"A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family."
5 And because of their unbelief, he couldn't do any mighty miracles among them
except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them.
6 And he was amazed at their unbelief.
(NLT)
Have you found it hard at times to share with family members? Or that they give you a hard time about the changes that Jesus has made in your life? It seems that because they knew you before you received Christ that they should remind you of that old life. They think that because you are shedding the old life that you some how are saying to them that you are better than them, which is not the case at all. Like Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus you have chosen the better part. Through prayer, patience, consistency and persistence they may be able to see the truth as you have. And above all continue to love them as God loves you. Remember that Jesus has gone through pretty much every circumstance that you have or will every go through and that means He will walk along side you every step of the way. Family and friends may scoff but Jesus never will. Jesus is the best part of life.
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Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
1 Jesus left that part of the country and returned with his disciples to Nazareth, his hometown.
2 The next Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished.
They asked, "Where did he get all his wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?
3 He's just the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon.
And his sisters live right here among us." They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.
4 Then Jesus told them,
"A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family."
5 And because of their unbelief, he couldn't do any mighty miracles among them
except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them.
6 And he was amazed at their unbelief.
(NLT)
Have you found it hard at times to share with family members? Or that they give you a hard time about the changes that Jesus has made in your life? It seems that because they knew you before you received Christ that they should remind you of that old life. They think that because you are shedding the old life that you some how are saying to them that you are better than them, which is not the case at all. Like Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus you have chosen the better part. Through prayer, patience, consistency and persistence they may be able to see the truth as you have. And above all continue to love them as God loves you. Remember that Jesus has gone through pretty much every circumstance that you have or will every go through and that means He will walk along side you every step of the way. Family and friends may scoff but Jesus never will. Jesus is the best part of life.
Sponsored by BMCC Men’s Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
Monday, January 23, 2012
Mark 5:40b-43
Jesus Heals in Response to Faith
40b Then he took the girl's father and mother and
his three disciples into the room where the girl was lying.
41 Holding her hand, he said to her, "Get up, little girl!"
42 And the girl, who was twelve years old, immediately stood up and walked around!
Her parents were absolutely overwhelmed.
43 Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone what had happened,
and he told them to give her something to eat.
(NLT)
This young girl was healed because her parents put their faith and belief in Christ. Jesus had to teach them to put their faith in Him. He gave them live illustrations to learn by and He walked them through the process. And what was the result of her parents' journey? They were absolutely overwhelmed.
What do you think happened when Jesus told them not to tell anyone what had happened? It seems in most cases they could not stop talking about it with whomever they meet. Most likely this probably happened here as well. What do you do when something wonderful happens to you? Don’t you tell everyone about your wonderful experience? Yes, you probably do. Jesus has given you a wonderful gift and experience and that is your salvation through Him. Go and tell everyone your story of how Jesus saved you.
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Jesus Heals in Response to Faith
40b Then he took the girl's father and mother and
his three disciples into the room where the girl was lying.
41 Holding her hand, he said to her, "Get up, little girl!"
42 And the girl, who was twelve years old, immediately stood up and walked around!
Her parents were absolutely overwhelmed.
43 Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone what had happened,
and he told them to give her something to eat.
(NLT)
This young girl was healed because her parents put their faith and belief in Christ. Jesus had to teach them to put their faith in Him. He gave them live illustrations to learn by and He walked them through the process. And what was the result of her parents' journey? They were absolutely overwhelmed.
What do you think happened when Jesus told them not to tell anyone what had happened? It seems in most cases they could not stop talking about it with whomever they meet. Most likely this probably happened here as well. What do you do when something wonderful happens to you? Don’t you tell everyone about your wonderful experience? Yes, you probably do. Jesus has given you a wonderful gift and experience and that is your salvation through Him. Go and tell everyone your story of how Jesus saved you.
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Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
Friday, January 20, 2012
Jesus Heals in Response to Faith
37 Then Jesus stopped the crowd and wouldn't let anyone go with him
except Peter and James and John.
38 When they came to the home of the synagogue leader,
Jesus saw the commotion and the weeping and wailing.
39 He went inside and spoke to the people.
"Why all this weeping and commotion?" he asked.
"The child isn't dead; she is only asleep."
40 The crowd laughed at him, but he told them all to go outside.
(NLT)
Jesus must have taken Peter, James and John with Him to teach them to have stronger faith in Him. It must have been one of them or maybe all three of them that said to Jesus when the women touched His robe "All this crowd is pressing around you. How can you ask, 'Who touched me?'" Jesus needed to cement their faith because they were going to be the leaders of the church. All our trials are to lead us into faith in Christ. Faith brings strength.
When Jesus came to the house what did He see? He saw a big commotion going on, weeping and wailing loudly. Sometimes that is what is going on inside of us just one big commotion. Jesus says, “Hey you’re not dead you’re just asleep, wake up” and then He sends the commotion outside so He can teach you more about faith in Him. The commotion needs to go so we can focus on Jesus.
Sponsored by BMCC Men’s Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ'
37 Then Jesus stopped the crowd and wouldn't let anyone go with him
except Peter and James and John.
38 When they came to the home of the synagogue leader,
Jesus saw the commotion and the weeping and wailing.
39 He went inside and spoke to the people.
"Why all this weeping and commotion?" he asked.
"The child isn't dead; she is only asleep."
40 The crowd laughed at him, but he told them all to go outside.
(NLT)
Jesus must have taken Peter, James and John with Him to teach them to have stronger faith in Him. It must have been one of them or maybe all three of them that said to Jesus when the women touched His robe "All this crowd is pressing around you. How can you ask, 'Who touched me?'" Jesus needed to cement their faith because they were going to be the leaders of the church. All our trials are to lead us into faith in Christ. Faith brings strength.
When Jesus came to the house what did He see? He saw a big commotion going on, weeping and wailing loudly. Sometimes that is what is going on inside of us just one big commotion. Jesus says, “Hey you’re not dead you’re just asleep, wake up” and then He sends the commotion outside so He can teach you more about faith in Him. The commotion needs to go so we can focus on Jesus.
Sponsored by BMCC Men’s Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ'
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Mark 5:35-37
Jesus Heals in Response to Faith
35 While he was still speaking to her, messengers arrived from Jairus's home with the message,
"Your daughter is dead. There's no use troubling the Teacher now."
36 But Jesus ignored their comments and said to Jairus, "Don't be afraid. Just trust me."
(NLT)
Right at the pinnacle of teaching faith and trust someone tries to minimize the experience. “Your daughter is dead, don’t trouble the Teacher now.” Satan does not want you to live by faith and trust in Christ. He wants to destroy any experience he can. “Oh it’s no use why bother God about it now,” “There’s nothing you can do about it.” But look what Jesus did -- He ignored their comments and said, "Don't be afraid. Just trust me." This is what we need to do, ignore their comments. Unbelievers want to discourage you, minimize your faith and treat it as nothing. But Jesus wants us not to be afraid because He is with us and He wants us to just trust Him. Just do it, just trust Him because Jesus will never lead you contrary to the Word of God. If it does not line up with scripture then it is not of God. But if it lines up with scripture then trust and obey Jesus.
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Jesus Heals in Response to Faith
35 While he was still speaking to her, messengers arrived from Jairus's home with the message,
"Your daughter is dead. There's no use troubling the Teacher now."
36 But Jesus ignored their comments and said to Jairus, "Don't be afraid. Just trust me."
(NLT)
Right at the pinnacle of teaching faith and trust someone tries to minimize the experience. “Your daughter is dead, don’t trouble the Teacher now.” Satan does not want you to live by faith and trust in Christ. He wants to destroy any experience he can. “Oh it’s no use why bother God about it now,” “There’s nothing you can do about it.” But look what Jesus did -- He ignored their comments and said, "Don't be afraid. Just trust me." This is what we need to do, ignore their comments. Unbelievers want to discourage you, minimize your faith and treat it as nothing. But Jesus wants us not to be afraid because He is with us and He wants us to just trust Him. Just do it, just trust Him because Jesus will never lead you contrary to the Word of God. If it does not line up with scripture then it is not of God. But if it lines up with scripture then trust and obey Jesus.
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Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Mark 5:27-34
Jesus Heals in Response to Faith
27 She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him
through the crowd and touched the fringe of his robe.
28 For she thought to herself, "If I can just touch his clothing,
I will be healed."
29 Immediately the bleeding stopped,
and she could feel that she had been healed!
30 Jesus realized at once that healing power had gone out from him,
so he turned around in the crowd and asked,
"Who touched my clothes?"
31 His disciples said to him, "All this crowd is pressing around you.
How can you ask, 'Who touched me?' "
32 But he kept on looking around to see who had done it.
33 Then the frightened woman,
trembling at the realization of what had happened to her,
came and fell at his feet and told him what she had done.
34 And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well.
Go in peace. You have been healed."
(NLT)
She had heard about Jesus and because she had nowhere else to turn she turned to Jesus. She believed in her heart that by touching the fringe of His robe she would be healed and she was. Romans 10:10 says, For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God… and this is what she did. The synagogue leader was right there watching all of this happen and Jesus was leading him into faith in Him.
When Jesus asked the question "Who touched my clothes?" He knew who touched His clothes but He wanted her to come and confess with her mouth publicly. When she came she came to the feet of Jesus. This is where we need to come, to the feet of Jesus and confess our sin to Him and put our trust and faith in Him. And when we have done this then we can go in peace for our faith has made us well.
The synagogue leader needed to see faith in action. He needed to see faith by believing and salvation through confession by his mouth. Now Jesus will take him into his trial just as He will take us into our trials and walk us through so that our faith in Him will grow stronger.
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Jesus Heals in Response to Faith
27 She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him
through the crowd and touched the fringe of his robe.
28 For she thought to herself, "If I can just touch his clothing,
I will be healed."
29 Immediately the bleeding stopped,
and she could feel that she had been healed!
30 Jesus realized at once that healing power had gone out from him,
so he turned around in the crowd and asked,
"Who touched my clothes?"
31 His disciples said to him, "All this crowd is pressing around you.
How can you ask, 'Who touched me?' "
32 But he kept on looking around to see who had done it.
33 Then the frightened woman,
trembling at the realization of what had happened to her,
came and fell at his feet and told him what she had done.
34 And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well.
Go in peace. You have been healed."
(NLT)
She had heard about Jesus and because she had nowhere else to turn she turned to Jesus. She believed in her heart that by touching the fringe of His robe she would be healed and she was. Romans 10:10 says, For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God… and this is what she did. The synagogue leader was right there watching all of this happen and Jesus was leading him into faith in Him.
When Jesus asked the question "Who touched my clothes?" He knew who touched His clothes but He wanted her to come and confess with her mouth publicly. When she came she came to the feet of Jesus. This is where we need to come, to the feet of Jesus and confess our sin to Him and put our trust and faith in Him. And when we have done this then we can go in peace for our faith has made us well.
The synagogue leader needed to see faith in action. He needed to see faith by believing and salvation through confession by his mouth. Now Jesus will take him into his trial just as He will take us into our trials and walk us through so that our faith in Him will grow stronger.
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Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Mark 5:24-26
24 Jesus went with him, and the crowd thronged behind.
25 And there was a woman in the crowd who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years.
26 She had suffered a great deal from many doctors through the years
and had spent everything she had to pay them,
but she had gotten no better. In fact, she was worse.
(NLT)
So then Jesus heads out with this leader of a synagogue and along the way He will teach this man to put his faith and trust in Him. Jesus uses a woman who for twelve years has this hemorrhage that cannot be stopped. She has suffered greatly, has spent all her money to pay many doctors and now is at the end of herself and has nowhere else to go. She is getting worse and worse. She hears of Jesus and His ability to heal any illness. What will she do? It is decision time. She has two decisions to make, one is to continue living in the world which just keeps taking and taking or second turn to Jesus who says He is the Son of the Living God and Creator. You and I are also faced with these two questions. Which one do you chose? The synagogue leader had to face these two questions, the world or Jesus? Jesus always has a plan and within that plan He has a lesson for you to learn. Growth does not come easy it must be learned and not always in the fun way. If everything was fun we would learn nothing. Jesus has a plan for you, He has lessons for you to learn and to grow. Why? Because He loves you and has your best in mind.
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24 Jesus went with him, and the crowd thronged behind.
25 And there was a woman in the crowd who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years.
26 She had suffered a great deal from many doctors through the years
and had spent everything she had to pay them,
but she had gotten no better. In fact, she was worse.
(NLT)
So then Jesus heads out with this leader of a synagogue and along the way He will teach this man to put his faith and trust in Him. Jesus uses a woman who for twelve years has this hemorrhage that cannot be stopped. She has suffered greatly, has spent all her money to pay many doctors and now is at the end of herself and has nowhere else to go. She is getting worse and worse. She hears of Jesus and His ability to heal any illness. What will she do? It is decision time. She has two decisions to make, one is to continue living in the world which just keeps taking and taking or second turn to Jesus who says He is the Son of the Living God and Creator. You and I are also faced with these two questions. Which one do you chose? The synagogue leader had to face these two questions, the world or Jesus? Jesus always has a plan and within that plan He has a lesson for you to learn. Growth does not come easy it must be learned and not always in the fun way. If everything was fun we would learn nothing. Jesus has a plan for you, He has lessons for you to learn and to grow. Why? Because He loves you and has your best in mind.
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Thursday, January 12, 2012
Mark 5:14-20
14 The herdsmen fled to the nearby city and the surrounding countryside,
spreading the news as they ran. Everyone rushed out to see for themselves.
15 A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, but they were frightened when
they saw the man who had been demon possessed,
for he was sitting there fully clothed and perfectly sane.
16 Those who had seen what happened to the man and to the pigs told everyone about it,
17 and the crowd began pleading with Jesus to go away and leave them alone.
18 When Jesus got back into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go, too.
19 But Jesus said, "No, go home to your friends,
and tell them what wonderful things the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been."
20 So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region
and began to tell everyone about the great things Jesus had done for him;
and everyone was amazed at what he told them.
(NLT)
In these verses we can go back to the verses of the sower and the seed. Jesus healed a demon possessed man and the men of the countryside saw it and went and told everyone what they saw. They ran and spread the news. What kind of news did they spread? It did not say they spread the good news just news. But was all lost when the people asked Jesus to leave? No. The seed had been planted and Jesus knew exactly what needed to be done next. Instead of Jesus going to these Ten Towns He sent the man who had been healed. "go home to your friends, and tell them what wonderful things the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been." This is the same thing Jesus wants us to do before He returns “Go and make disciples.” Go and tell every one of the wonderful things the Lord has done for you, tell them of His mercy He has shown you, tell them of His great love for you and tell them how He died for them too. One sows, one waters and one reaps the harvest. Some times you sow the seed, some times you water the seed some one else has sown and some times you reap the harvest of someone else’s labor but in the end God gets the glory and Jesus is magnified.
Sponsored by BMCC Men’s Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
14 The herdsmen fled to the nearby city and the surrounding countryside,
spreading the news as they ran. Everyone rushed out to see for themselves.
15 A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, but they were frightened when
they saw the man who had been demon possessed,
for he was sitting there fully clothed and perfectly sane.
16 Those who had seen what happened to the man and to the pigs told everyone about it,
17 and the crowd began pleading with Jesus to go away and leave them alone.
18 When Jesus got back into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go, too.
19 But Jesus said, "No, go home to your friends,
and tell them what wonderful things the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been."
20 So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region
and began to tell everyone about the great things Jesus had done for him;
and everyone was amazed at what he told them.
(NLT)
In these verses we can go back to the verses of the sower and the seed. Jesus healed a demon possessed man and the men of the countryside saw it and went and told everyone what they saw. They ran and spread the news. What kind of news did they spread? It did not say they spread the good news just news. But was all lost when the people asked Jesus to leave? No. The seed had been planted and Jesus knew exactly what needed to be done next. Instead of Jesus going to these Ten Towns He sent the man who had been healed. "go home to your friends, and tell them what wonderful things the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been." This is the same thing Jesus wants us to do before He returns “Go and make disciples.” Go and tell every one of the wonderful things the Lord has done for you, tell them of His mercy He has shown you, tell them of His great love for you and tell them how He died for them too. One sows, one waters and one reaps the harvest. Some times you sow the seed, some times you water the seed some one else has sown and some times you reap the harvest of someone else’s labor but in the end God gets the glory and Jesus is magnified.
Sponsored by BMCC Men’s Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Mark 5:9-13
9 Then Jesus asked, "What is your name?" And the spirit replied, "Legion, because there are many of us here inside this man."
10 Then the spirits begged him again and again not to send them to some distant place.
11 There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby.
12 "Send us into those pigs," the evil spirits begged.
13 Jesus gave them permission.
So the evil spirits came out of the man and entered the pigs,
and the entire herd of two thousand pigs plunged down the steep hillside into the lake,
where they drowned.
(NLT)
We serve an awesome God. Even the demons have to obey Jesus. They begged Him and pleaded with Him. They had to get permission to go into the pigs. Jesus has all the power. They knew who Jesus was and they were afraid of Him. They knew He was more powerful then Satan. We have nothing to fear or to worry about because Jesus is our Savior. Jesus is our King. Jesus is large and in charge. We serve a powerful God. We can be bold in this world because Jesus lives within us. His Holy Spirit guides and teaches us. We are the children of Jesus, bought and paid for by His own blood. Therefore live your life for Him because He is for you.
Sponsored by BMCC Men’s Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
9 Then Jesus asked, "What is your name?" And the spirit replied, "Legion, because there are many of us here inside this man."
10 Then the spirits begged him again and again not to send them to some distant place.
11 There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby.
12 "Send us into those pigs," the evil spirits begged.
13 Jesus gave them permission.
So the evil spirits came out of the man and entered the pigs,
and the entire herd of two thousand pigs plunged down the steep hillside into the lake,
where they drowned.
(NLT)
We serve an awesome God. Even the demons have to obey Jesus. They begged Him and pleaded with Him. They had to get permission to go into the pigs. Jesus has all the power. They knew who Jesus was and they were afraid of Him. They knew He was more powerful then Satan. We have nothing to fear or to worry about because Jesus is our Savior. Jesus is our King. Jesus is large and in charge. We serve a powerful God. We can be bold in this world because Jesus lives within us. His Holy Spirit guides and teaches us. We are the children of Jesus, bought and paid for by His own blood. Therefore live your life for Him because He is for you.
Sponsored by BMCC Men’s Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Man
1 So they arrived at the other side of the lake, in the land of the Gerasenes.
2 Just as Jesus was climbing from the boat, a man possessed by an evil spirit
ran out from a cemetery to meet him.
3 This man lived among the tombs and could not be restrained, even with a chain.
4 Whenever he was put into chains and shackles — as he often was —
he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles.
No one was strong enough to control him.
5 All day long and throughout the night, he would wander among the tombs and in the hills,
screaming and hitting himself with stones.
6 When Jesus was still some distance away,
the man saw him. He ran to meet Jesus and fell down before him.
7 He gave a terrible scream, shrieking,
"Why are you bothering me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? For God's sake, don't torture me!"
8 For Jesus had already said to the spirit, "Come out of the man, you evil spirit."
(NLT)
We can not restrain our sin. Sin is a curse. Only through Jesus Christ can sin lose control of our lives. If you try to control sin through self efforts you will fail every time. Our life must be totally and completely yielded to Jesus. Our focus must be on Christ for when you take your eyes off of Jesus you will stumble and fall down.
This man knew he was in sin and that there was only one way out. Even the demons who were in the man knew that Jesus had the power to forgive sin and break the bondage of sin from a person’s life forever. The man never went and fell down at anyone else’s feet but Jesus. This is what we must do. We must go to Jesus and Jesus only. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, no one else has this power. You must fall down at the feet of Jesus and let Him have His way with you. Sin wants to destroy and Jesus wants to give freedom.
Sponsored by BMCC Men’s Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
1 So they arrived at the other side of the lake, in the land of the Gerasenes.
2 Just as Jesus was climbing from the boat, a man possessed by an evil spirit
ran out from a cemetery to meet him.
3 This man lived among the tombs and could not be restrained, even with a chain.
4 Whenever he was put into chains and shackles — as he often was —
he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles.
No one was strong enough to control him.
5 All day long and throughout the night, he would wander among the tombs and in the hills,
screaming and hitting himself with stones.
6 When Jesus was still some distance away,
the man saw him. He ran to meet Jesus and fell down before him.
7 He gave a terrible scream, shrieking,
"Why are you bothering me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? For God's sake, don't torture me!"
8 For Jesus had already said to the spirit, "Come out of the man, you evil spirit."
(NLT)
We can not restrain our sin. Sin is a curse. Only through Jesus Christ can sin lose control of our lives. If you try to control sin through self efforts you will fail every time. Our life must be totally and completely yielded to Jesus. Our focus must be on Christ for when you take your eyes off of Jesus you will stumble and fall down.
This man knew he was in sin and that there was only one way out. Even the demons who were in the man knew that Jesus had the power to forgive sin and break the bondage of sin from a person’s life forever. The man never went and fell down at anyone else’s feet but Jesus. This is what we must do. We must go to Jesus and Jesus only. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, no one else has this power. You must fall down at the feet of Jesus and let Him have His way with you. Sin wants to destroy and Jesus wants to give freedom.
Sponsored by BMCC Men’s Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
Friday, January 6, 2012
Mark 4:34-41
Jesus Calms the Storm
35 As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's cross to the other side of the lake."
36 He was already in the boat, so they started out, leaving the crowds behind
(although other boats followed).
37 But soon a fierce storm arose.
High waves began to break into the boat until it was nearly full of water.
38 Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion.
Frantically they woke him up, shouting, "Teacher, don't you even care that we are going to drown?"
39 When he woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the water, "Quiet down!"
Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm.
40 And he asked them, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still not have faith in me?"
41 And they were filled with awe and said among themselves,
"Who is this man, that even the wind and waves obey him?"
(NLT)
There are times when we cannot see the forest for the trees. Jesus takes this opportunity to teach His disciples about faith. A fierce storm arises. Does this sound familiar in your life -- things are going smoothly and suddenly life gets hard? Now you have to make a hard decision that you never wanted to make but now you have to. What are you going to do? First we try to do it ourselves, we plan, we work our plan, and we half-heartedly pray and continue until things are unbearable. What do we do? Is Jesus or God the Father asleep? Why has He left me here to deal with this all by my self? Has He? What happened was we missed the very first step. We forgot to get on our knees and really pray. Not the “hey Lord why don’t you just make everything go my way because that’s easier, what do you say.” That is never God’s plan. God’s plan is faith in Him and faith alone. Because when we fail doing things our way Jesus first tells us to "Quiet down!" then He asks us "Why are you so afraid? Do you still not have faith in me?" We must live each day and each moment by faith. Total trust in Him knowing what is best for us. The truth is that we do not really know what is best for us or anyone else. Only Jesus knows what is best and if He knows what is best for you then you need to put your full trust and faith in Him. Sad to say the disciples at this point still didn’t get it. Let's learn from the disciples and learn to live by faith in Christ daily.
Sponsored by BMCC Men’s Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
Jesus Calms the Storm
35 As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's cross to the other side of the lake."
36 He was already in the boat, so they started out, leaving the crowds behind
(although other boats followed).
37 But soon a fierce storm arose.
High waves began to break into the boat until it was nearly full of water.
38 Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion.
Frantically they woke him up, shouting, "Teacher, don't you even care that we are going to drown?"
39 When he woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the water, "Quiet down!"
Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm.
40 And he asked them, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still not have faith in me?"
41 And they were filled with awe and said among themselves,
"Who is this man, that even the wind and waves obey him?"
(NLT)
There are times when we cannot see the forest for the trees. Jesus takes this opportunity to teach His disciples about faith. A fierce storm arises. Does this sound familiar in your life -- things are going smoothly and suddenly life gets hard? Now you have to make a hard decision that you never wanted to make but now you have to. What are you going to do? First we try to do it ourselves, we plan, we work our plan, and we half-heartedly pray and continue until things are unbearable. What do we do? Is Jesus or God the Father asleep? Why has He left me here to deal with this all by my self? Has He? What happened was we missed the very first step. We forgot to get on our knees and really pray. Not the “hey Lord why don’t you just make everything go my way because that’s easier, what do you say.” That is never God’s plan. God’s plan is faith in Him and faith alone. Because when we fail doing things our way Jesus first tells us to "Quiet down!" then He asks us "Why are you so afraid? Do you still not have faith in me?" We must live each day and each moment by faith. Total trust in Him knowing what is best for us. The truth is that we do not really know what is best for us or anyone else. Only Jesus knows what is best and if He knows what is best for you then you need to put your full trust and faith in Him. Sad to say the disciples at this point still didn’t get it. Let's learn from the disciples and learn to live by faith in Christ daily.
Sponsored by BMCC Men’s Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Mark 4:29-34
Illustration of the Mustard Seed
30 Jesus asked, "How can I describe the Kingdom of God?
What story should I use to illustrate it?
31 It is like a tiny mustard seed.
Though this is one of the smallest of seeds,
32 it grows to become one of the largest of plants,
with long branches where birds can come and find shelter."
33 He used many such stories and illustrations to teach the people
as much as they were able to understand.
34 In fact, in his public teaching he taught only with parables,
but afterward when he was alone with his disciples, he explained the meaning to them.
(NLT)
What a beautiful picture of Heaven. Jesus did one act of love and sacrifice and look how it has grown. It has touched millions and millions of people. It has changed the lives for the better those who received Jesus as their savior. It has changed cultures and nations when they obey Jesus and it continues to change people. In Christ we can find shelter and strength.
Faith is like the small seed. The seed of the gospel is planted in our heart and then it begins to grow and grow. Then soon it blossoms into salvation and its branches reach out to others as we emulate Jesus in our lives. Faith starts small then as you water it and nurture it; it will grow into something very large and powerful. By faith we can do all things in Christ.
Sponsored by BMCC Men’s Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
Illustration of the Mustard Seed
30 Jesus asked, "How can I describe the Kingdom of God?
What story should I use to illustrate it?
31 It is like a tiny mustard seed.
Though this is one of the smallest of seeds,
32 it grows to become one of the largest of plants,
with long branches where birds can come and find shelter."
33 He used many such stories and illustrations to teach the people
as much as they were able to understand.
34 In fact, in his public teaching he taught only with parables,
but afterward when he was alone with his disciples, he explained the meaning to them.
(NLT)
What a beautiful picture of Heaven. Jesus did one act of love and sacrifice and look how it has grown. It has touched millions and millions of people. It has changed the lives for the better those who received Jesus as their savior. It has changed cultures and nations when they obey Jesus and it continues to change people. In Christ we can find shelter and strength.
Faith is like the small seed. The seed of the gospel is planted in our heart and then it begins to grow and grow. Then soon it blossoms into salvation and its branches reach out to others as we emulate Jesus in our lives. Faith starts small then as you water it and nurture it; it will grow into something very large and powerful. By faith we can do all things in Christ.
Sponsored by BMCC Men’s Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Illustration of the Growing Seed
26 Jesus also said, "Here is another illustration of what the Kingdom of God is like:
A farmer planted seeds in a field,
27 and then he went on with his other activities.
As the days went by, the seeds sprouted and grew without the farmer's help,
28 because the earth produces crops on its own. First a leaf blade pushes through,
then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally the grain ripens.
29 And as soon as the grain is ready, the farmer comes and harvests it with a sickle."(NLT)
The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who planted seeds in a field. God places the seed of salvation in our heart and goes about other activities. What are these activities? God did not leave the seed alone to take care of itself but He watered the seed, gave it nourishment and kept a good eye on it. When we plant a garden we just don’t walk away and hope it will produce a crop but we nurture it, weed it, water it and fertilize it so that it will grow and produce a good crop. This is what God does in our lives with the seed of His word planted in our hearts. It is meant to grow and to produce fruit. Heaven is not an idle place but a place of continuing growth. Here on earth we are planted, God watches over us, waters us with trials, nurtures us with good and even allows some weeds to come that will later be pulled up. And when we ripen to full maturity, have completed His will and we are ready He will come and bring us home.
Sponsored by BMCC Men’s Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
26 Jesus also said, "Here is another illustration of what the Kingdom of God is like:
A farmer planted seeds in a field,
27 and then he went on with his other activities.
As the days went by, the seeds sprouted and grew without the farmer's help,
28 because the earth produces crops on its own. First a leaf blade pushes through,
then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally the grain ripens.
29 And as soon as the grain is ready, the farmer comes and harvests it with a sickle."(NLT)
The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who planted seeds in a field. God places the seed of salvation in our heart and goes about other activities. What are these activities? God did not leave the seed alone to take care of itself but He watered the seed, gave it nourishment and kept a good eye on it. When we plant a garden we just don’t walk away and hope it will produce a crop but we nurture it, weed it, water it and fertilize it so that it will grow and produce a good crop. This is what God does in our lives with the seed of His word planted in our hearts. It is meant to grow and to produce fruit. Heaven is not an idle place but a place of continuing growth. Here on earth we are planted, God watches over us, waters us with trials, nurtures us with good and even allows some weeds to come that will later be pulled up. And when we ripen to full maturity, have completed His will and we are ready He will come and bring us home.
Sponsored by BMCC Men’s Ministry
Our Mission is to Lead People into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
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