Tag: Mark 8-10
“If you believe . .”
Scripture reading for October 16: Mark 8-10
Have you faced a situation that was beyond your spiritual ability to know what to do? Today we have the story of a man with a son who had an evil spirit that was trying to kill him. This boy was often thrown to the ground, into the fire, and foamed at the mouth and became rigid. The father had brought his son to Jesus’ disciples for deliverance, but they could do nothing. This problem was not responding to what they knew and where they were spiritually. They needed help!
“O, unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” Mark 9:19 Jesus cried out from the depths of His being! He had spent many hours with these men and showed them the power of faith and of words. They were being ruled by sight! As the boy was brought before Him, the spirit caused another seizure to occur. Jesus asked the boy’s father how long he had been like this and he replied that his son had been that way from childhood. The man begged Jesus, “. . .if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”. “If you can?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.” Mark 9:23 “Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”” Jesus rebuked the evil spirit, it left the boy and he was healed!
The disciples were perplexed as to why they had failed. Jesus explained to them that this kind of demonic activity can only be defeated by prayer. (Mark 9:29) At this point, we should stop and think about what has happened and look at our lives as disciples. Jesus called His followers to take up their cross and follow Him. He lived a life of prayer and of complete submission to God as Father. He left these records for us to know that by faith, all things are possible. When we are faced with an impossible situation, prayer (and fasting) often is the only way to victory. God has answers if we won’t give up or quit too soon! If we lack faith, we need to seek His Word and direction on whatever obstacle we face and ask!
A scriptural prayer is found on the lips of the boy’s father: “I believe; help my unbelief!” He saw the salvation of God because of his faith and Jesus’ mercy. May we enjoy growing in faith and experience His mercy in our lives today!
Faith and possibility!
Scripture reading for October 17th: Mark 8-10
As a Christian, have you ever faced a situation that was beyond your spiritual ability to know what to do? Mark told the story of a man with a son who had an evil spirit that was always trying to kill him. This boy was often thrown to the ground, into the fire, and foamed at the mouth and became rigid. The father had brought his son to Jesus’ disciples for deliverance, but they could do nothing.
“O, unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” Mark 9:19 Jesus cried out from the depths of His being! He had spent many hours with these men teaching the power of faith and of words. As the boy was brought before Him, the spirit caused another seizure to occur. This boy had been that way from childhood. The man asked Jesus if He could help. “If you can?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.” Mark 9:23 “Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”” Jesus rebuked the evil spirit and he was healed!
The disciples were perplexed as to why they had failed. Jesus explained to them that this kind of demonic activity can only be defeated by prayer. (Mark 9:29) At this point, we should stop and think about what has happened and look at our lives as disciples. Jesus called His followers to take up their cross and follow Him. He lived a life of prayer and of complete submission to God as Father. He left these records for us to know that by faith, all things are possible. When we are faced with an impossible situation, prayer (and fasting) often is the only way to victory. God has answers if we won’t give up or quit too soon!
A scriptural prayer is found on the lips of the boy’s father! Jesus’ answer to him had brought faith but he needed to drive out the unbelief! He saw the salvation of God because of his faith and Jesus’ mercy. May we enjoy growing in faith and experience His mercy in our lives today!
If you can believe!
Scripture reading for October 16th: Mark 8-10
As a Christian, have you ever faced a situation that was beyond your spiritual ability to know what to do? In today’s reading, we have the story of a man with a son who had an evil spirit that was trying to kill the boy. This boy was often thrown to the ground, into the fire, and foamed at the mouth and became rigid. The father had brought his son to Jesus’ disciples for deliverance, but they could do nothing.
“O, unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” (Mark 9:19) Jesus cried out from the depths of His being! He had spent many hours with these men and showed them the power of faith and of words. They were being ruled by sight! As the boy was brought before Him, the spirit caused another seizure to occur. Jesus asked the boy’s father how long he had been like this and he replied that his son had been that way from childhood. The man asked Jesus if He could help. “If you can?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.” Mark 9:23 “Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”” Jesus rebuked the evil spirit, it left the boy and he was healed!
The disciples were perplexed as to why they had failed. Jesus explained to them that this kind of demonic activity could only be defeated by prayer. (Mark 9:29) At this point, we should stop and think about what has happened. Jesus called His followers to take up their cross and follow Him. He lived a life of prayer and of complete submission to His Father. He wanted us to know that by faith, all things are possible. When we are faced with an impossible situation, prayer (and fasting) often is the only way to victory. If we lack faith, we must seek to find His word on whatever obstacle we face. Faith always brings the victory!
A scriptural prayer is found on the lips of the boy’s father! Jesus’ answer to him had brought faith but he needed to drive out the unbelief! He saw the salvation of God because of his faith and Jesus’ mercy. May we enjoy growing in faith and experience His mercy in our lives today!
Jesus Teaches On Divorce
Scripture reading for October 18th: Mark 8-10
“Some Pharisees came and tested Him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” “What did Moses command you?” he replied. They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.” “It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. (Mark 10:2-6) Questions about divorce were prevalent in Jesus’ day as they are in ours. The religious leaders came to test Jesus in His views. In that day, they believed that if a woman was not pleasing to the man, he could just write her off. They took the writing of Moses and justified their legal ruling. (Deuteronomy 24:1-4)
Jesus told them that it was because of hard hearts that Moses allowed this to take place. He took them back to God’s original plan from Genesis, also a writing of Moses. God designed marriage. It was to be with one man and one woman, male and female. The man was to leave his mother and father and be united with his wife and the two would become one flesh. God joined them together in such a way that they should not be separated! (Mark 10:6-9)
The disciples later questioned Jesus about this teaching. He answered them with further insight about divorce. “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.” (Mark 10:11-12) Jesus tied divorce to the breaking of one of the ten commandments, which is a sin against God. That particular sin was punishable by death under the old covenant. God was trying to help mankind understand the need to stick with His plan for marriage and raising godly children. (Malachi 2:15) Divorce was destructive to what He had joined together, the one flesh relationship. Adultery defiled the relationship and caused violence between those who once loved and were intimate. (Malachi 2:16) God hates divorce for what it does to the family and children!
In our present time, divorce is common, even in the church. It is not the unforgivable sin, but we take it much too lightly. It is having a devastating effect on the fabric of the church and nation. We must humble ourselves and pray for obedience to our loving Jesus. “Therefore, what God has joined together, let man not separate.” (Mark 10:9)
“If You Believe. .”
Scripture reading for October 17th: Mark 8-10
As a Christian, have you ever faced a situation that was beyond your spiritual ability to know what to do? In today’s reading, we have the story of a man with a son who has an evil spirit that was always trying to kill the boy. This boy was often thrown to the ground, into the fire, and foamed at the mouth and became rigid. The father had brought his son to Jesus’ disciples for deliverance, but they could do nothing. This problem was not responding to what they knew and where they were spiritually. They needed help from their Master!
“O, unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” Mark 9:19 Jesus cried out from the depths of His being! He had spent many hours with these men and showed them the power of faith and of words. They were being ruled by sight! As the boy was brought before Him, the spirit caused another seizure to occur. Jesus asked the boy’s father how long he had been like this and he replied that his son had been that way from childhood. The man asked Jesus to help, if He could do anything at all. “If you can?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.” Mark 9:23 “Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”” Jesus rebuked the evil spirit, it left the boy and he was healed!
The disciples were perplexed as to why they had failed. Jesus explained to them that this kind of demonic activity can only be defeated by prayer. (Mark 9:29) At this point, we should stop and think about what has happened and look at our lives as disciples. Jesus called His followers to take up their cross and follow Him. He lived a life of prayer and of complete submission to God as Father. He left these records for us to know that by faith, all things are possible. When we are faced with an impossible situation, prayer (and fasting) often is the only way to victory. God has answers if we won’t give up or quit too soon! If we lack faith, we need to get into God’s word and seek to find His word on whatever obstacle we face.
A scriptural prayer is found on the lips of the boy’s father! Jesus’ answer to him had brought faith but he needed to drive out the unbelief! He saw the salvation of God because of his faith and Jesus’ mercy. May we enjoy growing in faith and experience His mercy in our lives today!