"The crowd rebuked them [the two blind men] and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, 'Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!'" Matthew 20:31

The blind men believed something about Jesus that the rest of the crowd did not. They believed that Jesus would care about them and respond to their call. So with persistent faith they continued to call in spite of the crowds discouragement. And Jesus did care! He stopped, called them, spoke with them, had compassion on them, and He healed them! Do we so believe in the compassion of Jesus for our own lives and the lives of those near us?

Father, I do believe in the compassion of Jesus and pray that I might come to believe as fervently as these blind men. May the discouraging voice of the world or that of my own heart never dim my belief in Your great love and power.

I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark

"Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'" Matthew 19:26

After watching the rich young man walk away without Christ and hearing Christ's comments on salvation, the disciples asked, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus' answered that it is impossible for any person to be saved by his own doing but with God the glorious work of salvation (i.e. forgiveness, new life, citizenship in heaven) is possible in the life of any person. We have experienced salvation and have seen it occur in the lives of others but we may fail to realize that what seems like so simple a transaction on the outside is in fact an amazing, miraculous work of God.

Father, thank You for the miracle of salvation that you have worked in my life. Open my eyes to realize and rejoice in the wonder that every saved person is evidence that You are at mightily at work in the world.

I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark

How Great a Debt

"Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?" - Matthew 18:33

Jesus tells the parable of a servant who was forgiven of a great debt, yet refused to cancel the debt that was owed to him. In this parable Christ is illustrating what he had previous modeled in the Lord's Prayer, "Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors." -Matthew 6:12. Just like our debt of sin, ten thousand talents would have been impossible for this servant to repay. In Christ we have been forgiven for the insurmountable wage of our sins. For this reason we are called to forgive those who have wronged us. The motivation for and power behind this kind of forgiveness is love. “. . . it (love) keeps no record of wrongs.” - 1 Cor. 13:5

Father, thank you for loving me enough to send your Son to the cross to pay my debt of sin. Reveal to me anyone who I need to forgive and help me to show them the same kind of limitless love you have shown me.

I'm praying for you.

Matt Moore

Jesus Alone

"When they looked up; they saw no one except Jesus." Matthew 17:8

Moses and Elijah were heroes of the Jewish faith so Peter's intent to treat them as equals to Jesus is understandable since he had not yet experienced the resurrection of Jesus. They were still learning that Jesus stands alone. He alone is the unique, beloved Son. He alone is the Savior. He is to stand alone in our faith, affections, and allegiance. In all likelihood, we who know Jesus on this side of His resurrection are also still learning His uniqueness and learning to allow Him to stand alone in our life.

Father, continue to revel Jesus' glory to my eyes and speak of His uniqueness to my ears until He fully holds His rightful place in my understanding, devotion, faith, and service.

"...on this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not overcome it."
Matthew 16:18

"Who needs the church anyway?" Apparently Jesus does! He builds it and empowers it to accomplish His mission. He assures that His church, made of those who confess Him as Peter did, will stand triumphant so that hell itself will not be able to withstand its offensive. How awesome to belong to Christ's church!

Father, I thank you for including me in the triumphant church of Jesus Christ. Make our church what what Christ intends for it to be as we submit our lives to Him.

I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark

"Jesus called his disciples to him and said, 'I have compassion for these people...'"
Matthew 15:32

Compassion (deep-seated concern and care) was a driving principle in Jesus' ministry (see also 9:36 & 14:14). The first principle in Jesus life was obedience to the Father. But this obedience was not a drudgery because it was mixed with love for the Father and compassion for people. With compassion he healed the sick, fed the hungry, taught the masses, developed disciples, and sent out witnesses to the lost. We are the recipients of His compassion and as His life fills us we will become instruments of His compassion to the people around us.

Father, I rejoice in the compassion that drove Jesus to the cross for me and I pray that His compassion for those around me will be more and more manifest in my own life.

I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark

The Safest Place on Earth

"'Come' he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus." Matthew 14:29

If it had been anyone other than Jesus who said "Come," Peter would have surely sunk like a rock. But when Jesus says "Come" he enables us to walk on water or do whatever else is necessary to obey His call. And if we falter through our own lack of faith, Jesus is present to lift us up again and help us on in the walk of obedience. Obeying the call of Jesus may seem to lead into stormy waters at times but there is no safer place than walking in obedience after Jesus.

Father, may my ears be so attuned to the call of Jesus today that I answer with absolute trust in His enabling power and gracious help.

I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark

The Growth of the Kingdom

"He told them still another parable: 'The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.'" Matthew 13:33

Like a small amount of yeast that pervades a large amount of dough causing it to rise so the kingdom of heaven is pevasive and infectious. As the message of the King is taught, received, and worked carefully into our lives it will spread thoughout our whole life and into the lives of those near us. Teaching, sharing, and applying God's kingdom truth faithfully will result in the sure spread of His reign.

Father, help me to embrace your kingdom so that if pevades my whole being and is spread into the lives of others through me.

I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark

A Sign for All Times

"But Jesus replied, 'Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign; but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.'" Matthew 12:39-40

Every generation wants a sign that verifies Jesus' identity and compels them to place their faith in Him. The death and resurrection of Jesus stands as the one compelling and irrefutable sign for all generations. C.S. Lewis said that Jesus is either a liar, a lunatic, or Lord. If He did not rise from the dead then He is nothing more than a bold liar or a deluded lunatic. But if He rose from the dead then we can be confident of every claim that He made about Himself and we should bow before Him as Lord. The resurrection of Jesus is attested to us by eyewitnesses, like Matthew, and their testimony is sealed with their own blood as the eyewitnesses died as martyrs rather than recant what they knew to be the truth. The facts of history affirm that Jesus rose from the dead but ultimately it is through the step of faith that we know and experience Jesus as the risen Lord and Savior.

Father, I rejoice in the "sign of the prophet Jonah" fulfilled in the death and resurrection of Jesus my Savior and Lord. Today I embrace Him in faith and pray that I may live more fully in the power of His resurrection life.

I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark

Doubt or Blessing

"Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me." Matthew 11:6

Our doubts concerning Jesus sometimes arise from unmet expectations. John the Baptist's expectations of the Messiah did not include himself spending time in prison. Unmet expectations lead to doubt and doubt may lead us to "fall away" from our devotion to Christ. Yet Jesus says we are most blessed when we do not try to force Him into the box of our personal expectations but rather receive and follow Him as He is. We will find that the Jesus of reality far surpasses the Jesus of my our expectations.

Father, how often have I come to Jesus with pre-conceived notions that were shaped by personal desire rather than the revelation of Scripture? Correct my vision of Jesus so that I may see Him not as I think He ought to be but as He is. Lead me to the blessing of Jesus being who He really is in my life.

I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark

Fully Devoted Followers of Christ

"Anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me." Matthew 10:38

Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, "When Christ calls a man he bids him come and die." The call to discipleship is the call to give my whole life to Jesus without reserve. Discipleship is not one foot in the world and one foot in Christ but it is both feet fully devoted to follow Christ no matter what the cost. The goal of true discipleship is to give my all to Christ every day.

Father, whatever it costs I do want to follow Christ without reserve. Help me to hear and follow Him fully in this day.

I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark

"Then He touched their eyes and said, 'According to your faith will it be done to you."
Matthew 9:29

Jesus most often worked miracles in response to a person's faith (see also 9:2 & 22). If Jesus were to work in our life and answer our prayers 'according to our faith' how much would be accomplished? The men and women who put their faith in Jesus had heard about His mighty works and had likely seen Him work. Their faith grew through listening to the stories and observing Jesus at work. Our faith can also grow through listening to and observing Jesus with spiritual eyes and ears in the Gospels.

Father, let my journey through the Gospels be more than a routine reading. Give me spiritual eyes and ears to see and hear Jesus in a faith building way.

I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark

"When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, 'I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith." Matthew 8:10

The centurion put complete trust in Jesus' ability to heal his servant. He saw neither disease nor distance as an obstacle to Jesus' power. Jesus was 'astonished' to find so great an expression of faith in such an unexpected place--a Gentile--and He was astonished to find so little faith in the expected place--'Israel.' He later asked His disciples in the midst of the storm, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" (8:26). Our faith may astonish Jesus either by its greatness or smallness.

Father, you must sometimes be astonished by the smallness of my faith. Though I should be much further along in this journey I still struggle to trust and believe in the storm. Help me to exercise my little faith that it may become greater and that You may manifest Your glory in response.

I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark

"...how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!"
Matthew 7:11

God is a giver! He delights to give good gifts to His children. Does He have good laid in store for me which I have not yet received because I have not asked? "Ask and it shall be given to you... (7:7). God is willing and the invitation is open. We must avail ourselves of the oportunity and receive His good through faithful prayer.

Father, teach me to seek and revecive the good which You delight to give.

I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark

"Your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." Matthew 6:4, 6, 18

Jesus repeated this refrain to drive home a key truth concerning our walk with God. Like an iceberg that is partially seen above the surface but mostly hidden in the depths of the ocean so our walk with God is to consist of much hidden devotion to God. Our "acts of righteousness" (6:1) are to be done primarily for the eyes of God. It is necessary and appropriate to worship and serve God before the eyes of people in the context of the church and community. However, if the bulk of our devotion to God is done before people's eyes we may become empty religious performers ("hypocrites"). Beneath the surface of our public acts let there be a deep, hidden walk with God that is for His eyes only. Such a walk will recieve the Father's reward in the form of a rich relationship with Him and abundant grace from Him.

Father, help me to develop the deep and hidden devotion that You delight in that I may know the rich relationship and favor with You that You have caused my heart to desire.

I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." Matthew 5:8

I want to see God! I want to see Him not just some day in eternity but now, today, in this life. I want to be keenly aware of His presence with me and alert to His activity around me. I want to walk in true fellowship with Him. A pure heart is the way--a heart of undivided loyalty, sincere motive, and holiness.

Father, grant me such a heart before You that I may not miss You today but that I might live this day fully with You.

"'Come follow me,' Jesus said, 'and I will make you fishers of men.' At once they left their nets and followed Him." Matthew 4:19-20

The call to discipleship is so simple--"Come follow me." And it is inviting--to be with Jesus. Yet it is costly. It means leaving an old way of life. It requires laying aside once cherished things to go after Jesus. The fishermen made the sacrifice without question or delay. Is there anything still holding me back from fully following Jesus?

Father, reveal any hindrance in my life to full devtion to Jesus. Help me to lay aside cherished things that I may live the higher calling of fellowship with Jesus and service to Him.

I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark

Matthew 3

"Produce fruit in keeping with repentance....But after me will come one who...will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." (3:8, 11)

To live close to God requires repentance. We cannot remain in sin and walk with Him. Genuine repentance from sin results in a change of life that is evidenced by the fruit of righteousness. But I cannot by my own desire and diligence produce the kind of lasting change that God requires. I need the Holy Spirit whom Christ has given me. He alone can effect real change from the inside out. By repentance I join in cooperation with the Holy Spirit to produce the change that God desires in my life.

Father, thank you for not leaving me to change myself from sin to godliness. Give me a heart that is responsive to the conviction of sin and that is yielded to the Holy Spirit's work of producing the fruit of righteousness in me.

Matthew 2

A star, prophets, dreams, and angels.

Through these God guided the Magi to the Christ and He guided Joseph and Mary in His will. God guides those who seek Him! He want us to know Him and His will even more than we want it. If we seek His presence He will guide us to Himself as He did the Magi. If we seek to do His will He will guide us in the way as He did Mary and Joseph. We have the distinct advantage of the written Scriptures as God's primary vehicle to serve as a light to our path.

Father, give me a heart that seeks you and is receptive to your Word of guidance so that I may live near you and may do your will always.

I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark

Let the journey begin!

Matthew 1
"...David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah's wife..." (1:6)

In the geneology of Jesus we are confronted with sin and grace. David's wife, Bathsheba, had been Uriah's wife. David stole her through dark and deplorable acts of sin. David was a man who was mostly loyal and deeply devoted to God yet he was deeply flawed with sin. He and Bathsheba typify the reason Jesus came. "...you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins" (1:21). His very name means Savior! David needed a Savior like Jesus. I need a Savior like Jesus for I too am a man flawed by sin whose only hope is God's grace.

Father, I thank you for providing through David's line an unflawed Savior for flawed people like David and like me. I recieve and rejoice in your grace today.

I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark