"'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
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
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
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
Monday, January 19, 2009
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
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
Sunday, January 18, 2009
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
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
Friday, January 16, 2009
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
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
Thursday, January 15, 2009
"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
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
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
"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
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
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