Category: Mark

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We Are Human Beings

As I sit here this morning, I realize again that God’s design for me is that of a human “being”.

We are all created in His image and He is not a god of inactivity or silence. Our heavenly Father is active, He is constantly in process of being. The Hebrew names for God tell us He is Lord God Almighty, our provider, our shepherd, the Living God, our peace, our Father and more.

Our Father has made Himself available to us every day and in every situation. Jesus showed that during His life on earth. He was involved; he attended weddings, funerals, dinners, feast days. He was at the bedside of the sick, in the streets with prostitutes, tax collectors, and the outcasts of society. He could be found at the seashore with fisherman and in the Temple with the religious leaders. He came to be involved.

Is it any wonder that we are called human beans beings? We are called to be His ambassadors on this earth. We are to be examples of His love and goodness. Let’s look at a few other things we are called to be.

“Be” still – Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10

“Be” quiet – But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.” Proverbs 1:33

“Be” ready – But keep the Lord Christ holy in your hearts. Always be ready to answer everyone who asks you to explain about the hope you have. I Peter 3:15

“Be” obedient – If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: Isaiah 1:19

“Be” rich – Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; 18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; I Timothy 1:17-18

“Be”lieve – Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. Mark 9:23

There’s only thing the Lord doesn’t want us to be, we are not to be ashamed of the gospel of Christ.

What is God asking you to “Be” today? More than anything He wants you to be available!

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Abiding Peace

(The last two days I was experiencing some real technical difficulties and was completely unable to connect to my website. I was able to post to Facebook but that wasn’t the same as connecting here. I’m back and here is what I posted on FB this morning.)

Day 2 of technical difficulties and Day 2 of living in perfect and abiding peace!

What kind of things steal your peace? Computer problems, getting into a baking project and find your missing a key ingredient, a flat tire, a life-style change in the New Year, illness? These things can get to the best of us.

However, the Father doesn’t want anything to take our peace. The Bible is filled with situations where a message of “be not afraid” proceeded any other instruction.

The shepherds heard the angels say don’t be afraid. Mary and Joseph but heard the angel speak to them and the first words they heard were, be not afraid.

Do you remember when Jesus was sleeping in the boat while His disciples were in the midst of a storm at sea? They were bailing water, thinking they were going to sink. As experienced sailors they knew how disastrous this could be. And Jesus slept.

“Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”

39 When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. 40 Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Mark 4:38-40 NLT

If we are in situations and begin to feel fear and anxiety start to build this story should be an example to us. Don’t be afraid.

“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” Isaiah 26:3 NLT

Our peace is paramount to the Father. During the rest of the Christmas season let’s keep our focus and trust on the Prince of Peace who came to bring us the gift of perfect peace. 

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Made Whole

Last night we had dinner with friends in the campground. I was speaking with a gentleman that had lost his family home and all its belongings earlier this Spring in the fires that consumed a large portion of New Mexico.

Ranchers and farmers not only lost their homes but their livelihoods. He told me that there is an effort under way to help all those who suffered loss so they would be “made whole”.

Made whole. Those two words resonated within me. Made whole carries a meaning of lacking imperfection.

Made whole . It’s a phrase used time and again when Jesus healed people. Look at these few examples:

“But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.” Matthew 9:22 KJV

“And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.” Matthew 14:36 KJV

“And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.” Mark 10:52 KJV

“The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.” John 5:15 KJV

Be made whole!

In most of these cases the Biblical account goes on to say that Jesus also told them their sins had been forgiven. They weren’t just made whole physically but also spiritually. The Father is concerned with our “complete” person, spirit, soul and body.

“May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together—spirit, soul, and body—and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ. The One who called you is completely dependable. If he said it, he’ll do it!” I Thessalonians 5:23 MSG

When the Father touches our lives He doesn’t leave us broken – He makes us whole, He makes us new.

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” II Corinthians 5:17 NLT

The life we once lived, operating under our own power and intellect has been removed and we have become a new person. Sins forgiven and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

“The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.” Romans 8:11 NLT

“ The unspiritual self, just as it is by nature, can’t receive the gifts of God’s Spirit. There’s no capacity for them. They seem like so much silliness. Spirit can be known only by spirit—God’s Spirit and our spirits in open communion. Spiritually alive, we have access to everything God’s Spirit is doing, and can’t be judged by unspiritual critics. Isaiah’s question, “Is there anyone around who knows God’s Spirit, anyone who knows what he is doing?” has been answered: Christ knows, and we have Christ’s Spirit.” I Corinthians 2:14-16 MSG

One phrase in one conversation filled my heart and my mind. God the Father has made us whole. We have His nature and are created in His image!

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In the Storm

Something we know about on the mountain is the storms.

We watch them roll in – first the clouds gather, then they darken, soon after comes the rain. With the rain we generally have a few good lightning flashes and then the thunder. Sometimes the thunder and lightning can be earth shaking.

But after…the skies clear, the storm has passed.

Isn’t that the way it is with life? We can see the storms brewing, the winds blow, the sky grows dark and the rain and thunder come.

Married or single, male or female, the storms come. The times when you’re holding hands and praying because your business has just gone bust, or you’ve lost a child. The times when you want to give up completely but make yourself take one more breath and one more step. The doctor’s report, the auto accident, a ruined reputation, divorce papers.

The storms come. But…

“A very bad wind came up on the lake. The waves were coming over the sides and into the boat, and it was almost full of water. 38 Jesus was inside the boat, sleeping with his head on a pillow. The followers went and woke him. They said, “Teacher, don’t you care about us? We are going to drown!”

39 Jesus stood up and gave a command to the wind and the water. He said, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind stopped, and the lake became calm.” Mark 4:37-39 ERV

Jesus is in the storm with us! He has promised to never leave us or abandon us. He is there to calm the storm.

Trust Him!

“You are a strong tower, where I am safe from my enemies. 4 Let me live with you forever
and find protection under your wings, my God.” Psalm 61:3-4 CEV

“Heavenly Father, my prayer today is for all who are reading this. For those that are weary be their strength, those that are sick be their healer and great physician, for those who are hurting show yourself as their comforter, for those seeking direction fill them with your wisdom, for those who are frightened bathe them in peace, those that are in need reveal yourself as their source of supply and for those who are downcast fill them with your joy! Father, you are the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. All we have need of we find in you. Thank you. In Jesus Name.”

We are safe in the midst of the storm!

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Just The Facts

dun ta dun dun…

If you’re close to my age you remember the theme music for Dragnet.

Since it’s almost Friday, it seems a good time to remind you of those famous words spoken by Sgt. Joe Friday on every episode of Dragnet, you know the ones, “the facts ma’am, just the facts”.

But there’s a difference between the facts and the truth. Have you ever thought about that?

Wanting to know the truth, we should never settle for just the facts.

The facts according to Jewish law said that a woman caught in adultery should be stoned to death. However, the truth was Jesus was moved with compassion, he stopped her accusers, her life was spared, and she was forgiven.

The facts according to Jewish law said that a leper was declared unclean and couldn’t be in close proximity to the general population. The facts stated that a woman who had menstrual bleeding was not allowed in public.

But the truth was that Jesus came to heal the sick and so he touched the leper and healed the woman with the issue of blood.

“Suddenly a man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus. He said, ‘Lord, you have the power to make me well, if only you wanted to.’ 3 Jesus put his hand on the man and said, ‘I want to! Now you are well.’ At once the man’s leprosy disappeared.” Matthew 8:2-3 CEV

“The woman had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him in the crowd and barely touched his clothes. 28 She had said to herself, ‘If I can just touch his clothes, I will be healed.’ 29 As soon as she touched them, her bleeding stopped, and she knew she was healed…The woman knew what had happened to her. So she came trembling with fear and knelt down in front of Jesus. Then she told him the whole story. 34 Jesus said to the woman, ‘You are now well because of your faith. May God give you peace! You are healed, and you will no longer be in pain.’” Mark 5:27-29,33-34 CEV

Jesus by-passed the facts and focused on the truth. The leper needed a touch and Jesus reached out to him. The woman had exhausted all her finances seeking a cure – she needed peace, she needed healing. Jesus didn’t condemn her with the facts but was moved by compassion and healed her.

What facts could be holding you back?

Compare them with the truth of God’s word and see how God’s truth will overcome the facts of your situation.

“Lord, help me learn your ways. Show me how you want me to live. 5 Guide me and teach me your truths. You are my God, my Savior. You are the one I have been waiting for. 6 Remember to be kind to me, Lord. Show me the tender love that you have always had.” Psalm 25:4-6 ERV

The facts without compassion can be condemning but wrapping the facts in God’s compassion brings peace, healing, kindness and forgiveness.

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Pure Motives

When you are doing something nice for someone, do you ever hear “they probably won’t appreciate this anyway” going off in your head? If so, you’re not alone. I had to deal with that many times in my younger years.

I Corinthians 13, the love chapter, tells us that if we martyr ourselves and it isn’t motivated by love – then it profits us nothing. “I’m giving all my time to do this or that and no one will really appreciate it anyway – no one is going to know how hard I worked, how I gave up sleep, how much it cost me to do this nice thing” – these are all wrong motives!

Years ago, I would do things for people just to get them to like or accept me. I tried to buy friendship -what a destructive force that can be! I was so insecure in who I was that I needed constant affirmation from others that I was lovable.

Then I heard a wonderful godly woman, Dale Evans Rogers, speak in our college chapel service about God’s love, His unconditional love, and it got through. Knowing that God loves me – really loves me – is more than enough acceptance to last a lifetime.

I went from doing things for people to get them to like and accept me to doing the same things because I really loved those people. I wanted them to know they were loved and appreciated. A complete turnaround in my motivation.

The prodigal son tried to buy friends and they abandon him when he could no longer foot the bill for their entertainment.

“Not long after that, the younger son packed up everything he owned and left for a foreign country, where he wasted all his money in wild living. 14 He had spent everything, when a bad famine spread through that whole land. Soon he had nothing to eat.” Luke 15:13-14 CEV

Our motivation should be one of expressing love without expecting anything in return.

“I may give away everything I have to help others, and I may even give my body as an offering to be burned. But I gain nothing by doing all this if I don’t have love. 4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud. 5 Love is not rude, it is not selfish, and it cannot be made angry easily. Love does not remember wrongs done against it. 6 Love is never happy when others do wrong, but it is always happy with the truth. 7 Love never gives up on people. It never stops trusting, never loses hope, and never quits. 8 Love will never end.” I Corinthians 13:3-8 CEV

Jesus was always being criticized for His actions of compassion. He ate with tax collectors, engaged fallen women in conversation, showed compassion and healing to the outcasts. His motive was always pure, one of love.

“Whoever wants to be first must serve the rest of you like a slave. 45 Follow my example: Even the Son of Man did not come for people to serve him. He came to serve others and to give his life to save many people.” Mark 10:44-45 ERV

Let’s serve others with a pure heart, no other motivation is required. We have the opportunity to be an example of Jesus’ love.

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Rest & Renewal

This morning I overslept – that’s a strange statement for someone to make who is retired and has no appointments for the day but it’s true all the same.

I enjoy getting up in the quiet of the morning, having time to read, pray and then write. That generally means I wake up around 3 or 330 and start my day. This morning it was almost 430 before I got out of bed. Whoa.

As I was praying, I felt I really should be sharing on resting. There are so many things that pull on us every day that we fail to really rest. Then I opened my computer and went to BibleGateway to look up a few verses that came to mind. This was the verse on their home page:

“But those who trust in the Lord will become strong again. They will be like eagles that grow new feathers. They will run and not get weak. They will walk and not get tired.” Isaiah 40:31 ERV

The two verses preceding this one read like this:

“He helps tired people be strong. He gives power to those without it. 30 Young men get tired and need to rest.  Even young boys stumble and fall.” Isaiah 40:29-30 ERV

He helps tired people be strong. What an encouragement!

In another version, verse 31 says: “They that wait on the Lord will renew their strength”. Waiting on God will renew our strength. It will give us rest. Waiting on or trusting the Lord brings release from worry which brings rest. When we wait, we pause – we pause to get the Father’s plan and His direction.

Jesus was a prime example of this. He would minister all day and night and then he would send the disciples away or He would go to a place to pray – He would wait on the Father. After leaving these places of waiting, Jesus would go about ministering, rested and renewed.

“Jesus healed many of those who had different kinds of sicknesses. He also forced many demons out of people. But he would not allow the demons to speak, because they knew who he was. 35 The next morning Jesus woke up very early. He left the house while it was still dark and went to a place where he could be alone and pray. 36 Later, Simon and his friends went to look for Jesus. 37 They found him and said, “Everyone is looking for you!” 38 Jesus answered, “We should go to another place. We can go to other towns around here, and I can tell God’s message to those people too. That is why I came.” Mark 1:34-38 ERV

Are you feeling tired today – worn out, exhausted? Take time to WAIT on the Lord. He will renew your strength!!

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Cleaning Toilets

Yesterday I had a friend email me after reading the blog about my refrigerator. She said she would be praying everything got taken care of today. That meant a lot and then she reminded me of a story from many years ago.

I was part of our church’s ministry team and had recently started a morning Bible Study for our women. Those teachings were very similar to the ones I share with you each morning. This particular morning, I was sharing that if we keep our hearts and our spiritual ears open the Lord will minister to us any time or any place.

Earlier in that week, while I had been doing my regular housecleaning, the Holy Spirit prompted me to keep my attitude pure in all that I did. See if you can relate. We had a large ranch-style home, three children (12, 10, 6mos), a dog, horses, and I worked full time. I was grumbling as I was cleaning toilets.

The verse that came to mind, I believe, was this:

“And whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus and in [dependence upon] His Person, giving praise to God the Father through Him.” Colossians 3:17 AMPC

After Bible Study was over that morning one of the ladies, a new Christian and a new bride, came up to talk with me. She said she had never thought of me having to do all the things that wives and mothers do. Her next words made me chuckle, she said she just thought I sat home all day, reading my Bible and praying. She didn’t think that I would have to do the normal stuff.

That’s when I realized how important it is to share the way the Lord works in our everyday lives.

Jesus never came to separate Himself from us, He came to join us. He came to bring His power and provision to the mundane. He came to add his “super” to our “natural”.

“Follow my example: Even the Son of Man did not come for people to serve him. He came to serve others and to give his life to save many people.” Mark 10:45 ERV

Christ came to serve others, to serve us. Yes, He got tired. Who else could fall asleep during a storm at sea? But His heart was always centered on serving. He knew that whatever He did should bring honor and glory to the Father.

Cleaning toilets, rocking a baby, wiping up spilled cereal, folding laundry, washing dirty faces, kissing little faces good night. Mowing the yard, spraying weeds, washing the car, board meetings, shoveling snow, changing the oil in the car.

Waiting for a new refrigerator.

Whatever we do in word or deed, do it all with an attitude of giving thanks to God!

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Imperfect & Usable

After reading yesterday morning’s blog were you consciously aware of the many opportunities you had to be humble?

I was.

One of the things I find most humbling is God’s desire and ability to use us in our imperfection.

He used Adam in spite of his disobedience. Abraham was a man used mightily by God but he had times that he lied to protect his own life instead of trusting God to defend him. David served the Lord faithfully for many years and then committed adultery and murder. Samson was used by God to destroy the Philistines but had anger issues.

Peter denied the Lord and Paul persecuted the Christian believers. Each of these men had issues with humility, however, they repented and were forgiven.

How many times have thoughts from our past side-lined us from doing what we felt God wanted us to do?

Thoughts of failure, fear, unworthiness and shame.

“Some of the teachers of the Law of Moses were Pharisees, and they saw Jesus eating with sinners and tax collectors. So they asked his disciples, ‘Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?’

17 Jesus heard them and answered, ‘Healthy people don’t need a doctor, but sick people do. I didn’t come to invite good people to be my followers. I came to invite sinners.'” Mark 2:16-17 CEV

Jesus didn’t come to the religious elite; He came to those who knew they needed a Savior. He came to people like you and me.

Tomorrow is Palm Sunday. It’s a day that commemorates Jesus riding into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. The people who had heard Jesus teach, been healed by his touch and seen the miracles that he performed were lining the streets, awaiting His arrival.

“The disciples led the donkey to Jesus. They put some of their clothes on its back, and Jesus got on. 8 Many people spread clothes on the road, while others spread branches they had cut from the fields. 9  In front of Jesus and behind him, people went along shouting,

“Hooray!
God bless the one who comes
    in the name of the Lord!
10 God bless the coming kingdom
    of our ancestor David.
Hooray for God
    in heaven above!” Mark 11:7-10 CEV

Now it’s our turn to praise Him!

We have been made new, by His grace. Our imperfections don’t disqualify us. In fact, it is those very things that make us recipients of His grace.

“I mean that you have been saved by grace because you believed. You did not save yourselves; it was a gift from God. 9 You are not saved by the things you have done, so there is nothing to boast about. 10 God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us new people so that we would spend our lives doing the good things he had already planned for us to do.” Ephesians 2:8-10 ERV

Fully aware of our imperfections, Father, we say thank you for your grace. Thank you for making us new and giving us a life filled with good things. Amen!

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Loving Service

These two words were on my heart when I woke up this morning, loving service. What a wonderful combination.

I think each of us can relate a story of being served by a grumpy or unenthusiastic waiter or waitress in a restaurant. Their attitude was curt, sharp-tongued and even down-right rude. Even though the food may have been good we probably walked away not desiring to return anytime soon.

Now compare that with a kind and attentive server. One who anticipated your needs and greeted you with a smile and pleasant demeanor. They made your mealtime more enjoyable because they genuinely cared.

Our attitude makes a difference. We choose joy or grumbling, peace or turmoil.

Our daily chores – washing dishes, doing laundry, fixing meals, buying groceries, cleaning house – can be acts of love or drudgery. We can be grateful for opportunity to provide for those we love, or we may be tempted to feel taken for granted and unappreciated. I strongly advise against the second.

“ Whoever wants to be first must serve the rest of you like a slave. 45 Follow my example: Even the Son of Man did not come for people to serve him. He came to serve others and to give his life to save many people.” Mark 10:44-45 ERV

Jesus is our perfect example. He could have expected to be waited on hand and foot, after all he was God’s son. But He laid all that aside and came to lovingly serve those He encountered. Each act of kindness pointed to the compassion of His Father.

Embrace each task with an attitude of loving service.

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