22 When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Jesus, begging him to touch him and heal him. 23 So Jesus led him, as his sighted guide, outside the village. He placed his saliva on the man’s eyes and covered them with his hands. Then he asked him, “Now do you see anything?”
24 “Yes,” he said. “My sight is coming back! I’m beginning to see people, but they look like trees—walking trees.”
25 Jesus put his hands over the man’s eyes a second time and made him look up. The man opened his eyes wide and he could see everything perfectly. His eyesight was completely restored! 26 Then Jesus sent him home with these instructions: “Go home, but don’t tell anyone what happened, not even the people of your own village.”
27 Then Jesus and his disciples walked to the villages near Caesarea Philippi. On the way, he posed this question to his disciples: “Who do the people say that I am?”
28 They replied, “Some say John the Baptizer, others say Elijah the prophet, and still others say you must be one of the prophets.”
29 He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Peter spoke up, saying, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God!”
30 Then he warned them not to breathe a word of this to anyone.
Tori's Comments:
Why did it take two times?
Terrie's Comments:
It is curious how many times Jesus told people not to tell anyone about what he had done for them. I am thinking that when you go and want to tell people good stuff in your lives it can sometimes come across as arrogant or a "better than you" attitude, even with the best of intentions. But how powerful it is when people notice a change and they are the one's to ask you what happened. It opens the door to a richer conversation with more glory given to what God has done.
We have a praise music list that we add to on a regular basis. You can find the link to it in the right hand column of this blog or by scrolling to the bottom of this page.
Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!
Wednesday, January 3, 2018
Tuesday, January 2, 2018
Day 28 - Mark 8:11-21
11 As soon as Jesus landed, he was confronted by the Pharisees, who argued with Jesus and tested him. They demanded that he give them a miraculous sign from heaven.
12 And with a deep sigh from his spirit, he said, “What drives this generation to clamor for a sign? Listen to the truth: there will absolutely be no sign given to this generation!” 13 Then he turned and left them, got back into the boat, and crossed over to the opposite shore.
14 Now, the disciples had forgotten to take bread with them, except for one loaf of flatbread. 15 And as they were sailing across the lake, Jesus repeatedly warned them, “Be on your guard against the yeast inside of the Pharisees and the yeast inside of Herod!” 16 But the disciples had no clue what Jesus was talking about, so they began to discuss it among themselves, saying, “Is he saying this because we forgot to bring bread?”
17 Knowing what they were thinking, Jesus said to them, “Why all this fussing over forgetting to bring bread? Do you still not see or understand what I say to you? Are your hearts still hard? 18 You have good eyes, yet you still don’t see, and you have good ears, yet you still don’t hear, neither do you remember. 19 When I multiplied the bread to feed more than five thousand people, how many baskets full of leftovers did you gather afterward?”
“Twelve,” they replied.
20 “And when I multiplied food to feed over four thousand, how many large baskets full of leftovers did you gather afterwards?”
“Seven,” they replied.
21 “Then how is it that you still don’t get it?”
Terrie's Comments:
Jesus declares that no miraculous signs will be given... then he leaves. However He had just multiplied food and healed many. He had already raised the dead and cast out demons. He was moved with compassion for the people around him who were seeking him for a solution. The religious leaders were seeking to prove him wrong and discredit him. They were not looking to Him as their answer but only for the sake of protecting their own religious rules and pride. When we come to God we must do so with a heart of sincerity not of contempt. However I am sure that God can handle even the hardest of hearts if they are seeking God at all, He will be found!
Tori's Comments:
I find it funny that the disciples are fussing over forgetting to bring bread right after Jesus had multiplied it right in front of their eyes!
We have a praise music list that we add to on a regular basis. You can find the link to it in the right hand column of this blog or by scrolling to the bottom of this page. Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!
12 And with a deep sigh from his spirit, he said, “What drives this generation to clamor for a sign? Listen to the truth: there will absolutely be no sign given to this generation!” 13 Then he turned and left them, got back into the boat, and crossed over to the opposite shore.
14 Now, the disciples had forgotten to take bread with them, except for one loaf of flatbread. 15 And as they were sailing across the lake, Jesus repeatedly warned them, “Be on your guard against the yeast inside of the Pharisees and the yeast inside of Herod!” 16 But the disciples had no clue what Jesus was talking about, so they began to discuss it among themselves, saying, “Is he saying this because we forgot to bring bread?”
17 Knowing what they were thinking, Jesus said to them, “Why all this fussing over forgetting to bring bread? Do you still not see or understand what I say to you? Are your hearts still hard? 18 You have good eyes, yet you still don’t see, and you have good ears, yet you still don’t hear, neither do you remember. 19 When I multiplied the bread to feed more than five thousand people, how many baskets full of leftovers did you gather afterward?”
“Twelve,” they replied.
20 “And when I multiplied food to feed over four thousand, how many large baskets full of leftovers did you gather afterwards?”
“Seven,” they replied.
21 “Then how is it that you still don’t get it?”
Terrie's Comments:
Jesus declares that no miraculous signs will be given... then he leaves. However He had just multiplied food and healed many. He had already raised the dead and cast out demons. He was moved with compassion for the people around him who were seeking him for a solution. The religious leaders were seeking to prove him wrong and discredit him. They were not looking to Him as their answer but only for the sake of protecting their own religious rules and pride. When we come to God we must do so with a heart of sincerity not of contempt. However I am sure that God can handle even the hardest of hearts if they are seeking God at all, He will be found!
Tori's Comments:
I find it funny that the disciples are fussing over forgetting to bring bread right after Jesus had multiplied it right in front of their eyes!
We have a praise music list that we add to on a regular basis. You can find the link to it in the right hand column of this blog or by scrolling to the bottom of this page. Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!
Monday, January 1, 2018
Day 27 - Mark 8:1-10
1 During those days, another massive crowd gathered to hear Jesus, and again, there was no food and the people were hungry. So Jesus called his disciples to come near him and said to them, 2 “My heart goes out to this crowd, for they’ve already been here with me for three days with nothing to eat. 3 I’m concerned that if I send them home hungry, they’ll be exhausted along the way, for some of them have come a long, long way just to be with me.”
4 His disciples replied, “But could anyone possibly get enough food to satisfy a crowd this size out here in this isolated place?”
5 He asked them, “How many loaves of flatbread have you got?”
“Seven,” they replied.
6 Jesus instructed the crowd to sit down on the grass. After he took the seven loaves, he gave thanks to God, broke them, and started handing them to his disciples. They kept distributing the bread until they had served the entire crowd.
7 They also had a few small fish, and after giving thanks for these, Jesus had his disciples serve them to the crowd. 8 Everyone ate until they were satisfied. Then the disciples gathered up the broken pieces and filled seven large baskets with the leftovers. 9 About four thousand people ate the food that had been multiplied! Then he dismissed the crowd.
10 Afterward, Jesus got into a boat and sailed to the vicinity of Dalmanutha.
Tori's Comments:
"Could anyone POSSIBLY" Even after everything the disciples have seen, their minds don't immediately jump to believing Jesus is doing the impossible!
Terrie's Comments:
Jesus began with 7 loaves of bread and a few small fish. The food multiplied enough to satisfy 4000 people. Then the left overs where more than what they started with. I wonder what the people thought or how many comprehended what just had happened?
We have a praise music list that we add to on a regular basis. You can find the link to it in the right hand column of this blog or by scrolling to the bottom of this page. Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!
4 His disciples replied, “But could anyone possibly get enough food to satisfy a crowd this size out here in this isolated place?”
5 He asked them, “How many loaves of flatbread have you got?”
“Seven,” they replied.
6 Jesus instructed the crowd to sit down on the grass. After he took the seven loaves, he gave thanks to God, broke them, and started handing them to his disciples. They kept distributing the bread until they had served the entire crowd.
7 They also had a few small fish, and after giving thanks for these, Jesus had his disciples serve them to the crowd. 8 Everyone ate until they were satisfied. Then the disciples gathered up the broken pieces and filled seven large baskets with the leftovers. 9 About four thousand people ate the food that had been multiplied! Then he dismissed the crowd.
10 Afterward, Jesus got into a boat and sailed to the vicinity of Dalmanutha.
Tori's Comments:
"Could anyone POSSIBLY" Even after everything the disciples have seen, their minds don't immediately jump to believing Jesus is doing the impossible!
Terrie's Comments:
Jesus began with 7 loaves of bread and a few small fish. The food multiplied enough to satisfy 4000 people. Then the left overs where more than what they started with. I wonder what the people thought or how many comprehended what just had happened?
We have a praise music list that we add to on a regular basis. You can find the link to it in the right hand column of this blog or by scrolling to the bottom of this page. Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!
Sunday, December 31, 2017
Day 26 - Mark 7:31-37
31 After this, Jesus left the coastland of Tyre and came through Sidon on his way to Lake Galilee and over into regions of Syria. 32 Some people brought to him a deaf man with a severe speech impediment. They pleaded with Jesus to place his hands on him and heal him.
33 So Jesus led him away from the crowd to a private spot. Then he stuck his fingers into the man’s ears and placed some of his saliva on the man’s tongue. 34 Then he gazed into heaven, sighed deeply, and spoke to the man’s ears and tongue, “Ethpathakh,” which is Aramaic for “Open up, now!”
35 At once the man’s ears opened and he could hear perfectly, and his tongue was untied and he began to speak normally. 36 Jesus ordered everyone to keep this miracle a secret, but the more he told them not to, the more the news spread! 37 The people were absolutely beside themselves and astonished beyond measure. And they began to declare, “Everything he does is wonderful! He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak!”
Terrie's Comments:
We again see a posture of desperation. It interests me that Jesus led him away from the crowd to a private spot to heal this man. Jesus didn't pray or ask God but spoke to the problem and commanded it to do what he wanted. How do you keep someone who was mute and deaf from talking about the miracle that just happened?? I think Jesus was asking something that was nearly impossible for humans to accomplish.
Tori's Comments:
It's interesting to note that Jesus led the deaf man away to a private spot, rather than heal the man in front of everyone to show who He was. This was a consistent pattern in His life!
We have a praise music list that we add to on a regular basis. You can find the link to it in the right hand column of this blog or by scrolling to the bottom of this page. We also have a Christmas list which you will find in the right hand column as well :-) Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!
33 So Jesus led him away from the crowd to a private spot. Then he stuck his fingers into the man’s ears and placed some of his saliva on the man’s tongue. 34 Then he gazed into heaven, sighed deeply, and spoke to the man’s ears and tongue, “Ethpathakh,” which is Aramaic for “Open up, now!”
35 At once the man’s ears opened and he could hear perfectly, and his tongue was untied and he began to speak normally. 36 Jesus ordered everyone to keep this miracle a secret, but the more he told them not to, the more the news spread! 37 The people were absolutely beside themselves and astonished beyond measure. And they began to declare, “Everything he does is wonderful! He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak!”
Terrie's Comments:
We again see a posture of desperation. It interests me that Jesus led him away from the crowd to a private spot to heal this man. Jesus didn't pray or ask God but spoke to the problem and commanded it to do what he wanted. How do you keep someone who was mute and deaf from talking about the miracle that just happened?? I think Jesus was asking something that was nearly impossible for humans to accomplish.
Tori's Comments:
It's interesting to note that Jesus led the deaf man away to a private spot, rather than heal the man in front of everyone to show who He was. This was a consistent pattern in His life!
We have a praise music list that we add to on a regular basis. You can find the link to it in the right hand column of this blog or by scrolling to the bottom of this page. We also have a Christmas list which you will find in the right hand column as well :-) Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!
Saturday, December 30, 2017
Day 25 - Mark 7:24-30
24 Jesus set out from there to go into the non-Jewish region of Tyre. He intended to slip into a house unnoticed, but people found out that he was there. 25 But when a woman whose daughter had a demon spirit heard he was there, she came and threw herself down at his feet. 26 She was not Jewish, but a foreigner, born in the part of Syria known as Phoenicia. She begged him repeatedly to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 Finally he said to her, “First let my children be fed and satisfied, for it isn’t fair to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”
28 She answered, “How true that is, Lord. But even puppies under the family table are allowed to eat the little children’s crumbs.”
29 Then Jesus said to her, “That’s a good reply! Now, because you said this, you may go. The demon has permanently left your daughter.” 30 And when she returned home, she found her daughter resting quietly on the couch, completely set free from the demon!
Tori's Comments:
She was a foreigner, and the idea of Jesus helping this woman... from the Jews' perspective... probably seemed IMPOSSIBLE! But she believed, she cried out to Jesus's compassion in faith and was answered.
Terrie's Comments:
This woman was desperate. She knew about Jesus and she sought Him out to help her daughter. Jesus had come to the Jews first because they were God's chosen people. She was not even offended by being referred to as a dog but stayed and persisted. I wonder if I have ever been offended by God's response to me? Have I always stayed the course and kept persisting in prayer even after it seems like a negative or neutral response? God is please when we show faith in Him. Do we loose heart and hide our requests away from Him pretending like it is okay only to take our problem elsewhere? What would happen if we knew that Jesus is the only answer and I NEED him to take care of the problem before I leave, I have no other options! Would our conversation with God change if we came before Him with no plan B?
We have a praise music list that we add to on a regular basis. You can find the link to it in the right hand column of this blog or by scrolling to the bottom of this page. We also have a Christmas list which you will find in the right hand column as well :-) Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!
28 She answered, “How true that is, Lord. But even puppies under the family table are allowed to eat the little children’s crumbs.”
29 Then Jesus said to her, “That’s a good reply! Now, because you said this, you may go. The demon has permanently left your daughter.” 30 And when she returned home, she found her daughter resting quietly on the couch, completely set free from the demon!
Tori's Comments:
She was a foreigner, and the idea of Jesus helping this woman... from the Jews' perspective... probably seemed IMPOSSIBLE! But she believed, she cried out to Jesus's compassion in faith and was answered.
Terrie's Comments:
This woman was desperate. She knew about Jesus and she sought Him out to help her daughter. Jesus had come to the Jews first because they were God's chosen people. She was not even offended by being referred to as a dog but stayed and persisted. I wonder if I have ever been offended by God's response to me? Have I always stayed the course and kept persisting in prayer even after it seems like a negative or neutral response? God is please when we show faith in Him. Do we loose heart and hide our requests away from Him pretending like it is okay only to take our problem elsewhere? What would happen if we knew that Jesus is the only answer and I NEED him to take care of the problem before I leave, I have no other options! Would our conversation with God change if we came before Him with no plan B?
We have a praise music list that we add to on a regular basis. You can find the link to it in the right hand column of this blog or by scrolling to the bottom of this page. We also have a Christmas list which you will find in the right hand column as well :-) Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!
Friday, December 29, 2017
Day 24 - Mark 7:14-23
14 Then Jesus called the crowd together again, saying, “Hear my words, all of you, and take them to heart. 15 What truly contaminates a person is not what he puts into his body, but what comes out. That’s what makes a person defiled.”
17 When Jesus went back home and away from the crowd, his disciples acknowledged that they didn’t understand the meaning of the parable and asked him to explain it. 18 He answered them, “Are you as dull as the rest? Don’t you understand that you are not defiled by what you eat? 19 For the food you swallow doesn’t enter your heart, but goes into your stomach, only to pass out into the sewer.” (This means all foods are clean.) 20 He added, “Words and deeds pollute a person, not food. 21 Evil originates from inside a person. Coming out of a human heart are evil schemes, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, treachery, debauchery, jealousy, slander, arrogance, and recklessness. 23 All these corrupt things emerge from within and constantly pollute a person.”
Terrie's Comments:
I wonder what was going through the minds of the Jews who were listening to Jesus declare that all food was ok and nothing that was eaten could defile? And then the list of things that do defile according to Jesus... I think you would have to be dead to not be able to have at least one of those items stab your conscious. As humans we all wrestle with being selfish and doing things for ourselves instead of keeping our eyes fixed on God and doing things His way and putting others ahead of ourselves unselfishly.
Tori's Comments:
Good thing God creates in us a pure heart and sends His Holy Spirit to live inside of us, otherwise we would be a hopeless case!!
We have a praise music list that we add to on a regular basis. You can find the link to it in the right hand column of this blog or by scrolling to the bottom of this page. Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!
17 When Jesus went back home and away from the crowd, his disciples acknowledged that they didn’t understand the meaning of the parable and asked him to explain it. 18 He answered them, “Are you as dull as the rest? Don’t you understand that you are not defiled by what you eat? 19 For the food you swallow doesn’t enter your heart, but goes into your stomach, only to pass out into the sewer.” (This means all foods are clean.) 20 He added, “Words and deeds pollute a person, not food. 21 Evil originates from inside a person. Coming out of a human heart are evil schemes, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, treachery, debauchery, jealousy, slander, arrogance, and recklessness. 23 All these corrupt things emerge from within and constantly pollute a person.”
Terrie's Comments:
I wonder what was going through the minds of the Jews who were listening to Jesus declare that all food was ok and nothing that was eaten could defile? And then the list of things that do defile according to Jesus... I think you would have to be dead to not be able to have at least one of those items stab your conscious. As humans we all wrestle with being selfish and doing things for ourselves instead of keeping our eyes fixed on God and doing things His way and putting others ahead of ourselves unselfishly.
Tori's Comments:
Good thing God creates in us a pure heart and sends His Holy Spirit to live inside of us, otherwise we would be a hopeless case!!
We have a praise music list that we add to on a regular basis. You can find the link to it in the right hand column of this blog or by scrolling to the bottom of this page. Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!
Thursday, December 28, 2017
Day 23 - Mark 7:1-13
One day, those known as the Pharisees and certain religious scholars came from Jerusalem and gathered around Jesus. 2 They were shocked to find that some of Jesus’ disciples ate bread without first observing the prescribed Jewish ritual of hand washing before eating their meal. 3 (For the Pharisees, like all other Jews, will not eat without first performing a ritual of pouring water over their cupped hands to keep the tradition of the elders. 4 Similarly, when returning from the marketplace, they ceremonially wash themselves before eating. They also observed many other traditions, such as ceremonially washing cups, pitchers, and kettles.)
5 So the Pharisees and religious scholars asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the age-old traditions passed down by our elders? They should first ceremonially wash their hands before eating.”
6 Jesus replied, “You are frauds and hypocrites! How accurately did Isaiah prophesy about you phonies when he said:
‘These people honor me with their words
while their hearts run far away from me!
7 Their worship is nothing more than a charade!
For they continue to insist
that their man-made traditions
are equal to the instructions of God.’
8 “You abandon God’s commandments just to keep men’s rituals, such as ceremonially washing utensils, cups, and other things.”
9 Then he added, “How skillful you’ve become in rejecting God’s law in order to maintain your man-made set of rules. 10 For example, Moses taught us:
‘Honor your father and your mother,’
and,
‘Whoever insults or mistreats his father or
mother must be put to death.’
11 “But your made-up rules allow a person to say to his parents, ‘I’ve decided to take the support you were counting on from me and make it my holy offering to God, and that will be your blessing instead.’ 12 How convenient! The rules you teach exempt him from providing for his aged parents. 13 Do you really think God will honor your traditions passed down to others, making up these rules that nullify God’s Word? And you’re doing many other things like that.”
Tori's Comments:
I think Christians are quick to create their own personal rules about religion, and we're so quick to judge others for not following the rules we've created in our heads! So many issues are not nearly as important as the unity of the church, and in the end, we are all one body under Christ.
Terrie's Comments:
It is all too easy to create a "rule" out of tradition in our churches. How often to we have disagreements in the body of Christ over rituals or ways we have always done things without checking them with the word of God? How can we be unified in the body of Christ when we are holding tradition above the word of God itself?
We have a praise music list that we add to on a regular basis. You can find the link to it in the right hand column of this blog or by scrolling to the bottom of this page. We also have a Christmas list which you will find in the right hand column as well :-) Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!
5 So the Pharisees and religious scholars asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the age-old traditions passed down by our elders? They should first ceremonially wash their hands before eating.”
6 Jesus replied, “You are frauds and hypocrites! How accurately did Isaiah prophesy about you phonies when he said:
‘These people honor me with their words
while their hearts run far away from me!
7 Their worship is nothing more than a charade!
For they continue to insist
that their man-made traditions
are equal to the instructions of God.’
8 “You abandon God’s commandments just to keep men’s rituals, such as ceremonially washing utensils, cups, and other things.”
9 Then he added, “How skillful you’ve become in rejecting God’s law in order to maintain your man-made set of rules. 10 For example, Moses taught us:
‘Honor your father and your mother,’
and,
‘Whoever insults or mistreats his father or
mother must be put to death.’
11 “But your made-up rules allow a person to say to his parents, ‘I’ve decided to take the support you were counting on from me and make it my holy offering to God, and that will be your blessing instead.’ 12 How convenient! The rules you teach exempt him from providing for his aged parents. 13 Do you really think God will honor your traditions passed down to others, making up these rules that nullify God’s Word? And you’re doing many other things like that.”
Tori's Comments:
I think Christians are quick to create their own personal rules about religion, and we're so quick to judge others for not following the rules we've created in our heads! So many issues are not nearly as important as the unity of the church, and in the end, we are all one body under Christ.
Terrie's Comments:
It is all too easy to create a "rule" out of tradition in our churches. How often to we have disagreements in the body of Christ over rituals or ways we have always done things without checking them with the word of God? How can we be unified in the body of Christ when we are holding tradition above the word of God itself?
We have a praise music list that we add to on a regular basis. You can find the link to it in the right hand column of this blog or by scrolling to the bottom of this page. We also have a Christmas list which you will find in the right hand column as well :-) Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!
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