Category: 260 Devotional

Mark 11 English Standard Version (ESV)

The Triumphal Entry

¹ Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples ² and said to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. ³ If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.’” ⁴ And they went away and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they untied it. ⁵ And some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” ⁶ And they told them what Jesus had said, and they let them go. ⁷ And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it.⁸ And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields.⁹ And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! ¹⁰ Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”

¹¹ And he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. And when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.

 

Meditation:

• Jesus chose a young colt, not a stallion, not coming on foot. This is because in that day, to come riding a colt – as opposed to a mighty war-horse – was to come as a man of peace. Jesus didn’t come to Jerusalem as a conquering general, but as a suffering – though triumphant – servant. And the crowd shouted and waved and praised Jesus as their Messiah – the savior (v9-10). 
• We like this slice from the life of Jesus because it simply feels so right. For much of Jesus’ ministry, He was despised and rejected of men. Often the adoring crowds followed Him only for what they could get from Him, and most His audience rejected any kind of personal commitment to Jesus. It was all different on this day.
• On this day, they lavished attention and honor on Jesus, using their clothes as a saddle for Jesus, using their clothes as a red carpet for the colt He rode on. Considering the expense and value of clothing in that day, this was generous praise.
• If Jesus were among us, would He receive a critical evaluation, or would He receive generous praise? It’s even more important to understand that Jesus is here among us.
• So, what would Jesus receive from you, a critical evaluation or a generous praise?

 

Prayer:

Respond to this passage in prayer, praising the King of peace and asking that His kingdom be established.

Mark 10 English Standard Version (ESV)

The Request of James and John

³⁵ And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” ³⁶ And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” ³⁷ And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” ³⁸ Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” ³⁹ And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, ⁴⁰ but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” ⁴¹ And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. ⁴² And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. ⁴³ But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, ⁴⁴ and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. ⁴⁵ For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

 

Meditation:

• James and John’s request seems almost incredible. They wanted Jesus to give them the positions of highest honor in Jesus’ kingdom. When the other ten apostles heard about this status request, they became indignant.
• This incident followed immediately after Jesus’ prediction of His death. And the disciples didn’t really “hear” Jesus – because their thoughts were too filled with themselves.
• All too often this is what happens to us. We’re so busy with our own thoughts and dreams that we simply don’t listen or care. It’s no wonder Jesus went on to explain to His disciples that greatness in His kingdom isn’t found in high position, but in servanthood. In God’s Kingdom, status, money, popularity are not the prerequisites for leadership. Humble service is the greatest (and only) prerequisite, as displayed by Jesus’ own ministry.
• If you and I want to become truly great, we should set aside thoughts of ourselves, and think first of others. “For even the Son of Man came not to be served butto serve, and to give his life as a ransom for ” (v45)

Prayer:

• Use this song as your prayer for today and always: “Make me a servant, humble and meek”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rznoe3zKxM

 

Mark 9 English Standard Version (ESV)

Jesus Heals a Boy with an Unclean Spirit

¹⁴ And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. ¹⁵ And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. ¹⁶ And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?”¹⁷ And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. ¹⁸ And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” ¹⁹ And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” ²⁰ And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. ²¹ And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood.²² And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” ²³ And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.”²⁴ Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” ²⁵ And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” ²⁶ And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” ²⁷ But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. ²⁸ And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” ²⁹ And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”

 

Meditation:

• This passage clearly depicts Christ’s frustration with His disciples (v19), and the desperation of the father who believed, but doubted at the same time.
• We are often like both the father and the disciples. We believe, yet doubt. We act in Jesus’ name, but at times fail completely.
• This incident taught the disciples that they needed to serve God in constant dependence on Him and it is expressed in prayer. Prayer serves to remind us who God is, and our dependence on Him. When we pray, we are reminded of who God is, and our faith is increased.
• Which do you struggle with more—believing that Jesus can or that he wants to answer your prayers? Why?

Prayer

• Pray like the father: “God, I do believe, yet please help me with my doubts!” (ref. Mark 9:24)

Mark 8 English Standard Version (ESV)

Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ

²⁷ And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” ²⁸ And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” ²⁹ And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” ³⁰ And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.

Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection

³¹ And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. ³² And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. ³³ But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

³⁴ And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. ³⁵ For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. ³⁶ For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? ³⁷ For what can a man give in return for his soul? ³⁸ For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

 

Meditation:

• When Peter made this confession of faith “You are the Christ”, he has only taken the first step. The next step is a lifelong journey to live out this confession fully and authentically. 
• That’s the same with us. After our confession of faith, Jesus calls us to live a life to “deny himself and take up his cross and follow” Jesus.   
• In your journey of faith, which step have you taken? Are you still lingering at the first step?  Or are you walking toward the goal of being sanctified and made holy?  What is it that has kept you from moving ahead?  What are you afraid of?

Prayer

• Pray for courage and faith to walk on this journey. Ask for God’s guidance for you to willingly follow Him.

 

Mark 7 English Standard Version (ESV)

Traditions and Commandments

¹ Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, ² they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. ³ (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, ⁴ and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.) ⁵ And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?”⁶ And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,

“‘This people honors me with their lips,
    but their heart is far from me;
⁷ in vain do they worship me,
    teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

⁸ You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”

⁹ And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! ¹⁰ For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ ¹¹ But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban”’ (that is, given to God)— ¹² then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, ¹³ thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.”

 

Meditation:

• All of us are influenced by traditions of one sort or another. But at what point do traditions lose their value or even become counterproductive? When do religious practices become a substitute for really obeying God? In this study Jesus has some rather harsh words for the Pharisees and the traditions they choose to observe.
• What religious traditions influence your life? Is that influence good or bad? What sorts of traditions do we observe today that get in the way of really honoring God?
• In what ways do you, like the Pharisees, sometimes emphasize appearance over internal reality?

Prayer

• God, help me to truly worship You in spirit and truth and not just going through the motions. Help me also that I may present myself each day as a living sacrifice which is holy and acceptable to You. ( John 4:23, Rom 12:1)

 

 

 

Mark 6 English Standard Version (ESV)

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

³⁰ The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. ³¹ And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. ³² And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. ³³ Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. ³⁴ When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. ³⁵ And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. ³⁶ Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” ³⁷ But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii^[f] worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” ³⁸ And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” ³⁹ Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. ⁴⁰ So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. ⁴¹ And taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. ⁴² And they all ate and were satisfied. ⁴³ And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. ⁴⁴ And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.

 

Meditation:

• In this familiar story, the disciples wanted Jesus to dismiss the big crowd to find food for themselves. Jesus had something else in mind. He wanted to teach the disciples and the multitudes to look to Him for their needs. He was the ultimate source of all they needed.
• Jesus suggested that the disciples feed the people, and He asked them “how many loaves” of bread they had. The disciples realized their inability to feed this great multitude and the inadequacy of their resources (5 loaves and 2 fish). They also need to understand that it was those resources, as inadequate as they were, that Jesus used to feed the five thousand.
• We may be like the disciples and think that we don’t have much (lack of resources), can’t do much (lack of ability), and therefore can’t give much to the Lord. However, if we are willing to lay ourselves to His hand, God can use and multiply it to bless many people. Are you willing?

Prayer:

• Ask God to help you to give of yourself as an unselfish and caring disciple of Christ.

Mark 5 English Standard Version (ESV)

Jesus Heals a Woman

²¹ And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. ²² Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet ²³ and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.” ²⁴ And he went with him.

And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him.²⁵ And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, ²⁶ and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. ²⁷ She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. ²⁸ For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” ²⁹ And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. ³⁰ And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” ³¹ And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” ³² And he looked around to see who had done it.³³ But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. ³⁴ And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

 

Meditation:

• Jesus, on His way to the home of a dying girl, was touched by a woman with chronic bleeding. She spent all she had to search for a cure but to no avail.  Then she heard about Jesus, she became convinced that if she could only touch His clothing, she would be healed.  And she was healed indeed. She tried to remain unobtrusive, since her condition rendered her and all who contacted her ritually unclean.
• The disciples probably were eager to get Jesus to Jairus’ house before it was too late. Yet Jesus wanted to speak to the woman, and to assure her that it was her faith in Him that had resulted in her healing, not merely her touch. The woman’s faith in Jesus had not only resulted in her physical healing but also brought her into His spiritual family.
• Jesus assured her that her healing was complete and permanent with these words: “your faith has made you well.” She could now enjoy social interaction and participation in public worship, as well as physical health, since she was clean.
• Mark is demonstrating to us that Jesus Christ, ruler of God’s kingdom, has power over nature (4:35-41), over demonic power (5:1-20), and over every illness and even death (5:21-43). Knowing Jesus has such power gives us confidence to live by His word, even if He should choose not to heal every believer’s disease now.

Prayer:

• Tell Jesus all of your urgent needs and ask for His healing and help.
• In your prayers, recognize that Jesus is the Lord of all, ask in humility and hope with all sincerity.

 

Mark 4 English Standard Version (ESV)

A Lamp Under a Basket

²¹ And he said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? ²² For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. ²³ If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” ²⁴ And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. ²⁵ For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

 

Meditation

• In Matthew 6:3-4, Jesus taught us: “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
• However, in this paragraph, it is talking about all of our secrets – good and bad – being revealed. What is the connection between keeping good deeds and qualities, and having all of our secrets revealed?  Does this motivate us to be quiet about the good works that we do?

Prayer: (Continue the meditation from yesterday)

• Lord, help me to be willing to be a quiet and hidden disciple of Jesus and I will “not let (my) left hand know what (my) right hand is doing” ( Matt 6:3).

 

 

Mark 3 English Standard Version (ESV)

The Twelve Apostles

¹³ And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. ¹⁴ And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach ¹⁵ and have authority to cast out demons. ¹⁶ He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); ¹⁷ James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); ¹⁸ Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot, ¹⁹ and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

²⁰ Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. ²¹ And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”

 

Meditation:

• We know a few of the more famous (and infamous) disciples of Jesus, but there are many in this list we know nothing about at all. Though they were also with Jesus for more than three years, received teachings and care from Jesus, were commanded to preach, heal, and cast out demons. However, they remained to be the unnoticed in the Bible and in the church history.
• In our own discipleship, we may be asked to do some work or to take a stand that gets noticed by others. But often discipleship consists of faithfulness in the small, even mundane acts of Christian service perhaps unnoticed by all except God.
• Are you aware of any unnoticed servers at church, home, the office or any other places? Look for an opportunity to show appreciation, a smile, or a thank you to these people.
• Are you willing to be an unnoticed disciple of Christ? Is there any behind-the-scene work that needs to be done?

Prayer:

• Ask the Lord to give you the willingness to do the not-easily-noticed services faithfully even without people’s recognition or appreciation.

Mark 2 English Standard Version (ESV)

Jesus Heals a Paralytic

¹ And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. ² And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them.³ And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. ⁴ And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. ⁵ And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” ⁶ Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, ⁷ “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” ⁸ And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? ⁹ Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? ¹⁰ But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— ¹¹ “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” ¹² And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

 

Meditation:

• The four men were deeply concerned about their friend and wanted to see him helped. They had the faith to believe that Jesus could and would meet his need. They did not simply “pray about it,” but they put action to their prayers; and were not discouraged by the difficult circumstances. They worked together, and Jesus rewarded their efforts by healing their friend.
• Jesus chose to do what they considered harder to show that He could also do what they considered easier. He did the miracle which they could see that they might know that he had done the other one (forgiving sins) that they could not see.
• God has called us not only to be single disciples, but to be formed into communities of faith too. We pray for one another and work for the healing and wholeness of others, just as this paralytic’s four friends help him receive the healing he needs. 

Prayer: 

• Dear Lord, how I desire the mutual love, care and sacrificial support between this paralytic and his friends. I hope that there will be similar relationships between me and my church friends and cell members so that we may all receive healings in our body, emotion, spiritual life, daily life……