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Learning to Live with Our Eyes Wide Open
At the end of Mark chapter 10, there are seven verses about a guy named Bartimaeus. It’s a story much like many others found in the gospels. Bartimaeus was a blind beggar who sat roadside seeking handouts until he met Christ and joined the ranks of those who once were blind but now could see due to God’s great grace. Yet, there are a few aspects of Bartimaeus’s story I can’t stop rehearsing.
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Salvation is Not a Punch Card
Deep in each one of us dwells the question of eternity. For some, it lies buried under hardened layers of rejection, loss, anger, and doubt. For others, it’s suppressed by pride, independence, and self-sufficiency. Layers that look like “the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things,” according to Mark 4:19.
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How Serious Should We Take Sin?
Do you know what I think? No, you don’t, so I’ll tell you. I don’t think we talk about sin enough. I don’t think we confess our sins like God wants us to. And I don’t think we really care. Sure, we seek God’s grace-filled forgiveness when we remember, but when we don’t remember, oh well. Better luck next time, I guess. Except when we read Jesus’ words in Mark 9:42-50 “oh well” is just not the tone.
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God Is Still Kind Even When We Can’t See It
To listen to today’s Deeper Devo click HERE. Devotional Scripture: Mark 7:31-37 Key Verse: “And Looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.” Mark 7:34-35 God is kind. I hope you haven’t lost sight of that. I hope you wake up knowing that and go to bed still clinging to it. And for all the moments in between, I pray you seal the truth of God’s kindness over your heart like a royal signet unable to be lifted or revoked no matter how difficult the day. Because the truth is,…
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When You Feel the Pressures of the World Remember So Did Jesus
To listen to today’s Deeper Devo click HERE. Devotional Scripture: Mark 3:7- 21 Key Verse: “Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great crowd followed…And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him.” Mark 3:7-9 Have you ever been in a work situation or church or school or city or country (Ahem) polarized over leadership? The answer is yes, yes you have—we’re living in one right now. And if you mention certain topics or names in the wrong crowd, it’s not good. Heated discussions break out, opinions fly like fireworks, and people get mad. But this…
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Here’s How I Know God is Compassionate
To listen to today’s Deeper Devo click HERE. Also in case you missed them here are links to last week’s Revive Our Hearts posts. Fighting the Epidemic of Me, Myself, and I Fighting the Epidemic of Entitlement The Pathway to Blessing in a Me-Centered Society Devotional Scripture: Mark 3:1-6 Key Verse: “And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him.” Mark 3:2 If there’s one question especially the skeptics struggle with about God, I think it’s this: The existence of evil and tragedy in the world. How could a loving God allow mass shootings to happen? How could a…
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Have You Heard the Good News?
To listen to today’s Deeper Devo click HERE. For my latest Revive Our Hearts post click HERE. Now, show of hands, who’s ready to study the gospel of Mark? Me! If you’re new around here…welcome! And if we’re old friends…then welcome back. I’ve missed you guys and can’t wait to get back into God’s Word with you. So without further ado, I say we jump in… Ready? Devotional Scripture: Mark 1:1-3 Key Verse: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Mark 1:1 I don’t even know where to begin. Have you ever said that phrase? Speechless. Your brain flooding with so much detail you have…
