TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Mark 1:40-2:12
If you are willing, you can make me clean. - Mark 1:40
TODAY IN THE WORD
The lucrative business of taking and selling photos of celebrities has increased dramatically in recent years. Stars are followed night and day, as paparazzi hope for a photo to sell to gossip blogs and magazines. Many photographers will go to any means necessary to gain the “money shot,” including hiding on rooftops or renting helicopters. Some celebrities complain that the crush of photographers and flash bulbs makes them feel hunted and often lonely.

Imagine if paparazzi had been present in Jesus' time! The word of His healings had spread quickly throughout the country, and people were traveling great distances to catch a glimpse of Him. Verse 45 says, “Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places.”

Today's passage focuses on two healings, first of a leper and then of a paralytic. Lepers in that day were outcasts since they were ritually unclean (see Lev. 14:1-32). Unable to ever be free from their skin disease and thus be declared clean, they had to leave their homes and communities. So when this leper came to Jesus on his knees, begging for healing, we can sense his desperation: “If you are willing, you can make me clean” (1:40).

He was asking for a miracle, yet note that he expressed complete confidence that Jesus had the power to heal. He did not question Jesus' power, only His willingness. Jesus was filled with compassion and granted his request.

The next account is that of the paralyzed man who came to Jesus with the help of his friends. This time, Jesus also responded to the demonstration of faith. Beyond healing his body, however, He said, “Son, your sins are forgiven” (2:5).

It is no accident that Mark's Gospel places these two accounts together. It is an intentional sign to the reader that Jesus heals both body and soul. He had the authority to cleanse a leper, to make a paralyzed man walk again, and to grant forgiveness of sins. It was this ability that made Him God. As the crowd cried out, “We have never seen anything like this!” (v. 12).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
In prayer meetings, many of our requests focus on our faith in God's ability to heal the body. We pray for a sick child, a friend who has been diagnosed with cancer, an accident victim. While it is true that God is the Divine Healer, we must not forget that He has even greater healing powers. He can heal our souls. He can make us “clean.” Pray today not only that God will heal your aches and pains, but that He will also work in your heart to forgive your sin and increase your faith.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Mark 2:13-3:6
It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. - Mark 2:17
TODAY IN THE WORD
Most people dread the arrival of an IRS auditor who will scrutinize their record keeping and analyze every receipt. But in Jesus' time, tax collectors had a thoroughly scurrilous reputation. They had the unenviable task of collecting taxes and tolls for the civil and religious authorities, and they frequently overcharged in order to keep the extra profit for themselves. Levi was one of them.

When Jesus met Levi, he was sitting in his tax collector's booth. Once again, Jesus saw past the outward trappings of a person, and looked directly at the heart. He called Levi as one of His disciples, and Levi got up—leaving his lucrative business—and followed Him.

The dinner at Levi's house caused an uproar among the religious leaders, as the guests included these disreputable, swindling tax collectors. The Pharisees—those most concerned with keeping ritually pure—questioned the disciples about Jesus' motives.

Today's passage continues to exhibit the ways that Jesus' teachings and actions bewildered His audience. He was not who they expected. Why didn't He fast when they did? Why didn't He honor the Sabbath as they did? Why was He healing on a day when work was not permitted? Why didn't He pay attention to their interpretation of the law? In their concern with keeping the law, the Pharisees were missing God's work.

Jesus patiently answered their accusations. He made it clear that He had come with a different authority that carried a different agenda. He did not hesitate to affirm His authority over the ways that the Pharisees tried to interpret God's law (v. 28).

This kind of authority destabilized the civil and religious institutions. The authority of Jesus was a threat to the power of the Pharisees and Herodians. They began to plot how they might kill this man who dined with sinners and disregarded the rules of the religious.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The Pharisees wanted to keep God's law, but they were so invested in their own interpretation that they couldn't recognize when God Himself was right in front of them. Prayerfully consider the following questions: Are you more concerned about things being done a certain way than about extending mercy to those in need? Do you reject “sinners” rather than pray for an opportunity to reach the lost? If your heart resembles a Pharisee more than Jesus, be willing to abandon your interpretation and embrace His authority.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Mark 3:7-19
From the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the spirit and through belief in the truth. - 2 Thessalonians 2:13
TODAY IN THE WORD
When an organization searches for a new leader, it can be a long and arduous process. First, a search committee is formed, charged with the task of gathering names and vetting candidates. Then the committee must discuss the qualities and qualifications for leadership of the organization. Successful search committees research and propose a candidate who brings positive leadership.

In our passage today, Jesus calls His twelve apostles. If a search committee were undertaking this task, it's doubtful that these men would be the candidates they'd recommend—a tax collector? Fishermen? A Zealot? Yet Jesus selected these men to travel with Him and bear witness to His gospel. Jesus was aware of their qualifications, for God's candidates are often not the same as man's.

Jesus appointed the Twelve “that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons” (vv. 14-15). We've seen Mark's Gospel point out Jesus' authority over disease and sin and legalism. Now we see that He grants authority to His disciples. They will preach and cast out demons—not because of who they are, but because of who He is.

Indeed, in these twelve men we see an array of human failings. Jesus chose one man who would betray Him and one man who would doubt His resurrection. Their squabbling and petty jealousies would threaten to derail their mission. None of them would fully grasp the truth that He would tell them. Nevertheless, they were His choice for spreading the message of the gospel.

Instead of puzzlement at the selection of the Apostles, we should be filled with gratitude. They are examples that Jesus chooses flawed human beings to follow Him and do His will. They remind us that our participation in His authority comes from who He is, not who we are.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The selection of the Apostles should warn us against both false pride and false humility. First, we have no room to think that God's choice of us to follow Him came from anything wonderful that we are or have done. We have sinful backgrounds like Levi or failures of faith like Thomas. Second, even though we are flawed, if we are following Jesus we have confidence in Him that enables us to do great things for His glory. This is the wonder of discipleship: that He would choose us to be vessels and testaments to His authority.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Mark 3:20-34
Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother. - Mark 3:35
TODAY IN THE WORD
Anyone who uses a computer has encountered the infamous “screens of death.” Older Macintosh computers would use the symbol called the Sad Mac. If a grave error occurred, suddenly the graphic of a frowning computer would appear. If Sad Mac showed up on the screen, it meant a severe problem.

In this passage, two groups made grave errors about Jesus: His family and the teachers of the law.

His family gravely misjudged Him. Crowds had gathered to the point that He and His disciples could not even eat. To His family, this seemed excessive. “He is out of his mind,” they said, deciding to “take charge of him” (v. 21). While His family may have acted out of concern, they were wrong. He told them who He was and what He was called to do. They had witnessed His character and miracles. Yet, they did not understand. In a great tragedy, those closest to Jesus were the ones who failed Him.

The teachers of the law were more likely skeptics. They had heard that Jesus was driving out demons. Not stopping with skepticism, they hurled an unjust charge: “He is possessed by Beelzebub!” they accused. “By the prince of demons he is driving out demons” (v. 22). Not only were their claims unjust, they did not make sense. Why would Satan cast out his own? A kingdom cannot be divided against itself. Jesus asserted the gravity of such an accusation—assigning the acts of God to Satan is a grave error.

At the end of today's passage, Jesus spoke again of His family. Some may struggle over the meaning of His words, which seem to dismiss His loved ones as unimportant. But Jesus, throughout the Gospel, does show care for His mother and family, so this cannot be the point of His words here. Rather, Jesus seems to be lending comfort to all of His followers who may leave their immediate families to follow Him. As believers, we enter into a larger family, the family of Christ. Instead of one biologically related family, we are a part of all those who follow Christ.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Jesus' comments may be confusing to those who value their families. Why would Jesus challenge this allegiance? While our biological families are important, we may also recognize that those closest to us may not always understand the call of Christ on our life. We are responsible first and foremost to God. If we must move away from family members or even disappoint them in our effort to follow Christ, He has promised that He will supply others to nurture us. We belong to the family of God.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Mark 4:1-20
Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop. - Mark 4:20
TODAY IN THE WORD
Author Laura Ingalls Wilder told the story of a massive infestation of locusts that destroyed two years of her family's wheat crops in Minnesota in the nineteenth century. Wilder described the swarming insects: “They came thudding down like hail. The cloud was hailing grasshoppers . . . The rasping whirring of their wings filled the whole air and they hit the ground and the house with the noise of a hailstorm.” When it was over, the insects had destroyed every bit of wheat—and her family's hopes and income. Farming was risky and unpredictable, subject to forces beyond their control.

In today's passage, Jesus told a parable, often described as an “earthly story with a heavenly meaning.” This is a story of a sower and some seeds, or as some Bible scholars prefer to describe it, the Parable of the Soils. The sower planted seed in four types of soil. The first was sown in shallow soil, where birds ate it. The second was sown on rocky soil where it could not develop good roots. The third landed among thorns, which choked life from it. The final seed, of course, was sown on good soil, and in turn provided a crop.

This simple story yielded profound questions: Where should we sow the seed of the gospel? How does it grow? Who is responsible for its success? And finally, what kind of seed are we? Do we produce a rich harvest, or are we choked by the world?

The disciples weren't sure what to do with this parable, so they asked Jesus to explain it to them. The farmer spreads the seed, which is the word. We might describe this as evangelism or proclamation of the gospel. But different people respond to the gospel in different ways. As Charles Spurgeon notes, “It is his [the sower's] business to preach the gospel to every creature . . . He has to leave the seed in the care of the Lord who gave it to him, for he is not responsible for the harvest.”
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
As Spurgeon explains, we did not make the seed. It is not our gospel, but God's. We also are not always aware of what soil we are planting on. Will it take root? Will it fail? We only know that we have a job to do. As you go about your daily work today, in your home, your office, or your school, think of yourself as a farmer. Each word you say is a seed planted in someone's heart. Ask God to bless your words today. Ask God to give a great harvest!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Mark 4:21-34
This is what the kingdom of God is like. - Mark 4:26
TODAY IN THE WORD
In the movie Pay It Forward, a boy performs a simple experiment. He does something nice for another person and accepts no reward—he simply asks them to “pay it forward.” His good deed multiplies rapidly. By the end of the film, an amazing number of people have been affected by the one initial kindness of one small boy.

Jesus chose small things that appear insignificant to illustrate a big point in today's passage. The mustard seed parable has been examined by many scholars, but the point is fairly straightforward. Mark's Gospel says that the kingdom of God “is like a mustard seed” (v. 30). If you held a mustard seed in the palm of your hand, you would have to look closely. It is about 1/20th of an inch—the size of a pin head. Yet it grows to be twelve feet tall, its stems as thick as a man's arm. Jesus said, “When planted, it grows, and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that birds of the air can perch in its shade” (v. 32).

The kingdom of God did not seem very grand at the beginning. A man with questionable parentage from a backwater province begins teaching. He is followed by a dozen men with equally sketchy backgrounds—fishermen, a tax collector, a rabble rouser. Jesus and His message seem insignificant compared to the power of the Roman empire or religious pomp in that day.

But the gospel—the proclamation of the kingdom—contained power beyond what was immediately evident. Just as a tiny mustard seed contains the potential of a towering plant, so too the kingdom of God contains His power and authority. When someone believes, his life is forever changed. He is no longer lost, but saved. The blind can see. The lame can walk.

This is the miracle of the kingdom. Today, the Roman Empire is relegated to the history books. Names like Caesar and Pilate and Herod used to signify the most important men in the world; now they just remind us of long-dead rulers. But the name of Jesus is above every name. His kingdom has spread from shore to shore, including those from every tribe and nation. And His kingdom will never end.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The “Pay It Forward” principle has great possibilities when combined with God's power. Today's passage seems to imply that the multiplication of God's truth is inevitable. The words you speak to one person may change the lives of many more. The offering you give can be multiplied. It is our job to take the step of obedience, to proclaim the gospel and live as faithful followers. God will multiply that obedience into the growth of His kingdom.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Mark 4:35-4:41
Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him. - Mark 4:41
TODAY IN THE WORD
Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort, in the early 1800s, devised a scale that would describe the level of wind strength. He divided wind speeds into a range of forces, giving each a name and description. His chart was intended to help sailors know how to predict the wind when sailing their vessels. The winds were rated from level 0—calm, to level 6—strong breeze, to the highest level—hurricane. Today's charts may be more precise, but the prospect of a hurricane still can strike fear with its high winds and incredible destructive force.

While nature can pack a powerful punch, Jesus demonstrates in this passage that He has even greater power. The disciples were following Jesus amidst growing crowds. In an effort to escape, Jesus said, “Let us go over to the other side” (v. 35). They set off in a boat, and the passage notes that other boats were traveling with them.

But this was not a relaxing excursion. “A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped” (v. 37). Probably exhausted, Jesus was sleeping in the stern of the boat. The disciples were furious. Didn't He know that they had given up everything to follow Him? Didn't He care that their lives were in danger?

Jesus got up, rebuked the wind, and talked to the waves. He instructed nature: “Quiet! Be still!” And nature obeyed. “The wind died down and it was completely calm” (v. 39). Some scholars have asserted that Jesus was instructing His disciples to be quiet, to be peaceful in the midst of the storm. What a false hope that would be! Our Savior is not one who simply tells His followers to be quiet in the storm—He is the one who quiets the storm itself.

Jesus then turned to His wild-eyed disciples and asked, “Do you still have no faith?” (v. 40). Notice the word still. The disciples had been traveling with Jesus and had seen Him perform countless miracles. Yet, they still lacked faith. They still did not completely believe. They were still fearful.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
We may know in our minds that Jesus has control over the storms in our life. And yet, in the midst of turmoil, we are like the disciples—afraid, doubting, wondering where God is. Thankfully, not only can Jesus calm the storms around us, but He also stays with us even when our faith is weak. If you are struggling with faith over fear in the middle of a trial, take comfort in the Jesus' power and faithfulness. He will never leave you or forsake you.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Mark 5:1-20
The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. - 1 John 4:4
TODAY IN THE WORD
The late comedian Gilda Radner did a skit about a tiny girl who was afraid to go to bed. She would call out to her parents saying that monsters were in her bedroom. Her mom and dad would come into her bedroom, turn on the light, and comfort their daughter. They would open the closet and look under the bed. See? No monsters. She would nod and jump back in bed.

Immediately after her parents left, Gilda would open her eyes. Sure enough the monsters were back . . . and the audience laughed as real monsters joined the little girl left alone in the dark. “Mom!?” she would whisper. Then yell, “Mom!!!!!”

While most of us outgrow our fear of the dark, we have a healthy fear of the supernatural. None of us relish the idea of encountering spirits or demons. Today's passage again points to the authority and power of Jesus Christ. We saw His power over nature. Today we see His ultimate authority over the spirit world.

The disciples and Jesus headed across the lake to Gerasenes or Gadarenes. Some say it is present day Kersa, on the eastern shore of Lake Galilee. There they were confronted by a man with an evil spirit who came “from the tombs” (v. 3) to meet Jesus. No chains were strong enough to hold him. He lived as an outcast from the community; he would “cry out and cut himself with stones” (v. 5).

Seeing Jesus, he fell on his knees and started to proclaim Jesus' identity. “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God” (v. 7). Jesus talked to the man and the demons. He sent the demons into a herd of pigs, which ran down the hillside to drown in the lake. When the crowd returned, they saw the formerly demon-possessed man, sitting, fully clothed and in his right mind.

Rather than rejoicing, the people begged Jesus to leave. Jesus sent the demon-possessed man back to his family. And the word of Jesus' power spread even further.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Jesus has power over the supernatural. The Bible reassures us that He is in ultimate control. Our verse for today from 1 John repeats this, emphasizing it in a personal way. We do not need to have a spirit of fear, because Jesus is greater than any supernatural power. Today's verse is a good one to memorize and to teach to young children who struggle with fears. God's power can be of great comfort to us in times of terror. He does indeed have power over the supernatural.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Mark 5:21-43
Your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering. - Mark 5:34
TODAY IN THE WORD
Chicago Tribune reporter Barbara Brotman writes, “So widespread is fear of death that it is the subject of an academic discipline—the study of death anxiety. . . . Researchers have divided it into various types of fears: fear of pain, fear of the unknown, fear of non-existence and fear of eternal punishment.” She notes that women are more fearful of death than men, and young people more than the elderly. Even those with faith may be terrified to face death.

In the past few days, we watched Jesus show power over our greatest fears: disaster, sickness, and the supernatural. Now, He demonstrates His authority over death.

Jesus was surrounded by crowds (v. 21). Two people approached Him: a synagogue ruler named Jairus and a desperate woman. Jairus' had a pressing need—his daughter was dying. This religious ruler humbled himself before Jesus, falling down and pleading with Him, and Jesus agreed to go with him. In the large crowd was a suffering woman. Not only was her bleeding a distressing medical condition, but it also impacted her financially and spiritually as well (v. 26; see Lev. 15:19-30). She was unable to participate in religious life or community. Her desperation is understandable.

Though jostled by the crowd, Jesus sensed the touch of this particular woman on His clothing (v. 30). The woman may have trembled in fear because Jesus would be angry—if she were unclean and touched Him, then He would also be ritually unclean. But Jesus was not angry; He was compassionate and commended her faith in His power. She was healed.

During this pause, however, Jairus's daughter died. Rather than turn back, Jesus continued on to the house, informing the mourners that the girl was not dead, but sleeping. Again demonstrating His authority and compassion, He told her to get up—she was immediately fully healed, even walking around.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Do you know someone battling a long-term illness? Do you know someone who has lost a loved one? After the crisis, many well-meaning friends forget the suffering that goes on days and weeks and months after such loss. On this Easter weekend, pray for that friend and send a card or make a phone call to let them know you care. May your life reflect the love and concern of our Savior who took the time to see each need and to reach out with a healing touch.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Mark 6:1-29
Whoever acknow-ledges me before men, I will also acknow-ledge him before my Father in heaven. - Matthew 10:32
TODAY IN THE WORD
In C. S. Lewis's tale The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Lucy travels through a wardrobe of coats and discovers a new world complete with snow, trees and talking animals. She is astounded and returns to England, to share her adventures with her brothers and sister. Much to her disappointment, her siblings not only don't appreciate her adventures, they also don't believe her. They treat her like a child with a vivid imagination, having no idea that the world she speaks about is real. How devastating to Lucy that the people who knew her the best believed her the least.

The theme of rejection surfaces in our passage today. In the first section of our reading, Jesus returned to His hometown. He had been healing, performing miracles, and speaking with great authority—but upon returning home, He was rejected by those who knew Him best. They asked, “Isn't this the carpenter?” (v. 3). To them, it seemed that maybe Jesus was pretending to be someone He wasn't, or perhaps acting out of arrogance. Scripture says that “they took offense at him.”

Why weren't they in awe of a local boy who turned out to be much more? Why would they find Him offensive? When blinded by a lack of faith, the very things that should have inspired wonder and worship led instead to derision and contempt.

The second account of rejection here is the murder of John the Baptist. His faithful proclamation of truth had angered Herodias, and she waited for a chance for revenge. When her husband foolishly promised her daughter anything she wanted, Herodias knew that she had the opportunity. She manipulated Herod into having John killed in order to save face in front of his guests. Though Herod had respected John (v. 20), when confronted with a choice between saving John or saving his ego, pride won out. The reward for a ministry of preaching truth and demonstrating authority was rejection from both high officials and neighbors.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Many times we look for reward in this present life. We think that if we are good, if we obey God's law, we will find reward. We deserve health and wealth for serving Jesus, right? But Scripture shows a very different picture. What we experience here on earth is just part of the picture. God sees our actions. He knows when we work and testify for Him. As you celebrate our Lord's Resurrection Day—when His obedience to God was rewarded—remember that our reward will come when we stand before God.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Mark 6:30-56
I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry. - John 6:35
TODAY IN THE WORD
If you've ever volunteered in the kitchen at a summer camp, you know what a big job it is. Workers must prepare three meals a day for hundreds of hungry campers. Fruit punch is mixed in tub-sized metal vats using pounds of sugar and gallons of water. Ground beef is shaped assembly-line style into hundreds of patties. As soon as one meal is complete, clean up and preparation for the next meal begins. The simple task of keeping people fed can be daunting on such a large scale.

In today's passage, Jesus and the disciples were exhausted. In fact, “they did not even have a chance to eat” (v. 31). This schedule continued until finally His disciples urged Him to stop and send the people away.

But Jesus gave a puzzling answer: “You give them something to eat” (v. 37). How could they possibly serve that many people? They had no supplies, no kitchen, no time to prepare such a monumental feast. If that weren't enough, such a request was cost-prohibitive; it would take eight months' salary to feed everyone there (v. 37). Jesus was asking the impossible.

Jesus told them to start with what they had: five loaves and two fish. Notice that the miracle happened during the disciples' obedient action. As they distributed the meager supply of food, it continued to multiply. Miraculously, “all ate and were satisfied” (v. 42), and there were twelve basketfuls left.

The passage does not end here. The next day, the disciples were again confused. They were again in a boat on a lake when a great wind scared them. Though not in the boat, Jesus saw their trouble and walked to them—on the water. Rather than being immediately comforted, however, the disciples were terrified. Even though they had been in a similar situation before, and they had just participated in a miraculous feeding of thousands of people, it didn't occur to them that Jesus has authority in this circumstance: “They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened” (vv. 51-52).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
As believers, we often have short memories. We experience answers to prayer, and, not long after, doubt that God can help us again. Like the disciples, we do not understand and our hearts are hardened. Today, take a moment to make a list of the answers to prayer that God has performed in your life. Include dates and specific examples. Tuck this list into your Bible. When you face a difficult situation, take it out and remember what God has done in your life, and trust that He continues to have authority over every situation.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Mark 7:1-23
These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. - Mark 7:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
Few jobs are more disgusting than cleaning out sewer pipes. If a home has a plugged drain, it can cause extensive problems. Older homes may have complications that come from tree roots growing into pipes. In these cases, a professional plumber has to be called to clear the blockage. Plumbers use a snake-like tool that coils all the way through the pipe, under the home, to remove the offending material. Another chemical that smells like rotten eggs is also used to break through the roots. What comes out looks and smells horrible. It is not a pleasant task, but it is the only way for the plumbing system to function properly once again.

Followers of the Jewish law were focused on keeping the gunk out of their lives. They used the law like a lint trap to keep out any offending material before it entered. Foods were labeled “clean” or “unclean,” and they developed specific ways to handle and prepare foods. All of these rules were followed to avoid contamination and maintain ritual purity. So it was puzzling to the Pharisees that Jesus and His followers did not follow all of their rules. They asked, “Why don't your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders?” (v. 5).

Jesus answered by calling the Pharisees “hypocrites” (v. 6). As Isaiah had declared, their outward actions were not matched by a heart of worship. This accusation floored the religious leaders. Here they were, obeying an impressive litany of rules, and Jesus was dismissing their efforts as hypocritical. How could He accuse them, of all people, of hypocrisy?

Jesus was teaching the crowd an important lesson: how to be truly clean. The focus should not be primarily on what is outside; rather, the problem is found in the heart (v. 20). The rot in our hearts will not be prevented by a lint trap of rules. We need the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to reveal the corruption that is within us. Only God can cleanse the evil in our heart and purify us.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Many Christians have a long list of do's and don'ts. We might feel justified by what we don't watch on television, or the type of people we don't hang out with, or the places we don't go. We judge others when they don't match up with our rules. But adherence to rules is not the same thing as holiness or having a heart purified by God. Spend some time in prayer today asking God to remove the inner gunk from your heart and to renew your love and compassion for others.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Mark 7:24-37
He has done everything well . . . He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak. - Mark 7:37
TODAY IN THE WORD
In 1858, a young girl named Bernadette claimed to see a mysterious lady near a grotto in Lourdes, France. In the coming days, water from that grotto allegedly began to cause miracles of healing. Word soon spread across the country and the world, and to this day millions of visitors travel to Lourdes thinking they might find a miracle.

When something miraculous occurs, it is hard to keep it a secret. In today's passage, Jesus entered a house in Tyre, hoping that the news of His presence would not be loudly broadcasted (v. 24). Good news traveled fast, however, and soon the secret was out. Jesus was here! The same Jesus who could stop storms, turn water into wine, heal the lame, and cast out demons. A determined Greek woman made her way to Jesus.

She had a little girl possessed by an evil spirit. From her determination and persistence we can glimpse the agony this mother had for her child as she begged Jesus for deliverance for her daughter.

Jesus' answer was cryptic: “It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to the dogs” (v. 27). While this at first sounds harsh to our ears, it's consistent with the way that Jesus pursued His ministry, going first to the people of Israel (see Matt. 28:18-20). But this woman had faith and insight into the authority and ministry of Jesus: “Yes Lord, but even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs” (v. 28). She recognized that even those outside of Israel would be blessed by the Messiah. Jesus responded to her faith by healing her daughter. This healing is a foretaste of the Great Commission, when the gospel will extend to the whole world.

In Decapolis, a man who is deaf and can hardly talk is brought to Jesus. Once again, Jesus healed the man so he could “speak plainly” (v. 35). And again, Jesus charged the people not to broadcast the news of this work, but again, people disregarded the instruction. The area was abuzz with the works of Jesus.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
If Jesus walked into your home today, what requests would you bring Him? Would you ask Him to lower your blood pressure? To cure your depression? To heal a sick relative? Certainly Jesus demonstrated over and over again that He can bring healing. But His concern extends beyond physical healing to spiritually restoring the souls and spirits of men and women. As you pray today for yourself and others, ask God to work, bringing physical healing if He wills, but especially pray for spiritual wholeness and strength.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Mark 8:1-38
You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men. - Mark 8:33
TODAY IN THE WORD
The first form of instant replay was invented in 1955 by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to be used in hockey. On December 7, 1963, it came to the United Sates during the Army-Navy Game played in Philadelphia and broadcast by CBS. Instant replay allowed viewers to see a play from different angles, and eventually became adapted to judge questionable penalties or game decisions.

Today's passage seems like an instant replay. If you don't read carefully, you may assume you have already read this story. Once again, Jesus was being pursued by hungry crowds, and again the disciples were worried about how to feed the masses.

In a question almost identical to the former passage, Jesus asked, “How many loaves do you have?” “Seven,” answered the disciples (v. 5). Seven loaves—note that this is more than the last time. Yet, the disciples began to stress about how they would feed the crowd. Even after witnessing another miraculous provision of food for thousands of people, the disciples demonstrated a lack of spiritual perception (v. 16). They did not understand that Jesus' abundant provision of bread was about more than just filling bellies. It demonstrated His abundant provision of Himself as the bread that fills souls (cf. John 6).

In the end of this passage, Jesus explained the difficult circumstances to come in the next days—He would be rejected and crucified. We've seen the theme of rejection already in the Gospel of Mark, and now Jesus began to prepare His disciples for the coming events. He knew the disciples had little capacity to comprehend His calling and the costs it would entail. While Peter had just declared that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, he rebuked Jesus for talking about His mission. Jesus responded: “Get behind me, Satan! You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men” (v. 33). Jesus was trying to point His disciples to the reality of His provision, His rejection, and His resurrection. But they persisted in viewing things through an earthly perspective.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Do you have in mind the things of God or of men? When trouble comes, who is the first person you turn to? Your spouse? Your best friend? How much easier it is to depend upon what we can see and feel rather than on God, who has the ultimate power to help us. Pray today that God will help you be more heavenly minded. Pray that He will help us turn to Him first, pursuing His perspective rather than our own.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Mark 9:1-12
Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here.” - Mark 9:5
TODAY IN THE WORD
The Seven Wonders of the World might not be around much longer. A recent report showed that global climate change and tourism damages might mean that attractions like the Seven Wonders of the World could disappear by 2020. Past locations that made this list have included the Taj Mahal, the pyramids, and the Great Wall of China. One of the wonders in danger is the Great Barrier Reef.

In today's passage, Jesus' followers experienced one of the wonders of their lives, and Peter tried to preserve it. Jesus took Peter, James, and John with Him up a mountain. They were alone with the Savior. We have seen Jesus' authority demonstrated throughout the Gospel of Mark. In this passage, we see His glory. In witnessing the Transfiguration, the disciples had an earthly glimpse of heaven. They were able to see, with earthly eyes, heavenly things. Note the heavenly details sprinkled throughout the text.

They went up a “high mountain” (v. 2)—it seems appropriate that their earthly experience took them upward, to a higher elevation. Jesus' clothes became “dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them” (v. 3). Traditionally, the color white has been associated with holiness and purity that comes from God's cleansing work to make us “whiter than snow” (Ps. 51:7).

Two heavenly visitors joined Jesus: Elijah and Moses, pillars of faith. Peter's reaction was an earthly contrast to this heavenly scene. Instead of bowing his head, Peter wanted to build a house. Rather than being still, Peter wanted to do something to preserve the experience.

Finally, another heavenly detail appears, a cloud. In this cloud was God's voice declaring Jesus' identity: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” (v. 7). Then, the disciples were left seeing nothing except Jesus. Perhaps that is how it will be, when our earthly vision dims, that we will be left seeing not the clutter of our lives, but only the radiant face of our Lord and Savior, Jesus.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Is it hard to see Jesus in the midst of daily life? Is it hard to pull away from the distractions of e-mail, cell phones, television, family obligations, or job duties, to focus on heavenly things? Make it your goal today to have five minutes of heavenly-minded time. Find a quiet place where you can sit alone. Focus your attention on Jesus, being still and knowing that He is God. As the hymn says, “And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His beautiful face.”