Today’s reading: Luke 1:26-56

“For no word from God will ever fail.” Luke‬ ‭1:37‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Mary, you are a virgin?
Wondering how this is all going to work?
Having a baby when you’re not quite ready (unmarried)?

Don’t worry.

No word from God will fail.

Here we are, still benefitting from this word of God to Mary that didn’t fail. Jesus was born, grew into a man, and died a death and robbed a grave. changed the world.

Everything in our world will at some point fail.

Not words from God. They will endure. They will prove to be true when all are proved to be false.

Needed this today!

Today’s reading: Luke 1:1-25

“The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.” ‭Luke‬ ‭1:25‬ ‭NIV‬‬

When God does a great work in our lives, like he did for Zechariah and Elizabeth, he leaves no doubt that it wasn’t by our own efforts that the miraculous cams about.

God, thank you for taking away our disgrace as well!

👏

Today’s reading: Mark 16

“After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.” Mark‬ ‭16:19-20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“The Lord worked with them”
I LOVE this.
God can work (and does many times) independently of us. He is omnipotent, all powerful. Yet he chooses to work with us, just like he did with the original apostles. He sends us out and comes along, both within us and before us and behind us.
Jesus, keep working with me. Thank you for doing so in the past. This is why you deserve any glory of anything good that may happen in my life or anyone else’s.

The end of Mark may have been added later by a copyist who was witnessing the birth of the early church. Whatever the circumstances, I am so glad they are here. It is a beautiful picture of how Jesus’ promises would flourish after his resurrection and ascension!
👏 >> Jesus alone.

Today’s reading: Mark 15

“Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭15:15‬ ‭NIV‬‬

By His stripes we are healed.
Isaiah 53:5
1 Peter 2:24

Also, Mark 15:31.
He refused to save himself so that He could save others.
Hopefully on Pentecost (Acts 2), they were some of those who were saved, baptized.

Today’s reading: Mark 14:53-72

“But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭14:61-62‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This was another chance for Jesus to bail. All He had to do was stay quiet, yet there was no way he could deny His identity.

He was/is I AM (Exodus 3:14).

He was/is at the right hand of the Father (Psalm 110:1).

He will be coming with the clouds (Daniel 7:13).

Three strong affirmations as to who Jesus was, confirmed by the Old Testament.

Our Savior never wasted any words.

Today’s reading: Mark 14:22-52

“When he returned to them the third time, he said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But no—the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here!”” Mark‬ ‭14:41-42‬ ‭NLT‬‬

All of this gut-wrenching, honest, painful praying that Jesus did in Gethsemane was not a formality. This was prepping, focusing Him to do what He had been born in Bethlehem to do. This was something that the disciples were resisting, but Jesus was undeterred from His mission.

What if we prayed on a regular basis the way that Jesus did in Gethsemane? What if we were this honest, yet this willing to do whatever God is asking us to do?

What would we be prepped for?

🤔

Today’s reading: Mark 14:1-21

“She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial.” Mark‬ ‭14:8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

She did what she could, and it was perceived as waste. If Jesus were anyone other than the Son of God, this would have definitely been a waste. Yet because of who Jesus was (and still is), this was an act of worship, not frivolity.

I also wonder how much more good would be done by us as Christians if we would simply give to our potential like this woman did.

💰🤲

Today’s reading: Mark 13-14-37

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” Mark‬ ‭13:31‬ ‭NIV‬‬

All we know as normal or common will pass away. All we are able to see now is temporary. This will be on full display when Jesus returns for His Church.

God, help me to be more on watch, to be aware, to stay awake for Jesus’ coming. Help me to not place my faith in what will soon pass away.

Come quickly, Lord Jesus.
Revelation 22:20
🙏

Today’s reading: Mark 12:38-44, 13:1-13

“And the gospel must first be preached to all nations.” ‭Mark‬ ‭13:10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus, here in Mark 13, does kind of a dual prophecy, where he switches at one point from talking about the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 to the end of all time when He returns do His church.

Here in this verse, He tells his disciples that over the course of the next 40ish years, they will take the gospel to every known people group in the Mediterranean. Remote islands, Asia Minor, even the place of Rome itself.

What a daunting task for the disciples, but Jesus reminds them of the Holy Spirit’s aid in all of it. They won’t be alone. It will be hard, but they will be able to endure to the end with God’s help.

Us too!

✊

Today’s reading: Mark 12:18-37

The most important one, answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these. Mark 12:29-31

Love God, with all of your self.
Love people, as yourself.

God, I, too, declare that you are my God and You are one.
You are the one true God, the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit.
May I love You more and more with my entire self, all the faculties You've given me. May my love for You run deeper than all other loves or desires in my life.

God, help me to love others in the same way that You love me, without condition. May I not give myself a break and not give others a break. May I not show myself grace and be unwilling to show others that same grace.

God, also, help me to really love myself so that I can in turn really love others the way that honors You.