Oh yes! PTL! What praise, thanksgiving and gratitude we lift for all Jesus has done for us, for our forgiveness and being made right with God and for our eternal hope! Yes praise the Lord! Thank God I'm forgiven!
Good Morning Cleansed, Purified, United, Body that Loves like Jesus! Amen! We can be that an much more as we humble ourselves, praise and pray, listen and follow and live our lives as an act of worship. Join me!
I have to fly to another specialist appointment, but I have to share some of what God was saying to me today...
First of all, I cannot get Phil. 2:2 out of my mind. I believe God wants to add that verse to our foundation, guiding verses for our lives and our church. "Make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose." Please meditate and talk to God and process with your partners that key verse for us. be wholehearted, loving, and focused on God's plans! is that us? It can be! Pray for that to come to life and ideas, dreams and vision for how God plans to lead us through that. he loves you and us and has gathered us to go love wholeheartedly and do together what He has planned. Amen!
Check out the flow through the devos below. What's God saying to you? What will you do about it? Who are your teammates? How can your choices be an act of worship and obedience today? God has great plans for you for such a time as this! Choose to step into them wholeheartedly and with some friends! I'm praying for you! I'm praising God for you and us! And I am so thankful for God's love, for you, and for our Body that is choosing and wanting to follow Jesus wholeheartedly! Amen!
ODB
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Recently, my brother Scott acquired our dad’s military service records from World War II. As I studied the pages, there was nothing startling or shocking—nothing about who Dad was. There were mere facts. Data. It was interesting to read but ultimately dissatisfying because I didn’t come away feeling like I learned anything new about Dad.
Thankfully, in giving us a record of the life and work of Jesus, the four gospels are much more than just data. They are descriptions that reveal who Jesus was in His time on this earth as well as what He did and said. In Mark’s gospel, that record was for the purpose of proving Mark’s thesis statement: “The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God” (1:1). Immediately, Mark tells us how John the Baptist testified about this Messiah. John said, “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie” (v. 7). Mark’s account makes it clear that Jesus is the Son of God. As John the disciple adds in his own account of Jesus’ life, “These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31).
The evidence of Jesus’ life is abundant. These questions remain: What does He mean to you? How has He changed your life?
By Bill Crowder
REFLECT & PRAY
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What do you think of the evidence of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection? How might you tell someone about your response to it?
Father, thank You for the clear record of Your Son’s life.
Learn more here: ODB.org/personal-relationship-with-god.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Mark begins his gospel account declaring that Jesus is “the Son of God” (1:1). Then he moves to introducing the Messiah’s promised forerunner, John the Baptist (vv. 2-4). In contrast to the gospel of Matthew, which was written to a Jewish audience and is filled with messianic prophecy, Mark wrote to a gentile audience and offers fewer Old Testament references or allusions. One of the few Old Testament quotes in Mark (1:2-3) is from Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3 and establishes from the outset that Mark’s story of Christ lines up with Israel’s story and how it would find fulfillment in its promised Messiah. Mark also tells the reader up front that John the Baptist wasn’t the Messiah but was preparing the way for one “more powerful” than himself (Mark 1:7). John the Baptist’s self-awareness is fleshed out more fully in the gospel of John (see 1:20; 3:22-36). He knew his role as one pointing to the Messiah who had come—Jesus.
Bill Crowder |
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UR: Blessing Others
The Lord had said to Abram . . . “I will bless you; I will make your name great, andyou will be a blessing.” - Genesis 12:1-2 (NIV)
Our oldest grandchild is a senior in high school. He is a very talented young man. He plays the saxophone in his school’s marching band, jazz band, wind ensemble, and symphonic band. He not only plays at school but performs solos and duets at his church and other churches in our county. He has even provided wedding music for one of his teachers.
Naturally, we are very proud of our grandson. We are proud because he has been blessed by God with his amazing musical ability, and he is willing to share his blessing with others.
Many times God gives us talents but we fail to share them. We hide them and keep them to ourselves. Maybe we’re afraid we won’t be good enough and lack confidence in our ability. Maybe we don’t have the courage to step out of our comfort zone. Whatever the reason, God is always encouraging us and wants us to use the talents we have been given to bless others.
Today's Prayer
Dear God, thank you for the many talented young people in our world who are willing and able to use your blessings to bless others. May our talents be shared in love and praise to you. Amen.
TWFYT
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