The Ministry of Jesus According to Mark; Let the Lord Fight Your Battles

Today’s Reading:
• Mark 1:29 - 2:12
• Psalm 35:17 - 28

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Mark 1:29 - 2:12
Mark wastes no time into getting into the ministry of Jesus.  We are told that Jesus went around healing the sick and casting out demons.  At one point he was taken to Simon's mother-in-law and there Jesus cast the sickness right out of her, and then she got up and prepared them all a meal.  That's pretty awesome.

I guess Jesus was trying to keep who he was on the down low.  I suppose once he claimed to be the Son of God, the arrest and crucifixion would inevitably have to occur.  I like he didn't allow the demons to speak at all, since they knew who he was (1:34).

Jesus tried to keep the word from spreading about his ability to heal, I guess because the crowds followed him so badly that he couldn't even enter towns.  He had to do all his preaching on the countryside (1:45).  At one point we are told that four men literally dug a hole in the roof over where Jesus was standing to lower a paralyzed man down to be healed (2:4).

The ministry of Jesus was so amazing.  I am enjoying that I get to see new sides of his ministry through the different gospels.  I can't wait to continue on further.

Psalm 35:17 - 28
David is still suffering at the tongues and lies of those around him.  He is being testified against, lied against and ridiculed.  It is sad to read the suffering of David, but at least through these Psalms we an see that we are not the only ones to ever have suffered.  Yet the Lord will step in and fight our battles for us, when we are ready to let Him do so instead of trusting to our own devices. 
 

The Phenomenal Power of Jesus Christ

Today’s Reading:
• Matthew 4:12-25
• Psalms 4:1-8

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Matthew 4:12-25

Yesterday I read about the baptism and temptation of Jesus Christ, and today I read about the beginning of the ministry of Jesus. Matthew talks of the first four disciples – Simon (Peter), Andrew, James and John, and how they dropped everything immediately and followed him.

Can you imagine just dropping everything you know in a very instant to follow someone, to devote your life to them, to change everything you know? That’s the awesome power Jesus Christ has! We then got to read about how Jesus cured everything … everything! Diseases, demon possession, blindness – you name it, he cured it. The power there is just phenomenally awesome. No wonder he had huge crowds following him wherever he went – I would have been in those crowds, too.

Psalms 4:1-8

There is much good advice in this Psalm. It talks about how sin occurs when you let anger control you, which is so very true. How often do you say and do things that you shouldn’t, just because you were angry? My favorite part of the Psalm, however, is this verse 4:7

“You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvest of grain and new wine”

It is always joyful knowing that you have the Lord with you, no matter what the situation or what you’re going through, and that he always have a plan for you, as long as you “trust the Lord” (4:5).