Favor with God. (Luke 1:30-31)

Luke 1:30-31

New Living Translation (NLT)



 

³⁰ “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! ³¹ You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.




 
God's favor does not automatically bring instant success or fame. His blessing on Mary, the honor of being the mother of the Messiah, would lead to much pain: her peers would ridicule her; her fiance'  would come close to leaving her; her son would be rejected and murdered. But through her son would come the world's only hope, and this is why Mary has been praised by countless generations as the young girl who "found favor with God." Her submission was part of God's plan to bring about our salvation. If sorrow weighs you down and dims your hope, think of Mary and wait patiently for God to finish working out His plan.




 
Joe



























 

With God, anything is possible. (Luke 1:13, 18)

Luke 1:13, 18

New King James Version (NKJV)


 

¹³ But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 

...

 
¹⁸ And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”


 
When told he would have a son, Zechariah doubted the angel's word. From Zechariah's human perspective, his doubts were understandable - but with God, anything is possible. Although Zechariah and Elizabeth were past the age of childbearing, God gave them a child. It is easy to doubt or misunderstand what God wants to do in our lives. Even God's people sometimes make the mistake of trusting their intellect or experience rather than God. When tempted to think that one of God's promises is impossible, remember His work throughout history. God's power is not confined by narrow perspective or bound by human limitations. Trust Him completely.







Joe


















 

Do you need a Heart Transplant? (Luke 1:17)

Luke 1:17

New King James Version (NKJV)



 

¹⁷ He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”


  
In preparing people for the Messiah's arrival, John would do "heart transplants." He would take stony hearts and exchange them for hearts that were soft, pliable, trusting and open to change. Are you as open to God as you should be? Or do you need a change of heart?



 
Joe
















 

Servanthood (Mark 16:20)

Mark 16:20

New Living Translation (NLT)



 

²⁰ And the disciples went everywhere and preached, and the Lord worked through them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs.




 
Mark's Gospel emphasizes Christ's power as well as His servanthood. Jesus' life and teaching turn the world upside down. The world sees power as a way to gain control over others. But Jesus, with all His authority and power in heaven and earth, chose to serve others. He held children in His arms, healed the sick, washed the disciples' feet, and died for the sins of the world. Following Jesus means receiving this same power to serve. As believers, we are called to be servants of Christ. As Christ served, so we are to serve.




 
Joe























 

Stay Alert ! (Mark 13:33-34)

Mark 13:33-34

New Living Translation (NLT)


 

³³ And since you don’t know when that time will come, be on guard! Stay alert!
³⁴ “The coming of the Son of Man can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. When he left home, he gave each of his slaves instructions about the work they were to do, and he told the gatekeeper to watch for his return.




 
Months of planning go into a wedding, the birth of a baby, a career change, a speaking engagement, the purchase of a home. Do you place the same importance on preparing for Christ's return, the most important event in your life? Its results will last for eternity. You dare not postpone your preparations because you do not know when His return will occur. The way to prepare is to study God's Word and live by its instructions each day. Only then will you be ready.




 
Joe










 

Give out of gratitude to God. (Mark 12:41-44)

Mark 12:41-44

New Living Translation (NLT)


 

⁴¹ Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. ⁴² Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins.
⁴³ Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. ⁴⁴ For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.


 
In the Lord's eyes, this poor widow gave more than all the others put together, though her gift by far was the smallest. The value of a gift is not determined by its amount, but by the spirit in which it is given. A gift given grudgingly or for recognition loses its value. When you give, remember - gifts of any size are pleasing to God when they are given out of gratitude and a spirit of generosity.





 
Joe












 

Give back to Caesar what is Caesar's. (Mark 12:14-17)

Mark 12:14-17

New International Version (NIV)


 

¹⁴ They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not? ¹⁵ Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”
But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” ¹⁶ They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”
“Caesar’s,” they replied.
¹⁷ Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”
And they were amazed at him.



 
The Pharisees and Herodians thought they had the perfect question to trap Jesus. But Jesus answered wisely, once again exposing their self-interest and wrong motives. Jesus said that the coin bearing the emperor's image should be given to the emperor. But our lives, which bear God's image, belong to God. Are you giving God all that is rightfully His? Give your life to God - you bear His image.



 
Joe











 

True greatness comes in serving others. (Mark 10:42-45)

Mark 10:42-45

New Living Translation (NLT)


 

⁴² So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. ⁴³ But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, ⁴⁴ and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. ⁴⁵ For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”



 
James and John wanted the highest positions in Jesus' kingdom. But Jesus told them that true greatness comes in serving others. 


Most businesses, organizations, and institutions measure greatness by high personal achievement. In Christ's kingdom, however, service is the way to get ahead. The desire to be on top will hinder, not help. Rather than seeking to have your needs met, look for ways that you can minister to the needs of others.




Joe


























 

The Kingdom of God is bigger than your church ! (Mark 9:38)

Mark 9:38

New Living Translation (NLT)



 

³⁸ John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he wasn’t in our group.”




 
The disciples were jealous of a man who healed in Jesus' name because they were more concerned about their group's position than in helping to free those troubled by demons. We do the same today when we refuse to participate in worthy causes because 1.) other people or groups are not affiliated with our denomination, 2.) these projects do not involve the kind of people with whom we feel most comfortable, 3.) others don't do things the way we are used to doing things, 4.) our efforts won't receive enough recognition. Correct theology is important but should never be an excuse to avoid helping people in need.


 
Remember this truth... The Kingdom of God is BIGGER than the church that you attend !




 
Joe































 

Fix your thoughts on what is true. (Mark 7:20-23 & Philippians 4:8)

Mark 7:20-23

New Living Translation (NLT)


 

²⁰ And then he added, “It is what comes from inside that defiles you. ²¹ For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, ²² adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. ²³ All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.”

Philippians 4:8

New Living Translation (NLT)

 

⁸ And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
 

  
 
An evil action begins with a single thought. Allowing our minds to dwell on lust, envy, hatred, or revenge will lead to sin. Don't defile yourself by focusing on evil. Instead, follow Paul's advise in Philippians 4:8 and think about what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable.



 
Joe




















 

Teamwork ! (Mark 6:7)

Mark 6:7

New Living Translation (NLT)



 

⁷ And he called his twelve disciples together and began sending them out two by two, giving them authority to cast out evil spirits.



 
The disciples were sent out in pairs. Individually they could have reached more areas of the country, but this was not Christ's plan. One advantage in going out by twos was that they could strengthen and encourage each other, especially when they faced rejection. Our strength comes from God, but He meets many of our needs through our teamwork with others. As you serve Christ, don't try to go it alone.




 
Joe


















 

Don't let rejection keep you from serving God. (Mark 6:4)

Mark 6:4

New Living Translation (NLT)



 

⁴ Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family.”




Jesus said that a prophet (in other words, a worker for God) is never honored in his hometown. But that doesn't make his work any less important. A person doesn't need to be respected or honored to be useful to God. If friends, neighbors, or family don't respect your Christian work, don't let their rejection keep you from serving God.



 
Joe
















 

Tell others how Jesus cured you ! (Mark 5:18-20)

Mark 5:18-20

New Living Translation (NLT)


 

¹⁸ As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with him. ¹⁹ But Jesus said, “No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.” ²⁰ So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them.



This man had been demon-possessed but became a living example of Jesus' power. He wanted to go with Jesus, but Jesus told Him to go home and share his story with his friends. If you have experienced Jesus' power, you too are a living example. Are you, like this man, enthusiastic about sharing the Good News with those around you? Just as we would tell others about a doctor who cured a physical disease, we should tell others about Christ who cures sin.







Joe

















 

A Lamp on a Stand (Mark 4:21)

Mark 4:21

New International Version (NIV)

 

²¹ He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand?





If a lamp doesn't help people see, it is useless. Does your life show other people how to find God and how to live for Him? If not, ask what "bowls" have extinguished your light. Complacency, resentment, stubbornness of heart, or disobedience could keep God's light from shining through you to others.




 
Joe






 

Don't let your daily distractions keep you from hearing God's Word. (Mark 4:19)

Mark 4:19

Amplified Bible (AMP)


 

¹⁹ Then the cares and anxieties of the world and distractions of the age, and the pleasure and delight and false glamour and deceitfulness of riches, and the craving and passionate desire for other things creep in and choke and suffocate the Word, and it becomes fruitless.




 
Worldly worries, the false sense of security brought on by prosperity, and the desire of things plagued first-century disciples as they do us today. How easy it is for our daily routines to become overcrowded. A life packed with materialistic pursuits deafens us to God's Word. Stay free so you can hear God when He speaks.






Joe
















 

Don't sleep in, get up and pray! (Mark 1:35)

Mark 1:35

Amplified Bible (AMP)



 

³⁵ And in the morning, long before daylight, He got up and went out to a deserted place, and there He prayed.



 
Jesus took time to pray. Finding time to pray is not easy, but prayer is the vital link between us and God. Like Jesus, we must break away from others to talk to God, even if we have to get up very early in the morning to do it!




 
Joe


























 

Use God's Word against Satan. (Mark 1:12-13)

Mark 1:12-13

New International Version (NIV)


 

¹² At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, ¹³ and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.



 
Jesus left the crowds and went into the desert where He was tempted by Satan. Temptation is bad for us only when we give in. We should not hate or resent times of inner testing, because through them, God can strengthen our character and teach us valuable lessons. When you face Satan and must deal with his temptations and the turmoil he brings, remember Jesus. He used God's Word against Satan and won. You can do the same.



 
 
Joe


























 

A new way to relate to God. (Mark 1:5)

Mark 1:5

New Living Translation (NLT)



 

⁵ All of Judea, including all the people of Jerusalem, went out to see and hear John. And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.



 
The purpose of John's preaching was to prepare people to accept Jesus as God's Son. When John challenged the people to confess sin individually, he signaled the start of a new way to relate to God.


Is change needed in your life before you can hear and understand Jesus' message? You have to admit that you need forgiveness before you can accept it. To prepare to receive Christ, repent. Denounce the world's dead-end attractions, sinful temptations, and harmful attitudes.


 
Joe



















 

Make disciples of all nations. (Matthew 28:18-20)

Matthew 28:18-20

New Living Translation (NLT)


 

¹⁸ Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. ²⁰ Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”



 
God gave Jesus authority over heaven and earth. On the basis of that authority, Jesus told His disciples to make more disciples as they preached, baptized, and taught. With this same authority, Jesus still commands us to tell others the Good News and make them disciples for the kingdom.


We are to go - whether it is next door or to another country - and make disciples. It is not an option, but a command to all who call Jesus "Lord." We are not all evangelists in the formal sense, but we have all received gifts that we can use to help fulfill the Great Commission. As we obey, we have comfort in the knowledge that Jesus is always with us.



 
Joe






















 

Lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire. (Matthew 26:40-41)

Matthew 26:40-41

The Message (MSG)


 

^40-41 When he came back to his disciples, he found them sound asleep. He said to Peter, “Can’t you stick it out with me a single hour? Stay alert; be in prayer so you don’t wander into temptation without even knowing you’re in danger.


There is a part of you that is eager, ready for anything in God. But there’s another part that’s as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire.”  *   
 ( * this verse describes a lot of church leaders today)


 
 
Jesus used Peter's drowsiness to warn him about the kinds of temptation he would soon face. The way to overcome temptation is to keep watch and pray. Watching means being aware of the possibilities of temptation, sensitive to the subtleties, and spiritually equipped to fight it. Because temptation strikes where we are most vulnerable, we can't resist it alone. Prayer is essential because God's strength can shore up our defenses and defeat Satan's power.


 
Joe















 

Talk is cheap. (Matthew 26:35)

Matthew 26:35

 
New Living Translation (NLT)


 

³⁵ “No!” Peter insisted. “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!” And all the other disciples vowed the same.


 
All the disciples declared that they would die before disowning Jesus. A few hours later, however, they all scattered. Talk is cheap. It is easy to say we are devoted to Christ, but our claims are meaningful only when they are tested in the crucible of persecution. How strong is your faith? Is it strong enough to stand up under intense trial?



 
Joe

















 

Your choice... (Matthew 24:40-42)

Matthew 24:40-42

New Living Translation (NLT)



 

⁴⁰ “Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the other left. ⁴¹ Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left.
⁴² “So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming.



 
Christ's second coming will be swift and sudden. There will be no opportunity for last-minute repentance or bargaining. The choice we have already made will determine our eternal destiny.



 
Joe























 

No one knows the time.... (Matthew 24:36)

Matthew 24:36

The Message (MSG)


 

³⁶ “But the exact day and hour? No one knows that, not even heaven’s angels, not even the Son. Only the Father knows.



 
It is good that we don't know exactly when Christ will return. If we knew the precise date, we might be tempted to be lazy in our work for Christ. Worse yet, we might plan to keep sinning and then turn to God right at the end. Heaven is not our only goal; we have work to do here. And we must keep on doing it until death or we see the unmistakable return of our Savior.



 
Joe






















 

Sin cools your love for God. (Matthew 24:12)

Matthew 24:12

New Living Translation (NLT)


 

¹² Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold.



With false teaching and loose morals comes a particularly destructive disease - the loss of true love for God and others. Sin cools your love for God and others by turning your focus on yourself. You cannot truly love if you think only of yourself.



Joe










 

Do you clean the inside of your cup? (Matthew 23:25-28)

Matthew 23:25-28

New International Version (NIV)


 

²⁵ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. ²⁶ Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
²⁷ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. ²⁸ In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.




Jesus condemned the Pharisees and religious leaders for outwardly appearing saintly and holy but inwardly remaining full of corruption and greed. Living our Christianity merely as a show for others is like washing a cup on the outside only. When we are clean on the inside, our cleanliness on the outside won't be a sham.



 
Joe


















 

Do you serve God or your religion? (Matthew 23:15)

Matthew 23:15

New International Version (NIV)





 

¹⁵ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.





 
The Pharisees' converts were attracted to Pharisaism, not to God. By getting caught up in their additional laws and regulations, they completely missed God, to whom the laws pointed. A religion of deeds puts pressure on people to surpass others in what they know and do. Thus, a hypocritical teacher was likely to have students who were even more hypocritical. We must make sure we are not creating Pharisees by emphasizing outward obedience at the expense of inner renewal.




 
Joe
























 

"Greatness" comes from serving ! (Matthew 23:11-12)

Matthew 23:11-12

New International Version (NIV)



 

¹¹ The greatest among you will be your servant. ¹² For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.



 
Jesus challenged society's norms. To Him, greatness comes from serving - giving of yourself to help God and others. Service keeps us aware of others' needs, and it stops us from focusing only on ourselves. Jesus came as a servant. What kind of greatness do you seek?




 
Joe



















 

What kind of leader are you? (Matthew 23:5-7)

Matthew 23:5-7

New Living Translation (NLT)



 

⁵ “Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels. ⁶ And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues. ⁷ They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi.’




 
People desire positions of leadership not only in business but also in the church. It is dangerous when the love for the position grows stronger than loyalty to God. This is what happened to the Pharisees and teachers of the law. Jesus is not against all leadership - we need Christian leaders - but against leadership that serves itself rather than others.




 
Joe

























 

The Greatest Commandment (Matthew 22:37-40)

Matthew 22:37-40

New Living Translation (NLT)


 

³⁷ Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”




Jesus says that if we truly love God and our neighbor, we will naturally keep the commandments. This is looking at God's law positively. Rather than worrying about all we should not do, we should concentrate on all we can do to show our love for God and others.



 
Joe














 

Be a servant leader ! (Matthew 20:26-28)

Matthew 20:26-28

New Living Translation (NLT)


 

²⁶ But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, ²⁷ and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. ²⁸ For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”




Jesus described leadership from a new perspective. Instead of using people, we are to serve them. Jesus' mission was to serve others and to give His life away. A real leader has a servant's heart. Servant leaders appreciate others' worth and realize that they're not above any job. If you see something that needs to be done, don't wait to be asked. Take the initiative and do it like a faithful servant.




 
Joe