On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you?”  (John 6: 60-61 NIV) Miracle? I love digging into God’s Word to gain a deeper understanding of Jesus’s time here on earth. Jesus is love, Jesus is direct. He discerned hearts in the crowd that followed him the day after feeding 5,000 individuals. They missed seeing the miracle as they focused on the bread they ate. Jesus explained to them better to work for food that endures […]

  So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with ‘unclean’ hands? He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.” Mark 7: 5-7 NIV) Pharisees The Pharisees and all Jews did not eat unless they washed their hands. Most of us females would agree with this rule. […]

  When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.” (Matthew 17: 14-16 NIV) Problems 1, 2, 3 Certainly the disciples thought they could perform a miracle. Mark 9 shares more graphic details for this story. Not only had the disciples been in an argument with the teachers of the law. Problem #1…Their minds were distracted. The boy’s situation […]

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed. (Mark 1: 35 NIV) Prayer To have only heard Jesus’s prayer this very morning. The day before He delivered freedom to a possessed man in the synagogue. Went to the home of Simon and Andrew. Jesus healed Simon’s mother-in-law of fever by taking her hand and helping her up. Later, people brought all sick and demon possessed to Jesus. Scripture lets us know the entire town came. He healed many with various diseases and […]

They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and begin to teach. (Mark 1:21 NIV) Adventure Are you ready for adventure? Were the disciples ready for adventure? They began to travel with Jesus. His words carried authority unlike the teachers of the law. They were amazed to hear Jesus teach. This was shaping up to look like a calm Sunday. Until, a man in their synagogue possessed with an evil spirit cried out, “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come here to destroy us? I know you you are-the […]