5 Day Devotional on Mark 8:1-21
Day 1
Mark 8:1-21
The story of Jesus feeding the 4,000 with seven loaves and a few small fish is a powerful reminder of God's provision. While this miracle speaks to God's ability to meet our physical needs, it also highlights a deeper spiritual truth—our need for Jesus to heal our hardened hearts. Despite witnessing Jesus perform such miracles, the disciples still struggled to understand His message because they were spiritually blind and deaf.
In these verses, Jesus challenges us to consider our own hearts. Are we spiritually tuned in to what Jesus is revealing to us, or are we missing His message because of our hardened hearts? Like the disciples, we must turn to Jesus, knowing that He is the answer to our spiritual blindness and deafness.
In what areas of your life are you not fully trusting God's provision?
How can you become more aware of God's presence and work in your daily life?
Pray for the Holy Spirit to open your eyes and ears to God's word.
Ask Jesus to reveal any areas of hardened heart within you.
Day 2
Mark 7:24-30
In this passage, we read about a woman whose daughter is made clean because of her faith in Jesus. This emphasizes the transforming power of faith and how it can bring about miraculous changes in our lives. Faith in Jesus, not the outward acts, is what cleanses our hearts and souls.
Her unwavering belief contrasts with the disciples' struggle to grasp Jesus' message. This story calls us to examine the depth of our faith. Are we approaching Jesus with genuine faith like the woman, or are we like the disciples, battling doubt and misunderstanding?
Reflect on a time when your faith in Jesus led to a significant change in your life.
What areas of your heart need cleansing by Jesus' grace?
Pray for a steadfast faith that remains strong in the face of trials.
Ask God to cleanse your heart and make it pure.
Day 3
Mark 7:31-37
This passage recounts the healing of a deaf man, showcasing Jesus' power to restore and heal. Just as Jesus gave this man the ability to hear, He can open our spiritual ears, allowing us to receive and understand His words.
Jesus' actions here serve as a metaphor for us—He can help us hear His voice amidst the noise of life and self if we come to Him in faith. Are we open to listening to Jesus, or do we allow the distractions of this world to drown out His voice?
When have you felt like you couldn't hear God's voice?
When have you been able to hear God's voice? What made the difference?
Pray for the ability to hear and recognize God's voice in your daily life.
Ask Jesus to remove any spiritual deafness and help you be more attentive to His guidance.
Day 4
Mark 8:22-26
In this passage, Jesus heals a blind man, demonstrating once again His power to restore what is broken. This divine act of healing symbolizes the opening of our spiritual eyes, allowing us to see and understand the truths God wants to reveal to us.
Just as the man's physical sight was restored, we must seek Jesus to restore our spiritual sight.
Think about a time when you gained a new spiritual insight. What led to that moment?
What practices can help you maintain clear spiritual vision?
Ask God to open your eyes to His truth and help you see with clarity.
Pray for continual spiritual growth and renewed vision in your faith journey.
Day 5
Mark 5:36b
Pastor Eric closed the sermon with a reminder of Jesus' words: "Do not fear; only believe." This call to faith is a reassurance that despite our struggles and imperfections, Jesus remains steadfast and true. His love is unwavering, and He invites us to trust in Him completely.
We are encouraged to cast aside our fears and doubts, placing our full belief in Jesus. This is a lifelong journey where we continually learn to trust and believe in Christ more deeply each day.
Reflect on what fears and doubts are holding you back in following Jesus.
When you struggle following Jesus, what practical things can you do? (Scripture you can read? Friends you can call? etc)
Pray for the courage to overcome fears and doubts with faith.
Ask Jesus to help you believe in His promises.
5 Day Devotional on Mark 7:24-37
This five day devotional will be taking a deeper dive into the sermon from this weekend. We'll be exploring themes of spiritual cleanliness, bold faith, and the incredible grace of Jesus Christ. Join us each day as we reflect on how the teachings of Mark 7:24-37 can transform our hearts and lives.
Day 1
Mark 7:24-26
Today we look at a passage where Jesus encounters a woman considered unclean by societal standards. This powerful story illustrates that being clean or unclean is not an outside in issue; it’s an inside out issue. Our uncleanliness stems from our hearts, filled with anger, pride, and evil thoughts. It’s a reminder that we all sin in our hearts and are thus unclean.
The story highlights how the woman, despite her unclean status, boldly approaches Jesus for her daughter’s healing. This act of faith is significant because it teaches us that boldness in seeking Jesus comes from recognizing His grace and power to meet our needs. Like this woman, we should come to Jesus, knowing that His grace is sufficient for us.
Reflect on areas in your heart that you feel are unclean. How can you bring these to Jesus?
What does bold faith look like in your life? Are you willing to come to Jesus despite feeling unworthy?
How can you extend grace to others as Jesus extends grace to you?
Pray for a heart that trusts in Jesus' grace and power.
Ask God to help you see others through the lens of grace rather than judgment.
Day 2
Mark 7:27-28
In today’s scripture, the woman asked Jesus for a miracle, and He responded with a parable. Although His response might have seemed harsh, the woman answered with humility and insight. She recognized that even the crumbs from Jesus were enough to bring healing and salvation. Her reply shows an incredible understanding of Jesus’ mission and abundant grace.
Jesus' parable and the woman's response remind us that God's grace is abundant and sufficient for all. No one is excluded from His love and mercy. The woman’s faith was not in her own worthiness but in Jesus' overflowing grace. This is a call for us to view ourselves and others as recipients of God’s generous love, worthy of healing and salvation.
Consider how you react to difficult truths from Jesus. Are you defensive or humble like the woman?
How can you remind yourself of Jesus' abundant grace in your daily life?
What can you learn from the woman's faith and humility in approaching Jesus?
Pray for a heart of humility and understanding.
Ask Jesus to show you how His grace is sufficient for you and those around you.
Day 3
Mark 7:29-30
On this day, Jesus acknowledges the woman’s faith and heals her daughter. This interaction underscores that faith in Jesus transcends cultural and religious barriers. Although the woman was considered unclean, her faith made her 'clean' in Jesus’ eyes. This act of healing illustrates that Jesus' mission includes everyone, regardless of their background or status.
We learn that Jesus’ power and grace are available to all who believe, irrespective of their past or societal standing. This should encourage us to approach Jesus with bold faith, knowing that He sees our hearts and responds to genuine faith. Jesus' acceptance and blessing of the unclean woman challenge us to embrace inclusivity and compassion in our faith journey.
Reflect on how Jesus’ inclusivity in blessing the unclean woman challenges your views on grace.
How does faith in Jesus change your perspective on your own worthiness?
In what ways can you show compassion and inclusivity in your community?
Pray for a heart that sees beyond societal barriers and loves as Jesus does.
Ask Jesus to help you see the potential for faith and healing in everyone you meet.
Day 4
Mark 7:31-35
Here, we see Jesus perform another miracle by healing a deaf and mute man. Jesus' method of healing—using sign language and physical touch—demonstrates His love and care for individuals. By entering into the man's world, Jesus shows us that He understands and meets us exactly where we are.
Jesus’ healing of the deaf and mute man isn't just a miracle; it's a powerful sign that He is the Messiah prophesied in Isaiah. This act points us to the larger truth that Jesus, as the fulfillment of prophecy, comes into our brokenness to bring restoration and healing. It encourages us to trust in Jesus’ compassionate engagement with our lives.
How does Jesus' personalized approach to healing encourage you in your own struggles?
In what ways can you follow Jesus' example in reaching out to those around you?
How does this miracle affirm your faith in Jesus as the promised Savior?
Pray for a deeper trust in Jesus' understanding and involvement in your life.
Ask God to help you be more compassionate and engaging with those in need.
Day 5
Mark 7:36-37
Jesus tells the people not to spread the news of the miracle yet, but they cannot contain their excitement. This ironic twist contrasts with our modern reluctance to share the gospel. Their enthusiastic disobedience highlights the overwhelming impact of Jesus' miracles and teachings on those who witness them firsthand.
We are reminded that Jesus didn't come to bring condemnation but to bear it on our behalf. This ultimate act of love compels us to go and share the good news with others. As modern-day followers of Jesus, we are urged to speak openly about His grace, healing, and sacrifice that liberates us from spiritual uncleanliness.
Reflect on the reasons why you might hesitate to share your faith with others. What can you learn from the crowd's enthusiasm?
How does the understanding that Jesus bore our condemnation change your perspective on evangelism?
What practical steps can you take to share the gospel more boldly?
Pray for courage and opportunities to share your faith.
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you speak about Jesus' impact on your life with authenticity and excitement.
The Bible offers something better for your suffering than The Shack
Let's get three things out of the way from the start. First, I've spent the bulk of my academic career studying what the Bible has to say about human suffering. In academia, it's called the problem of evil. Thinking through suffering from a biblical perspective, then, isn't something I've taken up over the past weekend. Second, I'm not an arm-chair quarterback when it comes to suffering--some guy sitting on the sidelines with no skin in the game. I have no interest in playing the 'my scar is bigger than your scar' game, but I believe it's safe to say walking through childhood cancer with your two-year-old daughter counts as suffering. And third, I believe the book "The Shack" gives a very poor answer, wrapped in Christianity, to the problem of our suffering. And by poor, I mean an answer that doesn't agree with the answer the Bible offers.Back that upI've got several problems with The Shack. As an aside, I've got a problem with any book, other than the Bible, attempting to speak directly for God. I'm not talking allegory here. I have in mind books that basically say, "Hey I'm God, this is what I think," and what follows are not words from Scripture. But I'll leave all that alone for now. For this post, I want to focus on what The Shack says about human suffering and point out its flaws. Why these flaws matter...Offer better resources...