What Jesus Did! from Heartlight

Ashamed? - Mark 8:38

Thu, 31 May 2012 02:00:00 -0500

Key Passage

"The people that live now are living in a sinful and evil time. If any person is ashamed of me and my teaching, then I will be ashamed of that person. I will be ashamed of that person at the time I come with the glory of my Father and the holy angels."

— Mark 8:38 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought

We live in times when believers are ridiculed. In some places, they are openly persecuted -- their property is confiscated and they suffer violent attacks. In such times as these, it is easy to be a "closet Christian" and never do anything to show ourselves as believers or to stand up for our Lord. Jesus wants us to do more than just hold the truth -- he wants us to share it.

Prayer

Father, open my heart and strengthen my courage so that I will never ever act in ways that bring you dishonor. I don't want to say or do anything that suggests to anyone that I'm not your loyal and devoted child. Please strengthen me and guide me as I try to show your Son's love in everything I do. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Related Scriptures

True Worth - Mark 8:36-37

Wed, 30 May 2012 02:00:00 -0500

Key Passage

"It is worth nothing for a person to have the whole world, if he loses his soul {in hell}. A person could never pay enough to buy back his soul."

— Mark 8:36-37 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought

So much of life gets lost in the pursuit of things we think are important. We trade our time for that which does not matter. We trade our energy for gains never realized. We trade our hopes for what winds up as wrecked dreams. Our very lives, our souls, find their resource in the Lord. He must remain the center, the goal, and the purpose of our lives or we lose ourselves in our pursuit of things that don't really matter.

Prayer

O God, please forgive me for the times when my priorities and my pursuits have been focused on things that really didn't matter. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Related Scriptures

Get Life! - Mark 8:35

Tue, 29 May 2012 02:00:00 -0500

Key Passage

"The person that wants to save his life will lose it. And every person that gives his life for me and for the Good News will save his life forever."

— Mark 8:35 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought

So often what we most passionately pursue is what we cannot achieve, purchase, or find. Life is found in Jesus. Life is found in obeying Jesus. Life is found in living for Jesus. Anything else is lost in death.

Prayer

O Father, help me refine my focus so that I find my life built and centered in your Son as my Lord. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Related Scriptures

Pick Up Your Cross - Mark 8:34

Mon, 28 May 2012 02:00:00 -0500

Key Passage

Then Jesus called the people to him. His followers were also there. Then Jesus said, "If any person wants to follow me, he must say 'No' to the things he wants. That person must accept the cross (suffering) that is given to him, and he must follow me.

— Mark 8:34 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought

For Jesus' true followers, the Cross is not a piece of jewelry or even a symbol; it is a lifestyle. It is the willingness to follow Jesus in every way -- including the way of the Cross. For us to do that, we must surrender our selfishness and lay down our lives for the needs of others. We must have unflinching loyalty to God no matter the cost. More than just a burden to bear, "our cross to bear" is a total "buy-in" to the life, character, and way of Jesus.

Prayer

O Father, form me more perfectly into the nature, character, and lifestyle of Jesus. In his name I pray. Amen.

Related Scriptures

Rebuked! - Mark 8:31-33

Sun, 27 May 2012 02:00:00 -0500

Key Passage

Then Jesus began to teach his followers that the Son of Man must suffer many things. Jesus taught that the Son of Man would not be accepted by the older Jewish leaders, the leading priests, and the teachers of the law. Jesus taught that the Son of Man must be killed and then rise from death after three days. Jesus told them everything that would happen. He did not keep anything secret. Peter spoke to Jesus alone. Peter criticized Jesus for saying {those things}. But Jesus turned and looked at his followers. Then he criticized Peter. Jesus said to Peter, "Go away from me, Satan! You don't care about the things of God. You care only about things that people think are important."

— Mark 8:31-33 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought

Peter tried to rebuke Jesus. Jesus then shows how important this matter is to him. He calls Peter Satan. Ouch! What a stern rebuke! However, the orientation of Scripture is clear: without the grace that comes from Jesus' sacrificial death, men and women are under the influence and control of Satan. The majority rule of humanity is not going to be the will of God. The will of the Lord will always be a "minority opinion" even though it is God's truth and God's standard! We must open our eyes and ask the Lord to open our hearts to know his truth, his will, and his way.

Prayer

Teach me, O God, to know your truth. Open my heart to follow your will. Don't let Satan blind me to your way, your truth, and your light. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Related Scriptures

Rebuke from Ignorance - Mark 8:31-32

Sat, 26 May 2012 02:00:00 -0500

Key Passage

— Mark 8:31-32 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought

So often, we as human beings want to decide what kind of Lord we have. Peter had his own conceptions of what it meant for Jesus to be Messiah. For him, God's Messiah wouldn't go to a cross. Such an idea was an outrage. It was impossible. So Peter rebukes Jesus out of his own bias and ignorance. Rather than letting Jesus define his own Messiahship, Peter wanted Jesus to conform to what he wanted from him rather than allowing Jesus to follow God's plan. How have you tried to tell Jesus what it means for him to be your Lord, Savior, and Messiah? What are your expectations of Jesus? Are these expectations getting in the way of following and obeying Jesus as your Lord?

Prayer

God, I confess that I find myself selfishly wanting to determine what it means for Jesus to be my Messiah, Savior, and Lord. Rather than following obediently, I want to be blessed and protected rather than facing my own cross. Father, please forgive me and use your Spirit to conform me into a true follower of your Son. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Related Scriptures

Jesus' Center - Mark 8:31

Fri, 25 May 2012 02:00:00 -0500

Key Passage

— Mark 8:31 ERV (Read Full Text)

Key Thought

Jesus knew his mission. It was a hard mission: he was to die for the sins of the people -- even you and me -- after being rejected and ridiculed. This sacrificial death, however, was his center. He will proclaim this center several times to his key followers, yet they will not be able to receive that teaching. It is beyond their grasp. (See the verses that follow.) Jesus, however, will not deviate from it. He will obey and please the Father no matter the cost. The challenge for you and me is the same -- to obey the Father no matter the cost and to be willing to lay down our lives for him.

Prayer

O dear Father in heaven, stir my heart and increase my courage so that I am truly willing to follow you no matter the cost. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.