Mark 14

Click For Today’s Audio

Devotional

But he spoke more vehemently, “If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And they all said likewise.

— Mark 14:31

Though spoken out of ignorance and no doubt a bit of arrogance, you cannot help but feel yourself nodding in agreement with Peter’s declaration. Jesus has just informed he and the other disciples that they will all stumble because of Him that night, but even more than that, Jesus has just predicted Peter’s bold trifecta denial. The simple application is clear, I’m not as self-aware as I think I am. Furthermore, I almost always overestimate my abilities and strength.

Lord, help me to have a proper, humble understanding of myself… and thank you for saving me in spite of me!

Helpful Resources

Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik

Read the Scriptures at Bible.com

Download the YouVersion Bible App

Additional Daily Devotionals

My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers

Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon

Books on the Gospels

Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah” by Alfred Edersheim

Mark 13

Click For Today’s Audio

Devotional

“But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.

– Mark 13:11

Many a unprepared pastor has used this verse to say that God, by His Spirit, will provide a message for them to speak—though they’ve failed to plan and prepare properly. I’m not going to speak ill of such an (out of context) interpretation, on the grounds that my testimony may be self-incriminating. 😉 The actual interpretation of this passage is, however, much more encouraging to more than just ill-prepared preachers.

I think every maturing Christian has had the thought at one point or another, “Would I be able, under the threat of suffering and persecution, to maintain faithfulness to Christ? Would I, if my family was going to suffer before my eyes, be able to be strong in my witness of Him? Or would I fail?” You’ve thought it! I know you have. I have… and Jesus has a word for us. “DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT! Don’t think about it before hand or try to premeditate your answer. I’ll give you the words when you need them.” That is some of the best news ever!

Helpful Resources

Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik

Read the Scriptures at Bible.com

Download the YouVersion Bible App

Additional Daily Devotionals

My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers

Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon

Books on the Gospels

Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah” by Alfred Edersheim

Mark 12

Click For Today’s Audio

Devotional

“Have you not even read this Scripture: ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? ”

– Mark 12:10-11

In his first letter Peter also refers back to Psalm 118:22-23, just as Jesus does here in Mark 12. Peter writes of Jesus, “to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone, is the precious cornerstone.” Peter goes on to write, “Rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious.” Interestingly I find myself studying this very passage in 1 Peter right now to preach it this Sunday. It is from this passage that the great Prince of Preachers, Charles Spurgeon, preached my favorite message of his called “Christ, Precious to Believers” in 1890. In it he declares.

So precious is Jesus to believers that they cannot speak well enough of him. Could you, at your very best, exalt the Lord Jesus so gloriously as to satisfy yourself? I make free confession, that I never preached a sermon about my Lord which came anywhere near my ideal of his merits. I am always dissatisfied whom I have done my very best. I have often wished that I could rush back to the pulpit, and try to preach him bettor; but I am kept back from such an attempt by the fear that probably I might fail even more conspicuously. He is so glorious as to be glory itself. Who can describe the sun? He is so sweet in our apprehension that we cannot convey that apprehension to another by such feeble expressions as words. Our thoughts of the Lord Jesus Christ are far, far below his worth; but even those thoughts we cannot communicate to another, for they break the backs of words. Language staggers under the weight of holy emotion which comes upon us in connection with the Lord Jesus. We can never say enough of God’s unspeakable gift. On any other subject there is danger of exaggeration, but it is impossible here. If thou findest honey, it is well to eat cautiously of it, for it may pall upon thee; but when thou findest Christ, take all in thou canst, and pray for an enlarged capacity, for he will never cloy. When thou beginnest to talk of what thou hast tasted and handled concerning Jesus, speak with an open mouth, and give thy tongue unbounded liberty. Thou needest now no bridle for thy lips. Rather let a live coal from off the altar burn every bond, and set thee free to speak at large of him who is still as far beyond thee as the heavens are above the earth.

– Charles Spurgeon

Helpful Resources

Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik

Read the Scriptures at Bible.com

Download the YouVersion Bible App

Additional Daily Devotionals

My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers

Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon

Books on the Gospels

Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah” by Alfred Edersheim

Mark 11

Click For Today’s Audio

Devotional

“And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. “But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”

– Mark 11:25-26

 

Helpful Resources

Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik

Read the Scriptures at Bible.com

Download the YouVersion Bible App

Additional Daily Devotionals

My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers

Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon

Books on the Gospels

Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah” by Alfred Edersheim

Mark 10

Click For Today’s Audio

Devotional

But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”

– Mark 10:27

Salvation is impossible with man. We are completely unable to save yourselves. Yes, we try. Some people even astonish at their religious commitment and (oftentimes) self-sacrifice. But at the end of the day, all of our righteousness is as filthy rags before Him who will judge all things. Thankfully, the impartial judge will view my life through the lens of His only begotten Son.

Helpful Resources

Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik

Read the Scriptures at Bible.com

Download the YouVersion Bible App

Additional Daily Devotionals

My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers

Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon

Books on the Gospels

Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah” by Alfred Edersheim

Mark 9

Click For Today’s Audio

Devotional

Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

– Mark 9:24

I think all of us feel like this father from time to time. I’ve put my trust in Jesus, but I’m challenged more than I’d like to admit by my lack of complete trust in Him. I find myself regularly asking God, “Please, help my unbelief.” Thankfully, that’s a request He has thus far proven Himself faithful to answer.

Helpful Resources

Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik

Read the Scriptures at Bible.com

Download the YouVersion Bible App

Additional Daily Devotionals

My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers

Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon

Books on the Gospels

Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah” by Alfred Edersheim

Mark 8

Click For Today’s Audio

Devotional

So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything. And he looked up and said, “I see men like trees, walking.”

– Mark 8:23-24

Frankly, this may be one of the strangest stories of Jesus’ ministry. There are several different ideas on what the almost healed blind man saw when Jesus first spit on his eyes and asked him “What do you see?” He saw “men like trees, walking.” Strange! I look forward to asking Jesus for a play-by-play on this one.

Helpful Resources

Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik

Read the Scriptures at Bible.com

Download the YouVersion Bible App

Additional Daily Devotionals

My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers

Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon

Books on the Gospels

Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah” by Alfred Edersheim

Mark 7

Click For Today’s Audio

Devotional

He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.

– Mark 7:9

Rejecting God’s commandment in favor of ritualistic tradition had become so routine to the people of Jesus’ day that they did it “all to well.” I wonder in what ways we set aside the commandments of God in favor of our tradition?

Are our traditional tastes in musical style or church method and practice hindering us from fulfilling the great commandment to reach the lost with the gospel? Are our cultural customs and comforts elevated over adherence to God’s command in Scripture. Frighteningly, it can be very easy to side with tradition over commandment. “Lord help us!”

Helpful Resources

Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik

Read the Scriptures at Bible.com

Download the YouVersion Bible App

Additional Daily Devotionals

My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers

Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon

Books on the Gospels

Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah” by Alfred Edersheim

Mark 6

Click For Today’s Audio

Devotional

Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.

– Mark 6:5-6

Among those who (presumably) knew Him, in His home country of Nazareth, Jesus could do no mighty work there, apparently because of their unbelief. It is sobering to think that my lack of trust in Jesus may be the very thing that hinders His effective power in me today.

“Lord I believe, help my unbelief!”

Helpful Resources

Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik

Read the Scriptures at Bible.com

Download the YouVersion Bible App

Additional Daily Devotionals

My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers

Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon

Books on the Gospels

Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah” by Alfred Edersheim

Mark 5

Click For Today’s Audio

Devotional

When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him.

– Mark 5:6

I’ve read through the scriptures over and over for nearly 20 years. I’ve taught through every book of the Bible and have spent a lot of time in the Gospels over the years. It is still amazing to me the things that I’ve missed, though I’ve read and taught many of these passages before. Mark 5:6 is one of those verses.

The demoniac of Mark 5, possessed and in bondage to a legion of evil spirits saw Jesus from afar, ran to Jesus and worshiped Him. This is striking. Jesus is so awesome and powerful that even this man, controlled and tormented by unfathomable evil recognizes His greatness and worships Him.

“Lord, help me not to miss how awesome you are and to worship you today!”

Helpful Resources

Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik

Read the Scriptures at Bible.com

Download the YouVersion Bible App

Additional Daily Devotionals

My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers

Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon

Books on the Gospels

Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah” by Alfred Edersheim