Encounter #14: What Am I Hearing? Read: Mark 4:21-25 Jesus came to reveal, not to conceal. There is nothing shady about what God says. God is light. His light overcomes the darkness. A lamp is to shine. Truth shines through the darkness. We are to understand the truths of God's Word. Jesus does not have secret agent disciples! We are not to be fearful of being a witness for Jesus on our jobs, in school, at home and wherever we go. As believers, we have the truth: Jesus and His Word. Be attentive of what you are hearing from the Word. Pay attention and listen to what God is saying. The more you hear the Word, the more revelation you will receive from the Word. Don't loose what you have heard from the Word. We are responsible for what we hear. The early church gladly received the Word (Acts 2:41). Some received the Word with eagerness of mind and continued to search the Scriptures (Acts 17:11). You have Pastors and godly leaders who can help you unders...
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Encounter #13: Am I Growing in Jesus? Read: Mark 4:1-20 Jesus taught from a fishing boat in the Sea of Galilee to the multitudes. He taught them a parable (Ps.78:2). It was not a fairy tale. It was a story from everyday life that revealed a truth about God's Kingdom. It was the “Parable of the Sower.” A sower (farmer) plants seeds. Some seeds fall by the wayside and the birds ate them. Other seeds landed on stony, rocky ground and because they cannot take root, they dry up. Still other seeds fall among the thorns and are chocked (suffocated) and therefore do not produce any fruit. The good ground that was prepared for seeds produced fruit. There was a 30, 60 and 100 times increase. What does this parable mean. Those with ears can hear. We, as believers are to know the mystery, the secret of the Kingdom of God. To others, this was only a parable (Isaiah 6:9,10). Jesus said this was a foundational doctrine of the Kingdom. To his disciples, the inner-circle, He...
Encounter #11 : Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit Read: Mark 3:20-30 Multitudes continued to follow Jesus. His kinsfolk, His relatives, His family were concerned about Him. They said He was beside Himself- out of His senses. But Jesus knew what He was doing, and why He was doing it. The religious leaders said that Jesus was Beelzebub , the “lord of the flies.” They equated Jesus with the gods of the Ekronites, the Philistines and the Canaanites (2 Kings 1:2). Jesus was called the prince of demons, the god of the dunghills and identified with Satan himself. But Jesus is Lord! The good that Jesus did was considered to be works from Satan and that He deceived the people. Jesus said that if Satan's kingdom was divided, it could not stand. How can Satan cast out himself? Satan is God's enemy and everyone's enemy. Especially a Christian's enemy. The strong man, that is Satan, must first be bound and then his house can be destroyed. Jesus was manifeste...
Encounter #12 : God's Family (the Church) Matters Read: Mark: 3:31-35 Jesus' mother and His brothers were outside the house asking to see Him. Jesus had half-brothers and sisters (see Matthew 13:55,56). They didn't believe that Jesus was Messiah and Savior until after His resurrection ( John 7:5). Then, on the Day of Pentecost they were in the Upper Room waiting for the Promise of the Father, the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4). Jesus asked the multitudes around Him if they knew who were His mother and brothers. He said those who do God's will are part of His family. Believers in Jesus do the will of God from their hearts (Eph. 6:6). Jesus was not disrespectful to His mother Mary, nor to His family. He knew His mother's care, love and devotion. Flesh and blood are important. But sometimes spiritual relationships are more closer. God loves family. The first family was Adam and Eve. Jesus was born into a family through a virgin called Mary. All who ar...
Encounter #10 : Ordained, Appointed and Anointed Read: Mark: 3:13-19 The word Apostle means someone who is sent by the Holy Spirit; an ambassador of Jesus; commissioned by Father God; a messenger of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. An Apostle is sent on a mission. He is a missionary of the Gospel. Ephesians 4:11 mentions the 5 “ascension gifts” that Jesus gave to the Church. They are called the 5-fold-ministry. When Jesus ascended into heaven, He released these gifts, or offices to His Church. These offices are still in the Church today, and are still needed. One of them is the Apostle. Some Christians are called to be an Apostle. This is a calling from God. It is not a self-proclaimed Apostle, or someone who has gone to a school and trained to be an Apostle. They are called by the Holy Spirit. You may not have this office, but you are still called by God. The Scripture names the 12 original Apostles: Peter (Simon), James (the elder, the son of Zebedee), his ...
Encounter #9 : Jesus Does Great Things Read: Mark 3:7-12 Large multitudes of people were following Jesus. He withdrew Himself from the crowds. We need to withdraw ourselves from the busyness and spend quiet times with Jesus. They heard of the great things He was doing. Because He loved them and had compassion on them He entered a fishing boat on the Sea of Galilee and taught them. As the crowds increased, Jesus healed their diseases and plagues. Even those who were possessed with unclean spirits fell down in front of Him and cried that Jesus was the Son of God. Demons knew who Jesus was and is. These impure, lewd, foul demons were obligated to acknowledge Jesus for Who He is: the Messiah, the Son of God. Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell Who He was because the people themselves needed to recognized Him as such, and it wasn't time for Him to set up His Kingdom. Religion doesn't endear us to the Lord, but a relationship with Him does...
Encounter #8: The Crippled Hand Read: Mark 3:1-6 Jesus was in the synagogue again teaching. A man with a withered, shriveled, paralyzed, crippled hand was also there. According to Jewish Law this man shouldn't have been in the Temple because he was considered unclean. But he has a need. The Pharisees were watching whether Jesus would heal this man on the Sabbath day. Are you looking to Jesus to do something for you no matter what this day is like? The man was told by Jesus to stand up and be in front of everyone. It wasn't to embarrass him but it was for him to exercise his faith. Jesus asked the crowd if it was better to do good or evil, or to save a life or to kill on the Sabbath. The obvious answer was: to do good and to save a life. But everyone was silent. Jesus was moved with anger and compassion. Anger towards the religious man-made doctrines. But compassion towards the crippled man. God is always grieved and deeply distressed towards those with s...