Mark’s gospel captures the two -fold purpose of Christ’s coming to earth: to minister and to give His life as a ransom for many. (10:45). Mark describes Jesus as a Perfect Servant, emphasizing more the actions of Jesus and gives briefer account of His teachings.
On Monday, we learn from Mark 1 that God Empowers & Directs us. On Tuesday, we learn from Mark 4 that God’s Word Is Trustworthy. On Wed, we learn from Mark 6 that God Is Compassionate. On Thu, we learn from Mark 8 that Christ Is the Bread of Life. On Friday, we learn from Mark 11 that God Answers Prayer of Faith. On Sat, we learn from Mk 14-16 that Christ Obeys Father’s Will For us.
Let us humble ourselves and pray and seek His face. Help us O God be Christ’s disciples who Adore You: For You are our Bread of Life as well as Empowers and Directs us; For You are worthy of our Praise as You are Trustworthy as well as Caring and Compassionate; For You are worthy of our Thanks as You Answer Prayers of Faith and Obey the Father’s Will for us. Amen.
The time has come for Jesus to demonstrate the full extent of His servanthood. For the Passover Lamb of God, the long-awaited hour has arrived. Conspired against by His enemies – betrayed by one close follower and denied by another – tried and finally executed, Jesus’ life of service seems to be finished. But in the greatest of all miracles, Easter dawn reveals an empty tomb, setting the stage for Jesus to commission His followers to bear the glad tidings worldwide.
Lord, having thoroughly prepared the disciples, your actions in the Final Day on earth shows you are Fully Obedient to the Father’s Will to Give Yr Life as ransom (Mk10:45) At the Last Supper, You said one of you who eats with me will betray me (M14:18) & yet You did not stop him. You greatly desire to get out of the intense suffering and yet You went to Gethsemane to pray: Not what I will but what You will (v36). Thank You Lord Jesus and really grateful for choosing to surrender to the Father’s will in loving obedience. And we purpose to be obedient to God & His mysterious ways. Amen.
Lord, at trial before religious leaders You chose to remain silent when false charges were thrown at You. And yet when high priest asked: Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? You said I am. And you will see the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven(Mk14:62) At trial before political authority, when Pilate asked: Are you King of the Jews? You said: It is as you say. And yet when Pilate asked about priests’ false accusations, You answered nothing (Mk 15:1-5). Jesus in all Yr previous encounters where religious leaders accused You of wrong doings, You had no problem defending Yourself. And Yet this time You chose not to do so, having received triple confirmation from the Father of His will for You. Grant us discernment on God’s will and tender heart to yield to it. Whilst there may be challenges, we know the almighty, all loving and all faithful God is on our side. Amen.
Lord, at the cross when teachers of the law mocked You; He saved others but He can’t save himself? Let this Christ come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe (Mark 15:27-32). You who Calm the sea (Mk4:39) & yet chose to remain at the cross. And then there was darkness over the whole land for 3 hours (v33). And You cried: My God, My God, why have You forsaken me ? Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. So when the centurion saw that He cried out like this & breathed His last, he said: Truly this Man was the Son of God! (Mk15:34-39). Thank You Lord Jesus for Your love enduring suffering on our behalf. We love You in deep gratitude! Grant us the grace to deny self, take up the cross and follow You in obeying to do Father’s will. Amen.
Lord, we purpose to Trust Yr Word: We note You appeared to the eleven and rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen Him. Then He said:Preach the good news. Whoever believes will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned (Mk 16:14-16). Lord, we should trust You without doubt for You’ve good plans for us & You as faithful God fulfils promises. Lord, with Your resurrection, we have good news to proclaim in obedience to Your commission. Help us carry out our assigned tasks out of love of You and others. Amen.
The final week of Jesus’ earthly life occupies more space in the gospels than any other stage of His ministry. Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem coincides with the preparation for Passover. Though events move quickly, Jesus is not hurried. There is time to clean out the temple, watch the widow contributes her two mites and give final instructions to the disciples.
Lord, grant us Faith & Grace: As they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots… Jesus said: Have Faith In God. For assuredly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain: Be removed and does not doubt in his heart, but Believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says (Mark 11:21-23). Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, Believe that you receive them and you will have them (Mk 11:24). And whenever you stand praying, if u have anything against anyone, Forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses (Mark 11:25-26).
Lord, I have faith in You, the Almighty, all loving faithful God. And I believe that You reward those who diligently seek You. Lord, I place this issue before You In Faith and Without Doubt and seeking Your face and will. Your Word says if I ask anything according to Your will, You hear me and I can have what I ask of You. Into Your hand I surrender. Amen.
Lord, I come to You with my need and desire, asking You In Faith and claiming the promise in Mark 11:24. Trust that the need is within Your will; and implore You to reward those who diligently seek You. I know that in Your sovereignty, You do things Your way & Your time. But Father God, I plead for Your mercy for it’s been such a long time that I have been asking You. So grant me Your favor and favour of men as soon as possible. Amen.
Lord, I don’t want Your Presence to be quenched due to unforgiveness. I don’t want to hinder Yr forgiveness because I’ve not forgiven someone. Instead I want to receive Yr blessing because I have forgiven someone. Reveal any place in my heart where I have not yet forgiven someone. And create in me a forgiving spirit that sees others as You do. Amen.
As opposition to Jesus’ ministry increases, it is no longer safe to move openly in Galilee. So Jesus traverses the regions of Decapolis, Caesarea and Perea, thereby avoiding the crowds and deadly plots of religious leaders. In the concluding days of His earthly ministry, Jesus begins to prepare His disciples for the faithful journey to Jerusalem that will mark the end of His life and the beginning of their role as bearers of the glad tidings.
Lord, You are our Bread of Life: Another great crowd had gathered, & the people ran out of food again. Jesus called His disciples and told them: I feel sorry for these people… How many loaves of bread do you have?..And He took the seven loaves… gave thanks… and gave them to His disciples…So (the pple) ate and were filled (Mark 8:1-8). When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had arrived, they came to argue with Him. Testing Him to see if He was from God, they demanded: Give us a miraculous sign to prove Yourself. When He heard this, He sighed and said: Why do you keep demanding miraculous sign(v11-12) Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross & follow Me… Whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his soul? (v34-36)
Lord, we are amazed by the miracle U performed to feed the multitude. Thank You Lord for the ways You are still providing for our needs even as we put our trust in You. There are many people who are physically and spiritually hungry. Prepare us Lord, strengthen us and use us to partner with You in what You are doing on earth. Amen
Lord, forgive me when I demand evidence of Your power instead of thanking You for all that You do. Open my eyes to see the works of Your hand everywhere I go. With all my heart I welcome Your presence however You choose to reveal Yourself to me. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
Lord, You promise that we will find true life by denying ourselves. Help me Lord not to be too preoccupied with myself; and grant me the humility to do so. Help me instead to focus on You, Your kingdom & Your purposes. For as I trust and follow You Lord, You will provide all that I need; and let me experience You fully. Amen.
Through both His words and works, Christ proclaims His true identity to the disciples and the multitudes. At first even His companions are perplexed by His power & authority, wondering: What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him. But patiently – through the miracles of exorcism, healing and even raising the dead the Master Servant works to convince His followers of the nature of His person and mission.
Lord, we will be Compassionate: (Jesus) said to them: Come with me by yourself to a quiet place and get some rest. There were many coming & going and they did not even have time to eat (Mk6:31) When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a Shepherd. So he began teaching them many things (Mark 6:34). By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples said: Send the pple away so that they can buy food to eat. But Jesus answered: You give them something to eat. (v35-36).
Lord, the creation account shows a work-rest, work-rest rhythm being built by You into life. When we violate this natural order by excessive work, we’ll soon burnout. And no wonder Jesus scheduled retreat for Himself & His disciples. Sometimes I feel drained physically and spiritually. Give me the wisdom to recognise the warning signs of burnout. For I can’t be effective for You if I am running on empty; and I want the rest that You offer. Amen.
Lord, You know needs of people and You responded accordingly. We are to care for the weak and to encourage the timid. Grant us Lord wisdom to respond correctly with the right words and at the right time. Above all grant us compassion like Yours; so that when we reach out to others, that they may see You. Amen.
Lord, You created in our soul, mind, will and also emotion. Let us be renewed in our mind as we meditate on Your Word. Let us be yielded to the Holy Spirit as we respond to the Word. And let our emotions be under the control of the Holy Spirit and Lord we want to feel Your emotions. As You had promised a new heart do also put Your feelings within us, even the compassion of Jesus.Amen
Through both His words and works, Christ proclaims His true identity to the disciples and the multitudes. At 1st even His closest companions are perplexed by His power and authority, wondering: What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him (4:41). But patiently through the miracles of exorcism, healing and even raising the dead the Master Servant works to convince His followers of the nature of His person and mission.
Lord, we’ll Wholly Trust Your Word: Listen, a sower went out to sow… The one sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word and the cares of this world…choke the word and it becomes unfruitful. But the ones sown on good ground, those who Hear the Word, Accept It and Bear fruit (Mark 4:1-20). When evening had come, Jesus said to his disciples: LET US Cross to the east side (v35). Suddenly a storm struck the lake. Waves started splashing into the boat and it was about to sink. Jesus was in the back of the boat asleep. His disciples woke him and said: Teacher don’t You care that we’re about to drown? Jesus got up and ordered the wind and waves to be quiet. The wind stopped and everything was calm. Jesus asked His disciples: Why are u So Fearful? How is it you hv No Faith (v37-40). And they said to one another: Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him (v41).
Lord, worldly worries and desire for things can affect us, especially when our routine is overcrowded. For material pursuits can easily distract & deafen us to God’s Word. Help us Lord to be focussed so that we can Hear God when You speak. Lead us not to have divided heart but instead be Wholehearted to You by Responding to Your Word. Mold our hearts Lord to see things from Your perspective so that we will be ready to produce fruit. Amen
Lord, help us to remember clearly Your Instructions like what You told the disciples: “Let US Cross.” Remind us to Rely On Your Word and Not Focus on situation we’re in. Remind us Lord Your Presence and help us to stay focussed on You. Remind us no storm can take us off course, for You Can Do all things & Your plan can’t be thwarted. Amen
Lord, Thank You for Mark gospel, which captures two purposes of Christ coming to earth: to minister and give His life a random for many. Grant us the grace to be like Jesus in having a servant mindset. Grant us the grace to Love the Word of God and to Respond to it. Grant us the grace to Trust Fully His Word for it’s powerful & trustworthy. Help us to Live By Your Word. Amen.
Mark begins his gospel without genealogy, birth narrative or any prologue. He begins with the ministry of John the Baptist, the forerunner who will prepare the way for Jesus’ ministry of Servanthood. Mark’s emphasis throughout is on Christ’s works rather than His words, as befitting a Servant. Miracles of healing and exorcism precede calling Andrew, Peter, James, John and Matthew – and His choosing 7 other disciples.
Lord, You Empower & Direct Us: This messenger was John Baptist. He was preaching that people should be baptised to show that they had turned from their sins and turned to God… It came to pass that Jesus came…and was baptised by John in the Jordan. Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. And He was there in the wilderness forty days, Tempted by Satan…and the angels Ministered to Him (Mark 1:4-13). Then Jesus said: Follow Me & I will make you become fishers of men. They immediately left their nets and Followed Him (v17-18). After sunset the whole town gathered at the door and Jesus healed many of various diseases… Very early in the morning… Jesus went off to a solitary place to Pray. Simon and his companions went to look for him and when they found him they said: Everyone is looking for you! Jesus replied: Let Us Go to the next towns that I May Preach there also (v32-38).
Lord, recognise that soon after the commission of Jesus Christ into ministry comes temptation. Equip me Lord to Resist Temptation and Enable me to be so prepared that I recognise the enemy’s tactics from the moment they manifest. Teach me to rebuke the enemy by having good knowledge of Yr Word. Enable me to resist entertaining temptation even for a moment, but rather Turn to U immediately so that I can stand strong. Amen.
Lord, we carry a lot of things around with us – responsibilities, attachments, and to-do lists. You alone know all the issues; but I hold them loosely as I come to You. Grant me Lord the willingness to be prepared to Let Go & Follow You. And as You increase in importance, let other things decrease. Amen.
Lord, we note You know exactly what to do after a very successful ministry time. Help us follow Your example to seek the Father’s Will rather than rely on common sense. For we tend to think of things that we’ve to do. Help us set aside time with You, help us focus and reward our solitude with Yr company. Amen.
The path to intentional discipleship is to grow towards spiritual maturity by nurturing key disciple attitudes. So for past two years, we had been Seeking God thru biblical prayers; and Trusting God thru His Promises. And for the past three month; we’ve been Adoring God through Thanking Him for what He has done for us and Praising Him for who He is.
From the earliest days of the church, the singing of hymns and spiritual songs has been an integral part of Christian worship. It is a means for believers to express praise to their Creator and Saviour. And it’s also a way for us to communicate with God using more than words. For it enables us to pour out the grateful feelings of the heart and to express commitment to God.
We are meditating through the Bible, which is organised by genres: Laws, History… Prophets, Gospels… Before we continue into Poetry, for variety sake we will have the Second Gospel interlude in Mark. But here’s the key thoughts from the 12 Historical books; which shows God’s hand in the history of the people of Israel. Feb25: God Gives Courage(Josh 1) Mar3:Praise the Faithful God(Ru 1/2) Mar10:God Is Our Strength(1Sam30) Mar18:God Provides Directn(2Sam5) Mar25: God Gives Wisdom (1Kgs 3) Mar 31: God Strengthens the Committed (1 Chronicles 15/16) Apr 7: Faithful God In Control(Ez 1-3) Navigation: Click PrayerThots.com Scroll to Calendar, Select mth & day.
After 70 years of exile, God Fulfils His Promise to return His people to their homeland. Under His direction, King Cyrus of Persia now rules Babylonia, and the Jews are free to go home. The first group of returnees rebuild the temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 1-6). 58 years later, Ezra leads a second group back to Jerusalem to rebuild the spiritual character of the people (Ezra 7-10).
Lord, we Trust the world In Yr Hands: To fulfil the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus to make proclamatn: Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the Lord God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem(Ezra1:1-2) God stirred the hearts of the priests and Levites… to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple of the Lord (v5). So a total of 42,360 pple returned to Judah… and each leader gave as much as he could towar rebuilding of God’s Temple (Ezra 2:64-69). With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord: He is good; His love to Israel endures forever. And all the people have a great shout of praise to the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid (Ez3:11)
Lord, You enabled Cyrus to conquer the Babylonians and guided Cyrus to allow Judah return to their home -land to fulfil Jeremiah’s prophecy. Remind us Lord to trust that You are actively at work even when we may not be able to see how. Lord, stir up people to come to You for that’s where true security can be found. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Lord, by returning to their home land of Israel fr Babylon, the Jews showed their faith in Your promise to restore them as a people. Trust Father God that You show mercy to every generation; and compassionately restores Your pple. No matter how difficult our present “captivity,” we are never far from Your love and mercy. For You will restore us when we return to You. Lord, we Trust You Are In Control & we’ll Not Fear but Praise You. Amen
Lord, You are Almighty, far above all things; and Your presence is greater than anything we fear. For Faith in You and in Your Word will conquer all challenges in our lives. Help us Lord when we struggle or doubt; to make praise the first response to fearful situations. Help us not to dwell on problems but instead praise Yr mighty name. And as we praise and thank You Help us by taking away our fear and instead give us peace. Amen.
