40 days with Christ

Yesterday we saw Jesus calm raging storm that surrounded his disciples. Today, we see him victorious over turmoil not from without but from within.

Welcome to 40 days with Christ - Day 9!

Our goal: In less than 5 minutes to provide you with a Timeless truth worth thinking about during the rest of your day. Let us know how were doing! Our email address is [email protected].

Let’s start with a word of prayer…

Dear Father in Heaven,

Philippians chapter 4 tells us that Your peace transcends our ability to understand how and to understand why things happen. And so we ask that your peace will guard our hearts and guard our minds in Christ Jesus.

And it is in Christ Jesus name we pray, AMEN.

Our scripture reading today is from Mark the 4th chapter verses 35 through 40.

35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

They were terrified and asked one another “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey Him!”

Do you ever feel like trouble and turmoil or just swirling all around you, totally out of your control? Scripture says the disciples were in a boat on the water when a furious squall came up. Waves were breaking over the boat so much that it was nearly swamped. All the while, Jesus was in the stern sleeping on a cushion. So distressed they were that they woke him up asking Jesus whether he even cared that they drowned or not.

And I love this. Jesus did not command them to speak words of faith before he would come to their aid. He did not demand that they go through a praise service before he would act on their behalf. They believed enough to come to Him in their time of distress and so he rebuked the wind and spoke to the waves and they obeyed his command becoming completely calm.

Then in the calm after he had rescued them, He asked them why they were so afraid and encouraged them to grow in their faith.

Take heart! Trouble may be swirling all around you… Keep your eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith and in His time, He will make things still.

Lord Jesus,

Even when trouble and turmoil are swirling all around us You still reign supreme. When we can start cares upon You, we thank you for caring so much for us that you help meet our needs even as you help us learn to grow in our faith. Lord we ask you to help us to trust you when you meet our needs in ways other than what we had expected.

And it is a Jesus name we pray, AMEN!

Thanks so much for joining us. I hope you have a very blessed day today and look forward to seeing you again tomorrow for day 10 of our ongoing series 40 days with Christ.

New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Welcome back to 40 days with Christ, a daily scripture based encouragement from the life of our Lord Jesus!  Always to the point! Always under 5 minutes in length. Let's start off with a word of Prayer.

Father, We thank You for blessing us with every spiritual blessing in the Heavenly places in Christ Jesus your Son.

And it is in your son Jesus’ name we pray. Amen!

Mark chapter 4 has some small little parables which contains magnificently large and significant meanings. Today will be the shortest scripture reading in our 40 day series so far.

30 Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? 31 It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. 32 Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”

I’ve got two questions for you.

First, have you ever seen a single Mustard Seed? Well, magnified images on the internet - (I know you’re looking it up right now!) - do not do its small size justice for its actually about one to two millimeters in diameter!

How small is that? If you have a dime in your pocket or perhaps your piggy bank, pull out that dime and look at it. Not the wide part, the narrow part. A mustard seed’s diameter is about one-tenth as large as the size of that short edge of the dime. Now THAT is a tiny seed!

Second, have you ever seen a mustard plant?

Well, based on the geography, Jesus was probably talking about the black mustard seed which grows into rolling fields of splendid yellow flowers with a plant height ranging from 2 to 8 feet.

Jesus says the kingdom of God is just like that tiny little seed that gets planted and then becomes tall enough provide shade even for birds!

The message of Jesus isn’t overly complicated or ostentatious. But it takes root when planted and grows amazingly within the hearts, minds, and souls of men and women everywhere.

Lets pray,

Lord God,

You can take the smallest of seeds and turn it into a beautiful and thriving mustard plant. We know that no matter how tiny or insignificant we may seem or be on our own, that You are more than capable of using us for Your glory. In fact, Your glory can become even more evident when You take something small and make something big from it! When we are weak and are depending upon You, may your strength be made all the more known and all the more exalted!

We ask this in Jesus name. Amen!

Thanks for sharing some of your day with me. I hope the rest of your day is very very good. Take care and Lord willing, I’ll see you again tomorrow for day 9 of our ongoing series, 40 days with Christ!

New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Welcome to 40 days with Christ. You’ve made it to all the way to day #7. Great going! You are officially getting the power of repetition on your side! So now is probably a good time for me to share a success strategy with you!

It would be wonderful if you completed all 40 days back to back with no stumbles and no interruptions - day after day - all 40 days in a row, but it doesn’t always work that way. Some people end up ‘giving up’ because they miss a day or two and feel like they have to ‘catch up’. But that's not true!

If you miss a day or two, you can pick right back up where you left off and keep pushing forward one day at a time.

What I’m saying is that if you miss a day, you can avoid ‘giving up’ by simply ‘picking up’ where you last left off.

You DO have permission to take a few extra days to complete all 40 sessions. I just wanted to make sure you knew that! ;-)

OK! Lets start with a word of prayer.

Father,

How magnificent are the depths of the riches of Your wisdom and Your knowledge. For from You and through You and to You are all things.

To You Father be the glory forever!

In Jesus name we pray. AMEN!

In Mark chapter 4, Jesus once again uses agricultural language to explain an important truth about the Kingdom of Heaven. Reading verses 26 through 29.*

26 He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29 As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”

We like to think we understand things. Even things we don’t fully understand we tend to assign a name at least. And that makes us feel much more in control. Amazingly enough scientists don’t even yet fully understand everything that happens within a seed as it comes to life in the soil! Yes, we do know it absorbs water and starts to somehow convert part of itself into enzymes which begin to send out roots and sprout the beginning of life underground. One thing is for certain however. Night and day, whether we are asleep or awake, whether we understand it or not, that seed is sprouting and growing.

Jesus says the kingdom of God is the same way. God uses people to spread his message and then God makes that message grow within people’s hearts. The preacher or teacher that spoke the message doesn’t make it grow. He doesn’t even grasp how it grows. But it does! And the glory belongs not to any man but to God himself in heaven.

Lets pray.

Lord God you are amazing.

Whenever we speak Your word of truth, You oversee it. You are the one who makes it grow within the hearts and minds of men and women. You are the one who causes it to take root and to become productive.

Lord, please help us to trust in You to make your word grow in our hearts.

Please show us how You would have us to help spread Your word.

We ask you that You will help us to then simply trust in You. That You will make Your work grow in the hearts and minds of those who hear.

To You be the power and glory and honor and praise forever and ever.

We pray and believe in Jesus name. Amen.

Thank you so much for joining us. I hope you have a great day and look forward to seeing you again tomorrow for day 8 of our ongoing series 40 days with Christ.

New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Welcome once again to 40 days with Christ day 6 sharing one timeless truth with you from The Life of Christ in under 5 minutes daily. Let’s start off with the word of prayer.

Dear father in heaven,

Please make us truly receptive to your word as it is planted into our lives. In Jesus name we ask this. Amen.

Yesterday we heard Jesus tell the parable of the seed and the sower or we could call the parable of the farmer the seed in the soil.

Today in Mark Chapter 4 verses 14 through 20 we hear Jesus explain the meaning of that parable.

14 The farmer sows the word. 15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”

Did you hear what Jesus said? When the seed of the word of God hits some soil, it doesn’t penetrate at all. Satan comes and take the way that word that was sown in them. Others hear the word and receive it gladly for a little while. But whenever things get difficult, they easily give up and move on to the next thing that comes along.

Some hear Christ’s word but sadly get too wrapped up in worrying about things. Trying to get wealthy, their desires for earthly things choke the word’s effectiveness out of their lives. Yet others hear the word and accept it. It does take root in their lives and God does amazing things within their heart and uses them to help others around them.

What kind of soil will we be?

Lets pray

Lord.

We ask you to help us to guard your word in our hearts. May we treasure it and value it appropriately. May Satan never distract us from it or come take away that word that was sown within us.

God please grant us perseverance, whenever things get difficult, may we not give up on the faith. Please protect us from having our effectiveness choked out by misplacing our focus. Help us not to worry about losing things in this life. Help us not to strive in the never-ending pursuit to acquire more and more and more wealth.

When we hear and accept your word Lord, we ask you to please help make it take deep root in our lives. God we ask you to do amazing things within our hearts, even though we don’t fully understand how it is that you do it.

Lord, please use us to be a blessing to others around us. We ask these things in the name of your son Jesus. AMEN!

Thanks so much for joining us. You are of course as always invited to come back again tomorrow for day 7 of our ongoing series 40 days with Christ!

New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Welcome back to 40 days with Christ!

Give us five minutes a day and well give you 40 timeless truths to encourage you in your daily walk! Today is day 5.

Let’s begin with prayer:

Lord, as we look to your holy word for truth, please give us ears to truly hear and to truly understand.

In Jesus name, amen.

Reading from the gospel of Mark Chapter 4 verses 1 through 9 (New International Version*).

Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. 2 He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: 3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”

9 Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

In this parable, Jesus was teaching us that there are different types of listeners. Yesterday in Mark 3, we read about a group of hard-hearted people who had already decided ahead of time that they were going to look for some reason to accuse Jesus. Then, when Jesus taught them the truth about the Sabbath, that word of truth bounced right off of them like a seed hitting the hard packed dirt of a well-trodden path way. It did not penetrate into their soil. Birds came and flew and with the word before it could ever take root in their hearts.

Some hearts are not totally impenetrable. They can accept Jesus teachings at first. But it still never really sinks in and grows to bear fruit. They “sort of” accept it for a while but they let go of it whenever things get tough and the heat is on.

Even others accept the word fully but it gets choked out by thorns.

And then there are those in whom Jesus’s words produce a real and lasting change.

The real interesting thing at the end there? Jesus said “whoever has ears to hear, let Him hear!”

Jesus was sowing WORDS into the crowd that day! Now, I dont know about you, but that sounds to me kind of like an open invitation! To some extent, choices we make can impact what kind of soil we become.

What kind of soil do we truly want to be? Will we open our hearts just part of the way? Will we open our hearts just temporarily? Or will we come to Jesus fully and freely asking him to make his word take root in our hearts and in our lives?

Let’s pray.

Lord Jesus,

Please give us ears to truly hear what you have to say. Open our hearts and help us to not only understand Your Word, but to also truly accept your Word. May it take root in our lives and change our way of thinking as it teaches us how to honor you. Helps us to obey Lord. In Jesus name we pray, AMEN!

New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Welcome to 40 days with Christ day 4!

A daily scripture based word of encouragement from the life of our Lord Jesus. We’re just getting started and already you’ve hit the 10% mark! Hang in there the full 40 days and we will send you a congratulatory certificate of completion!

Let’s start with the word of Prayer:

Dear Father in heaven,

Help us to come to scripture today looking for Your truth. Please make us willing to listen, to hear, to understand, and most importantly to accept your teachings from scripture. The entire world was created at Your command. We know that you are the source of all truth.

We pray this in Jesus name. Amen!

SCRIPTURE READING: Mark 3:1-6 (New International Version*)

Another time, Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”

Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.

He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. (Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.)

DISCUSSION:

It’s funny how our predisposed attitudes often color how we perceive things. For example, scripture tells us there were some there that day just looking for a reason to accuse Jesus that Sabbath day. What did they see when Jesus healed a man with a shriveled hand? An act of mercy?

Their misunderstanding deeply distressed Jesus, who went ahead to do the right thing. Jesus met the need of that suffering man on the Sabbath. And those looking for a reason to accuse Jesus were granted their wish that day.

CLOSING PRAYER:

Dear Father in heaven. Help us to seek the truth. May we always place the teachings of your son Jesus above our own expectations, above our Traditions, above even what we currently believe. Help us to approach Jesus with an open heart and an open mind. Teach us the truth Lord.

We thank you in advance for helping us to find that for which we seek.

In Jesus name we pray... AMEN!

Thanks for sharing some of your day with me today.

Take care and Lord willing, I’ll see you tomorrow for day 5 of our ongoing series “40 days with Christ”!

* New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Welcome to 40 days with Christ - day 3.  Our goal?  In less than 5 minutes, to provide you with a timeless truth worth thinking about throughout the rest of your day.  Let us know how we’re doing!  My email address is [email protected].

Let’s start with a word of Prayer. 

Father in Heaven, please open our hearts and minds so that we are receptive to the truth we find in your holy scripture about your son Jesus. May our way of thinking increasingly align more properly with the way of thinking that you have in mind for us.  May our way of living more accurately align with your pathway of true life. We thank you for your incredible love. For even while we were disobedient and rebellious, you still gave so much in order to call us back into a right relationship with you. It is in Jesus name we pray. Amen!

SCRIPTURE READING Mark 2:13-17 (New International Version*) 

"Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.

While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

DISCUSSION

During his time on earth, Jesus spent time with even ate meals with people who had not been living right with God. Surprised?  The religious leaders of the day sure were! In fact it bothered them enough for them to ask why he would do such a thing. Many times Jesus spoke in parables, even sometimes in riddles. But in this instance, he was very clear, straightforward and to the point. Healthy people, he said, don’t need a doctor.  Sick people need a doctor. Then He said His mission was to call sinners back to a right relationship with God. Some of the harshest words Jesus spoke were two religious people who thought they were somehow already good enough to earn the approval of God.  And some of the most compassionate words He ever spoke were to those which were already painfully aware of their shortcomings and their need for forgiveness.

Lets pray. 

Lord Jesus thank you for being willing to associate with people beneath your position. Thank you for leaving your exalted position in heaven and taking the form of a servant here on this earth for us. Even our greatest acts of righteousness are like filthy rags when compared to the surpassing goodness of your perfection. May we never forget that no matter how religious we are. We are all sinners in need of the forgiveness that only you give.

And it’s in your name Jesus we pray. Amen!

Thanks so much for joining us! Have a great day and I hope you will return again tomorrow for day number four of our ongoing series 40 days with Christ!

* Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Day 2 - Jesus has the authority... to forgive sins!

Dear Father in Heaven:  

Help Us to reflect on the truth we find in your holy scripture not just for this moment, but throughout the rest of this day that you’ve given to us.  We know that every good and perfect gift comes from you God. We thank you not only for all the good you have done but we also thank you in advance for all the good you have yet to do in our lives.

We pray in Jesus name. AMEN.

TODAY’S READING:  Mark 2:1-12 (New International Version*)

Imagine the commotion encompassing Capernaum.  Talk about huge crowds… there were so many people that not only was there no room in the house, you couldn’t even find a good spot to see or hear Jesus outside the door!

Then things were starting to get a little crazy!  Dirt falling from above as you see four men digging through the roof and lowering a paralyzed man down through the ceiling!  Truth be told, you or I might tend to say “Hey!  Don’t destroy the roof!”  But Jesus immediately sees beyond materialistic concerns and focuses instead on the great faith of the man and his four friends. Even more surprising, instead of immediately addressing the man’s most obvious physical need, Jesus goes deeper still still and says “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

Some teachers of the law are present.  Knowing that only God can forgive sin, they  take offense.  Then Jesus says there is something he wants us to know. What does Jesus want us to know?  Listen closely.  He says, “I want you to know the son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins!”

Then Jesus heals the man and everyone was amazed saying “We have never seen anything like this before!”

Let’s pray.

Lord Jesus,

You have the power to meet our deepest needs - not only our physical needs but our spiritual needs as well. For You have the authority… to forgive!

Please help us to know this truth. Not just with a surface mental knowledge but to know it experientially and fully. Help us to become amazed at your power and authority.

Father God - We praise you for there truly is nobody as amazing as your only begotten son Jesus Christ!

And it is in the name of Jesus that we pray. Amen!

Thanks so much for joining us today. You are of course invited to come back again tomorrow for day 3 of our ongoing series “40 days with Christ”!

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. http://www.biblica.com/

We are only 40 days away from Easter Sunday!  

What a perfect time to begin a 40 day series on the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus!

TODAY'S READING = Mark 1:6-28* 

How surprising it must have been to Simon and his brother Andrew going about their daily work when suddenly Jesus said, “Follow me”.

James and John were also in a boat preparing their nets when the call of Jesus came saying “Follow me”.

The people were amazed at the teaching of Jesus.  Why?  Because His way of teaching was with authority. He talked like he really knew the answers because he did and he does even today!

The authority of Jesus was demonstrated not just in words also in power for Jesus gave orders to unclean spirits and they were compelled to obey Him. No wonder news about Jesus spread quickly over the reach of Galilee.

Lets pray.

Lord Jesus whenever we hear your call. Help us to be the way Simon and Andrew were in today’s reading. Even if we are already in the middle of preparing for some other activity of our day, may, we be willing to change our plans as needed in order to follow your leading.

Jesus, You have the authority to truly teach us how to live. Help us to seek out your truth and to honor your unique position of authority in our lives.

May the news about your amazing power - Jesus - and your goodness and your love spread farther and farther even unto the very ends of the Earth.

We ask these things in your name. AMEN

That wraps up day one.  May you have a very blessed day and I hope to see you again tomorrow for day number two of our ongoing series 40 days with Christ.

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. http://www.biblica.com/