Jesus said the key to finding rest for your soul is to take his easy yoke. Does that mean the Christian life is easy? Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect, love your enemies, forgive as you have been forgiven—is all that an easy yoke?

What do you do when the weight on your shoulders is too much, and the pressure is making life a burden? The struggle to justify your existence, the striving to get what you think you need to be happy, the oppressive task of measuring up in the eyes of your dad or your friends or yourself—how do you find rest from all that? And why is it so important to God that we find that rest?

When you read commands in the Bible, do you take them as a job description? If you do, you might be dishonoring God in your very efforts to obey him. In today's study of Mark 2, we're going to see a much better way of obeying God's commands.

What should you do when your body is doing the right thing, but your heart isn't on board? You read the Bible, but you don't really want to. You sing praise songs in church, but you don't feel anything in your heart. How can you bring your heart in line with what you know in your head is right?

John the Baptist was a great prophet of God, and he taught his disciples to fast regularly. Jesus and his disciples didn't. And understanding why can be the difference between a life of joy and an empty life.

Is there anyone you're reluctant to share the gospel with because there's no way they would be interested? If so, that might reveal something you may not have known … about yourself.

In the Gospel of Mark, the crowds are routinely portrayed in a negative light, even though they clamored to come to Jesus. Why would the Bible speak negatively about people who just wanted to be close to Jesus?

Very often, when a person wants to come to Christ, God will put huge obstacles in the person's way. Why does he do that? When you want to draw near to God, that's a God-honoring desire, right? So why does God make it so hard?

Does God want you to forgive people who hurt you but don't repent? You should be patient and kind and loving and soft-hearted toward people who hurt you, but forgiveness takes it a step further.

If God said to you, "I'll heal anything you want right here and now" what would you choose? And if you first answer is an ailment or problem with your body, think carefully. What would you say if God said, "Okay, I'll heal that if you want. But are you sure you want to spend this on a bodily problem?" How would you respond?