THE WORDS OF JESUS IN THE GOSPEL OF MARK
Introduction
We are so glad you are joining us for these daily prayer devotionals as together we seek the heart of our God. Over the coming weeks, we will focus on some of the most meaningful words of our savior Jesus Christ from the book of Mark, as we follow his journey with his disciples on the path toward the cross. Our journey of prayer and fasting will culminate on Easter Sunday as we celebrate His resurrection, declaring victory over sin, death and shame.
Each devotion will take less than ten minutes of your time.
- We will Engage the Word – looking at some of Jesus’ words in their biblical context.
- We will Connect the Heart – considering a truth that is applicable to our lives.
- We will Reflect on the Truth, asking a number of questions each day that invite us to look and listen with intent.
- And we will Depend on the Spirit – We will pray, for it is in praying that we learn to pray. And it is in praying that the Spirit changes our hearts.
We want to encourage you to grab a journal or a notebook – something to write on as you walk through each prayer guide. Yes, it will add a few minutes to the time it takes to do the devotion, and it will also deepen your experience and shape your walk with God for years to come. This journal or notebook will be a keepsake to remind you of God’s faithfulness during this challenging season for all of us.
Engage the Word
Mark 1:16-18
16 Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.
17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”
18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him.
Connect the Heart
We’ve been in a teaching series for a number of months – Following Jesus: How His Life Redefines Ours – largely based on Jesus’ words in this verse in the book of Mark. Jesus’ call to action for his disciples is simple: “Follow me.” But what exactly does Jesus mean? Following Jesus means aligning our hearts with his heart, our words with his words, our actions with his actions. It means the motivations of our heart align with the motivations of his.
Reflect on the Truth
1. How is your heart – your words, your actions, your motivations – aligning with his?
2. The disciples dropped their nets to follow him. What might be a “net” you need to drop, in order to follow Jesus?
3. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you see the deeper longings, desires or motives in your heart that those thoughts are pointing to. (for example: you may write down, “There are some things that I’m not ready to let go of. I can’t do this in my own strength, so I need your help, Lord.”) The Lord can help us discern the path forward – through His word, His Spirit, His people.
4. “I will make you…” How do Jesus’ words in this passage give us hope that it is HIS work in us, not our work – that accomplishes His purposes?
Depend on the Spirit
Ask the Holy Spirit to bring to mind those areas of your life that might be out of alignment with Jesus’. And then pray, asking Him specifically to guide you in re-aligning with His ways, His words, His works and His purposes.
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Can’t thank you enough, Pastor, for taking the initiative to encourage church members and others to engage in the process of prayer and fasting.
So glad you’re helping lead this body of faith, Senator.
Emily and I tried to be strict parents to our two kids. We always told them to have “immediate obedience” to us. This devotional is convicting that I often don’t practice “immediate obedience” to my Heavenly Father.
Immediate obedience is an issue for all of us… me first and foremost!
We can only align our heart with His heart through spending time in His Word and time in the quiet, listening to Him in prayer and reflection. May we learn to hear His voice only and tune out the voices of the world.
So true, Dave.
I have thinking about the concept of fasting for some time. I get really weird feeling/sick if I don’t eat on time, so I’ve never tried. That said: I’ve also never tried fasting from complaining about things, situations, and people. I think it just might be more difficult. So I’m going to try that. My mouth… gets me in so much trouble. Lord, I’m going to need every bit of your strength. Change my heart through my mouth.
Yes, fasting from food is not for everyone. God will give you the strength to fast from whatever he leads you to fast from. He will meet you in that space where you give him room. And our speech is always a place where he longs to meet us. “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks…” Go in grace!
Sarah, I hear you. I’m hypoglycemic so fasting is not an option for me either. I love your idea of fasting from behaviors. Personally I’m fasting from social media, mainly because it takes up time. Whenever I go to hit a social media icon on my phone or computer I take that time to be with the Lord. It has done wonders for the extra amount of time I spend with him per day!