Tag: Mark

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It Is I!

This morning I have stared at the words the Christ said to his boys when he walked across the water to meet their boat.  Ok, yes, I know that sentence is pretty amazing and terrifying.  And that’s why he said this to them

Take Courage! It is I, Don’t be afraid. Mark 6:50

That’s even more awesome.  How can that be more awesome than walking on water?  It’s contains more awesomeness because he still speaks those words to us today.  He says “hey bro, I got your back, I am your wing-man, don’t be afraid.”  Who would not want to take on any challenge with someone like that at your side?

So today, as you conquer meetings, and vanquish the foes of hard relationships. As you deal with illness, and children that are stretching their wings.  As you maneuver the river of life, remember those words and that he is right with you!

Take Courage!

 

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Tax Day

Oh Tax day!

Sometimes I wish this little exchange would have occurred differently:

13 Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. 14 They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not? 15 Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”

But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” 16 They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

17 Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”

And they were amazed at him. Mark 12 NIV

I wish he would have said something like, “These governments can get their own money, as for me and my house, we are keeping ours!”

But, he didn’t.

So today we render unto the U.S. Government was is the U.S. Government.

And I hope we render to God, what is God’s!

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Peace and Storms

My mind is a wreck this morning, not as much as my ankle, but that’s another story for later in the week!  Sometimes when I sit down to write I have zero thoughts and go and study somethings for ideas. Not today. My mind is busting with so many thoughts – so many ideas, so many comments, but none of them very coherent, as they are all fighting for the forefront of my brain.  WOW!

But for some reason these words keep coming to my mind

And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. Mark 4:39 ESV

and this prayer keeps coming from my lips

Help me be peace in the storm.

Maybe your week is like this as well for whatever reason.  I hope that you can take solace in that fact that the creator of the world is in control and he desires to give you peace

 

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Oh btw, this is Post 900!!!  YEAH!
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Be A Servant

The crazy singing continued this morning with this little number.

Make me a waffle, Lord make me like you,

for you are a waffle, Make me one too.

Yes, ridiculous!  But, of course, that lead into some serious versions of the Make Me a Servant song as well.

Like this:

So, really, this is a beautiful prayer, and something that we  think about each day as we interact with others, especially considering these words of the Lords, from  the book of Mark

 “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” Mark 9:35 ESV

Lord, Make me a Servant!

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The Conquering Spirit

I will start by apologizing to all of my loyal readers out there for being late today.  Today was a recover day from my weekend trip, and as it were, I was not up and on the keyboard at the crack of dawn this morning.

This weekend while on the bus, I was reading the Steve Jobs biography – which is a fascinating read, by the way.  Anyway, Jobs, as you may know was into the whole Zen thing, and simplicity.  The book was comparing some of his ways to the German philosopher Nietzsche, who evidently wrote in his book Thus Spoke Zarathustra, “The spirit now wills his own will and he who had been lost to the world now conquers the world.”.  I don’t claim expertise in all of the ways to enlightenment, but I do see that those thoughts sound oddly familiar to this

 34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? Mark 8:34-37 New International Version (NIV)

and this

33 Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it. Luke 17:33 New International Version (NIV)

Of course the big difference being the guiding force – your own spirit or the spirit of the creator of the world?  Today, give up yourself, let the Spirit guide you, and the teaching of sacrifice and love light your way.