“When evening came, after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were demon-possessed.  And the whole city had gathered at the door.  And He healed many who were ill with various diseases and cast out many demons; and He was not permitting the demons to speak, because they knew who He was” (Mark 1:32-34).

Once the word got out, many came to Him with hope that He would heal people of their infirmities.  Many settle for just that.  He has come to make us clean, whole, and ready to live eternally with Him.  There should be no settling for just the first steps.  We are called to make the whole journey and follow Jesus as He makes of us what He will.  Do not listen to the ones opposed to Him speaking against the faith but yourself speak His word and speak freely.

Lord, I see these things, but I am so wrapped up in the moment that I settle for temporary things.  Turn my heart toward eternity so that I long for the salvation You give, and reject the condemnation that is upon us all in this age of sin.  Guide me on the upward path and lead me out of myself and into You.  You alone give the words of eternal life.  Help me to learn to speak the truth at all times.

Lord Jesus, You have come into my ordinary life and walk alongside me.  You are healing me of my confusions.  Place Your words in my mouth so that I may speak the truth and bring Your healing to those around me.  Guide me in the path of salvation knowing that the wicked ones will speak out, but cannot harm me, for You counter their voices.  You have given me the words of hope to speak when I encounter adversity.  Help me to speak Your word always.  Amen.

“And immediately after they came out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.  Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying sick with a fever; and immediately they spoke to Jesus about her.  And He came to her and raised her up, taking her by the hand, and the fever left her, and she waited on them” (Mark 1:29-31).

Look at the pieces of the story.  Jesus calls the sons, but the mother is sick.  Jesus heals her and she is back to work.  We were made to work.  Our life as disciples grows through the work we do.  Our work is our belief in action.  All authority belongs to Jesus, so at His word, we are restored.  Distractions of this world get in the way, but Jesus heals us of all infirmities, the greatest of which is death.

Lord, what You came to do You tell us with Scripture.  What You did is revealed in the life of faith which You have given us.  Guide us to understanding that we are not to rest when You call us to work, nor are we to work when You call us to rest.  As we follow You, lead us into living the life which You intend for all, so that we may learn how to be faithful in and through all things.

Lord Jesus, I try to figure things out.  I want to know what You are up to before I take that first step, but You are the One who knows, and You call us into eternity.  Lead me out of myself and into the life You are growing in me.  Remove any sickness so that I may get up and wait on others as You have waited upon me.  I need You to guide me into learning how to love others as You have loved me.  Amen.

“They were all amazed, so that they debated among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.”  Immediately the news about Him spread everywhere into all the surrounding district of Galilee” (Mark 1:27).

Is this new teaching?  No!  Jesus came and fulfilled the law.  He’s the only One who has.  He did not come to do away with the law, but to fulfil it.  The Incarnate One, through whom all things were made, has come to give us opportunity to learn to obey the One who made us.  Ultimately, we all will in death.  As we turn to Him, He calls us, in our resurrection, to join with Him in eternity in a new obedience.

Lord, all power and authority belong to You.  Nothing exists apart from You.  In this age of rebellion, we can pretend that we have either power or authority, but we do not have either in ourselves.  You speak, and some rebellious ones hear, and they grudgingly obey.  They may hate You, but they obey.  You give us the opportunity to learn that obedience is better than sacrifice.

Lord Jesus, that day will come when all stand before You.  That will not be the time to realize that You do have all authority.  Help me to understand this here and now.  Guide me to realize that I am under Your authority here and now.  Change my heart, removing all hatred, so that I willingly, lovingly, and humbly come into Your presence and walk with You as You walk with me.  Guide me into holiness, my Lord and Savior.  Amen.

“And Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!”  Throwing him into convulsions, the unclean spirit cried out with a loud voice and came out of him” (Mark 1:25-26).

Jesus has all authority and all that is created is under His authority.  If He speaks, the created must listen (or flee).  There are unclean spirits in this world and they are constantly busy leading those who will not listen to the Lord astray.  What voice will you listen to?  The voice of this world or the voice of the One through whom all things have their being?  Come to the One who teaches the way, truth and new life.

Lord God, You have promised that Your word will not come back void.  You have spoken Your Word and it has fallen upon my ears.  Let Your word pierce my heart, slay the sinner and resurrect those who will become like Jesus.  Your word is truth.  Lead me into all truth and guide me upon the path of redemption so that I may journey with You now and forever into the life for which You are re-creating me to live.

Lord Jesus, You have come in order that as many as believe, hearing Your voice of truth, would be redeemed and walk the path You have set before us.  Lead me in the way of salvation.  Guide me into all truth.  Do not let Your word slide away from me, but send it deep into my soul.  Help me to see that You have come bringing life and true liberty through the love You pour into those who walk with You.  Amen.

“Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, saying, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” (Mark 1:23-24)

The evil spirits know and believe, though they continue in rebellion.  They know, but we go on not even hearing their testimony.  The eternally wicked do not know that they have already been cast from God’s presence.  Jesus has not come to destroy, but to offer true life.  It is a matter of moving from where we are to where we need to be for eternity.  Some, including the evil ones, do not want to be in God’s presence.

Lord, help me to see with clarity that You have come to saves us.  That means being moved from where we are to where we need to be.  You are the tree of life, and You have come for us to be grafted into the eternal life which You offer.  Guide me so that I may receive Your offer, hear the testimony (even from the wicked who know who You are) and live into the eternal life You give.

Lord Jesus, the wicked ask, “What business do I have with You?”  I (and all others) would not have a new life except for You.  You have come to give us true life.  Lead me into that true life You give and teach me so that I may learn how to live this life which You are giving me.  Without You I am spiritually dead, but in You I have been granted new life which springs to eternal life.  Guide me in living the true life You have given me.  Amen.

“They went into Capernaum; and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and began to teach.  They were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes” (Mark 1:21-22).

Bold teachers may go out on the limb and tell you what they think, but Jesus told them as it is.  God in the flesh did not need to speculate, for He knew.  Anyone who could hear such teaching would be amazed.  The difference is between one who has learned and come to conclusions and One who knows and reveals the truth.  Listen to Jesus, for in Him you have the truth revealed.

Almighty God, I do know the difference between someone who knows what they are talking about and someone who is repeating what another has told them.  Help me to be discerning and understand things which are true.  You have revealed the truth in order to set me free from the bondage of this ignorant generation.  Guide me into all truth in order that I may be truly set free.

Lord Jesus, some treat You as a great teacher – and You are – but that is all they think of You.  You are a teacher, mentor, Savior, leader, and the One who can lead me into all truth.  Through Your Holy Spirit, guide me always in the way of truth. Help me to understand that only in You is there hope and a future.  Grant that I would sit at Your feet and learn from You, the Author and Finisher of my faith.  Amen.

“Immediately He called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went away to follow Him” (Mark 1:20).

Everything was left behind.  We do not know the details.  Was there hardship?  Probably.  We are called to go on a journey with Jesus.  How far will we go?  Until we see Him face to face. Some disciples left along the way of the earthly ministry, but we have the testimony of the eleven faithful who followed to the end of their lives here.  We are called to go and follow Jesus wherever He will lead.

Lord God, I do not know the road before me, but You do.  You have called me and I want to follow, but often I am hampered by the obstacles that I think are getting in the way.  Help me to trust You so that in all circumstances I abide in the reality that You alone know all that lies ahead.  Help me to responsibly leave where I am to go where You call me.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to live by faith.

Lord Jesus, You have called, and I have thus far followed You.  Where I have been disobedient and stopped along the way, show me the way forward so that I may pick up my cross and continue to follow You.  You must be the author and finisher of my faith.  Lead me to faithfully follow wherever You lead so that I may become what You will make of me.  Teach me once again how to be faithful.  Amen.

“Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.  Going on a little farther, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets” (Mark 1:18-19).

Jesus gathers around Him those who will be His disciples.  That was not just there and then, but it is also here and now.  Heed the call of Jesus and be led by Him.  You have heard His voice, and Jesus said that the sheep know the voice of the Master.  Leave behind what He will have you leave behind and come onto the path of salvation which He sets before You.  He will give you a new life.

Lord, in following You all of these years, I have come to understand the subtle touches which have changed who I am and how I think.  Guide me ever deeper into the life You have set before me.  When I am bogged down with questions, lead me through them to trust You above all things.  Help me, dear Lord, to live the new life You have given me as You prepare me for the eternal life for which You are shaping me.

Lord Jesus, with great intentionality, You have walked through the wilderness of this world, and generation after generation sees those who heed Your call and follow You.  You have also called me.  Guide me, dear Lord, so that I humbly walk the path You set before me.  Help me to overcome the obstacles that will get in the way so that I live into the new life which shall be lived with You forever.  Amen.

“As He was going along by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen.  And Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men” (Mark 1:16-17).

The Lord calls us and we either follow Him or else we do not.  Maybe we will follow Him now, or sometimes, perhaps, later.  Ultimately, one either follows the Lord or else they do not.  Jesus calls and when we follow Him, He will lead us to become children to the Father.  He must accomplish this, for we do not know how to do it.  Come, follow Jesus; become what He will lead you to be.

Lord, I know there is longing in my heart that calls me forward.  The world tugs at me in so many different directions.  Guide me up and out of this world’s thinking to humbly and simply heed Your call to follow You wherever You will take me, making of me what You will.  You have called me through the water of my baptism to come and heed Your call on my life.  Help me to hear and heed You Lord.

Lord Jesus, You have joined my path in this life, beckoning me to come and follow You.  My circumstance does not matter.  What does matter is that I hear and heed Your call.  Guide me in the way You alone know I need to be guided.  Help me to live into the life for which You have called me and for which You paid the ultimate price.  Make of me what You will and help me to trust Your leading above all things.  Amen.

“Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:14-15).

The kingdom of God is at hand.  Is it all about humbly and simply being eternally united with Christ?  Well, this is a first step.  We do not know what eternity looks like, but the One who has come from eternity to unite us with Him to go to eternity does.  I do not know what heaven will be like, but I do know that Jesus will be there to greet us.  This is the starting place of walking the eternal life.

Lord God, so many in this world have such conditionality that we want to know what things will be like before we embark on the journey.  But then, it would not be faith alone.  Help me get past all of the places where I am conditional to that place where I trust You above all things.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to know that I will need more grace for my salvation.  Take me to the place where I do trust that what You have in mind is far above anything I can possibly imagine.

Lord Jesus, at a cost that I cannot imagine, You have prepared the way for all who believe to be forever united with You in eternal love.  Guide me now and always to humbly walk in the way You have established and follow You wherever You lead.  Lead me, Lord, on the journey of salvation and help me through all of the obstacles that will come my way.  In Your goodness may I dwell now and always.  Amen.