“Taking a child, He set him before them, and taking him in His arms, He said to them, “Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me” (Mark 9:36-37).

Humility and true equanimity are a part of the attitude of Jesus.  All people are precious in the sight of the Lord.  They should be precious in our sight also.  All people are different, so we should see each as an individual.  In becoming like Christ, we are not to become wrapped up in the insanity of the world which divides and determines people by sinful standards.  Receive all with the same love with which you have been received.

Lord, this world has always been filled with hate and segregates people, classifying them, while there are those who seek to dominate.  It is not so with Your kingdom. Help me to see through the evil smoke of this age in order that I may humbly receive all as You would receive them.  Guide me into the faith You have given me that I may live according to Your precepts and principles.

Lord Jesus, with a simple illustration You have shown us the truth.  Small children, the old and feeble, and those with special needs are all people who are precious in Your sight.  Teach me to have compassion upon all whom I meet.  Help me to receive them as You receive me.  Guide me out of this world’s thinking and into the truth of eternity.  Guide me so that I live what You are teaching me about receiving others.  Amen.

“Sitting down, He called the twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:35).

Does it really matter where we are in God’s kingdom?  We are whom the Lord is making us to be.  It is like arguing with the potter when you are a lump of clay.  Position does not matter, for we all are positioned to be with the Lord.  What more could you want?  Be guided then by what the Creator is doing and not by the insanity of this self-seeking world that wants position and status.

Lord, Help me to understand that You alone are the Lord of my life.  You have wonderfully created each one of us.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to see through the lies of this age in order that I may realize that Your purpose is already unfolding in me.  Great or small does not matter, for You have great purpose for all whom You have made.  Lead me into the life for which I have been created.

Lord Jesus, I want to be with You in Your kingdom.  Place me where You will and by the power of Your Holy Spirit, lead me to not worry as the world does about where I am placed.  Lead me to live in the righteousness You give and seek You above all things.  Guide my heart and soul to seek first Your kingdom knowing that all that is needed will be added.  Thank You Lord for the invitation You have given me.  Help me to belong to You.  Amen.

“They came to Capernaum; and when He was in the house, He began to question them, “What were you discussing on the way?”  But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest” (Mark 9:33-34).

Who is the greatest?  God is.  We are the created and our Lord will do with us what He will do.  The Savior laid down His life so that we might have life.  He who created us with purpose knows the plans He has for each one of us.  Why worry about what we shall be?  The Lord is good and all who believe are invited to the eternal feast.  The world wants position.  In the Lord, You have position with Him already.

Lord, I am filled with pride and I want what I want.  Help me to look beyond the sin of this age in order that I may realize that You are the Creator of all things.  I am who I am, placed where You have placed me.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to understand that in You alone do I have my being.  I am who You are making me to be.  Help me to rejoice in all that You do, for You are creating me anew each day by grace.

Thank You my Lord and Savior Jesus for dying so that I might have life.  Lead me according to Your purpose in order that I may humbly walk in the way You would have me walk.  Guide me according to Your purpose so that I may now and always live with the goal of being with You forever.  You know all that is needed and what I need to know is to trust You.  Guide me in that trust forever.  Amen.

“For He was teaching His disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him; and when He has been killed, He will rise three days later.”  But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him” (Mark 9:31-32).

We celebrate the resurrection, but do we really know all that this means?  Probably not.  Allow the mystery of this to dwell richly within you and, Like Mary, the mother of our Lord, ponder these things in your heart.  Do not act as one who understand all things, but as one who trusts in the One who knows all things.  Our Lord is leading and will lead all who believe in order that they may be with Him forever.

Lord, pride does get in the way and I think I know things.  All I need to know is You, the Author and Finisher of my faith.  Lead me in the way You know I need to go and guide me according to Your never-failing precepts which You have established.  You were crucified and on the third day, You rose.  Uniting me with Your death, You have united me with Your resurrection.  You are the Lord of my life.

Lord Jesus, Savior and King, be the One who leads me in all things.  Let me not trust in what I think I know, but in You through whom all things have their being.  Guide me according to the Father’s will to live the life which You have created.  Guide me step by step along the way of living so that I may be conformed to You, the One who saves all who believe.  Guide my footsteps that they may be faithful.  Amen.

“From there they went out and began to go through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know about it” (Mark 9:30).

Amazing things happen, but the Lord sometimes wants that to be between Him and you.  The more important thing is to learn when to speak and when to be silent.  Let the Lord direct your mouth so that you may speak what is pleasing to the Lord.  Yes, he can and will lead you even to this small detail in Your life.  He desires that You be His child, speaking the things of eternity in all that you say.

Lord, I know that we each have the call You have given us.  The first call is to be obedient to all that You command.  Help me to learn the lessons You teach that I may learn how to be faithful.  Guide me in the upward call You have given me so that as I am conformed to Your image, I learn to look to You for all things.  You are the author of my faith.  Lead me by faith all the days of my life and help me learn how to be obedient.

Thank you Lord Jesus for being with me in my life.  You care enough to deal with all of the issues of my life.  Guide me according to Your purpose so that I humbly submit to Your command.  Keep me as one who is constantly in prayer in order that I may learn from You how to be a willing and obedient servant.  Through all things, may I learn from You what it means to be a child of the Heavenly Father.  Amen.

“But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him; and he got up.  When He came into the house, His disciples began questioning Him privately, “Why could we not drive it out?”  And He said to them, “This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer” (Mark 9:27-29).

It is important that we understand that Jesus does not make us free agents.  We, who are lifted out of the mire of sin only know in part.  He who is perfect knows all truth.  Has not Jesus told us to be continuously praying?  Yes, we can do all things with the Lord, but the Lord will or will not have us do certain things.  His is the power and we are the servants.  Serving the Lord, we are to pray, listen, and then do as He says.

Lord, I can drive out no demon, but You can do all things through me.  It is Your power that accomplishes the Father’s will, not mine.  You are the One who must lead me.  Guide me in living so that I am constantly in communion with You.  Teach me so that I never think of these things as mine, but realize all things come from You.  Plant in me faith, even as small as a mustard seed that it may sprout and grow.

Lord Jesus, continue teaching me how to pray.  Guide me to the inner depths of my being and show me where I resist Your presence and the Father’s purpose.  Help me through all things to trust and believe that You will lead me into everlasting life.  Be the One who guides me and help me to hear as the Holy Spirit speaks to me.  Through all things, be the One who finishes my faith according to the Father’s will.  Amen.

“When Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You deaf and mute spirit, I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again.”  After crying out and throwing him into terrible convulsions, it came out; and the boy became so much like a corpse that most of them said, “He is dead!” (Mark 9:25-26)

How quick we are to react with unbelief.  We often expect the worse.  All things are in the Lord’s hands and He will accomplish what He purposes.  Guard your mind so that You are not led by the doubts and confusions of this world.  Things may not happen the way you expect or in your thinking of what it may look like, but the Lord will accomplish His will on earth as it is done in heaven.

Lord, grant that I would learn to wait upon You and not jump to conclusions.  You resurrect the dead.  Out of nothing, You have created everything.  Lead me to see that in You is all hope and an eternal future.  Guide me to live believing that all things are possible with You.  Lead me out of myself so that I do not live as one who is deaf and dumb, but live looking to You and see things as they are.

Lord Jesus, You speak the word and it is as You say.  Help my unbelief so that I trust that in You I can do all that You ask.  There are those things in my life which would hinder me.  Remove the obstacles that keep me from living the faith You have given me.  Teach me all I need to know in order that I would hold fast to You through all of the mayhem  that comes in this age.  Raise me to be with You after the last day.  Amen.

And Jesus said to him, “‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.”  Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief” (Mark 9:23-24).

Jesus confronts head on the lack of belief.  How often do we not receive because we do not ask?  Yes, there can be wrong motive, but often, we do not receive because we do not ask.  Ask the Lord of the harvest, for all things are possible with Him.  One of the most poignant and helpful statements comes to us with the words, “Help my unbelief!”  We need the Lord’s help each and every step of the way.  He will help our belief.

Lord, help my unbelief.  There are many times I think too much about my situation and do not ask for Your help.  Teach me how to come to You with all things trusting that whatever the answer, it will be what is right.  You have told me that by Your power through me I can move mountains.  Help my unbelief so that I live in Your presence and if You say to me, “Tell that mountain to be moved,” You will move the mountain.  All things are possible with You.

Holy Spirit, You know when I am confronted by a wall of unbelief.  Wake me up to trust that all things truly are possible if I will act on what You tell me to do.  I know it is not me, but You who moves the mountain, but I also know that You have great purpose in everything that happens.  Lead me to trust in You above all things.  Guide my faith so that I put into action the things You give me to do.  Amen.

“And He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood.  It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” (Mark 9:21-22)

Even a father who is desperate makes a step of faith and believes that perhaps, if he asks Jesus, his son may be cured.  “Take pity Lord and heal my son.”  But notice that He says, “If you can.”  So many of us act this way toward the Lord as if the Lord is not the Lord of all.  “If you can?”  Do you come to the Lord hoping but not trusting that He is able to do what He has promised?  Do you have faith in the Lord?

Lord, in this world filled with turmoil, I often doubt.  I wonder what is real, what is possible, and what are the limitations.  You are God.  Why do I doubt Your ability?  Do I believe those who hate You because You allowed something to happen they did not like?  Do I actually believe You are limited?  Help me to move through these things to know that You are God and everything is in Your hands.

Jesus, everything You do has great purpose.  You, the Word made flesh, dwelt among us, limited as we are limited in this physical body, yet You did great things and showed the power and authority of the Father.  Help me through my lack of faith and guide me to believe in faith that all things truly are in Your hands and that You will lead all who believe into eternal life, dwelling with You forever.  Amen.

“And He answered them and said, “O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me!”  They brought the boy to Him. When he saw Him, immediately the spirit threw him into a convulsion, and falling to the ground, he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth” (Mark 9:19-20).

Faith is to be acted upon.  Without action, there can be no faith.  Even the Romans understood this when they said, “I came, I saw, and I conquered.”  Faith and its action are two sides of the same thing.  How long will you be unbelieving?  You see the Lord, now put what He says into action.  Through the Lord we can do all things.  All things are subject to the Lord, for He made them all.

Holy and Triune God, there are many times I am unbelieving.  I do not put into action the things You tell me and yet say that I have faith.  I know that I do not have to do things for salvation, for that is a free gift by grace from You.  If I do not put my faith into action, it is like not having faith at all.  Help me to step out in faith and do all that You give me to do.  Teach me how to trust and believe in all of the things You have given me.

Lord Jesus, help my unbelief.  Through You all things are possible.  If You give me a circumstance, guide me to do what You give me to do in that circumstance.  Help me to not tarry nor linger, but live the life You have set before me.  Teach me and help me learn so that my faith is complimented with action in belief.  Take what I know, add to it, and put me into action for Your name’s sake, doing what is pleasing to the Father.  Amen.