Daily Encouragement

January 11, 2009 - How To Handle A Busy Life

Meditation on Mark 1

As Mark introduced to us the ministry of Jesus, we find that His life was absolutely too busy. There were at least ten times the word, "immediately" or the phase, "as soon as" were used in chapter one. Mark was describing the efficiency and hurried nature of Jesus' schedule and actions. He called His disciples, He healed, He cast out demons, He cleansed the leper, He preached and ministered to Peter's family. The whole city came to seek Him for one way or another. Yet in this kind of atmosphere, Mark said, "Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed." (v. 35 NKJV)

That was the secret of Jesus for all of us to handle a busy schedule. You take time out to talk to God first in a quiet place before anything else. Jeremiah said, "Through the LORD'S mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:22-23) He will strengthen you, guide you and give you new wisdom to handle the busy tasks of your day!

January 12, 2009 - Jesus, The Liberator

Meditation on Mark 2

Mark 2 shows us the Jesus has come to free us from the condemnation of sin and the law.

When Jesus saw the faith of the paralytic and his four friends who carried him to Jesus by breaking through the roof, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you." (v. 5 NKJV)

He showed the people the most important thing in life is to have sins forgiven. Then He healed the paralytic. He was God and He could liberate people from sins and the consequence of sins.

Following this incidence, Jesus went out and called a tax collector, an unpopular person because of the sinful occupation in those days, to be His disciple. Imagine how happy Levi (Matthew) would be to leave sinful connotation behind and start following Jesus! Then He entertained his former colleagues and friends so that they could also follow Jesus who publicly said I came to call sinners to repentance. (v. 17)

When Jesus was questioned about fasting and the Sabbath law, He told the critics that He was the bridegroom who brought in the new era. It's time to put new wine into new wineskins.

He was the one who dictated when we should fast and how we should keep the Sabbath, because He was the Messiah and He was the Lord of the Sabbath.

When we have problems in life, we should come to Jesus for answers. He can liberate us.

January 13, 2009 - Animosity, Follow-Ship or Kinship

Meditation on Mark 3

Mark told us that Jesus had become more and more popular. Multitudes of people were pressing him wherever they found Him. But the politicians (Herodians), and the religious leaders, (Pharisees) were already plotting together to destroy Jesus simply because Jesus had healed a person with a withered hand on the Sabbath. (v. 1-6) Some teachers from Jerusalem had also accused Jesus of having the power of Beelzebub (Satan) to cast out demons. Jesus of course pointed out how illogical that was. How would a house divided against itself could survive? He also pronounced the damnation against those who blasphemed against the Holy Spirit because they said that Jesus had an unclean spirit. (v. 22-30) No doubt Jesus was grieved by the hardness of these people who had so little compassion but harbored animosity against Him instead.

On the other hand, many in the crowd kept on following Jesus for one reason or another. Many followed him because they needed healing, cleansing or casting out of demons. Some were probably looking for miracles. (v. 7-12) The twelve disciples were chosen by Jesus to follow Him closely. But sadly, one of them would betray Him. (v. 13-19) So follow-ship may not be necessary a genuine relationship.

Jesus' own relatives were looking for Him but some of them thought that He was out of His mind. (v. 20-21) When Jesus' mother and brothers came to get Him, Jesus looked around those who sat about Him and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother." (v. 34-35 NKJV) That is kinship with Jesus.

What is your relationship with Jesus today? I hope you don't harbor any hatred against Him. But simply following Him casually is not enough. You need a close relationship with Him. That means you should keep on doing the will of God.

January 14, 2009 - The Power Of God's Word

Meditation on Mark 4

The major teachings of the parables in this chapter have to do with the seed. The seed is the word of God. (v. 15) Therefore the growth of the kingdom of God is because of the word of God. And that growth is entirely through the power of God. (v. 26-29) The growth is great and powerful. (v. 30-32) How do we become parts of the growth? It is by hearing the word and accepting it. (v. 20) Jesus said it several times here that "If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear." (v. 23 NKJV) That means that we must pay attention to our hearing. That is the key of this chapter. In fact, Jesus said, "Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you, and to you who hear, more will be give. For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him." (v. 24-25)

Whether we understand God's word or not is all depend on how we hear. That means whether we pay attention to what we hear or not. The more attention we put into it, the more understanding we will be given. The greater acceptance of the word of God we have, the greater growth we will have too. But if we are not willing to pay attention to the word of God, we will never understand it. And our sins will never be forgiven. (v. 12)

The final passage of this chapter tells us the incidence of Jesus calming the storm and the sea. Once again it shows that Jesus' word is authoritative. When He speaks, even the nature listens. Should you not?

January 15, 2009 - How To Share Jesus

Meditation on Mark 5

The three healing in this chapter demonstrated the great power of Jesus. He cast out the violent demons from a man which caused them to go into two thousand pigs. The pigs then went down from the cliff and drown in the sea. The people who lived in that area were raising herd that produced unclean food according to the Old Testament. Jesus had no problem in getting rid of those pigs. When the healed man wanted to follow Jesus, he was told to go home to testify for Jesus instead. (v. 1-20)

Jesus also noticed power had gone out from his body to heal a woman who touched the rim of his garment. He demanded the confession of the woman and then reassure her that she was completely whole in soul and body. (v. 21-34)

But after Jesus raised Jairus' daughter from the dead, he commanded the people there strictly that they should not tell anyone about it. (v. 35-43)

From these accounts, we can learn how to witness for Jesus. First, it is important to witness for him. He told the man delivered from violent demons this: "Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you." (v. 20 NKJV) That should be the priority for all who have been saved from sins. Go home and tell our friends what God has done for us and how God was gracious to us. That's our testimony for Him.

Also Jesus purposely made the woman who was healed from the issue of blood to acknowledge her healing publicly. When we are touched by Jesus, we should make it known to people so they can also glorify God. It is not just a private matter.

However, in the third incidence, Jesus did not want the people to make Him known just as a miracle worker. Also He was aware of the unbelieving Jews who wanted to get rid of Him. So He told His disciples not to tell others about the raising of the dead girl at that time. So we learn that our testimony for Jesus should not be an emphasis of miracle but rather on His salvation upon us personally.

May the Lord give us wisdom to know how to witness for Him.

January 16, 2009 - Rejection Means Expansion

Meditation on Mark 6

Mark told us that Jesus went back to His home town, Nazareth, to teach the people there. But they took offense at him because of their lack of faith. We can imagine the difficulty and pain of facing rejection, especially in one's own home town. Yet we see Jesus' next moved. He began the village ministry by sending out the twelve disciples. He taught them how to prepare the journey, trusting in God's provision, expecting rejection, preaching repentance, and granting them authority to heal and casting out demons. Therefore He expanded His ministry. (v. 1-13)

Around that time, John the Baptist had beheaded by King Herod in the prison. Since Jesus was famous for His miracles, Herod identified Jesus as John the Baptist coming back from the dead. So the political environments as well as the religious atmosphere from the Pharisees (ch. 2-3) were against Him. But Jesus continued to expand His ministries. He fed the five thousand and their families and at the same time He taught His disciples to trust in His provision. (v. 30-39) He walked on the water in order to teach the disciples to have faith in Him. (v. 45-52) And He continued to heal many who were sick. (v. 53-56)

From this chapter, I’ve learnt that when we serve the Lord and witness for Him, we would encounter rejection. But when it happens, we should think of how to get more training from Jesus and His church. Then we should not be discouraged but rather to expand our ministry more by obtaining more help. God's power and presence is always with us as we are faithful to disciple all nations. (Matthew 28:19-20)

January 17, 2009 - Be Opened

Meditation on Mark 7

For the way of Pharisees making God's word of no effect through their traditions and Jesus' granting request of a Gentile woman whose daughter was demon possessed, please turn to our archive on Matthew 15.

The healing of a deaf-mute from Mark 7:31-37 is only recorded by Mark in all four Gospels. This man who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech was brought to Jesus by a group of believers or followers. They begged Jesus to touch him. Several things were unique in this incidence of healing:

1. Jesus took him aside from the crowd and dealt with him alone.

2. He put his fingers in his ears.

3. He spat and touched his tongue with his fingers.

4. Then he prayed in the language of the people, "Ephphatha (Εφφαθα)" that is, "Be opened." (v. 34)

The man's ears were opened immediately, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed and he spoke plainly.

Some of the ancient church father interpreted this passage as an indication of Jesus' power not only to heal the physical sick but also the divine finger of God to touch those who are spiritually deaf and dumb.

The Word of God tells us that God's fingers created the heaven (Psalm 8:3), God's finger wrote on the tablet the law for Moses (Exodus 31:18), His finger cast out demons (Luke 11:20), and the divine finger certainly can open our ears to hear Him and our tongue to give testimony for Him.

I believe the Word can be spoken through the man of God or through a group of His disciples to open our ears to understand His message and to loosen our tongues to witness for Him. For God's invisible fingers are able to touch each of us personally through the Holy Spirit.

Let us pray with Jesus toward the hardened one, "Be Opened."