Tag: LGG Study

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The Gospel of Mark: Week 1 Tuesday – “Who IS Jesus?”

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Today’s Scripture: Mark 1:21-45 (SOAP: Mark 1:35)

Jesus Casts Out an Evil Spirit

Jesus and his companions went to the town of Capernaum. When the Sabbath day came, he went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority—quite unlike the teachers of religious law. 23 Suddenly, a man in the synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, 24 “Why are you interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

25 But Jesus reprimanded him. “Be quiet! Come out of the man,” he ordered. 26 At that, the evil spirit screamed, threw the man into a convulsion, and then came out of him.

27 Amazement gripped the audience, and they began to discuss what had happened. “What sort of new teaching is this?” they asked excitedly. “It has such authority! Even evil spirits obey his orders!” 28 The news about Jesus spread quickly throughout the entire region of Galilee.

Jesus Heals Many People

After Jesus left the synagogue with James and John, they went to Simon and Andrew’s home. 30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever. They told Jesus about her right away. 31 So he went to her bedside, took her by the hand, and helped her sit up. Then the fever left her, and she prepared a meal for them. 32 That evening after sunset, many sick and demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. 33 The whole town gathered at the door to watch. 34 So Jesus healed many people who were sick with various diseases, and he cast out many demons. But because the demons knew who he was, he did not allow them to speak.

Jesus Preaches in Galilee

Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray. 36 Later Simon and the others went out to find him. 37 When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.”

38 But Jesus replied, “We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too. That is why I came.” 39 So he traveled throughout the region of Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and casting out demons.

Jesus Heals a Man with Leprosy

A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. “If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean,” he said. Read what happened

When we ask, “Who is Jesus?” we often answer by describing His perfection, purity, holiness, power, and compassion.

Read the full devotional

Reflection Question: Who is Jesus to you? (comment below)

Posted in Bible study, LGG Study

The Gospel of Mark: Week 1 Monday – Preparing the Way

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Today’s Scripture: Mark 1:1-20 (SOAP: Mark 1:7-8)

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. It began 2 just as the prophet Isaiah had written:

“Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
    and he will prepare your way.
3 He is a voice shouting in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming!
    Clear the road for him!’”

4 This messenger was John the Baptist. He was in the wilderness and preached that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven. 5 All of Judea, including all the people of Jerusalem, went out to see and hear John. And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River. 6 His clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey.

John announced: “Someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!”

The Baptism and Temptation of Jesus

9 One day Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and John baptized him in the Jordan River. 10 As Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart … Read more

Mark didn’t hide his intentions as he opened his Gospel with the bold statement that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Mark then spent the first eight chapters showing us that Jesus IS the Son of God. Mark’s Gospel is action packed

Read the full LGG Blog

John the baptizer had an important calling. His job was to preach repentance to all who would hear because Jesus, the Messiah, was coming. It was not an easy calling. In strange clothes with strange habits, John preached a strange message: repent and be baptized.

Read the full LGG devotional
Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, LGG Study, Uncategorized

The Stepping Stone

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This post is based on the study of Genesis 16:1-2 and Matthew 19:26 as a part of the Love God Greatly Study – Shame Breaker. This post and all other posts, based on their studies, are written prior to reading any devotionals associated with the study. It is my true story, heart and beliefs shared as God leads.

Sarai was barren and desperate for a child and her desperation led her to make choices that I imagine she wouldn’t have made otherwise. Perhaps the desperation was due to shame for not having been able to give Abram a son in a culture where this was of great importance. Perhaps it was being tired of everyone asking when are you guys going to start having children? Don’t you want to be pregnant? What are you waiting on??? Or maybe it was simply a deep heartfelt desire to become a mother – whatever it was – trusting God took a back seat and she went into full-on manipulation to make a seemingly impossible situation “better”. To make matters worse Abram’s trust was lacking too and instead of speaking truth and sense to her – he agreed to go along with her plan.

My Story

Having been “barren” for the first 8 years of my marriage I know a little of how Sarai felt. I can tell you from that experience – came heartache and anger and shame and pride and a deep resentment of friends and even strangers that were pregnant when I wasn’t. I can also tell you that it was in those years that God laid an incredible foundation of trust that has been needed for so many deeper and more difficult issues in the years that have followed. Through a tubal pregnancy that nearly took my life, a child born crippled at birth, another child with cancer, an unexpected and devastating divorce, heartaches and fears, sudden and devastating losses of family members, health crisis, and financial needs – God added building blocks on the foundation laid during those “barren” years. Each need and situation was met with the mercy, grace, and love of our faithful and trustworthy God.

So we have the foundation and the building blocks – but in between is The “stepping-stone” story – the heart of the story – for it’s what made the building blocks possible. It’s the answer, if you will, as to why the foundation didn’t crumble. It’s what connects our two passages together, the barren Saria in Genesis and Jesus’s words in Matthew, and it’s what changed the course of my story. You see, God had placed people, and in this case parents, in my life who spoke TRUTH – God’s TRUTH – to me. Instead of going along with my complaints of not being pregnant and the ongoing “woe is me” spirit that was leading me down a wrong path – my mother shared words from a sermon she had recently heard – words she used to remind me to be content in the place God had me and to TRUST IN HIS ALL SUFFICIENT GRACE, His timing and PERFECT WILL. It wasn’t what I expected or wanted to hear, but certainly what God knew I needed to hear. I left their house that day to return home, hurt and sad and still desperate – but with TRUTH that sent my desperation in a different direction. It sent me toward God and His Word – to dwell on the words from the passage she had shared, and eventually, it led to a surrendered heart to God and – yes – even to the ‘barrenness’ that I knew and hated – and – for the first time in years, my heart was filled with peace and contentment.

The rest of the story …

Roughly 12 months later – my first daughter was born.

I share my story for this reason … In this life, there will be seasons of desperation, seasons when our faith is challenged, when we know the thing we desire is impossible for us, and – seasons when we think we need to ‘help’ God. It is in these times that we MUST make sure we have a nucleus of friends and family, believers that will stand in the path of our desperation and SPEAK TRUTH to us – pray it over us and for us and with us. People that will listen and comfort – and yes cry with us – but who will always look beyond our pain and frustration and ranting and point us to our God – Through whom – ALL things are possible – that my friends, is the “Stepping Stone” …………………. Me – from the Insideout

Thank you for stopping in. For more posts like this or to join the Love God Greatly Study simply share your email with me – Blessings!

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Jesus Our Everything: Week 3

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  • Spend time praying for your friends this week.

Hey friends, are you ready for week 3 of our study? Here’s a peek at what we will be reading as well as our prayer focus for the week. Meanwhile, I’m committing each of you and this study to the Lord! I invite you to share some prayer requests and/or praises here today. They can be study related or personal. Feel free to like/comment on the praises or requests as a way of encouragement.