Archive for January 2018

Today’s reading from Mark finds Jesus in his hometown of Nazareth, speaking at worship services and the people refusing to accept him because they thought they knew him. They remembered him as the carpenter’s son, not God’s son.Too bad for them since they were not able to take advantage of his blessings and miracles because they…

Today, Mark shares the stories of how Jesus healed a woman who was hemorrhaging and then shortly thereafter raised a twelve-year-old girl from the dead.  Meanwhile, in 2 Samuel we find King David weeping over the death of his son Absalom who was trying to kill him and take the kingship.   Illness, life and death…

Today in 2 Samuel we read how King David’s son Absalom rebelled and tried to kill his father.  This was just as God said earlier after David sinned with Bathsheba and killed her husband.  God said that there would be turmoil in David’s family because of David’s sin.  Remember that God forgave David, but he still needed…

Harden My Heart This song released in 1981 by Quarterflash may not be familiar to some of you, but for many, like me when I read today’s Psalm it reminded me of this song.  If you don’t remember it, simply find it on Google and watch the video.  You’ll probably remember hearing it even if…

Today’s three readings all share one common theme—–TROUBLE!  In Mark, the disciples were caught in a terrible storm in a boat on the Sea of Galilee.  In 2 Samuel David has just committed adultery with Bathsheba, and then to save face killed her husband.  Thankfully, Jesus was in the boat with the disciples and calmed…

Mark writes how Jesus explained the Kingdom of God by using parables to tell his story to his listeners.  He used stories about things they could relate to.  For example, a small mustard seed can produce a towering plant where birds could rest.  Or as Christians, we grow from a small seed planted in the ground…