Jesus taught that all scripture testifies about him so that in him we might have life (John 5v39-40). King David taught that it is only by living according to God's word that we're kept on the right path (Psalm 119v9). What then could be better than reading the entire Bible? Click the menu to read about the program, choose a month or Bible book - or just work through the blog posts day by day.
BEGIN WITH PRAYER
"Lord open my eyes and my heart."
Read slowly so that you take in. And as you do, turn your heart to God, thanking him for the good you discover and praying his will home for you, your family, your church and the world.
Understanding to grow in
The sort of faith that God looks for is a child-like readiness to trust and so obey. That's why Jesus blesses little children and says the kingdom of heaven "belongs" to such as these. And that's why he then calls his disciples "children" (v24) when teaching from the rich man, that he could not enter the kingdom because, although he kept the commandments, he was not ready to trust Jesus enough to obey him. Of course, Jesus doesn't ask everyone to sell all they have. The point is that we should so trust Jesus that we are ready to give up whatever he might ask. And the reassurance he gives is that those who do will receive a hundred times as much in this age and the age to come. All this gives context to Jesus teaching on divorce and remarriage. Mark seems to assume his readers are aware that such things are permitted when the one-flesh union has been broken through unfaithfulness, seen in sexual immorality or desertion (Matt 19v9, 1 Cor 7v15 - I would include unrepentant physical abuse as effective desertion). But here, Jesus point is that when divorce and remarriage occurs for other reasons it is adulterous as the God-given bond of the previous marriage remains. Obviously, this is a hard teaching for those in difficult marriages or who have been remarried after divorcing for lesser reasons. And I would counsel such people to talk through this passage with their pastor. However, the issue, again, is one of trusting Jesus even when it is hard. As you read consider the hard areas in which he is asking for your obedience.
Mark 10:1-31
Finish this reading by pausing to ask yourself:
Finish this reading by pausing to ask yourself:
1) What’s the main thing it teaches me about God or his purposes in Christ? Then praise him for this.
2) What’s the main thing it teaches me about his will for me or the world? Then pray that home.
Devotion to offer up
You could read this aloud and perhaps as a springboard to further prayer.