Daily Devotional

Scripture: Mark 7:15 Nothing outside a man can make him unclean by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him unclean.

Observation: I think of what comes out of me. Yesterday someone came up to give me some papers and I made like I was avoiding her. I do this often because something about her aggravates me. She is nice, but I don’t treat her well and my words are mean at times. That makes me unclean. When I talk about others, especially my superiors it is in a mean spirit, that makes me unclean also.

Application: I need to watch what I say and guard my heart on how I feel about others. Everyone is God’s child and I have no right to say anything unless it is encouraging and out of love.

Prayer: Dear Lord help me honor you with my thoughts and words. May I be looked on as an encourager and a lover of people and not a gossip. May I be clean in your sight.

Scripture: Mark 6:6 And he was amazed at their lack of faith.

Observation: I pray that Jesus from now on can’t say that about me. I realize I lack faith at times, but I don’t want to ever be in a place that it amazes God the lack of it.

Application: To live knowing Jesus is always with me. That my faith is built on the power of my God who will never leave me or forsake me. Knowing whatever I do or wherever I am that I should be confident in my Lord. To continue to ask for my faith to be strengthened and to do everything I can do to trust God completely.

Prayer: Dear Lord increase my faith and fill my heart with your love and give me the confidence to walk with you always.

Scripture: Mark 5:36 Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, “Don’t be afraid, just believe.”

Observation: Just yesterday the scripture was almost the same, don’t be afraid. Yet even this morning I’m worried about my job, being able to pay off my house before I can retire, about the repetition of my days and not accomplishing much for my Lord. I can’t seem to live a day at a time as my God instructs me to do. Why can’t I just believe God has everything under control?

Application: I need to live each day without worrying about the next. To believe my Lord that has saved and healed me is on the throne of my life and if I let him he’ll take care of everything. I have this moment to live and if God allows it I’ll live the next until it is time to go home. May I live it for my God.

Prayer: Dear Lord take this fear from me and strengthen my faith. Show me how to live for you. Take this worry, laziness and unbelief from me and increase my faith in you.

Scripture: Mark 4:40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?

Observation: Why am I so afraid? Afraid of losing my job, , my home, my health. All given to me from God. Each day it seems I’m afraid of something. I live my life in worry more than faith and yet I don’t know what I’m afraid of.

Application: I need to live my life each day in faith, trusting God with all of my heart. God did not give me a spirit of fear, so this fear must come from the enemy. I need to disregard what the devil puts in my mind, knowing God has a plan and purpose for my life and that He reigns on the throne of my heart and mind.

Prayer: Dear father take any fear or doubt from me and fill me with the Holy Spirit and guide me this day.

Scripture: Mark 3:35 Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.

Observation: God’s will is what and why we were created. We have a purpose and that purpose is to do the will of the Father. When we are in God’s will we are his children. Obedient children can be used by God. Being in God’s will brings us peace, gives us joy, brings blessings and honors God. Why would we not do it then? Because we are selfish and what things on are terms.

Application: Forget my plans and ask God what his plans are for me. His good and perfect will. Pray each morning for his direction and guidance, asking myself when I do something is this going to honor God and draw someone closer to him. If not, it must not be God’s will.

Prayer: Dear Lord I freely give you this life as a living sacrifice, may it be holy and pleasing to you, that I may live this life in your will, glorifying you.

Scripture: Matthew 2:17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy that need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.

Observation: It is so comfortable to be around other Christians. A blessing to be at church and help at church. You can talk about God and share how he blesses you each day. It is great because I get to share and hear how God is blessing them. It is wonderful to share but my Christian friends already know Jesus, but my purpose is to spread the gospel to those who do not know Him.

Application: To spend time with my Christian brothers and sisters to help me fulfill the purpose God has created us for. Go out of my way to be around those who do not know my Lord and Savior and share what he has done in my life.

Prayer: Dear Lord give me the opportunities to share your Word. Show me how to touch the life of someone who doesn’t know you today.

Scripture: Mark 1:41 Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man, “I am willing”, he said, “be clean.”

Observation: That is what I should be filled with compassion, but I’m not. Yet Jesus must have seen me while I lived my life with depression, the suicide attempts, the hate, the fear I lived under and he reached out with compassion for me and healed me. He lived his life on earth like any human and he asks me to follow him and do as he did. He calls me to have compassion for others.

Application: I need to stop looking out for only me. Sometimes my mind gets so clouded with what I want I don’t see the needs of others around me. I need to obey God when he says love others as you love yourself. I seem not to do without for myself and now it’s time to help meet the needs of others.

Prayer: Dear Lord help me have compassion for others. Guide me in what you call me to do. May I be obedient and make you proud of your child.