04/18 Mark 2:9-12
Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven’ or ‘Get up, pick up your mat, and walk’? 10 I will prove that I, the Son of Man, have the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, 11 “Stand up, take your mat, and go on home, because you are healed!” 12 The man jumped up, took the mat, and pushed his way through the stunned onlookers. Then they all praised God. “We’ve never seen anything like this before!” they exclaimed.
HEALED
Jesus says that when He comes into your life you are healed. We cannot dispel darkness by darkness we can only deal with the slavery of this life by the power of light and life that resides in Jesus. When Christ comes into our life He heals us. He forgives our sin and gives us eternal life.
Category - Devotionals
04/17 Mark 2:6-8
But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there said to themselves, 7 “What? This is blasphemy! Who but God can forgive sins!” 8 Jesus knew what they were discussing among themselves, so he said to them, “Why do you think this is blasphemy?
GOD
Jesus is God. He is. He is involved in your life. He knows all about you. He is seeking your best good. He knows you and wants you to know Him. Ask for forgiveness, change your focus and spend time with Jesus, He is Lord.
04/16 Mark 2:3-5
Four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. 4 They couldn’t get to Jesus through the crowd, so they dug through the clay roof above his head. Then they lowered the sick man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. 5 Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My son, your sins are forgiven.”
PERSONAL
First and foremost Jesus is personal. His ministry applies to your life. He is concerned about you. Jesus loves you. His love for me does not diminish His love for you. Walk in Christ knowing that Jesus loves you.
04/15 Mark 2:1-2
Several days later Jesus returned to Capernaum, and the news of his arrival spread quickly through the town. 2 Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there wasn’t room for one more person, not even outside the door. And he preached the word to them.
NEWS
Jesus is alive and He can change your life. He will take away your sin and equip you to live a life of freedom from sins control. The NEWS is that new life in Christ is available now. Surrender your life to Jesus and He will give you new life.
04/14 Ephesians 4:31-32
Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of malicious behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
YOU
We are the doer. We do things. God gives us a new heart that we let train our hands and feet. But in the final anaylysis we must assert discipline so that our hands, feet and mind are renewed and changed by the love of Christ. Love one another and don’t forget to love yourself.
04/13 Ephesians 4:30
And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he is the one who has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.
GRACE
Who will rule in my life? The Lord pours out an overabundance of GRACE on me daily. How can I reply in any other way? Seek daily to bring a smile to the Lord’s face. Let Jesus be Lord of you and do not disgrace Him by the way you live.
04/12 Ephesians 4:28-29
If you are a thief, stop stealing. Begin using your hands for honest work, and then give generously to others in need. 29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
ACT
I will act and live differently than I did live. Words have meaning. What I say affects others therefore I will be careful with my speech. The Lord indwells me and I will honor Him. Life is difficult but now I have Jesus and He changes everything in my world. The Lord will not let me go. I will let Him change me.
04/11 Ephesians 4:25-27
So put away all falsehood and “tell your neighbor the truth” because we belong to each other. 26 And “don’t sin by letting anger gain control over you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a mighty foothold to the Devil.
CALLED
We are called from slavery into freedom. Our future is bright. Our present is underwritten by victory-Jesus is Lord. Now as a new creature filled with the power of God I can be different than I used to be. I can let anger go. No one can destroy me for I am forever in the hands of Jesus.
04/10 Ephesians 4:23-24
Instead, there must be a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes. 24 You must display a new nature because you are a new person, created in God’s likeness — righteous, holy, and true.
FREED
Jesus equips us to be a new person. We have to claim this as we live our daily life. I now have a choice. I am no longer dead in my trespasses and sin, instead I am alive in Christ Jesus and have full access to His power and strength. Jesus changes me. I appropriate those changes in the way I live.
04/09 Ephesians 4:19-22
They don’t care anymore about right and wrong, and they have given themselves over to immoral ways. Their lives are filled with all kinds of impurity and greed. 20 But that isn’t what you were taught when you learned about Christ. 21 Since you have heard all about him and have learned the truth that is in Jesus, 22 throw off your old evil nature and your former way of life, which is rotten through and through, full of lust and deception.
DISCIPLINE
Change requires discipline. I must live moment by moment under Christ’s control not constantly evaluating whether I will live like Jesus or the world. Stop living like the world. Start living like Jesus. It takes a commitment to Christ to do this by faith and to let the Lord equip us to live by faith.