“Some Pharisees came up to Jesus, testing Him, and began to question Him whether it was lawful for a man to divorce a wife.  And He answered and said to them, “What did Moses command you?” (Mark 10:2-3)

What was the custom of Moses?  What is the custom of the Lord?  Is there a difference?  The Lord allows us to establish customs for our needs, but it is always fair to ask ourselves whether or not our customs fully conform to what the Lord desires.  Our habits do shape us, but they are not the law.  Even the law is subject to the Lord.  Therefore, subject all things in your life to the Lord.

Lord, You know where I play games with myself, others, and You.  I am often seeking for a way around what is simply a matter of obedience.  I know You have given me grace upon grace, but help me to live not seeking to be forgiven, but to live righteously according to Your will.  Teach me how to think such that I seek first You and Your righteousness with a desire to do Your will.

Thank You Lord Jesus for being gracious.  In while yet I was (and still am) a sinner, You died that I might be forgiven.  I do come to You looking for excuses, but You offer solutions and the way of true life.  Lord, lead me with humility and in submission to the Father’s will no matter the consequences.  Guide me now and forever in the right way of living life so that I may follow You now and forever.  Amen

“Getting up, He went from there to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan; crowds gathered around Him again, and, according to His custom, He once more began to teach them” (Mark 10:1).

The Gospel is not just for our community or whom we think ought to have it, but for the whole world.  The Lord sends His Gospel where He will send it.  Sinners will segregate and separate, but the Lord includes people of every tribe, tongue, folk, and nation.  Jesus has come to teach us the way of everlasting life.  We need to be taught.  If we are conformed to Jesus, then we should be conformed to His custom.

Lord, You are the One who has given me faith.  You are the One who has established what is needed.  You are the One who has accomplished salvation for all those who believe.  You are the One who has given the words of eternal life.  You are the author and finisher of our faith.  You need to be the One who teaches us all that we need to know.  Help us to receive all that You will give for Your sake.

Lord Jesus, You have come to lead the way and I must follow.  You know what the road ahead looks like, its temptations, and the places of difficulty.  Help me to look to You, my Rabbi, to teach me what I need to know.  Help me to adopt Your customs and not be guided by my thoughts or ideas, except where they have been conformed to Your customs.  Lead me Lord Jesus.  Amen.

“For everyone will be salted with fire.  Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another” (Mark 9:49-50).

Salt is a catalyst with the addition of fire.  It causes the refining fire to burn evenly.  We live in a time of tribulation and we are being tested all the day long.  Do not be burned by this world which is always seeking our destruction, but be led by the One who will refine you to become like Christ.  In Him alone do we live, breathe, and have our being.  He will bring you through the tribulation of this world to be with Him forever.

Gracious Lord, there seems to be much more going on than I can either see or understand.  I do need to be saved and You are the only One who can save me.  Help me dear Lord to see this simple truth.  Then, help me to submit to You in and through all things.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy so that I live trusting You above all things.  Guide me to know that in You there is hope upon hope.

Thank You my Lord and Savior that You have come to lead the way through this age of wicked rebellion.  I have the infection and the disease has ravaged me.  Help me and lift me up so that I have Your saltiness and become refined according to the Father’s will.  Lead me in all righteousness for Your name’s sake as I grow in Your likeness day by day.  Be the One who leads me in living this life You have given me.  Amen.

“If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:47-48).

We think we see clearly.  We do not.  Would it not be better to see clearly in one eye than to see dimly with both eyes.  We may work hard to get ahead in this world, but would it not be better to be maimed so that we live spending time with the Lord, seeking His will, and studying the word He has given us?  We cling to what we know, but we have been offered to know by faith the One who we do not know.

Lord, You are not telling us to maim ourselves, but to live wholly for You.  Lead me so that I live according to Your word and not according to the things of this fallen world.  I cling to what I know, but what do I know?  Help me to live for what is right and true.  Grant me sight to see and a willingness to walk with You no matter what it may cost me in this life.  Help me to live not trying to save my skin, but seeking the life which You offer.

Lord Jesus, You gave up Your body as the ultimate and final sacrifice so that all who believe could enter the journey of becoming like You.  Help me, for I need more help than I can imagine.  Take me out of my skin so that I am willing to give up everything I know for Your sake and the sake of Your kingdom.  Guide me Lord in the way You know I need to go and help me each step of the way.  Amen.

“If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame, than, having your two feet, to be cast into hell, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:45-46).

We live in a time where outward things are considered to be of ultimate importance.  The ultimate importance is living in peace with the One who made you.  Knowing that this life is limited and short, why do you cling to what is temporary when what is eternal has been offered to you?  Enter into the struggle to become what He will make of you.  Walk willingly with the Lord who is creating in you to be like Jesus.

Lord, I do not see clearly nor do I understand what all of this means.  I have heard and believe that You have spoken the words of eternal life.  Guide me so that I do not stop with the things of this world but press on toward the prize.  Help me to walk by faith even though I do not yet see what my heart longs for.  Guide me to live according to Your word no matter what the cost to this temporary body You have given me.

Lord Jesus, at first these words seem so harsh, but they make sense.  You have come to complete me in You.  I do not even know what this means, but I do know that I have my part.  Help me to be rid of whatever it is that would get in the way of my trusting in You above all things.  Teach me how to be faithful and to be willing to pay whatever the cost to complete the journey You have placed before me.  Amen.

“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea.  If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire, (where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched)” (Mark 9:42-43).

There seems to be much stumbling going on in our world.  The simple truth is that Jesus has opened the way for all who believe to come into life as it is meant to be lived.  He is the way, truth, and life and all must come through Him into eternal rest.  Any other way proposed is a stumbling block.  Do not hinder any who might see the light shining in the darkness.  Be an encouragement to all.

Lord, I have caused others to stumble through my careless words and thoughtless actions, but I know that You have called me to humbly submit to You knowing that You will work all things together for good for those who love You.  Help me to not be a stumbling block, but a faithful follower of the way You have established.  Lead me to live the life You have given me knowing that in You is all hope.

Lord Jesus, You are teaching us to live intentionally, being careful with all that we say and do.  Guide me in the way You know I need to go.  Help me to neither stumble, nor cause others to stumble.  No matter what it costs me in this world, keep me close to You through all that comes.  Guide me in the upward call You have given me so that I may be faithful by Your grace.  Amen.

“For he who is not against us is for us.  For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward” (Mark 9:40-41).

In this world, there are many who are against the truth of the Lord God Almighty.  Living in the wishful thinking that things can be the way they want them to be, they live according to what they want.  Such things are an illusion.  Do not be driven by what you think, but by reality.  Those who are not against the Lord will end up with and for Him.  It may not be in a way You understand, but trust the One who understands all things.

Lord, I do things the way I do them.  Others who do things differently are foreign to me.  Foreign itself is not evil or wrong, so help me to understand that different is different and that is all it is.  I am not the judge, You are.  Grant that I would learn this lesson of humility so that I do things according to Your will and not my own.  Guide me in Your goodness to do what is right in the Father’s sight.

Lord Jesus, You are the One who knits together Your body, the church.  Help me to humbly do my part and not take into my hands control of how things are done.  You are the Savior of us all.  Only in You do we have salvation.  You are the One with all power and authority.  Help me look to You for all things, including the mercy and grace I need to give to others.  May I look to You first always Lord Jesus.  Amen.

“John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us.”  But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him, for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me” (Mark 9:38-39).

The more subtle form of control is to exercise conformity and exclusivity.  It is true that only through Christ are we saved, but that business belongs to Christ alone.  The earthly church has long practiced segregation.  Jesus reminds us that in the use of His name there is great power.  No one can use His name and not be affected by the One who has that name.  Trust that our Lord is always at work.

Lord, there are those who do things differently than I do.  All people are in Your hands.  Teach me to be faithful with what You give me to do.  Guide me so that I live according to Your word and not according to my idea of Your word.  You know those who are in the field.  Help me focus upon what You give me to do and lead me by the power of Your Holy Spirit to be faithful in all things.

Thank You Lord for calling me into Your kingdom.  There may well be those who have talked to You about me.  With humility, help me to encourage all who use Your name rightly and not castigate them because they do not do things the way I would them.  You are the One who must lead.  Lead me Lord so that I learn from You what it means to be faithful.  Guide me in Your goodness to do what is pleasing in the Father’s sight.  Amen.

“Taking a child, He set him before them, and taking him in His arms, He said to them, “Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me” (Mark 9:36-37).

Humility and true equanimity are a part of the attitude of Jesus.  All people are precious in the sight of the Lord.  They should be precious in our sight also.  All people are different, so we should see each as an individual.  In becoming like Christ, we are not to become wrapped up in the insanity of the world which divides and determines people by sinful standards.  Receive all with the same love with which you have been received.

Lord, this world has always been filled with hate and segregates people, classifying them, while there are those who seek to dominate.  It is not so with Your kingdom. Help me to see through the evil smoke of this age in order that I may humbly receive all as You would receive them.  Guide me into the faith You have given me that I may live according to Your precepts and principles.

Lord Jesus, with a simple illustration You have shown us the truth.  Small children, the old and feeble, and those with special needs are all people who are precious in Your sight.  Teach me to have compassion upon all whom I meet.  Help me to receive them as You receive me.  Guide me out of this world’s thinking and into the truth of eternity.  Guide me so that I live what You are teaching me about receiving others.  Amen.

“Sitting down, He called the twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:35).

Does it really matter where we are in God’s kingdom?  We are whom the Lord is making us to be.  It is like arguing with the potter when you are a lump of clay.  Position does not matter, for we all are positioned to be with the Lord.  What more could you want?  Be guided then by what the Creator is doing and not by the insanity of this self-seeking world that wants position and status.

Lord, Help me to understand that You alone are the Lord of my life.  You have wonderfully created each one of us.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to see through the lies of this age in order that I may realize that Your purpose is already unfolding in me.  Great or small does not matter, for You have great purpose for all whom You have made.  Lead me into the life for which I have been created.

Lord Jesus, I want to be with You in Your kingdom.  Place me where You will and by the power of Your Holy Spirit, lead me to not worry as the world does about where I am placed.  Lead me to live in the righteousness You give and seek You above all things.  Guide my heart and soul to seek first Your kingdom knowing that all that is needed will be added.  Thank You Lord for the invitation You have given me.  Help me to belong to You.  Amen.