October 18 - Mark 4-6
We can't overestimate the importance of faith in our relationship with Jesus. It is a vital component, and we see that in this passage several times. I have mentioned this before in other passages, but let's think about it again today. What is faith? It is trust. Yes, it is based on some belief, too, but the main aspect of faith is trusting someone or something. A person can trust himself, but most of the time, it means trusting someone besides ourselves. Therefore, anyone can trust. The importance of trust is the object of our trust, not the act of trusting itself. When a person comes to trust Jesus once and for all, it changes his or her life forever. To trust Jesus is to realize He is the Savior and the Lord of all, so that you yield your life to Him completely. This is biblical trust.
In chapter 4 the parable of the Sower shows us that the Word of God plus a trusting heart bears fruit. If the trust is hindered by trials or the cares of this world, there is no fruit. Jesus also explains His use of parables. People could hear a parable and understand some, but not all of the truths it taught. The key was the trust. Once they trusted, they could see the bigger picture. Therefore, parables would stick in their minds until they came to trust Jesus. The chapter closes out with Jesus asking His disciples why they had no faith as the boat was sinking. The answer was that they had not come to fully trust Jesus in all situations. They were growing in their trust. We all need to have that initial faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior, but we need to grow in our trust for Him, too.
In chapter 5 there are three stories of people who saw Jesus work, because they trusted Him. Jesus cast out all of the demons, and Legion trusted Him enough to become an evangelist. Jairus trusted Jesus to heal his dying daughter. The lady with the bleeding trusted that Jesus could and would heal her, if she would only touch His clothes. He told her, "your faith has made you whole." (v.34) Faith was the key to each of these miracles. Not the amount of faith, but the presence of faith. Remember the parable of the mustard seed. Faith starts off small, but it has the power to become a great tree.
In chapter 6 Jesus is not able to do great miracles in His hometown, because the people did not trust Him to be the Savior and Lord of the universe. They thought He was just another man. This is a problem for many people. They can't bring themselves to trust Jesus. However, it is a possibility for anyone, because anyone can exhibit trust. People who can't bring themselves to trust Jesus put their trust in other things and other people all the time. The rest of chapter 6 shows how Jesus was working to increase the faith of His disciples by feeding 5,000 plus people and by walking on the water. They were still having some trouble, because there was still some hardness in their hearts. What about you? Is your heart still hard? Do you find that in some situations, you just can't trust Jesus yet? If so, find out why. Look deep into your own heart, and see if it is a trial or a care of this world. Ask yourself why you trust something else more than Jesus in that area of your life. Let go of what you are trusting, and put your trust in Jesus in that area, too, until you have surrendered every area of your life to Him in trust.
Tomorrow, I intend to read mark 7-9.
In chapter 4 the parable of the Sower shows us that the Word of God plus a trusting heart bears fruit. If the trust is hindered by trials or the cares of this world, there is no fruit. Jesus also explains His use of parables. People could hear a parable and understand some, but not all of the truths it taught. The key was the trust. Once they trusted, they could see the bigger picture. Therefore, parables would stick in their minds until they came to trust Jesus. The chapter closes out with Jesus asking His disciples why they had no faith as the boat was sinking. The answer was that they had not come to fully trust Jesus in all situations. They were growing in their trust. We all need to have that initial faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior, but we need to grow in our trust for Him, too.
In chapter 5 there are three stories of people who saw Jesus work, because they trusted Him. Jesus cast out all of the demons, and Legion trusted Him enough to become an evangelist. Jairus trusted Jesus to heal his dying daughter. The lady with the bleeding trusted that Jesus could and would heal her, if she would only touch His clothes. He told her, "your faith has made you whole." (v.34) Faith was the key to each of these miracles. Not the amount of faith, but the presence of faith. Remember the parable of the mustard seed. Faith starts off small, but it has the power to become a great tree.
In chapter 6 Jesus is not able to do great miracles in His hometown, because the people did not trust Him to be the Savior and Lord of the universe. They thought He was just another man. This is a problem for many people. They can't bring themselves to trust Jesus. However, it is a possibility for anyone, because anyone can exhibit trust. People who can't bring themselves to trust Jesus put their trust in other things and other people all the time. The rest of chapter 6 shows how Jesus was working to increase the faith of His disciples by feeding 5,000 plus people and by walking on the water. They were still having some trouble, because there was still some hardness in their hearts. What about you? Is your heart still hard? Do you find that in some situations, you just can't trust Jesus yet? If so, find out why. Look deep into your own heart, and see if it is a trial or a care of this world. Ask yourself why you trust something else more than Jesus in that area of your life. Let go of what you are trusting, and put your trust in Jesus in that area, too, until you have surrendered every area of your life to Him in trust.
Tomorrow, I intend to read mark 7-9.