“To the Other Side”

One of the most vivid stories in the histories of Jesus is when he and his disciples find their boat tossed to and fro upon the stormy waters Galilee’s sea. Consider their experience as recorded by Mark in the history that bears his name: On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, READ MORE

Life in the Lowlands

Mountain-top experiences may be exhilarating, but most of life is lived in the lowlands. Certainly that is made clear in the historical accounting of a father and his demonized son, and the various people that are connected with their drama. Read through Mark 9:14 and following for the details: And when they came to the READ MORE

When Your Adversary Roars

I was asked recently to share about the way spiritual warfare works in my own life. What a tough thing to tackle! Dare I be brutally honest, conveying the depths that I can go in my own struggle against the “cosmic powers over this present darkness” (Ephesians 6:12)? Generally speaking I shared along two lines. READ MORE

The Gentile Puppies

We have to remember that Mark wrote his gospel to quell the deep and understandable anxiety of the Christians being persecuted by Nero in the slums of Rome. This mostly Gentile audience had to know that following Jesus was worthwhile, even in the face of the atrocities with which they were dealing. They had to READ MORE

Desperate for a Touch of Hope?

Jesus life and ministry foils everything that we know. Where there is darkness he brings light. Where there is death he brings life. Where there is fear he brings peace. Where there is contempt he brings compassion. We could go on and on. Mark 5:21-43 vividly continue this theme (click on the link and read READ MORE

Unpardonable Sin

The writer Mark records the situation as follows: And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.” And he called them to him and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom READ MORE