Mark Chapter 9 - ACC NT Study

(Verses 17-18)
17 A man in the crowd answered, "Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech.
18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not."

(Verses 25-29)
25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit. "You deaf and mute spirit," he said, "I command you, come out of him and never enter him again."
26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, "He's dead."
27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.
28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"
29 He replied, "This kind can come out only by prayer."

I have to admit I have never felt I have the gift to do anything miraculous. However I do believe in the power of prayer. I believe anyone who prays from their heart on the behalf of others, in the name of Jesus Christ, performs a humble deed.

In a few words:
God does much with our humble prayers for others.

Mark Chapter 8 - ACC NT Study

(Verses 22-26)
22 They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.
23 He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?"
24 He looked up and said, "I see people; they look like trees walking around."
25 Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.
26 Jesus sent him home, saying, "Don't go into the village."


In the passage above the blind man could see after Jesus touched his eyes, but his vision was limited. He could see clearly after Jesus touched his eyes a second time.

In a few words:
Repeatedly return to Jesus for clearer vision.

Mark Chapter 7 - ACC NT Study

(Verses 34-37)
34 He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, "Ephphatha!" (which means, "Be opened!" ).
35 At this, the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.
36 Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it.
37 People were overwhelmed with amazement. "He has done everything well," they said. "He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."

In a few words:
When it comes to the Gospel, may our ears be opened and tongues be loosened!

Mark Chapter 6 - ACC NT Study

(Verses 7-13)
7 Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits.
8 These were his instructions: "Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts.
9 Wear sandals but not an extra tunic.
10 Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town.
11 And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them."
12 They went out and preached that people should repent.
13 They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

This passage is true and real, however it is also a good metaphor of Jesus sending us out to share the Gospel. He instructed the disciples to take along the basics. (The clothes they wore, staff and sandals.) I believe they were to trust in God for their needs to be provided otherwise.

It is the same for us. To share the Gospel we only need to take the basics. (Our story, our Bible and the Gospel message.) Otherwise we need only to trust in God, for the opportunity to share our faith, and the words to do so.

In a few words:
The Holy Spirit speaks through believers.

Mark Chapter 5 - ACC NT Study

(Verse 15)
When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind;

This passage reminds me of people I have known, who became followers of Christ. Please don't misunderstand, they were not "possessed by demons" or anything like the description in Mark Chapter 5.
They were however, individuals I thought would never even consider coming to church, let alone accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. And yet they have became great Christian examples for me to follow.

In a few words:
The power of the Gospel changes hearts.

Mark Chapter 4 - ACC NT Study

This passage speaks to me today:
(Verses 35-40)
35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side."
36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him.
37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"
39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
40 He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

Right now I have storms going on in my life. In reality they may be relatively small, however in my mind they seem quite large. And they seem to constantly remind me of potentially negative situations or negative results. Until I take them to Jesus, and ask Him calm my storms.

In a few words:
The worries of this life are quieted by the Savior.

Mark Chapter 3 - ACC NT Study

(Verses 4-5)
4Then Jesus asked them, "Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they remained silent.
5He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored.

In a few words:
May our hearts never be so stubborn that our Lord is angry and deeply distressed.