We see the grace of the father’s pursuit in the Parable of the Prodigal Son. The son had asked the father for his inheritance early, while the father was still living. In essence, this request insinuated that the son wished the father were dead. Then, to make matters worse, the son spent the money on …
Recognizing our need is often a turning point in our lives. An addiction or a false perception of ourselves, among other things, can be harmful to both us and others. The Pharisees and religious leaders did not realize their need for a Savior. As they gathered around Jesus, He reached out to them with the …
The emptiness of sinful living is often masked by the lives we project, but inside, we know who we truly are. Jeremiah 17:9The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? [1] As the teachers of the religious law and the Pharisees gathered around …
The parable of the Prodigal Son illustrates a costly independence, showing how the son’s selfish choices affected him and his family. How often in our lives do we make selfish decisions without considering the consequences? For all of us, spiritual immaturity often lies at the root of wanting independence or pursuing things we are not …
Jesus gained victory through prayer when He rebuked the evil spirit that controlled a young boy. The disciples had tried to exorcise the spirit earlier but failed. Later, when they were in private, the disciples wanted Jesus to explain what had happened. Mark 9: 28 Afterward, when Jesus was alone in the house with his disciples, …
Jesus prevails over the demonic spirit in a boy. The father had brought the boy to the disciples for deliverance, but they had failed. Then Jesus appeared and told the man, who was struggling with unbelief, that anything is possible if a person believes. Next, Jesus demonstrated His authority over the demonic realm. Mark 9: …
At some level, the father of a demon-possessed boy understood that it takes faith to deal with the spiritual forces. Mark 9: 23 “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” 24 The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” [1] He had …
The shift from “if you can” to “all things are possible” is the narrative in Mark 9:21–23, a raw, deeply human story. A father stands before Jesus, worn down by years of watching his son suffer. His words are not polished theology. They are a mixture of hope and hesitation. Mark 9:22Have mercy on us …
The demonic recognizes Jesus before the religious leaders do. This is puzzling yet revealing. This happens early in Jesus’ ministry. Mark 1: 23 Suddenly, a man in the synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, 24 “Why are you interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who …
The enemy of wholeness in Jesus is satan and his minions, who work tirelessly every day to prevent God’s plans from unfolding in our lives. After the transfiguration, Jesus, Peter, James, and John descended the mountain and met with a spiritual battle. They found the rest of the disciples surrounded by a crowd and arguing …