PRAY FOR IT BELIEVE IT AND RECEIVE IT

PROCLAMATION

“ ‘Have faith in God,’ Jesus answered.  ‘Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.  Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it, and it will be yours.’ ”  Mark 11:22-24 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

These words are from the gospel, the good news regarding Jesus, The Christ, which were spoken by Christ according to Mark, a companion Simon Peter.  As Jesus and His disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives.  Jesus sent two of His disciples into town to get Him a colt that had never been ridden. (Mark 11:1-3)  When they returned with the colt, they threw their cloaks over it and Jesus sat on it.  Some of them spread their cloaks on the ground in front of Jesus while other spread palm branches in front of Him as He rode into town.  Some went ahead of Him and shouted, “Hosanna!” (Mark 11:4-10)  When He reached Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out those who were buying and selling.  He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.  He said, “Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer?  But ye have made it a den of thieves.” (Mark 11:15-17)  The next morning, as they saw the withered fig tree which He had cursed on the day before, Jesus said to His disciples, “What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” (Mark 11:20-24)

APPLICATION
Jesus, The Christ, cursed a fig tree which did not produce any fruit (Mark 11:13-14) and it withered and died. (Mark 11:20-21)  If we are not going to produce any fruit for The Lord God, then what good are we to Him?  We are known by the fruit which we produce. (Matthew 7:20)  We should have faith in God.  This is not so that He would grant us our selfish desires, but that His will might be done in our lives.  If we pray for something, and believe that we will receive it, then we shall receive it; that is, if it brings glory to God.  For whatever we do, we should do it all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)

DON'T LOVE MONEY MORE THAN GOD

PROCLAMATION

“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”  Mark 10:25 (NIV)

EXPLANATION
These words are from the gospel, the good news regarding Jesus, The Christ, which were spoken by Christ according to Mark, a companion Simon Peter.  Jesus and His disciples left the villages around Caesarea Philippi and went to Judea and across the Jordan river.  Again crowds followed Him, and He taught them. (Mark 10:1)  There were Pharisees in the crowd, and they questioned Him about divorce.  Jesus replied that Moses permitted it but that was not how The Lord God intended it from the beginning. (Mark 10:2-12)  As He was leaving, a young rich man ran up to Him and fell on his knees and asked Him what he had to do to inherit eternal life.  Jesus asked him if he knew the commandments and he said that he had kept the commandments since he was a boy.  Jesus then told him to go and sell everything that he had, give the money to the poor, and then follow Him.  The young man left saddened because he was very wealthy. (Mark 10:20-22)  Then Jesus said to His disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God.” … “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:23-26)

APPLICATION
Having a lot of money or great wealth does not prevent one from entering the kingdom of God.  The problem is that most of the rich and wealthy people tend to rely on their possessions instead of relying on The Lord God.  Their faith is in their money, not in God.  Without faith in God it is impossible to please Him. (Hebrews 11:6)  No man can serve two masters. (Matthew 6:24 and Luke 16:13)  We must believe and trust in The Lord God. (Jeremiah 17:7)

DO NOT CAUSE OTHERS TO STUMBLE

PROCLAMATION

“If anyone causes one of these little ones, those who believe in Me, to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.”  Mark 9:42 (NIV)

EXPLANATION
These words are from the gospel, the good news regarding Jesus, The Christ, which were spoken by Christ according to Mark, a companion Simon Peter.  While Jesus was still in the villages around Caesarea Philippi, He took Peter, James, and John with Him and led them up a high mountain.  There He was transfigured before them, and Elijah and Moses appeared before them and began talking with Jesus. (Mark 9:2-8)  When they came back to the village and joined the other disciples, there was a large crowd around them.  A man in the crowd said that he had brought his demon possessed son to His disciples, but they could not heal him.  Then he told Jesus, “If you can …help us.” (Mark 9:17-22)  Jesus responded, “All things are possible to him that believeth.”  He rebuked the impure spirit and commanded him to come out of the boy, and immediately he was healed. (Mark 9:23-27)  Then Jesus and His disciples left there and went to Capernaum.  There was a man there who was driving out demons in the name of Jesus and His disciples told him to stop because he was not one of them.  Jesus told them, “Do not stop him, … For he that is not against us is on our part.” (Mark 9:38-40)  Then Jesus told them that anyone who gives them a drink of water because they belong to Christ will be rewarded.  He also said that anyone who causes one that believes in Him to stumble and sin would be punished.  It would be better for that person to have a large millstone hung around their neck and be thrown into the sea. (Mark 9:41-42)

APPLICATION

We should be very careful regarding how we act around people, especially believers.  We should also be careful about the activities that we encourage them to participate in.  We should not actively persuade them to sin, and we should not let them see us sin, or doing something that may be perceived as sinful, (1 Thessalonians 5:22) for they may imitate our behavior and sin.  Woe be onto anyone that causes a believer to stumble and fall into sin for they will receive a severe punishment. (Matthew 18:6, Mark 9:41-42, and Luke 17:1-2)  We should be holy because He who called us out of darkness into His light is holy. (1 Peter 1:15 and 2:9)  We should behave in such a way that people see Christ in us. (Matthew 5:16)

DO NOT LOSE YOUR SOUL SEEKING WORLDLY THINGS

PROCLAMATION

“What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?  Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?”  Mark 8:36-37 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

These words are from the gospel, the good news regarding Jesus, The Christ, which were spoken by Christ according to Mark, a companion Simon Peter.  After He left Gennesaret with His disciples, Jesus went to an area in the vicinity of Tyre.  While He was there, a woman approached Him and fell at His feet saying that her daughter was possessed by a demon.  The woman was Greek, and Jesus responded to her that it was not right to take food from the children of God and toss it to the dogs. (Mark 7:24-27)  She responded to Him, Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.  Jesus liked her reply and immediately healed her daughter. (Mark 7:28-30)  Then Jesus left Tyre and went to Decapolis where some people brought a deaf man who could barely talk to Him and He healed him. (Mark 7:31-37)  Again large crowds followed Him, and He had compassion on them because they had not eaten.  In a remote area, He fed four thousand men and their families with seven barley loaves of bread and several small fish. (Mark 8:1-9)  Jesus left there and went to Dalmanutha, then crossed the lake and went to Bethsaida where He healed a blind man. (Mark 8:10-26)  From there He went to the villages around Caesarea Philippi where He again predicted His own death. (Mark 8:27-33)  Then He addressed the crowd and told them to deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Him.  Then He asked the crowd, “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?”  If you deny Him before man, He will deny you before God in heaven. (Mark 8:38)

APPLICATION

Nothing on earth is worth selling your soul to obtain it.  Nothing is worth spending eternity in hell.  Only foolish people will purchase worldly pleasures with the loss of eternal life.  All of the riches in the world are not a sufficient ransom for one’s soul.  Don’t be shortsighted and sell your soul to the devil in exchange for anything. 

IT IS WHAT WE SPEAK NOT WHAT WE EAT THAT DEFILES US

PROCLAMATION

“… ‘Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them?  For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and out of the body.’  In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.  He went on: ‘What comes out of a person is what defiles them.  For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come …  and defile a person.’ ”  Mark 7:18-23 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

These words are from the gospel, the good news regarding Jesus, The Christ, according to Mark, a companion Simon Peter.  After Jesus walked on the water of the lake to the boat and they landed at Gennesaret, the people gathered around Him and brought their sick to be healed. (Mark 6:53-56)  There were scribes and Pharisees in the crowd who had come from Jerusalem.  They saw the disciples eating without first washing their hands.  The Pharisees and all Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a “ceremonial washing”, a tradition of their elders.  The washing was not done for cleanliness.  So, the Pharisees questioned Jesus about His disciples eating food with defiled hands. (Mark 7:1-5)  Jesus reprimanded them saying that they honor tradition rather than keeping the commands of God. (Mark 7:6-13)  Then He said to the crowd that nothing they eat defiles them, what defiles them is that which they speak. (Mark 7:14-23)  

APPLICATION

This lesson was also recorded in the gospel according to Matthew. (Matthew 15:10-20)  The point which Jesus, The Christ, made here was that what we eat does not defile us, but what we speak can defile us.  The words which we speak reflect the issues of our heart and mind.  A pure heart produces clean thoughts and good words.  A wicked heart produces unclean thoughts and evil words and actions.  So, when we pray, we should ask The Lord God to cleanse our heart and mind. (Psalm 51:10)  For as a man thinks, so is he. (Proverbs 23:7)

PROCLAMATION

“For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and out of the body.’  In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.  He went on: ‘What comes out of a person is what defiles them.  For it is from within, out of a person’s heart …’”  Mark 7:18-21 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

APPLICATION

TO TOUCH OR TO BE TOUCHED BY CHRIST

TO TOUCH OR TO BE TOUCHED BY CHRIST

PROCLAMATION

“And wherever He went, into villages, towns, or countryside, they placed the sick in the marketplaces.  They begged Him to let them touch even the edge of His cloak, and all who touched it were healed.”  Mark 6:56 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

These words are from the gospel, the good news regarding Jesus, The Christ, according to Mark, a companion Simon Peter.  Jesus and His disciples left Jairus’ house and went to His hometown.  When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue and all who heard Him were amazed.  They felt that they knew Him and could not understand how He became so wise, or how He was able to perform miracles.  They were offended by Him. (Mark 6:1-3)  That was when Jesus said, “A prophet is not without honor, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.” (Mark 6:4)  Then He went from village to village teaching and preaching. (Mark 6:6)  He called His disciples together and sent them out among the people, two by two, to teach and preach, to heal the sick, and to cast out demons. (Mark 6:7-13)  After John the baptizer was beheaded by Herod, (Mark 6:14-29) Jesus gathered His disciples together and crossed the lake by boat, but the crowd followed Him wherever He went, even to a remote countryside. (Mark 6:30-35)  This is where Jesus fed the five thousand men plus their wives and children with the two fish and five barley loaves of bread. (Mark 6:36-44)  After He sent the crowd away and told His disciples to cross the lake and go to Bethsaida ahead of Him, He went up on a mountainside to pray.  Later on that night, He joined them on the boat by walking on the water out to the middle of the lake. (Mark 6:45-52)  When they landed at Gennesaret, the people recognized Jesus and brought their sick to Him.  Wherever He went they brought the sick to Him.  They asked Him to touch them and heal them, or just let them touch the hem of His garment and be healed. Mark 6:53-56)

APPLICATION

Jesus, The Christ, was a healer and He healed all manner of illnesses, diseases, and disorders.  He healed whoever He touched, or whoever touched Him or His garments.  To touch or be touched by Christ changed a person.  Even today, Christ can change a person and heal a lost sin-sick soul.  Miracles can still be performed today in the lives of believers.  All healing, be it physical, psychological, or spiritual, is by the power of God.  To God be the glory!!!

THY FAITH HATH MADE THEE WHOLE

PROCLAMATION

“And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years.  … When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind Him in the crowd and touched His cloak, because she thought, ‘If I just touch His clothes, I will be healed.’  Immediately her bleeding stopped … At once Jesus … asked … ‘Who touched Me?’ … Then the woman came and fell at His feet … He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you.  Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.’ ”  Mark 5:25-34 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

These words are from the gospel, the good news regarding Jesus, The Christ, according to Mark, a companion Simon Peter.  After He had calmed the storm on the lake, (Mark 4:39) Jesus and His disciples went across the lake, the Sea of Galilee, to the region of Gerasenes.  When they got out of the boat, a strong man who was possessed by an impure spirit came from the tombs and fell on his knees in front of Jesus and He healed him. (Mark 5:1-20)  Then Jesus again crossed over the lake by boat and again a large crowd gathered around Him.  One person from the crowd Jairus, one of the synagogue leaders, came and fell at His feet and asked Him to come and heal his sick daughter who was dying.  Jesus went with him and a large crowd followed Him. (Mark 5:21-24)  As He was going to Jairus’ house, the woman with an issue of blood touched the hem of His garment and was healed.

APPLICATION

Miracles, including healing, still happen today for those who believe and have faith.  If we had mustard seed size faith, we could move mountains. (Matthew 17:20 and Luke 17:6)  However, it is unfortunate that today many individuals who claim to have the spiritual gift of healing are just deceiving the people.  Modern medicine provides benefits to a large number of people.  But doctors do not actually heal their patients, they treat them.  Healing is a divine process which we try to facilitate.  All healing, physical, psychological, and spiritual, comes from above.

THY FAITH HATH MADE THEE WHOLE

PROCLAMATION

EXPLANATION

APPLICATION