Monday - The Gospel According To Mark
Welcome to daily prayer. We are beginning an 11 week journey through Mark’s account of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
We are going to follow Jesus together all the way from the wilderness to the cross and empty tomb. Mark’s Gospel is very fast paced but we are going to linger together. We want our hearts to burn within us as we travel along the way. As we begin our time together, let’s quiet our hearts and minds before the LORD.
Lord, we rejoice in the good news of Jesus. Prepare our hearts to see and our ears to hear. May the message of Christ dwell in us richly.
Lord, I set aside anything that would hinder me from drawing close to you.
He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
A Scripture Reading from Mark 1:1
“The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’”
John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.””
Mark 1:1-15 ESV
A Prayer of Adoration:
Lord, this passage reveals that the good news is about you. It’s all about you. You are the promised one. You are the Christ. In the fullness of time. At just the right time, you came for us. You are the answer. The coming king. The snake crusher. The one from David’s line. The deliverer. The one who would heal the nations and bring the Spirit. Lord, you are the Son of God.
A Prayer of Confession:
Lord, forgive me when I make life about anything else but you.
Renew me and uphold me.
A Prayer of Trust:
Lord Jesus, I believe that you are the Christ. You are the Son of God.
A Prayer of Intercession:
Lord, help us as we enter this journey together. We want the message of Christ to dwell in us richly. We don’t just want to have in mind our own concerns but we want to have in mind the things of God. Renew our minds Lord.
A Moment of Reflection:
Lord, is there anything I need to set aside in this season so that I can engage deeply with you?
As we listen to the verse again, lets listen for a word or phrase that the HS may want to say to us from todays’s verses.
And now Our Weekly Passage to Memorize and Consider:
Mark 1:14-15
Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe in the gospel.”
‘Lord, thank you for your Word”
Let’s pray the Lord’s Prayer together as we close:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread
Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil
For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever amen