Knowing Jesus
A series of brief daily devotionals from the Gospel according to Mark to help you know - and love - Jesus more.
Beginning
This is your invitation to truly know Jesus. As you meet Him in the Gospel according to Mark, you will never be the same.Prepared
To really know Jesus, you need to know that He’s not just some guy: God spent centuries preparing us for His coming.Son
Mark begins Jesus’ story with His baptism, an event where God’s presence was so overwhelming it was like heaven itself was torn open.Immediately
In telling Jesus’ story, Mark frequently points out how “immediately” things happened. Jesus had a lot of urgency in fulfilling His life’s mission.Follow
Mark’s gospel account isn’t just about what Jesus did: it’s about how real people responded. What about you: will you follow Jesus?Amazed
The things Jesus said and did left everyone around Him amazed. When we hear and do what He says, amazing change happens in our lives, too.Lifted
Following Jesus means bringing Him into the lives of those we care about the most: He lifts them up when we do.Early
With so much demanding His attention, how did Jesus start each day? If we are following Him, we also should begin with prayer.Pity
Jesus has pity on our pain and isolation, bringing healing by purposefully touching the untouchable.Openly
Jesus is often recorded in Mark’s gospel commanding people not to tell about the wonderful things He had done for them. Why not?Forgiving
Jesus gladly receives us and meets our greatest need - though it might not be what we expect. His first priority is forgiving our sins.Perceptive
Jesus doesn’t just know what’s in our hearts: God has given Him the authority to change our lives.Passing
Even when others don’t (or won’t), Jesus sees you - and He is always looking for another follower.Physician
Sin is a sickness, and Jesus isn’t afraid to come close and heal us. If we’re really following Him, we shouldn’t be afraid to, either.Fresh
There’s nothing else like Jesus: trying just to add a little of Him will only make a mess. He is so fresh and new, our lives must be completely transformed by His presence.Rest
Jesus knows the Scriptures. He knows what God wants for us, and as the Lord of Rest, He offers it.Angry
Hard hearts made Jesus angry. Yet unlike our destructive tendencies, Jesus directs His anger to helping those in need.Pressed
Jesus recognized when He was about to be pressed and prepared accordingly. Learning from Him will keep us from being crushed, too.Call
We can learn a lot about how Jesus leads - and how best to lead others - from what He called His apostles to do.Home
Even when life at home became chaotic, Jesus knew what really mattered. We belong with Him.Listen
Jesus teaches in a surprising way: He wants to see if you’re really listening.Secret
Jesus made a lot of what He taught difficult to understand…on purpose. Why?Fruitful
As Jesus explains the meaning of one of His best known parables, He reveals the secret to living a fruitful life - and the key to understanding His other parables.Light
While it takes some effort to understand Jesus’ teachings, we are blessed by the effort to bring their meanings to light.Seed
Ever wonder if your efforts matter? It might not be immediately obvious, but big things happen when God’s word is involved.Faith
No matter what storm you are in, Jesus can bring peace and calm to it when you really know and trust Him.Torment
Confronted with a hopeless mess of a man, Jesus engaged and helped when no one else could.Depart
Jesus dramatically changes things for the better, but not everyone is willing to pay the price.Touched
No matter who you are or what problems you are facing, a touch from Jesus is what you need to be made well.Weeping
No matter how sad or painful your situation, Jesus can still make a difference. Bring Him into it, and see how He changes weeping to joy.Offensive
When you already think you know Jesus, what He actually says can seem pretty offensive. If we're going to be healed, we need to listen to Him.Send
When Jesus gives you a job, He provides exactly what you need to do it and sends you out with a buddy. He’s that kind of leader.Known
There's a reason Jesus didn't want to be made known: people act in some pretty messed up ways.Leisure
Jesus invites you to take some time off with Him.Full
Looking out with compassion and looking up to God, Jesus provides what we need to be full.Leave
While others struggle to make any headway, Jesus recharges with prayer and then helps us all.Unwashed
Once a good thing we do comes between us and Jesus, it is no longer good.Tradition
If we're not careful, the things we want to do for God can actually go against His word. We need Jesus to sort it out.Clean
If we want to be clean in God's sight, our hearts are what have to change.Crumbs
When it is Jesus, even the leftover crumbs are more than enough.Well
The more we get to know Jesus, the more we see He does all things well.Again
Jesus shows compassion over and over…and somehow it still surprises us.Sign
The evidence is all there: the only thing determining whether we will know Jesus or not is the state of our heart.Beware
Even as followers of Jesus, we can be hard-hearted, needing our eyes and ears healed as much as any one.See
Sometimes Jesus has to touch us more than once before we can fully see.Christ
There are lots of thoughts about who Jesus is, but only one is true: He is the Christ.Plainly
Once you understand Jesus is the Christ, what He came to do starts to become more plain - though not without struggle.Cross
The cross was a symbol of oppression and brutality. So why does Jesus tell us to take up ours and follow Him?Transfigured
When you see Jesus in all His glory, you realize: He alone is who we need to hear.Questions
Even after we know who Jesus is, we will still have lots of questions.Bear
When our mountaintop moments are inevitably followed by valleys, Jesus shows us how to bear it.Possible
We all have doubts and limitations. When we bring them to Jesus, all things are possible.Greatest
Don’t miss the point: greatness in God’s kingdom comes from serving like Jesus.Against
Typically, our differences divide us. That should change when the name of Jesus is involved.Salt
Some of what Jesus says is really intense. Instead of trying to soften it, we need to focus on keeping it.Hard
Jesus had a way of responding to hard questions that cut right to the heart of the matter.Matters
Jesus wasn’t interested in religious debates: He cared about real people’s lives.Children
Jesus loves the little children: don’t you dare come between them.Good
Do you really think Jesus is good? The truth shows in how we respond to the difficult things He asks of us.Left
Whatever you may have to leave for Jesus, He is absolutely worth it.Going
Following Jesus is anything but boring. It may well leave you amazed and afraid.Able
No matter how able we think we are, there’s no way to follow Jesus without submission and sacrifice.Serve
Following Jesus is completely different than the way the world usually works: greatness comes from serving.Stopped
Jesus stops when we cry and shows mercy. Yet, once He does, will we follow Him?Triumphant
No matter how small it may seem, big things happen whenever we trust and follow Jesus.Cleanse
When Jesus comes, He cleans house.Move
Mountains move when we have faith in God - even those as big as wrongs needing forgiven.Authority
Jesus has the only authority that matters. Are you ready to listen?Rejected
Jesus teaches some painful truths. Will we respect or reject Him?Trap
A lot of things in life become traps. Jesus focused us on what really matters.Power
When we don’t know the Scriptures or God’s power, it leaves us dead wrong.Important
Jesus makes it simple. Love God. Love others.Right
Listen to Jesus: He’s right.Experts
Hearing Jesus is worth more than all the experts in the world.All
What are we bringing to God? Is it just what we have leftover, or is it something more?Signs
In a private moment in Jerusalem, Jesus taught His disciples how to read the signs of the times. What He said can build our faith and prepare us for difficult days ahead.Tribulation
Jesus foretold a time of great tribulation. Do you know what He meant?Coming
No matter how you interpret His prophecies, one thing is certain: Jesus is coming back.Words
If Jesus said it, you can be sure it is true.Awake
All of Jesus’ prophecies had one main takeaway: stay awake.Uproar
A plot was forming to end Jesus’ life, though secretly to avoid an uproar. They had no idea.Beautiful
Jesus wants you to remember this beautiful story of love shown to Him by a humble woman.Betrayed
Even while celebrating their people’s most important holiday with His closest followers, Jesus knew He was about to be betrayed.Covenant
With a simple loaf of bread and cup, Jesus gave His followers a powerful reminder of the covenant He was making with them.Sorrowful
Jesus knew what was coming, and it hurt. So, what did He do? He went off with His disciples and prayed.Seized
Everything about how they seized Jesus was wrong. Yet, God was working out something greater.Silent
Even as they stood there and lied about Him, Jesus didn’t say a word.Condemned
The Council’s case against Jesus was falling apart. Then Jesus spoke.Denied
You might think you know and love Jesus, but what happens once the pressure is on?Accused
Who is Jesus? No matter what you’ve heard others say, the truth is more amazing.Delivered
Presented with the choice, we chose rebellion and the crucifixion of God’s Son.Mocked
The suffering Jesus endured wasn’t just physical: the mockery was just as brutal.Crucified
Crucifixion was no place for a king, yet there Jesus was.Reviled
Those seeing Jesus on the cross assumed He had it coming…but He didn’t. We did.Dead
Jesus, the Son of God, died on the cross for our sins.Buried
Jesus hung dead on a cross with only a courageous few who knew and loved Him to care for His body.Stone
As the women came to Jesus’ tomb to anoint His body, they went without knowing who would move the stone. God was way ahead of them.Risen
Jesus is risen from the dead. That changes everything.Appeared
So, why does your Bible have a note saying the end of Mark is missing from some of our earliest copies? Don’t worry: you can be sure that Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to many.Go
If you know and love Jesus, then it is time to get going. Our KNOWING JESUS daily devotional series ends here.
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