The Daily Dose

Is a little enough?

“Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.”   Mark 4:24

Is a little bit of God’s Word enough?  Is a little bit of God’s presence enough?  What about a little bit of the news or a little bit of social media?  I am speaking in context to what is going on in the world today.  My real question is, what are you feeding your spirit?

Let’s take a look at today’s key verse in context of our world’s current crisis.  Are we following this advice or rather command given in this verse?  Jesus says pay attention to what you are listening to and focusing on.  Are you focusing and giving all your attention to the current condition of the world and the fear that goes along with it?  He says to the same degree or amount of time you spend looking at the situation, that is the amount of resulting fear/concern you will have connected to the situation.  The opposite is also true.  The amount of time and focused energy you spend looking into God’s Word and thoughts on life in general, is the same amount of His peace, grace, and goodness you will be given and carry with you to share with others.

The main question is:  Is a little time with God enough?  Is giving just a little bit of attention to God enough to get you through this crisis?  At minimum, we should at least give God the same amount of time, thought, and attention as we give to the news, media, and general commentary of the world’s predicaments.  In reality, we should be shutting out the world’s fears and anxieties.  They don’t know where their help comes from, but we do and that is who we want to give our attention to.  I’m not saying we need to be uninformed, but I am saying we don’t need to be afraid.  Our God is bigger, our God is stronger, and our God is more than enough to get us through to victory.  However, if we don’t make our God the priority, He will become smaller in our life, and the way of the world and all of its fear will become bigger.

This is the time to shine our light.  These are dark days.  We knew they would come.  It is not a surprise to us.  Jesus told us the times are getting darker.  However, that means we have the opportunity to shine the light brighter.  There is hope in these dark circumstances and we need to be the ones speaking that hope.  Don’t speak the same words of the media or any of the lost world’s views, speak God’s Word and speak God’s wisdom.  There is hope and let’s be happy to share it.  God loves all people, and He sent His Son to die for all to prove it.  God’s love is where our peace, healing, and hope is, and His Word confirms it!

Today I want to encourage you to get more of God in your life.  Don’t settle for just a little.  Determine to spend more time looking at what God says about these days than what the world says.  Look up scriptures on hope, peace, healing, and God’s goodness.  God is not trying to be far away from us, He wants us to get closer to Him not further away.  Press into God!  Take heed and pay attention to what He is saying and turn down the voice of the world.  The bottom line is do you want more peace, or do you want more anxiety?  You have the choice, and it is in Who you are heeding the most.  What are you going to focus on?

Today’s scripture reading:  Mark 4:21-25

21 Also He said to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand? 

22 For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light. 

23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”

24 Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. 

25 For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”

Water with praise

The sower sows the word. Mark 4:14

This passage is the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds.  At the beginning of Mark 4, Jesus told a parable about a farmer that went out to plant his crop.  He said some of the seeds fell by the wayside.  Apparently while the farmer was going to where he intended to plant his crop, some of the seed fell along the way.  Some also fell on stony and rocky ground.  Then some fell in the thorns and thistles.  However, the only crop that produced fruit was the seed that was intentionally planted in well prepared ground.  It is also important to note that the seed planted in good ground did not yield at the same rate.  Some produced 30, some 60 and only some 100.  What made the difference?

In today’s reading, Jesus explains the teaching on sowing seed.  He starts by telling the disciples that the seed is the word.  He is talking about God’s word, but I want to take it a step further and say it is God’s word of purpose on an individual’s life.

This is something the Lord showed me recently when I was going through a rough season.  During that time, I felt unmotivated and uninspired to pursue the things God has called me to do.  I began to question why am I doing these things, and does it even matter or make a difference in anyone’s life?  The stress I was feeling from personal circumstances was pulling me down and taking over the desires of my heart.  I was still spending time with God and praying about the crisis, but I was not feeling any relief or peace about any part of my life.

When I read Jesus’ explanation of the parable, I was reminded about this struggle that I had just come out of. I remembered how He had shown me that the tribulations, persecutions, cares of the world, deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things are all distractions of the enemy designed to knock me off course.  These were working hard to get me there.  Then as I was driving one day a song came on and I began to praise and worship my Father for His ability and faithfulness to take care of the distracting situation and keep me on course with Him.  By the time the song was over, I was refreshed, I was renewed, and I was restored.  I felt the peace of God come over me and He once again established the desire of my heart to continue in the good plans He has called me to. It was like fresh water on the dry ground of my heart. That praise turned the dryness of my life into a flowing river of joy because of the things God was doing at that time.

Today I want to encourage you to watch over the seed of God’s word of purpose for your life.  Be attentive to nurture and care for the plans He has laid out for you.  Don’t let the cares and concerns of problems derail you from the path of righteousness that you have been called to.  Then remember to water the seed of those words regularly with praise and thanksgiving for Who He is and what He has done and is doing right now in your life.  Access the areas that you feel weak in and put some extra “water” of praise and worship in those places.  Soon you will see results jump from 30 – 100-fold because you did not let the distractions of life uproot you or choke your harvest before it was ready.

Today’s scripture reading: Mark 4:14-25

14 The sower sows the word. 

15 And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. 

16 These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 

17 and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble. 

18 Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, 

19 and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 

20 But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

21 Also He said to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand? 

22 For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light. 

23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”

24 Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. 

25 For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”

Soil analysis

“But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.” Mark 4:20

I love the stories Jesus told.  They were more than just stories though, they were parables.   Absolute truths in this world that line up with God’s Kingdom’s principles.  He gave pictures that were so wisely given they were not only relevant in the day He taught them in person, but they are timeless.  Throughout all time, they could be understood by any generation because the subjects He used were things that never change.

In Mark 4 He gives a parable about a sower/planter planting seed (a farmer).  We can understand seed today, because a seed has been the same since the beginning of time here on earth.  You plant it and it grows.  What’s interesting about this parable is in verse 13 of Mark 4, Jesus tells His disciples that if they can’t understand the meaning of the “Sower sows the word” parable, then they wouldn’t be able to understand any of His teachings by parable.  So, this is foundational insight into the kingdom of heaven way of living above your circumstances.

What I want to draw out of this teaching is the point that Jesus made throughout the entire teaching that the seed was the same (the Word of God) but the ground that seed was planted in made all the difference in how the seed would grow.  It was a perfect parallel of how a seed grows in the earth.  Wayside, stony, and thorny/weedy ground are not where an experienced farmer plants.  He plants in the ground that has been cultivated and well prepared to receive the seed.

I think this is Jesus’ point in the story that before we can plant the Word of God into other people effectively, we have to prepare the ground of their heart, first of all with prayer, then with God’s love and grace.  We live in a broken world with broken people who are desperately seeking love and hope. Sometimes people we meet are not lovely because of being beaten up so badly by the world.  Others may be beautiful and look like they have it all together, but underneath it all they have hard and cold hearts of stone that need softened with the love of God.   Allow the Holy Spirit to break up the hard, fallow ground in the hearts of those around you as you build a relationship of trust and integrity with them. Then when the ground of their heart is ready, you can plant the seed of God’s Word and it will grow up some thirty, some sixty and some a hundredfold.

Today I want to encourage you to start with your own heart.  If the seeds of God’s Word seem to bounce off or blow away right after you hear them, then take time to prepare and cultivate the ground of your own heart.  Break up that fallowness by basking in the love of God today.  Spend some time in praise and worship. Then when you are renewed in the spirit of the things God has for you, you can spend time reading, meditating, and planting God’s Word permanently in your heart.  It will generate life-giving energy that will give you a whole new outlook in your life!  Now you are ready to share it with other!

Today’s scripture reading: Mark 4:1-13

1 And again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. 

2 Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching:

3 “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 

4 And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it. 

5 Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. 

6 But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. 

7 And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. 

8 But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

9 And He said to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

10 But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. 

11 And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, 

12 so that ‘Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, And their sins be forgiven them.’ ”

13 And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 

Do His will

For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.” Mark 3:35

God wanted a family.  It was in His heart before He created the world and the universe.  He carefully planned it all out, and then He planned a path for each individual that belonged to Him.  He gave us all an ability, and with that a place to use that ability to bring others to Him.  He made it plain and clear that Jesus is the only way, but Jesus gives us some insight into how we can identify where we stand as a born again believer.

In today’s reading, Jesus’ natural family comes to see Him.  He was teaching in a crowd of people, so they could not get to Him, but they got the message to Him that they were outside seeking Him.  Then Jesus clearly spelled out who His mother, brothers and sisters were and are still today.  He said whoever does God’s will is My brother, sister and mother.

How is that working out for you?  Are you following the will of God?  Are you walking out the plans He created you for? Do you live your life by the principles He established at the beginning of time?  This is not where your salvation is found, but it is how you fit into His family.  His plan for your life will be the place where you are contributing to His kingdom, not just the world’s kingdom.  Sure, we contribute to the good of our society by being a working-class, law-abiding citizen, but that it not who we really are, we are God’s family and as His family, we are empowered to humbly overcome through His Word and through His Spirit.

 Today I want to encourage you to take a look at how you are blessed in your life and how that blessing is there for you to reach the world around you.  Don’t consume it all on your own lusts and desires and don’t be distracted by the cares and attractions that the world has.  Surrender it over to the Lord for the use of God’s kingdom’s progress.  Complete the mission He has for you today and for your life while you are here in this world.  In this way, you will live out the full number of your days and be known as His brother, sister or mother.

Today’s scripture reading: Mark 3:31-35

31 Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him. 

32 And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You.”

33 But He answered them, saying, “Who is My mother, or My brothers?” 

34 And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! 

35 For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.”

Divided or United

If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. Mark 3:24

In today’s reading, Jesus was being accused of working for the devil because He was casting out devils.  He tells the people there a parable about binding and plundering the strong man before you plunder his house, but He started by saying a kingdom that is divided against itself cannot stand.

This statement is true on every level.  Whether it is Satan’s domain or an earthly kingdom.  Unless a country is united and in agreement in laws and spirit, it will not last through the divisions.

It is the same in God’s Kingdom and although we know in heaven, there is total agreement and His Kingdom rules overall, His kingdom in this world is a little shaky.  Yes, the church body widely sends missionaries around the world to get the message of salvation to all, and we all worship the one true God in heaven.  It gets a little unstable when we argue over doctrines and procedures.  Many denominations raise these issues above the more important issue of Jesus and His provision of salvation and love for all people.

Jesus said on many occasions that He desired mercy/compassion over rules.  His focus was always reaching to hurting people and He always started with love for others wherever He was.  This is where our focus as a body of believers needs to be.  We do not need to watch and criticize how other congregations love and worship God and we do not need to govern the actions of other denominations to gage their spirituality.  Yes, our actions are important, but what is most essential is that we are walking in the action of love toward all people including our brothers and sisters in the LORD.

Today I want to encourage you to walk in agreement.  Live your life in agreement with God’s Word and walk out your days in accordance with His love.  When all believers of Salvation in Christ Jesus come together, the enemy will not be able to bind the strong church and the gates of hell will never prevail with divisions and disunity.

Today’s scripture reading: Mark 3:20-30

20 Then the multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. 

21 But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, “He is out of His mind.”

22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebub,” and, “By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons.”

23 So He called them to Himself and said to them in parables: “How can Satan cast out Satan? 

24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 

25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 

26 And if Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but has an end. 

27 No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. And then he will plunder his house.

28 “Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; 

29 but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation”— 

30 because they said, “He has an unclean spirit.”

I want to invite you all to the first digital edition of VOICES Magazine.  Select the link below to connect to the Home page of our online platform, VOICESMag.net.  We are excited to share with you on the subject of serving others in this issue.  Choose from your favorite writers on the article page and read their latest contribution.  We not only have new content for you this quarter, but we also have some new writers.

Check out the Limited Edition section as we welcome Lauren Nussbaumer who has agreed to stay on with a teacher’s perspective in the coming issues.  Our mission focus this quarter is a ministry in Cranberry Township, PA called Help Your Neighbor.  Thank you, Sarah Grayson for your submission about local outreach.

Lastly, our invitation article is the first online submission all the way from Monrovia, Liberia.  We are so excited that the digital platform has opened up, not only a who new audience for us, but also an endless supply of writers and testimonies to be shared.

Please take some time to enjoy the spring quarter of VOICES Magazine and when you are finished,  share the content with someone who may need an encouraging “voice” in their life today.

Love to VOICES readers everywhere,

Lynette Lyden VOICES Magazine Coordinator

https://www.voicesmag.net

Jesus was in a small group

Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, Mark 3:14

Who are you walking through life with?  Your family?  Close friends?  Church members?  Hopefully we all have loved ones that we connect with day to day.  Jesus gave us the example of walking through life with others in His concept of small groups.  He chose twelve men to walk through life with to lead, teach, encourage, build up, and serve.

Today’s scripture starts with Jesus choosing His twelve disciples/apostles.  This became His small group.  Actually, it was God’s small group because He gave Jesus the direction to choose a core group to do life and ministry with.  In this small group, Jesus taught these men for three years and He walked through life with them. They not only served in Jesus’ ministry, but they served each other including Jesus as their leader.  Their connection became so great that after Jesus left, the disciples picked up where he left off and continued that ministry and it goes on even today.  Jesus needed this group so that the message of salvation would be spread, after He was gone to be with His Father.

The small group concept continued after Jesus’ resurrection when the New Testament church began having meetings in their homes.  They could not go to the synagogue to meet and talk about Jesus without seriously offending someone, so they met daily with each other to care for and served one another.

Over the years the church has grown and become one of the largest organizations in the entire world.  Since the local church has grown and our focus in life tends to get distracted with keeping up in the world, it seems like this is a good time to reestablish small groups for accountability and support.  Even though you may have members of your church that you are close to, small groups are a way to get new believers connected so they don’t fall away when pressure comes.  Small groups can also become community outreach groups and neighborhood support groups.  It is an excellent way to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the world!

Today I want to encourage you if you are not part of a small group, get involved with one.  If you don’t know how or where, maybe start one of your own.  You can start a Bible study group, an activity group (hiking, golfing) or a community service group.  If you are new in the faith, ask the person who led you to Jesus if they would be willing to co-lead a group with you to keep you on track as you learn.  When leading an activity or serving group, it can be more about the project or activity, just make sure to include a time of prayer, prayer requests, and some discussion of what life is dealing to people in the group.  You can do some scripture encouragement and some worship, too.  There is really no set structure, just so the focus is connecting closely with others and walking through life together.  Remember this is God’s group, you are only leading or participating in His group.  Make Him the focus and encourage all who join to walk closer with Him and other people.

Today’s scripture reading: Mark 3:13-19

13 And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him. 

14 Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, 

15 and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons: 

16 Simon, to whom He gave the name Peter; 

17 James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is, “Sons of Thunder”; 

18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananite; 

19 and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. And they went into a house.

It’s always the right time

Then He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they kept silent.  Mark 3:4

To do good or not to do good?  That is the question Jesus asked on the Sabbath.  The Pharisees were not happy with Him, once again for healing on the Sabbath.  Seems ridiculous today, but the religious leaders of that day were committed to keeping the law and enforcing it with little regard of caring for people, even those that were suffering.  They had reduced the priesthood down to law enforcement.  Not that we don’t need law enforcement, but the role of God’s leaders should always start with loving people.

Jesus displayed that perfectly.  Even and especially on the Sabbath.  The day that was set apart from doing work, but not from doing good.  Jesus showed everyone at the synagogue that day that it is always the right time to do good for others.  It is always the right time to help others and it is always the right time to bless people around you.

This is still the truth for today.  There should never be a question when God puts it in your heart to be a blessing to someone.  Is this from God or the enemy?  When it comes to helping and encouraging others, there is never a wrong time.  Whether it is taking care of a sick loved one or elderly neighbor or watching a mom’s small children for a few hours to give her a rest.  You can do good right where you are and any day of the week.

Today I want to encourage you to look for opportunities to bless others, pray for others and love on people in need.  Serve those around you as Jesus did.  Be quick to come to someone’s rescue that is struggling in life.  Become famous for being compassionate and serving others.  Then you will fulfill your greatest calling in life.  The greatest thing you can do each day is to touch someone else’s life in a positive way and show them the way God loves them by the way you love them.

Today’s scripture reading: Mark 3:1-12

1 And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. 

2 So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. 

3 And He said to the man who had the withered hand, “Step forward.” 

4 Then He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they kept silent. 

5 And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. 

6 Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.

7 But Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea. And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea 

8 and Jerusalem and Idumea and beyond the Jordan; and those from Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they heard how many things He was doing, came to Him. 

9 So He told His disciples that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush Him. 

10For He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him. 

11 And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, “You are the Son of God.” 

12 But He sternly warned them that they should not make Him known.

A Day to Rest

And He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Mark 2:27

The Sabbath is not something you hear a lot of talk about these days, let alone people actually taking a day of rest.  The Sabbath was the 6^th day of the week that God had set aside for people to rest.  At the beginning of time in this world, God gave the 6^th day to people as a day to rest.  He created our bodies to operate strong and healthy with the day of rest being part of a balanced diet.  Even before sin entered into the world, people needed to rest, how much more after our fallen state do our bodies need rest now?

When Moses was given the ten commandments over a thousand years later, the fourth was to remember the Sabbath.  This law was the difference between Israel and other nations.  It was actually a witness to other nations when they saw that the Hebrew people did not conduct business on one day each week. The people were able to say it was a day set apart to their God to rest from all their work.  It was one of their success principles. (see Ezekiel 20) When they were far from God, idolatry was put in the place of the Sabbath and they became like all the other nations and were taken into captivity, that is how important it was for them to keep the Sabbath.

Today, the body of believers widely do not recognize the importance of taking a day off.  We as the body of Christ view this commandment as part of the law that we have been redeemed from. However, this opinion does not take into consideration that a day of rest was actually part of the human dna, rather than a rule to control the people.

In today’s reading, Jesus tells the religious leaders that the sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.  He talks about provisions that were made in days of necessity.  That exceptions can be made because the law of the Sabbath is a gift to the physical body, not about trying to control someone.  Jesus also healed many people on the Sabbath, which was also viewed as work by the Pharisees, but He taught that it was right to do good things on the Sabbath, too.

Today I want to encourage you to take a Sabbath day once a week.  It doesn’t have to be the 6^th day and it doesn’t have to be the first day.  It just needs to be a day that you set aside that is different from all other days.  Allow yourself to receive one of the gifts God gave the body when He created it and rest from all your work.  Take a day to turn your attention to the things of God and press into Him differently than you do the rest of the week.  Plan for opportunities to do good to others and make a consecrated day set apart to God part of your healthy balance of life.

Today’s scripture reading: Mark 2:23-28

23 Now it happened that He went through the grainfields on the Sabbath; and as they went His disciples began to pluck the heads of grain. 

24 And the Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”

25 But He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those with him: 

26 how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the showbread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and also gave some to those who were with him?”

27 And He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. 

28 Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”

New Wine

“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.” Mark 2:22

I have written at other times about fasting being a time to set aside physical needs and desires to focus on spiritual growth and pressing into God.  In today’s reading, Jesus is questioned about fasting and why His disciples were not doing it.  He doesn’t say they don’t ever need to fast, but that they will at the appropriate time.  Then He talks about how to handle something new.  He says the new wine is not put into the old wineskins because the wine will be wasted when the skin breaks.  The old wineskin cannot contain/hold the new wine.  It needs a new wineskin that will expand as the wine does.

This is not something we consider in today’s world, mostly because we do not use wineskins anymore.  But the concept still remains and although the message of the gospel has been around for years, in today’s world there are many new “wineskins” that carry it.  Our job is to pour that wine into the new “skins” of today world.  Some examples would be blogging, and other things internet related that can spread the message of the gospel worldwide.  This is not a “skin” that was available in Jesus’ day.  We are also to be pouring the wine of the gospel into the next generation of leaders so that the message will continue to be shared after we are gone.  This is our greatest responsibility as disciples and children of God.

Lastly, the ministries of the next generation will look differently than they have in times past, and that is ok.  The message is the same, only the carrier of the message is different.  Our part is to continue on that work of the disciples until Jesus comes back for us in what ever method is most effective for reaching the lost.

Today I want to encourage you to pour the “wine” of the good news into the vessels that you are called to. Whether it be people of the next generation or other “skins” such as social media or even text message.  Seek out the platform that is being set for you, but also pray for those coming after you and the container that they will spread the message of salvation through. Only then will your mission be accomplished.

Today’s scripture reading: Mark 2:18-22

18 The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were fasting. Then they came and said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?”

19 And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. 

20 But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days. 

21 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse. 

22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.”