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A Bible Reading and Meditation guide

(In case you missed them, the last two readings follow this one )

Prayer;

+ In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Lord, open my eyes that I may see wonderful things out of your word. Amen.

Today's Reading:

Jesus sets a man free from the powers of evil.

Mark 5; 1- 13

1 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. 2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no-one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. 4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No-one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.

6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7 He shouted at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won't torture me!" 8 For Jesus had said to him, "Come out of this man, you evil spirit!"

9 Then Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" "My name is Legion," he replied, "for we are many." 10 And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area. 11 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. 12 The demons begged Jesus, "Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them." 13 He gave them permission, and the evil spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.

Meditation for the Day

Once again, the coming of Jesus unmasks the tyrants of darkness. No one had been able to unleash this man from the evil forces which had chained his life; but the power of Jesus, the Son of God, just turning up in the vicinity, has the darkness grovelling at His feet.

Even before their plea for safe passage, Jesus was dismissing them; He didn't have a long conversation with them, but expelled them into the pigs, which, not being spiritual beings, could not contain the wickedness entering them, and the whole two thousand- strong herd plunged dramatically to destruction in the lake.

As believers, we are not to be intimidated by the enemy; he can create much heat and noise, but no light at all. When Christ comes into us, demons cannot stay around; they may throw things from a distance, but the Spirit of Jesus Christ makes demons run. We see this clearly from this account. Where the Spirit of the Lord is Paul says later, there is freedom. (2 Cor 3.17) The devil can maintain no claim on us when we belong to Jesus Christ.

Prayer;

Thank God for His power to drive the tyranny of evil far from us because of Jesus' victory on the cross. Highlight any specific times of deliverance you have experienced in your own past as examples of Jesus' ability to dismiss the enemy.

Father, Son and Holy Spirit , circle me with Your presence ; keep evil distant, let light surround me; thank you for the freedom You bring with Your grace. Amen.

If you have any questions about today's reading, please send me them on colin@cce.uk.net

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Yesterday's reading

Jesus amazes his disciples by calming a storm.

Mark 4;35-41

35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"

39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. 40 He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith" 41 They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"

Meditation for the Day

Galilee has a reputation to be a capricious body of water; lying between two hill ranges, winds funnel down through it going south, and raise fierce swells in this fresh-water lake. Even these seasoned fishermen with Him in the boat were fearing for their safety.

But Jesus, woken from a deep sleep, presumably tired with so much service, speaks to the waves like a man tells a dog to 'be muzzled' , 'get down!' and the storm ceases. The disciples are overwhelmed by what they witness, and realise that this is no ordinary religious teacher.

Even if it seems as though Jesus is off the scene, as though He doesn't care, faith chooses not to reckon without Him being in the boat of our lives. The disciples took His quietness as an absence of care and concern for them. But He is still there in the roughest moments of our lives.

Prayer;

Thank God for His intervention in the past in your life at moments of crisis. If there are storms in your life just now, thank God that Jesus is with you and that He cares what happens.

Lord Jesus Christ, on the days when You seem quiet in the midst of wind and waves in life, help me by Your grace to rely on Your promise that You never leave me nor forsake me. Increase my reliance upon You through the difficult times I encounter. In Your name. Amen.

Reading from Two Days Ago;

The story is understood better through time spent with Jesus.

Mark 4;33-34

33 With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. 34 He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.

Meditation for the Day

Jesus knew the power of story to communicate the word of the Kingdom. So often we can get caught up with intellectual doctrines, when Jesus gave just enough for His hearers to understand; this was His aim, not to puzzle them, but for them to know how to follow Him.

Later, when there was time , sitting over a meal, walking along the road, lying in bed chatting together before sleep, Jesus would go deeper into the knottier aspects of theological issues with his disciples (the Greek word for explain is epiluo, meaning to loosen up about, to untie). After all, the disciples were also going to have to continue telling the story when He had returned to the Father. But this deeper teaching was as a result of having more time with Him in a relaxed way.

Jesus knows our situation; He can tell us just enough of the story we need to know, so we can understand and walk with Him. But the more time we spend just with Him, the more He can explain to us, if our heart is to know the knottier aspects of His truth.

Prayer;

Allow God to give you a picture of where His story of your life is at the moment. What picture would He paint of it just now. Take a moment to think on that.

Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for the power of Your story at work in me. Help me to understand what I need to hear to walk faithfully with You. But also spike my thirst for you , so that I take time to go deeper into Your word in more extensive ways. In Your name. Amen.

f you have any questions about any of the readings, please send me them on colin@cce.uk.net

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