SCRIPTURE

Studied: Mark 9 

OBSERVATION (What is God saying here?)

Mark 9:38-41 ~ John said, “Teacher, we saw a man using your name to force demons out of people. But he wasn’t one of us, and we told him to stop.” Jesus said to his disciples: Don’t stop him! No one who works miracles in my name will soon turn and say something bad about me. Anyone who isn’t against us is for us. And anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name, just because you belong to me, will surely be rewarded. (CEV)

APPLICATION (How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

First of all I believe that Jesus was referring to Christians here when He spoke of “anyone who isn’t against us”, because there are too many other places in scripture where He spoke about there being only one way into heaven and that’s through accepting Him as Lord of Your life. However, in reading this passage I thought about the many denominations that exist today and how we often work against, or at least ridicule each other for what we believe or practice. Last weekend I worked at the annual Noah’s Fall Festival here in Avon Park and I was blessed to see Christian brothers and sisters from all over our area working together, ministering together and meeting the needs of our community – in fact, over 3,600 of them! We cannot win the lost world while being busy looking down our noses and judging fellow Christians/churches! The world is looking for a better place to be; in fact they are looking forward to being with folk that could get along, love on each other and be evidence of Jesus in the flesh. In our own households we don’t necessarily believe the same way about each and every subject, yet we love and respect each other anyway. Why then should we expect anything different when we get outside our homes? Let’s remember what Jesus said in these verses, if they are not against us, there are for us! Let’s respect others’ belief on things that may be different to what we believe; sometimes they may actually be right!!! Remember, when we accept Jesus and learn to become more like Him, we will act like Him, we will love others like He did and we will have a burning desire to get along with all of God’s people and accept the fact that He alone is judge over what is right and what is wrong. Let’s do our part to live, worship and reflect Jesus so that the world will know that we are ‘For Jesus’!

PRAYER (With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Father, I believe that often Satan will send things, or even people our way to tempt us and make the world question whose team we are on. I also believe that if we ever intend to win our communities for You, it is super important to reflect to those that may be watching our every move, that we are for You, that our every move reflect Your will and Your teachings. I’m sure that the world will quickly recognize that we may not always be right on, but Lord Jesus I pray that Your hand will be so active in directing my life each day that they will know whose I am and who I am following and representing. May they see Jesus in me, is my sincere prayer today. May I not try to assume Your responsibility and judge others myself, instead may I welcome fellow Christians and their efforts to also become more like You. May solidarity be evident in our efforts to reach and win the lost in our community.