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One of the Prophets? - Mark 8:27-28
Key PassageJesus and his followers went to the towns in the area of Caesarea Philippi. While they were traveling, Jesus asked the followers, "Who do people say I am?" The followers answered, "Some people say you are John the Baptizer. Other people say you are Elijah. And other people say that you are one of the prophets." — Mark 8:27-28 ERV (Read Full Text) Key ThoughtJesus is recognized as a significant religious leader and a powerful teacher by many of the world's religions. However, Christians see Jesus as so much more than a prophet, a great teacher, or the founder of a new religion. He is the Christ, the Son of God. He is Lord. He is the Savior of the world. Let's help the world know just who Jesus truly is! PrayerO God, please bless the efforts of your children who are trying to let the world know who Jesus is. In Jesus name. Amen Related Scriptures"So, all the Jewish people should know this truly: God has made Jesus to be Lord and Christ. He is the man you nailed to the cross!"
— Acts 2:36 Jesus answered, "I am the way. I am the truth and the life. The only way to the Father is through me. If you really knew me, then you would know my Father too. But now you know the Father. You have seen him."
— John 14:6-7
— 2 John 7-11
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Who Do They Say I Am? - Mark 8:27
Key PassageJesus and his followers went to the towns in the area of Caesarea Philippi. While they were traveling, Jesus asked the followers, "Who do people say I am?" — Mark 8:27 ERV (Read Full Text) Key ThoughtIf you ask people today who they think Jesus is, you will get a myriad of answers. Many folks don't know and quite a few don't care. The lost world's greatest need is for Jesus' followers to both know who he really is and demonstrate it in our lives! PrayerO Father in heaven, help us -- and especially help me -- better demonstrate who Jesus is to those around us. In Jesus name I pray. Amen. Related ScripturesJesus is the only One who can save people. His name is the only power in the world that has been given to save people. We must be saved through Jesus!"
— Acts 4:12 But before people can trust in the Lord for help, they must believe in him. And before people can believe in the Lord, they must hear about him. And for people to hear about the Lord, another person must tell them. And before a person can go and tell them, that person must be sent. Like the Scriptures say, "Beautiful are the feet of those people that come to tell good news."
— Romans 10:14-15 Saul agreed that the killing of Stephen was a good thing. Some men that truly worshiped God buried Stephen. They cried very loudly for him. On that day the Jews began to persecute the group of believers in Jerusalem. The Jews made them suffer very much. Saul was also trying to destroy the group. Saul went into their houses. He dragged out men and women and put them in jail. All the believers left Jerusalem. Only the apostles stayed. The believers went to different places in Judea and Samaria. The believers were scattered everywhere. Every place the believers went they told people the Good News.
— Acts 8:1-4 
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Can You See? - Mark 8:23-26
Key PassageSo Jesus held the blind man's hand and led him out of the village. Then Jesus spit on the man's eyes. Jesus put his hands on the blind man and asked him, "Can you see now?" The blind man looked up and said, "Yes, I see people. They look like trees walking around." Again Jesus put his hands on the blind man's eyes. Then the man opened his eyes wide. His eyes were healed, and he was able to see everything clearly. Jesus told him to go home. Jesus said, "Don't go into the town." — Mark 8:23-26 ERV (Read Full Text) Key ThoughtFor those who are familiar with Jesus' other miracles, this seems bizarre! When Jesus heals, people are healed immediately and completely. Not this time! So why not? Jesus is still trying to get his followers to understand through the eyes of faith. This blind man becomes the mirror for them to see themselves. While they can see partially who Jesus is because of their previous involvement with him, they must come to him and let him fully reveal who he really is. Like the blind man in the story, they need Jesus to complete his work of helping them see who he really is! Their confusion should remind us to keep coming back to the Bible and to keep asking Jesus to make himself fully known to us. PrayerO Father, I want to truly know your Son, Jesus. I don't want a partial, lop-sided view of him, but I want to know him fully even as I am fully known. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. Related ScripturesMany of the Samaritan people in that town believed in Jesus. They believed because of what the woman had told them about Jesus. She had told them, "He (Jesus) told me everything I have ever done." The Samaritans went to Jesus. They begged Jesus to stay with them. So Jesus stayed there two days. Many more people believed because of the things Jesus said. The people said to the woman, "First we believed in Jesus because of what you told us. But now we believe because we heard him ourselves. We know now that he really is the one that will save the world."
— John 4:39-42
— John 5:39-49
On that day you will know that I am in the Father. You will know that you are in me and I am in you. If a person knows my commands and obeys those commands, then that person truly loves me. And my Father will love the person that loves me. And I will love that person. I will show myself to him." Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, "But Lord, why do you plan to show yourself to us, but not to the world?" Jesus answered, "If any person loves me, then he will obey my teaching. My Father will love that person. My Father and I will come to that person and live with him.
— John 14:20-23 
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Please Open His Eyes! - Mark 8:22
Key PassageJesus and his followers came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to Jesus. They begged Jesus to touch the man. — Mark 8:22 ERV (Read Full Text) Key ThoughtWho do you know that faces great difficulty in his or her life and who needs friends like the ones we find in today's verse? The test of our Christianity is not our feelings of pity; instead, it is the action we take to bless them. Let's get off our backsides and into the lives of those who truly need to experience Jesus' love! PrayerFather, help me to use my actions to show my empathy and your Son's love to those in need. Help me show this empathy and love by my actions and not just by my talk. In Jesus' name. Amen. Related ScripturesThis is how we know what real love is: Jesus gave his life for us. So we should give our lives for our brothers and sisters {in Christ}. Suppose a believer is rich enough to have all the things he needs. He sees his brother {in Christ} who is poor and does not have the things he needs. What if the believer who has things does not help the poor brother? Then the believer who has the things he needs does not have God's love in his heart. My children, our love should not be only words and talk. No! Our love must be true love. We should show our love by the things we do.
— 1 John 3:16-18 My brothers and sisters, if a person says that he has faith, but does nothing, then that faith is worth nothing. Can faith like that save him? No! A brother or sister {in Christ} might need clothes or might need food to eat. And you say to that person, "God be with you! I hope you stay warm and get plenty to eat." You say these things, but you don't give that person those things he needs. If you don't help that person, your words are worth nothing. It is the same with faith. If faith does nothing, then that faith is dead, because it is alone.
— James 2:14-17 "Then the king will say to those bad people on his left, 'Go away from me. God has already decided that you will be punished. Go into the fire that burns forever. That fire was prepared for the devil and his angels. You must go away, because I was hungry, and you gave me nothing to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me nothing to drink. I was alone and away from home, and you did not invite me into your home. I was without clothes, and you gave me nothing to wear. I was sick and in prison, and you did not care for me.' "Then those people will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty? When did we see you alone and away from home? Or when did we see you without clothes or sick or in prison? When did we see these things and not help you?' "Then the king will answer, 'I tell you the truth. Anything you refused to do for any of my people here, you refused to do for me.' "Then those bad people will go away. They will have punishment forever. But the good people will go and have life forever."
— Matthew 25:41-46 
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How Many? - Mark 8:19-21
Key Passage"I divided five loaves of bread for 5,000 people. Remember how many baskets you filled with pieces of food that were not eaten?" The followers answered, "We filled twelve baskets." "And remember that I divided seven loaves of bread for 4,000 people. Remember how many baskets you filled with pieces of food that were not eaten?" The followers answered, "We filled seven baskets." Then Jesus said to them, "{You remember these things I did,} but you still don't understand?" — Mark 8:19-21 ERV (Read Full Text) Key ThoughtJesus is trying to help his closest followers remember with the eyes of faith. This means more than merely recalling what has occurred; they must recall what the events had meant based upon their faith in Jesus and their past experiences with the power of God. Lest we are tempted to look down on them for their forgetfulness, let's remember all the times and ways that God has blessed, rescued and provided for us. Let's also remember how often that we find ourselves worrying about our future and wondering if God is going to help us! PrayerHeavenly Father, I'm so very sorry for the many times that I've failed to remember your tremendous care, provision, rescue, comfort, and protection. Use your Holy Spirit to help me remember through the eyes of faith and to take comfort in your constant presence and care in my life. In Jesus' name. Amen' Related ScripturesKeep your lives free from the love of money. And be satisfied with the things you have. God has said, "I will never leave you; I will never run away from you." So we can feel sure and say, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. People can do nothing to me."
— Hebrews 13:5-6 We know that in everything God works for the good of those people that love him. These are the people God called (chose), because that was his plan. God knew those people before he made the world. And God decided that those people would be like his Son (Jesus). Then Jesus would be the firstborn of many brothers and sisters.
— Romans 8:28-29 Don't worry and say, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?' All the people that don't know God try to get these things. Don't worry, because your Father in heaven knows that you need these things. The thing you should want most is God's kingdom and doing the good things God wants you to do. Then all these other things you need will be given to you.
— Matthew 6:31-33 
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The News 
