Something Greater

Lord, my heart feels frustrated and resentful towards people and circumstances. Open my mind to consider what you have done, and are doing, and will do in, and around, and through me...even in this difficult time. Make my heart to trust in your strength and wisdom in all things, pleasing or painful. Lead me into trust-filled patience and compassion and genuine love for you and for those you have brought into my life. Thank you, Lord, for your goodness, for your faithful love, even in my distress and fear. You are for me; I will not be afraid. You are my helper; I will not give in to despair or anger. Bring to my mind today a song of praise, a prayer of trust, and a shout of victory. I will not die, but I will live and proclaim what you have done! Do what is best, Lord, as you teach my unruly, ungrateful, disobedient heart and mind to trust and obey your holy Word. Satisfy my heart with the promise and presence and preciousness of Jesus, my Redeemer, Savior and Ki...

Hearing and Measuring "Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you." Mark 4:24 (ESV) The King James Version of this verse more accurately follows the original Greek: "Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given." Mark 4:24 (KJV) The emphasis of this verse is upon hearing with understanding . Jesus earlier ended a message to a crowd by saying, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." (Mark 4:9) The disciples of Jesus lacked understanding, just as much as the crowd. They asked Him to explain why he spoke obscurely, using symbolic stories or parables, rather than plain, simple language. His answer indicated that the stories were a proof or test: "To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, so that they may indeed see but not ...