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No Accidental Band - Mark 3:13

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Then Jesus went up on a hill. Jesus told some men to come to him. These were the men Jesus wanted. These men went up to Jesus. (ERV)   Full Text

Key Thought

When we meet the 12 apostles of Jesus, we need to know that they are not an accidental band of misfits. Jesus chose them prayerfully. They answered his call and followed him. He chose them carefully because he was about to invest his remaining time in training them. They would go with him and learn by being at his side -- not just hearing his message, but seeing his life. What are we to learn from this? It seems to me that several lessons are important. First, Jesus chooses how he will use those of us who follow him -- he is Lord and that is his right and responsibility. Second, we have to answer his call to follow; he will not force us. Third, the diversity and seeming insignificance of those he chose is purposeful -- Jesus sees things in us and in others that we cannot see and longs to use us in his cause in special ways.

Today's Prayer

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Loving God, the giver of every good and lasting gift, please help me to see those things you have created me to do. Even more, dear Father, move me to do those things whether I think they are menial or glorious, for I know that you will use everything I offer you to your glory and for the blessing of others. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
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Today's Verses in Context

Then Jesus went up on a hill. Jesus told some men to come to him. These were the men Jesus wanted. These men went up to Jesus. Jesus chose twelve men and called them apostles. Jesus wanted these twelve men to be with him, and he wanted to send them to other places to tell people {God's message}. And Jesus wanted these men to have the power to force demons out of people. These are the names of the twelve men Jesus chose: Simon (Jesus gave him the name Peter); James and John, the sons of Zebedee (Jesus gave them the name Boanerges. This name means "Sons of Thunder"); Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot. Judas is the one that gave Jesus {to his enemies}.

— Mark 3:13-19 (ERV)

 

Easy-to-Read Version copyright © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center. All rights reserved.
 
What Jesus Did
A 365 day devotional of Jesus lifeBack

Lord, you made my whole body. You knew all about me while I was still in my mother's body. Lord, I praise you! You made me in an amazing and wonderful way. I know very well that what you did is wonderful! You know all about me. You watched my bones grow while my body took shape, hidden in my mother's body. You watched my body parts grow. You listed them all in your book. You watched me every day. Not one of them {is missing}.
Psalm 139:13-16 (ERV)

Christ gave each one of us a special gift. Each person received what Christ wanted to give that person. That is why it says {in the Scriptures }, "He went up high into the sky; he took prisoners with him, and he gave gifts to people." When it says, "He went up," what does it mean? It means that he first came down low to earth. So Jesus came down, and he is the same One who went up. He went up above all the sky. Christ did that to fill everything with himself. And that same Christ gave gifts to people--he made some people to be apostles, some people to be prophets, some people to go and tell the Good News, and some people to have the work of caring for and teaching God's people. Christ gave those gifts to prepare God's holy people for the work of serving. He gave those gifts to make the body of Christ stronger. {This work must continue} until we are all joined together in the same faith and in the same knowledge about the Son of God. We must become like a mature (perfect) person--we must grow until we become like Christ and have all his perfection.
Ephesians 4:7-13 (ERV)

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. God planned for those people to be like his Son. And he called (chose) those people. God called those people and made them right with him. And God gave his glory to those people that he made right.
Romans 8:28-30 (ERV)


 
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