12 Immediately the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness, 13 and he was in the wilderness forty days being tempted by the Adversary. He was with the wild animals, and the angels took care of him.
14 After Yochanan had been arrested, Yeshua came into the Galil proclaiming the Good News from God:
15 “The time has come,
God’s Kingdom is near!
Turn to God from your sins
and believe the Good News!”
16 As he walked beside Lake Kinneret, he saw Shim‘on and Andrew, Shim‘on’s brother, casting a net into the lake; for they were fishermen. 17 Yeshua said to them, “Come, follow me, and I will make you into fishers for men!” 18 At once they left their nets and followed him.
19 Going on a little farther, he saw Ya‘akov Ben-Zavdai and Yochanan, his brother, in their boat, repairing their nets. 20 Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zavdai in the boat with the hired men and went after Yeshua.
"God's Smile" by Author: Sherri LangtonJesus spent His three years of public ministry radically obeying His Father. He began by lining up at the Jordan River to be baptized by John. Although Mark doesn’t say a lot about this scene in his Gospel, Matthew devotes a good deal of ink to it. Dumbfounded that the Son of God came to him, John protested (Matthew 3:13-14). He didn’t even feel worthy to untie the straps of His sandals (Mark 1:7).
John was right. How did it look to have the sinless Lamb of God slosh into the same river where sinners had been immersed? What would people think? However, looks didn’t matter to Jesus; obeying His Father did. As John raised Him out of the Jordan and the water drained from His ears, Jesus heard the smile of love and approval in His Father’s voice. That set the tone for Jesus’ dynamic ministry that was centered on pleasing the Father (John 8:29).
What is God asking us to do? How will it look to others? It doesn’t matter. It’s okay if we turn heads–as long as we make God smile.
Hymn for Today: "Trust and obey" by John Henry Sammis (1846-1919)
1.
When we walk with the Lord
In the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way;
While we do His good will,
He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
Refrain: Trust and obey,
For there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus,
But to trust and obey.
2.
Not a shadow can rise,
Not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear,
Not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.
Refrain: Trust and obey,
For there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus,
But to trust and obey.
3.
Not a burden we bear,
Not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss,
Not a frown or a cross,
But is blest if we trust and obey.
Refrain: Trust and obey,
For there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus,
But to trust and obey.
4.
But we never can prove
The delights of His love,
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows,
And the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.
Refrain: Trust and obey,
For there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus,
But to trust and obey.
5.
Then in fellowship sweet
We will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do;
Where He sends, we will go,
Never fear, only trust and obey
Refrain: Trust and obey,
For there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus,
But to trust and obey.
"Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zavdai in the boat with the hired men and went after Yeshua." Mark 1:20
Please Pray:
For the pastors and lay leaders within the Canada-United States Rgion to be filled anew with God's anointing Holy Spirit.
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