The New Year is filled with opportunity. Sadly, a disquieted spirit within will cause the opportunities to vanish. A renewed spirit is needed for the new year. Charles Allen writes of the terrible tortures of the Spanish Inquisition. The worst of all was to put a man in a jail cell with the ceiling so low he could not stand up fully. He was never able to stand up straight, never able to hold up his head. This was discovered to break even the strongest man’s spirit. As we step into the months ahead, may we do so standing on tip-toes, anticipating God’s grand work among us. As Allen said, “Christian, stand up straight; be a real person.”
—Lee McGlone
Take the New Years Challenge
I am suggesting each person in our church to listen to the Gospel of Mark at least once in January. I will be preaching from Mark through Easter, and it will allow you to put the events of the sermons in context with the text of Mark. Often, we get the impression that the Gospels are just a compilation of various teachings and stories. But when we read or hear them in large sections I think we will be able to understand them as an intentional portrait of Jesus and his ministry.
There are several internet sources to have audio readings of the Bible. I find www.biblegateway.com as the easiest to use with about 20 different audio Bibles for you to use. Listen to the Gospel of Mark (or read it) in larger sections and let me know if you were helped with this discipline for the New Year.
Pastor Greg
