Latest / Bible Chat Devotional / April 8 - The Worth of Following Jesus

Transcript

April 8 - The Worth of Following Jesus · Bible Chat Devotional

• 0:02
  Welcome to Bible Chat, where we have devotional conversations
• 0:06
  rooted in Scripture and relevant for today, April 8th.
• 0:10
  Wise words, full hearts. Words can leave a mark far
• 0:14
  longer than we expect. A sentence spoken in anger can
• 0:18
  linger for days. A careless comment can break
• 0:20
  trust. But wise words can also protect,
• 0:23
  heal, and strengthen. Proverbs chapter 14, verses 3 to
• 0:28
  4 reminds us that foolish speech brings trouble, while the lips
• 0:32
  of the wise preserve them. Then Jesus asks A piercing
• 0:36
  question in Mark chapter 8, verse 36.
• 0:40
  What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit
• 0:42
  his soul? That question cuts through so
• 0:45
  much of what this world tells us to chase.
• 0:48
  Gain the world, be noticed, be admired, be successful, be
• 0:52
  impressive. But Jesus says none of that is
• 0:55
  worth it if your soul is being neglected in the process.
• 0:59
  And that connects with Proverbs too, because what comes out of
• 1:02
  your mouth often reveals what is filling your heart.
• 1:05
  Wise words flow from a heart being shaped by what matters
• 1:08
  most. Proverbs also says that where
• 1:11
  there are no oxen, the Manger is clean, but abundant crops come
• 1:14
  by the strength of the ox. In other words, real growth can
• 1:18
  be messy. Real fruit takes work.
• 1:21
  You cannot build a meaningful life by avoiding inconvenience.
• 1:24
  The same is true spiritually. Growth in Christ requires
• 1:28
  humility, discipline, repentance, and patience.
• 1:32
  It may not always look neat, but it produces something real.
• 1:36
  A lot of people want the appearance of success without
• 1:38
  the inner work of surrender. But God is after something
• 1:42
  deeper than appearances. He wants your heart to be full
• 1:45
  of truth, your words to reflect His wisdom, and your priorities
• 1:49
  to be anchored in what lasts forever.
• 1:51
  So pause today and ask yourself, what am I really chasing?
• 1:56
  Is it shaping my soul in a healthy way?
• 1:58
  Are my words helping reveal a heart that belongs to Jesus?
• 2:02
  A full life is not found in gaining everything.
• 2:05
  It is found in staying rooted in what is eternal.
• 2:08
  Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for
• 2:11
  reminding me that my soul matters more than anything this
• 2:14
  world can offer. Help me speak with wisdom.
• 2:17
  Live with eternal perspective and embrace the growth you are
• 2:21
  doing in me, even when it feels slow or messy.
• 2:24
  Guard my heart from chasing empty things and fill my life
• 2:27
  with what truly lasts. Let my words and choices reflect
• 2:30
  your truth today in Jesus name, Amen.
• 2:38
  What if you could rise up and declare with full spiritual
• 2:41
  authority, I shall not die, but live?
• 2:44
  Death Defeated is a powerful five book prayer series for
• 2:47
  believers who are ready to confront premature death, break
• 2:50
  demonic cycles, and enforce God's covenant of life over
• 2:53
  their destiny and household. Book 1.
• 2:55
  Deliverance from Death breaks chains of premature death and
• 2:58
  generational attacks. Book 2.
• 3:01
  Destruction of Death's Devices exposes hidden traps and
• 3:04
  dismantles the enemy schemes. Book three.
• 3:06
  Divine Defense against Death, activates supernatural
• 3:09
  protection and divine preservation.
• 3:11
  Book 4, Disarming the Destroyer, overthrows deadly assaults and
• 3:15
  silences the spirit of destruction.
• 3:17
  Book 5, Dominion over Death, establishes resurrection
• 3:20
  authority, victorious living, and destiny fulfillment in
• 3:23
  Christ. This series equips you with
• 3:25
  Scripture anchored prophetic prayers to reject fear, cancel
• 3:28
  dark decrees, and walk in divine preservation.
• 3:31
  Order now on Amazon or visit prayerscripts.org.
• 3:36
  Now I invite you to spend time with God in today's three-year
• 3:39
  Bible reading plan. Proverbs chapter 14, verses 3 to
• 3:44
  4 World English Bible The fool's talk brings a rod to his back,
• 3:49
  But the lips of the wise protect them.
• 3:51
  Where no oxen are. The crib is clean, but much
• 3:54
  increases by the strength of the ox.
• 3:56
  Mark Chapter 8 World English Bible In those days when there
• 4:01
  was a very great multitude and they had nothing to eat, Jesus
• 4:05
  called his disciples to himself and said to them, I have
• 4:08
  compassion on the multitude, because they have stayed with me
• 4:12
  now three days and have nothing to eat.
• 4:15
  If I send them away fasting to their home, they will faint on
• 4:18
  the way, for some of them have come a long way.
• 4:21
  His disciples answered him, From where could one satisfy these
• 4:26
  people with bread? Here in a deserted place?
• 4:28
  He asked them, How many loaves do you have?
• 4:31
  They said seven. He commanded the multitude to
• 4:35
  sit down on the ground and He took the seven loaves.
• 4:39
  Having given thanks, He broke them and gave them to His
• 4:41
  disciples to serve and they served the multitude.
• 4:45
  They also had a few small fish. Having blessed them, He said to
• 4:48
  serve these also. They ate and were filled.
• 4:52
  They took up 7 baskets of broken pieces that were leftover.
• 4:56
  Those who had eaten were about 4000.
• 4:58
  Then He sent them away. Immediately.
• 5:01
  He entered into the boat with His disciples and came into the
• 5:04
  region of Dalmanyuta. The Pharisees came out and began
• 5:08
  to question Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven and
• 5:11
  testing him. He sighed deeply in His spirit
• 5:14
  and said, Why does this generation seek a sign?
• 5:18
  Most certainly I tell you, no sign will be given to this
• 5:21
  generation. He left them and again entering
• 5:24
  into the boat, departed to the other side.
• 5:27
  They forgot to take bread, and they didn't have more than one
• 5:30
  loaf in the boat with them. He warned them, saying, Take
• 5:34
  heed, beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of
• 5:37
  Herod. They reason with one another,
• 5:39
  saying it's because we have no bread.
• 5:42
  Jesus, perceiving it, said to them, Why do you reason that
• 5:46
  it's because you have no bread? Don't you perceive yet or
• 5:49
  understand? Is your heart still hardened?
• 5:52
  Having eyes, Don't you see? Having ears, don't you hear?
• 5:55
  Don't you remember when I broke the five loaves among the 5000?
• 6:00
  How many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?
• 6:03
  They told him, 12 When the seven loaves fed the 4000, how many
• 6:08
  baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?
• 6:11
  They told him seven. He asked them, don't you
• 6:14
  understand yet? He came to Bethsaida.
• 6:17
  They brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him.
• 6:20
  He took hold of the blind man by the hand and brought him out of
• 6:23
  the village. When he had spat on his eyes and
• 6:27
  laid his hands on him, he asked him if he saw anything.
• 6:31
  He looked up and said, I see men, but I see them like walking
• 6:34
  trees. Then again he laid his hands on
• 6:37
  his eyes. He looked intently and was
• 6:39
  restored and saw everyone clearly.
• 6:42
  He sent him away to his house saying, Don't enter into the
• 6:45
  village nor tell anyone in the village.
• 6:48
  Jesus went out with his disciples into the villages of
• 6:51
  Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked his
• 6:54
  disciples, Who do men say that I am?
• 6:57
  They told him, John the Baptizer and others say Elijah, but
• 7:00
  others one of the prophets. He said to them, But who do you
• 7:04
  say that I am? Peter answered, You are the
• 7:07
  Christ. He commanded them that they
• 7:09
  should tell no one about him. He began to teach them that the
• 7:12
  Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the
• 7:16
  elders, the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and
• 7:20
  after three days rise again. He spoke to them openly.
• 7:24
  Peter took him and began to rebuke him, but he, turning
• 7:28
  around and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter and said, Get
• 7:31
  behind me, Satan, for you have in mind not the things of God,
• 7:35
  but the things of men. He called the multitude to
• 7:38
  himself with his disciples, and said to them, Whoever wants to
• 7:42
  come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross
• 7:46
  and follow me. For whoever wants to save his
• 7:49
  life will lose it, and whoever will lose his life for my sake
• 7:53
  and the sake of the good news, will save it.
• 7:56
  For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit
• 7:59
  his life? For what will a man give in
• 8:02
  exchange for his life? For whoever will be ashamed of
• 8:05
  me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful
• 8:08
  generation, the Son of Man also will be ashamed of him when he
• 8:12
  comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels.
• 8:17
  Thanks for joining us on Bible Chat, where Scripture meets
• 8:20
  everyday life. If today's devotional encouraged
• 8:23
  you, share it with a friend and be sure to follow the podcast so
• 8:27
  you won't miss the next conversation.
• 8:29
  Until next time, stay rooted in truth, anchored in hope, and
• 8:32
  walking daily with Jesus.