Welcome to our new project, the Daily Bible Devotional. The goal is to help you understand and apply

scripture as you go through a New Testament Bible read five days a week, Monday through Friday,

as we move from Matthew straight through to Revelation. In under four minutes each morning, we will recap the chapter,

make some application, present thought questions for the day, and offer a prayer together.

I'm excited about exploring God's Word with you, so let's get started. Welcome today as we

begin our study through the Gospel of Mark. Here's the recap from chapter 1. Mark's

gospel is the shortest of the four and packs lots of information into each chapter. For instance,

this opening chapter begins with John the Baptist preaching and Jesus coming to him to be baptized.

Immediately following this, Jesus is led by the

spirit into the wilderness and tempted by Satan. The text moves to Jesus selecting his first four

followers, Peter, Andrew, James, and John. The rest of the chapter documents miracles and Jesus'

work in Galilee, casting out a demon,

healing Peter's mother-in-law, moved by compassion to heal a leper, as well as references to other

miraculous works. Mark is interested in getting to Jesus' ministry quickly and spending a great

deal of time there. The word immediately is used throughout as the

stories move at a rapid pace. Here's some ideas maybe we can draw from that sequence of events.

The key to applying fuller chapters is to find the theme or thread. In today's reading, the words

about Jesus tie the events together. John the Baptist

said, quote, after me, one is coming who is mightier than I. The father said, quote,

you are my beloved son, and you I am well pleased. Even the demons said, quote, I know who you are,

the holy one of God. God, men, and even demons know who Jesus is.

Do we? Following this testimony, many proofs are seen in his miracles. Jesus, filled with compassion,

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