Dan Gould

Tag: Daily Devotional

  • Mark 3:20-30

    “One time Jesus entered a house, and the crowds began to gather again. Soon he and his disciples couldn’t even find time to eat. 21 When his family heard what was happening, they tried to take him away. ‘He’s out of his mind,’ they said.” v. 20-21 (NLT)

    Sometimes our families are the most difficult places to be a witness for Jesus.  To be the first or only Christian may go against the grain.  Your faith may be misinterpreted as criticism.  Your zeal may be misunderstood.  You may be accused of being a hypocrite because other areas of your life still fall short of Christ’s ideals.  Uncommitted people may even view your new commitment to the Bible as unreasonable bigotry.

    Sometimes, family members require the most patience.  They see us at our worst when our guard is down.  Remember that Christ’s family rejected and ridiculed him.  Jesus knows what you face by trying to be a witness for him within your family.  Stay true to your faith.  Don’t respond negatively to the attacks that may come.  Over time, your love for your family will have a positive effect.  – NLT Life Application Study Bible

    Today, thank God for your family. Commit to pray for them specifically by asking God to reveal Himself to them in a powerful way.  Stay true to Christ’s teaching and set an example for them, because they are watching!

    Prayer: Father help us to love our family with the unconditional love you have shown us.  When times get tough, and others don’t understand us, help us not to argue, get defensive, and blow our witness.  Allow us to look for the right opportunities to share the truth in love that we have experienced from you.  Begin now to soften their hearts and prepare to set an example for them to see Christ in us.

  • Mark 3:7-12

    “Jesus went out to the lake with his disciples, and a large crowd followed him. They came from all over Galilee, Judea, 8 Jerusalem, Idumea, from east of the Jordan River, and even from as far north as Tyre and Sidon. The news about his miracles had spread far and wide, and vast numbers of people came to see him.” v.7-8 (NLT)

    Jesus always drew a crowd! However, not all the people in the crowd would commit to the things he would say, do, or teach.  In fact this crowd was a diverse crowd.  It included …

    The Saints – These were the religious leaders of the day.  They were a holier than tho group that didn’t feel like they need a savior because the were pretty good at keeping most of the law.  In fact, most of them rejected Jesus teachings and looked for way to oppose Him.  However, it didn’t stop them for wanting to be where Jesus was.

    The Skeptics – These were people who had heard about Jesus, but had a lot of questions.  They wanted to see with their own eyes the things they were hearing so they could make an opinion on their own about who He really was.  Many of them watched from a distance but never applied the things they heard or saw.  They didn’t totally buy into His life and teachings.

    The Sinners – These were the people who had heard, and believed Jesus was who He said He was, and He could, and would, do the things He said He would do.  These people understood who they were, and how much they needed Him.  They took the things they saw and heard to heart.  They had experienced Jesus and wanted others to experience Him also, so they began telling other about Him.

    Let’s face it, every crowd is made up of different people.  They may look the same on the outside, but what’s going on on the inside can be much different.  Each person has to decide how they respond to Jesus, some will respond in a prideful way, like the saints, and see no need for God, others will not respond at all and stay skeptical, while some will admit who they are and trade that for WHO HE is and what He has done to restore us to God.

    Today, which face are you?  Are you a saint, a skeptic, or a sinner?

    Prayer: Father, help us realize and admit that we are sinners in need of a Savior. Show us the areas that we are prideful and skeptical.  Grow our faith so we can trust you with everything, not just the easy things that don’t require faith, but the hard things that cause us to question.

  • Mark 3:1-6

    “He looked around at them angrily and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts. Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! 6 At once the Pharisees went away and met with the supporters of Herod to plot how to kill Jesus.” v.5-6 (NLT)

    It’s a sad day when we are in the presence of Jesus but miss Him.  The Pharisees of all people should have been rejoicing in the fact that Jesus had come, was teaching about the Kingdom of God, that people were responding and experiencing healing both physically and spiritually.Instead, they would watch, murmur, and plot to kill Him.  Why, because they didn’t believe that Jesus was who He said He was!  Their hearts had become hard and prideful.  Jesus was doing things that they had never seen before and instead of getting to know Him, they rejected Him and tried to find fault with everything He did.

    It’s sad! The Pharisees were the religious leaders of their day, they knew everything about Him, but never knew Him!  They lived out the law to the enth degree, they were in church every Sunday, their prayers were long and they probably used big words, they even had a public ministry because of their schooling, others saw them as spiritual leaders, but they missed Jesus.  They were more focused on their appearance instead of the condition of their heart.  They got busy doing the work of God, and forgot about being with God.  Don’t be like the pharisees and miss Jesus.  Jesus desires truth and focuses on the heart, and Satan desires deception and focuses on appearance. Don’t go though the motions, and miss the personal relationship!

    Today, will you know about Jesus, or will you Know Jesus?  Will you let your pride fall so He can have the highest place in your life?

    Prayer: Father, I don’t want to miss you.  There may be things I don’t understand, but I long for truth and want to find answers. If I can’t find answers to some of the questions, let me have the faith to believe your Truth.  Take away my prideful spirit that wants to creep up so often, and allow me to have a soft heart that desires to know you!

  • Mark 2:13-17

    “When Jesus heard this, he told them, ‘Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.’”        v. 17 (NLT)

    It’s easy to be judgmental of others! Sadly, many times Christ Followers are known for being judgmental instead of being known for their love.  It’s also easy to try to look good on the outside, and avoid all the stuff going on on the inside.  How does this change?

    This changes when we realize we are no better than the person next to us.  This changes when we take the hard look at ourselves and realize we aren’t perfect, no matter how hard we try to make it look like we are.  The fact is we are all a like because we share one common problem, a sinful nature!  In fact, the bible says, that we are all sinners who fall short of Gods standards.  No matter how hard we try, we can never be good enough to meet Gods standard on our own.  Once we realize this, we can understand our need for Jesus.

    Today, will you admit that you are sinner, or will you try to be good enough on your own?  Jesus has come to give you life, and to rescue you from the life you are living now!  He truly is all you need!

    Prayer: Father, may we realize that we are sinners in need of a Savior.  None of us are good enough … no matter how hard we try.  Help us to realize that you are all we need!

  • Mark 2:1-5

    “When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home. 23 four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. 4 They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. 5 Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God’s word to them, ‘My child, your sins are forgiven.’” v. 1-5 (NLT)

    What a powerful example of faith and friendship.  These guys were committed to getting their friend to Jesus because they knew He had the power and ability to change their friends circumstance/situation.  Even though they faced some challenges, the room being packed with people, they didn’t give up or make excuses, they did all they could to get him to Jesus.

    I have to be honest I need friends like this.  I need friends that will love me enough to do what whatever it takes to get me to Jesus.  Friends that will love me the way I am, but consistently point me to Jesus.  I need friends that won’t give up on me, friends that will encourage me to experience all that Christ is.  I bet you need friends like that also.

    Not only do I need friends like that, I need to be a friend like that.  There are people in my life that I need to encourage, pray for, hold accountable, and introduce to Jesus.  I want to be a friend like that, and I want to have friends like this.

    Today, will I do whatever it takes to get my friend/s to Jesus?  It will be life changing for them and for us!

    Prayer: Father today, allow us to see a need and meet a need.  Let us evaluate our friendships and do whatever it takes to introduce people to you so you can radically change them from the inside out.  Help me to be a good friend! A friend that encourages other, prays for your power to impact their life and situations, and ultimately sets an example for them to follow so they too can know you like I know you!

  • Mark 1:35-38

    “Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.”        v.35 (NLT)

    If you are like me, you are probably a busy person.  I don’t know how many times I have said and heard people say, “I was going too spend time with God, but I got too busy.”  Really, did we really get too busy, or was spending time with God not as important as something else that got our attention?  I’ll never forget what my youth pastor said to me when I was 18, he simply looked at me after I had given some excuse as to why I hadn’t been faithfully spending time alone with God and said this,

    “If you are too busy for God, you are too busy!”

    OUCH!  That statement has echoed in my life ever-since he said it.  God has used it many times to remind me of whats really important.  In the midst of doing ministry, Jesus understood the importance of spending time with God through prayer.  He understood that the strength, wisdom, and the refuge his soul needed was found in the time that he disengaged from the world and connected with the Father.    The same is true for you and me.  When I spend time alone with God, it allows me to gain wisdom, strength , and refuge.  It has become a very important part of my life.  To be honest, it was hard to start, but now, I can’t imagine trying to go though life without that time with God.

    Today, will you pause and connect with God in a real way (more than at meals).  Will you make a commitment to prioritizing a regular time with God Daily.  I promise, it will make a difference!

    Prayer: Father, my desire is to be the person you have created me to BE so I can do the things you have created me to DO.  Help me to not reverse that.  It’s easy to get so busy, even busy doing the things you have called me to do, that I put you on hold and don’t spend time with you.  I know the benefits I have received from our time together.  I am thankful for those times and look forward to that time so often because of the wisdom you impart, the strength that you give and the refuge of peace that you provide.  Help me be an example of your love, so others will see you by the things that I do!

  • Mark 1:21-28

    “Jesus and his companions went to the town of Capernaum. When the Sabbath day came, he went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority—quite unlike the teachers of religious law.” v.21-22 (NLT)

    When was the last time you were amazed by Jesus?  Was it yesterday, last week, last month, last year?

    Last week I had the privilege of going to Mexico to serve with some men from Grace, North Texas, and the KC area through an organization called HERO Makers. It was an amazing week because we drew close to Jesus every morning with worship through music, the reading of His Word, and Prayer. These three things allowed us to focus on Jesus and be used by Him.

    As the week began, I was challenged with this passage and the use of one word, “amazed.”  The people responded with amazement by Jesus and were amazed by the things He said and did.  It caused me to ask myself this one question, “When was the last time I was amazed by Jesus?” Was it recently, was it tied to an event or circumstance?  As i thought about these things questions started flowing, and personal evaluation started to happen because I want to be amazed by Jesus.

    So, here is what I am learning: Everyday I have the opportunity to be amazed by Jesus!  However, I have to:

    • Be where Jesus is – how I start may day is important.  What I focus on first will tend to guide my day.  When I spend time with Jesus, I begin to see through His eyes.  I begin to see the world differently and I begin to see opportunities to be used by Him.
    • Surrender all that I am for all that He is – The reality is that we either come to God with Open hands, representing a life that is open and surrendered to Him, or we come with closed fisted hands, representing a life the is closed off from God and not completely surrendered to Him.  Coming to Jesus with open hands can be difficult depending on the situation.  But I have learned and continue to learn that when I do this, God amazes me by His power, grace, peace, and provision.  Sometimes I don’t experience this because I don’t completely surrender everything to Him.
    • Step out in Faith – Doing something for the first time is sometimes difficult.  As believers, when God calls us to do something new, we think of all the reasons why we can’t do it instead of focusing on the one thing that’s important, “God called us to do it.”  Whenever God calls us to do something, we may not think we can do it.  There may even be others that think we can’t do it.  But that’s were we get the opportunity to be amazed by God.  When Jesus picked his Disciples, he didn’t go to the religious elite, he went to the religious rejects.  He went to those that others thought couldn’t or wouldn’t be used by God.  Remember, “God doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called!”
    • Thank God Continually – God has done so much for us.  When I look at what Christ has done on my behalf, I am amazed that He would love me that much.  Remembering this, and thanking God for all that He has done, keeps me humble and grateful.  To be honest, everything good in my life comes from Him!  When we acknowledge Him, it puts our life in perspective and allows us to reflect and remember all that He has done for us.

    I think these four things help us to be amazed by Jesus.  So here is the question …

    Today, will you allow yourself to be amazed by Him?

    Prayer: Father, thank you for all that you have done and continue to do for us. I want to be amazed by you, today, tomorrow and everyday after that! Help me to put myself where Jesus is, surrender all that I am for all that you are, step out in faith when fear wants to keep me trapped, and to continually thank you for all that you have done and continue to do.

  • More of Him, less of me!

    “He (Jesus) must become greater and greater, and I (Dan) must become less and less.” John 3:30 (NLT)

    Today, who will win?

    A couple of years ago I was able to spend a week at a camp where Jason Upton leading musical worship.  That week radically changed me and the way I worship.  I hope this video can inspire you like it continues to do for me.

    Prayer, Father today may we be more concerned with pleasing you than pleasing ourselves or others around us.  May we focus on your small still voice instead of the other voices that tend to be screaming for our attention and affection.  May we lay it all down, for the heart of Heaven!

  • Mark 1:9-11

    “One day Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and John baptized him in the Jordan River. 10 As Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit descending on him[a] like a dove. 11 And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.’” v. 9-11 (NLT)

    What a powerful picture!  Jesus getting Baptized and God speaking from Heaven declaring that Jesus was His beloved son gives me goose bumps even thinking about it.  But why is this so important.  I mean Jesus had the whole God thing going on … why did he need to be baptized?

    Well the truth be told, he didn’t need to be baptized but he did it for a couple of reasons.

    1. He was baptized to begin His Earthly ministry.
    2. He was baptized to validate and support John’s ministry
    3. He was baptized to identify with our sinful nature.
    4. He was baptized to set us an example for us to follow

    Today, baptism is a picture of what Jesus has done for us by going to the cross, being put in a grave, and then raising himself from the grave three days later.  Believers Baptism is simply an outward expression of an inward commitment.  It’s a public testimony of salvation (being rescued from sin) and the work of the Gospel (believing, receiving, and becoming like Christ) in a persons life. Baptism is the first step of obedience for the Christ Follower.  You will never be more like Jesus, than when you do the things Jesus did.  Baptism was important for Him, and should be just as important for us.

    Today, Have you been rescued from your sin by putting your faith in Christ and surrendering to Him as Lord and Savior?  Have you followed His example and been baptized to show on the outside what He has done and is doing on the inside?

  • Mark 1:7-8

    “John announced: ‘Someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals. 8 I baptize you with[d] water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!’” v. 7-8

    When I think of John the Baptist, I can’t help but think of this wild man that wore camel hair clothes and ate locust and honey.  I can’t help but think of how radical he was to the times he was living in.  He would encourage people to Repent of Sin and be baptized.  People would gather to hear him and watch others get baptized.  He drew a crowd and people were talking.  They were amazed at who he was, what he was teaching, and how people were responding.

    However, John knew his purpose!  John understood that regardless of what people were saying, regardless of how popular he was becoming, regardless of the accolades he was accomplishing, God had called him to prepare the way for the Messiah. With humility, passion, and boldness, John proclaimed that Jesus was coming, and when He comes, He will come with the power of the Holy Spirit.

    Like John, we have been given the responsibility to prepare others for the return of Christ.  This doesn’t mean that all of us have to be preachers or hold baptisms at school or in the work place.  It simply means that we are growing closer to Christ daily and telling others about him regularly by our words and actions.  It’s not by accident that you have the group of friends that you have, that you work in the place you work, or you have the talents you have.  God has given those to you and placed you in these environments to prepare others for His return.

    Today, do you know your role in Gods plan? What would it look like for you to humbly and passionately prepare others for Christ Return?  How can you leverage your influence and encourage others to know Christ?

    Prayer, Father today I pray for wisdom and boldness.  Help me be authentic in the everyday places I am in, but help me leverage my influence to prepare others for your return and encourage them to experience you as their Lord and Savior surrendering all they are for all that You are.