“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”
Mark 16:6-7//

Notice Peter is specifically called out separately from the disciples. He must have felt overwhelming grief for denying Jesus and no longer considered himself a disciple. May I remember God forgives me, even though I am not and do not feel worthy of His forgiveness.

The chief priests accused him of many things. So again Pilate asked him, “Aren’t you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of.”
Mark 15:3-4//

Isn’t it interesting that twice we are told they accused Jesus of “many things”? These “many things” are my many sins.

24 “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them. 25 “Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Mark 14:24-26//

I rarely imagine Jesus and His twelve disciples singing, but this is what they did after hearing the foreshadowing of Jesus’ horrific death. When I know hard times are coming, may I sing with fellow believers to worship our Lord and be reminded that His will is perfect.

7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.
Mark 13:7//

I need to remember that fear is not a fruit of the Spirit.

30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
Mark 12:30-31//

Lord, help me to always follow the two greatest commandments that You have given.

On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”
Mark 11:15-17//

Jesus gives us an example of righteous anger and physical action taken to stop sin against the Father, but I remember that vengeance belongs to the Lord.

6 “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ 7 ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, 8 and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh.
Mark 10:6-8//

Marriage is between a man and a woman, just as God defined it during creation, and Jesus reiterated it.

“It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” 23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
Mark 9:22-23//

How often do I think to myself “if” God can do something?

They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them. The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
Mark 8:7-8//

There is a direct correlation between gratitude and contentment.

He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. 21 For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”
Mark 7:20-23//

“Follow one’s heart” is what the world tells us, but God knows what truly comes from within.