The Gramazin Blog
One article every day from Charles Wagner's two commentaries on the New Testament.
Page 15 of 22
22
Jun
Jesus Calls Matthew, Teaching About Fasting
Take Every Passage to Prayer - Volume 2, The Gospels
Saturday June 22, 2024
Matthew 9:9-17, Mark 2:13-22, Luke 5:27-39
Father, please help me not to judge others by their lifestyle or appearance. It is Your place to judge them, not mine. Give me a heart that welcomes everyone to the gospel of Jesus Christ. No, give me something even more – a heart that goes to dine with those who need the gospel of Jesus Christ. Father, please give me a heart that celebrates Jesus Christ; who He is and what He has done for us all. I don’t want to be gloomy or despondent. I don’t want to be sad or pessimistic. That’s who I was in the past. I want to have a new heart and a new life of joy that others want for themselves. Father, I want the measure of my walk with Christ to be the lives He has touched through me and the hearts that have been filled with hope and joy because He used me. I don’t want to be known as a religious man who kept his joy and peace to himself. Amen.
Father, the passage tells us that Jesus we......READ MORE.
21
Jun
Jesus Heals Man Lowered From Roof
Take Every Passage to Prayer - Volume 2, The Gospels
Friday June 21, 2024
Matthew 9:1-8, Mark 2:1-12, Luke 5:17-26
Father, please give me the kind of compassionate heart for ministry to the needy like these four men exhibited. Please also give me the determination to remain dedicated and persevering in ministry, no matter how hard it gets, to the very end, when the goal of healing or deliverance has occurred. Please give me a faith that will overcome all obstacles so that I can enjoy the blessing of being in Your presence. Father, I cannot have the mind-reading ability of Jesus. I am a mere mortal. However:
- By being attentive to the perspective and needs of others,
- By practicing empathy,
- By being a good listener, day after day in my relationships with them,
- By studying people’s facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice,
- And by making it a lifestyle to ask people to share what is on their hearts, READ MORE.
20
Jun
Jesus, Eager to Get on the Mission Field, Heals Leper
Take Every Passage to Prayer - Volume 2, The Gospels
Thursday June 20, 2024
Matthew 4:23-25, 8:1-4, Mark 1:39-45, Luke 4:44, 5:12-16
Father, I do not want to take Your Word out of context or to misinterpret the meaning of text. However, something does strike me from this passage. If people merely touched Jesus, they were healed. What does that look like today? Where can I go to touch Jesus since He is not walking the earth today? Father, I believe the answer is prayer. If I come before Jesus in heartfelt prayer, with faith, I will be blessed in some significant way. Perhaps He will give me insight or understanding. Perhaps He will give me direction. Perhaps He will answer my prayer in a way that I might not clearly see right away. Perhaps He will comfort me, give me peace, or give me joy. Maybe He will answer my prayer miraculously. However, Jesus will touch me in some fashion. Help me to touch Jesus every day of my life. Father, Jesus Christ is my Lord. He does own me. Help me to be humble and submissive to Him. Help me to live my ......READ MORE.
19
Jun
Jesus Retreats to a Solitary Place to Pray
Take Every Passage to Prayer - Volume 2, The Gospels
Wednesday June 19, 2024
Mark 1:35-38, Luke 4:42-43
Father, how many of us take the time to be alone with You? I mean really alone. The kind of alone where we go away to a cabin for a weekend to be alone with You. The kind of alone where we walk alone with You along a trail in a forest. The kind of alone that is not distracted by conversation, music, the Internet, television, or the telephone. Father, there is much room for improvement in my life in this area. Please teach me and guide me to spend quality time exclusively with You. I want to long to be alone with You, away from the noise of modern life. Please mold this into my character. Amen.
Father, after ministering to all of these people in Capernaum, Jesus wanted time alone with You. He went up on a nearby mountain. As much as He loved His disciples and the people in need around Him, He loved You so much more. He longed to be with You. He longed for fellowship and communion with You. His humanity longed ......READ MORE.
18
Jun
Jesus Heals Peter's Mother-in-Law
Take Every Passage to Prayer - Volume 2, The Gospels
Tuesday June 18, 2024
Matthew 4:23-25, 8:14-17, Mark 1:29-34, Luke 4:38-41
Father, the Christian life is all about healing. We are spiritually healed from the disease of sin and spiritual death. Our character heals as You transform our thoughts through the work of the Holy Spirit. Our relationships heal as we demonstrate the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Our ministry heals others as we long to demonstrate Your love to our neighbors in need. Father, may it be said of me that I am all about healing those who cross my path. Amen.
Father, Jesus and His disciples left the synagogue where He had healed the man of demon possession. The five men agreed to go to the home of Peter and Andrew, which was also in Capernaum. Upon their arrival at the home, Peter’s mother-in-law was lying in bed with a fever.
Peter and Andrew came into the home and comforted Peter’s mother-in-law with the good news that Jesus has tur......READ MORE.
