Dear Readers,

Are you getting sick of the whiney Israelites yet? Do you need a break from them? Are you being hit over the head with God's desire for his people to move forward in obedience? Well, we will give you a small break and move to a NT book in the middle of the week.

The NT book we will be starting on the fourth day of reading this week is the book of Mark. The writer of the book of Mark was John Mark who traveled with Peter the Apostle. John Mark probably wrote this book based on what he heard from the preaching of Peter. John Mark (Mark) was mentioned in other places in the Bible (Acts 12:12, Acts 12:25, Acts 13:5, Acts 13:13, Acts 15:36-39, Colossians 4:10, and I Timothy 4:11). John Mark went on the first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas. It seemed he was immature during that trip and Paul would not take him again. But it seems from the remarks in Colossians and I Timothy that John Mark matured and again found favor in the eyes of Paul. We can all learn something from John Mark's life. We are all in the process of growing up in Christ. Even if we make mistakes, we don't have to give up but we need to keep growing.

The book of Mark is fast moving. One almost gets tired while reading it, there is so much action. It emphasizes more of the works of Jesus rather than his words. The word "immediately" is used often. Mark shows both the humanity and the deity of Jesus. His readers where mostly gentile rather than Jewish. He probably wrote while he was in Roman because he wanted to encourage the Christians that were beginning to get persecuted.

DAY ONE, MARCH 5 - NUMBERS 28-30
Chapter 28 - 29.
NOTE: The Israelites have been wandering in the desert for almost 40 years. Therefore, it has been 40 years since they first heard the commands of God at Mt Sinai. All of those people are now gone and a new generation of Israelites needs to hear God's commands. They are getting ready for the transition of leadership from Moses to Joshua. This is another reminder from God about what they are to do and why. They are to keep up these observances even when they go into the promise land. God still wants them to be a holy people set apart to have a relationship with Him.
How much of the priest's time is take up with sacrifice and worship to God?
How much of your time is taken up with obeying God and worshiping him?
Chapter 30
What are the rules for vows in this chapter?
What is this saying about the seriousness of vows?
How important are relationships and how are they affected by vows?
How much importance do you put on things said before God?

DAY TWO, MARCH 6 - NUMBERS 31-32
Chapter 31
Why was God angry?
How do we have other gods in our life beside God?
What does the last verse say is the meaning of the gifts to God?
What do you give to God to remind him (and you) that you belong to him?
Chapter 32
What do two tribes want to do?
Why does Moses think they want to do this?
What is the agreement and warning that comes with the decision to let Gad and Reuben stay on the east side of the Jordan?
How do we need to help others get to "where" God wants them to be in their Christian walk?

DAY THREE, MARCH 7 - NUMBERS 33-36
Chapter 33
What were the stages of Israel's journey from Egypt to Canaan?
Look on a Bible map and see if you find these locations.
What instructions are found in verse 51-56?
Why was it important to drive out ALL the pagans and their belongings?
How is this like the way God wants to occupy your life? Does God share with things of evil?
What do you still need to "drive out" in your life?
Chapter 34
What are the boundaries of the nation of Israel?
To the best of your knowledge, was the full extent of these boundaries ever realized?
What does this say about the obedience of Israel?
To the best of your knowledge, what types of religious problems do nation of Israel face through out the OT?
How strong is your relationship with God?
Does he occupy all the areas of your life?
Chapter 35
What were various cities to be used for?
How is God's protection seen here?
How is God's holiness represented here? HINT: 35:34
How is verse 34 relevant to your life and the fact that the Holy Spirit dwells in your life?
Chapter 36
What were some of the instruction regarding land?
How does this show that God's promises and provisions are permanent?
How does the "everlastingness" of God give you hope?

DAY FOUR, MARCH 8 - MARK 1-3
Mark 1
Describe John the Baptist and his purpose.
What does Mark first tell us about Jesus?
How is the message the same from John the Baptist and Jesus?
What is Jesus asking you to repent of?
Who were the first followers of Jesus and how quickly did they join him?
How quickly do you join Jesus in what he is asking you to do with him?
Describe the authority of Jesus. What does Jesus have power over?
Is there anything in your life that Jesus couldn't have power over if you let him? What do you need to be cleaned, healed, or saved from?
Mark 2
What does Jesus heal regarding the paralyzed man?
How have you felt Jesus' healing in your life?
Who did Jesus come into the world for?
How do you identify with that group?
What is Jesus saying in the remainder of the verses about traditions without understanding?
Mark 3
What disturbed Jesus about the people (verse 5)?
Is there hardness in your heart that Jesus is disturbed with or have you been praying for a soft heart towards God?
What do we learn about Satan and his demons in this chapter?
Who has power over Satan and demons?
What comfort does this give you while living in this world?
According to verse 35, who are those in Jesus' family?

DAY FIVE, MARCH 9 - MARK 4-5
Chapter 4
What is the parable of the farmer and what does it mean?
Who is the farmer?
What is the seed that the farmer is throwing?
What soil are you like? Why?
According to verse 24-25, what is necessary in order for us to understand and what is the promise?
How do you gain comfort from that knowledge?
How did Jesus teach and why?
Chapter 5
Describe the event of the demon possessed man?
What impresses you about this event?
What do you learn from this event?
Looking at all the accounts of healing in this book so far, how important is faith for Jesus to heal a person?
How would you describe your faith?
What things could increase your faith?

DAY SIX, MARCH 10 - MARK 6-7
Chapter 6
How did the people in Nazareth respond to Jesus?
How did that effect the miracles that Jesus did?
What does Jesus send his disciples out to do?
How does God ask something similar of you as you go out to work in this world?
How was Herod influenced to kill John the Baptist?
What affect do you have on those around you and visa versa?
How does Jesus take care of the people?
How have you seen God provision in your life?
Chapter 7
You have just finish reading about many of the laws given by God in the OT, was there one about hand washing and eating that you can remember?
NOTE: Many of the customs of the day were rules added on by men, not God's holiness laws.
How do verses 7-8 confirm that fact?
How do some of our traditions become important to us to the point we think they are really from God? NOTE: It is important to be in God's word daily to know what he really has to say to us.
What are the things that God doesn't like?
How much privacy does Jesus have? What energy drains does he face all the time? Who does Jesus live for?
What can we learn from Jesus' example about unselfishness?
How does Jesus show he is concerned for all people, not just the Jews?

DAY SEVEN, MARCH 11 - MARK 8-9
Chapter 8
How does the event at the beginning of the chapter sound familiar?
Does it surprise you that the disciple asked where to find food when they have seen all the miracles and Jesus feeding the multitudes before?
Can you identify with the disciples in anyway?
What did the Pharisees insist on doing with Jesus over and over again?
How is that similar to some people in the world today?
What does Jesus want us to know about him?
How can that change one's life?
Chapter 9
Describe the Transfiguration.
What do you think it will be like to see the glory of God?
What does verse 24 say?
In what way can you identify with that statement?
According to verse 19, how does this event teach about going to God first and not trying to do things in our own power and in our own way?
Who is to be greatest in God's kingdom?
How dangerous is it to cause someone to lose faith or for something that causes others to sin?
What can you learn from this warning?

YOU CAN ALWAYS USE THESE FOLLOWING SUGGESTIONS FOR ANY BIBLE READING:

Always begin your time of God with prayer. Ask him for understanding and insights. You can pick out a verse, thought or feeling from the passage and think on it (mediate) on it all day. Meditating on God's word means to digest it, put it into your mind, think on it, and concentrate in different ways on the passage.

Some ways you can do this is:
1. Put yourself into the scene.
2. Emphasize different words in the verse.
3. Paraphrase the passage in your own words.
4. Pray the passage back to God if it is a prayer, song, poem, etc (personalize it).
5. Use SPACE PETS acrostic to ask some standard questions.
     S - Sins to confess? Do I need to make restitution?
     P - Promises to claim? Have I met the conditions(s)?
     A - Attitudes to change? Am I willing?
     C - Commands to obey? Even if I don't feel like it?
     E - Examples to follow? One to copy or avoid?
     P - Prayers to pray? Is there something I need to tell God?
     E - Errors to avoid?
     T - Truths about God or the Bible I need to believe?
Adapted from 12 Dynamic Bible Study Methods (Chapter 1) by Richard Warren and William A. Shell.