Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.

In Mark 11, after Jesus drove foreign-exchange merchants and livestock dealers out of the temple, the leaders asked him, “Who gave you authority to do that?” (Mark 11:28). 

Jesus knew they wouldn’t believe his answer, so he replied with a question, “Was John the Baptist’s baptism from heaven? Or did humans invent it?” (Mark 11:29-30). 

The temple leaders said to each other, “Careful, this is a trick question. If we say John’s message was from heaven, he’ll say, ‘So, why didn’t you believe it?’ But if we say John’s message was human, we’ll get stoned because everyone thinks John was a prophet” (Mark 11:31-32). 

So they answered, “We don’t know where John’s message was from.” 

Jesus replied, “Then neither will I tell you where my authority is from” (Mark 11:33).

Some comments on this curious turn of events. 

First, it’s not obvious to everyone when God is at work. The temple leaders had spent a lifetime studying their scriptures and practicing their religion. There’s no way they wanted questions from  a rude 33-year-old newbie who had zero training and no credentials. They didn’t appreciate Jesus trespassing on their turf and criticizing the way they ran the temple.

I wonder, are we aware and receptive when God is on the move? Or like the temple leaders, do we want to practice our religion undisturbed by hard questions?

Second, Jesus didn’t give a straight answer to a simple question. He could have said his authority came from God. Instead, he responded to a question with another question. 

Many of my questions Jesus doesn’t answer either. Why does God permit so much evil? Why doesn’t he answer more prayers? Why is the church so weak and ineffective? Maybe, like the temple leaders, I’m too foolish or ignorant or unbelieving to receive the real answers to my questions.

My third comment is that Jesus wanted the temple leaders to focus on something other than their sly questions. He showed them God was at work outside the confines of their temple religion. God was at work in Jesus’ miracles. He was at work in Jesus’ outraged response to temple abusers. God was at work in John the Baptist’s preaching and baptizing. But the temple leaders? They just couldn’t see God working in unexpected ways and through unconventional people like Jesus and John. 

Let’s pray. 

Our father, we have endless questions. But our duty is simple and clear. To believe in Jesus. To love others. To pray.

So we set our questions aside. We invite you to overturn the tables of our comfortable religion. As Jesus cast out the abusers in the temple, cast out our sins. Quash our self-serving, self-preserving instincts, and let us lose our lives and find them in the cross. 

Amen. 

I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.  

YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube

Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.

In Mark 11, after parading into Jerusalem, Jesus cursed a fig tree. Then he drove money-changing hucksters out of the temple. Feel the passionate anger in his words, “This is supposed to be a house of prayer. But you’ve made it a den of robbers!” (Mark 11:17, quoting Isa 56:7 and Jer 7:11).

William Barclay (The Gospel of Mark, The Daily Study Bible (Edinburgh: St. Andrews Press, 1975), 272-275) describes the situation this way. The inner temple, the court of priests, was hidden behind three levels of access. First: the court of the Gentiles, open to anyone. Next: the court of women, open to Jewish women. Third: the court of Israelites, the place of sacrifices. 

At Passover, people came from around the world to worship, pay the temple tax, and make sacrifices. The family of Annas, an ex-high priest, saw these tourists as a business opportunity. They needed local money to pay their temple tax and a supply of doves to make sacrifices. Sweet! Where better than the outer court of the temple to charge exorbitant exchange rates and sell doves at extortionate markups to people who came to worship!

Jesus didn’t think so. He said the outer court should be a place for people to pray, not a place to take advantage of them. So he acted violently, scattering money and overturning display tables, driving out the astonished businessmen.

The common people enjoyed the show. But Jesus’ anger offended the temple leaders. Who does this guy think he is? How dare he criticize us! We’ll interpret the law and determine what is and isn’t allowed in the temple. 

After leaving the temple and finding peace and quiet overnight, the next day Jesus and the disciples saw the fig tree. It was withered from the roots up. The disciples said, “Wow!” Jesus said, “If you have faith, you can tell a mountain to throw itself into the sea. In fact, whatever you ask in prayer, believe you have received it, and it’s yours” (Mark 11:22-25). 

Let’s pray. 

Jesus, we understand your clearing of the temple, but not your immense anger. Our society is full of Christian commercialism–religious books and art and magazines and music and posters and souvenirs. It can’t all be wrong, can it?

Jesus, were you angry at the commercialism, or at its location? Do you see in us some money-grubbing, grasping, and commercial part of our hearts that offends you? 

Our faith does not wither trees or move mountains. Our faith does not receive whatever we ask in prayer. 

O Jesus, change our hearts, move the mountains within us, change our plodding performance to vibrant faith. Teach us to live in the power of your kingdom. Teach us to ask and believe and receive. 

Amen. 

I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.  

YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube

Ep414. Mark 10. The Blind and the Seeing.

Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.

At the end of Mark 10, blind Bartimaeus received his sight, but the disciples continued in their spiritual blindness. 

Here’s the story. 

For the third time in Mark’s gospel, Jesus told the disciples he would be mocked, spit on, flogged, and killed (Mark 10:33-34). 

The disciples’ response? James and John said, “When you come into your glory, we want the best seats of honor beside you” (v. 37). Weren’t they listening to what Jesus said? Was he talking about glory or about being tortured and killed?

Jesus replied to the disciples, “You have no clue about what you’re asking. Are you prepared to be baptized with the baptism I will soon experience?” (v. 38).

“Sure,” they replied. “No problem. Bring it on!” (v. 38). 

Jesus said, “OK. Count on it.” They didn’t understand that Jesus was walking into a baptism of torture and death. 

Then Jesus continued, ”But it’s not me who assigns seating in God’s kingdom. So don’t count on the seating arrangements you want” (v. 40-41). 

When the disciples heard James and John asking for favors they got angry. So Jesus played the peacemaker, saying, “In the Gentile world, the game is control. Lords lord it over people and officials officiate and Trumps trump everybody. But in God’s world, leaders serve, and slaves are first in line. Look at me,” he said. “I came to serve and to give my life as a ransom” (Mark 10:45). 

The disciples were blind to Jesus’ meaning; they couldn’t grasp the vision of him dying. They saw him as king, not a king’s ransom. 

Mark’s gospel moves to the story of blind Bartimaeus, who called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mark 10:47). People told him to be quiet, but he shouted more loudly, until Jesus asked, “What do you want?”

“I want to see,” he replied. Jesus gave him sight, saying, “Your faith has saved you” (Mark 10:52). 

Two comments. 

The disciples won’t see clearly until after the crucifixion and resurrection. The crisis of Jesus’ death will lead them to a place where God’s spirit can bless them with the words Jesus said to Bartimaeus, “Your faith has saved you.” 

Second, like so many of those Jesus healed and saved, we never hear of Bartimaeus again. Was it just his eyes that Jesus saved, or was it his whole person? 

Let’s pray. 

O Jesus, when you restored Bartimaeus’ sight, you said his faith saved him.

His simple faith contrasts with the disciples’ politicking.
– They argued about getting places of honor
– They didn’t understand that your kingdom privileges those of low status–servants and slaves, the disabled, blind, lame, and deaf. 

O Jesus, our wealth and technology does not buy us privilege in your kingdom. We invite you to baptize us into your family, to give us servant robes in your kingdom, to teach us to take your name into a world that despises you. 

Amen. 

I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.  

YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube

Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.

In Mark 10 a rich man decided not to sell everything to follow Jesus. As the man walked away, Jesus said to the disciples, “It’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mark 10:25).  

Think about that. A camel going through the eye of a needle? A ridiculous image. Amazed, the disciples asked, “Then how can anyone be saved?” 

Jesus replied, “It’s impossible for people. Only God can do it” (Mark 10:27). 

Some interpreters explain Jesus’ camel-and-needle image by pointing to a Jerusalem city gate “The Eye of the Needle”. Camels could enter only if they were unloaded and knelt. 

Two problems with this explanation. First, there is no evidence that such a gate existed. 

And second, it changes what Jesus clearly said. He didn’t say, “It’s possible to enter the kingdom of heaven if you unburden yourself and kneel down.” 

He said, “It’s impossible. No one can engineer their own salvation. It’s just as  impossible as a camel becoming needle-small.” Jesus often taught by using impossible pictures and improbable situations. His idea of what is possible depends on God alone.  

Peter, as usual in Mark’s gospel, had something to say: “We’ve left everything to follow you” (Mark 10:28). 

The rich man didn’t leave everything. But Peter and his friends did. Was Peter implying, “We’re better than that rich man”? Was he saying, “Look, we’ve walked through the eye of the needle”? 

Jesus said to Peter, “Seen and noted. Anyone who has left home, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, or fields for me and the gospel will be amply rewarded; and they will also be persecuted” (Mark 10:29). Then he warned them, “Many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”  

Was Jesus warning Peter not to rate his own commitment too highly? Peter started with faith and enthusiasm, leaving everything to follow Jesus, but that did not guarantee him a position at the head of the line. If the first are last, perhaps Peter the first apostle might become Peter the least.    

Let’s pray. 

Our father, we have not left everything to follow Jesus. But we feel the pull of his teaching. He tells us not to hoard, but to live with open-handed generosity. He tells us to leave our isolation and participate in community. He teaches us to abandon our attempts to prove we are right, and to trust his forgiveness for sins we know and sins we don’t know. 

O Father, help us grow into this story of the rich man, to lose the things that are important to us, to let go of our conviction that we should be at the head of the line, to sacrifice the petty comforts we love. And when at last we stand before you, may we know your judgment is just, whether we are first or last.  

Amen. 

I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.  

YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube

Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.

In Mark 10, a rich man asked Jesus, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17).

Jesus replied, “You know the commandments: don’t murder, commit adultery, steal, or lie. Honor your parents.” 

The man said, “Good. I’ve done that since I was young.” 

Jesus said with compassion, “You’re missing something. Sell everything you have, give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then, follow me” (Mark 10:21). 

The man went away sad because he was wealthy. 

Let’s look at this story through three lenses. 

1. First, what was the rich man missing? Faith? Treasure in heaven? Poverty? 

The rich man had honored God and kept his commands, but that wasn’t enough for Jesus. But Jesus didn’t tell him what exactly he was missing. 

Perhaps you are a commandment keeper like the rich man. And perhaps you have a bank account and investments and retirement savings. If Jesus asked you, would you give all that away? Would I?

2. A second window to the story is to ask, “Where is your treasure stored?” Jesus advised the rich man to sell his earthly treasures and acquire treasure in heaven.To  exchange what was visible and tangible and secure for a treasure he couldn’t see or touch or spend. Jesus didn’t make it easy for the rich man to follow him. 

I wonder what Jesus say to me about eternal life? That my faith is too hypothetical, that my treasure is only on earth? Would he advise me to dispose of my wealth? I hope that’s not my route to eternal life. 

3. There’s a third window to this story. When Jesus greets me in heaven, will he ask, “Did you read that story about the rich man?” What will I say? Can I tell him, “Yes, I read it. Good story, but you didn’t expect that level of commitment from me, did you?” 

Let’s pray. 

O father, Job said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked will I return” (Job 1:21). When we return to you, where will we hide our rich lifestyle? How will we disguise our half-hearted commitments? 

Help us on our earthly journey to hear Jesus’ voice, to discern what he asks of us, and to obey. And where we fail, may the grace of his cross and the mercy of your fatherhood bring us to everlasting life and true treasure in heaven. 

Amen. 

I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.  

YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube

Ep411. Mark 10. Jesus Talks Divorce 

Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.

In Mark 10, the Pharisees asked Jesus, “Does God’s law permit a man to divorce his wife?” (Mark 10:2). 

“What did Moses say?” asked Jesus. 

They replied, “Moses said a man could write a divorce certificate and send her away.” 

Jesus replied, “Moses wrote that law to accommodate your hard hearts. But God’s design is for a man and woman to marry and never separate. Anything else is outside God’s design” (Mark 10:5-9). 

Interestingly, Jesus put God’s law and God’s design on different sides of the divorce issue. God’s design doesn’t accommodate divorce, but the law supplies rules for a just divorce.

God’s plan was for Adam and Eve to get along, but after they ate the forbidden fruit, they blamed each other and the serpent. As history continued through Genesis, 
  – Abraham fathered a son by his wife’s Egyptian servant (Gen 16)
  – Lot fathered sons by incest with his daughters (Gen 19)

  – Jacob had children by two wives and two servant girls (Gen 29-30)
  – Judah fathered a son by his daughter-in-law when she posed as a prostitute (Gen 38)
  – When Dinah was raped by Canaanities, her brothers wiped out an entire village (Gen 34) 

Moses’ law tried to put order into this complicated situation. It declared rape, prostitution, and incest illegal; but it permitted polygamous marriage (Lev 18:18). 

Moses’ law did not treat all people equally. For example, the punishment for illicit sex with a female slave differed from the punishment for sex with a free woman (Lev 19:20-22). 

Here are a few observations. 

1. Adam and Eve had the first troubled marriage. Most of their descendants are in the same gene pool. 

2. To the patriarchs in Genesis, polygamy and having children by servant girls was situation normal. Genesis is realistic about troubled marriages, troubled families, and aberrations like incest, prostitution, and rape. 

3. Moses’ law does not try to implement and enforce God’s original design. As Jesus noted, it accommodates divorce, and tries to protect the vulnerable partner. 

4. Moses’ law deals compassionately, justly, and realistically with human brokenness, while still aiming to respect God’s design. For example, people with physical disabilities were full members of society, but were banned from the priesthood (Lev 21:18-20). Today, we would call this a clear case of discrimination. 

5. The fact that Moses’ law permits divorce raises complex questions for today’s Christians. Do we want laws to enforce our understanding of God’s design? Or should we copy Moses’ example by devising laws that deal compassionately and equitably with divorce, sickness, domestic violence, sexual preference, abortion, war, and other departures from God’s design?

Let’s pray. 

O father, our bodies, our culture, our relationships reflect our brokenness and the brokenness of our world.   

Give us wisdom to understand your design. Wisdom to love and serve those who live in the shadows of brokenness–Down’s syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, sexual brokenness. Give us wisdom to understand, like Moses, which cultural practices to accommodate. Divorce? Abortion? Euthanasia? Same-sex relationships? Other practices? 

Soften our hard hearts. Teach us to live by your design. Teach us to have grace for all who are unable or unwilling to live by your design. 

Amen. 

I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.  

YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube

Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.

Mark chapters 8 and 9 reported two world-shaking events. Peter recognized Jesus as the anointed one, the Messiah. And not long after, Jesus stepped into God’s glory on the mountain, talking with Moses and Elijah. 

After these events, Jesus taught his disciples that he would soon suffer and die. The disciples didn’t believe him. Peter said, “Not so,” and Jesus replied, “Get behind me, Satan” (Mark 8:33). The next time Jesus mentioned suffering and death, his disciples stayed silent. They didn’t pull another Peter, but among themselves, they argued about who would be greatest (Mark 9:33-34). 

This prompted Jesus to make several comments about greatness. 

First, he pointed out that God was planning a Great Reversal. “Whoever is first must be last, must be the servant of all.” he said (Mark 9:35). In the Great Reversal, servants become rulers, the insignificant gain status, and slaves become kings. If you’re following me, Jesus said, don’t count your kingdoms before you are king.

Second, Jesus took a child in his arms and said, “Whoever welcomes a little child in my name welcomes me” (Mark 9:37). The children’s Sunday School teacher is as great as the preacher.  

John, thinking about welcoming children, also thought about who wasn’t welcome. He said, “We saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we told him to stop, because he’s not one of us” (Mark 9:38). Jesus replied, “You’re making a mistake. Whoever drives out demons or does miracles or even gives a cup of water in my name, is on our side” (Mark 9:39-40). 

Clearly, the disciples needed to expand their view of Jesus followers. Whoever respects the name of Jesus is our ally, whether they are conservative, liberal, or even non-Christians. As Jesus said, “Whoever is not against us is for us” (Mark 9:40). 

The disciple’s argument about who was greatest didn’t fare well in Jesus’ views about servants and children and outsiders. Continuing his response, Jesus warned against harming children’s faith. He said, if you cause one of these little ones to stumble, it would be better if you swam with pockets full of stones and drowned. If your hand or eye or foot causes you to stumble, cut it off (Mark 9:42-49). 

Wow. The great disciples aren’t permitted even to lord it over children!

And Jesus warned, “Everyone will be salted with fire” (Mark 9:49). Don’t try to climb the corporate ladder of Jesus’ kingdom. Rather, prepare to go through the fire that will strip away sins and false aspirations, and maybe even the self that you love.

Jesus’ final comment to the disciples was, “Have salt among yourselves and be at peace with each other” (Mark 9:50).  You’re a salty, earthy, edgy lot of disciples. But there’s no need to argue about who will be greatest. Be salty with each other, but do it peacefully. 

Let’s pray. 

O father, Jesus tells us that in his kingdom, the first are last and the last are first. 

We are the first. We have studied the scriptures and the life of Jesus, and we have worked out how best to follow him. Surely our efforts have moved us up the corporate ladder. 

But Jesus’ instructions bring us down to earth. Care for the children, don’t think you’re above outsiders who serve him. Attend to the small things. Be a servant, do the dishes, shine the shoes, clean the bathtub, sweep the sidewalk. 

O father, give us wisdom and vision to follow his teaching. 

Amen. 

I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.  

YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube

Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.

After Jesus spoke with Moses and Elijah on a mountain, a man with a demon possessed son was waiting in the valley. “I asked your disciples to drive out the demon, but they couldn’t,” the man said. 

Jesus sighed and said, “You unbelieving generation. How long shall I put up with you?” (Mark 9:19). 

They brought the boy to Jesus, but the demon threw the boy into convulsions, and he fell down foaming at the mouth. The father said to Jesus, “If you can do anything, take pity and help us.” 

‘“If I can”?’ said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” 

The boy’s father said, “I believe. Help my unbelief.” Jesus healed the boy. 

The disciples, just coming off a successful ministry trip of preaching, healing, and casting out demons, asked Jesus, “Why couldn’t we cast out that demon?” 

Jesus replied, “That kind comes out only by prayer” (Mark 9:29). 

This story repeats several themes Mark has been highlighting in his gospel–lessons that Jesus’ disciples then (and today in 2025) are still slow to learn.  

First, Jesus expressed surprise at how spiritually obtuse the disciples were. “O unbelieving generation,” he said. “How long shall I put up with you?” (Mark 9:19).

Jesus put up with his disciples for three years. I wonder what emotion he was feeling about putting up with them this time. Disappointment? Annoyance? Frustration? I wonder what he feels about me.

Second, Jesus raised the question of faith. “Everything is possible for one who believes,” he said to the boy’s father (Mark 9:23).

Do you believe? Is everything possible for you? If not, what’s your excuse? These are questions I often ask myself. 

A third lesson: desperation trumped proper religious form. The mainline religious leaders argued with the crowd, but could not exorcise the demon (Mark 9:14). Jesus’ disciples were there too, but their faith and spirituality just wasn’t up to the task. 

What touched Jesus was the father’s desperation: “I believe. Help my unbelief!” Jesus accepted how difficult faith can be for humans, he received the father’s pain, and granted his request.

Does this story teach that I need to be more desperate in order to grow in faith? Interesting question, but I don’t see an answer in Mark’s gospel. 

My experience is that sometimes Jesus helps the desperate with a miracle. Sometimes he leads us through desperation to a more stable emotional life. And sometimes he lets us go on being desperate. The lesson I’ve learned is to bring whatever I feel of faith, unbelief, and desperation to Jesus, and wait for his answer.

The last lesson is that, once again, Jesus encouraged the disciples to pray. “This kind of demon comes out only by prayer,” he said. I wonder what was wrong with the disciples’ prayers. Were they praying the wrong prayers? Maybe they didn’t pray enough? Perhaps their prayers lacked fervency and conviction?

Jesus didn’t analyze or correct what was wrong with their prayers. He didn’t give instructions for improving their prayer life. He didn’t tell them how long and how fervently to pray. All he said was, “What you are missing is prayer.” 

Let’s pray. 

O Jesus, you often went to quiet places to pray. 

But when others came to you, we see desperation, not quietness. The disciples in the storm prayed, “Master, don’t you care if we drown?” The leper prayed, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” The synagogue leader prayed, “My daughter is dying. Please heal her.” 

O Jesus, when we lead lives of quiet desperation, transform and heal us. When we live lives of quiet comfort, teach us to pray in quiet places, as you did. 

Teach us that everything is possible to those who believe. Teach us that we can cast out entrenched sin and even demons by prayer. Teach us to pray. 

Amen. 

I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.  

YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube