Today's Bible Verse: Mark 7:26
 
    "Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him (Jesus) to cast the demon out of her daughter."
 
Today's Reflection Questions:
 
    What are your "origins"?
    For the sake of others, what would you "beg" Jesus to do?
    
Today's Prayer Topic:
 
    Pray for God to give the gift of health and healing for the sake of others.

Today's Bible Verse: Mark 7:24b-25
 
    "He (Jesus) entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him and she came and bowed down at his feet."
 
Today's Reflection Questions:
 
    Why do you think Jesus "did not want anyone to know he was there"?
    What would it take for you to "bow down" at the feet of Jesus?
    
Today's Prayer Topic:
 
    Pray for God to let you know where Jesus is in your life, so that you might worship him.

Today's Bible Verse: Mark 7:24a
 
    "From there, he (Jesus) set out and went away to the region of Tyre."
 
Today's Reflection Questions:
 
    To where does Jesus "set out" today?
    What would life be like if Jesus "went away"?
    
Today's Prayer Topic:
 
    Pray for God to give your life direction, so that you may "set out" on the path God has provided for you.

Today's Bible Verse: Mark 7:20-23
 
    "And he (Jesus) said, 'It is what comes out of a person that defiles. For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.'"
 
Today's Reflection Questions:
 

    What kind of "intentions" come from your "heart"?
    What kinds of "evil things come from within" you?
    
Today's Prayer Topic:
 
    Pray for God to keep you from evil.

Today's Bible Verse: Mark 7:18-19
 
    "He (Jesus) said to them, 'Then do you also fail to understand? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile, since it entered not the heart but the stomach, and goes out into the sewer?' (Thus he declared all foods clean)."
 
Today's Reflection Questions:
 
    How do you "fail to understand" Jesus" teaching?
    What kinds of things "from outside defile" a person's life?
    
Today's Prayer Topic:
 
    Pray for God to help you to "understand" all things.

Today's Bible Verse: Mark 7:17
 
    "When he (Jesus) left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked about the parable."
 
Today's Reflection Questions:
 
    Why would Jesus leave "the crowd" today?
    As a disciple of Jesus, what would you ask Jesus to explain to you?
    
Today's Prayer Topic:
 
    Pray for God to help you to understand things that perplex you about His teaching.

Today's Bible Verse: Mark 7:14-15
 
    "Then he (Jesus) called the crowd again and said to them, 'Listen to me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile.'"
 
Today's Reflection Questions:
 
    What kinds of things "defile" you?
    In what ways do you "listen" to Jesus?
    
Today's Prayer Topic:
 
    Pray for God to help you to keep from becoming "defiled".

Today's Bible Verse: Mark 7:11-13
 
    "But you say that if anyone tells father or mother, 'Whatever support you might have had from me is Corban' (that is, an offering to God)--then you no longer permit doing anything for a father or mother, thus making void the word of God through your tradition that you have handed on. And you do many things like this.'"
 
Today's Reflection Questions:
 

    In what ways do you "support" your parents (or other family members)?
    How do people make "void the word of God" in their lives?
    
Today's Prayer Topic:
 
    Pray for God to help you keep His word.

Today's Bible Verse: Mark 7:10
 
    "For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother' and 'Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must surely die.'"
 
Today's Reflection Questions:
 

    In what ways do you "honor your father and your mother"?
    How does this verse speak to the issue of capital punishment?
    
Today's Prayer Topic:
 
    Pray for God to help you to "honor your father and your mother".

Today's Bible Verse: Mark 7:9
 
    "Then he (Jesus) said to them, 'You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition!'"
 
Today's Reflection Questions:
 

    In what ways do you "reject the commandment of God"?
    What "traditions" are important for you to keep?
    
Today's Prayer Topic:
 
    Pray for God to give you the ability to "reject" those things that are contrary to the "commandment of God".