A Christian Blog that is raw, real, and rarely filtered.

Ever notice how your wife can explain something for five minutes, and somehow all you heard was, “Fishing sounds nice”? 😂 Turns out, hearing and listening aren't the same thing! In Mark 4:21–25, Jesus talks about hidden lamps, measuring grain, and why some people gain understanding while others lose it. What does any of that have to do with following Jesus? More than you might think! You heard every word… but did you miss the point?

Fishing and fellowship. How to be fishers of men while spending time in God's creation.

Fishing and fellowship. How to be fishers of men while spending time in God's creation.

Wait… did Jesus actually say He DOESN'T want some people to be forgiven?! 😳 In Mark 4:10–20, Jesus says something so surprising it seems to contradict everything He's been teaching. Why would He deliberately hide the truth? What does an ancient warning from Isaiah have to do with it? And how does a simple farming story help explain it all? Today we're tackling one of Jesus' most troubling statements—and discovering why HOW we listen matters more than we think.

Ever feel like you're talking to someone who's hearing every word but listening to absolutely nothing? 😂 Jesus knew that problem long before smartphones! In Mark 4:1–9, He tells a simple farming story with a surprisingly important message about listening. Why does the same seed produce such different results? And what did Jesus mean by "ears to hear"? Discover the fascinating Jewish and Old Testament connections behind this famous parable.

You can choose your friends, but you can't choose your family. Or can you? 🤔 When Jesus' mother and brothers showed up, He asked, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" Was Jesus rejecting His family? Not exactly! In a culture where your family name determined your place in life, Jesus challenged everything people believed about family and belonging. Discover what His shocking words mean for YOU today!

Can God REALLY forgive every sin? What about the one Jesus said could NEVER be forgiven? If you've ever worried that something you said or did put you beyond God's forgiveness, Mark 3:20–30 deserves a closer look. Jesus' warning wasn't aimed at people struggling with honest doubts. It came after religious experts accused Him of working for Satan! Before you panic over one verse, read the whole story. You might be surprised by what Jesus actually said about forgiveness.

Jesus had thousands of followers. So why did He pick THESE twelve guys?! 🤔 Fishermen, a tax collector, a few guys we barely know anything about, and one who would eventually betray Him. Not exactly an impressive résumé! In Mark 3:7–19, discover why Jesus chose twelve ordinary men, what an apostle actually was, and why feeling unqualified might not be the problem you think it is. Maybe Jesus isn't looking for your qualifications. Maybe He's looking for your willingness to

What if Sabbath isn't another thing we do for God, but time we get to spend with Him? Last week, we talked about busyness and what happens when our lives become overloaded. This week, I want to look at something that connects with that conversation but takes us in a different direction. What does Sabbath rest actually look like in real life? Pastor Thad has been walking us through Jesus' teaching about Sabbath in Mark 2. I want to take the conversation out of the Bible study

Apparently, Jesus had a problem with HANDling the Sabbath rules. ✋😂 A man with a deformed hand needed healing. Jesus helped him. The religious leaders? They started planning a murder. Seriously?! How do you go from defending God's rules to plotting to kill God's Son? In Mark 3:1–6, Jesus exposes what happens when being RIGHT becomes more important than DOING what's right. Here's the uncomfortable question: Are we making the same mistake today?

WHAT IF YOU’RE MAKING FOLLOWING JESUS HARDER THAN JESUS DID? Religious leaders had turned God’s gift of Sabbath into a pile of rules—and then got upset when Jesus’ hungry disciples picked grain. Jesus points them back to David, explains what Sabbath was actually for, and then makes a HUGE claim: He is Lord of the Sabbath. Maybe the question isn’t, “Am I doing this right?” but “Jesus, what do You actually want?”

Maybe you’re not exhausted because following Jesus is hard. Maybe you’re exhausted because you refuse to drop your nets. You’ve added church, Bible study, prayer and serving to a life already packed with work, hobbies, spending, projects and plans. Jesus never told Simon and Andrew to keep fishing and squeeze Him in. They dropped their nets. What are you still carrying that’s keeping you from actually following Jesus?

🚨 What if Christians have been getting this Bible story wrong? Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners—but was His point simply to be accepting of people the religious crowd rejected? Look closer. The story begins with “Follow me” and ends with “I came to call sinners.” The dinner is in the middle. Maybe Jesus wasn’t just hanging out with sinners. Maybe He was on a mission.

Jesus may not fix the thing you’re praying about. There. Your pastor said it. Four friends ripped open a roof because their paralyzed buddy needed working legs. Jesus looked at him and said, “Your sins are forgiven.” Wait…what? Did Jesus miss the obvious problem? Not even close. In Mark 2:1–12, Jesus shows us that the problem we desperately want Him to fix may not be the biggest problem we actually need Him to address.

What does the Bible say about busyness? Discover what Scripture teaches about rest, productivity, making time for God, and finding the difference between being busy and being fruitful.

Some of you have done things you’d be horrified to tell your pastor. Some of you have had things done TO you that still make you feel dirty. Either way, shame whispers the same lie: If people really knew me, they wouldn’t want me. In Mark 1:40–45, a man everyone called “unclean” asks Jesus the question many of us secretly wonder: “Would You even want someone like me?” Jesus’ response changes everything.

What if being NEEDED is actually keeping you from what God CALLED you to do? In Mark 1:35–39, people genuinely need Jesus. He can help them. Yet He walks away. Why? Because a good opportunity isn’t automatically your assignment. Could you be so busy serving, helping, and doing good things that you’re missing something bigger?

Who do you trust when you’re facing a problem way bigger than you can fix? In Mark 1:29–34, people had just watched Jesus demonstrate real authority—so when someone they loved was sick or suffering, they brought them to Him. They couldn’t heal them. They didn’t have the answers. But they knew who did. What might it look like for us to actually bring people to Jesus?

Sounding religious doesn’t mean someone speaks for God. Plenty of people can quote the Bible and sound confident. But in Mark 1:21–28, people immediately notice something different about Jesus. Then an evil spirit recognizes Him—and obeys Him. No ritual. No magic formula. Jesus simply speaks. So who is this man? And if He really has this kind of authority, what does that mean for those of us who follow Him?

“Just believe in Jesus.” But is that actually how Jesus invited people in? His first disciples didn’t understand the cross, the resurrection, or even what kind of Messiah He was. Some of what they believed was flat-out wrong. Yet Jesus didn’t hand them a theology exam. He said, “Follow me.” In Mark 1:16–20, discover why following Jesus starts before you understand everything—and why He never intended to leave you where He found you.