Rev. Mark Marxhausen

My Bible readings for today were from 2 Kings 17 and Mark 15. These are two completely different times and accounts, but I noticed a common thread that ran through them and that same thread can still be seen today. Let me explain… In 2 Kings 17 we are introduced to the last king of Israel. His name is Hoshea. Like many of the other kings before him, he disobeyed the Lord, but the Bible...

The whole courtroom scene in Mark 14 has always been intriguing to me. It’s filled with drama… it’s filled with suspicion and suspense… it’s filled with injustice. You know here in America a person is innocent until proven guilty. But at the trial of Jesus, He was guilty as guilty could be without ever having done anything wrong or saying a word. The Bible tells us that even the witnesses who lied about Jesus…“… even...

I love the account of blind Bartimaeus. You can read it for yourself in Mark 10. I like it because he’s a man of determination. He has one thing on his mind and he’s not going to let anything prohibit him from getting it, unlike me and possibly you, sometimes. Maybe there’s some things you and I can learn from blind Bart. Here’s a few of them… #1. Sometimes the routine of our life causes...

Have you noticed how people change their minds so quickly lately? I have and have noticed it for some time now. I’ve noticed how people, young and old alike, make plans, but then when something better comes up, they rearrange their plans – even if it’s last minute. It’s really hard to get a concrete answer from them because they just kind of “flow with the river.” They never really ever come to a definitive...

I’ve told you before, but want to tell you again. When I read the Bible, I hear the sounds, see the sights, smell the aroma, can taste the food and feel the movement. In other words, all of my senses go into action and the Word of God comes alive for me. When that happens there are certain little nuances that stand out to me and make me ponder their deepness. Here’s one of them....

We live in a world of unopened eyes. There is more around us that we never see and maybe don’t ever want to see. We’re the ones who say, “Our perception is our reality.” The Bible talks about the darkness in this world, and the rulers, principalities and powers that be, but I don’t know if we can really see them. I mean, we see and experience bad people, bad situations, and bad ordeals, but...

Ok, so if you don’t want to hear the truth today, you might not want to read this. This is straight from the Bible and might make you feel uncomfortable. Ready? In Mark 4, Jesus tells a parable about a farmer who plants seeds – some seeds fall on the road, some on rocky ground, some among thorns and some in good soil. Then He explains it to the disciples later. The explanation of the...

Can I asked you why you hang out with Jesus? I’m not so much asking if you believe in Jesus or why you believe in Jesus as much as why do you keep Jesus in your life? I think it’s a pertinent question to ask, especially after I read Mark chapter 3 today. In the first six verses of this chapter, Jesus heals a man in the temple who had a crippled hand. However, there...

You may have heard this challenging question before, but let me challenge you with it again. Here goes…If Christianity were a crime, would there be enough of it in you to convict you? Let me follow that up with… convict you for how long? Six months… 3 years… life? Hopefully, that little question challenges you as much as it once again challenges me. I thought of that question today as I was reading Mark 2....

As I read my Bible this morning, it dawned on me that many people, maybe even you, are dissatisfied with life, because we’re doing the wrong things in life. I mean, we have a job, but the reason we have a job is to be able to pay our bills. Many people don’t even like their jobs, but they do them anyway, because it puts food on the table and allows them to go on...

The 18th and 19th chapters of 1 Kings, are among some of my favorite chapters. In chapter 18, we witness this nail-biting encounter with the prophet Elijah and the 450 prophets of Baal. Remember the account? All the people of Israel, the 450 prophets of Baal and Elijah are on top of Mount Carmel. There Elijah challenges the prophets to a showdown of whose God (god) is really real. The quest: get their perspective God...

1 Corinthians 13 is a powerful chapter in the Bible. I’m sure you’ve probably read it numerous times. You probably have heard it most when you’ve attended a Christian wedding because it’s a favorite scripture to be read for that occasion. If you recall, the Apostle Paul tries to define for us what love is really like. So let me ask you – if you were asked to write this chapter, how would you define...