Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day.

Thank you for joining me today and following us throughout Project 23. If you would like to learn more about this project, click the link to discover more and partner with us.

Our text today is Mark 13:1-2:

And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” — Mark 13:1-2

The disciples were stunned by the glory of the temple. And rightly so. It was massive. Breathtaking. Some stones weighed over 500 tons. It dominated the Jerusalem skyline. And to the Jewish people, it wasn’t just beautiful, it was sacred. It housed God's presence, their heritage, and their national identity.

So when one disciple turns to Jesus and says, “Look at these stones!” He’s marveling at a structure he believed would last forever.

But Jesus responds with an upsetting declaration and prophecy: “Not one stone will be left on another.”

In other words: "Don’t get too attached to this building and its stones."

Jesus was never impressed by architecture or religious infrastructure. He saw through the facade to the corruption, pride, and misplaced worship inside. And he knew it was all temporary. Forty years later, in A.D. 70, the Roman army would destroy the temple—stone by stone—just as Jesus said.

We still marvel at impressive things. I do. Impressive buildings, homes, and cars. I love to look at them. But even the most beautiful, durable, and influential things in this world can, and will, crumble. Our homes. Our careers. Our churches. Our bank accounts. Our platforms. If your hope is built on what appears impressive, be prepared to have your hope dashed, as it will ultimately collapse. And that's not prophetic, it's just the truth.

But this does not mean we should not appreciate beauty or build meaningful things. Jesus is reminding us not to confuse the temporary with the eternal. So don’t be fooled by the size of the stones. Fix your eyes on the Cornerstone, the One who cannot be shaken.

#FirmFoundation, #Mark13, #EternalPerspective

ASK THIS:

1. What made the temple so significant to the disciples?
2. Why does Jesus predict its destruction so bluntly?
3. What “stones” are you trusting in today that may not last?
4. How can you live more focused on the eternal this week?

DO THIS:

Identify one earthly thing you’ve been placing too much trust in. Name it, then ask God to shift your focus back to what’s eternal.

PRAY THIS:

Lord, I’m tempted to be impressed by what won’t last. Help me trust in what’s eternal. Anchor my life in what cannot be shaken. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

“Firm Foundation.”

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day.

Thank you for joining me today and following us throughout Project 23. If you would like to learn more about this project, click the link to discover more and partner with us.

Our text today is Mark 12:41-44:

And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” — Mark 12:41-44

Jesus takes a seat near the temple treasury. He watches people giving their offerings. The wealthy drop in large amounts. They draw attention. Heads turn. But then, a widow steps forward. No fanfare. No status. Just two small copper coins. Practically worthless. She drops them in and quietly walks away.

Jesus doesn’t miss it.

He calls his disciples over, not to talk about the rich, but to highlight her. “She gave more than all of them,” he declares. Why? Because while the others gave from surplus, she gave from sacrifice. She gave not what was convenient, but what was costly.

We often measure generosity by the amount given. But Jesus measures generosity by the sacrifice of our faith. This woman didn’t just give money. She was entrusting her next meal to God. She gave all she had. Everything! But it wasn’t the size of her gift or the proportion and percentage that moved Jesus. It was the depth of her surrender.

This is the kind of giving that pleases God. Not the loudest, but the most faithful. Not what impresses the crowd, but what trusts Him with everything.

So what about you? Are you giving from a place of abundance or trust? Are you offering God what’s leftover, or what matters most? You cannot hide this from Jesus. He sees the heart behind the hand. He sees the openness behind your offering. And when you give in faith, especially when no one’s watching, Jesus notices.

Thus, this poor widow became one of the greatest stories in the Gospel of Mark. So, how about you?

#SurrenderedGiving, #Mark12, #FaithNotFanfare

ASK THIS:

1. Why did Jesus value the widow’s gift over the others?
2. How does this story challenge your view of generosity?
3. Where are you giving from convenience rather than trust?
4. What would it look like to give sacrificially this week?

DO THIS:

Offer something today that costs you—not just in money, but in comfort, time, or trust. Make it between you and God.

PRAY THIS:

Lord, help me give like this widow—with trust, not calculation. Grow my faith to give not what’s easy, but what’s surrendered. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

“Offering.”

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day.

Thank you for joining me today and following us throughout Project 23. If you would like to learn more about this project, click the link to discover more and partner with us.

Our text today is Mark 12:38-40:

And in his teaching he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.” — Mark 12:38-40

Jesus has been teaching in the temple all day, and now he turns from answering questions to issuing a warning.

“Beware of the scribes.”

He calls them out on their own turf. And notice the exhortation. He does not say to “disagree with them” or “debate them.” He says "beware" as in, be on high alert.

Why? Because their spiritual influence looked holy on the outside. They wore the robes. Spoke the language. Took the places of honor. Prayed eloquent prayers. But it was all for show. Underneath the surface, Jesus exposes something far more dangerous: They devoured widows’ houses. They used their spiritual authority to manipulate, exploit, and take. Their power was not for people’s good, but for their own gain.

And Jesus doesn’t just call it out—he warns of a greater condemnation.

Spiritual leadership without spiritual integrity is deadly. And Jesus is clear. He’s not impressed with religious appearances. He sees the robes. The seats. The greetings. The prayers. But more importantly, he sees the motives.

Are you living for God’s approval or people’s applause?

This warning isn’t just for teachers and pastors, like myself, which is humbling to consider. It’s for anyone tempted to put on a spiritual performance. It’s for the man who prays in public but won’t lead at home. The woman who knows Scripture but won’t show grace. The leader who loves attention but won’t serve in obscurity. God is not looking for polished people. He’s looking for surrendered hearts. So beware of putting on a religious show. It may impress people, but it never fools God.

#BewareTheShow, #Mark12, #SpiritualIntegrity

ASK THIS:

1. Why does Jesus say “beware” instead of just “disagree”?
2. What does “devouring widows’ houses” tell you about the scribes?
3. Where are you tempted to perform spiritually?
4. How can you pursue deeper integrity in your walk with Christ?

DO THIS:

Ask someone who knows you well: “Do you ever see a gap between what I say spiritually and how I actually live?”

PRAY THIS:

Jesus, protect me from the temptation to perform spiritually. I don’t want appearance—I want authenticity. Shape my heart, not just my image. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

“Give Me Jesus”

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day.

Thank you for joining me today and following us throughout Project 23. If you would like to learn more about this project, click the link to discover more and partner with us.

Our text today is Mark 12:35-37:

And as Jesus taught in the temple, he said, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared,

“‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
until I put your enemies under your feet.”’

David himself calls him Lord. So how is he his son?” And the great throng heard him gladly. — Mark 12:35-37

After fielding a string of trick questions from religious leaders, Jesus turns the tables and asks a question of his own. At first glance, it sounds simple: “How can the Christ be David’s son, if David calls him Lord?”

But it’s a loaded question. Because in Jewish tradition, a father always held greater honor than a son. And yet, David, the greatest king in Israel’s history, refers to his own descendant as “Lord.” Jesus is forcing the spiritual elite to stop thinking in terms of physical hierarchy and start thinking in terms of divine authority.

He’s quoting Psalm 110, where David, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, prophesies about a coming Messiah who would sit at God’s right hand, a place of divine power. In short, Jesus is saying: “David wasn’t just writing about his family tree. He was writing about me.”

And if that’s true, and it is, then the Messiah is not merely a political figure or a human descendant. He is the Lord, David’s Lord, and our Lord.

It’s easy to develop a small view of Jesus. To admire him as a wise teacher. To respect him as a prophet. To even call him Savior, without surrendering to him as Lord. But Jesus is both the Son of David and the Lord of David. Both fully human and fully divine. The fulfillment of prophecy—and the author of it. Which is mind-blowing when you really think about it.

Here’s the point: Jesus won’t always be the one answering questions. Sometimes he asks them of us. Not to check your theology, but to reveal your heart.

So let’s make it more personal: Who is Jesus to you? A historical figure—or your living King? A religious concept—or your ultimate authority? Because how you answer that question changes everything. How you think, feel, and act.

#JesusIsLord, #Mark12, #SonAndSovereign

ASK THIS:

1. Why is David calling his descendant “Lord” such a big deal?
2. What does this reveal about Jesus’ divine authority?
3. Where have you admired Jesus but failed to submit to him?
4. What question is Jesus asking you today?

DO THIS:

Read Psalm 110. Let the weight of Jesus’ identity as both Son and Sovereign shift how you speak to him and live for him today.

PRAY THIS:

Jesus, you are more than I realize. Help me see you clearly and surrender fully. Expand my thoughts, my desires, and my decisions to reflect who you truly are. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

“King of Kings”

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day.

Thank you for joining me today and following us throughout Project 23. If you would like to learn more about this project, click the link to discover more and partner with us.

Our text today is Mark 12:28-34:

And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, "Which commandment is the most important of all?" Jesus answered, "The most important is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." And the scribe said to him, "You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions. — Mark 12:28-34

In a moment filled with debates and trick questions, one man dares to ask something sincere: "What's the most important commandment?" That's the right question.

And Jesus doesn't hesitate. He quotes the Shema from Deuteronomy 6—words every Jewish boy and girl had memorized:

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. And love your neighbor as yourself.

That's it. That's the whole law in two lines. Love vertically. Love horizontally.

The man nods. He gets it. He says it back to Jesus, and Jesus replies: "You are not far from the kingdom."

We complicate faith. Jesus simplifies it.

It's not about rules or rituals. Not about knowledge or appearances. It's about love—real love. Do you love God with your whole being? Do you love people as you love yourself? That's the measuring stick—not how much you know, but how well you love. And it's convicting, because most of us are pretty good at loving ourselves. We think about ourselves. Protect ourselves. Excuse ourselves.

But Jesus says: That same energy you give yourself? Give it to others. And more than that—give all of yourself to God. The love God wants is total. Not partial. Not occasional. Not reserved. All of it. This command doesn't leave room for compartmentalized faith. It pulls everything into the light: affections, thoughts, decisions, actions.

So live all in for him who lived all in for you.

#GreatestCommandment, #Mark12, #LoveGodLovePeople

ASK THIS:

1. Why does Jesus say these two commands summarize the whole law?
2. Which area of love is hardest for you—heart, soul, mind, or strength?
3. Who is someone God may be calling you to love more intentionally?
4. What does “not far from the kingdom” mean in your life?

DO THIS:

Ask God to show you where your love for Him has grown thin, and who around you needs the love you’ve been withholding.

PRAY THIS:

God, help me love you with all that I am—and love others the way you love me. Let my faith be full of real love, not empty religion. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

“The Heart of Worship”

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day.

Thank you for joining me today and following us throughout Project 23. If you would like to learn more about this project, click the link to discover more and partner with us.

Our text today is Mark 12:18-27:

And Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection. And they asked him a question, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife, but leaves no child, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. There were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and when he died left no offspring. And the second took her, and died, leaving no offspring. And the third likewise. And the seven left no offspring. Last of all the woman also died. In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife.”

Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God? For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong.” — Mark 12:18-27

Sometimes we don’t want the truth. We want control. And so, we try to outsmart God. That’s exactly what the Sadducees were doing here. They didn’t believe in the resurrection, so they built a cleverly absurd story to make it look foolish. Seven brothers. One woman. No kids. One question: Whose wife will she be in heaven?

To them, it was intellectual checkmate.

But Jesus didn’t flinch at their game.

“You’re wrong,” he said. “Because you don’t know the Scriptures or the power of God.”

To Jesus, their issue was not a matter of theological debate—it was a matter of spiritual diagnosis. They didn’t want the truth. They tried to trap truth in their logic and reduce an infinite God to a human riddle.

But you don’t have to be a slippery Sadducee to try to outsmart God.

We act this way every time we twist Scripture to justify sin. Every time we argue around obedience. Every time we elevate our logic over God’s revelation. We’re not wrestling for clarity—we’re dodging surrender and trying to outsmart God.

Jesus reveals that faith doesn’t come from clever arguments—it comes from humble submission to God's will, as laid out in Scripture. It comes from knowing God’s Word and trusting God’s power, even when it doesn’t fit our mental grid.

So, stop debating with God like you’re his equal. You don’t need to outthink Him. You merely need to trust Him. Read his Word. Take him at his word. And act in faith. Because the real issue isn’t intelligence—it’s always surrender.

#Mark12, #TrustOverControl, #ObedientFaith

ASK THIS:

1. Why did Jesus say the Sadducees were “quite wrong”?
2. How do we sometimes use cleverness to avoid surrender?
3. What’s one truth you’ve been rationalizing instead of obeying?
4. What would it look like to trust God's power over your logic?

DO THIS:

What’s one area where you’ve been reasoning your way out of obedience? Confess it today—and take a simple step of surrender instead.

PRAY THIS:

God, I confess the ways I’ve tried to control you with logic. I don’t want to win arguments—I want to walk in obedience. Teach me to trust you again. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

“Reign Above It All”

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day.

Thank you for joining me today and following us throughout Project 23. If you want to know more about this project click the link to learn more and partner with us.

Our text today is Mark 12:13-17:

And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone's opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to him, “Caesar's.” Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” And they marveled at him. — Mark 12:13-17

It’s a trap disguised as a question. The Pharisees and Herodians, strange allies, join forces to corner Jesus. They ask about taxes. If he sides with Caesar, he looks like a sellout. If he sides against Caesar, they’ll turn him in.

But Jesus doesn’t flinch at their political trap. He asks for a coin, points to Caesar’s image, and delivers a mic-drop moment:

“Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s—and to God what is God’s.”

They came for a soundbite. What they got was a lesson on image, ownership, and ultimate allegiance. Because the coin may bear the emperor's image, but you bear God’s.

Jesus isn’t just being clever. He’s being confrontational. Caesar may own the coin, but God owns everything—including you.
You’re made in His image. That means every breath, every choice, every allegiance belongs to Him. That’s not a political dodge—it’s the deeper political tension. It's the political discussion most people won't have. God’s image is the greater political image. And no matter where your passport says you’re from, His image on your soul demands a higher allegiance.

So yes—pay your taxes. Be a good citizen. Honor the laws of the land. But don’t let politics become a spiritual escape. Don’t let national loyalty replace kingdom loyalty. Because you can’t truly render to Caesar what’s his unless you’ve already rendered to God what’s His: that's everything.

#GreaterAllegiance, #GodsImage, #Mark12

ASK THIS:

1. Why did Jesus ask about the image on the coin?
2. What does it mean to bear God’s image in daily life?
3. How are you tempted to give your energy to earthly kingdoms over God’s?
4. What would it look like to truly “render to God” what is His?

DO THIS:

Ask: Am I spending more energy defending Caesar’s image than reflecting God’s?

PRAY THIS:

Father, you made me in your image. I don’t want to give my loyalty to lesser kings. Help me live in a way that reflects your rule. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

“No Other Name”