NEW ST MARK BAPTIST CHURCH

04/19/2026

04/19/2026

DEVOTIONAL ✝️

The Joyful Road of Sacrifice and Peace
By Frances Taylor

Those who had been baptized following Peter's Pentecost sermon knew that they needed to learn more about Jesus and so they continued to study at the feet of the apostles. They would gather for prayer and would break bread together in fellowship. The power of God was still evident in the signs and wonders that accompanied the apostles. In another translation, the word "fear" is translated as "awe." This is probably a better emotion considering that they had witnessed the crucifixion and some of them may have been present when Jesus ascended into heaven. Do you ever wonder what it might have been like to sit with the apostles and listen to their stories about Jesus? They could ask the apostles questions and get some personal information about Jesus. It must have been exciting to be a part of something new. Today we still need to learn about Jesus' teachings even though Christianity is not a new religion. Where do we go to learn, break bread and find fellowship with other believers? For those associated with a particular church community, the answer could be there. For others, it is still important to join with other believers. This is what sustains our faith when we are weak, and we, in turn, provide strength for others in their times of need. Do you attend a Bible study, or have a regular time to sit and reflect on Scripture? I enjoy the insights I gain from the people who attend the two Bible studies I attend each week. The discussions open my mind to see other ways of looking at something I think I know well. We all need to look at the earliest Christians as models for our own behavior.

PRAYER 🙏
Lord I envy the early Christians who had the wisdom and insight of the apostles to help them learn more and more about you. Help me to never stop learning and seeking fellowship with other believers. Amen

04/12/2026

DEVOTIONAL ✝️

God's Protection
By Frances Taylor

The people had been freed from slavery in Egypt. God had protected them from being captured by Pharaoh's army, he had sent them manna and fowl to eat, had given them fresh water and had allowed them to defeat the armies that came against them. They still complained against God and Moses and talked about what they had left behind in Egypt. It seems like their complaints had been heard, but the answer was not what they wanted. God sent seraph serpents that bit many of them and of those, many died. Now they begged Moses to go to God and ask for forgiveness and to relieve their suffering. The above is God's response. We complain all the time. We know, now, that God does not send bad things into our lives, only good. However, we also know that when we have sinned, something dies inside of us. When we are ashamed, we tend to blame the other person. If we are caught in sin, we want revenge on the person who caught us. I probably have already mentioned the friend who for years carried so much anger for an ex-husband that she developed serious stomach ulcers. God doesn't want us to suffer; he wants to heal us just as he healed the Israelites in the wilderness. He has sent his Son to bring us the healing we need. When Jesus was hung on the cross, there were those looking up at him who recognized who he was and were healed. We know their stories – the repentant thief and the centurion whose servant had been healed by Jesus. If we only look upon the cross of Jesus and witness the love poured out for us in his outstretched arms, we too will find healing.

PRAYER 🙏
Lord Jesus you willingly stretched out your arms in love for us as you offered your life so that we may live. May we look upon your love often so that may allow your healing powers to touch our hearts and keep us from sin. Amen

03/29/2026

DEVOTIONAL ✝️
BELIEF
By Frances Taylor

Jesus has come to Bethany because he has received word that his friend Lazarus is ill. He is speaking with Lazarus' sister, Martha, who had complained to Jesus that he died because Jesus wasn't there to heal him. Martha then went to get their other sister, Mary. This incident was a contributing factor in the determination of the chief priests and Pharisees to arrest Jesus and have him executed. Lazarus was not the first person that Jesus had raised from the dead. He had raised Jairus' daughter and the son of the widow of Naim. So, what was the difference? The difference was the length of time that Lazarus had been in the tomb. In Jesus time, there were no medical ways of determining death, and because of both tradition and the heat in that part of the world, the Jews buried their dead on the day of death. I'm sure that there were mistakes made, and people could easily have said that the two people Jesus raised weren't really dead. However, when Jesus told those who were mourning with Martha and Mary to roll back the stone, they protested because after four days, there would be a stench. But they did as Jesus asked, and when Jesus called out to Lazarus, he came out. There was no doubt that there was something special about this man Jesus! Many more people began to believe in him. This frightened the leaders who were afraid that the Romans would persecute them and take away their religious freedom and their nation. From that time on they plotted his death. We are approaching the end of Lent. Today is Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week. Jesus waited until Lazarus was dead before he came to Martha and Mary so that he could show them the power of God. How has he shown God's power to you or to me this Lent?

PRAYER 🙏
Loving God, you come at the right time to answer our prayers. It isn't always what we want but it is what will help move forward your plan for us. May we see your presence and glory every day of our lives. Amen

02/23/2026

02/23/2026

DEVOTIONAL ✝️

Working Out Your Salvation

("So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." Philippians 2:12-13)

We don't have to work for salvation; rather, we rely on the Holy Spirit to change us from within. What does it mean to “work out your salvation”? Many people mistakenly think Paul was telling us to work for our salvation. But the apostle was saying something completely different—that your salvation experience isn’t the end of your spiritual journey. It’s the beginning.

Once you have trusted Jesus as Savior, you can start living out what He’s given you—His abundant life. If you’ve given your heart to Him, the Holy Spirit now indwells you forever. It is God’s Spirit working in and through you that provides the power to lean into the fullness of your salvation.

As your faith and relationship with the Lord develop, you’ll begin to notice Him moving in your life. Then, when you share your faith and blessings with others, it will become evident that God is working through you in new ways. Keep following Him, and the seeds He has planted within you will start to flourish (Isaiah 55:10-11). So “work out your salvation” means reverently acting on the basis of what God has already given you—and allowing the life of Christ within you to come into full flower.

Your salvation should become an expression of Jesus’ life wherever you are. As you work it out, God’s Spirit will energize you to make a difference and impact others in countless ways.
crosswalk.com

PRAYER 🙏

Dear God, I come to You admitting that I am a sinner. I believe that Your Son, Jesus, died on the cross to take away my sin. I also believe He rose from the dead so I can be justified and made righteous through faith in Him. Jesus, I choose to follow You, and I ask that you fill me with the power of the Holy Spirit. Thank you for saving me! Amen

01/16/2026

It is with deep regret that New St Mark announces the Homegoing of our beloved member Sister LaVerne Hooks. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with her family, loved ones, and friends. May God give them comfort and strength they need during the upcoming days

"Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted." Matthew 5:4

01/04/2026

INSPIRATIONAL WORDS

Can you think of the last time that you sinned? Sometimes it is hard to remember, but I imagine that some moment of weakness will come into your mind. What did you do after sinning? More importantly, what could you have done differently? James explains what should be done and what you hopefully do: confess your sins and pray for each other. I feel a tremendous sense of relief after I confess to wrongdoing. Bottling it in never allows for the release of negative energy and emotions. Let it out, ask for forgiveness, and pray for each other.

PRAYER 🙏

Forgive me Father for I have sinned. I have been gluttonous, lustful, greedy, proud, filled with sorrow, wrathful, vain, and slothful. I have condemned others without even examining myself. I have not always loved my enemies nor loved my neighbors as myself. I can do better and must do better. Forgive me, O Lord, and make me whole! I pray that You strengthen me this day and all days, serving as my refuge against temptation. Deliver me from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

01/04/2026

Sunday Blessings!