A Daily Devotional with Pastor Doug Crouse February 28, 2018

Do Good Any Time Scripture Reading – Mark 3:4 - 5 (NLT)“Then he turned to his critics and asked, 'Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it' But they wouldn't answer him. He looked around at them angrily and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts. Then he said to the man, 'Hold out your hand.'  So the man held out his hand, and it was restored."

 I really don't like making anyone angry. In fact, I am sure almost all of you are the same, wanting to be at peace with all. But if there is Someone I really do not want ever to make angry it's Jesus. And as I look at the Bible, the only ones I see that Jesus was usually angry with were the very religious people. And most often it was because of their outward or manmade observance to their rules, in place of the liberty that Christ Jesus brings to the human heart.

Take today's example. On the Sabbath in the synagogue (a place where one might hope to find liberty and healing - as in the church of Jesus Christ) a man with a deformed hand needed healing, to which the heart of Jesus reached out. At the same time the religious elite somehow considered this somehow working on God's holy day. This nonsense angered our Lord, and He did what He does, healed and brought life to the man.The response of the religious right was that they were even more angry and carried on with their plans (or so they thought), to plot how Jesus would be killed.

When it comes to our doing good and reaching out in compassion and healing and showing an abundance of mercy and grace in Jesus precious name, feel free to go ahead and, 'Do Good Any Time'.And for those of us who consider ourselves to be religious I pray that we would bring a smile to the face of Jesus, our Father and welcome the Holy Spirit by loving others in Jesus precious name. 

Prayer Father in heaven I rejoice in Your mercies that are new every morning in my life. As I go about living for You, help me to be one who freely gives of Your mercy, grace and love, even as I have freely received. I pray this for the glory of Jesus my Lord. 

Memory Verse:  1 John 1:9 NLT “But if we ________ our _____ to him he is ___________ and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”