tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19247097778781714442012-02-20T18:33:19.760-08:00Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.comBlogger381100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-73754685711710174012012-02-20T18:33:00.001-08:002012-02-20T18:33:19.771-08:00

   28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30, New International Version) Are you one who is weak, weary, thirsty? You are the one that God calls to. You are the one that he

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-87698300548895594862012-02-17T19:55:00.000-08:002012-02-17T19:55:08.253-08:00

Think about these two phrases: Single-minded Whole hearted They speak of focus. They speak of commitment. They speak of intensity. What are the counterparts? Double-minded Half-hearted Psalm 86:11 New International Version (©1984) Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. Another version says, "Unite my heart to fear

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-12812219724761714802012-02-16T19:27:00.001-08:002012-02-16T19:27:54.423-08:00

1 Thessalonians 1:3 NASB ... constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father... There are three striking pairings in this verse. 1. Work of faith - Faith and work are often paired in antithesis to one another. Here we see work finding its genesis and power in faith. Work and faith, far

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-70114911181254367562012-02-08T04:43:00.001-08:002012-02-08T04:43:41.888-08:00

I have visited a number of sites lately that allow you to express your opinion on various pieces of legislation. Are you for or against the proposed bill!? Once you have voted, you can see how others have voted. Psalm 118:6-7 NASB The LORD is for me; I will not fear; What can man do to me? The LORD is for me among those who help me; Therefore I will look  with satisfaction  on those who

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-85300210397891261862012-02-06T19:49:00.000-08:002012-02-06T19:59:43.057-08:00

Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was passing by.  He cried out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"  When Jesus called him, he cast his cloak aside. This earthly possession meant nothing compared to the treasure of sight. Mark 10:46-52 New International Version (NIV) Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight 46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd,

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-42251803523972789212012-02-06T16:58:00.001-08:002012-02-06T17:01:59.017-08:00

My wife and I were on our way to church yesterday morning.  There is a radio station that we enjoy that we can pick up during part of our 55 minute drive to church.  As we head further away from Plymouth, Wisconsin, where the station is located, the signal gets weaker. Soon the background radio "noise" starts kicking in.  The signal that started out pretty clear when we first headed out

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-74344363841175403872012-02-03T17:58:00.000-08:002012-02-03T17:59:01.448-08:00

My last post was about enduring love.  In another version, it is translated as "everlasting".  Psalm 118 mentions the everlasting nature of God's love five times. His lovingkindness is everlasting. What is connected with these five mentions? "Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good: for His lovingkindness is everlasting." Thanks is the right response to the goodness of the character of God.

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-80541432025285753142012-02-02T23:42:00.000-08:002012-02-02T23:42:44.279-08:00

What does it mean to endure? What is an enduring love? The first four verses of Psalm 118 read like this in the NIV: 1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. 2 Let Israel say: "His love endures forever." 3 Let the house of Aaron say: "His love endures forever." 4 Let those who fear the Lord say: "His love endures forever." God's kindness reaches to the

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-36374967030188306322012-02-01T19:23:00.000-08:002012-02-01T19:45:36.375-08:00

from http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodgirlsgobadd/with/4471958166/ I was just looking at Psalm 136.  It doesn't take a doctorate in theology and Biblical languages to note the obvious repetition in the Psalm..."His love endures forever."  Verse after verse, the phrase is repeated.  In my highschool years, I recall an instance when God used repetition to communicate something to my heart

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-10423946675574463162012-01-27T19:55:00.000-08:002012-01-27T19:55:49.995-08:00

I have been blogging mostly about John 15 during the month of January.  I came again to the text this evening, knowing that God Spirit would have something fresh again.  And he did. As I was reading about the vine and the branches, about bearing fruit, about abiding, again I saw the living relationship. God brings life. He is life. This past summer my grandchildren had a great time in our

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-7852435161636032662012-01-25T19:27:00.000-08:002012-01-25T19:27:39.206-08:00

In John 15:13 we read this: "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends."   Ephesians 5:25 says this: "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her." How great is the love of Jesus toward you?  Great enough that he  willingly laid down his life. Love Song - Third Day from Kevin Porter on Vimeo.

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-84663276949018828042012-01-24T17:59:00.000-08:002012-01-24T17:59:27.906-08:00

Adam and Eve tried to hide from God in the garden.  God came waking in the garden in the cool of the evening seeking them. When the one sheep was lost, the good shepherd left the 99 and came seeking the one lost sheep. When you are lost or hiding from God, he will come seeking you as well. The Bible says, "Seek the Lord while he may be found."  Psalm 119 says, "Your Word have I hidden in my

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-41098784343541715362012-01-23T19:17:00.000-08:002012-01-23T19:17:20.236-08:00

Depending on who is giving the name, there is a whole bunch in a name indeed! The first names were given by God himself.  God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” That's some pretty powerful name calling!  God then shared the naming role with Adam, inviting him to name the animals.  God's delegated authority was given to Adam. And when Adam named the animals, "whatever

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-47748595499259132642012-01-21T06:36:00.001-08:002012-01-21T06:43:05.249-08:00

John 15:5 NASB I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. I was reminded of a Keith Green song as I read this : Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.3

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-81636728163774507662012-01-19T04:54:00.001-08:002012-01-19T04:54:35.516-08:00

Where are you most at home? Where is that place that just fits, that you know is just right? Even when physically away, your thoughts and your heart return to home. It is the place your heart and thoughts abide. John 15:9-10 NASB Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-91099832252602250382012-01-14T09:15:00.000-08:002012-01-14T09:15:09.324-08:00

I was just reading John 15 in the NIV instead of the NASB that I usually read.  I noticed an interesting wording difference.  Instead of saying "If any anyone..." like is says in NASB, it says "If you..."  Ultimately, if you are anyone, it still applies to you, regardless of the wording.  But it is a good thing when God taps you on the shoulder and says, "I'm talking to you." You may have heard

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-74207020035624077672012-01-12T04:48:00.001-08:002012-01-12T04:48:57.829-08:00

John 15:18-19 NASB "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.3

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-66880913364152231132012-01-11T20:39:00.000-08:002012-01-11T20:39:48.285-08:00

What value would you place on a good friend? A friend is a priceless treasure. There are two phrases about friendship with God that appear in adjacient verses in John 15. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.14 You are my friends if you do what I command.Friendship with Jesus involves great love.  He laid down his life freely.  But there is another

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-37942918862224746162012-01-10T02:06:00.001-08:002012-01-10T02:06:29.399-08:00

John 15:9 NASB Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. In algebra class I remember my teacher talking about the left and right sides of the equation. The two sides balanced. God's equation has his love for you on one side, and his love for Jesus on the other side. The value on both sides of the equation are equal. You are loved with an amazing love. Published

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-19943222725138655092012-01-07T09:23:00.000-08:002012-01-07T09:23:06.810-08:00

This morning I worked for a while on splitting up some of the remaining logs that I had on the back patio from the summer's wood gathering.  This wood has been separated from the roots.  It is dead, and, over the course of time, is becoming dryer and dryer, loosing any appearance of life. It is firewood, after all.  Green wood doesn't burn well. Then I just sat down to read from John 15, and I

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-88686379452348994152012-01-04T18:49:00.000-08:002012-01-04T18:49:11.184-08:00

Guarantees are hard to come by.  And the "guarantees" that you may encounter can be loaded with disclaimers and provisions that make them almost meaningless. But here is a guarantee that is iron-clad: http://bible.us/John15.5.NIV "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." Would you like a guarantee that

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-55596209486526679152012-01-03T17:58:00.000-08:002012-01-03T17:58:45.510-08:00

Remain. The word has a sound of stability. It is like an anchor. It is a firm hold on a firm foundation. It roots reaching into the soil with a commitment that doesn't let go.  http://bible.us/John15.4.NIV Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. Our tie to Jesus is marked by that

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-18707219566886161262012-01-02T18:20:00.000-08:002012-01-02T18:20:37.448-08:00

Think about starting a garden. It takes a great deal of work. Last summer I expanded our garden a bit. First I had to strip away the grass that had been growing on that ground. It didn't exactly want to give up easily. Working with a flat-ended shovel, I undercut the sod, severing the roots and saving as much of the topsoil as I could. Then I broke up the ground underneath. I put a border around

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-8126484351082423432012-01-01T18:07:00.000-08:002012-01-01T18:07:41.986-08:00

John 15:2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. God's Word does have the effect of cutting away the unfruitful things in our lives. What diverts our attention and dilutes our fruitfulness for God's purposes? It needs to be

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-81872600461085312132010-12-28T15:46:00.000-08:002010-12-28T15:46:37.752-08:00

Resolutions require will power to be effective. Revolutions are an overthrow of the existing power and a replacement with something new. I think revolution will take us much further then resolutions ever could. When the Spirit of God overthrows the power of the old self, tremendous things happen. When the image that is seen is more and more Him and less and less us, we're heading in the right

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-42348393563880850212010-06-03T17:52:00.000-07:002010-06-03T17:52:54.150-07:00

I am currently taking a class on learning theories and design. We have been looking at a number of different theories. One that caught my attention is connectivism. Connectivism is touted as "a learning theory for the digital age" and includes, among other principles, the idea that learning is a process of connecting specialized nodes or information sources. This morning my wife and I were

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-60741345715597017492009-08-14T19:51:00.000-07:002009-08-14T20:00:09.213-07:00

My wife and I recently were privileged to get a DVD by Louie Giglio that is an awesome exposition about an awesome God. It is also available on youtube.

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-37313152415648920592009-08-14T19:41:00.000-07:002009-08-14T19:45:28.560-07:00

As evidenced by the frequency (or lack thereof) of the posts in this blog, time is a valuable and slippery commodity. In evaluating my time investments, I have decided to let www.willingcaptive.com go away for a time. I simply was not devoting time to it due to other commitments that took precedence.

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-21072618855037559342007-07-14T08:43:00.000-07:002007-07-14T08:48:15.051-07:00

When you think about it, worship is definitely more than a “warm-up act” for the message. The Westminster Catechism says this:Q) What is man’s primary purpose?A) Man’s primary purpose is to glorify God (1 Cor 10:31; Rom 11:36), and enjoy Him forever (Psalm 73:25-28). Or like the song states, “All of life comes down to just one thing, that's to know You, oh Jesus, and to make You known”. Worship

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-29825388650282999452007-05-09T17:53:00.000-07:002007-05-09T18:07:05.223-07:00

The March 12 post quoted Hebrews 12. In Deuteronomy 4:24 we find the same words echoed. "For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God."It may seem odd to think of God as being jealous. We often think of jealousy as a negative quality. But understanding God's exclusive claim on our heart, it is far from a negative thing. God has established a relationship with us that is marked by

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-52363283259165769052007-05-02T19:49:00.000-07:002007-05-02T19:52:44.462-07:00

I was chatting today with a friend. God showed me a word of encouragement for them. I hope it encourages you too!These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 8 I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-44709904757033588832007-03-12T17:47:00.000-07:002007-03-12T17:57:38.908-07:00

What consumes us? That's an important question. Think about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace. They were not consumed by the flames of the fire. Why? Because they had already been consumed by their love of God!Hebrews 12:28-29 (New International Version)New International Version (NIV)Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society 28Therefore, since we are

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-71387005743227624732007-02-10T14:41:00.000-08:002007-01-29T15:59:18.237-08:00

How do we respond when God gives us a greater revelation of Himself? If we are like Jeremiah, Isaiah, Peter, and John, the response may first be a recognition of our un-holiness in the face of God's holiness. They fell to their faces, acknowledging the greatness of God and being filled with a sense of their own unworthiness. It is God who lifted them to their feet again. What an awesome thing

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-31052593879806570582007-01-21T14:54:00.000-08:002007-01-21T14:57:12.017-08:00

The move is complete. www.willingcaptive.com has been relocated to the new host. Now I need to get to work recording more of the songs, etc. I'll keep you posted as I do.

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-15066967244120722632007-01-20T06:25:00.000-08:002007-01-20T06:51:00.295-08:00

I'm not much of a movie goer, but this showed up in an email from worshiptogether.com. It looks like an awesome movie, dealing with the abolition of slavery in England.http://www.theamazingchange.com/ is a site that will help open your eyes to the modern issue of slavery.

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-47672119545787406182007-01-13T12:20:00.000-08:002007-01-13T12:38:30.626-08:00

The willingcaptive.com web site is undergoing changes. The old site can still be viewed at http://www.willingcaptive.com. You can get a sneak preview of the new site at http://willingcaptive.witnesstoday.org. It is still in the very early stages of development, but you can get an idea of what it will be like. On the songs page, I've linked to mp3s of some of the pro-life songs that I have written

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-63576884611632617922006-12-29T15:32:00.000-08:002006-12-29T17:45:07.645-08:00

When we were visiting in Michigan, Dennis pointed out the nativity set to me. “Notice what’s missing?” As I looked, I saw the regular characters: three kings, shepherds, Mary, Joseph, and a lamb, cow, camel, and donkey. Even an angel. And, of course, there was the stable and the manger. But looking more closely, I saw that the manger was empty. We had a similar incident this year at our house.

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1924709777878171444.post-35106672289703698222006-12-29T15:24:00.000-08:002006-12-29T15:37:31.679-08:00

Willing Captive is a reference to Exodus 21.Ex 21:5 "But if the servant declares, `I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,' 6 then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life."It is our desire that our worship of God be expressive of a bondservant

Mark Stensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13172477672058814117noreply@blogger.com2