WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1
Scripture: Mark 9:33

Jesus was on a mission to prepare the disciples to function in a spiritual kingdom whose authority depended on character development. Mark 9:33 points us to a principle of character development that every single one of us have to deal with if we’re going to grow into the place where we can actually represent Jesus as both Priest and King. This principle may in fact mark the foundational preparation of biblical authority as we embrace it and allow the Lord to work it in us. Verse 33 says, “Then He came to Capernaum and when He was in the house he asked them, ‘What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?’” Now the word for disputed is dee-al-og-id-zom-ahee, and it means to deliberate by thought or by reason or to count oneself above. Once we start counting ourselves above others arguing and fighting to gain position, then we have embarked on an interesting course whose consequences create a casualty.