In this 2-part series, Mark teaches how to take significant steps toward a deeper walk with God.  This is not for someone who only wants to be “associated” with God.  This teaching is for those who want to grow, change, become the person God wants them to be, regardless of the cost. 

The first teaching, titled “Old Wineskins Made New” deals with the challenges we all face with change – remaining open to the NEW things of God.  This often requires us to set aside old paradigms, which are based in tradition, not in God’s Word, and embrace the new things God is leading us into.

If new wine is placed in an old wineskin, it could potentially burst.  The “new wine” represents the mighty things God wants to do in and through us.  The wineskin is our relationship with Christ.  The relationship you have with Christ will determine your capacity for the power of His Spirit that God wants to pour into, and through your life. This teaching warns against the false sense of security that comes from having an “outwardly healthy” tree, when below the ground, there are no roots.

The second teaching is titled “Growing In Compassion”.  Although the title may seem “tame”, in reality, this helps us understand how far the level of our own compassion is from the love and compassion of God.  The way God shows us this is to put us in situations which reveal our lack of compassion, so we will realize how desperately we need to GROW in compassion!

There is a city in the Old Testament called Meroz,  which is mentioned only once in the Bible.  God sent an angel to pronounce a curse over this city.  The curse was pronounced, not because of anything they had done, but rather, for what they had not done.  When Israel went to war, Meroz refused to get involved.  They refused to help their brothers.  When we see our brother in the midst of a fight, and close our windows and lock our gates, we are like Meroz.  This is a call to the body of Christ to grow in compassion.