Posts Tagged ‘healing’

Scripture reading for June 13th:  Acts 9:1-25

What was you conversion like?  I remember going to an altar at the little Methodist church on a Thursday night youth meeting in response to the Gospel.  I heard the message and knew I needed to make a commitment.  I remember the feeling of change and the excitement of knowing sins forgiven.  We should all think back and remember our time of change!  God saw fit to record the change in one of His servants, Saul, that we read about today.

Saul was a Pharisee, zealous for the Jewish tradition.  He saw in the Christians a threat to His traditions and became very zealous to rid the world of them.  To his way of thinking, these people needed to be eliminated.  He went to the high priest and got letters authorizing him to arrest any of this sect he called ‘the Way’.  (Acts 9:1-2)

“As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.  He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul why do you persecute Me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.  “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” He replied.  “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” (Acts 9:3-6)   Saul was confronted by Jesus, Himself as he went to round up more Christians.  Jesus told him who He was and that his actions were against Him!  The revelation of Jesus was in a bright light that flashed like lightning around Saul.  When he got up to go, he was blind and those with him had to lead him into the city by the hand, where Saul prayed and fasted for three days.

In Damascus, another disciple named Ananias was given a vision of the Lord.  As he responded, the Lord told him to go to the house where Saul was praying and lay hands on him to restore his sight.  Ananias told the Lord his concerns, but he was reassured and sent to Saul. “Go! This man is My chosen instrument to carry My name before Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.  I will show him how much he must suffer for My name.” (Acts 9:15-16)  Saul’s sight was restored and he was filled with the Holy Spirit and baptized in water.  The miraculous conversion would change the world!

Scripture reading for January 23rd: Matthew 15:29-39, Psalm 17:8-15, Proverbs 4:10-17

Compassion ministries are making a comeback in many evangelical churches.  Many churches are visiting the sick and helpless, feeding the hungry, housing the homeless, and clothing those who are needy.  These ministries have their source in the heart of Jesus Christ, Himself.  Jesus was known for His compassion on hurting and hungry people.  Compassion might be defined as love in action.  We demonstrate true love by acting in faith to meet needs as God directs!

“Great crowds came to Him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at His feet: and He healed them.  The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, and the lame walking and blind seeing.  And they praised the God of Israel.” (Matthew 15:30-31)  Jesus showed compassion and great love by healing all who came to Him. The miracles were drawing crowds of people that all needed the message of repentance!  His heart’s desire was to see them made whole so He also preached the good news of the kingdom, calling them to repent.  The result was worship of God!

“Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, ‘I have compassion for these people:  they have already been with Me three days and have nothing to eat.  I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.’ “ (Matthew 15:32)  The heart of Jesus is clear here in His words and following actions.  He was concerned about their need for food to sustain them on their journey.  He cared for them enough to do something.  He asked what was available:  7 loaves of bread and a few fish.  He took this and blessed it and broke it, giving it to the disciples to distribute.  When all the people had eaten, seven baskets full of bread were collected!  This crowd was numbered at 4000 men plus the women and children!

Compassion for the hungry and hurting is the heart of God!  His greater compassion is for the souls of the lost and their eternal salvation.  Compassion ministries must always be coupled with preaching the gospel of faith in Jesus Christ and repentance from sins.  It’s the reason Jesus came and the mission that He gave His disciples and us!  (Luke 19:10)  (Matthew 28:18-20)

Scripture reading for September 21st: Micah 3-5

The false prophets of Micah’s day were in business for the money.  If you fed them, then they would give you a good word.  If you did not, then they were against you!  (Micah 3:6)  God promised that these false prophets would enter a time of darkness where God would not answer them.  He likened them to fortune tellers who gave readings for money!  (Micah 3:11)  They claimed to speak for the Lord and prophesied peace because God was in the midst of His people.

Micah, on the other hand, was filled with the Spirit of the Lord and power.  He was motivated to stand for justice and truth and declared plainly to Israel and Judah their sins.  “But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression, to Israel his sin.” (Micah 3:8)  He plainly rebuked Israel for distorting truth and despising justice.  He laid out a case against Judah for bloodshed and wickedness, bribery and money grabbing religion.  The result was God’s judgment on the land and the destruction of Jerusalem.  Micah was declaring the true fortune of the people who were in sin and rebelling against God.

Micah also declared the future state of Jerusalem after the time of exile.  “In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and peoples will stream to it.  Many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of Jacob.  He will teach us his ways , so that we may walk in his paths.” God has plans for Jerusalem in the future.  It will be established as the central site of God’s rule in the last days.  God’s law and word will go out from there and God will judge between many peoples and establish a reign of peace.

The one who would bring this peace would be born in Bethlehem from the tribe of Judah!  (Micah 5:2)  This ruler would have origins from ancient times.  He would shepherd the flock in God’s strength and His greatness would go to the ends of the earth!  Micah was prophesying the future plans of God for rulership of the earth under Jesus Christ!  Now that’s real fortune telling!

Scripture reading for August 31st: Ezekiel 44-48

This amazing book of Scripture is coming to an end at last!  A commentary note in my Daily Walk Bible stated that the rabbis that wrote the Talmud,  the primary Jewish commentary on the Old Testament Scriptures, stated that Elijah would have to come back and interpret Ezekiel’s writings to give full understanding.  Some of the visions and measurements as well as descriptions of offerings are difficult for American Christians living in the 21st century to understand, too.  We know that God has His reasons for having them recorded and we should continue to pray for deeper understanding through the Holy Spirit.

As we close out Ezekiel, we come to the vision recorded in chapter 47.  Ezekiel was taken by the man with the measuring line to the entrance of the temple facing east.  There he saw a stream of water coming down from the south side from south of the altar.  He then took Ezekiel out the north gate to the outside of the east gate and measured off a thousand cubits (450 meters or 1500 feet).  Ezekiel found the water there to be ankle-deep.  Another thousand cubits and the water was knee-deep and another thousand the water was waist-deep.  A final thousand cubits and the water was so deep that he could not cross it by walking. Along the banks of the river, a great number of trees were growing. (Ezekiel 47:3-7)

Ezekiel was told by the man that the water entered the Dead Sea and there those waters became fresh.  The waters were full of swarms of living creatures and large numbers of fish.  Fishermen stood on the banks and cast their nets harvesting the fish.  Fruit trees grew along the banks and they were always green and yielded fresh fruit each month.  This fruit would be for food and the leaves of these trees would bring healing.(Ezekiel 47:8-12)

Following this vision, there are detailed instructions about how to divide the land among the twelve tribes.  Finally, the city of Jerusalem has 12 gates named after the twelve tribes of Israel.  The final verse states that the name of that city will be “The Lord is There”.  (Ezekiel 48:30-35)

This vision points us to the Apostle John’s vision in the book of Revelation.  John saw an angel with a measuring rod of gold who was measuring the city, it’s gates, and walls.  (Revelation 21:15-21)  The walls were made of precious stones and the gates were made of single pearls.  The street of the city was pure gold!  God’s presence filled the city with light and there was no need of sun or moon because of this glorious light!  There was a river flowing from the throne of God down the middle of the street with trees bearing fruit each month.  (Revelation 22:1-5)  The leaves of these trees were for the healing of the nations!  Best of all, God Himself and the Lamb would be with His people and they would behold His face!  His glory would light their lives and world for ever and ever!

As we close this book, take time to reflect on the river of God and the life it brings.  Do you have this river flowing in you?  The Holy Spirit brings God’s river into us and will enable us to swim in it forever and ever!  Come to Jesus Christ and drink freely of this water of life!  You will be eternally satisfied! (Revelation 22:17)

Scripture reading for June 23rd: Psalms 98-103

Praise and worship continue today in these psalms of the hymnbook of the nation of Israel and the gift of God to His people, the church.  Praise and worship must be in spirit and in truth.  (John 4:24)  We must worship from our spirit man and from a mind renewed with the truth.  I have picked Psalms 101 and 103 to draw from today for our devotion.  I have used these often in my personal life and in ministering to those in various kinds of troubles.

Psalm 101 praises God for His love and His justice.  Both of these character traits work together to bring wholeness or holiness to God’s character.  Love without justice is some sentimental emotion that lacks integrity.  Justice without love is harsh and bitter.  Balanced as they are in God’s character, we can only worship Him and sing praise!  This holy fear of God’s justice caused the psalmist to be careful with his life and character.  He sought to live a blameless life because he did not know when God might come in judgment.  He vowed to keep his eyes from vile things.  He knew this would defile his heart.  He hated evil and sought to live in truth and surround himself with those who were faithful.  He promised to eliminate from his house any who were false or wicked.  We would do well to apply these simple standards!  I have Psalm 101:3 on my computer to remind me of my need to keep my eyes on what is good!

Psalm 103 begins by praising  God for all of His benefits.   This psalm comes from the depths of a soul who loves God and is purposely remembering why he must praise Him!  First of all God forgives us all of our sins!  (Psalm 103:3)  He not only forgives our sins, but forgets them and removes them far away!  (Psalm 103:12)  God also heals all of our diseases and sicknesses!  This was true in David’s day as in ours; God does not change!  God redeems our life from the pit–a place of destruction and punishment!  We must bless Him from the depths of our soul!  He also renews our youth and satisfies our desires with good things from His house!  We are most blessed!  He works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed.  He is full of love and abounds in mercy and compassion.  God is like a loving Father and we like his special children.  His love promises us that though our life is short and tender, we who fear Him will enjoy that love forever and ever! (Psalm 103:14-17)

This last psalm ends with David exhorting a chorus of angels to praise the Lord.  The heavenly hosts are called upon to praise Him as well as all His works in the whole universe!  Praise the Lord, O my soul!