Jesus Responds to Faith
Scripture reading for October 21: Matthew 9:1-6 “And getting into a boat He crossed over and came to His own city. And behold, some people brought to Him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Take heart, My son; your sins are forgiven.” And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk?’ But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”–He said to the paralytic–“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.”
In this story of a paralytic brought by friends to Jesus, Jesus took note of the faith of the friends who had taken the time and effort to carry this man on a stretcher to Jesus. They were persistent and willing to endure hardship to get their friend healing help. Jesus responded by speaking to the paralytic tenderly, as His son. He told him that his sins were forgiven.
Some religious scribes were observing Jesus and when He spoke with authority to forgive the man’s sins, they accused Jesus of blasphemy, a serious sin of taking God’s Name and authority as His own. But Jesus confronted them with a question: “Why do you think evil in your hearts?” A follow-up question concerned which might be easier for Him to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or “Rise and walk.” As we think about these questions, it is equally easy to say either one. What is difficult is to actually be able to forgive sins and to actually command a paralytic to rise and walk. Only God can do either one!
When it comes to helping those who are sick find healing, a determination we must make is are we sick because of sin or disobedience present in our life? We must also be careful not to doubt Jesus is God’s Son. Jesus demonstrated that He was God in both forgiving this man’s sins and then in restoring his ability to walk and function. It is faith that Jesus is looking for in those helping the hurting.
Prayer: Father God, thank You for coming to earth to show us Your heart as a Good Father to forgive us our sins, saving us from eternal damnation. Thank You for healing those who are hopeless apart from Your powerful Word. Amen.
Jesus is Willing and Able
Scripture reading for October 20: Matthew 8:1-3 “When He came down from the mountain, great crowds followed Him. And behold, a leper came to Him and knelt before Him, saying, “Lord, if You will, You can make me clean.” And Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I will.”
Matthew 8:5-8 “When He had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to Him, appealing to Him, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” And He said to him, “I will come and heal him.” But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have You come under my roof, but only say the Word, and my servant will be healed.”
For those who are battling a prolonged sickness, one of the temptations we fall into is to begin to question the willingness of God to heal. Sometimes this even extends to the ability of God to heal us. A man with a debilitating skin disease called leprosy came to Jesus asking about His willingness to heal him. He was considered unclean and untouchable in that culture. Jesus immediately stretched out His hand and healed him.
As Jesus entered Capernaum, a Roman soldier who commanded a hundred men came humbly to Jesus. Although he was not a Jew, he appealed to Jesus for His help to heal a suffering servant. Jesus responded quickly and was ready to go to his house. But this soldier, having commanded men, recognized Jesus’ authority and asked Him to just speak the word. He was confident in Jesus’ ability to perform the healing miracle from any location. Jesus marveled at his ‘great faith!’
Those who are battling a difficult and persistent disease today can take heart in this Word from Jesus. He is willing to heal anyone and will touch even those society considers ‘untouchable’. He is able to respond to any person of faith who trusts His authority. Since these records in Scripture speak to all and inspire faith, God is willing and able to do for you what Jesus did for the leper and the Gentile soldier. Will You call on Him in faith today?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your heart of compassion and willingness to touch the untouchable. I believe You sent this Word for my healing. Amen.
A Good Father Blesses His Children
Scripture reading for October 19: Matthew 7:7-11 ““Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father Who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him?””
Luke 18:7-8 “And will not God give justice to His elect, who cry to Him day and night? I tell you, He will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?”
Personal relationship is what God wants from His children. We are to be comfortable asking God for specifically what we have need of. In this passage from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells those listening (and us) to ask and seek and knock. He encourages us with the promise that those asking will receive and those seeking will find and those knocking will find that the door opens.
But beyond the promise is the underlying reason God will hear and answer our requests for help and direction. God is a ‘Good Father’ who desires to give good things to His children. He is not angry or vindictive, withholding interaction and generosity. Quite the opposite, He knows how to give good gifts and will give them. He is far more consistent that earthly fathers who sometimes give the opposite of what is requested or ignore the requests from their children.
As believers in Jesus Christ, we must not be ashamed or reluctant to ask God to meet our needs. We should seek Him out and find out His heart. We should knock on heaven’s door until the door is opened and the answer comes. Yes, Jesus told of a Good Father Who gives good gifts, but would He find faith on earth when He comes? (Luke 18:7-8)
Prayer: Father God, thank You that You are a Good Father Who give good gifts to His children. Thank You for hearing our cries and knocking. Help me to keep on asking, seeking, and knocking! I want to be found in faith when You come. Amen.
Antidote for Worry
Scripture reading for October 16: Matthew 6:25-28 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of much more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his life? And why are your anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?”
vs 33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Jesus came to cure our fears and anxiety. He knew from living on earth among His people how much fear ruled their lives. They were always anxious about life’s necessities. Food insecurity threatened basic daily comfort and survival. Jesus pointed His people to His Father’s care for the birds of the air. They never lacked food for each day. God faithfully supplied all they needed. Were not His children of more value than these birds? Would their Father fail to provide for their basic needs?
Jesus addressed clothing and shelter anxiety by pointing them to the lilies and wildflowers. These were clothed by God with great care and beautiful adornment, even though their lives were short and in the end they would quickly perish. Man, made in God’s image and living eternally, would receive much more enduring covering. Jesus rebuked them for their lack of faith and basic understanding of their relationship to God their Father in heaven and His kingdom of righteousness and peace. If instead of living in continual fear they were to seek out God’s kingdom and His righteousness and they would find everything they had been frantically seeking.
Prayer: Father God, forgive me for my lack of faith in Your care for Your children. I have been anxious and fretting. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and faith to seek You for my needs and live in freedom from anxiety. Amen.
The Gospel of the Kingdom!
Scripture reading for October 15: Matthew 4:23-25 “And He went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the Gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. So His fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought Him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics, and He healed them. And great crowds followed Him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.”
Matthew 6:9-10 “Pray like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your Name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
After Jesus was baptized, He spent forty days in the wilderness fasting and praying and being tested by Satan. Upon His successful return, Jesus began His ministry of preaching the Good News and healing the sick and afflicted. The Good News included not only forgiveness of sins but healing of every disease and affliction. Matthew goes on to list some of these diseases and things that caused physical and emotional pain. He called out demon oppression, epilepsy, and paralysis. In other places, blind eyes were opened, deaf ears could hear, and lame people could run and jump and even dead people were raised to life. Matthew stated that Jesus healed all who were brought to Him. This caused great crowds to follow Him and those who were sick were brought from the whole region of Israel and the surrounding territories. Good News travels fast!
What can we learn from this ancient record of Jesus’ early ministry to the people? First, Jesus preached the Gospel of the kingdom. This message proclaimed a King Who loved them and invited them into His kingdom. However, this King and His kingdom was not like the kingdoms of the world. This King cared for all, especially the bruised, wounded and hurting. This King made healing available by going to where the hurting people were and meeting every need. He did not just preach Good News, He actually brought a physical demonstration of His kingdom of healing and grace. He taught His followers to pray to His Father, asking that the kingdom come to earth as it was in heaven.
Prayer: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your Name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. May we share Your Gospel of the kingdom and King Jesus, doing Your will on earth as in heaven. Amen.
The ‘Sun of Righteousness!’
Scripture reading for October 13: Malachi 4:1-4 “For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. But for you who fear My Name, the Sun of Righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts.”
Revelation 22:17 “The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.”
This last book of the Old Testament was written about 400 years before Christ. The prophet saw a coming day of retribution by fire that would sweep away all the proud and evildoers. He said they would be like ‘stubble’, the part of the wheat or barley or field seed crop that is left in the ground after the stalk and grain has been removed for harvest. Stubble is dry and lifeless. It is good for little. It was often burned off to prepare for the next planting and sowing. Malachi said that the day that was coming would set these rebellious people ablaze and leave neither root or branch. It would burn out all trace of their existence.
But for those who respected and honored God and called on His Name, there would be a sunrise of righteousness shooting rays of light and glory that would bring healing and freedom. The image Malachi used was that of a bucket calf that had been confined to a small stall or pen. When the gate was opened, freedom broke forth in leaping and jumping for joy. What an amazing description of the salvation that Jesus Christ provided with His first coming and will complete with His second coming! Not only freedom, but those honoring God will trample down the wicked and dance on their ashes! God gave His people amazing encouragement as He prepared them for the ‘wings’ or rays of His coming Son, Jesus Christ!
Prayer: Father God, thank You for the Son of Righteousness who rose from the grave, shining the glory of eternal life on all who believe! We await the fulness of this prophecy at Your soon return! The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come, Lord Jesus!” Amen.
The Hope of Israel
Scripture reading for October 12: Jeremiah 17:12-14 “A glorious throne set on high from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary. O Lord, the Hope of Israel, all who forsake You shall be put to shame; those who turn away from You shall be written in the earth, for they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living water. Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for You are my praise.”
Romans 15:13 “May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”
Jeremiah was the weeping prophet of Israel who ministered to Israel right before they were sent by God into captivity because they had forsaken Him. Jeremiah was told by God that God formed him in the womb and consecrated him and appointed him to be a prophet long before that. (Jeremiah 1:5) Through revelation from God Jeremiah was aware of God’s glorious throne in heaven where He ruled the universe. It was a sanctuary that all His people could approach. This throne existed before the ‘beginning’ of all things and was the source of all life and all creation.
Jeremiah beheld God’s throne and recognized God as the “Hope of Israel” and the One worthy of praise. He called on God for healing for himself and His people. He asked for salvation from sin and its penalty. He confessed God as the ‘Healer’ and as the ‘Savior’ worthy of praise. This was an act of faith coming through divine revelation in a time of rebellion of God’s people and looming bondage and captivity preceded by famine and plagues.
God is our only hope and our blessed Hope! Paul, writing to the Romans, called on ‘the God of Hope’ to fill believers with joy and peace as they trusted in Him. He prayed that they would overflow with hope by the power of God’s indwelling Holy Spirit. In the New Covenant, we are now a dwelling place of God through the Holy Spirit. He is our Sanctuary, our Healer, and our Savior! He is the One we praise!
Prayer: O God of Hope, fill us with joy and peace in the midst of troubles. We trust in Jesus Christ, our Healer, our Savior, and our Refuge. Through the Holy Spirit my Hope is overflowing! Amen.
Fasting for Healing
Scripture reading for October 9: Isaiah 58:6-8 “”Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh? Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and He will say, “Here I am.””
Galatians 6:9 “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”
Fasting is a spiritual discipline where a person or congregation of God’s people deny themselves food or drink or pleasure for a set season in order to seek the Lord. Some fasts were purposefully laid out by God but others usually had a specific need that was being addressed. Often that need was to hear from the Lord regarding a crisis or needed direction or protection. Isaiah addressed the practice of fasting in his day. People were going through the motions but missed the real point of fasting. God desired repentance–a change of heart and a change of direction of their lives. Fasting should produce actions that lined up with God’s heart. His heart was to feed the hungry and house the homeless. It was to cover the naked and for each person to care for their own family members.
The end result of a true fast is God bringing forth in our lives the needed healing, protection, deliverance or righteousness from His glorious presence. He promised He would answer our call for help with “Here I Am!” What an amazing promise this is for God’s people! As Paul encouraged the church at Galatia, we must continue to do good deeds in line with God’s heart even if nothing seems to be happening for us. In due season, we will reap. Don’t give up!
Prayer: Father God, fill me with Your Holy Spirit today and lead me to live a fasted life filled with good works You have prepared for me. I won’t give up because I know the season of reaping is coming. Amen.
Doing God’s Will!
Scripture reading for October 8: Isaiah 53:10-12 “Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush Him; He has put Him to grief; when His soul makes an offering for guilt, He shall see His offspring; He shall prolong His days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. Out of the anguish of His soul He shall see and be satisfied; by His knowledge shall the righteous One, My Servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the many, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet He bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.”
John 6:38 “For I have come down from heaven not to do My own will, but the will of Him Who sent Me.”
I often wondered what God’s will for my life really looked like. Am I doing what God designed me for? Am I being obedient to His written Word and living a life of humble service to Him and others? Some of my pastors and instructors have emphasized the good and benefits of serving God but not necessarily the suffering. In fact, I don’t like the thought of suffering.
But Isaiah plainly wrote of One Who would come to serve all mankind by doing God’s will completely. It would be God’s will to crush His Servant and put Him to grief. He would from His own soul, choose to make Himself an offering for the guilt of mankind. This would bring the crushing and suffering upon Him. But in this anguish, He would bring forth ‘offspring’ who would live for God. The will of God would prosper through His obedience. Many would accounted righteous through faith in His suffering and through believing He bore their sins. Through the suffering, He made intercession for those who were guilty of transgression.
Jesus Christ came down from heaven to specifically do His Father’s will. That will was for Him to suffer and die, taking on Himself the sins of many. Those who would look to Him in faith, believing God’s will, would be saved and made sons and daughters in God’s family!
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for doing Your Father’s will and bearing my guilt in Your body on the cross. Not my will, but Your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Amen.