Category Archives: Healer

Demons, Faith / Trusting God, Healer, Hope, Persecution / Glorifying God, Share the Good News

Can All Things Really Work Together For Good?

Many who follow Yeshua genuinely and wholeheartedly throughout the ages have faced serious persecution up to and including giving their lives in service to our Lord. Sometimes it is government, a false religion, or even those who claim to be the spiritual leaders of God’s people. Examples of the latter include the Pharisees and Sadducees during Yeshua’s earthly ministry and also the Catholic church for a period of centuries persecuting Bible believing Christians.  At times the persecution can be ruthless and relentless. These are times that we as believers must prepare for by establishing strong foundations in our relationship with our Messiah, Yeshua.

Matthew 7:24-27

The Two Foundations

      24“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25“And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. 26“Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27“The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”

Despite the storms we know will come, we can be encouraged that our Lord is in control. He is able to use all things to work together for the good of those who believe… even things that we would never expect Him to use for good.

Romans 8:28

      28And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

One such dramatic example is revealed in Acts 8. Saul is ruthlessly persecuting the followers of Christ such that they are scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria. How could this possibly be a good thing? God used it to spread the good news of the gospel of Yeshua! Those who were believers and proclaiming the gospel were now scattered to a wider geographic area from which to share the gospel with those who did not yet follow Yeshua.

We can also see how Saul’s zealous nature for God resulted in persecuting Christians, but later was used by God for good to spread the good news of Yeshua widely as Saul became Paul and preached the gospel despite intense persecution aimed at him.

Acts 8:1-8

Saul Persecutes the Church

      1Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death.
And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2Some devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him. 3But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison.

Philip in Samaria

      4Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word. 5Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ to them. 6The crowds with one accord were giving attention to what was said by Philip, as they heard and saw the signs which he was performing. 7For in the case of many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them shouting with a loud voice; and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed. 8So there was much rejoicing in that city.

Of course, none of us asks for persecution or suffering… but we can be encouraged to remember that God is in control and can use even difficult circumstances to the glory of His kingdom when we love God and follow His commands no matter what our situation and surroundings.

Consider…  what difficult situations have you experienced or witnessed in the past in which you could see God at work? Maybe you did not recognize it at the time, but only afterwards looking back can see His guiding hand at work. Are there any situations you are encountering now that He may be able to use?  How can you serve God in these situations?

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to have faith in Your wisdom. Help me to trust in You to use for good even things for which I would never volunteer on my own. Grant me courage and discernment. Help me to find peace in knowing that You are in control. Praise You and Your holy name. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Demons, Healer, Help / Serve Others, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Kindness / Gentleness, Miracles, Share the Good News

We Are In The World, But Do Not Be Of The World

Consider what is more convincing… to tell someone about Yeshua, our Messiah, and what a difference He has made in your life? or to show them? We often hear the expression that “a picture is worth a thousand words”… and it is true. There is no better way to demonstrate the reality of Yeshua and the grace and forgiveness He represents to change our lives for the better than to live it and live it with other believers!

Acts 5:12-16

     12At the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were taking place among the people; and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s portico. 13But none of the rest dared to associate with them; however, the people held them in high esteem. 14And all the more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women, were constantly added to their number, 15to such an extent that they even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and pallets, so that when Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on any one of them. 16Also the people from the cities in the vicinity of Jerusalem were coming together, bringing people who were sick or afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all being healed.

What is particularly significant in this scripture is that all God’s people were of one accord… aligned and working together in the Spirit of God to the good of the community of believers. Scripture specifically calls out Solomon’s portico, which refers to part of the temple. The followers of Yeshua did not leave the Jewish ways behind them, but simply recognized Messiah had come. They continued participate in activity at the Temple. It was not Yeshua’s intent to create a “new religion”, but rather that His followers would continue to obey Torah and build upon that in recognition that Yeshua was the promised Messiah.

The believers were set apart from the non believers. They were set apart and holy. They did not blend and mix with non believers. God always calls His people to be set apart for His use… separate and distinct from the non believers. God never wants us to be a “melting pot” with pagans for He knows it results in pulling His people away from Him and toward pagan worship of false gods.

As a result of being in one accord and being set apart as a community of believers, there were many signs and wonders taking place among the people. When non believers witnessed these things, they came in multitudes and continued to add to the number of those who followed Yeshua.

Neither illness nor unclean spirits could overcome the power of Yeshua expressed through the apostles.

Another amazing perspective to consider… because the people were set apart and honoring God of one accord… they were held in high esteem even by non believers.  Today, by contrast we see this is not the case, primarily because those who claim to be Christian are many and most do not live a Spirit filled life of victory in Yeshua! They fight and squabble one denomination against another and preach false or watered-down gospels that allow people to feel comfortable living in their own sin rather than recognizing a need to change their behaviors and attitudes to become more like Christ. Many churches change what they teach to accommodate the sin of the people and keep them attending. A timely example is how churches have suddenly decided that homosexuality is no longer a sin against God, despite the scriptures, which speak plainly that it is detestable (the words of scripture, not my words). Instead, many churches say it is fine now… I guess they feel God changed His mind to accept the detestable behavior and sin of the people. Those with eyes to see can, who study God’s word and seek Him humbly in prayer know full well that God’s word calls us to change our sin, rather than letting our sin call us to change God’s word.

The end result is that the world can not tell any difference in the community of those who identify as Christian when compared to the rest of the world… with the exception perhaps of violent Islamic jihad. Churches even embrace many elements of pagan worship such as easter bunny, a Santa Clause that has god like powers and is embraced by people of many faiths, worshipping Mary or other men and women identified as “saints”. Truly it is difficult to show the world a Christian community that is different than the world, because there are so many who claim Christianity and then support abortion, the murder of the unborn babies in the place they should be most safe… their mother’s womb.

For us to show the world what it means to follow Yeshua, we must be set apart from the world and be holy, set apart for God’s use. We must be a community of believers that do not accept the ungodly beliefs of our culture but only rely on the steady, unchanging word of God in the Bible as our guide. We must make choices to act and think differently than those around us. We must not “fit in”. We must be willing to be mocked to stand up for Yeshua and show others what it means to be a true follower of Yahweh.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please strengthen me and my brothers and sisters in the faith around the world to stand apart for You as true followers of Yeshua, unafraid of representing Him by separating ourselves from the pagan ways of the world. Let us rely only on You and Your unchanging word. It is our anchor, to keep us from drifting off course and into troubled waters. It keeps us securely moored in the safe port that is the life of a Spirit filled believer in Yeshua our Messiah. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Courage / Fear, Faith / Trusting God, Father / Yahweh, Healer, Help / Serve Others, Holy Spirit / Ruach HaKodesh, Interceding for Others, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Miracles, Miracles, Rebuke Wrong Behavior, Repenting from Sin, Submitted / Servant, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

When Yahweh Works Miracles in Our Lives, Let Us Direct the Glory to Him

There are times where the LORD will do miracles through His believers. When He works in and through our lives, let us be sure to put the focus on Yeshua and not on ourselves. Let what He does through our lives, small or great, be a testimony that points to Yeshua.

Acts 3

Healing the Lame Beggar

      1Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer. 2And a man who had been lame from his mother’s womb was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple. 3When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he began asking to receive alms. 4But Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze on him and said, “Look at us!” 5And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6But Peter said, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk!” 7And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened. 8With a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9And all the people saw him walking and praising God; 10and they were taking note of him as being the one who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg alms, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Peter’s Second Sermon

      11While he was clinging to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them at the so-called portico of Solomon, full of amazement. 12But when Peter saw this, he replied to the people, “Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this, or why do you gaze at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk? 13“The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus, the one whom you delivered and disowned in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him. 14“But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15but put to death the Prince of life, the one whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses. 16“And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all.

      17“And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also. 18“But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. 19“Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; 20and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, 21whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time. 22“Moses said, ‘THE LORD GOD WILL RAISE UP FOR YOU A PROPHET LIKE ME FROM YOUR BRETHREN; TO HIM YOU SHALL GIVE HEED to everything He says to you. 23‘And it will be that every soul that does not heed that prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’ 24“And likewise, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and his successors onward, also announced these days. 25“It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘AND IN YOUR SEED ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED.’ 26“For you first, God raised up His Servant and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways.”

We should not be seeking personal glory, but rather to bring glory to Yeshua. I love the example in Acts 3. Peter is bold. This is no longer Peter who denied Christ three times, but Peter inspired by and filled with the Holy Spirit. He gives glory and credit to Yeshua immediately for the healing. He confronts the people publicly about their part in denying Yeshua. Then he leads them through a path to forgiveness through repentance. It is awesome! Praise God He is with us in times like that to lead us in what to say or do.

We may not have been part of a healing like the one in Acts 3, but the LORD has been working in the lives of all believers. What are some things He has done for you that you may not be giving the glory back to Him? What changes might you need to make in your life to give more credit and glory to God?

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for Your Spirit to lead and guide us, to make us bold and give us the words to say in situations like the one in Acts 3. Help us have wisdom and courage to boldly represent You as You work in our lives and those around us. Let all the glory be for You and not for us. Help us to be a light that draws others to You. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Grace / Forgiveness, Healer, Interceding for Others, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Merciful, Miracles, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Thankfulness

In the Name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—Walk!

Imagine that you were unable to walk and had been that way since birth. You have never known anything else.  You have no choice but to beg for money to survive. Then along come some men who stop to help you. They demand your attention for a few moments. Those moments change your life.  Expecting only a small bit of money, you receive something much better than money… they set you free from your bondage that has been holding you back since birth… all in the name of Jesus Christ!

Acts 3:1-10

Healing the Lame Beggar

      1Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer. 2And a man who had been lame from his mother’s womb was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple. 3When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he began asking to receive alms. 4But Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze on him and said, “Look at us!” 5And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6But Peter said, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk!” 7And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened. 8With a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9And all the people saw him walking and praising God; 10and they were taking note of him as being the one who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg alms, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

In a way, we are all like the beggar. We are born into the world in bondage to sin… to our own selfish nature and prone to believing the lies of the devil which permeate the world around us and pull us ever further from God. We are just trying to survive, really. Then, someone comes along and offers us something that totally transforms our lives. We must give our attention to it and listen. We must open our hearts to be receptive and then receive what Jesus offers… freedom from bondage.

In Acts 3, the beggar is set free from physical bondage associated with his legs not functioning correctly. For all of us, we can be set free from the bondage that we endure to sin. Listen to the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ! Give it your full attention. Accept the gift which is offered through grace… none of us deserve it , but it is offered to all of us. Accept Jesus as leader of your life, turn from your wrong ways of doing things… from bondage to sin and embrace God’s way of doing things. Jesus came to set us free! (Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.)

Imagine if the beggar turned away and refused what was offered him… we would call him a fool. So too for those of us who hear the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ and do not take heed!

Once you have been set free by Jesus… do as the beggar did when he was healed… go forth and praise God publicly and let people know what He has done for you and how it has changed your life! Let your life and the changes in your attitudes and behavior proclaim the glory of Jesus Christ!

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, help me to truly appreciate Your power and glory. Thank You for physical healing when You bring those miracles and thank You for forgiveness from my sins that would otherwise separate me from You. You and You alone are God. Let me not lose focus on You. Let me seek You first. Help me to celebrate joyfully and share the blessings of Your grace and mercy in my life. Let me not keep it to myself. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Blessed, Compassionate, Faith / Trusting God, Healer, Help / Serve Others, Interceding for Others, Obeying God, Submitted / Servant

Allow Yourself to Challenge Your Understanding of Scripture

On the surface, today’s scripture documents an amazing set of miracles. But there is much more going on here as well. I am sure I will not unpack it all in this post, but hopefully stimulate some curiosity for for each of us to study more. I have a few questions to ask after you read the scripture.

2 Kings 4:8-37

The Shunammite Woman

      8Now there came a day when Elisha passed over to Shunem, where there was a prominent woman, and she persuaded him to eat food. And so it was, as often as he passed by, he turned in there to eat food. 9She said to her husband, “Behold now, I perceive that this is a holy man of God passing by us continually. 10“Please, let us make a little walled upper chamber and let us set a bed for him there, and a table and a chair and a lampstand; and it shall be, when he comes to us, that he can turn in there.”

      11One day he came there and turned in to the upper chamber and rested. 12Then he said to Gehazi his servant, “Call this Shunammite.” And when he had called her, she stood before him. 13He said to him, “Say now to her, ‘Behold, you have been careful for us with all this care; what can I do for you? Would you be spoken for to the king or to the captain of the army?’” And she answered, “I live among my own people.” 14So he said, “What then is to be done for her?” And Gehazi answered, “Truly she has no son and her husband is old.” 15He said, “Call her.” When he had called her, she stood in the doorway. 16Then he said, “At this season next year you will embrace a son.” And she said, “No, my lord, O man of God, do not lie to your maidservant.”

      17The woman conceived and bore a son at that season the next year, as Elisha had said to her.

The Shunammite’s Son

      18When the child was grown, the day came that he went out to his father to the reapers. 19He said to his father, “My head, my head.” And he said to his servant, “Carry him to his mother.” 20When he had taken him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her lap until noon, and then died. 21She went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door behind him and went out. 22Then she called to her husband and said, “Please send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God and return.” 23He said, “Why will you go to him today? It is neither new moon nor sabbath.” And she said, “It will be well.” 24Then she saddled a donkey and said to her servant, “Drive and go forward; do not slow down the pace for me unless I tell you.” 25So she went and came to the man of God to Mount Carmel.
When the man of God saw her at a distance, he said to Gehazi his servant, “Behold, there is the Shunammite. 26“Please run now to meet her and say to her, ‘Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child?’” And she answered, “It is well.” 27When she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught hold of his feet. And Gehazi came near to push her away; but the man of God said, “Let her alone, for her soul is troubled within her; and the LORD has hidden it from me and has not told me.” 28Then she said, “Did I ask for a son from my lord? Did I not say, ‘Do not deceive me’?”

      29Then he said to Gehazi, “Gird up your loins and take my staff in your hand, and go your way; if you meet any man, do not salute him, and if anyone salutes you, do not answer him; and lay my staff on the lad’s face.” 30The mother of the lad said, “As the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” And he arose and followed her. 31Then Gehazi passed on before them and laid the staff on the lad’s face, but there was no sound or response. So he returned to meet him and told him, “The lad has not awakened.”

      32When Elisha came into the house, behold the lad was dead and laid on his bed. 33So he entered and shut the door behind them both and prayed to the LORD. 34And he went up and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth and his eyes on his eyes and his hands on his hands, and he stretched himself on him; and the flesh of the child became warm. 35Then he returned and walked in the house once back and forth, and went up and stretched himself on him; and the lad sneezed seven times and the lad opened his eyes. 36He called Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite.” So he called her. And when she came in to him, he said, “Take up your son.” 37Then she went in and fell at his feet and bowed herself to the ground, and she took up her son and went out.

Is it wrong that Elisha blessed this family in part because they blessed him first? I think sometimes people get the impression that Yahweh is not supposed to have “favorites” and is supposed to treat everyone the same. Where does the Bible say that? In fact, this family saw an opportunity to minister to a man of God and asked nothing in return. Why should they not be greatly blessed in return?

I include one example from Psalm 119 which speaks to who will be blessed (and by difference, who will not).

1How blessed are those whose way is blameless,
Who walk in the law of the LORD.

      2How blessed are those who observe His testimonies,
Who seek Him with all their heart.

      3They also do no unrighteousness;
They walk in His ways.

There are many more, such as Luke 11:28.

 28But He said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”

Another question 2 Kings 4 raises for me is in regards to how the power of the prophets works. I have at times thought that they were only a conduit between man and God, but this scripture is one example of many where we see the prophet seemingly act on his own. He decides to bless the woman with a child and heal the child. There is no reference to consulting with God. Yet at the same time, he does not have absolute and full understanding of all things. He says that God has not revealed to Him why the woman was coming to him. Also, the servant with the staff at Elisha’s command to heal the boy did not work. Does that make him a false prophet? I don’t think so. This was not prophecy spoken on behalf of the LORD. This was his attempt to cure someone.

I hope we allow ourselves to ask questions and not have to immediately convince ourselves of the answers. Go to the LORD in prayer. Study the word, including commentaries, for additional insight. Allow yourself to ask questions and challenge things in scripture, even if you can’t immediately explain them a different way.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to have a spirit of humility and a desire to adapt my understanding of scripture as You open up the scriptures more to me to apply in my life. Help me not be prideful and stubborn, refusing to learn or change what I have been taught if it was wrong. Help me test everything against Your scriptures, and accept that I will not understand everything and some things may make me uncomfortable… but that does not mean they are incorrect. Your holy word is correct and true. My understanding and that taught by men, often is not true. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Compassionate, Discerning / Judging, Healer, Miracles, Miracles, Purposeful / Intentional, Submitted / Servant

Focus on the Father’s Mission Even When Criticized By Others

Great multitudes were following Yeshua. He went up on a mountain with the twelve disciples, trying to escape the crowds somewhat who were pursuing Him for healing. When he returned home, the crowd was so relentless that Yeshua and His disciples could not even eat a meal. People did not understand Him attending to the crowds as much as He did, so they started imagining that He lost His senses or worse.

Likewise, if we go “all in” for the Father, many people, even those who claim to believe in and follow Christ, will not understand. They will try to guide us to do things the way they expect or may mock us. We should take care not listen to godly counsel, but not to be pulled away from the Father’s mission for us by others who do not understand what it means to be fully invested in and submitted to the LORD.

Mark 3:20-27

      20And He came home, and the crowd gathered again, to such an extent that they could not even eat a meal. 21When His own people heard of this, they went out to take custody of Him; for they were saying, “He has lost His senses.” 22The scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “He casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons.” 23And He called them to Himself and began speaking to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24“If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25“If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26“If Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but he is finished! 27“But no one can enter the strong man’s house and plunder his property unless he first binds the strong man, and then he will plunder his house.

We see today as we see in scripture, that the way people are willing to stretch beyond logic to rationalize their view when they see something they do not understand is amazing. What sense would it make for Satan to use his power to cast out demons through someone? Similarly today we could ask, what sense does it make that everything in this universe sprang into existence by itself with no creator from literally nothing, a void. I don’t care how many millions of years someone imagines, if I have nothing it can not become something, let alone organize and evolve on its own. It requires a divine creator.

I invite you to pray:

Father, please lead and guide me and help me to focus on You and the mission You have chosen for me. Help me to have wise and godly counsel and courage and discernment to stand firm when others, even those claiming to follow You, try to stop me or change my full submission to You and Your work. Help open the eyes of the people to see and understand Your glory and turn from cultural norms to Your ways. Help the people fully submit to You. Amen.

 Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Guide, Healer, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Miracles, Miracles, Teachable

Did Yeshua Really Heal Everyone Who Came to Him?

It is interesting to pause and reflect on Yeshua’s ministry, that it was very demanding on Him. We don’t usually think of it that way, because He is God. However, He was also man. He slept, ate, drank, got tired, rested, etc.

As Yeshua healed people, His reputation spread and people came from farther and farther around. To be clear, it appears that most of these came for selfish reasons, for personal healing or healing of friends or family. They did not come seeking to hear His teaching. The miracles brought them in and then He was able to teach them while they were with Him.

Mark 3:7-12

      7Jesus withdrew to the sea with His disciples; and a great multitude from Galilee followed; and also from Judea, 8and from Jerusalem, and from Idumea, and beyond the Jordan, and the vicinity of Tyre and Sidon, a great number of people heard of all that He was doing and came to Him. 9And He told His disciples that a boat should stand ready for Him because of the crowd, so that they would not crowd Him; 10for He had healed many, with the result that all those who had afflictions pressed around Him in order to touch Him. 11Whenever the unclean spirits saw Him, they would fall down before Him and shout, “You are the Son of God!” 12And He earnestly warned them not to tell who He was.

This scripture also sheds light on the incorrect understanding that Yeshua came to heal everyone or healed everyone who came to Him. Some people take this to mean God wants everyone to be healed of all illness. It is not the case. Yeshua wanted to be able to get on a boat to keep distance from the crowds pressing in to touch Him and be healed. It is not that He did not have compassion, but rather that He was there to teach and guide people. He was not there to heal everyone. They were crowding so tightly they were impacting His teaching ministry.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to fully appreciate the tireless and difficult work that Yeshua did during His earthly ministry. Let me not take for granted the physical and emotional demands on Him personally. Help me in my life to seek You through Yeshua for who You are and what You teach and not just for my own personal healing or that of those around me. That said, thank you also that You invite us to come before You with our requests or personal needs and wants, including healing. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Compassion, Compassionate, Healer, Kindness / Gentleness, Loving / Kind, Slow to Anger, Teachable

Do Not Grieve Yeshua With the Hardness of Your Heart

Sometimes we can get very focused on certain ways of dong things. We can be sure we are right. In fact, we may be so sure we are right, that we lose track of what is most important. We may miss Yeshua working through or in someone we do not expect. We may look past miracles or the opportunity to help someone, because we are so focused on following the rules.

In fact, if the rules in question are Yahweh’s commands, we may indeed be right to want to follow them. However, we still need to take care that we don’t get so focused on someone obeying the rules that we let our hearts grow hard and miss out on something that may be even more important. Mark 3 records an example we should pay attention to. Think beyond the miracle and beyond the perspective of the man who is healed. Focus for today on Yeshua’s anger at the hardness of their hearts in focusing more on “getting” Yeshua and less on a man being healed.

Mark 3:1-6

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

      1He entered again into a synagogue; and a man was there whose hand was withered. 2They were watching Him to see if He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. 3He said to the man with the withered hand, “Get up and come forward!” 4And He said to them, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill?” But they kept silent. 5After looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6The Pharisees went out and immediately began conspiring with the Herodians against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me have a love of obeying Your commands, but also help me to keep focused on loving others and helping them. Let not my heart grow hard. Help me to be loving and kind.  Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Compassionate, Healer, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Share the Good News, Thankfulness

Share Joyfully What the LORD Does For You

Yeshua was certainly not like so many teachers and pastors today, looking for attention all the time. He actually tried to downplay how widely those He healed would tell others, so He could enter the city publicly and teach. However, sometimes the ones whose lives He transformed were so joyful they could not seem to contain themselves.

Mark 1:40-45

    40And a leper came to Jesus, beseeching Him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” 41Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” 42Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. 43And He sternly warned him and immediately sent him away, 44and He said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” 45But he went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the news around, to such an extent that Jesus could no longer publicly enter a city, but stayed out in unpopulated areas; and they were coming to Him from everywhere.

When is the last time you found yourself filled with joy that the LORD has helped or healed you, or even the basic promise and hope of salvation through Christ?  I find I am often caught up in the day to day and may be at risk of taking salvation for granted. I should be filled constantly with the kind of joy that the leper in Mark 1 was filled with, unable to contain myself from sharing with others.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please fill me with joy and thankfulness for Your offer of salvation and hope. Thank You for mercy and grace. Thank You for how often You help me in my life. Please forgive me for not always reacting as I should. Please help me to live joyfully and share all You do for me and have already done for me with others. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Am I on the path?, Compassionate, Demons, Healer, Help / Serve Others, Learning To Pray Effectively, Loving / Kind

Yeshua Made Time With the Father a Priority

Yeshua set an example for us in so many different ways. We do well to search them out in scripture and ask the Spirit to enlighten us and guide us in understanding and applying it in our lives.

How often might we say we want to have time to pray or study the word, but then we get busy and don’t follow through, or not as much as we know we should? There is an excellent example in Mark 1, where Yeshua was having a busy evening. Many ill and demon possessed people were brought to Him as sun set, ending Shabbat. It is written that the whole city had gathered at the door.

Mark 1:32-39

  32When evening came, after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were demon-possessed. 33And the whole city had gathered at the door. 34And He healed many who were ill with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He was not permitting the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.

      35In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there. 36Simon and his companions searched for Him; 37they found Him, and said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” 38He said to them, “Let us go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may preach there also; for that is what I came for.” 39And He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out the demons.

We do not need much imagination to realize it was a busy evening for Yeshua. In fact, even in the morning people were still looking for Him. In the midst of this busy time, and busy with very meaningful time spent healing people and casting out demons, Yeshua woke up early, while it was still dark, to go to a secluded place and pray.

He did not take the day off to rest, but rather got up to go and preach throughout Galilee. It is also interesting that He did not stay to help everyone who came to Him from the one location before leaving. He knew that He had come to preach across many towns, not just one or a few. He did not stay and heal every person. They were still looking for Him.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for sending Yeshua as an example for us as well as a Savior. Thank You for the written word and Your Spirit to lead and guide us. Help me to see others through Your eyes, with compassion and patience. Help me to put Your work and Your purpose ahead of my own comfort and rest. Encourage me to make time to pray and spend time with You rather than to make excuses why I can not. There is nothing I am doing that is more important that what Yeshua did when He was here in the flesh for a short, three year ministry. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.