Category Archives: Miracles

All Powerful / King of All, Demons, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Miracles, Miracles, Obeying God, Spiritual Warfare

Responding to Yeshua: Lessons from Demons, Townspeople, and the Transformed

There are quite a few scriptures in the Bible that show us directly how demons and people act when confronted by Yeshua and His miracles. These encounters are worth reflecting on prayerfully.

In Mark 5, we have the opportunity to observe demons, a man who had demons cast out, and some pig farmers and townspeople all react when confronted with the glory of Yeshua and His power. All of their reactions still have relevance for us today as we reflect on our own responses to Yeshua in our lives.

Mark 5:1-20

The Gerasene Demoniac

1They came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gerasenes. 2When He got out of the boat, immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met Him, 3and he had his dwelling among the tombs. And no one was able to bind him anymore, even with a chain; 4because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him and the shackles broken in pieces, and no one was strong enough to subdue him. 5Constantly, night and day, he was screaming among the tombs and in the mountains, and gashing himself with stones. 6Seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran up and bowed down before Him; 7and shouting with a loud voice, he said, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God, do not torment me!” 8For He had been saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9And He was asking him, “What is your name?” And he said to Him, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” 10And he began to implore Him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11Now there was a large herd of swine feeding nearby on the mountain. 12The demons implored Him, saying, “Send us into the swine so that we may enter them.” 13Jesus gave them permission. And coming out, the unclean spirits entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, about two thousand of them; and they were drowned in the sea.

14Their herdsmen ran away and reported it in the city and in the country. And the people came to see what it was that had happened. 15They came to Jesus and observed the man who had been demon-possessed sitting down, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the “legion”; and they became frightened. 16Those who had seen it described to them how it had happened to the demon-possessed man, and all about the swine. 17And they began to implore Him to leave their region. 18As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed was imploring Him that he might accompany Him. 19And He did not let him, but He said to him, “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.” 20And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.

Many people become complacent in their search for Yeshua by simply stopping at “I know Yeshua is real” or “I believe Yeshua is Son of God”.  Take caution if this is your attitude, because so do the demons. The demons actually immediately recognized Yeshua immediately and knew who He was and knew of His power. They asked permission to not be cast away entirely. They were constrained by His power. In fact, the first thing they did was bring the man to bow down before Yeshua. I would say this is a great deal more respectful than many people act when confronted with Yeshua, and these are demons who oppose Him!

Simply acknowledging the reality that Jesus is God is not enough. We must surrender to Him as Lord of our life and seek after Him. We must put our faith in Him, which will be reflected in our change in behavior and attitude toward all we do in life. We start to live as He lived instead of how we have been living as part of the world. Let us not be complacent to simply acknowledge the historical person of Jesus.

Let us now consider the response of the people in the story to the actions of Yeshua. The man who had been demon-possessed was forever changed. He knew what it was that Yeshua had done for him and wanted to follow Him. More importantly, he submitted to Yeshua, choosing to obey what Yeshua called him to do instead of pursuing his own desires… even though they were good desires to follow Yeshua. This man likely had great impact remaining amongst those that knew his history and could see the transformational change in him. Yeshua knew where he wanted this man to be and what he wanted him to do in proclaiming the good news of Messiah.

The reaction of the herdsmen and the people who return with them from the city is clearly disappointing. In truth, their reaction is perhaps worse than that of the demons. They see an undeniable miracle take place and all they can do is react in fear and self interest and ask Yeshua to leave. What a lost opportunity for them. However, take note that Yeshua did not hold a grudge… He actually used the man who was possessed by demons to remain in region and proclaim the word to help these people. Yeshua loves them even though they fear Him.

Prayerfully reflect, “How do you react to the instructions of God? to the prompting of the Holy Spirit?

Do you, like the demons, acknowledge the power of Yeshua, but refuse to submit to Him as a faithful servant? Are you like the townspeople, so uncomfortable with the presence of God that you look past His miracles and focus on your own desires and interests?

Or rather, do you listen carefully and obey His instructions even if it conflicts with your desires, as the man who was demon-possessed demonstrated?

When we obey God instead of our own desires, then truly God can use us for His glory! Others around you should be able to see that you are different, that God has changed you. You are a light and should no longer “blend in” with those around you.

If you find yourself reasoning… “but the man was cured of demon possession… of course he was transformed and excited… how does this apply to my life”… then consider that truly each and every one of us is a sinful being who is due punishment for our sin. The punishment for sin is death. Only through Yeshua’s death on the cross for our sins and  our genuine submission to Him, seeking forgiveness, shall any of us be delivered from death to everlasting life with God. All of us are corrupted by sin and headed for eternal suffering in hell if not for the actions of Yeshua. In effect, Yeshua has rescued all of us in similar fashion to what we read about in Mark 5. Do we respond in like manner to the man who was demon-possessed? We should be laser-focused on Yeshua and seeking to follow Him and obey Him in all aspects of our lives.

Be prepared that many will reject or resist this transformation in you as they reject God, Himself. Stand up for God anyway and proclaim the good news of Messiah! God may use you as a vehicle to save others by leading them to Him.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for sending Messiah to make a way for me to be reconciled to You. Please help me to embrace You through Yeshua, even when You ask me to do something other than what I want to do. Let me not be absorbed in my own desires and self interest. Let Your glory be shown through me to others. 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, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Miracles, Miracles, Satan, Spiritual Warfare

Live in Contrast to the World While Following Jesus

Many of us who follow Jesus will at one time or another be essentially mocked or called out as “out of our senses”.  The world struggles to understand how true disciples of Christ think and act. To follow in the example of Christ is very different from much of their worldview.

I can think of several examples simply ranging from declaring Jesus as God to giving generously while seeking nothing in return. Just declaring evolution as the false doctrine it is may be sufficient to evoke these kinds of responses. In fact, I remember one event where someone generously bought dinner for a large group at a restaurant which was unexpected. Rather than simply saying “thank you” and recognizing the person was “giving generously”, some actually mocked him as crazy for spending money that way. The world does not understand the followers of Jesus.

But take heart, Jesus experienced similar reactions. It may well be a good indicator that you are living apart from the world’s way. After going up to the mountain to appoint the twelve disciples, Jesus returned home to quite an uproar. The crowd gathered such that they could not even eat a meal. People said Jesus had lost His senses or was  possessed.

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.

Jesus certainly has a way of summarizing the issue.  How absurd that someone would say He is possessed by demons because He casts out demons! If Satan is the strong man in this scenario, then one greater than He must be present to “bind him” and cast out the demons.

Do not be discouraged when others do not understand the motivations and actions you exemplify in your life. Test to ensure that you are in line with Jesus Christ by studying and applying scripture. If that is right, keep on marching forward whether or not they think you may be crazy. Pray for God to help you be a light and draw others to Him through Christ.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Faith / Trusting God, Healer, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Miracles, Miracles, Share the Good News, Thankfulness

Uncontainable Joy: Proclaiming the Power of Jesus

Those who truly know the power of Jesus can hardly contain themselves from telling others. They proclaim it joyfully and boldly. We should be careful not to get so comfortable in our walk with Him that we become complacent in living our lives and not proclaiming Him to others. Take note how it is often new believers, or those who truly were lost or ill and have been physically saved as well as spiritually saved that have an uncontainable enthusiasm about Jesus. Mark 1 provides a great example… even though Jesus instructed him not to tell others, the man could not contain his joy and amazement. He proclaimed Jesus joyfully everywhere he went. Many heard and came to seek Jesus.

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.

We could have an interesting discussion on why Jesus asked this man not to tell others, but none the less, let us take time to understand what joy and thankfulness filled this man after being healed. He could not contain himself.

Prayerfully reflect on your own life. Do you still have that enthusiasm that the man did in Mark 1? Do you tell others everywhere you go? Do you tell anyone whom you meet that is not already in church or close to you? If you did tell others, is your life different in such a way as to reflect that you follow Jesus?

Let us pray that God would help us to proclaim Him boldly and never loose our enthusiasm to tell others how our lives have been changed because of Jesus. Let us change our lives to reflect love and obedience in following Jesus. Let us be a light to those who do not yet know Him!

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. 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, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Miracles, Miracles, Spiritual Warfare

Faith in God Amidst Unanswered Prayers for Healing

Jesus did not come to heal every physical sickness or cast out every demon. This is sometimes difficult for people to accept. If they see others healed, but not the person they hope for, they often choose to dismiss that it was really God helping to heal others.

“Why would God heal some but not others?

We do not know that answer. There are many aspects worth highlighting. Faith is required. People came to Jesus, rather than waiting for Him to come to them. Jesus came to spread the truth of the gospel and lead people to right relationship with God by teaching and living the commands of God recorded in the Old Testament and to die as sacrifice for all of our sins so we could all have a chance to go to be reconciled to God regardless of our past sins and separation from Him. He did not come to heal every sickness and cast out every demon.

Let us take a simple example in Mark 1. He heals many and casts out demons. But he leaves while there are still yet others to be healed and set free. Why? Jesus tells us in verse 38.

Mark 1:29-39

Crowds Healed

      29And immediately after they came out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying sick with a fever; and immediately they spoke to Jesus about her. 31And He came to her and raised her up, taking her by the hand, and the fever left her, and she waited on them.

      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.

Jesus came to preach truth to many, not to heal everyone in one location. Miracles and healing were a helpful part of His ministry to demonstrate who He was to those around Him.

For any of you who may be angry, sad or confused about why someone you love was not healed… take heart. You can trust in our heavenly Father and in His plans and His decisions. We are to come to the Father through Jesus. We can petition Him with our needs and desires. Then we are to trust Him in His decisions, even when we disagree or do not understand… as a small child must trust his or her parents even when they say “no”.

Pray for God to help you with any hurt you are still dealing with in this area. Seek others you trust to pray with you. Reflect on all the signs and miracles God has given us that He is God and we can trust Him. Follow in the example of Jesus to come to the Father.

To study more teachings about prayer, consider our teachings:

You can also review our category of devotions about Learning to Pray Effectively.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. 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.

Evidence in Scripture, Faith / Trusting God, Miracles, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Thankfulness

It’s an Historical Fact, Not an Opinion or a Possibility

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A fact is a fact. Jesus was well known and easily recognized. He died in front of many witnesses and He rose again and came before many witnesses. It is not an opinion or a story or a possibility… it is an historical fact. It is also pivotal to all that we believe as His followers.

1 Corinthians 15:1-19

The Fact of Christ’s Resurrection

     1Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.

      3For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; 7then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; 8and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also. 9For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. 11Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

      12Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; 14and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. 15Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. 16For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; 17and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. 18Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.

Christ has been raised. Let us embrace that with full force of faith, based on historical evidence outside of scripture and also based on scripture itself. He is the central focus of our hope and salvation. He took the punishment for our sins. He offers us reconciliation with God based on His perfection and sacrifice on our behalf. Never water down your passion on the truth of this central issue in our faith to please non believers who reject Him. Let us joyfully thank Him and praise Him and truly follow after Him according to His word and the Spirit which the Father sends as our Helper.

Take a few minutes in prayer today to give thanks to God for making a way for us to be reconciled to Him through Jesus. Let it sink in that this is not something we believe in faith alone, but faith backed up by facts and testimony of witnesses who were there.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. 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, Faith / Trusting God, Learning To Pray Effectively, Loving / Kind, Miracles, Miracles, Seeking God

The Lord Listens to the Prayers of the Righteous

We can be greatly encouraged that the Lord hears us and considers what we ask of Him. Whatever we are facing, we can bring it before the Lord and make our requests known to Him.

Hezekiah was facing significant challenges. The city was under siege in Isaiah 37 and God delivered it in victory upon the request of Hezekiah. However, God was even more gracious to Hezekiah. In Isaiah 38, Hezekiah got a report that he would die. This report was not from a doctor, but from God through Isaiah! Hezekiah pleaded with God and God granted him 15 more years to live!

How awesome that our God desires to draw near to us in a real relationship with us. He is not some distant ruler who sends out decrees upon what will happen. He is a loving father and master. He cares for us! He listens and considers what we ask!

Isaiah 38

Hezekiah Healed

      1In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.’” 2Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, 3and said, “Remember now, O LORD, I beseech You, how I have walked before You in truth and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

      4Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah, saying, 5“Go and say to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of your father David, “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will add fifteen years to your life. 6“I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city.”’

      7“This shall be the sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that He has spoken: 8“Behold, I will cause the shadow on the stairway, which has gone down with the sun on the stairway of Ahaz, to go back ten steps.” So the sun’s shadow went back ten steps on the stairway on which it had gone down.

      9A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah after his illness and recovery:

      10I said, “In the middle of my life
I am to enter the gates of Sheol;
I am to be deprived of the rest of my years.”

      11I said, “I will not see the LORD,
The LORD in the land of the living;
I will look on man no more among the inhabitants of the world.

      12“Like a shepherd’s tent my dwelling is pulled up and removed from me;
As a weaver I rolled up my life.
He cuts me off from the loom;
From day until night You make an end of me.

      13“I composed my soul until morning.
Like a lion—so He breaks all my bones,
From day until night You make an end of me.

      14“Like a swallow, like a crane, so I twitter;
I moan like a dove;
My eyes look wistfully to the heights;
O Lord, I am oppressed, be my security.

      15“What shall I say?
For He has spoken to me, and He Himself has done it;
I will wander about all my years because of the bitterness of my soul.

      16“O Lord, by these things men live,
And in all these is the life of my spirit;
O restore me to health and let me live!

      17“Lo, for my own welfare I had great bitterness;
It is You who has kept my soul from the pit of nothingness,
For You have cast all my sins behind Your back.

      18“For Sheol cannot thank You,
Death cannot praise You;
Those who go down to the pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness.

      19“It is the living who give thanks to You, as I do today;
A father tells his sons about Your faithfulness.

      20“The LORD will surely save me;
So we will play my songs on stringed instruments
All the days of our life at the house of the LORD.”

      21Now Isaiah had said, “Let them take a cake of figs and apply it to the boil, that he may recover.” 22Then Hezekiah had said, “What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the LORD?”

Thank you, Lord, for your grace, mercy, and love toward us! You and you alone are God. You are the master of the universe. There are none like you.  Thank you for listening to us!

Take a few minutes and prayerfully reflect on the fact that the creator of the universe wants you to draw near to Him and to be in a close relationship with Him. He does not simply have one-way communication with us, like a distant ruler. He speaks and listens to us. He considers what we ask of Him. How awesome is that!

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. 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, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Greed, Miracles, Persecution / Glorifying God, Share the Good News

Prepare for Adventure and Drama When You Truly Preach the Word to Lost

Most of us who submit our lives to Yeshua and, out of obedience, boldly proclaim the gospel to others do so with nothing whatsoever to gain personally. We are moved by obedience to Messiah and out of love for our fellow man to help them find freedom in Yeshua… freedom from sin and freedom from the penalty of death for their sin. It is helpful at times to remember that those who reject our Messiah have many different motives. Often times they are not even willing to open their eyes and consider the miracles around them which declare the truth and the glory of God.

As we read in Acts 19, we start with a documented list of powerful miracles taking place which glorify YHWH. The word of the LORD was prevailing and growing mightily. With that backdrop, we also come across a variety of responses. Some try to use the name of Yeshua without having the relationship with Him and they are overcome by a demon possessed man. They tried by their own power. Contrast that to verse 11 where we see emphasis that God was performing the miracles through the hands of Paul. It was not Paul. We also see those who would profit by making idols come full force against those bringing the truth of Yeshua as Messiah. They seem to completely overlook the miracles and focus solely on their own short term financial benefit. They miss the bigger picture. There are many like these still today. Many come against Messiah for selfish reasons or try to use His name for their own glory and honor.

Acts 19:11-41

Miracles at Ephesus

      11God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 12so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out. 13But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.” 14Seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15And the evil spirit answered and said to them, “I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” 16And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived in Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified. 18Many also of those who had believed kept coming, confessing and disclosing their practices. 19And many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone; and they counted up the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20So the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing.

      21Now after these things were finished, Paul purposed in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem after he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” 22And having sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.

      23About that time there occurred no small disturbance concerning the Way. 24For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, was bringing no little business to the craftsmen; 25these he gathered together with the workmen of similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that our prosperity depends upon this business. 26“You see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that gods made with hands are no gods at all. 27“Not only is there danger that this trade of ours fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis be regarded as worthless and that she whom all of Asia and the world worship will even be dethroned from her magnificence.”

      28When they heard this and were filled with rage, they began crying out, saying, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29The city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed with one accord into the theater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia. 30And when Paul wanted to go into the assembly, the disciples would not let him. 31Also some of the Asiarchs who were friends of his sent to him and repeatedly urged him not to venture into the theater. 32So then, some were shouting one thing and some another, for the assembly was in confusion and the majority did not know for what reason they had come together. 33Some of the crowd concluded it was Alexander, since the Jews had put him forward; and having motioned with his hand, Alexander was intending to make a defense to the assembly. 34But when they recognized that he was a Jew, a single outcry arose from them all as they shouted for about two hours, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 35After quieting the crowd, the town clerk said, “Men of Ephesus, what man is there after all who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of the image which fell down from heaven? 36“So, since these are undeniable facts, you ought to keep calm and to do nothing rash. 37“For you have brought these men here who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess. 38“So then, if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint against any man, the courts are in session and proconsuls are available; let them bring charges against one another. 39“But if you want anything beyond this, it shall be settled in the lawful assembly. 40“For indeed we are in danger of being accused of a riot in connection with today’s events, since there is no real cause for it, and in this connection we will be unable to account for this disorderly gathering.” 41After saying this he dismissed the assembly.

Consider for a moment the “extraordinary miracles” that were taking place in the name of Jesus Christ. They were public spectacles and not private events. Word of Jesus was spreading and people were believing. There were many who responded and believed. However, there were some who were motivated by greed and others who joined in without even understanding why they were rioting… they just allowed themselves to be caught up in the moment and come against the Christians for no particular reason other than seeing others act that way.

They made no rational appeal or argument against Jesus. They were only concerned to shout for their false beliefs and not listen to any other views… even in the face of “extraordinary miracles”! They were blind and could not see… or would not see.

We see these same responses from many today. When we proclaim the truth many will come against us… but many will accept Yeshua as Lord. We must take courage and proclaim Him boldly despite opposition. We must take what measured steps we can to protect ourselves while relying on God to help us, but we must never be silenced from sharing the truth of Messiah.

Reason does not always win out… and in this particular scripture there was a man who calmed the crowds. It does not always work out that way, but we must place our trust in God and go about His business anyway.  We can try to adjust our strategy to communicate the gospel and how we respond to people by understanding their motivations. It was probably wise for the believers to keep Paul from going to the riot. We do not know, but perhaps they would not have been so easily calmed if they had Paul in their midst.

Truly we can also be thankful to God when we live in a society in which there is some semblance of court system to sort out conflict in a way that avoids mob rule and riots. We should actively involve ourselves in government when we can in order to protect that protection where we have it or to fight to get those rights where we do not have them.

At all times, however, we should pray for God to help us in proclaiming the gospel and responding to both receptive and hostile audiences… whether we face crowds of 5000 or a single person. Do not expect people to act rationally and listen to reason and evidence of Yeshua as Messiah, even when presented with miracles. Many will hear and be moved to learn more, but also many will resist and fight to hold on to what they already believe, for a variety of reasons that can actually be quite narrow and selfish.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please protect and encourage those who share the truth about Your word. Thank You for miracles that You perform at times to help glorify Your name and spread the word. Please help prepare people to hear Your word and receive it. Amen. 

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Faith / Trusting God, Healer, Kindness / Gentleness, Miracles, Suffering / Adversity

Miraculous Healing in the Name of Yeshua

There is no injury, illness, or disability, too great for our Father to heal and no situation too hard for Yahweh to deal with it. Even after Yeshua departed, the apostles continued to heal many in His name. Always the focus was on Him and never on themselves. It was not their power, but Christ moving through them.

There can be much debate about how often and in what manner Yahweh heals people today, but there can be little debate amongst believers that He is able to heal anything… including death itself.

In the examples we read in Acts 9, we can keep in mind that through these examples of healing, the LORD was bringing about glory and honor to His name and leading people to disciple themselves after Yeshua. There was a purpose to His healing beyond simply helping the individuals involved.

Acts 9:32-43

Peter’s Ministry

      32Now as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. 33There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years, for he was paralyzed. 34Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed.” Immediately he got up. 35And all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

      36Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated in Greek is called Dorcas); this woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did. 37And it happened at that time that she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her body, they laid it in an upper room. 38Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him, “Do not delay in coming to us.” 39So Peter arose and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the upper room; and all the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing all the tunics and garments that Dorcas used to make while she was with them. 40But Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 41And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42It became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43And Peter stayed many days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.

God does not heal everyone from every serious illness, and we do not always understand why He heals some and not others. We can be assured though, that our loving Creator and Lord hears our prayers and is able to heal anything. He wants us to come before Him with our needs, as the people came to Peter on behalf of Tabitha. He also wants us to trust Him when His answer may be something other than “Yes, I will heal this person as you ask.”

When we do experience a miraculous healing at the hands of God, embrace it! Praise God for it to His glory. Tell others about it. Do not be afraid or intimidated that some or many will not believe. Many did not believe even standing face to face with Yeshua. However, when God provides a miraculous healing, it can not only physically transform lives but spiritually impact many to come to Christ or deepen their trust and relationship with Him.

For those other times, when we do not receive the answer that we ask for, we must encourage one another to trust in God. Let us also draw near to God even in our grief and loss. Let us honor God in all aspects of our lives both on the mountain top and in the valley.  Many can also be led to Yeshua by witnessing how His people experience the type of loss that normally cripples families that do not know Him.  As a related example of believers dealing with suffering (though not illness specifically), consider how Paul and Silas reacted when they were put in prison and how it affected others around them… leading them to follow Yeshua.

Acts 16:22-40

Paul and Silas Imprisoned

      22The crowd rose up together against them, and the chief magistrates tore their robes off them and proceeded to order them to be beaten with rods. 23When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely; 24and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

      25But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; 26and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened. 27When the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!” 29And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, 30and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

The Jailer Converted

      31They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his house. 33And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household. 34And he brought them into his house and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, having believed in God with his whole household.

      35Now when day came, the chief magistrates sent their policemen, saying, “Release those men.” 36And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The chief magistrates have sent to release you. Therefore come out now and go in peace.” 37But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us in public without trial, men who are Romans, and have thrown us into prison; and now are they sending us away secretly? No indeed! But let them come themselves and bring us out.” 38The policemen reported these words to the chief magistrates. They were afraid when they heard that they were Romans, 39and they came and appealed to them, and when they had brought them out, they kept begging them to leave the city. 40They went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia, and when they saw the brethren, they encouraged them and departed.

Praise and honor God on the mountain tops and in the valleys. Look to Him for support when you are weak and to celebrate with Him when things are going your way! Pray the Holy Spirit would help you to deal with loss in this way so as to further the Kingdom of God. You will also find that focusing on God rather than our circumstances will help you experience joy and contentment through every circumstance you encounter.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for the blessings You pour out on Your people including examples of miraculous healing. May the glory and honor be Yours and draw many nearer to You. Please help us be faithful even when You do not provide healing, that we would still praise Your name and You would be honored. May You be honored and glorified in all situations, on the mountain top and in the valley. 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.

Arrogance, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Holy Spirit / Ruach HaKodesh, Learning To Pray Effectively, Miracles, Miracles, Submitted / Servant, Unteachable / Foolish

Proclaim The Gospel Boldly Despite Intimidation

The religious “elite” or “establishment”, those with the most apparent authority and training, arrested Peter and John, who were uneducated and untrained men, and brought them to testify. The religious leaders, having already killed Yeshua, wanted to subdue this movement that claimed Yeshua was Messiah and had risen from the dead. Surely, Peter and John, who had gone into hiding when Yeshua was arrested and killed, would respond to intimidation and just be quiet. The miracles could not be denied, even by those who chose to reject Yeshua as Messiah.

Before being filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost Peter and John indeed lacked the boldness with which they now stood and proclaimed Yeshua as Messiah. However, now they stood before the full intimidation of the religious leaders and refused to give an inch. They would not back away from Yeshua despite threats toward their own well being… and it amazed their accusers. They had nothing to say in reply to Peter and John.

Acts 4:13-31

Threat and Release

      13Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus. 14And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply. 15But when they had ordered them to leave the Council, they began to confer with one another, 16saying, “What shall we do with these men? For the fact that a noteworthy miracle has taken place through them is apparent to all who live in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17“But so that it will not spread any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no longer to any man in this name.” 18And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; 20for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” 21When they had threatened them further, they let them go (finding no basis on which to punish them) on account of the people, because they were all glorifying God for what had happened; 22for the man was more than forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.

      23When they had been released, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, “O Lord, it is You who MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA, AND ALL THAT IS IN THEM,

25who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said,
‘WHY DID THE GENTILES RAGE,
AND THE PEOPLES DEVISE FUTILE THINGS?

      26‘THE KINGS OF THE EARTH TOOK THEIR STAND,
AND THE RULERS WERE GATHERED TOGETHER
AGAINST THE LORD AND AGAINST HIS CHRIST.’

27“For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur. 29“And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, 30while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.” 31And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.

The religious leaders could not deny God’s power as demonstrated by the healing miracle. The healed man was well known and now stood before them. They never stopped to reconsider what this signified… that they should reconsider their opinion that Yeshua was not Messiah. They continued in their wickedness to try to cover up and subdue the message of Yeshua. These supposed holy men and esteemed religious leaders did not even stop and pray to seek Yahweh’s help in this matter. They had already decided to dismiss the evidence Yah provided and continue like a freight train on the path to denying Jesus. They seem blinded by their own choice… having put their faith in the traditions and power of men. Do not be like these men.

So after they were released, how did Peter and John respond? Did they pray for protection? Did they pray for their enemies to be overthrown? Did they pray for wealth and power to stand up to their enemies? No, no, and no. They prayed for confidence and boldness and God’s continued hand to heal miraculously to His glory in the name of Jesus. Wow. We should be like these men, Peter and John. Having prayed a righteous and powerful prayer, God filled them again with the Holy Spirit and they began to speak the word of God with boldness!

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence. Grant us courage to stand boldly for You despite intimidation we may face. Use us for Your glory and honor! 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, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Heaven and Hell, Holy Spirit (hearing from God), Holy Spirit / Ruach HaKodesh, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Miracles, Miracles, Salvation, Share the Good News, Submitted / Servant

Proclaim Jesus Boldly, Filled With The Holy Spirit

Are you a follower of Jesus Christ, but find yourself hesitant to speak to others about Jesus Christ? Do you wish that you could change that and take on a confident position of boldly standing up for Jesus? Do not excuse it as “personality” limitations because you have a hard time talking to others or are uncomfortable dealing with conflict. Jesus commands us to proclaim Him boldly to others if we are to expect Him to represent us before the Father.

 [Matthew 10:32-33] 32“Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. 33“But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.

Do not rationalize why it is acceptable to deny Christ by remaining silent. Instead pray for God’s help that you would submit to the Holy Spirit and be transformed for use by God. Then set about building a consistent pattern of Bible study and prayer in your life every day… and watch what God can do.

Consider the example of Yeshua’s disciples. They were largely not public speakers or politicians. They were not clergy or religious elite. As a matter of fact, even after three years of accompanying Yeshua in His earthly ministry, they were scared when the Romans came to arrest Yeshua. Most ran away, Peter followed but then denied Yeshua when confronted even by servant girls among a crowd. After Yeshua died, they hid in a room. Before we judge them too harshly, most of us would do the same, especially without the Holy Spirit living inside of us.

Acts 4:1-12 provides a strong demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit and the transformation He brings to our lives as believers who submit to Jesus. Peter and John now stand boldly before the powerful religious leaders who just killed Jesus. They do not cower or hide. They do not water down the message. They make no excuses for following Jesus. The speak with power, unapologetic in their following of Jesus Christ… fully aware of possible consequences they may face. It is this same kind of faith and boldness that led to thousands being saved through submission to Jesus as their savior and leader.

Acts 4:1-12

Peter and John Arrested

      1As they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them, 2being greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3And they laid hands on them and put them in jail until the next day, for it was already evening. 4But many of those who had heard the message believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

      5On the next day, their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem; 6and Annas the high priest was there, and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of high-priestly descent. 7When they had placed them in the center, they began to inquire, “By what power, or in what name, have you done this?” 8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people, 9if we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man, as to how this man has been made well, 10let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by this name this man stands here before you in good health. 11“He is the STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED by you, THE BUILDERS, but WHICH BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone. 12“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

Do you invite the Spirit to work through you ? Do you speak boldly the truth of the gospel? or do you keep it to yourself to avoid confrontation? Pray for God to transform you to act like the disciples, boldly proclaiming the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ regardless of possible consequences to yourself.

[Matthew 10:28] 28“Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

It can not be said any more clearly than in Acts 4:12.

12“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

There is only one path to Heaven, one name by which we are saved… the name of Yeshua, who is our Messiah. All other roads lead to dead ends on this earth and to Hell thereafter. Choose your path wisely and stay on it.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, help me and all Your people be bold in following You, even when confronted by those who would try to silence and intimidate us. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit and give us the words to say and the courage to say them. Give us the courage to act! Raise up the righteous that our nation would turn back toward You! Defeat the wicked and their plans. Open their eyes to their wickedness and Your glory and righteousness. 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.