Strengthen Your Brothers

Luke 22:32 – “…strengthen your brothers…”

    

The commands of God are not complicated, they are simple, and, in their simplicity, they are deeply profound. Peter is not given a long and convoluted set of instructions, but he is merely given three words from Jesus that He followed for the rest of his life. We also are to follow these words and make them a life-long practice; we are to strengthen our brothers.

    We are not called to criticize, or complain about our brothers, nor to demean them; we are called to strengthen them. Strength answers many problems and challenges in life. If we are strong, we can go through difficult seasons courageously and not be overcome by them. A trial of sickness can be endured if we have strength. Financial difficulty and pressures can be bravely faced if we have strength. Relationship trouble, betrayal, divorce and even the loss of a loved one cannot defeat us if we have strength. Paul confirms this fact when he said that he could do all things through Christ who strengthened him.

    For Peter, the brothers may have represented three categories. First, they were his Hebrew brothers; he was called to strengthen their faith in the One True God. Secondly, they were his brothers in Christ; he was called to strengthen their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and in His plan for their lives. Thirdly, they were his brothers of humanity; he was called to strengthen their faith as good citizens and builders of a healthy home and family life.

        They are my brothers and I have an innate responsibility to add strength to their life. As members of a family we understand first-hand that the brothers will inevitably have conflict. The very first family reveals the tendency for sibling rivalry and relationship trouble; indeed, Cain did not fulfill his role as his brother’s keeper.

    Notice in this instance that Peter is not told to go evangelize and bring in new people; he is told to strengthen the existing people. We do indeed have a Great Commission to reach the world with the Gospel message, but what are we bringing people into? If we do not strengthen our home base there is nothing for others to re-build their lives upon.

    Each of us has daily opportunities to strengthen others. We mustn’t take anything away from people but always give something to them. Find something in their life that you can support and strengthen. Leave them better off after you have spoken to them. Help, assist, contribute, build and reinforce. What would our homes be like if we constantly strengthened all those within it? How about our workplace, or our church? Let’s be those who are known for their positive contribution; let’s be part of the solution, not part of the problem. Let's begin to strengthen those around us, encourage those around us, and always look for a way to be constructive; strengthen the brothers!

A Closer Look at Scripture

Mark 12:24 – Do you not therefore err, because you know not the Scriptures neither the power of God?

    The Sadducees were very well-versed in the Old Testament writings and yet Jesus said that they did not know the Scriptures. Apparently, it is possible to read, memorize and recite verses and yet still not know them. This thought should alarm us and cause us to take a little closer look at our own Bible knowledge, and by so doing, this thought will also arm us.

    The condition of mankind is such that we think we know something when we may actually know so very little and even the small part that we do know, we may not know very well. There are two kinds of knowledge. There is one that says, ‘I know that because I have read it, or heard it’, and the other that says, ‘I know that because I practice it’. In our modern Western culture, we are immersed in so-called knowledge, we are saturated in it, and yet, we do not seem to be any better off. These Sadducees were saturated in the Scriptures, they had memorized it and could quote large sections, but Jesus informs them that they did not know the Scriptures. The ancient Eastern view of knowledge is described by the words, ‘Adam knew his wife and she conceived’. This kind of knowledge is relational knowledge; it is knowledge within the context of a relationship. We do not know someone because we simply know a lot of facts about them, we only truly know someone by regular communication, interaction and conversation. This is a living and active knowledge; not head-knowledge, but heart knowledge; not book-knowledge but biological knowledge; not organized but organic. If we do not come into this vital knowledge, we will err.

    To err is to be deceived; it means to wander or roam from a place of safety, truth or virtue. This is the human problem; we stray, we wander, we are easily seduced. Deception is the enemy’s greatest weapon and sadly, we have unleashed it upon ourselves. As a society, we have been infected with deception and the poison of it is spreading rapidly. There is now almost nothing that is not believable or acceptable to us. We have, indeed, roamed far from home.

    Unfortunately, the same is true for many churches and Christians. We have neglected the Scripture and pursued our own ideas of truth and how our lives should be lived. Jesus said that the cause of our deception and roaming was our lack of truly knowing the Scriptures, and because of that, we have not accessed the power of God. If we do not come back to Scriptural education and Biblical preaching, the kind that accesses power and produces a living relationship with God, we will continue to gain speed in our slide down the slope of error.

    I once read a powerful little story by Jack London called, ‘To Build a Fire’. It was about a man that had gone out into the wilderness in extremely cold weather and ended up being overcome by it and dying. In this short story London makes a statement about the man; ‘He was quick and alert in the things of life, but only in the things, not in their significance.’ The man understood the facts about the extreme cold, but he didn’t catch its’ real significance and meaning. It didn’t lead him to consider what that meant for him as a frail human. That phrase seems to fit here, and we could be like that man. We could be quick and alert regarding the facts of Scripture; understand the context and quote verses verbatim but miss the true meaning and how it applies to our life. The power of Scripture is released only when we understand the meaning of it, its real significance.

    I want to encourage you, friends, to take time to slow down and smell the roses of Scripture. Ask the Lord to lead you into an intimate knowledge of His Word. Meditate slowly on the words and think deeply about what is written. Stay with it daily, and over time you will quiet the noises inside and outside and begin to hear the Voice of God afresh. And when that Voice comes, so comes the power. Your eyes will be opened, and your understanding quickened, and chains will fall away. New hope and fresh possibilities await us as we come into this intimacy with Him. All are invited, all are welcome!

He is the God of all Comfort

2Corinthians 1:3 – Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.

    To bless God is to speak well of Him, just as to curse God would be to speak poorly. What we say about another is likely to be one of the best indicators of our relationship. If I speak well of God, then things must be well between us. We are exhorted throughout the Scripture to bless God; to exalt Him and to lift Him up. When we bless someone that means that we take the limits off them; we empower them to exceed boundaries and go way beyond the status quo. Obviously, God does not need us to take any limits off Him, but we need to have the limits taken off our view of Him. When we bless God and praise Him our hearts are enlarged, and we can receive more of who He is.

    Who is this God that we are to bless? He is first and foremost, a Father. A father is one who begets life thereby giving a future and a destiny to another. A father commences the life but is also, committed to that life. He produces the life and then provides for that life. He protects, He corrects, and he directs that life. God is the Faithful Father.

   Not only is He a Father but, more specifically, he is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. This, of course, refers to the humanity of Jesus. As God, eternally existing, Jesus never had a beginning, but as a man, He did have a beginning and it was the Father who initiated it. When Jesus became a man by submitting to the restrictions of the womb and identifying with the natural process, He elevated our humanity; indeed, we have a noble existence and purpose. Jesus, the man, became Christ, the Lord, who brought salvation and made it available to all mankind.

    God is also the Father of mercies. The world would not know mercy if it were not for Him; He initiated mercy; it had its beginnings in the Father. He begat mercy and He planned the future and destiny of mercy. What would this world be like without mercy? We see some places in the world where the Word of God is banned and forbidden, and people are not given freedom to choose and these places have become places without mercy; consequently, human life is considered worthless. Harsh and inhumane treatment is the norm and people are completely de-valued. Of course, this happens also in our side of the world in many hearts wherever the Word of God is rejected, and freedoms are restricted. If there is no mercy in the heart, there will be none in the life. If there is no influence of the Father, then there is a merciless life.

    Mercy is what we all need but do not always give, no doubt, we have failed as dispensers and channels of mercy. The failure itself is reason for our continued need. Just as we are not able to breathe in air for the next hour, we can only inhale and exhale the current mercy. God says that His mercy is new every morning; most likely because we need it every morning. Even the fact that God created a twenty-four-hour day is a reminder of mercy. We may have failed today, or sinned in some way, or not measured up, but just as the sun will come up over the horizon in the morning so His mercy will be freshly prepared and waiting for us the next day. Fresh morning; fresh mercy; fresh start.

    He is also called the God of all comfort. He is not the God of discouragement or despair, He is not the God of hopelessness or gloom. He is the God of all comfort; that is, He comes to us in our discouragement and despair; He is with us through it all. The word comfort itself expresses His action, it means to strengthen by being with. How striking and suggestive this word is for all of us who have opportunities daily to bring comfort to those around us.

    God is the God of all comfort; He is the God of strength by presence. Just to know that He is present brings us comfort; it brings strength. He comes to us no matter what situation we might find ourselves in, or for what reason. He doesn’t come to judge or condemn, He comes to comfort, He comes to bring strength by His presence. He is the God of all comfort. He has comfort for every condition or circumstance and there is no comfort outside His reach.

    Today, in whatever place you are; no matter your choices, or your failures, or your losses, He is with you right now. Thank Him for His presence and breath in His strength and comfort.

We are the Channel, not the Source

Act 3:4  And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.     

    

Act 3:12  And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, You men of Israel, why marvel at this? or why look so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk.

    

Peter and John were on their way to the temple to pray when they came across this lame man who had been brought there daily by others for many years. He was placed there at the gate to the temple in hope that some kind person would have mercy on him and give him enough money to squeak by and survive another day.

    This account reminds us that there are always those suffering souls around us that cry out to be seen. I once asked my son, Wesley, who was in his mid-twenties at the time, what the greatest need of his generation was. His answer was profound and given unhesitatingly; they need to be noticed. Isn’t that what we all need? How piercing these words are to those of us who march quickly through our daily activities and tasks, but do not have eyes to see the people who are placed in our path. Peter, however, not only saw the man, but took a deep interest in him and his plight; indeed, we are told that he fastened his eyes on him. The lame man was unaware of who he was encountering, nor what he was about to receive. He thought he was going to get some loose change, and, in fact, he had his chains loosed. But let’s look closer at Peter’s instruction to the man.

    Look on us. Notice that it is not, ‘Look on me’. Peter does not elevate himself above John and John does not grasp for attention; they are content to work together. This is a powerful thought when we realize that Peter and John had some previous relationship struggle and conflict. They had different personalities and views, but God did a deep work in their hearts that caused them to be united from then on. We are brothers and sisters in the Lord; we are members of the same body of Christ; we have the same mission and that mission is about people. It is encouraging to see these men of God cooperate, both with God and each other. Harry Truman once said that it is amazing what can be accomplished if we do not care who gets the credit.

    This dear man was born lame and would never have known a normal care-free childhood. He would not have had the blessing of productive work or having a mate in life. He was unable to go anywhere without assistance; he was what we might call today, the marginalized of society; sidelined and disregarded. He could not stand up and walk as God created him to, and maybe one of the most tragic things was he couldn’t look people in the eyes as their peer. He was lowered by the harsh realities of his life, indeed, everyone looked down on him. But one day he heard someone tell him to look up, look out and to look at who it was that was speaking to him. Our answers lie not in lifeless money but, in a living person.

    Look on us. We are here to help. We are sent by God. We do not have all the answers, but we know the One who does. We are not the Source of your answer, but we may very well be the channel. We are the conduit for the Power to flow through. Look on us, for you may not be able to see God, but you can see us. You may not be hearing His voice, but you can hear ours.

    After the man was healed there was quite a commotion among the people because they all knew the man and had observed him begging daily at the gate of the temple. No doubt, many people began to credit the amazing miracle to Peter and John and point toward them as Healers and Miracle-Workers. Many men, whom God has used, have gone astray just here. Had these men not walked closely with Jesus and saw His humility and how He credited the Father for all the great things that took place through His ministry, they might have been tempted to receive some of that praise, but these godly and sensible men wanted nothing to do with that.

    Why are you looking on us? We are men just like you. We are no different, and certainly not better. We do not have any power of our own and we are not any more holy than others. We wanted the lame man to look on us because he needed the answer but now that he has his answer we want you to look to God as the Source of this great miracle. I fastened my eyes on him when he was in need, but you must not fasten your eyes on us now that the need is met. Jesus must get all the credit. He is the reason that this man is healed. He is the one to be praised.

    Our lives are made up of many different seasons and circumstances. One day we might be in Peter and John’s position, being used by God as a channel of blessing. Another day we might be in the lame man’s position, being in need of God’s blessing. More accurately, I suppose, we are simultaneously in both positions. We are the needy being used of God to meet needs. We are the helpless being used of God to bring help. We are the weak being used of God to bring strength. We are the sick, being used of God to bring healing. We are the sorrowful being used of God to bring joy. We are the momentary being used of God to bring the eternal. It is wonderful to be a channel through whom God can flow, but one thing we know for sure; we are merely the channel and not the Source. All of the credit, all of the praise and all of the honour must go to whom it is due; our precious Saviour and Lord, Jesus the Christ!

These Boots Were Made for Walking

Genesis 5:24 - And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

    What a privilege to be invited to walk with God. Walking is natural and normal to life, so we are being encouraged to take our natural, normal life and use it to walk with God. Take your life and align it with His; Enoch with God; the natural with the spiritual; the common with the uncommon; the human with the divine. When there was no mention of any of his peers walking with God, Enoch chose a path and a direction in life by choosing to walk with God.

    We are not born with the ability to walk; the potential for it is there, but we must develop and grow into that skill. Our muscles must develop, and our balance must improve before we can begin. To walk implies that we have started on a path of growth. It is a great day in the home, when the little child takes its first steps; everyone gets excited. We can only imagine how God must also get excited when His little ones develop to the point where they are not being carried but are choosing to walk and carry their own weight.

    Man is created to walk upright; we do not crawl forever. In fact, if your child does not start walking by a certain age, there is great reason to be concerned; something is wrong. Walking brings with it new-found freedom for the child, and, simultaneously, it brings a lot less freedom for the parents. The child has become much more active, mobile and able to choose directions and locations. Even though it is more difficult for us as parents, we want our children to mature and begin making some of their own decisions; it is our will for them. They are designed to stand up and to stand tall and to make choices.

    Enoch chose to walk, but he didn’t walk alone; he wanted to accompany someone, and he wanted the company of another; he decided to walk with God. To be with someone implies relationship, friendship and partnership. Being with someone also necessitates a proximity; we cannot walk with another if there is distance between us. Unlike many today, Enoch did not desire to be a loner; he did not isolate himself; he chose companionship; he chose someone to walk through life with. Who you choose to walk with is vitally important and Enoch revealed his inner character by choosing God.

    The fact that we can walk with God says a lot about God’s heart. If I have a young child and the child wants to walk with me, I will have to adjust for that to happen. I will have to lower myself, come to the child’s level and slow down my pace. No good father will think it is a burden to have to do this; it is a joy to walk with your child.

    The book of Amos asks us, ‘How can two walk together unless they are in agreement?’ There must be agreement about the time and place to meet for a walk. There must be agreement about the direction and the speed with which you will walk. There must be agreement about the purpose of the walk. Quite often, my wife will suggest that we go for a walk, but most always, we have two different things in mind. I’m thinking about going for a leisurely stroll and she is thinking about a vigorous exercise. I’m thinking of flat ground and she has a hill in mind; indeed, there must be agreement. In our walk with God there will also be times that may require a different pace or a different purpose.

    To walk with God implies that we have taken some time with Him and have gone a fair distance, not just a few steps. Enoch walked with God through all the seasons of life; he enjoyed the good times and he endured the bad times; he continued to walk through the triumphs and through the trials; through the joys and the sorrows. He kept pace with God and no matter which way life was pulling him, he walked in God’s direction. He spent his life walking with God, not noticing that he was changing as they walked.

    There is a phrase spoken by John the Baptist that seems to resemble what happened to Enoch; ‘He must increase, but I must decrease’. He must become more prominent and I must become less prominent. He must become more visible and I must become less visible. His wisdom must be forefront and my wisdom must be secondary. Things were becoming less about Enoch and more about God and it seemed to happen almost effortlessly. It took place over time as he kept walking with God. Many times, we might struggle to overcome certain habits or resist certain temptations; indeed, we all have character flaws and we all have much room for growth. However, if we focus only on those things that we need to change it can sometimes make it harder. Enoch walked with God and his personal problems took care of themselves; he walked with God and was not.

    Someone has once said that Enoch and God had walked together for so long that they got closer to God’s house than they were to Enoch’s, so God just took him to His home. Be encouraged friends, God desires to walk with us; it is His idea; and He has made us able to walk with Him. We might stumble here and there on the journey, but we must keep walking and keep in step with God and soon, very soon, we will see that we have arrived at the door to His house. The peace, joy and pleasures which await us there are far beyond anything that any of us could even begin to imagine! Thank you, Jesus! 

He is Still the Same Healer

Mark 1:32-34 - And at evening, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with demons. And all the city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many that were sick of diverse diseases, and cast out many demons; and did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew him.

    The word about Jesus had begun to spread throughout the region. He had recently commanded a demon to come out of a man in the Synagogue and then He had healed Peter’s mother-in-law of a terrible fever. Good news always travels fast and the only thing that travelled faster that day was those who heard the good news and they came in droves to Peter’s house. Obviously what Jesus had said and done inspired a living faith in the hearts of those who were suffering under the ravages of disease and the torments of dark spirits. People brought other people until the whole community was outside the door. The simple and uncomplicated truth of Jesus attracted hurting humanity then, and it still draws people to Him today.

    Disease has never been the will of God for mankind. Just the simple breakdown of the word itself should illustrate that; dis-ease; anything that hinders the ease of operation that God created for the body. The original language goes further and reveals that this word and its relatives are rooted in the soil of evil. Miserable, wicked, harmful, and bad; these are the roots of the word translated disease; just ask a child if any of those words are good. Please friends, we must settle this issue forever; sickness and disease are not good gifts and they do not come from above; they do not come from our gracious Heavenly Father. Of course, there is much to say about this subject and still much that we do not know. We never make light of any beautiful child of God who has suffered and cried out for healing that did not come; we mourn along with all those who have prayed and yet lost a loved one; there are many unsolved mysteries which must be left with God. However, we have a responsibility to continue to preach and teach and seek God for what we do know is true. We eagerly preach salvation for all people even when we know that all people will not be saved. He is the Saviour, not because we are saved but because He said He is the Saviour, and He is the Healer, not because we are healed but because He said He is the Healer. One old preacher used to say it this way, ‘God said it, I believe it, and that settles it’. It is an established fact, as the Psalmist of old has said, ‘Forever, O Lord, your Word is settled in heaven’.

    It is interesting to note that right on the heels of the word ‘disease’ is the phrase, ‘possessed with demons’, perhaps suggesting their dark history and connection. In our day of science and civility there are many that think it is foolish and infantile to believe in the existence of evil spirits, and even among those who do believe in their reality, there is much misunderstanding and imbalance. History shows us that we tend to be in the ditch on one side of the road or another; very few seem to go down the middle of the road. We either do not believe in Satan’s existence at all, or we do believe and then give him way too much attention and emphasis. In order to steer safely on the highway of life, we have to listen to what my Dad used to say as we were leaving our parents house to drive a couple hours back home, ‘Keep her between the ditches’. It may help to gain a more balanced view if we realize that a better word than possessed may be demonized. The use of the word possessed depicts one who is completely controlled and taken over but the term demonized carries a much broader range of demonic activity, including oppressed and obsessed. However, it really does not matter to what degree people have been influenced or harassed by evil spirits, because Jesus’ power takes care of it all.

    Jesus is the Great Physician and He does what it takes to restore the patient to health; of course, He must have the patient’s cooperation. The original word for heal in this verse may imply the beginning of a process such as repeated visits to a therapist. Healing can be instantaneous but, more often than not, it is a process. This is a good thing because the time element and the experience gained, while submitting to the directions of the Physician and applying His prescription, brings about incremental but definite changes in the patient’s condition and outlook. Fred Bosworth wrote, ‘The process that brings the healing is a greater blessing than the healing itself’. We don’t just get our answer in the process; we, ourselves, change in the process and thus become stronger and more committed disciples.

    Jesus healed many of those who were held under the destructive control of disease and, at the same time and under the same anointing, He cast out many demons. The language is instructive because we only use these kinds of words when we are serious and mean business. We could say that He expelled the demons, which may be reminiscent of our experience at high school. To be expelled means you are ordered to leave and not allowed to come back. Only someone with legitimate authority can expel another and Jesus definitely had that authority. Get out and stay out, is how He would put it.

    The demon spirits knew who Jesus was; they recognized His authority. Ever since their future was foretold by God in the Garden of Eden, they knew that the Anointed One was coming who would break the power of their chief, Satan and overthrow his empire. They knew who He was because they saw in the realm of the spirit, but Jesus did not allow them to speak; He silenced the enemy at every turn. Sadly, even though the enemy knew who He was, the people of His own country did not see who he was because they saw only with the natural eyes and could not see that He was the Messiah; the long-promised Saviour and the long-awaited answer.

    Friends, I pray that we would have our eyes wide open and recognize Jesus when He comes to us, for you can be certain that He will come. God's desire for us to be blessed is greater than we can imagine. He is so faithful; He will give you and I ample opportunity to recognize Him and enable us to receive all that He has for us. Thank you, Lord Jesus!

God; the Generous Giver

Psalm 84:11 – For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

    We have all heard the old saying, ‘A picture is worth a thousand words’ and it is, of course, very true. However, if it were not for words there would be no way to describe the picture that you were seeing. Words paint pictures, and God’s Word paints pictures that only He, the Master Artist, could paint. In the verse above we are being given a vivid word-picture; the Lord God is a sun and a shield.

    The sun is an ever-radiating, never-diminishing, constantly shining, sphere of light. It is the very definition of faithfulness, which means it is entirely trustworthy and absolutely reliable and it will always be there. The sun never changes; it is predictable. We know exactly what it is going to do and so we can plan our lives accordingly. The Lord God is like the sun; He is steady and faithful and therefore, in one sense, He is predictable. We know what He is going to do because we know what He has said in His Word and so we can plan our lives accordingly. The sun is not erratic; it is not fickle, and it does not act in a random fashion. Of course, I am not saying that we know every method by which God will do certain things or the time frame within which He will do it; I am simply saying that by knowing his Word we can know His will and therefore we can have a measure of security and confidence in what He desires for us.

    The sun is our planet’s source of life; it is always generously lavish with its life-bringing rays. Our Father is likewise very generous; Jesus said that He makes His sun to rise on the evil and the good; He is no respecter of persons; He values all people. What He will do for one, He will do for all. Any parent knows that if you have more than one child you cannot, or at least, should not, show favouritism; what you do for one child you will do for all. Good parents love all their children equally and desire only the very best for them. The children, however, by their attitude, determine how they are dealt with by the parents. If your child is defiant and displaying a very bad attitude, then you may have to respond by dealing stronger than you would like to. Conversely, if your child has misbehaved and then accepts responsibility and is very sorry, then you, no doubt, will respond in a much more lenient fashion. Likewise, we also can determine the response of God toward us.

    The sun’s rays, while bringing much-needed heat and life, can also be very harmful. We must be careful not to gaze directly into the sun; our eyes can be damaged by the brilliance of its light. Likewise, our skin must be covered and protected or it, too, could be damaged by the sun’s penetrating rays. There must be a deep respect for the power of the sun; not a fear, but a wise reverence. Experienced electricians teach their apprentices that the first thing to learn is that this power is far greater than humans and it better be respected; one must not dare to have a cavalier or flippant attitude toward that power.

    Not only is the Lord God a sun but, He is also a shield. When we hear the word shield, we usually think of armour and warfare. The shield is that which stands between the weapon and the person against whom the weapon is aimed. The shield takes the blow for us, it absorbs the impact and protects us from harm. The thought of God being our shield gives us a lot of confidence to go out and face life bravely; as we walk closely with God, whatever comes our way must pass through the shield first.

    The shield represents the fatherly, protective aspect of God’s heart. He is a watchful and observant Father who guards the wellbeing of His children. Like any good parent, He wants no harm to come to the child; He issues warnings of impending danger; He teaches the child to wisely obey laws of safety and He provides an environment of security.

   Our God is both the sun and the sunscreen; He is the power source and the protection from that power; He is the burning fire and the containing fireplace; He gives both grace and glory.

    Grace is God’s ability to change any situation. He can make anything out of anybody. It does not matter where you or I may have been, or how sinful we may have been because there is no circumstance that can keep His grace from turning it into something good. Grace empowers us to release the hurt, forget the past and walk forward in the plan of God.

    Glory is that aspect of God that defies definition, it transcends our finite minds because it contains the fulness of God and His many attributes. One Hebrew scholar has said that the glory of God is every conceivable or possible good; it goes beyond our capacity to fully understand. The glory of God contains within it everything that we could ever need or desire; it represents ultimate fulfilment.

    Be encouraged, friends, there is within our Father God a deep longing to give. It is His nature to give; He is not withholding from us. In fact, He is so good that we could never fully describe His goodness. All we have to do is open our heart and bask in the sunlight of His grace and glory.

An Example of Proactive Faith

Mar 5:25-29 - And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. And [immediately] the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.

 The book of Mark is a historical document and an accurate record of actual people; there was indeed a certain woman. Possibly no other account in the New Testament so graphically describes such an ordeal as this dear lady suffered. Twelve long years she had this condition and no matter how she sought to be relieved, her situation only continued to deteriorate.

    In those days the medical knowledge and facilities were known to be less than par and sometimes the cure was worse than the disease. This is by no means a slander on the noble profession of those who have devoted themselves to the medical field; we are deeply grateful for doctors and any medical help. Truly, God partners with all who wish to bring relief from pain and suffering. Todays’ medicine and healthcare have advanced dramatically, and we have so much to be thankful for. However, those that have suffered with any kind of disease, especially a chronic and life-threatening one, know that the process of treatment can be arduous, painful and exhausting.

    This woman suffered from a continual loss of blood; twenty-four hours per day, seven days each week, fifty-two weeks every year, for twelve grueling years. Her physical strength was draining out of her moment by moment. We can only imagine that her emotional strength was likewise diminishing. The implication is that she was once a woman of social status and had financial means; she spent all that she had. It is likely that she was married and had a family but, her condition weakened her and prevented her from fulfilling her role as a wife and mother. She suffered in so many ways; physically, emotionally, financially and socially. She desperately looked for answers, but none came; the agony continued, and she only got worse.

    She had looked for possible solutions from many physicians, until at last, no doubt, she was at the point of despair, but then, someone told her of another Physician; a different Physician; one who was sent from God and had been anointed to heal the sick. Multitudes were flocking to Him and reaching out their hands to touch Him. He was kind and compassionate and He never turned anyone away; even the outcast lepers were being healed of their terrible and chronic condition. Like a poor, starving person, desperately needing a nutritious meal, her hungry heart must have devoured that good news and it produced within her an expectant and confident faith. Years ago, when a friend and I were launching into a ministry venture, a seasoned pastor prayed over us that our appetite would determine our meal; he knew that hunger is a powerful motivator.

    The Law of Moses, which governed the culture, had guidelines regarding women in her condition but, the interpreters of those guidelines had distorted them into harsh, condemning and judgmental rules; and as always when strict legalism is emphasized, people are devalued, and mercy is lost. This precious lady now belonged to a class of people who were considered outsiders by society; she was exiled through no fault of her own. That is why she wanted to slip up behind Jesus and simply touch the fringe of His clothing; get in, get healed, get out, was her plan. She had ample reason to be afraid of the crowd, but what she heard concerning Jesus displaced her fear and gave her the courage to act.

    As she reached out and made contact, the power of God flowed like electricity into her and, as His power always does, it went directly to the source of the problem and she was immediately healed. She knew that something came into her and Jesus knew that something went out of Him. For twelve years she had been plagued with this condition and in one moment she was set free. There is something so admirable about this lady; she has indeed inspired millions by her story. Jesus was not headed in her direction; she chose to go toward Him. Jesus did not have her on His agenda; she put Him on her agenda. Jesus did not hear anything about her; she heard something about Him. Jesus did not reach out and touch her; she reached out and touched Him. She is an example of how proactive faith in Jesus can radically change a person’s life.

    Isn’t it interesting how we refer to this lady as the woman with the issue of blood? However, that cannot be accurate any longer because she may have once been the woman with the issue of blood, but she is no longer that woman; she was healed. The Bible does not give us her name, it only says that there was a certain woman. She was a specific woman; a particular woman; a definite woman; an actual woman. She was a unique individual, like you and I, purposely created by God, not to struggle with a chronic ailment but, to live, love and enjoy, with all its ups and downs, the human experience that we call life.
     Take the initiative, stretch forth your hand and touch Him!

The Voice of God

Hebrews 3:7-19

Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) 

   As the Holy Ghost saith – Verse seven through verse eleven is a quote from the ninety-fifth chapter of Psalms and by quoting it the New Testament writer divinely endorses the fact that it is the Holy Spirit who is speaking through Scripture. He inspired all of the writers of Scripture. Every Scripture is God-breathed and therefore not an ordinary document or book at all. It is a God-given revelation to us. When we hear the word of God read to us we must take the position that these are the very words of God speaking to me.

     Today if ye will hear His voice – Today. Do not procrastinate. He did not say, tomorrow if you will hear his voice. No! He said today. He did not say yesterday as you have heard his voice. No! He said today. The voice of God is the Word of God which we must hear today. Just as we cannot live on yesterday’s oxygen or store up tomorrow’s oxygen, we must have oxygen today, even so, we must have the word of God for today. Do not put off hearing the voice of God right now. Make sure that you don’t give in to the deception of thinking you are not capable of hearing his voice, or you are not worthy of hearing his voice. Maybe one day I will be spiritual enough to hear his voice. No!  This kind of thinking is a lie. It is not the truth. You are His sheep and as Jesus once stated, ‘My sheep hear My voice’. Believe that truth. Accept that fact. Say to yourself, ‘I do hear the voice of Jesus’. Do not relinquish the voice of God to the past only. He isn’t the God who once spoke; He is the God who currently speaks. He is the eternal and present speaking voice. ‘His name shall be called the Word of God’. Jesus said that Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. There is a word that is constantly proceeding from the mouth of God. He is always speaking a word to us.

     If ye will hear – The condition of whether or not we hear the voice of God rests with us. We are the deciding factor. God is constantly speaking, the question is will we listen? S. D. Gordon once wrote that a man hears God through his will. If the will is surrendered to God then the ear is opened, and once the ear is opened then the sound of God’s voice can be heard. A stubborn will inevitably makes for a deaf ear and God is silent to a deaf ear. His voice – God has a voice. If there is a voice, then there is a personality behind the voice. There is volition behind the voice. A voice is the medium of communication from person to person. God is a personal God. He loves to interact with us as His creation. 

     Harden not your hearts – We can choose to harden our hearts or we can choose to not allow our hearts to harden. Life alone cannot make us hard. No individual person or situation can make us hard, we decide to become hard or not. Harden could mean any number of things. It could mean to be stubborn, or maybe to become closed in your heart. A person with a hard heart could simply be someone who has become guarded and feels threatened because of negative past experiences, so they do not open themselves up to new possibilities and friendships. It is possible that we may have become hard due to disappointment or failure in life. The important thing to realize is that we are in charge of our hearts. It is our heart; it is not under the control of any other person or circumstance. We can decide to keep our heart soft and open to the voice of God.  

     When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years – We must be aware of the propensity to follow our fathers be they good or bad. Because we live in a fallen world, most of us typically, take on the undesirable characteristics of our fathers. Your father is the one who imprints your heart and mind from your youth. As young children in a family and as new believers in the family of God, we are very impressionable and we are easily swayed by the influence of those older and more mature than us. The Bible speaks of generational curses which are a basic tendency to follow the negative qualities of your father; however, I think it is important to not over-emphasize the concept of generational curses because in Christ we are delivered from the power of darkness. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law; we are no longer under the power of any curse. We are now under the power of God and we are under His grace. In this case, their fathers’ negative qualities were issues of the heart. They were issues of attitude and posture before the Lord. They tempted God; they put Him under scrutiny in order to find a flaw. They proved God; they tested Him to see if He could stand up to the test. That generation of people was the one who experienced the Exodus from Egypt. By a mighty outstretched arm God miraculously delivered the Israelites from their slavery to Pharaoh, who was the most powerful dictator of the then known world. For forty long years God led them and fed them. He led them in the desert and He kept them safe from wildlife and poisonous snakes. He lovingly protected them from the elements and from enemies. He fed them with supernatural manna from Heaven. Forty years was plenty of time to know that God is faithful and completely trustworthy, however, that generation became hard and stubborn in their hearts and God responded to them accordingly.

     Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. God is passionate and deeply committed to us, and because He loves us so intensely, He can also be intensely grieved. The word grieved is a word which suggests the sorrow of a lover. We grieve when we suffer loss. We grieve as parents when our children make choices which bring them destruction and harm. We grieve because we know that there is so much more for them, if only they would make the right choices. We grieve much only when we love much. God is the supreme lover and so therefore He grieves accordingly. Err in their heart. The error is always on our side not God’s. Remember that we said that generation had a heart issue. I am sure that every generation has opportunities to submit their hearts and serve God or to harden their hearts and serve themselves. The Greek word translated err is a word which means to roam, to go astray, to be seduced, or to be deceived. There are people who always roam in their hearts. They are never content with where they are or what they have in life. They might be married to a beautiful lady, have a wonderful family and an excellent career, but they are never really settled in their heart and they seem to always desire to be somewhere else. They are roamers and wanderers, never completely settling down and establishing roots. One obvious cure for roaming is to put down roots. We must become planted. For a plant to be healthy, strong and reproductive it can never be a roamer, it must remain covenanted to the soil, the place where it was sown and where it has grown. ‘Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God’.  That generation of Israelites which we are speaking of, never truly accepted God’s deliverance, some of them actually wanted to go back to Egypt. That is the deceptive aspect of roaming in your heart; you actually think that the former life of slavery was better than the hardship you inevitably face on your way to the Promised Land. If we are always roaming in our hearts then we are demonstrating that we are not thankful for what we have. Thankfulness to God for the fact that He has rescued us and saved us is one powerful trait that will drive our spiritual roots down deep into the soil of God’s love. If we are a thankful people we will never be a roaming people. 

     They have not known my ways. We are responsible to develop in faith, to grow up and to acquaint ourselves with God and His ways. Apparently, God has ways of operating; He is a God of pathways and patterns of procedure. In one sense, if we may say it reverently, God is predictable because He has given us His Word to reveal His patterns and modes of operation. He is not a capricious, erratic and arbitrary God.  I am the Lord, I change not. He functions according to His self-established ways and patterns. That wonderful man of God, Edwin Louis Cole used to say that everything God does He does according to a pattern and based on a principle. Psalm 103:7 tells us that though the children of Israel may have known God’s acts, Moses knew God’s ways. If you know someone’s ways you know the way they think, the way they act, and what makes them happy or sad. If we know their ways we know them closely.

     God, our Father, wants to make Himself known to us. He is not hiding from us, we simply have to listen and hear His voice and that voice will lead us, and that voice will show us things that we have not understood, that voice will give us answers to questions and solutions to problems.

A Turn of Events

Philippians 1:19 - For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ

    Paul is the supreme example of a confident believer. Upon becoming a Christian, his new life immediately became a white water ride of conflict and trouble, hence we have Paul writing this letter from a prison cell. Yet, in spite of the trouble, he is confident that God is with him and that nothing has taken God by surprise; he is right in the center of His will. ‘I know’, Paul says, ‘that this will turn’. He doesn’t use unclear language such as I hope this will turn, or it could possibly turn. No! He says, ‘I know’. ‘I am not upset. I know that God is working behind the scenes, he is influencing and coordinating circumstances and my life is in his hands. My life is not in the hands of my enemies or that of my guards; my life is in the Father’s hand and no man can pluck me out. It might look like I am a prisoner of Rome but in reality I am a prisoner of Jesus Christ, captivated by him. I am in the hands of God, being protected and directed accordingly’.

    Every circumstance that we find ourselves in, no matter how long it has persisted, is still temporary. It will change. Something will shift. It will turn around. Nothing this side of Heaven will last forever. The tides turn. The seasons turn. The weather turns. Even the Earth itself turns. Paul adds the power of his faith in God to that knowledge and confidently rests, knowing that this story is not over yet. ‘This shall turn’. What shall turn? This; this situation; this circumstance; this happening; this occurrence; this challenge; this tragedy; this; this shall turn.

    Salvation and deliverance is always the will of God. Jesus came to save us and that is not a one-time deal, no, he saves us daily. He saves us from sin. He saves us from harm. He saves us from our enemies. He saves us from deception. He saves us from ourselves. He doesn’t necessarily save us from trouble but he saves us out of trouble. The Psalmist tells us that, ‘Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers him out of them all’. Everything that we need is answered by the all-encompassing salvation of God. Paul knew the Lord so well that he did not question why he was in prison. He knew that God has ways of working out his will in our lives and he knew that he was there for a reason. The Gospel was actually being proclaimed even more because of Paul’s imprisonment. Some of the brothers had taken courage by Paul’s stand and were becoming bold and speaking the Word without fear. The whole Roman prison was being influenced for good by Paul’s presence there. God is in the salvation business because he is in the people business.

    There was another reason that Paul was so confident; he knew that others were praying for him. Oh,  how that knowledge can bolster our faith and keep us brimming with hope during the difficult times. This will turn around through your prayer. Paul recognized that he wasn’t in this alone but that there was a body of believers praying on his behalf. The word that is used for prayer in this verse is the word that means petition. It is legal terminology. We can petition the court of Heaven and argue, like a lawyer, on behalf of others. The church at Philippi was petitioning God for Paul. Someone has once said that argumentative prayer is the best kind of prayer. We argue our case before God; we present the facts and the logic and the reason for our petition. The story has been told about the lady whose child was about to be sold into slavery and she prayed in this argumentative way; ‘Lord, if you were in trouble like I am in trouble and I could help you like you could help me, I would do it’. The story as it is told, tells us that after that prayer, someone stepped forward and purchased the child and returned her to the praying mother. This kind of bold praying seems to be a lost art to the modern church, however, a closer look at scripture will reveal its abundant basis. Abraham prayed this way as he negotiated God down to at least ten righteous people in Sodom. Moses prayed this way as he stood in the gap, reasoning with God on behalf of the children of Israel. The Canaanite woman prayed this way when she found some logic to answer the words of Jesus, and used his very words to win her case for her daughter. The Centurion prayed this way when he equated his military authority and chain of command to the authority of God’s kingdom, thus, logic, reasoning and argument won the answer. All of us likewise must learn to pray this way, presenting our case before God, reminding him of his promises.

  Be encouraged, friends, the situation that you are in will turn around for your good. It is the will of God for you to experience his salvation in all of its fullness. God is for you, who can be against you? He is actively working on your behalf and others are fervently praying on your behalf. Get ready, do not despair. This will turn!

Reach Out and Touch Some One

Mar 5:25-29 - And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. And [immediately] the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.

    


The book of Mark is a historical document and an accurate record of actual people; there was indeed a certain woman. Possibly no other account in the New Testament so graphically describes such an ordeal as this dear lady suffered. Twelve long years she had this condition and no matter how she sought to be relieved, her situation only continued to deteriorate.

    In those days the medical knowledge and facilities were known to be less than par and sometimes the cure was worse than the disease. This is by no means a slander on the noble profession of those who have devoted themselves to the medical field; we are deeply grateful for doctors and any medical help. Truly, God partners with all who wish to bring relief from pain and suffering. Todays’ medicine and healthcare have advanced dramatically, and we have so much to be thankful for. However, those that have suffered with any kind of disease, especially a chronic and life-threatening one, know that the process of treatment can be arduous, painful and exhausting.

    This woman suffered from a continual loss of blood; twenty-four hours per day, seven days each week, fifty-two weeks every year, for twelve grueling years. Her physical strength was draining out of her moment by moment. We can only imagine that her emotional strength was likewise diminishing. The implication is that she was once a woman of social status and had financial means; she spent all that she had. It is likely that she was married and had a family but, her condition weakened her and prevented her from fulfilling her role as a wife and mother. She suffered in so many ways; physically, emotionally, financially and socially. She desperately looked for answers, but none came; the agony continued, and she only got worse.

    She had looked for possible solutions from many physicians, until at last, no doubt, she was at the point of despair, but then, someone told her of another Physician; a different Physician; one who was sent from God and had been anointed to heal the sick. Multitudes were flocking to Him and reaching out their hands to touch Him. He was kind and compassionate and He never turned anyone away; even the outcast lepers were being healed of their terrible and chronic condition. Like a poor, starving person, desperately needing a nutritious meal, her hungry heart must have devoured that good news and it produced within her an expectant and confident faith. Years ago, when a friend and I were launching into a ministry venture, a seasoned pastor prayed over us that our appetite would determine our meal; he knew that hunger is a powerful motivator.

    The Law of Moses, which governed the culture, had guidelines regarding women in her condition but, the interpreters of those guidelines had distorted them into harsh, condemning and judgmental rules; and as always when strict legalism is emphasized, people are devalued, and mercy is lost. This precious lady now belonged to a class of people who were considered outsiders by society; she was exiled through no fault of her own. That is why she wanted to slip up behind Jesus and simply touch the fringe of His clothing; get in, get healed, get out, was her plan. She had ample reason to be afraid of the crowd, but what she heard concerning Jesus displaced her fear and gave her the courage to act.

    As she reached out and made contact, the power of God flowed like electricity into her and, as His power always does, it went directly to the source of the problem and she was immediately healed. She knew that something came into her and Jesus knew that something went out of Him. For twelve years she had been plagued with this condition and in one moment she was set free. There is something so admirable about this lady; she has indeed inspired millions by her story. Jesus was not headed in her direction; she chose to go toward Him. Jesus did not have her on His agenda; she put Him on her agenda. Jesus did not hear anything about her; she heard something about Him. Jesus did not reach out and touch her; she reached out and touched Him. She is an example of how proactive faith in Jesus can radically change a person’s life.

    Isn’t it interesting how we refer to this lady as the woman with the issue of blood? However, that cannot be accurate any longer because she may have once been the woman with the issue of blood, but she is no longer that woman; she was healed. The Bible does not give us her name, it only says that there was a certain woman. She was a specific woman; a particular woman; a definite woman; an actual woman. She was a unique individual, like you and I, purposely created by God, not to struggle with a chronic ailment but, to live, love and enjoy, with all its ups and downs, the human experience that we call life.
     Reach out and touch some One!

Do You Need a Lift?

Mark 1:29-31 - And [immediately], when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. But Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever, and [immediately] they tell him of her. And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them. 

    As we read through the book of Mark, we are struck with the fact that there is a repetitious use of the word immediately. Mark writes in such fashion that the reader is drawn in and becomes part of the story; there develops a sense of immediacy about it. Contrary to many people’s view, God is near; He is not disengaged, detached and watching from a distance; He is standing ready and in close proximity to us and Mark seems to always highlight that fact.

     Jesus had just been in the synagogue and had cast a demon out of a man, which caused quite a stir among the assembly. Jesus then left the roused up synagogue and entered into Peter’s house with a few of His close disciples. It is entirely possible that he was hoping for a rest, however, upon entering the home He is informed of a lady who is suffering terribly. A normal fever is the bodies’ way of fighting sickness but, the language used here seems to imply that Peter’s mother-in-law was held down under the power of an unusually strong and unnatural fever to the point that she was incapacitated by it. Knowing the ladies of our families as we do, we know that it is almost always a last resort for them to lie down. This was a life-threatening and extremely debilitating fever.

    Once Jesus had heard of this dear lady’s condition, He came to her right away, thus demonstrating His caring heart and His desire to be near. The description of how Jesus ministered to this lady is very interesting and grants us insight into the tact and bedside manner of the Great Physician. He took hold of her hand and lifted her up and, by so doing, we see an indication of the heart of God. We were not created to be held down under the power of sickness or any other force. We were created to stand upright and to walk straight and tall, with dignity and majesty as children of the King.

    What would it feel like to have the Master’s hand take firm hold of our hand? The purest heart reached out through the hands that had never done any harm to anyone. Those hands had only been used for dignified and noble purposes. They were a working man's hands. They were strong, yet, gentle hands. They were kind and compassionate hands. And without any contradiction; they were healing hands. The hand is the extension of the heart; if there is compassion and healing in the heart, then there is compassion and healing in the hand.

    The fever takes on personality and seems to have understood that it could not remain because the simple touch of the Master’s hand made a resounding statement; ‘She belongs to the Father and there is no place in this woman’s life for you’. Darkness always leaves at the presence of light for it will never be able to overpower it. We do not necessarily need to fight the darkness; we simply need to turn on the light and remove any obstacles that may be blocking it. God is the ever-shining light and in Him there is no darkness at all; not even one particle.

    Health is a gift that most of us take for granted and when we don’t have it, we go to great lengths to get it back, and rightly so. However, it is important to stress that health, although desirable and enjoyable, is not the goal in itself; it is simply a resource enabling us to achieve the goal; which is to fulfil the plan of God by walking out His will for our lives. Peter’s mother-in-law was a grateful recipient of the healing touch of God. While she was under the power of the fever, she was not able to give to others the way she normally would, but once she received healing ministry from Jesus she got up and ministered to the guests by serving them. Jesus elevated this type of service to humanity by declaring that if we simply give a cup of water in the name of the Lord that it will be rewarded, and we, too, must never undervalue the seemingly menial tasks that are done to serve and bless others. This beautiful lady has gone down in the record of history as a selfless and sincere servant of Christ and His body. She ministered then by her actions, and she ministers now as we read what she has done.

    The wonderful truth is that Jesus, the Great Physician, has never changed; He still makes house calls. He came to her bedside then, and He comes to the bedside of the afflicted today. He took her by the hand then, and He takes the sufferer by the hand today. He lifted her up then, and He lifts up all those who are brought low through sickness today. He lifts all of us up so that we are able to see Him face to face and have a noble relationship with Royalty. We are not lifted up by our own bootstraps but by His powerful hand. Indeed, He is, as the Psalmist of old has said, ‘My glory and the lifter of my head!’