Jesus Christ Does Want to Heal You

If all of the above verses are showing us that it was the will of God the Father to want to heal His chosen people back in the Old Testament – then the next set of verses will be showing us that it was also the will of Jesus Christ to heal when He was walking in the New Testament.

If God the Father was constantly healing His people back in the Old Testament when they were walking right with Him – then it should come as no surprise that His Son Jesus will be wanting to do the exact same thing as He was walking among us in the New Testament. And that is exactly what you will find. Jesus was constantly healing people that came to Him, especially when they came to Him with enough faith and belief that He could actually heal them.

Here are 11 key Scripture verses showing how active Jesus really was in the area of divine healing when He was walking with the full power of God for about three and half years.

Greater Things?

By Mike DeVries

I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
John 14:12

I don’t know about you, but this verse has always bothered me.

Perhaps you’re like me. When I read this statement by Jesus, I keep coming back to the same question. Is He really saying what it appears He is saying? Are we really supposed to do “greater things” than Jesus did while He was on earth? It just seems impossible, doesn’t it? I mean here is a person who healed all kinds of sickness and ailments, cast out demons, even raised people from the dead, yet He is making the most amazing statement.

“They will do even greater things than these...” Is He serious? Yes.
Imagine what was going through the disciples’ minds. “Us? Even greater things than we’ve seen You do? Are you serious, Jesus?” Yes, He is.

The Lord's State of the Union Address

by Lonnie Lane 

What if the Lord gave a State of the Union address, to give an account of what is happening in the Kingdom of God presently. Can you picture it? From all over the world those who are the Lord's gather together in a huge chamber large enough for multitudes upon multitudes. Levels upon levels of balconies rise high into the heavens. As this is a governmental meeting, only those who have been elected – those who are of “the elect” (Matthew 24:31; Romans 8:33) may attend, except for the angels who stand in poised attention as aides along the walls. The place is alive with activity as we greet one another with rejoicing. Then suddenly, a trumpet is blown and Gabriel (Luke 1:19) comes through the enormous chamber doors that open automatically as he approaches them. All attention turns toward him as he steps into the chamber. Expectant silence fills the chamber. Then with a thunderous rumble that rolls up the balconies he announces, “THE LORD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH!” (Daniel 5:23; Matthew 11:25; Luke 10:21; Acts 17:24). All stand to their feet. 

Why Did Jesus Teach in Parables?

Alfred Edersheim

Compared to His earlier teaching during the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus's turn to parables might seem odd. He'd used clear instruction to teach His followers how to live and about the Kingdom of God, and He'd exhibited the Kingdom in a tangible way through His miracles. 

But suddenly, when the crowds come to hear Him, He hops into a boat and speaks in parables, stories about sowing seeds and gathering wheat (Matthew 13).

When the disciples ask Him why, since they obviously noticed the change, His answer may seem even more astonishing: "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it has not been granted" (Matthew 13:11). 

In other words, the parables are meant to divide the crowd. While this may seem as if Jesus denied some people access, the difference He means is not in the message—but in the response.

KING OF HEARTS

Mark 4:30, "And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?"

MARK 4:30-34

The word "kingdom" means "the realm over which a king rules." 

When applied to God, it could refer to all creation, since "his kingdom ruleth over all" (Ps. 103:19), but the kingdom more often applies to His rule in and through those who are submitted to Him. "The Kingdom of God" more specifically refers to Christ living and ruling in our hearts. 

So praying "thy kingdom come" is praying for the expansion and influence of God's rule in the hearts of men everywhere and, ultimately, the establishment of His physical Kingdom here on earth at His second coming (Rev. 11:15; 20:4).

Throughout Jesus' earthly ministry, the Jews kept looking for Jesus to establish a physical kingdom here on the earth and deliver them from the oppression of the Romans. 

Rewards by Grace

Mark 10:28–31

Jesus, says stewardship theologian T. A. Kantonen (1900–1993), is pointing out in this passage and in the parallel passage in Matthew 19:28–30 that the disciples will have a reward in heaven. He tells the disciples that they will “also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Mt 19:28).

The Lord first directs the attention of the disciples away from the expectation of an immediate earthly recompense and places the thought of reward in the context of the final consummation of the kingdom. A steward of the kingdom, a partner of the Messiah, is not “[like a hired laborer waiting to be paid]” (Job 7:2). His eye is upon the glorious fulfillment of the divine purpose in which he is privileged to share. The point of this phrase of the reply may be illustrated by the replies of three men engaged in a building project to the question of what they were doing. One said, “I am laying bricks.” Another said, “I am making twenty dollars a day.” But the third replied, “I am building a church.”

Journey into Wholeness

by Idelette McVicker

“Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth.”  Psalm 54:2

Once, after walking the streets of the most destitute area in our city, I asked a friend who lives there as a missionary about taking a person through the process of coming into freedom. As a couple, my missionary friends have spent their lives working with people who want to grow whole in Christ.

Knowing my own healing journey, I could hardly imagine the time and commitment required for someone who has suffered deep trauma and beyond.

He said that once, while in prayer, his wife felt God saying that the hours and hours they put in for someone to be set free is so they would appreciate when Freedom comes in an instant.

I look forward to the day when we can all be healed and well in an instant. In the meantime, I look forward to appreciating the miracle as we put in the work and the love.

Thank you, Jesus, for taking us through the process of life. We long for your healing and your renewal of all your people, however you choose to pour it out on us. May your Kingdom come. We love you, Amen.

You can comment on this devotional online at:

http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2013/03/18/im_journey-into-wholeness/

 

Hidden Treasure

LEONARD DAVIDSON

 

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Someone once said, “One man’s junk is another man’s treasure.” Or woman’s in my wife’s case. She loves yard sales—a lot. On Saturday mornings, when I should be allowed to sleep in, she wakes me up at dawn. She is already dressed and has the newspaper spread out on the counter. The classified section is open, and the page is covered with bright yellow circles.

Those circles lay out the destiny for my “morning off.” They’re all the yard sales that seem to show promise of a treasure. Beside each yellow circle is a red number. You guessed it; the numbers map out the order in which we are going to travel from yard sale to yard sale.

No Time for Clay Pots

"But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor." (2 Timothy 2:20)

Are you destined for greatness in the kingdom of God?

Ask most believers that question and they'll humbly assure you they're not. "You know we can't all be golden vessels" they'll say. "Like the Bible says, some of us are just called to be little clay pots."

Praise God, the Bible doesn't say any such thing!

Certainly there are going to be some golden vessels in the kingdom and there are going to be some clay pots, but we are the ones--not God--who determine which kind we will be. 

Jesus, Poverty and a Bad Mistake

Greg Stier

We address poverty by both giving
them bread for their bodies and
the Bread of Life for their souls.

As I write this I’m traveling home from a Youth Specialties convention that was just held in Dallas, Texas. “YS” (as it’s commonly called) is a youth pastors’ conference that has tons of seminars for youth leaders to help them become more effective at ministering to teenagers. I’ve been teaching at these fabulous events for more than a decade and look forward to it every year.
One of the reasons I love YS is because it’s always a great opportunity to connect with youth pastors of all shapes and stripes. These leaders range from mainline to conservative, small church to large church and rural to urban.
My YS experiences have been defined by laughter, learning and, at times, controversial conversations. It has been a joy to wrestle through tough issues with others who are in the midst of ministering to the next generation.

The Servant, Steward of Justice

Isaiah 42:1–9

God’s word through Isaiah is that he has appointed a servant, or trusted envoy, who will usher in a new order—a bringer and establisher of justice, whom we all long for and look forward to with hope. Evangelical leader Charles Colson emphasizes how we need that hope:

We cry out for the demands of justice to be satisfied, and we even sense that they will someday … How could we possibly live with the unfairness of this world if we did not have a belief that at some point the accounts will be reckoned? The nonbeliever has to chalk this up to the spin of the wheel and futile human remedies. But the believer, who trusts in a loving God, knows all believers have the same ultimate hope.

Our longing for justice is fulfilled both now and in the “not yet” by Jesus the Messiah. Best-selling author Philip Yancey elaborates:

The Hidden Things of God

"Blessed art thou...for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 16:17)

Remember when you went to school and learned your ABCs? You learned them by using your five senses and your logical abilities to gather information and sort it out. That kind of knowledge is called natural knowledge and it's the only kind most people know anything about.

But in the kingdom of God, there's another kind of knowing. One that works its way from the inside out instead of from the outside in. It's called revelation knowledge.

Mustard Seeds

The kingdom of God] is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade. Mark 4:31-32

When we were in Israel, one day we took a drive beyond the city of Jerusalem. Three miles later, down the back side of the Mount of Olives, we entered Bethany -- a little white-washed village that hadn't changed since the days of Lazarus, Mary and Martha. While I waited in the van, my friend Bunny spied an old, bearded Arab sitting at a table. "I'm going to go see what he's selling," she exclaimed. Moments later she returned holding out her hand to show me pea-sized brown dried seeds. "Would you look at these?! They're mustard seeds! If we have faith the size of one of these..." she said, picking one up, "we can move mountains."

"But they look kind of big," I frowned. "I thought the mustard seed was the smallest of all seeds." Bunny told me she said the same thing to the Arab vendor. "Let me show you what he did," she said. She then cracked one of the seeds open and gently spread its contents across her palm. Bunny cupped her hands so the breeze would not disturb the infinitesimally tiny black specks... mustard seeds. The pea-sized pod contained thousands of breathlessly small seeds. Bunny dusted off her hand and sealed the package of pods. "And we're going to scatter these wherever we pray on this trip!"

Why Did Jesus Teach in Parables?

Alfred Edersheim

Compared to His earlier teaching during the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus's turn to parables might seem odd. He'd used clear instruction to teach His followers how to live and about the Kingdom of God, and He'd exhibited the Kingdom in a tangible way through His miracles. But suddenly, when the crowds come to hear Him, He hops into a boat and speaks in parables, stories about sowing seeds and gathering wheat (Matthew 13).

When the disciples ask Him why, since they obviously noticed the change, His answer may seem even more astonishing: "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it has not been granted" (Matthew 13:11). In other words, the parables are meant to divide the crowd. While this may seem as if Jesus denied some people access, the difference He means is not in the message—but in the response.

Beauty and the Kingdom of God

The Gospel of Matthew: Consider the Lilies

On first glance, this image embodies simplicity. But the painting’s surface actually involves over sixty fine layers of precious minerals and metals (gold, malachite, azurite, and platinum), as well as sumi ink cured for over a century. Seen in person, the complexities and subtle beauty of each layer speak deeply of that which transcends.

Beauty is always around us. Sometimes it emerges on its own and makes itself nearly impossible to ignore, unveiling its glory right in front of our eyes. But more often, beauty is hidden and requires a process of discovery. One way or another, it necessitates knocking on doors and then looking to see what’s on the other side—or even stepping over the thresholds of dark, mysterious rooms that are yet to be illumined.

In Matthew 6, Jesus teaches about a spiritual reality that calls us to live in a completely countercultural, supernatural way. And the image He paints for His audience is deceptively simple. He tells us to consider the lilies—even man’s finest adornments cannot compare with their innate splendor. Fujimura chose the spare beauty of this image to illuminate the first gospel book. “This [is] a crucial step that needs to be taken before we’re able to ‘seek the kingdom of God,’” he says. “These Easter lilies opening up suggest that even the common can be transformed into a post-Resurrection, generative reality.”

http://www.intouch.org/magazine/content/topic/beauty_and_the_kingdom_of_god

Trusting God For Your Provisions

Do not worry but seek first the kingdom of God

Matt 6:25-34 (KJV) Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Seek first the kingdom of God and God will take care of your finances

So often we panic, wondering where the money is coming from to meet our needs.


I was meditating upon this in church this morning and God gave me this illustration. 

My children never worry about where there daily food is coming from. They expect me to provide it.