FAITH THAT IS SEEN

Mark 2:5, "When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee."

MATTHEW 9: 1-8, MARK 2: 1-12, LUKE 5: 17-26

Faith can be seen. Just as Jesus explained to Nicodemus in John 3:8, faith is like the wind. Faith itself is invisible, but saving faith is always accompanied by corresponding actions which can be seen (Jas. 2:17-26).

It was not only the faith of the paralytic that Jesus saw, but also that of his four friends (Mk. 2:3). This demonstrates the effect our intercession in faith can have upon others. Jesus saw their faith. However, although our faith released on behalf of others is powerful, it is not a substitute for their faith. It is simply a help. The person who is to receive the miracle must have some degree of faith, also. 

Life is a Struggle

Pastor Colin Smith

  

"All these I have kept since my youth!" Mark 10:20

On one occasion Jesus talked with a brilliant young man about the 10 Commandments. The man said, "I've kept them all." He really believed he had. What about you? Where do you stand in relation to the 10 Commandments? I want to suggest 3 possibilities:

Some of us feel we've kept them

The man hadn't murdered anyone. He'd been faithful to his wife. He hadn't told any big lies or raided a bank. He was a good, upright citizen, who flossed his teeth and paid his taxes. There are lots of folks who feel like this. Some of them hang out in churches.

The problem is that he didn't understand the commandments. Jesus made it clear that the commandments aren't limited to actions. They search the thoughts of your mind and the feelings of your heart (Matthew 5). If you don't know about the struggle of keeping the commands, it probably means you haven't started climbing.

How bad can you be and still be a Christian?

Billy Graham's Answer 

Christians aren't perfect. Every Christian sins, and every day those of us who are Christians need God's forgiveness and grace. I often think of the Bible's words: "If we claim we have not sinned, we make him (God) out to be a liar" (1 John 1:10).

But when someone claims to be a follower of Jesus and yet makes no effort to obey God and shows no evidence of a changed life, they may be deceiving themselves. The Bible is clear: When we know God, our lives will be different. Yes, our old sinful nature still lives within us, but God also lives within us by His Holy Spirit, and we won't be content to live the way we once did. Jesus said, "Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them" (Matthew 7:20).

The Best for Last

"So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the LORD enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son." — Ruth 4:13

You’ve heard it said in a variety of contexts about saving your best for last. Sometimes it’s said when a basketball player hits a clutch shot at the buzzer to win the game. Or an actor gives a standing-ovation performance in the final show before closing. Or a student aces the final exam. In each case, they saved their best effort for the last possible moment – and it helped win the championship, earn accolades, or pass the course!

In a way, I think that God saved his best blessing for last in the story of Ruth. As we come to the final chapter in this short book, Ruth and Naomi’s situation has changed dramatically from one of hardship and a bleak future to one of restoration and healing, and a bright future.

Are You Empty and Weary?

“The conclusion, when all is heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.” - Ecclesiastes 12:13

Do you ever feel like you’ve done it all? Success, wealth, pleasure, thrills and yet you feel empty inside? 

Solomon, the ancient king of Israel, was such a man. He had extraordinary success and wealth, incredible intellect, more women and sex than Wilt Chamberlain, and yet it all became meaningless to him. He felt so empty inside because he turned his back on God to pursue all that he wanted for himself. He was a classic example of a good man who started strong, but turned wrong and wound up empty.

Mary : The Woman Honored Above All Women

      

Scripture References—Matthew 1; 2;12:46; Luke 1; 2; John 2:1-11;19:25; Acts 1:14

Name Meaning—No female has been honored as has Mary by millions of peoples in all the world who have named their daughters Mary. This Hebrew name has ever been popular in all countries of the Western world, and has altogether some twenty variations, the most conspicuous being Maria, Marie, Miriam and Miriamme. 

Mary is about the only feminine name that has pronounced masculine forms such as Mario, Marion and Maria. Elsden C. Smith says that Mary heads the list of female names in America, the estimated number some ten years ago being 3,720,000—Marie, 645,000—Marion, 440,000—Marian, 226,000. “The name of Mary has been given at least 70 different interpretations in a frantic effort to get away from the Biblical significance of bitterness.” Today the most common name for girls is the Biblical Mary, just as the Biblical John is for boys. In Christian lands the name of Mary is first.

Ignatius Loyola

Quote: "Let me look at the foulness and ugliness of my body. Let me see myself as an ulcerous sore running with every horrible and disgusting poison." (Ignatius Loyola) A small boy when Columbus first set sail, Ignatius Loyola (1491 - 1556) grew up in a world filled with possibility and exploding with geographical and mechanical discoveries. As the founder of the Society of Jesus—known simply as the Jesuits—he formed a militaristic missionary organization demanding strict discipline and loyalty. He set the pace for Catholic outreach worldwide, and before he died there were Jesuits scattered across Europe and serving in outposts as remote as India, Japan, and Brazil. Born into nobility in the Basque country of Spain, Loyola is schooled in the Spanish court and steeped in military training and the art of chivalry. But the excitement of training soon turns into the horrors of a war in which his shin is shattered by a cannonball. He endures excruciating primitive surgery with no anesthetic, leaving him with constant pain and a lifelong limp.

Count Your Blessings

"Blessed are those who have regard for the weak; the LORD delivers them in times of trouble. The LORD protects and preserves them — they are counted among the blessed in the land — he does not give them over to the desire of their foes." — Psalm 41:1–2

The Bible is filled with countless verses about blessings and curses — blessings for obedience, and curses for disobedience. We all desire God's blessings; yet often times, we focus on material blessings — a surprise check in the mail, a bigger house, perhaps a nicer car.

And, of course, God may choose to bless us in this way. But His blessings may also come to us in healing, in peace that passes all understanding, in community among believers, forgiveness, mercy, companionship, love, and everlasting salvation. Truly, God's blessings are vast, at times even surprising, and nearly always undeserved!

Why Did Jesus Need to Be Baptized?

Alfred Edersheim

Theories abound on the reason that Jesus submitted to baptism. After all, if He was sinless as the New Testament claims, then His baptism must have held some ulterior motive. Perhaps John and Jesus plotted or conspired together to gain attention for Jesus's ministry; perhaps Jesus came as a representative of the sinful human race; perhaps He submitted to baptism as foreshadowing His death and resurrection; or perhaps His baptism made the act of baptism work for everyone else.

Each of these theories, however, misses a few key elements. For example, we have no evidence that John or Jesus spoke prior to the time of the baptism, even though they were cousins. John lived in the wilderness and only knew what sign to look for. But most of all, John's baptism was not primarily a baptism of repentance (the turning away from sin). Instead, the submersion in water identified the person with the coming Messianic Kingdom.

Suffer with Me Awhile

Glynnis Whitwer

"Then he said to them, 'My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.'" Matthew 26:38 (NIV)

I dipped my piece of torn bread in the cup of dark purple juice and placed it in my mouth. I tasted the ripeness of the fruit and savored the texture of the bread. "I will remember, Lord." I spoke the words in my head, silently thanking Jesus for the sacrifice He made for me on the cross.

Within a minute, the aftertaste of the juice distracted my communion meditation. It was more bitter than usual and I thought about taking a sip of something else to remove the flavor from my mouth. Should I grab my coffee, or some water?

Immediately, the Lord spoke to my heart: "Suffer with Me awhile."

Sadness filled my heart as I realized how quickly I wanted to remove the unpleasant taste ... how fast my thoughts drifted from the suffering of Christ to my own comfort. And I wondered how many times my self-focus had led me away from obedience in the hard places of life.

The Bible tells of three disciples who also chose comfort over obedience. On the night of His betrayal, Jesus asked Peter, James and John to watch and wait for Him while He prayed. During the time when our Lord was "overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," His closest friends couldn't keep awake. Three times Jesus returned to find them sleeping.

Snake-Handling Christians: Faith, Prophecy and Obedience

By Nicola Menzie , Christian Post Reporter

Snake handlers at the Pentecostal Church of God, in Lejunior, Ky., are shown in this Sept. 15, 1946 file photo from the National
Archives and Records Administration.

(Photo: NARA/Russell Lee)

The recent death of a Christian minister from West Virginia who believed that the Bible instructs the faithful to handle snakes and drink poison has put into question a doctrine many believe is unbiblical and dangerous but that its adherents, biblical literalists, say they are compelled to obey.

Men Of The Bible - Cornelius

Cornelius [Côrnē'lĭ ŭs]—the beam of the sun. A converted Roman centurion at Caesarea, a devout man (Acts 10). He was the first Gentile convert and through his conversion the door of faith was opened unto the Gentiles. 

Disgusted with the Gentile paganism of his day he turned to God but did not have a full understanding of the Gospel of Grace. Through Peter’s ministry, Cornelius became a believer and was received into the fellowship of the Church. 

From this point there is no difference between Jew and Gentile. In Christ they become one (Eph. 2:18). Benevolence, prayerfulness, obedience and spiritual receptivity characterize this godly Roman centurion.

Believing Your Prayers Are Decisive

Written by Jack Hayford

Some years ago, the President of our nation called for a "war on drugs." Our church body took that as a signal to launch a prayer attack on the drug cartel, pressing into the realm where spiritual conflict is fought:

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. - Ephesians 6:12

We responded to the call to "war" by wrestling in prayer to see the overthrow of the works of hell that were manifesting that way. Within two weeks, a $20 million shipment of drugs from Colombia was intercepted, the largest drug bust in history up to that date. No sooner had we launched that warfare than there was an encouraging sign of God answering our prayers. That prompted me regarding two things:

Nothing to Be Afraid Of

"He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me." (Hebrews 13:5-6)

Self-consciousness is a major problem in the Body of Christ today. It keeps us from doing the things God tells us to do. Instead of simply obeying Him, it makes us start to wonder, "Now what will people think of me if I do that? What if I command that person to get out of the wheelchair and he doesn't get up? What if I start believing for prosperity and go broke? What about that, God? I won't look too good, will I?"

Bonsai Christians?

Written by Marilyn Ehle

Take today’s next step: If your faith feels smaller than you’d like it to, take a deep breath and jump into the 35 Day Challenge. You’ll see your faith expand in no time.

“[M]ake every effort to add to your faith goodness…knowledge…self-control…perseverance…godliness…mutual affection…love. If you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:5-8)

Have you ever seen the beauty of a bonsai tree? These trees are specially cultivated plants that remain in miniature form through pruning, root reduction, potting, defoliation, and grafting to produce small trees that mimic the shape and style of mature, full-size trees. They are not intended for production of food or medicine, or for creating large gardens or landscapes. Instead, they are to please the eye of the beholder.

Expect to Hear His Voice

"The sheep that are My own hear and are listening to My voice, and I know them and they follow Me." (John 10:27, The Amplified Bible)
So many believers are unsure of their ability to hear God or know His voice. They're always afraid that they won't be able to tell when the Spirit of God is talking to them.

What they don't realize is this: Hearing the voice of the Spirit is a privilege that the Bible says belongs to every believer (Rom. 8:14). All we have to do to exercise that privilege is to receive it by faith and put ourselves in a position to hear.

I Choose to Give ThanksThank

by Helen Lescheid

“He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God” Psalm 50:23

I felt unappreciated, unloved, and unworthy to call myself a Christian.

Jesus exuded a joyful confidence no matter what happened in his life. He lived each day in joyful obedience to the Father. The kind of life, he promised to his followers: “I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness” (John 10:10). But where was the joy in my life? Defeat and depression clung to me. It probably would never change. After all, I was by nature a melancholic. The experts said so.

Rebuilding Broken Walls and Broken Lives

Written by Linda McCutcheon

“But you also said that no matter how far away we were, we could turn to you and start obeying your laws. Then you would bring us back to the place where you have chosen to be worshiped.” (Nehemiah 1:9, CEV)

It’s time to re-build! It is always a positive step, whatever month of the year, to sit quietly and determine healthy changes in our personal lives. It is like a rebuild of character, acknowledging that we are ‘People of Worth’ in God’s eyes. Perspective may have been washed away by tragedy, heartache, selfishness, or a sense of hopelessness.

The Jews were in the same predicament. They had been attacked, taken captive, lost their homes and were discouraged. Some had escaped but even their freedom created troubles. They came back to a ruined city. They were disgraced and there was no plan in place to repair their city for safety or for dignity.

Those Exceptions of Life

2 Kings 5:1–14

Is your life happy . . . except for one thing? Perhaps you enjoy a loving marriage, a beautiful home and financial ease . . . except you suffer from infertility. Maybe you have graduated with a master’s degree, founded a business and are in top physical condition . . . except your parents are getting divorced. If you compiled a list of all the positives in your life, what would you include? I have great friends; I’m an accomplished pianist; I’ve inherited a green thumb. But what disrupts your sense of well-being? All of us possess at least one “except” that gets in the way of our happiness.
An unnamed slave girl experienced some poignant “excepts” in her young life. She was one of God’s chosen people. She had faith in God . . . except she was a captive of war in a foreign land. The good news: She found herself in the household of a commander of the army.

Remember Noah

"And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." (Genesis 6:7-8)

One of the dirtiest, most damaging lies that the devil ever told you was when he said, "You aren't important." Don't you ever believe that.

You are important! Every born-again member in the Church of Jesus Christ has a part to play in God's plan. God has something for you to do that no one else can do just like you can. If you don't take your place and do your part, things won't be quite right.

I can just hear you thinking, "Oh, Gloria, I'm just one person. What could I possibly do that could be so significant?"