'healing' Tagged Posts (Page 3)
Daily Devotions
What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops.” vs. 27 Matthew 10:24-28 When Jesus sent his disciples on their mission to bring healing and good news to the helpless and the harassed, he knew that there would be difficulties for them. They could expect rejection and even persecution–not everyone would be excited to receive them. It would be easy for them to become timid and adopt risk-averse…
Daily Devotions
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” vs. 36 Matthew 9:35-38 Jesus had been overwhelmed by the crowds that he encountered as he began his ministry in Galilee. Everywhere he went they flocked to hear his words and be touched by his healing hands, and his heart was filled with compassion. If we’ve ever wondered about our mission as his followers, there really can be no…
Daily Devotions
Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” vss. 21-22 John 20:21-23 There are many passages in our scriptures about the Spirit or the Wind of God. It animates every living creature and energizes believers with wisdom and understanding. The Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness and filled him with a passion…
Daily Devotions
I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.” vss. 13-14 John 14:8-14 Citing this verse, followers of Jesus have regularly asked Jesus for any number of things. It seems we don’t have any trouble thinking of things that he could help with. Most of the time our requests will likely have to do with healing, either…
Daily Devotions
The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish. Then I called on the name of the Lord: ‘O Lord, I pray, save my life!’” vss. 3-4 Psalm 116:1-4 The psalmist had a powerful story of deliverance that he believed would lift up and encourage the entire congregation of believers. He’d been close to death, perhaps with a dread illness, and had cried out to the Lord for help. And…
Daily Devotions
When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’” vs. 32 John 11:17-32 Mary reacted exactly as Martha had when she came out to greet Jesus. They had such great love and respect for him, and both believed that he could have laid hands on Lazarus and healed him. And both were deeply disappointed that he hadn’t come while…
Daily Devotions
He answered, ‘I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.’” vs. 25 John 9:17-27 The man who had been born blind had a simple testimony for the religious leaders who were questioning him. He didn’t know about the intricacies of their polemic against Jesus. All he did know was that once he had been blind but now he could see, and that was enough for him.…
Daily Devotions
Some of the Pharisees said, ‘This man is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath.’ But others said, ‘How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?’ And they were divided.” vs. 16 John 9:8-16 The blind man must have cleaned up pretty well. When he returned from washing in the pool of Siloam many of his neighbors didn’t recognize him. His newfound sight had made him a different person, and the whole neighborhood was…
Daily Devotions
As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’” vss. 1-2 John 9:1-7 It was natural for the disciples to have questions about the blind man. In their world, a person blind from birth would be an anomaly, and they wanted to know how and why things like this occurred. There had to be a cause, and they strongly believed that…
Daily Devotions
You have heard that it was said…, ‘You shall not murder’; … But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgement…” vss. 21a-22a Matthew 5:21-26 Imagine how the religious leaders of Judaism felt as word of Jesus’ teaching ministry traveled through the country. They had spent their lives defending the Law of Moses as God’s blueprint for living, and Jesus in his very first public pronouncements made a…
Daily Devotions
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.” vs. 23 Matthew 4:18-23 According to Matthew, John the Baptizer was like a one-trick pony. He preached a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins and people came to him at the Jordan River. Jesus, on the other hand, called ordinary people as disciples and then led them through Galilee as he preached,…
Daily Devotions
When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?’” vss. 2-3 Matthew 11:2-5 John had been waiting all of his life. Religion had let him down. The massive corruption of the temple leaders had driven him into the wilderness where he waited in stillness until he perceived signs that God had acted, and that…