Jesus Drives Out Evil and Heals Many

Prayer Practice: 

Lectio – Read today’s passage through once. Then spend some time praying and asking God to show you what you need to pay attention to in the text. Read it again. Now ask God to help you see what this text, and the part that has stood out, may mean for you. Don’t expect to get a clear word every time but always be ready to really hear from God through His Word.

Daily Reading: Luke 4:31-44

Devotional:
by Pastor Jeff Morlock

Words are potent. They have power to uplift or discourage. They have power to heal or destroy (the old “sticks and stones” adage notwithstanding). A torrent of words pours forth from mass media and from every political platform and soap box. Words move people to buy and sell, to hate and to love. They can depress, distort, and deceive, poisoning the springs of our common life. Hence need to be careful about what we hear and what we say.

Which brings us to the Word of God. Do you hear it with selective submission or with the full faith and obedience? Jesus spoke God’s Word as no one had spoken it before. The prophets spoke with delegated authority – “Thus says the Lord.” The Scribes and Pharisees leaned on supporting quotes from other sources, often punctuating their teaching with question marks. Jesus’ teaching was punctuated by exclamation points and needed no human authorization, for he was authority incarnate - the Word of God made flesh. 

When Jesus spoke, it was God’s voice the people heard. At his command, sickness and disease fled, for the Spirit of the Lord was on him to set the oppressed free. Even evil spirits obeyed. And if even demons believe in the Son of God, how much more can we trust his Word and receive it expectantly, with engaged minds? How much more can we eagerly submit to his wise counsel, in the knowledge that his Word always does what it says, and accomplishes every purpose for which he sends it?

In what way has God’s Word (spoken, written, or incarnate) been calling you to yield or obey lately? In what way has the Word encouraged you or set you free?

Lord, your word is power and life. Help me to obey your teaching and to never doubt  the ability of your promises to save, heal, and restore. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Weak and Frail vs Powerful and Effective

Read: James 5:13-20

My parents were married on March 13, 1942 when my Dad was drafted into the armed services during World War II, he was age 20 and my Mom was 17.  These two did life together, the ups and downs, through thick and thin for 71 years.  They truly became one flesh. 

In October of 2017, my Mother drew her last breath at the age of 91.  She had survived 3 long years after the death of my Dad. 

The last 3 years of her life was like watching half a person trying to live.  I would talk to her nearly every day on the phone.  She would often tell me all about her aches and pains, her loneliness and how much she missed my Dad. 

She would say, “I keep praying that God will take me home!  I’m not sure why He isn’t listening and why I am still here.”  She prayed earnestly, sometimes desperately, feeling like all hope was gone.  Sometimes she would even doubt if God still wanted her. 

I would respond, “God still has you here for a reason.  We don’t always know what those reasons are.  Maybe it is something He needs to show us, your children.”   

I prayed for her.  My siblings were all praying for her.  When her pastor would come visit, she would say, “You know how I want you to pray.” And he would pray for her too!

God finally granted her prayer that morning in October of 2017 when He peacefully took her home.  This weak, frail woman stricken with diabetes, failing eyesight, painful arthritis, swelling legs, a failing mind and a lonely heart finally fell into the arms of Jesus at last.  

As frail as she was, my Mom's prayers and our prayers were POWERFUL and EFFECTIVE!! Despite her occasional doubts, Jesus dressed her in His robe of righteousness that was bought with His innocent blood.

This past week, my oldest sister, Gail, has been caring for a friend who is critically ill.  While Gail was comforting her friend’s daughter, many of the compassionate words Gail shared with her had come straight from experiencing my Mom's struggles the last few years of her life.  God is so good!!  He is even still, after her death, answering my Mom’s underlying prayer of why!  He was indeed teaching us, her children, things that would comfort others.

Dear Lord Jesus, when I feel weak and frail, help me not be too proud or ashamed to reach out and ask for help.  Help me see that You are supplying all I need even when I am desperately feeling lonely, lost and without hope.  Help me reach out to those around me who can also pray for me.  And give me the confident hope that You WILL powerfully and effectively answer my prayers far beyond all I can ask or imagine.

Do As the Roman Does

Luke 7:1-10

What a powerful story of faith this is. This is the first account so far in the book of Luke where Jesus has dealt with a Gentile. And that, in part, is what makes this story so amazing.

The man was a Roman officer, a centurion. He'd heard of Jesus' amazing miracles and because of his love for his servant, sent for Jesus. This man, who did not believe in God, believed that Jesus could command healing. And on top of that, he believed Jesus could do it without even being present. As a Roman centurion, he understood authority and saw that Jesus had it. And, he realized that Jesus' authority was much greater than his own. This faith amazed Jesus. People, his own disciples included, saw him heal and still didn't believe he was the Son of God. But this man had such faith in Jesus' healing power and authority and he wasn't even a Jew. And Jesus did a miraculous work of healing, like he so often did and still does today.

This story makes me think about faith and its power, about our belief in the authority of Jesus as the Lord of all creation. How often do I doubt God's authority in my life? How often do I think I need to do things on my own, or make a decision out of my own interests because I lack the faith to trust that God is holding me?

When I look at this story more closely, I find an interesting insight. The centurion's faith in Jesus' healing power comes out of desperation, and that desperation comes out of love. His love and care for his servant causes his need for healing; his hopeless situation drives him to have faith in the only option left to him: a miracle from the one they're calling "the Son of God." And he has no choice but to have faith.

I know that in my life, I tend to have stronger faith when I am desperate and hopeless. When I feel the need for Jesus is when I give my life up to his power and authority. It's when things are fine and dandy that I struggle to have that powerful faith that submits to Jesus' authority, because I feel like I'm doing just fine on my own. Maybe you're the opposite, and your faith is strong in good times and you fail to cry out to God when times are tough. Whatever your faith looks like, we all struggle at times to recognize the complete authority of Christ. But when we do recognize it, the pressure comes off of us to always know what to do, to be perfect, to make the right decision. When we put our full faith in the power of Jesus, no matter the circumstance, he will always guide us through.

Reflect:
1. What are the ebb and flow patterns of faith in your life? Does your faith grow stronger in times of desperation or do you rely more on yourself or others during those times?
2. How can you give your life up to the power and authority of Jesus on a daily basis? Pray and ask God for this.

Freedom in Christ

Luke 13:10-17


Freedom. Freedom in Jesus and the life he shares with us. Freedom in God's healing work. Freedom in a world of shackles.

I love that this passage speaks of freedom. It tells us of the freedom found in Jesus amidst a world of rules, regulations, and restrictions. In our society, built by humans, not by God, there are expectations and commandments, things decreed to be right and wrong, good and evil. Some of them align with God's heart, but some of them are vastly different. It can be so hard to go against the grain, to do something of God's will that is not of the world's when we know we will be judged, ridiculed, or even penalized by a world who does not understand the heart of the Father.

In this passage, Jesus felt the freedom to do what he knew aligned with God's heart--heal a woman who was crippled by an evil spirit. That healing, even though it went against society's rules and regulations, was an action that glorified God, not one that went against his will. So let me ask you a question. Where do you prescribe to the world's will instead of God's?

When we speak the confession in Sunday morning worship, we say that we have sinned against God "by what we have done and by what we have left undone." What if Jesus hadn't healed that woman because he was afraid of what the synagogue leaders would think of him or do to him? I think of all the things I could have done in my life to glorify God, all the opportunities God placed in front of me to follow his lead that I didn't take because I was afraid of worldly consequences. Sinning by what I have left undone.

But in Jesus we see the freedom to shake off that fear. In Jesus we have the freedom to step out in God's will and live life as he calls us. And isn't it so freeing to know that we don't have to live according to the rules and restrictions created by a contradicting, imperfect, sinful society? We get to follow the heart of a steady, perfect, ever-loving God who knows exactly what we need and provides it for us.

Reflect:
Where do you follow the world's will instead of God's? Why?
Reflect on the ways that the world binds you yet God frees you. Thank God for this freedom, and pray for continual release from the grip of our broken world.

The Healing Touch of Christ

Matthew 14:34-36

I love this passage, this small glimpse into Jesus' ministry, because it speaks of a deep truth that is still so relevant to our lives and walks of faith to this day: an interaction with Jesus brings healing.

About two years ago, I went on a spiritual retreat weekend that our church puts on called Women's Bootcamp. A lot of the focus of this retreat is digging into past, unhealed wounds that you've been living with and the effects they've caused. It was hard, painful, beautiful work that I did with the Lord, and I came out the other side not only further along a path of healing that I didn't even know existed, but deeper in relationship with Jesus than I even knew possible.

Confronting your wounds is not easy, but I wonder if it might be simpler then we anticipate if we open ourselves up to Jesus and his healing touch. We as humans tend to bury our wounds, hide them. We think they make us weak, or we think they're not worth our time, or that we can handle anything on our own. It is hard for us to face them, but it's not hard for Jesus to heal them. It may take time, yes, and prayer, and maybe even counseling or other outside help, but it's the interactions with Jesus that will bring us ultimate healing.

Do you have wounds that aren't healed? Maybe one's you've been ignoring for years? Invite Jesus' healing touch into the most painful places in your heart.
What have been the effects of those wounds? What lies might you be listening to because of them, and what are God's truths that you know counteract those lies?
We are the body of Christ, come together to care and support. If you are hurting, from an old wound or a new one, spend some time in prayer today asking for healing, and then reach out to someone, a pastor or a friend, and seek prayer and comfort. Jesus is with you always.

Jesus Heals the Sick

Matthew 4:23-25                                                                                                             by Diane Ward

 Jesus responded to human need. His authority was expressed in what he said and what he did. Jesus authoritatively and consistently rebuked disease of the body, mind and spirit. He declared an all-out offensive against sin, disease and death. He was moved with compassion to heal and liberate. Of the four gospels, Luke the physician records the most accounts of Jesus healing the sick. 

Many of the apostles, (specifically Paul and Peter) interpreted the whole gospel to include the gift of healing through the power of the Holy Spirit, and the human touch of bodily anointing. Jesus told them as he prepared to return to the Father that they would do greater works than he when the Holy Spirit came. (John 14:12)

God heals to lead people to repentance, to remove hindrances for service and ministry, to demonstrate the presence of the kingdom. God heals simply because people ask Him to, and He heals for sovereign purposes known only to Him. (Jack Deere – Surprised by the Holy Spirit)

“Lord Jesus with your compassion to heal, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, let us be wound dressers, Samaritans who need only to know where the sore is so that we can anoint it.”

Jesus “the great physician” was always with me as I silently prayed for the people I cared for at bedside as a critical care nurse. What a gift it has been, (and continues to be) to serve in this healing profession and ministry, to witness the compassion and healing power of Jesus!

by Diane Ward

You Are Unstoppable

by Thomas Denegre

As a young boy I often heard the family tell the story of my cousin who was killed in Iwo Jima during World War II.  As a Marine he was leading his squad when from behind them a Japanese soldier sprung out of concealed bunker to kill them.  He blocked the shooter by taking the full impact of the bullets and died saving his buddies.  Later my cousin was awarded the Silver Star medal. Jesus once said, “There is no greater love than a love that sacrifices all.”  John 15:13

As a believer I’ve learned this simple rule. Talk is cheap; action is everything. Children are especially good at identifying the hypocrites. People hide behind a mask of righteousness while conducting themselves like a depraved sinner.  It gives Christianity a bad name.   On the other hand, we have experienced a love beyond words that touched us in a magnificent way. This is what makes discipleship extraordinary. This is the action that changes people, cultures, and nations.

I learned no one cares about what you know, rather they want to know you care.

In today’s reading the apostle John teaches how love transforms our hearts into powerful action.

We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children let us not love with word or with tongue, but with deed and truth. 19 We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things. 1 John 3:16-20       

As a believer and disciple of Jesus, you are the most powerful person walking on this earth. For the love of God inside you will conquer all, for it is written, “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” 1 Cor. 13:7 and his “perfect love casts out all fear.”  1 John 4:18

Jesus said, “if you live in life-union with me and if my words live powerfully within you—then you can ask whatever you desire, and it will be done.” John 15:7(TPT)

As a believer and disciple, you must open your heart to Jesus to allow his love to work in you and through you.  You do this by being transparent with your wounds and grievances.  Give your wounds to the Lord so he can heal your heart from hardness to tenderness. Repent and forgive others for the grievances.  Keep your gunny sack empty of grievances as this will eliminate bitterness and resentment in your heart.

Through this healing process the Holy Spirit can flow its living streams of life through you and onto others.  Knowing you are loved and healed, you will see people as God sees people.  It will become your nature to act out of God’s love. You’ll be able to love the unlovable. Forgive the unpardonable.  Console the brokenhearted.    Just in your tiny section of the world you’ll be able to have a powerful impact with family, friends, and strangers.  The power of God’s love through you will change you, change others, and change the culture.  Just look how the believers conquered and changed the Roman empire!

Open your heart to Jesus and become the unstoppable person God designed you to be, for your fellow disciples and the Most-High God will always be there to support you.

Accusation & Justification: I Hear Voices in My Head

The Crow (1994) - Film of Accusation and Vengeance

READ: Mark 2:1-12

“Your sins are forgiven.” My dear friends, the gospel in four words. 

But do you really believe it? Is your life now totally guilt-free? Do you live unashamed, hiding nothing, knowing that all is forgiven and you are loved in spite of your past?

Not quite? Me neither. 

But Jesus says it’s all forgiven. Lost your temper? Forgiven. Gossip? Forgiven. Divorced? Forgiven. Premarital sex? Forgiven. Came off as too judgmental while writing a devotional? Forgiven!!!

Then why do we still feel guilty? According to Revelation 12, Satan accuses us day and night and leads the whole world astray. He tells us we’re not forgiven.

The Passion of the Christ (2004)
Film of Justification & Forgiveness

Yet the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins. And, boy, does he:

Alcoholic? Forgiven. Drug addict? Forgiven. Adulterer? Forgiven. Homosexual? Forgiven. Murderer? Forgiven. Pedophile? Forgiv   

“Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming!”

Is he? Or is it true that no one can condemn us because Christ Jesus died for us and is also interceding for us? (Romans 8:33-34)

Do we then have a free pass to sin? 

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. (Galatians 6:7-8)

So, then, let us not merely rest in the forgiveness of sins, but let us follow the instruction Christ gives the adulterous woman whom he does not condemn: “Go now and leave your life of sin.” (John 8:3-11)

Pray Big, Believe Big

Matthew 7:7 (MSG)
7 "Don't bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. 

I used to wear one of those rubber wrist bands people don for a season, like the WWJD bracelets several years back.  This wrist band was blue and the lettering on it was PRAY BIG BELIEVE BIG.  I don't recall why it was being worn by our church members, but I do recall that I shared a couple of them with my daughters who were praying for children.

The blue bracelet was not a miracle healer and it held no special powers except to serve as a reminder to pray BIG and believe BIG, because we serve a BIG God.  I still have a couple of them and will wear one when I want to be reminded to pray often. During difficult seasons they still remind me to go to God in prayer for whatever I am struggling over.

It is curious that the topic for this week is "They got healed, why not me?"  Neither of my girls was healed of infertility, but God did something even better for them.  Three unselfish birth-moms delivered their babies and handed them over to my girls and their husbands. I call that healing, just not in the traditional way. And that is how God moves.

The healing we are seeking may look different from what we get. God moves in mysterious ways. Be ready to have your prayers answered, but be ready also to see just how the answers are presented. 

Matthew 7:7-12

I Can't Find It ANYWHERE!!!!

I am a mother of a ten-year-old.  And among other things, that means he can’t find anything I send him to look for.  It could be his baseball equipment, phone, the laundry basket… it really doesn’t matter.

It can be right in front of him and he is blind.  Can you re

late?  Is there anyone in your family who has a hard time seeing what is right in front of them?  Or maybe, please forgive me, it’s you.  You struggle locating things that are hidden in plain sight.

I laugh as I type this, but our scripture passage today has a similar situation.  John 9 talks about a time when Jesus is walking on a road with his disciples, and they come across a man blind from birth.  This man can’t see a thing.  He was born this way.  It’s not his fault.  It’s not his parents fault.  He is just blind. 

Jesus spits in the mud, forms clay and applies it to the man’s eyes.  After washing his eyes, he went home seeing. 

Now, this is where the story get’s interesting.  The healed man comes upon some Pharisees who investigate how he regained his sight.  They question lifelong neighbors, some of who can’t decide if it is really the man they grew up knowing.  They ask his parents how it happened.  They reply, “No comment.”  All the while the young man keeps telling them Jesus did it. 

The Pharisees have dedicated their lives to God and the study of scriptures, but they cannot see the Messiah that is right in front of them.  They may not have been physically blinded, but they struggle with spiritual blindness and ironically the Light of the World is right there among them. 

Let’s not be like the Pharisees, make sure to take some time today and ask God to open your eyes to him.  Ask him to help you see where he is and how you can be a part of what he is doing.

Ready today's passage here John 9:1-25

Jesus' Sacrifice is my Salvation

Having grown up in the Catholic church I was familiar with the concept of sacrifice. We talked about it in catechism class and even before then. Reading Bible stories and recognizing the sacrifice of many of the saints, I was motivated to practice this too. I am not sure if I was taught this, or if this is just where my mind went, but I began to practice 'giving up things' so that I might get something.

For instance, I was under the impression if I sacrificed enough, God would do something that I wanted Him to do. Like change my parents and/or change my life. Often it was even more simple situations. If I wanted to go to grandma's house (which was my respite), I was under the illusion God would make it happen if I gave up something, like a candy bar or dessert.

I had a totally unreal understanding of sacrifice the Bible speaks of. Sacrifice is only about giving up something, if that something is sin. Biblical sacrifice is all about confession and repentance then asking for forgiveness. Back in the day, God's people experienced forgiveness once a year, on the day of atonement. That had to have been one long year.

In my youth I viewed sacrifice as something I did to get something I wanted. Now, after years of struggle and self-examination and hours of clinging to the feet of Jesus, I understand that Jesus was the one who sacrificed - whose blood was shed. I am the recipient of His sacrifice. And I don't have to wait until the right day of the year to confess and beg forgiveness. Every minute of every day is a good time to confess and heal my brokenness.

Hebrews 10:1-10

Everybody Loves A Gift

Christmas was just over a month ago, our tree is down and the decorations have been put away since the first of the year.  All the gifts that didn’t fit have been returned and the others are being used.

When I think of Christmas, or anytime we give gifts, I often wonder if the recipient is using the gift.  It is no fun giving a gift that is unwanted or not needed, because it won’t be used.  

The Spirit of God gives us gifts.  Our scripture passage today says that the gifts are given, “for the common good”, or as the New Living Translations says, “so we can help each other.”  We do not get every gift.  The Spirit of God determines which ones he gives and to whom.  The important thing for us to do is USE THE GIFT we have been given.

If you are trusted with the gift of prophesy and don’t share the word God has given you, you won’t help the person God sent you too.  If you can interpret tongues yet keep silent, the message God wanted shared will not be revealed.

When it comes to the gifts of the Spirit, God is a great gift giver.  He will give you the exact right gift.  He does not make mistakes.  Use your gift or gifts.  Don’t be afraid of them.  Use your wisdom or knowledge for his good.  Heal people he sends you to heal.  If you can perform miracles, do it for His glory.

We tend to see the works of the Holy Spirit as taboo in North America, but remember God has not changed. The same God we read about in the pages of scripture is the one we serve today!  So, pretend it’s Christmas morning.  Unwrap your gift and start using it.

Read today's passage here.  1 Corinthians 12:4-11

Do You Want to Get Well?

 ⁶ When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”

⁷ “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” -John 5:6-7

Do you want to get well?  That was the question Jesus asked. The answer to illness and disease was standing in front of this broken man asking if he wanted healing.  Without answering him directly, the man explains how he has tried to receive curing continuously, with no success.

Jesus immediately heals him and tells him to take up his mat and go home.   In an instant. 38 years of suffering, gone.  With a simply question, the answer comes. 

Let me ask you, “Do you want to get well?”  What suffering are you enduring?  It may or may not be a physical illness or disease.  Perhaps you suffer from depression, anxiety, loneliness, addiction, fear, anger, shame, guilt, hopelessness or anything else.  

The answer is standing in front of you waiting for you to pour out your heart to him.  Jesus still heals today.  He is still able to tell you to, “Take up your mat and go home.”

1 Corinthians 12:12-26

Imagine That

One of my favorite come back phrases is “imagine that.” I generally use it in a light hearted way when I’m told something that is not really surprising, like “The Brewers lost.” or when my daughter says, “I’m going to be late.” Either aloud or in my mind I say, “Imagine that” and then I smile.

I do imagine many things, but I also hope, dream and pray. At times I pray so long and hard I become exhausted because it seems my prayers will go unanswered.

Often my prayers are for healing people both physically and emotionally, but most of the time my prayers revolve around relationships and peace. Our God is a relational God, and the bible screams with pleas for people to love and respect one another. The letter Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 12 about the body having many parts is a beautiful expression of how we as The Body of Christ are to view ourselves and each other.

We are all different yet part of the same body,  The Body of Christ. We need each other. When one part feels less significant, that one must be taken care of and honored by the other parts.

“so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored every part rejoices with it.” 1 Corinthians 12:25-26

This speaks to jealousy, envy, passing judgment, and a host of other negatives that divide us. I long for this type unity in relationships within families, churches, communities, and the world in general, but that type of peace and unity begins with me and you.

We are all part of something so big and great we can’t even imagine. “But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be?” 1 Corinthians 12:18-19

United we stand, divided we fall.

Oh what a world we could have if only we would see ourselves as one. What a difference we could make if The Body of Christ had an attitude of togetherness, continually honoring and supporting each other!

Just Imagine That!

 Read/Listen to 1 Corinthians 12:12-26

Healing happens

Click here to read three stories of healing in Luke 4:38-40; 8:43-48; and 14:1-4.

My brother, Eric, is not one given to sensationalism, so when several years ago he told me of his miraculous healing, I sat up and took notice.

While he was working out one day, a 35-pound dumbbell rolled off a bench and onto the bridge of his foot. He said, “I didn’t pass out, but I blacked out for a second.” Though there followed a “clicking noise” and a sharp pain with each step of his right foot, Eric (being Eric) did not see a doctor for his injury, choosing to “tough it out” instead. 

It was a Saturday morning about three weeks later when he “step-click, step-clicked” into a men’s prayer breakfast. When the guest speaker and the other men laid hands on my brother and petitioned God on his behalf, Eric felt a warm “fusing” sensation in his foot. He stood up and walked, never again hearing the click, never again feeling the pain.

Healing happens. There are no formulas, no scripts, no orchestrations – just a people in need and a sovereign God who acts in wisdom, power and love. In the first of three healings in today’s reading, people interceded on behalf of a sick woman and she was healed when Jesus bent over her and rebuked her fever. The second occurred when a woman reached out and touched Jesus. He didn’t even know who it was, but only that power had gone out from him. In the third instance, no one else initiated anything; Jesus simply “took hold” of a diseased man sitting before him and healed him.

God healed then and God heals now, ever as he chooses. Whether we experience a miraculous healing in this life or not, we all face a day when we breathe our last. Then all who have died in Christ will also rise in Him. There we will experience what Paul foresaw: “The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body” (1 Corinthians 15:42-44).

Some who look to Christ will be healed in this life. All who look to Him will be healed in the next – completely and eternally healed. It will happen.

Jesus, thank you for your faithfulness, power and love. I trust you with my life, now and forever. Amen.

Healing Through Faith and Love

Mark 8:22-26

Did Jesus really need to put saliva on the eyes of the man in order to heal him from blindness? Some healing Jesus did was through touch. Other times Jesus never even saw the person he healed and still other restorations occurred after Jesus’ cloak was touched by an ailing individual.

The common thread throughout all the healing of Jesus is obviously Jesus himself, but two other components were always present as well; Agape Love and Faith. 

Agape, meaning the highest form of love. The type of Love our God offers us-unconditional. 

Faith in every instance was sincerely present within someone involved.

In order for healing to take place, faith that it can happen need not be within the receiver, but must dwell in someone who is praying for and believing in the healing power of God. That was true then, and still is today. 

Perhaps the physical cures in the Bible occurred to guide people into relationship with God, but it was about total healing of the mind and soul, not just the body. 

Please consider that the same power to facilitate God’s healing lives in us. The gift of the Holy Spirit is here for all, to be used as a vehicle to heal. We need each other. We can do God’s work for one another right here. Right now!

The Same Power  by Jeremy Camp

Read/Listen to Mark 8: 22-26

Prayers of Faith

James 5:13-16

I heard the term “Healing Ministry” and became rather nervous. How could I be part of a healing ministry? Only God heals. Jesus healed the sick when he walked the earth, but I surely cannot do that.

As I left my comfort zone with much doubt, I agreed to join the six week “Healing Ministry of Jesus Study Project.” With clammy palms and tightness in my shoulders I slowly entered the group room. There were some familiar faces, but I chose to sit alone and immerse myself in my discomfort.

Prior to this study project I thought I was praying faithfully, and when I told others I would pray for them, I did, but not in this way. As time went on, it began to make sense. We first studied each of the 26 healings Jesus performed in the Gospels. We analyzed specifically what the bible says without interpretation or personal opinion. Then we dug deeper into each encounter discovering their unique meaning.

In each instance of Jesus making people well Genuine Faith is what allowed the healing, and though physical healing often occurred, it was the spiritual wellness that made their lives different for eternity. Often that Faith came through someone other than the one with the ailment, perhaps a parent or friend.

It seems to me, no matter what we are praying for, it is a form of healing; physical, emotional, relational or spiritual. We may not always know what words to pray, but our God understands what is in our hearts. When we pray let us remember;

God the Father, The Son, and Holy Spirit are One

Focus on God first

Faith and power heal (God’s power not ours)

Relationship with God is key to healing

We can pray by faith on behalf of others

Pray without doubt

Pray for God’s love and peace to be clearly felt

Pray for the awareness of the presence of God’s Holy Spirit

God meets us in the pain; we need not run from it

Go to the foot of the cross

Father, we praise you and worship all that you are. Your love and mercy wrap around us like a blanket of protection. You are always here for us. Please Lord, help us to feel the gentle presence and security of your spirit, and heal our hearts from the pain with your great power. We kneel before the cross as children in waiting for our blessing of peace to touch our hearts and remain with us always. Amen 

James 5:13-16 

You...Want Me...to Do What?

John 5:8-9 (MSG)
  Jesus said, "Get up, take your bedroll, start walking."  The man was healed on the spot. He picked up his bedroll and walked off. That day happened to be the Sabbath.

Imagine the man in this story, lame for thirty-eight years; perhaps since birth. He is so insignificant he doesn't even have a name worth mentioning. But, he is important to Jesus. Most people saw right through him, they didn't bother to stop and help or even talk to the crippled man. But Jesus noticed him and spoke, "Do you want to get well?"

Duh..."I sure do! I need help, and no one will lend a hand."

These waters were known for their healing benefits. The water would stir and it folklore believed an angel disturbed it. The superstition declared the first person into the pool after the water stirred, would be healed. The broken man expected Jesus would help him into the water, he expected his healing would come from the pool. But, Jesus didn't do that.

Jesus said, "Get up, take your bedroll, start walking." The man responded immediately.

Don't you find that astonishing? If he expected his help to come in an entirely different form, why would he try to stand up?  Was the idea just crazy enough to work?

All four Gospels report this healing, it must be significant.

• Matthew 9:6 Then He said to the paralytic, "Get up, take your mat and go home."
• Mark 2:11 "I tell you, get up, take your mat, and go home."
• Luke 5:24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins..." He said to the paralyzed man, "I tell you, get up, take your mat, and go home."

Isaiah prophesied this in  Isaiah 35:6 "Then the lame will leap like a deer."

Has God ever spoken to you in this way? Has He ever told you to do something you just knew was crazy impossible? Have you felt a spiritual shove down a road you successfully avoided for years? What Word is God speaking into your life right now? What are you going to do about it?

John 5:1-16

Saved in an Instant

Matthew 9:21-22 (MSG)
  She was thinking to herself, "If I can just put a finger on his robe, I'll get well." Jesus turned—caught her at it. Then he reassured her: "Courage, daughter. You took a risk of faith, and now you're well."
  The woman was well from then on. 

Even those things that have been a problem for years; all our lives even, God can change in an instant. Physical illnesses which stump the professionals, God can cure. Just as quickly, the sins that plague a person from sunrise to sunset are cast out overnight by a mighty God. Sound like fantasy? Unbelievable? Yet true.

The woman referenced in the scriptures above didn't worry about the proper way to approach Jesus, she just waited for the opportune moment and went for it. She heard about this Man who healed the sick and she wanted to experience wholeness once again. So she came close, reached out, and touched His robe. That's all it took.

Jesus knew in that moment she was there. He recognized the touch of a faithful child and responded by healing her on the spot. God will do the same for you and for me. He wants us to reach out, to touch the hem of his robe with faithful fingers. He will do the rest.

Bogged down by sin?  Trapped in a world of pain and sadness? Don't know where to turn next? Remember the woman who was thinking to herself, "If I can just put a finger on his robe, I'll get well."

This sounds way too simple, far too easy; but it isn't. Jesus has been waiting all our lifetime for us to reach out to Him, to ask Him into our heart. God can change what seems unchangeable, just reach out. He will give you a new purpose and a new life.



Matthew 9:18-26

The highway of healing and holiness

“And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness.” Isaiah 35:8

In a stirring prediction of the coming Messiah and his kingdom, the prophet, Isaiah, foretold divine healing of the entire person.

There would be spiritual healing, a quenching of spiritual thirst. “The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.”

There would be healing of the soul, a strengthening of the heart. “Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, do not fear; your God will come ...’”

There would be healing of the body, as well. “Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy.”

And at the heart of this total healing, in the midst of such complete restoration, would be “a highway ... called the Way of Holiness.” Not everyone would journey it or arrive at its destination, but “only those who walk in that Way.” I have no idea how the people of Isaiah’s time perceived this highway, but, as was the case with so much Old Testament scripture, it was clarified for us in Jesus, the “mystery ... kept hidden for ages and generations, but now disclosed ... (Colossians 1:26).”

For it was Jesus who called out, “Follow me,” with the authority of one who knew the Way of Holiness.

It was Jesus who proclaimed, “I am the way ... No one comes to the Father except through me,” with the assurance of the one who was, himself, this Way of Holiness!

And it was his church that, in its formative days, would be called, “The Way,” the first of “the redeemed” to walk this path that leads to life.

Yes, amid the healing of body, soul and spirit would be the Way of Holiness – Jesus, God with us. And where does this highway take us? Let’s listen to Isaiah, whose words still resound with eternal hope and promise ...

“But only the redeemed will walk there, and the ransomed of the Lord will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”