Healing the sick

34 When they had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret. 35 When the people who lived in that place recognized him, they sent word throughout that whole region, and they brought to him everyone who was sick. 36 Then they begged him that they might just touch the edge of his clothes. Everyone who touched him was cured. (Matthew 14:34-36, CEB)

They knew Jesus by sight and what He could do. And they had faith that touching Him would cure them.

Was it false faith? Meaning did they hear about the healings He had done and only wanted to see Him because they knew what He had done? They wanted to use Jesus for the healing of themselves or their loved ones? But either way, they believed what had happened and knew if He touched their loved one or they touched the fringe of His cloak they would be healed.

They had faith.

Do we have this faith?

Returning

19 Jews from Antioch and Iconium arrived and won the crowds over. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing he was dead. 20 When the disciples surrounded him, he got up and entered the city again. The following day he left with Barnabas for Derbe. 21 Paul and Barnabas proclaimed the good news to the people in Derbe and made many disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, where 22 they strengthened the disciples and urged them to remain firm in the faith. They told them, “If we are to enter God’s kingdom, we must pass through many troubles.” 23 They appointed elders for each church. With prayer and fasting, they committed these elders to the Lord, in whom they had placed their trust. 24 After Paul and Barnabas traveled through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. 25 They proclaimed the word in Perga, then went down to Attalia. 26 From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been entrusted by God’s grace to the work they had now completed. 27 On their arrival, they gathered the church together and reported everything that God had accomplished through their activity, and how God had opened a door of faith for the Gentiles. 28 They stayed with the disciples a long time. (Acts 14:19-28, CEB)

Have you ever faced a group that didn’t like what you were selling, or talking about? They just said you were wrong and didn’t want to hear your story or information?

I am sure none of us were ever stoned to almost death and dragged out of a city and left for dead. I have felt that way.

We have all probably felt that way. And Paul tells the disciples and us that we need to have faith and preach the message we have been given. In the face of those who do not agree, in the face of those that would stone us. God will be with us and wants us to share the love we have received, even to those who see it as hate.

We will pass through many troubles but God is always with us.

 

Song of Moses and the Lamb

Then I saw another great and awe-inspiring sign in heaven. There were seven angels with seven plagues—and these are the last, for with them God’s anger is brought to an end. 2 Then I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mixed with fire. Those who gained victory over the beast, its image, and the number of its name were standing by the glass sea, holding harps from God. 3 They sing the song of Moses, God’s servant, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and awe-inspiring are your works, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, king of the nations. 4 Who won’t fear you, Lord, and glorify your name? You alone are holy. All nations will come and fall down in worship before you, for your acts of justice have been revealed.” (Revelation 15:1-4, CEB)

The imagery in Revelation is filled with awe-inspiring beauty and some of the scariest stuff I’ve read. Ok maybe Hollywood has gotten scarier, but the beuaty of the imagery of the Bible is moving. A sea of glass mixed with fire, can’t you see it? And you image will be different than mine, but that is the beauty of written descriptions. We told our oldest daughter that her imagination was way better than Hollywood when she wanted to watch the Harry Potter movies, and she said while watching one, that isn’t how that looks. We get an image in our minds of what it is and how it should appear, and John paints a picture for us that can not be more beautiful. The only thing more beautiful is creation itself.

And even in the wrath that is to come from the 7 plaques, there is beauty in the sea and the surroundings and the songs!. God is always with us through the wrath and gives us a glimpse of beauty.

 

Calming a storm

23 When Jesus got into a boat, his disciples followed him. 24 A huge storm arose on the lake so that waves were sloshing over the boat. But Jesus was asleep. 25 They came and woke him, saying, “Lord, rescue us! We’re going to drown!” 26 He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you people of weak faith?” Then he got up and gave orders to the winds and the lake, and there was a great calm. 27 The people were amazed and said, “What kind of person is this? Even the winds and the lake obey him!” (Matthew 8:23-27, CEB)

Every time I read one of these passages about Jesus calming the storm, I am reminded of a song from Camp Luther that was called With Jesus in my Boat. It was a song where you removed a word and replaced it with a sound. I have forgotten most of the words and what replaced them, but I remember the first time I heard it, because one of the words removed is Jesus. So we are singing it and the counselor says, “Take out Jesus!” And I just thought, that is wrong, why are we taking out Jesus, there are so many theological issues with removing Jesus, plus can we really remove Jesus. Now I know that isn’t what they meant, because With Jesus in our Boat we can make it through the storm.

Most of us would be worried about the storm and how Jesus could be sleeping through it. Because we need to plan and know the outcome, where Jesus has faith in the one who created the plan. And if we would have faith in the one who created the plan, we could nap through the storm too.

So remember Jesus is in the boat, and it is all under control.

Unfair God

14 So what are we going to say? Isn’t this unfair on God’s part? Absolutely not! 15 He says to Moses, I’ll have mercy on whomever I choose to have mercy, and I’ll show compassion to whomever I choose to show compassion. 16 So then, it doesn’t depend on a person’s desire or effort. It depends entirely on God, who shows mercy.17 Scripture says to Pharaoh, I have put you in this position for this very thing: so I can show my power in you and so that my name can be spread through the entire earth. 18 So then, God has mercy on whomever he wants to, but he makes resistant whomever he wants to. 19 So you are going to say to me, “Then why does he still blame people? Who has ever resisted his will?” 20 You are only a human being. Who do you think you are to talk back to God? Does the clay say to the potter, “Why did you make me like this?” 21 Doesn’t the potter have the power over the clay to make one pot for special purposes and another for garbage from the same lump of clay? 22 What if God very patiently puts up with pots made for wrath that were designed for destruction, because he wanted to show his wrath and to make his power known? 23 What if he did this to make the wealth of his glory known toward pots made for mercy, which he prepared in advance for glory? 24 We are the ones God has called. We don’t come only from the Jews but we also come from the Gentiles. 25 As it says also in Hosea, I will call “my people” those who aren’t my people, and the one who isn’t well loved, I will call “loved one.”  26 And in the place where it was said to them, “You aren’t my people,” there they will be called “the living God’s children.” 27 But Isaiah cries out for Israel, Though the number of Israel’s children will be like the sand of the sea, only a remaining part will be saved, 28 because the Lord does what he says completely and quickly. 29 As Isaiah prophesied, If the Lord of the heavenly forces had not left descendants for us, we would have been like Sodom, and we would have become like Gomorrah. (Romans 9:14-29, CEB)

Since God created the universe, God gets to decide how things work and what is fair.

It is kind of like a child saying to a parent it isn’t fair that they don’t get a swimming pool when they really want one. The parent knows that the home they live in is not theirs and to ask the landlord would cause issues, or it is in the lease that they can not have one. So it isn’t possible, after looking for small moveable ones and seeing nothing in the budget is available, the decision is made that there can not be a pool. So it is unfair.

We as children have no idea what the master plan of God is, and we really don’t need to understand it. We need to know that God is working for the best interests of all and sometimes we may not get what we want.

But that doesn’t make God unfair. It just means we don;y know everything, and that is something we need to deal with.

How do you deal with yourself when you think God is unfair?

Active judgment of God

4 God didn’t spare the angels when they sinned but cast them into the lowest level of the underworld and committed them to chains of darkness, keeping them there until the judgment. 5 And he didn’t spare the ancient world when he brought a flood on the world of ungodly people, even though he protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, along with seven others. 6 God condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to total destruction, reducing them to ashes as a warning to ungodly people. 7 And he rescued righteous Lot, who was made miserable by the unrestrained immorality of unruly people. (8 While that righteous man lived among them he felt deep distress every day on account of the immoral actions he saw and heard.) 9 These things show that the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from their trials, and how to keep the unrighteous for punishment on the Judgment Day. 10 This is especially true for those who follow after the corrupt cravings of the sinful nature and defy the Lord’s authority. These reckless, brash people aren’t afraid to insult the glorious ones, (2 Peter 2:4-10, CEB)

God is judging our hearts and actions. We say that God gives us grace and saves us, and that is true. But God also knows the heart of a person.

If they are grieved by the pain and suffering around them or are they causing it?

Are you moved to pitty those who harm others for their own gain?

Do you grieve for the world and those who hurt. God sees this and knows. God will not spare those who do not love as God has called us to love.

So love as you were loved.

Walking on water

22 Right then, Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead to the other side of the lake while he dismissed the crowds. 23 When he sent them away, he went up onto a mountain by himself to pray. Evening came and he was alone. 24 Meanwhile, the boat, fighting a strong headwind, was being battered by the waves and was already far away from land. 25 Very early in the morning he came to his disciples, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified and said, “It’s a ghost!” They were so frightened they screamed. 27 Just then Jesus spoke to them, “Be encouraged! It’s me. Don’t be afraid.” 28 Peter replied, “Lord, if it’s you, order me to come to you on the water.” 29 And Jesus said, “Come.” Then Peter got out of the boat and was walking on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when Peter saw the strong wind, he became frightened. As he began to sink, he shouted, “Lord, rescue me!” 31 Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him, saying, “You man of weak faith! Why did you begin to have doubts?” 32 When they got into the boat, the wind settled down. 33 Then those in the boat worshipped Jesus and said, “You must be God’s Son!” (Matthew 14:22-33, CEB)

Lord if it is you…Is ie in the Greek which is either if or since. Jesus just told them who it was and Peter realized that Jesus was walking on the water.

And if I was Peter I would be thinking, Hey if he can walk on water, maybe he can make me walk on water…

So Peter said,, “Since it is you call me out to you.” And Jesus did. And the moment Peter started to think about what he was doing and where he was he started to sink. Because he was not focused on Jesus. When we don’t focus on Jesus we sink.

Stay focused on Jesus and walk on the water.

Are you focused on Jesus?

Demand for a sign

The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus. In order to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. 2 But he replied, “At evening you say, ‘It will be nice weather because the sky is bright red.’ 3 And in the morning you say, ‘There will be bad weather today because the sky is cloudy.’ You know how to make sense of the sky’s appearance. But you are unable to recognize the signs that point to what the time is. 4 An evil and unfaithful generation searches for a sign. But it won’t receive any sign except Jonah’s sign.” Then he left them and went away. (Matthew 16:1-4, CEB)

An evil and unfaithful generation searches for a sign. But it won’t receive any sign except Jonah’s sign. But did they get Jonah’s sign?

Would we have gotten Jonah’s sign?

Do you get it now?

Jonah was in the belly of the big fish for 3 days. Like he was dead, and then three days later brought back to life, like Jesus in the tomb.

Do we get the signs that the Bible tells us, or that God gives us?

Sometimes we want it to be super clear there is no room to get it wrong. But that isn’t how God works.

Watch what is happening and see the signs.

Apollos and his ministry

24 Meanwhile, a certain Jew named Apollos arrived in Ephesus. He was a native of Alexandria and was well-educated and effective in his use of the scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord and spoke as one stirred up by the Spirit. He taught accurately the things about Jesus, even though he was aware only of the baptism John proclaimed and practiced. 26 He began speaking with confidence in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they received him into their circle of friends and explained to him God’s way more accurately. 27 When he wanted to travel to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples so they would open their homes to him. Once he arrived, he was of great help to those who had come to believe through grace. 28 He would vigorously defeat Jewish arguments in public debate, using the scriptures to prove that Jesus was the Christ. (Acts 18:24-28, CEB)

God works in and through many people even if they do not know everything.

God uses us with what we have, how we have been gifted to make know God’s love to the world in the place we are.

So are you letting God work through you?

Don’t think that God can’t use you or won’t use you.

Just let God in and God will change the world through you!

examined the scriptures

10 As soon as it was dark, the brothers and sisters sent Paul and Silas on to Beroea. When they arrived, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11 The Beroean Jews were more honorable than those in Thessalonica. This was evident in the great eagerness with which they accepted the word and examined the scriptures each day to see whether Paul and Silas’ teaching was true. 12 Many came to believe, including a number of reputable Greek women and many Greek men. 13 The Jews from Thessalonica learned that Paul also proclaimed God’s word in Beroea, so they went there too and were upsetting and disturbing the crowds. 14 The brothers and sisters sent Paul away to the seacoast at once, but Silas and Timothy remained at Beroea. 15 Those who escorted Paul led him as far as Athens, then returned with instructions for Silas and Timothy to come to him as quickly as possible. (Acts 17:10-15, CEB)

When Paul and Silas went to Beroea, the Jews there listened to what they had to say, and then they looked at the scripture to see if what Paul and Silas were preaching was in line with the Bible. How many of us do that?

Well what if it is a new interpretation, as Paul and Silas were giving? There would still be clues in the scripture that what was being said that was different was in line with God’s word.

We need to examine the scriptures and know them so that we know when someone is preaching the word of God or leading us astray.

Know the word of God and examine it. Make it a part of your day.