Perserverance in Prayer (Luke 4:44)

So He kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea. (Luke 4:44 NASB)

He had been celebrated and nearly murdered by the same people, relentlessly pursued by a second group, and hounded by those seeking a miracle. It had been a rough few days. Despite all the difficulty He faced, Jesus came to share the good news, and that was what He did. His God-given job was to preach "so He kept on preaching".  Neither adversity nor opposition stopped Him from doing what God sent Him to do. He was perfect in perseverance. 

We are not always so perfect about persevering, are we? It's all too easy to hit a roadblock and give up. Intercession is an area where we are particularly vulnerable to battle fatigue. It is not uncommon to decide that either our prayers have not been effective in praying for our loved ones or that they are not ever going to change. I don't find support for either of those thoughts in Scripture. Instead, we are instructed to pray without ceasing, following the example of Christ, who had a job to do and did not stop, even when it led to the cross. 

Are you burdened for your loved ones? Pray. Are you discouraged by your perceived lack of results? Pray. Is the situation seemingly worse instead of better? Pray and don't stop. In the job of prayer, one of our most important tools is doing what Jesus did.  "He kept on" and so should we. 

Today, pray that we will have the endurance to persevere in prayer for our loved ones, continuing to the end. Pray for them to be drawn to Christ no matter how long it takes. Pray, and don't stop. 

Thy Will Be Done (Luke 4:43)

But He said to them, "I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose." (Luke 4:43 NASB)

Remember the crowds? 

They wanted to keep The Miracle Worker all to themselves, but Jesus said "No". He explained that He had other work to do. This has been clearly stated in the synagogue in Nazareth. He was not sent to heal exclusively, He was sent to preach the Kingdom of God to as many people as possible. Their plan would prevent His plan from being carried out. When the choice was between God's plan and man's desires, only one would be accomplished, and it was God's. 

Dear ones, that is a good rule to remember in intercession. When our prayers are consistent with God's plan (clearly outlined in Scripture), we can be assured of His response to our requests. It's why the prayer that never fails is "Thy will be done."  When we want what God wants, He has given, and will give, us the desires of our heart. It is also why, in intercession, the first heart that needs to change is often our own. 

Today, pray that our heart's greatest desire would be the will of God in the lives of our loved ones, as well as in our own. Invite Him to direct their paths (and ours) in whatever direction He desires. What fun it will be the see His plan unfold! 

The Crowd (Luke 4:42)

When day came, Jesus left and went to a secluded place; and the crowds were searching for Him, and came to Him and tried to keep Him from going away from them. (Luke 4:42 NASB)

The crowds

The crowd had seen one miracle of healing after another, and did not want it to end. They were so determined to keep Jesus for themselves that they hunted Him down in the secluded place, and tried to prevent Him from leaving them. On first glance, one might think the crowds were doing a good thing in trying to keep Jesus near. After all, we are supposed to stay close to Christ, aren't we? 

The problem was not that they wanted Jesus to stay, the problem was motivation. Why did they want Him to stay? Scripture doesn't tell us exactly why they wanted Him to stay, but what they had seen was one act of healing after another, beginning in the synagogue and continuing long into the night. We can assume they wanted more of the same. Jesus had taught in the synagogue as well, but they did not gather outside Simon's mother in law's house at sunset for more teaching. They weren't after the Words of Life, nor about repentance. Most likely, they wanted more miraculous healings. They wanted what Jesus could do for them in tangible ways to relive their suffering. There is no indication that they were seeking a repentant, forgiven heart, nor that they were seeking a deeper relationship with God. 

What about us? What do we want from

 Jesus? Physical healing? Relief from suffering? Change in circumstances? Are we content to simply remain in our current circumstances in order to love Christ more and know Him better?

Today, do not pray for a change in circumstances for yourself or your loved ones. Pray instead for a change of heart in your circumstances, that current difficulties would not be wasted. 

The Secluded Place - Avoiding Distraction (Luke 4:42)

When day came, Jesus left and went to a secluded place; and the crowds were searching for Him, and came to Him and tried to keep Him from going away from them. (Luke 4:42 NASB)

Distractions. 

When Jesus went to a secluded place to pray and spend time with His Father,  He was not looking for a scenic retreat. He was looking for a quiet, undisturbed retreat where He could avoid all distractions, focus on His Father, and hear the Still Small Voice. Hearing in that way is very difficult in the midst of the crowd. 

You probably know a little about distractions. You sit down with your Bible and almost immediately the dog wants to go outside, family members have an urgent need that only you can meet, texts pop up on your phone and you just have to see them, Facebook starts calling your name. Whatever your distraction, the purpose is accomplished when you move your focus from our Lord to the situation at hand. Our lives are so busy that it is hard to find a truly quiet moment, isn't it? It is in those quiet, secluded times, however, that the Voice of God speaks most clearly. 

Today, on this day of national thanksgiving, make a diligent effort to find a still, quiet moment and listen for that Still Small Voice in your heart. Thank God for all His kindness, mercy, and grace towards you and your family. On this day, take a break from asking and spend your time thanking. If your focus is on thanking God for blessings, a stopping place may be hard to find. Have a blessed and happy Thanksgiving Day!

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Click here to read Abraham Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation. It's worth reading again. 

http://leannahollis.blogspot.com/2013/11/lincoln-thanksgiving-proclamation.html

Working for you or in you? (Luke 4:42)

When day came, Jesus left and went to a secluded place; and the crowds were searching for Him, and came to Him and tried to keep Him from going away from them. (Luke 4:42 NASB)

The crowds. It seems like crowds would be a blessing for a traveling evangelist, but these crowds were anything but a blessing. Jesus had gone to a quiet place for time with His Father. Although it was a secluded spot, the crowds searched and found Him. They were trying to keep Him from moving on to the next town. They wanted this miracle-worker all to themselves. 

We know from Scripture (Matthew 10:14, 11:23) that Jesus lived in  Capernaum but that there was not tremendous faith there. The crowds wanted what Jesus could do FOR them, not what He could do IN them.  That's a word for us today, isn't it? Do we come to Jesus with a shopping list of miracles we want Him to do, or come to Jesus desiring to be more like Him? There are many Scriptures dealing with prayer in general and answered prayer specifically. He delights in answering our prayers, but our Heavenly Father sent His Son to redeem us. Part of that redemption was the sinless life He lived and which He desires us to emulate. 

In a way, praying for others begins by praying for ourselves. We need to pray  for greater transformation, that we could be more like Christ and that we would know Him in a more personal, intimate way. If we were more like Jesus, many of the things on our "prayer shopping list" would take care of themselves. Today, begin to pray for our loved ones by seeking greater transformation and intimacy with Christ for yourselves, then pray the same for those we love. 

Priorities (Luke 4:42)

And when day came, He departed and went to a lonely place; and the multitudes were searching for Him, and came to Him and tried to keep Him from going away from them. (Luke 4:42 NASB)

In the preceding verses, a spontaneous healing service had begun (probably outside Simon's mother-in-law's house) at sunset. Jesus turned no one away, and Scripture tells us that ALL with any who were sick brought them. It suggests he dealt with a crowd of sick people. It's not clear how long the service lasted, but at daybreak, He headed out. Jesus needed time with His Father, and He headed to a quiet place where He could be alone. It didn't matter that He had a rough Sabbath yesterday, that He had been up late (possibly all night), or that He was exhausted. The source of His power, strength, and perseverance came from that quiet time, and He was not about to miss it. It took precedence over everything else, including the accolades and demands of the crowds. 

It was a matter of PRIORITY.  He knew what was most important, and He did it. There was no whining about how tired He was, how much He had to do, or how many people were making demands on Him, nor did those things deter Him. He needed time with His Father and He took that time. Because He did, we never see the consequences of missed quiet times in His life. 

We do see the consequences of missed quiet times of prayer and Bible study in our own lives, though, don't we? How diligent are you about being still with the Father? How faithful are you to be quiet enough to hear the Still Small Voice in your heart?  If our loved ones are to see the evidence of following Christ in our lives, we must actually follow Him and the example He set. That example begins with making time with the Father our highest priority. 

Today, pray for a clear understanding of your present priorities, a godly reordering where needed, and the fruit of time alone with God to be evident in your life. Pray, too, that our loved ones will begin a priority restructuring of their own and that they will begin to have regular times of prayer and Bible study that become an ongoing way of life. 

The Great Physician part 2

While the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and laying His hands on each one of them, He was healing them. (Luke 4:40 NASB)

There are two very wonderful points that remain in this verse, and they are too good to miss. First of all is an understanding of who Jesus healed that day. Two words indicate the extent of the crowd - all and each. ALL the people who had anyone sick brought them (that implies a crowd) and Jesus was healing EACH ONE, which tells us that, even in a crowd, He recognized the individual. It also tells us that He did not discriminate. He did not heal only children, only good people, or only rich people. He healed every individual, regardless of why they were sick or what they had done. Even when their condition was as a result of their own bad choices, He healed them. 

The other point we need to see is the use of the Greek word therapeuo. It is translated here as "was healing", not healed. It implies an ongoing action rather than a past deed that is already completed. Healing is often a process, isn't it?  This particular day in Capernaum, Jesus completely healed the demon-possessed man and Peter's mother-in-law. He may have completely healed many of the people in the crowd. For every one of the sick who were brought to Him, however, healing began, and did not stop until it was completely accomplished. 

This verse is filled with hope! Do you see it? Every parent bringing a loved one to Jesus, regardless of the problem, needs this reassurance. Our loved ones are not just a face in a crowd. Jesus sees them individually, responds to them individually, and begins healing individually. It is often a process, but you can be assured that the process has begun. 

Today, pray that our Lord will complete the healing He has begun (in ourselves and our loved ones) and that we will have eyes that recognize the process as it unfolds. 

The Great Physician

While the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and laying His hands on each one of them, He was healing them. (Luke 4:40 NASB)

It was the Sabbath, and it was unlawful to do work on the Day of Rest. Once the sun set, a new day began and work could lawfully resume. After the demon was cast out and Simon's mother -in-law had been miraculously healed earlier that day, everyone in Capernaum who had a sick loved one had likely been wondering if Jesus could heal them.  As the minutes ticked away, they probably discussed the possibility. Maybe they began to say,"As soon as the sun sets, I'm taking you to Jesus."  We don't really know what they thought or said. What we do know is that people did not wait for sunset after all. WHILE the sun was in the process of setting, people began to bring their loved ones to Jesus. There was such a sense of excitement and anticipation that they couldn't wait! They wanted healing and wholeness for those they loved and they wanted that without delay. 

Be sure you see this next very important word.  

              AND

At the same time, while the sin was setting, Jesus began laying hands on the sick and healing them. He couldn't (well, didn't) wait for sunset for them to be healed either! Isn't that thrilling? As much as the people wanted their loved ones healed, Jesus wanted it more. He had already cast out a demon and healed a dying woman, but he was not out of power, nor was he out of compassion for those in need. 

Friends, you can bring your loved ones to Jesus without hesitation. He is as eager as you for wholeness and healing. Today, present them at the throne of God and ask for more than a change in behavior. Ask for healing and wholeness and wait with anticipation for the healing to come. 

Healing the Fever - part five

And standing over her, He rebuked the fever, and it left her; and she immediately got up and waited on them. (Luke 4:39 NASB)

My maxim for patients with fever is to remain off work or out of school until they have been free of fever for at least twenty-fours. It allows a little time to be sure the patient is no longer contagious and allows the patient a little recovery time after the illness abates. It's standard medical care. Peter's mother-in-law, however, did not receive standard medical care, she received Divine medical care. She did not waste a minute, let alone 24 hours, after her fever subsided.  She did not loll about in bed while people celebrated her improvement and she didn't run about proclaiming that Jesus had healed her. She hopped out of bed and went to work, ministering to the needs of her guests.  She demonstrated what God had done for her by her enthusiastic service. She was the epitome of "saved to serve". Hers is an example we would do well to emulate. 

Jesus and Peter were, of course, perfectly capable of finding food for themselves, but they were guests in her home. I can't imagine much worse than having Jesus in my house for lunch while I was stuck in the bed, unable to feed Him all my carefully prepared dishes. It would have been a tragic missed opportunity to become better acquainted with the visiting Savior. 

It's not always physical illness that causes us to miss opportunities to become better acquainted with Jesus and develop a deeper relationship with Him, is it?  Most of the time, we are ABLE to come to our Lord, but we choose not to do so. Yuck. That sounds awful, doesn't it? I'd like to think that it's those times of busyness when I'm likely to stray away, but that's not true. Generally speaking (at least for this sinner) a wrong attitude leads to wrong words or, even worse, wrong words and wrong actions, and I immediately feel terrible. I'm pretty quick to ask for forgiveness but I'm not always quick to change my attitude, which is where true repentance begins. 

Somehow, in that jumble of sin, I don't really want to approach the throne of mercy and grace, when that is the main thing I need. The problem with that very stupid hesitation is that it can easily become the starting point for more wrong. Here's my suggestion (really, it's God's): when we draw near to God and ask Him to forgive and cleanse, He is quick to do so. He is also extremely nice about it!  There's no need for missed opportunities at all!

Today, look at your own life. Are you missing opportunities to know Jesus better? If so, take action. You will be so glad you did. 

Pray today that the choices our loved ones make will not push them further from Christ, but that they will draw near to Him. Pray for an end to missed opportunities and a return to full relationship and joyful service.  

Healing the fever part 4

And standing over her, He rebuked the fever, and it left her; and she arose and waited on them. (Luke 4:39 NASB)

She arose. Anestemi. The Greek word translated "arose", anestemi, (blueletterbible.org) can also be translated "got up". The interesting thing is that it is also the same word used to indicated "rise from the dead ".  

The way I see this verse, Peter's mother-in-law had intended to entertain Jesus as well as her son-in-law and whoever they brought along. A terrible fever left her prostrate in the bed, unable to serve. It stopped her in her tracks and no ministry was possible until this illness was resolved. In a way, she was dead to service (and very nearly dead and in the grave). When Jesus came, He rebuked the fever, it left, and she arose, just as one who rises from the grave. He restored her physical health, but He also restored her life of service. 

There is no indication at all that she had a sin sickness. She had a physical fever. The "fever" of sin can, however, stop us in our tracks and end all service to the Kingdom of God. I've been there, and you may have been, too. With a word (Forgiven), Jesus can enter our situation, bring healing, and restoration. We can be useful in the Kingdom of God again, and so can our loved ones.  They can be faithful servants of the Most High God, regardless of how unlikely that seems today. 

Today, pray that Christ will intervene in our hearts and in the hearts of our loved ones, bringing healing and restoration of service in the way only He can accomplish. 

Healing the fever part 3

And He arose and left the synagogue, and entered Simon's home. Now Simon's mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever; and they made request of Him on her behalf. (Luke 4:38 NASB)

Isn't that a nice phrase? "They made request of Him on her behalf"? More "modern" translations say, "they asked Him to help her."  She was burning up with fever, possibly in deadly peril from her illness, and her guests had just arrived. She was not at the synagogue that day, and had not seen Jesus cast out the demon. She may not have heard Jesus speak nor seen Him do miracles, but it is likely she knew He was coming. We don't know whether she believed He was the Messiah nor whether she thought He could heal her.  She may not have believed in Him at all. What we know is that, in the throes of an acute but severe illness, she did not ask Him to help her. It was "they" who intercedes for her that eventful day and it was in response to their request that Jesus brought healing. 

That is a great comfort and encouragement to me as we pray. It is not necessary for the ones for whom we pray to ask Jesus to help nor for them to believe in Him in order to receive His help. He will move in response to our request. 

Today, pray boldly that our Lord will take note of our loved ones and their current situation and "make request of Him on their behalf".  Be assured that, when we ask Him to help, He will. 

Healing the fever, part two (Luke 4:38)

Then He got up and left the synagogue, and entered Simon's home. Now Simon's mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Him to help her. (Luke 4:38 NASB)

It appears from this verse that Jesus went to Simon's mother-in-law's house as a guest after the synagogue service, much as we might entertain a visiting preacher today. It was after He arrived there that He was told of her illness. Since the house is referred to as belonging to Simon's mother-in-law, it is easy to assume that Simon Peter was already a disciple, but he was not. He had almost certainly heard of Jesus, but he was not a learned scholar, nor accustomed to seeing the miraculous.  He was not called as a disciple until Luke 5.  He was a fisherman, more accustomed to nighttime fishing, heavy nets, and hard manual labor than the divine. 

This particular day was the Sabbath, so his fishing boat was docked and the nets were still. For this one day, Simon was also still. He likely attended the synagogue service and saw Jesus cast out the demon. Can't you just imagine the thoughts racing through the mind of this burly worker?  Synagogue had never been this exciting before!

When they arrived at His mother-in-law's house, Peter must have felt so excited. Instead of visiting in the home of a scholar, Jesus was coming to his house! He probably wanted everything to be perfect for the Teacher, and hoped to impress Him. That plan went horribly awry when they arrived to find their hostess in bed and terribly ill. 

It must have been Simon, ever impetuous, who saw his mother-in-law, remembered the demon that had been cast out minutes before, and asked, "Can you help?" Could Jesus help? Yes, indeed. He not only helped, He healed her. 

It turned out that Simon would not impress Jesus that day. Jesus impressed Simon. That was, however, not the day that Simon put down his nets and followed Jesus. It might have been the beginning of his relationship with Christ, and it might have been the point when he began to believe, but it was not the moment when he relinquished control of his heart and life to Jesus. That would come later. 

Starting points are important road markers in our journey of faith. Do you remember those times that played a role in bringing you to Christ? Our loved ones will have, and likely already have had, starting points that direct them along the road to Christ. Today, pray that the divine will invade their lives, just as Jesus did for Simon, and for those divine road signs to point the way to Christ in unforgettable and unassailable clarity. Pray that redemption will be as close for them as it was for Simon on that eventful day. 

Healing Simon's mother-in-law (Luke 4:38)

Then He got up and left the synagogue, and entered Simon's home. Now Simon's mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Him to help her. (Luke 4:38 NASB)

The journey from the synagogue to Simon's mother-in-law's house is only a few yards in a straight line from the steps of the synagogue. Jesus went directly from the synagogue to her house. After He arrived there, He found that she was very ill with a high fever. There were no antibiotics and no acute care clinics. For a high fever of whatever cause, the treatment was, for the most part, cool compresses, some herbal remedies, and time. When Jesus arrived and found that she was sick, the people there asked Him to help, and, of course, He did. 

What I want us to see today is that Jesus responded with help when He was asked. He didn't tell them they should have called Him sooner. He did not rebuke them for failing to recognize that she was ill earlier. He did not ask them what remedies they had tried. He did not even say that His mission statement clearly said that He was here for preaching, releasing captives and the downtrodden, and restoring sight to the blind, and not healing the sick. He did none of that. When asked for help, He gave it freely. 

There is no evidence that the request for help came with specific instructions. There was not a request to bring the temperature down to 98.6 degrees. They simply asked for help and left the decision about what kind of help to Jesus. 

Our loved ones may not be serving our Lord for a variety of reasons, ranging from rebellion and lack of faith to poor priorities and tangled relationships to substance abuse and addiction. It's time to ask Jesus to help in whatever way He chooses. 

Today, pray that He will enter the situation and intervene in whatever way is needed to restore you and your loved ones to fully functional servants of God. Today, leave the choice of interventional method to Christ and trust Him to do what is best.  

A Demon Comes to Church part ten

And the report about Him was spreading into every locality in the surrounding district. (Luke 4:37 NASB)

The people in the synagogue the day Jesus cast out the demon with a single sentence were absolutely astounded by how Jesus had accomplished the miracle and with such authority. The now-sane man was in their midst as proof. They could not stop thinking about what they had seen, and, according to this verse, they could not stop talking about it either. They told everyone they saw. The story of the synagogue soon became the talk of the town, and, as news does, spread to the neighboring villages as well. Even the people who did not accept Him as Messiah were talking about Him.  Everyone in the district was hearing about Jesus, His power, His authority, His miracles.  

Word of mouth is a tremendous way of spreading information, and in that time before cell phones and internet, it was a fast way to communicate news quickly. News of Jesus was everywhere and spreading. 

The thing about word of mouth is that it still spreads information today, and quite effectively. There is one requirement for effective transmission of news, however.  Those who know must tell it. Those of us who know Christ personally and have experienced His mercy and grace must share the good news if we want that news to spread. To whom have you spoken about what Christ has done for you recently?  

Today, pray for opportunities to share the news of Christ with those you encounter. Pray, too, that the believers our loved ones encounter will not hesitate to share what Christ has done for them, and that they will share it with unassailable clarity and complete confidence. Pray that, in the hearing, our loved ones cannot help but believe what they are told because of the evidence of Christ in those who share. 

A Demon Comes to Church part nine

And amazement came upon them all, and they began talking with one another saying, "What is this message? For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits and they come out." (Luke 4:36 NASB)

Jesus was teaching in the synagogue on this eventful day. The demon-possessed man was shouting. Jesus turned His attention from the Scripture to the man and his demon. With a single sentence, really just two commands, He changed everything for the people of  Capernaum that day. "Be quiet! Come out!" He said, and the demon did. They had never seen anything like it before. Jesus spoke, the demon left, and the man was sitting on the floor in his right mind again. Wow! 

We can not really comprehend how astounded these people must have been, but imagine a screaming, raving, insane man in your church service, a command from the preacher, and the man is suddenly thrown to the floor and as sane as anyone else there. It was not just unexpected, it was unprecedented. 

There was no disputing the suddenly sane man's transformation, yet every person turned to the man next to them and began to say, "Wow! Did you see that? How did He do that? Who is this Teacher? How does He have the authority to cast out a demon?" No one had any answers, but there were plenty of questions and plenty of speculation. 

There were several things everyone agreed about. Jesus had cast out the demon. The man was sane again.  Jesus had an inexplicable authority and an unprecedented power. They were not yet sure what it meant, but they knew immediately that it MEANT SOMETHING. 

Jesus, filled with divine authority and divine power, astonished everyone present that day, not the least of which was the suddenly sane man. This entire exchange likely took only a few seconds. That's how fast Jesus can move to change a life forever. 

Jesus can still move in a matter of seconds to transform lives today. He is not limited by the type or duration of the sin or the unbelief. Jesus can move. Pray today that our Lord will move just as quickly in our loved ones and that, in a matter of seconds they will be transformed by the power of the Most High God and set free from all that enslaves them. 

A Demon Comes to Church part 8

But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet and come out of him!" And when the demon had thrown him down in the midst of the people, he came out of him without doing him any harm. (Luke 4:35 NASB)

Without doing him any harm. Isn't that an interesting phrase? The word here is not suggesting that the demon had never done the man any harm. It is saying he did no more harm. You might expect an angry, spiteful demon to create some serious havoc as a parting shot, but, at least this time, he did not. Surely it was the presence of Jesus that constrained him and limited the destruction.  

The man was able to begin his newfound faith without interference from the evil one.  What a blessing!  

Today, pray that we and our children would engage in relationship with Christ without further interference from the evil one.  Pray, too, that Christ would both limit and prevent further destruction in the lives of our loved ones so that they can be free to enter into relationship with Our Lord. 

A Demon in the Church - Part seven

And when the demon had thrown him down in the midst of the people, he came out of him without doing him any harm. (Luke 4:35b NASB)

Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, In His arm He will gather the lambs And carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes. (Isaiah 40:11 NASB)

When Jesus rebuked the demon and commanded him to leave the man, the demon had an unusual response.  He did leave, as commanded, but on the way out, he "threw him down" in the midst of the people. The image here is of a cranky, angry child throwing down a broken toy in frustration or, perhaps, of someone discarding rubbish of no value. 

Once Jesus intervened in the man's life, he was no good to the demon, for there was no place for the demon to reside. Not only was there no place for the demon, but there was no power for the demon. The man had no value if he could no longer be controlled, so he was discarded as worthless. In casting out the demon, Jesus removed his place and power, but in granting mercy and grace to the man, the position of tormenter and tempter was also removed. An opportune time might, and surely would, come again, but for the present, the position of tormenter was eliminated. No place, no power, no position. The only concern the demon had for the man was what evil could be done to and with him. When that opportunity was gone, so was his value, and he was tossed aside as quickly as used tissue. 

Contrast the demon's care of the man to that of The Good Shepherd. He sees the little lambs, too small and weak to keep up with the larger sheep, and is filled with compassion. He gathers them in his arms and snuggles them "in his bosom" and close to his heart. Perhaps He leans His head in to that soft lamb's fur and breathes in the scent of little baby lamb. Ahhh. How precious those lambs are to the Shepherd. They are the joy of the present and the hope of the future. 

Two very different scenarios and two different choices are available to us. Pawn of demons or the joy of Jesus. We WILL have relationship, with the world or with Jesus. Which one will it be?

Keep the image of those baby lambs nestled next to the Shepherd's heart as you pray today. Pray that you would snuggle in the loving arms of Jesus and allow Him to comfort you in your pain, heal your wounds, strengthen you for any task. Pray, too, that our loved ones would grow so tired of their struggle that they would long for, and welcome, the loving, healing embrace of the Good Shepherd. Close to His heart. Ahh. What a sweet place to be!

A Demon Comes to Church - part six

The demon possessed man was shouting in the synagogue and Jesus had heard enough. He did not offer sympathy to the distressed man, nor warmer clothes, nor a hot meal. The man's greatest need at that moment was to be rid of the demon. He needed a Savior, and no doubt about it, but this man could not serve both God and the demon. One of them would have to go, and you can be certain that Jesus was not the one backing down.  Jesus spoke directly to the demon. "Be quiet and get out!" He commanded. 

We do not know how long this man had been possessed by the demon, how it came about, nor whether he wanted to be free. What we do know is that it was only in the presence of Jesus that he found freedom. 

Jesus came to set the captives free, and those who are possessed or oppressed by the devil are certainly in great need of that freedom. It is not only the demon-possessed, however, who are captives needing to be set free. The truth is that we all have been in bondage, to some degree, because of our propensity to sin. Freedom and relationship with Christ is only possible when we do as Jesus did. "Be quiet and get out!" to those things that occupy the position Christ should have. We cannot serve both Jesus and the sin to which we cling.  

It is a hard task to stop doing, thinking, saying something that does not please Jesus, but, just as in the Capernaum synagogue, He stands ready to help. Take a few minutes today to allow Christ to examine your heart and reveal to you the major deterrent to your relationship with Him. Once identified, speak the words Jesus spoke, "Get out!", and allow the sweet Spirit of God to fill the void left behind. 

Pray today that our loved ones would be so tired of their sin and lostness that they would be willing to embrace change. Pray, too, that they would be drawn to the presence of Christ and allow Him to set them free. 

And Jesus rebuked him, saying, "be quiet and come out of him!" And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, without doing any harm. (Luke 4:35 NASB)

A Demon Comes to Church - part 5

"Let us alone! What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are-the Holy One of God!" (Luke 4:34 NASB)

(This should be our last day on this verse)

The choice of the word for knowing is interesting and worth understanding. The Greek word here is oida and it is used 335 times in the New Testament. It is used to mean understanding, perceiving, cherish, and appreciate. It is the word used in the phrases "God knows our needs" and "Jesus knew their thoughts". (1). This statement by the demon-possessed man was one of knowing with certainty. No doubt. The question for the demon-possessed man was not whether or not Jesus was the Messiah. The question was whether or not he would submit to Christ's authority and whether or not He would allow Jesus to set him free and change His life forever. 

It is a question we all must answer. What will we do about Jesus? The answer has eternal consequences, so searching and questioning are not bad things, but ultimately searching must end. Questioning must cease. A decision must be made. Bonhoeffer once said, "One ... Must give Him everything or nothing."  He was right. 

Today, pray that questioning and seeking about the truth of who Jesus is would come to an end (for us and our loved ones) and that, at the decision point, we would stake our eternity on Christ alone. 

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(1)http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G6063&t=NASB

A Demon Comes to Church, part 4

"Let us alone! What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are-the Holy One of God!" (Luke 4:34 NASB)

The man possessed by a demon showed an amazing understanding of Jesus's power. "Have you come to destroy us?" He cried out. The Greek word here is apollymi, which does mean destroy, as it is translated here, but also can mean "to put out of the way entirely, render useless, metaph. to devote or give over to eternal misery in hell" (1) The demon here (speaking through the man) acknowledges the power Jesus has over him. It appears the demon sees three possibilities that include being cast out from the man, rendered powerless to torment further, or to be sent to hell for eternity. None of those seem desirable, so the demon, probably unintentionally, is asking for mercy. "Leave us alone," he said. What he is saying is, "Don't give me what I deserve. Just let me go." Only God can sort out how much of that plea for divine mercy came from the demon and how much came from the man, but the use of "apollymi" causes me to think that at least some of what was said was initiated by the demon. 

That's a little shocking, isn't it?  Of course the demons know Who Jesus is and His attributes. They know He exists. They are demons because they refused to submit to Divine authority and were thrown out of Heaven. What is truly surprising is that, in the presence of the Messiah, the first one we see who begs for mercy (at least a kind of mercy) is a demon-possessed man. 

Here is what is so odd to me. Why weren't the people in the synagogue saying, "Don't give me what I deserve!" too? By this time, Jesus was already known as a miracle-working preacher. There was already talk that He was the Messiah. Perhaps it was because we prefer Grace over Mercy. Grace gives what we don't deserve. Mercy doesn't give us what we do deserve. It's generally easier to see yourself as a sinner than not, but who wants to admit the penalty for those sins? Requesting Mercy requires that we recognize our need for it.  No one wants to put unforgiveness, bitterness, lust, gossip, prejudice in the same category as murder, burglary, or adultery, but what matters is how God sees them. All sin, great or small, carries a deadly penalty. Confessing our own behavior as sin requires us to see our need for both forgiveness and mercy. 

It's a different matter entirely to accept the Grace, forgiveness, peace, and joy that we clearly do not deserve. What is even harder is allowing that Grace to transform us. My tendency is to think of it as "Grace and Mercy" but that's backwards, isn't it? Mercy has to come before Grace. Forgiveness before restoration. Cleansing before joy and peace. 

As we pray for restoration for our loved ones, we often focus on the end point of a transformed life. What we often fail to see is that critical step of brokenness that comes first. Pray today that we and our loved ones will see ourselves as God sees us, that we will recognize our sinful state and our need for forgiveness, and will cry out to God for Mercy. Mercy before Grace. When Mercy comes, Grace is sure to follow. 

1.  http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G622&t=NASB

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