32: 50 Days of 3:16

It’s Sunday morning, a man is brought into church into your church in a wheelchair, easily observed this man cannot walk his legs deformed in such way that he may have been like that since birth. During the worship service, the man is rolled up to the front where he cries out for healing. Some come to pray for the man asking Jesus to heal once again. No one truly expecting anything to happen to the man. This attitude is a reality in many of our churches. We know God still heals but not really getting our hopes up as we never see it.

By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.

Acts 3:16

 

Take a second look at my story, what would happen if at the prayer moment throughout the building a loud crack is heard. Only seen to those who were faithful to come to pray, they see the man’s legs shoot out and start to gain strength and muscle right before their eyes. What if that man climbed out of his chair and put one foot in front of the other and gaining momentum started walking, no running and jumping around the altar praising God, how would the people in the pews react? There would be many surprise reactions, some disbelief others in shock.

This is what is happening here in Acts 3. Peter and John just met a man in need of a life-changing event. He was asking them for money, but they offered him the power of Jesus to be healed. What amazes me about this story is that they offered it but instead of waiting for the man to decided they took his right hand and pulled him up fully expecting him to be healed. Peter and John filled with the Holy Spirit had no doubt in the power of God to heal this man. They had personally seen Jesus do it, he told them they would do it, so they just did it. They gave all the credit to Jesus and the mans faith. They did not want any glory for this act nor should they. It was in the name of Jesus that the man was healed, and they had no doubt that it was going to happen. How would this world be changed it those who trust Jesus had this kind of faith to heal?

I can’t do that, I am no Peter or John, and I am definitely no Jesus. That was all back then and has no power now it just does not happen in this day and age.  Jesus promised us that the same Holy Spirit that worked with Him is in us and that we can do the same miracles and healings He did and even more. Why would his promise only extend for a generation or two and then disappear? If you google healings you will find that there are healings happening all over the world. Amazing things are happening in places, mainly in places where believers have less comfort and more reliance on God’s provision. Where I am it is very easy to get health care, but in a third world country where hospitals are in short supply trusting that God will heal seems to have more clout. Can God use you to heal someone right where you are? Yes he can, will you let him use you?

 

Father, we want to see people being healed. Not to build ourselves up as the ones doing the healing but to give you glory and draw men and woman to you. Strengthen our faith and destroy our disbelief. For far too long we have been quiet about what you can do, some thinking that it was only for the New Testament time period. Even today Jesus use us to reach this world through love, sharing your salvation and even healings. Give us the wisdom to reach the lost. Amen

Day 33: 50 Days All In

In my full-time job, I have been working at understanding mental illness and how to identify if someone is struggling with this. This has become so prevalent in our society, yet it has been around since the dawn of man, only coming to the forefront in the last century. One of the causes of this has been linked to stress and how we respond to the stressors in our lives. One of the key factors that helped overcome was relationships. Giving your all to God and forming strong connections with other believers can help break through the bondage of this disease.

 

““Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster. For I command you this day to love the LORD your God and to keep his commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in his ways. If you do this, you will live and multiply, and the LORD your God will bless you and the land you are about to enter and occupy.

You can make this choice by loving the LORD your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life.””

Deuteronomy 30:15-16, 20 NLT

Even back in the OT God desire was for us to have a relationship with him. We always had a choice to make. Follow his commands and live a righteous life. In the NT Jesus provide a new way to have a relationship with God through him. He made the ultimate sacrifice creating the way for us to meet God.

But we must make the choice. We as believers keep making choices in our life. We choose to keep following or let go. We choose to be active in our faith or be lazy. We choose to share our faith or keep it to ourselves.

We are shown in the verse today that if we choose to walk in the ways of God we will prosper. I wonder how many of us are in the situations we are because we have chosen are ways over Gods ways?

I see so many hurting and lost people that are torn up inside, the ones I am thinking of are the mentally broken, they keep looking to man and medication to fix the brokenness inside, yet don’t realize that Jesus can change them from the inside. But the must make the choice to ask him.

I can’t explain why believers can choose Christ and not be freed immediately from their anguish or are hurting mentally and physically. Trials that test us can be part of the Christian walk. Maybe we endure these so we can connect with people who are lost with similar situations. Only God knows his plan.

I ask you today to firmly commit yourself to Jesus, trust his ways whatever they may be. Create bonds with other believers who when times of trouble come they can help you get through it. Wake up each morning with a desire to ask the Holy Spirit ‘What can we do together today.’

Jesus, we need to make a choice to follow you and to daily continue to follow you. Thank you for giving us the freedom to make the choice. Let us be a light to those around us who are making unwise choices. Help those who are hurting mentally, depressed and reliving memories of past hurt. Let us see the world through your eyes and remember they matter to you, so they matter to us. Strengthen my relationship with you, I want to be all in. Amen

 

 

 

Day 50: 50 Days of Impact

If I had cancer, yet I didn’t know I had cancer I would not be very open to hear you tell me that I had it. If I wasn’t displaying any symptoms or feeling and effects I would call you misinformed. Especially if you were just my friend or co-worker, not even a professional. No one is looking for cancer in their own body. It is the same as sin, no one is looking or thinking they have sinned. For you to tell me I’m a sinner well that can’t be. I am a good person. Dr.’s know what to look for when it comes to cancer, they know the signs, symptoms and what to identify in blood. Jesus in conjunction with the Holy Spirit knows what sin is and wants to open your eyes to the life your living and the life that He has for you. Most people have a hard time accepting the diagnostic, but when you do and seek help that’s when truly healing can begin.

 

“For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will.”

Romans 8:7 NLT

 

 

We need to remember that those who don’t have a relationship with Jesus are not looking for him. Those who haven’t been washed clean by the blood of the lamb, are still soaked in the sinful nature and remain hostile towards God. Why would a good God do such bad things to this world and it is people? They will ask questions like that. Because they don’t see the condition they are in.

 

If they could only look at themselves from Gods eyes, they would be down on their knees in seconds praying that God would save them from their evil ways.

 

But God, having a plan to offer redemption made a way for us to be free of sin. Jesus calls out to the people of this world to come to him. In our stubborn selfish ways we don’t hear him, and we ignore his call. I am sure you have friends or family who you have talked to many times about the love of Jesus and they keep shrugging it off and don’t seem interested.

 

Don’t give up, don’t stop sharing, don’t stop praying for them. The only lost cause is one who has been buried. So as long as they have a breath in their bodies keep loving them.

 

Dear Jesus, we need you to continue to call out to the ones we love. We want our friends and family to come to you. We open ourselves up to be used by you to witness to anyone you set in our path. Loosen our lips to share of what you have done for us and want to do for them. Amen

 

Day 21: 50 Days of Impact

No more then ever we are coming to realize that words have more harmful effect then some generations told us. The old saying “sticks and stones may break our bones but names will never hurt us”, was the mantra of my generation as a kid. We now come to see mental illness and other problems arise due to low self esteem and low self worth due to the way people have been treated. Sticks and stones will break you bones, but they heal. Words cut deeper and leave scars that are harder to heal. Jesus is the ultimate healer and he can heal your hurt from the words that have cut you deeply.

 

“The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.”

Proverbs 18:21 NLT

 

The tongue is the most powerful weapon we have. It can destroy and build up. As the proverb reads ‘bring death or life’. But how can words bring death? Mean words that hurt people based on their appearance, mannerisms or disability has lead to many suicides or even mass shootings from an angry individual(s) looking for revenge and answers. How many women have chosen an abortion because they were talked into it? Our words can lead us down roads we never want to be on.

 

But in contrast our words can bring life. Not only our words. The words of Jesus bring LIFE. He taught us how to live life. He showed us what it means to use words to build others up.

 

Words are only useful and powerful in the giving of life if we open our mouths and use words that bring life. We can sit and talk to our friends about everything from weather, to news, politics and sports. But when it comes to the import things in life like a relationship with Jesus we treat those words like poison.  We think, sure it is honey to our lips, but sharing it they will only be bitter to theirs. Rejection is what we fear. But if we don’t try then we will never know.

 

We need to break these preconceived notions that people are always going to negatively respond to the message of Jesus. If we believe the words that Jesus spoke about life then we need to believe that Jesus not only loves us but he loves everyone and they need to hear about his love for them.

 

Dear Jesus, to often we fear that you will be reject if we speak about you. Prove us wrong. Holy Spirit guide us and show us who to share with giving us the words to speak. We are not given a spirit of fear, so help us to live that way, proud of being a Christian wanting to share the love of Jesus with others. Amen