Mark 5: 35 - 36 (NIV)
35 While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," they said. "Why bother the teacher any more?"
36 Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe."
Lately I have been drawn to verse 36. It gives us an incredibly vivid picture of how Jesus responds to the challenges in our lives. Jesus ignored the naysayers, but His attention was riveted on the object of His love -- Jairus (who represents you and I).
He looked at Jairus in the midst of the reports of doubt, unbelief and defeat and said "Don't be afraid; just believe."
Are you facing a challenge in your life today that seems dark and daunting? Listen to the Voice of the Lord today.
Don't be afraid; just believe.
It's very clear to me now where the Lord wants our attention in the midst of a challenge in our lives. He want us to be drawn to Him -- to His love, His provision and His deliverance.
Mark 5: 38 - 40 (NIV)
38 When they came to the home of the synagogue ruler, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly.
39 He went in and said to them, "Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep."
40 But they laughed at him.
When Jesus reached the home of Jairus, He saw people wailing and crying. He saw the same evidence, but His response was vastly different. That's because He knew what He could do.
Are you responding in fear today? Or in despair? Or have you become cynical?
Don't be afraid; just believe.
Once again, He put out the naysayers from His midst and took in only Peter, James and John. Pastor Prince taught us here that the three disciple's names are of significance. Peter (stone, signifying the law), James (supplant), John (Love and grace).
Grace replaces the law!
Jesus then went in and spoke to the child.
Mark 5 : 41 - 42 (NIV)
41 He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!" ).
42 Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old).
In the Malachi 4:2a it says 'But to you who fear My name, The Sun of Righteousness shall arise, With healing in His wings.'
Here is an extract from http://www.hopeofisrael.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=63&Itemid=30 that you will find immensely enlightening.
The Hem of His Garment
"But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings," Malachi 4:2
One of the best known miracles of healing that Jesus performed was the occasion when a woman who had suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years came up behind him and touched the hem of his garment, Matthew 9:20 The woman was, in fact, reaching for the tassels on Jesus' prayer shawl. In Hebrew, these tassels, which are attached to the corners of the prayer shawl, are called tzitzit. Why should she stoop to touch the fringe? Why not his arm, or his feet?
As the prayer shawl was placed over the head, it formed his own tent. WINGS of the garment were formed when the arms were held out. For this reason, the corners of the prayer shawl are often called "wings." During the first century there were several traditions associated with the tzitzit concerning Messiah. One was that these knotted fringes possessed healing powers. Certainly the woman with the issue of blood knew of these traditions, which would explain why she sought to touch the hem (the wings) of Jesus' prayer garment. The same word used in Numbers 15:38 for corner is used in Malachi 4:2 for wings. With this understanding in mind, an ancient Jew under the prayer shawl could be said to be dwelling in the secret place of the Most High and under His wings (Ps. 91:1-4).
Jesus spread his talit (the shawl) over the girl and pronounced literally in Aramaic, "little girl under the talit, arise". Pastor Prince taught us that the blue threads in the shawl signify Jesus perfection and His finished work on the cross. Indeed the Son of Righteousness came into that home today with healing in His wings!
Look away from your doubts and fears. Look away from your situation that seems dead and impossible. Look to one one who is able to bring life into every dead situation.
Don't be afraid; just believe.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Fallen from Grace
The grace of God is our only foundation.
Many leaders whose names graced the bookshelves and CD racks of the Christian bookshops in my young adult years seem to have come short of what they have preached. Billy Joe Daugherty passed away of lymphoma in November. He was only 57. So many questions come to mind. Why didn't he live in divine health? Why wasn't he healed?
Today the newspapers reported that Oral Roberts has passed on, at the age of 91. He was in hospital at the time--he fell and broke some bones. He later died of Pnuemonia. Why did this man, whose healing ministry was documented, have to die like this?
The articles written about Oral Roberts drew me to read about his son Richard, who resigned recently after allegations about him and his wife using the University's funds for a lavish home and golf club memberships surfaced. What happened here?
Then of course there's Ray Boltz, who has come out the closet and openly declared that he is gay. In fact he has now joined a gay Christian denomination. From the man who gave us 'Thank You' and 'Watch the Lamb'. How did this happen?
Have you heard of the phrase 'fallen from grace' to described a minister caught in sin? Well you know what? I agree with that term, but not in the way you think.
From the standpoint of heaven, all the promises of God are yes and amen in Christ Jesus. So why did these luminaries on the Christian landscape fail to receive heaven's best for their lives? Because that’s what they did, they failed to receive. The bible says that as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse. Sickness is a curse. Having accidents and breaking your bones is a curse. The shame of homosexuality is a curse. The bible also says that the power of sin. . .is the law.
Like what I felt the Lord speak to my heart the other day, 'I do not heal because people are good, I heal because of the finished work or the cross.' Likewise we do not receive the power to overcome sin because of our own efforts, in fact entertaining the shame we feel because of our shortcomings without realizing that we are freely forgiven leads us to deeper depths of sin.
Let's stop playing around with the law in our lives, as if a little bit of it is good. No my friends, it is absolutely deadly.
May you and I not be counted amongst those that have fallen. . .from grace. Abandon yourself completely to him by His grace and receive all He is. As you do that, His life in you will cause any sins you are struggling with to fall off like dead leaves. But first look to Him, your Tree of Life. The only one who can disqualify you from all He purchased for you on the cross is you--don't do it.
Many leaders whose names graced the bookshelves and CD racks of the Christian bookshops in my young adult years seem to have come short of what they have preached. Billy Joe Daugherty passed away of lymphoma in November. He was only 57. So many questions come to mind. Why didn't he live in divine health? Why wasn't he healed?
Today the newspapers reported that Oral Roberts has passed on, at the age of 91. He was in hospital at the time--he fell and broke some bones. He later died of Pnuemonia. Why did this man, whose healing ministry was documented, have to die like this?
The articles written about Oral Roberts drew me to read about his son Richard, who resigned recently after allegations about him and his wife using the University's funds for a lavish home and golf club memberships surfaced. What happened here?
Then of course there's Ray Boltz, who has come out the closet and openly declared that he is gay. In fact he has now joined a gay Christian denomination. From the man who gave us 'Thank You' and 'Watch the Lamb'. How did this happen?
Have you heard of the phrase 'fallen from grace' to described a minister caught in sin? Well you know what? I agree with that term, but not in the way you think.
From the standpoint of heaven, all the promises of God are yes and amen in Christ Jesus. So why did these luminaries on the Christian landscape fail to receive heaven's best for their lives? Because that’s what they did, they failed to receive. The bible says that as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse. Sickness is a curse. Having accidents and breaking your bones is a curse. The shame of homosexuality is a curse. The bible also says that the power of sin. . .is the law.
Like what I felt the Lord speak to my heart the other day, 'I do not heal because people are good, I heal because of the finished work or the cross.' Likewise we do not receive the power to overcome sin because of our own efforts, in fact entertaining the shame we feel because of our shortcomings without realizing that we are freely forgiven leads us to deeper depths of sin.
Let's stop playing around with the law in our lives, as if a little bit of it is good. No my friends, it is absolutely deadly.
May you and I not be counted amongst those that have fallen. . .from grace. Abandon yourself completely to him by His grace and receive all He is. As you do that, His life in you will cause any sins you are struggling with to fall off like dead leaves. But first look to Him, your Tree of Life. The only one who can disqualify you from all He purchased for you on the cross is you--don't do it.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Why Aren't Good Christian People Healed and Prosperous?
Yesterday I came across the interesting testimony of a secular pop artist who got saved back in the 1980s. He has had a whole string of hits with a well known band. He shared that back then in the 1980s--at the peak of his career--he realized that his drug habit had become an addiction. He couldn't walk away from his 'fix'. This stark realization drove him to check himself into a rehabilitation program in a hospital. While he was there, he said the sinners prayer. When he went back on tour with his band, he told his band mates that he wouldn't be taking anymore drugs.
A few years later, the same singer was slated to tour on his own with the Christian rock group Petra, then tragedy struck. It was discovered that he had a benign tumour in his brain. The subsequent treatment to remove the tumour damaged his pituatary gland. Today he has to take a whole bunch of medication. The side effects of his damaged gland are weight gain and loss of stamina. He actually has to take in oxygen from a tank backstage in-between songs! I am referring to Lou Gramm of Foreigner fame.
Tonight as I was waiting for my friend Kevin to meet me for dinner, I asked the Lord why so many good people (like Lou Gramm) suffer from such tragedy unfairly. 'He's a good man,' I told the Lord, 'and he loves you'. Then I felt the Lord impress on my heart,
'Do you think people get healed because they are good? Or do they get healed because they believe correctly?'
Then I began to realize where I have been missing it all these years.
Whenever we see 'good Christian people' suffering sickness and poverty, and we ask God why, what we are really saying to God is that these folks should be blessed because of their goodness.
No. God blesses us only because of Jesus finished work and nothing else. No one is good enough to deserve any of our blessings.
What we need to do is simply believe that even though we are not deserving in ourselves, His finished work on the cross qualifies us unconditionally.
The bible says that our righteousness--not our sins--are like soiled sanitary pads to God. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
When we pray, we pray in Jesus name, not in our own name. When we invoke His name in prayer, what we are saying is that we are not worthy to have our prayers answered based on our own merits!
If you're thinking now 'how can this be?', then my friend, you need to--like me--renew your mind. None of us deserves anything from Him. We need to start believing correctly that all answered prayer is based on His gift of righteouness.
When we stop seeing how utterly amazing God's grace is, we stop seeing grace for what it truly is. Unless grace is completely by grace, it fails to be truly grace!
So think back on all the seemingly 'unfair' challenges you or some other Christian brother or sister is in. Now realize that it isn't God's will for us to be sick or poor. He took care of that on the cross. Those provisions have been fully paid for. We simply have to believe that in spite of our imperfections, we have been made worthy to receive! Now if you can't believe that, that unbelief is the reason why 'good' Christian people aren't healed or properous.
Start believing!
A few years later, the same singer was slated to tour on his own with the Christian rock group Petra, then tragedy struck. It was discovered that he had a benign tumour in his brain. The subsequent treatment to remove the tumour damaged his pituatary gland. Today he has to take a whole bunch of medication. The side effects of his damaged gland are weight gain and loss of stamina. He actually has to take in oxygen from a tank backstage in-between songs! I am referring to Lou Gramm of Foreigner fame.
Tonight as I was waiting for my friend Kevin to meet me for dinner, I asked the Lord why so many good people (like Lou Gramm) suffer from such tragedy unfairly. 'He's a good man,' I told the Lord, 'and he loves you'. Then I felt the Lord impress on my heart,
'Do you think people get healed because they are good? Or do they get healed because they believe correctly?'
Then I began to realize where I have been missing it all these years.
Whenever we see 'good Christian people' suffering sickness and poverty, and we ask God why, what we are really saying to God is that these folks should be blessed because of their goodness.
No. God blesses us only because of Jesus finished work and nothing else. No one is good enough to deserve any of our blessings.
What we need to do is simply believe that even though we are not deserving in ourselves, His finished work on the cross qualifies us unconditionally.
The bible says that our righteousness--not our sins--are like soiled sanitary pads to God. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
When we pray, we pray in Jesus name, not in our own name. When we invoke His name in prayer, what we are saying is that we are not worthy to have our prayers answered based on our own merits!
If you're thinking now 'how can this be?', then my friend, you need to--like me--renew your mind. None of us deserves anything from Him. We need to start believing correctly that all answered prayer is based on His gift of righteouness.
When we stop seeing how utterly amazing God's grace is, we stop seeing grace for what it truly is. Unless grace is completely by grace, it fails to be truly grace!
So think back on all the seemingly 'unfair' challenges you or some other Christian brother or sister is in. Now realize that it isn't God's will for us to be sick or poor. He took care of that on the cross. Those provisions have been fully paid for. We simply have to believe that in spite of our imperfections, we have been made worthy to receive! Now if you can't believe that, that unbelief is the reason why 'good' Christian people aren't healed or properous.
Start believing!
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