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153 – Assurance in Jesus Christ!
As we begin a new year, I can think of no better subject to examine than that of Assurance. One of the most important issues in becoming a strong Christian is the issue of assurance or confidence. Assurance is defined as certainty, sureness, confidence, hope, or expectation. Assurance as a Christian means that we believe in all that Jesus has said and done on our behalf. Another word we could use is confidence. As a Believer, we are confident in our relationship with Jesus, the love of the Father, and the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The Lord did not send Jesus to us so that we would be in doubt of all the rights and privileges of being a Believer. Remember, we are to be witnesses to Jesus. Therefore, the assurance of how we live our lives and speak testifies that what we are saying and displaying is true! Why else would anyone believe our testimony? Our assurance or confidence makes others wonder about our faith and want to know more. “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15. Show More
Doubt, Anxiety, and Fear
Doubt and anxiety indicate that we have not completely surrendered to the Lord Jesus Christ. A lack of assurance in our salvation and/or Jesus’ ability to keep us in any situation or circumstance shows that we don’t fully trust in Him, our Lord, and Savior. Fear is the enemy of faith or confidence, and fear keeps us looking at the problem instead of the solution, which is found in Jesus. The Apostle James also has something to say about the lack of assurance or faith. James 1:6, “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”
Jesus goes to great lengths teaching to us totally trust God in Matthew 6:25-34! In these verses, Jesus tells us not to worry or become preoccupied about life, worrying about what you will eat, drink or wear. You might ask, well, how do I do that? Let’s be honest; we all have concerns about quality-of-life issues, but the key to understanding this principle is found in verse 33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” The point here is about priorities! Are we seeking God’s issues and concerns first, and are we acting righteously, or doing right in God’s eyes, in all our actions and behaviors? Jesus promises that if we put Him first in our life, all the things we need will follow. Jesus makes it clear that your heavenly Father knows what you need and what will be added to you if you will keep Him first in your heart and mind.
Something I have tried to keep as my priorities is God first, spouse next, then children, church, and job or employment. There will be times when these priorities get moved about but always keep the Lord first. You see, keeping Him first will help you be successful in all the other priorities of life.
As I have said before, a sure sign of not trusting in the Lord is fear, anxiety, and worry; they are the opposite of assurance or confidence. Many have developed the habit of worrying even from childhood. Parents who are constantly anxious can transfer those traits to their children. Some have had near traumatic or traumatic events that have started them down the road of anxiety and worry. The good news is that the Apostle Paul shows us how to overcome this destructive habit in our lives. Paul says in Philippians 4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” So, if we are prone to worry and anxiety, we need to develop the habit of prayer and supplication with thanksgiving when making our needs known to God.
Don’t tell everyone about your problems or concerns. Learn to rely on the Lord by telling Him, for the Lord has the authority and power to meet all your needs. If you tell others, choose people you can trust to pray and intercede for you.
Pattern for Prayer
A well-known pattern for prayer is the acronym A.C.T.S.
- A is for Adoration. Adoration is worship. Worship is different from praise in that praise is being thankful for what God has done, whereas worship is being thankful for who God is. Worship is when we come to the attitude of saying, “Lord, knowing you is enough!”
- C is for Confession. Confession is acknowledging our weakness in walking in righteousness. It is recognizing that we are a “work in progress” and committing to doing better. It is recognizing the goal of Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
- T is for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is how we become aware of all that God has done and is doing in our lives. Our focus is on Him rather than what we can get from Him. Philippians 4: 6, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
- S is for Supplication. Supplication is when we ask the Lord for our needs and the needs of those around us. Worship, confession, and thanksgiving place us in the proper place to enter the Throne Room of God and ask for our needs.
While we are praying the ACTS sequence, we should always be open and expecting to hear from the Lord. Too many well-meaning Christians have a one-way conversation with God, never expecting to get assurance, comfort, and direction from the Lord. Remember, prayer is not simply a religious act. It is a relational act; you are communicating, having a dialogue with the Lord; make sure you leave time for Him to speak to you. Expect to hear an answer, in your heart and spirit, and then do it.
Assurance of Faith
The Lord has provided several avenues to help us grow in having faith or assurance in God.
- The Lord has given us His Word in the Bible. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2Timothy 3:16)
- The Lord has also given us the presence of His Holy Spirit, who lives in us. The Holy Spirit is our guide, teacher, and witness to what God has done in us. Also, let us not forget that the Holy Spirit is the seal of ownership by the Lord, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Ephesians 4:30)
- The Lord is also transforming our minds with personal revelations of who He is, and as a result, we see changes in how we think and act. “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2)
These are some of the proofs that God loves us and has a plan for us that will glorify Him.
There are at least five areas of assurance that we must settle in our lives:
- Assurance of salvation. We are born-again and now have eternal life with God. Very importantly, nothing or no one can take that away from us. Romans 8:38, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” That sounds pretty thorough and complete to me!
- Assurance of answered prayer. God’s words in the Bible assure us that He hears our prayers. But remember, prayer is a dialogue, which means you speak, and he listens, then He speaks, and you listen. This is relational communication.
John 15:7, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.”
1 John 5:14, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.” - Assurance of victory. The Apostle Paul states that because death and sin have been conquered, we can have victory through Jesus Christ. When Jesus ascended to heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father, the Holy Spirit descended to the earth to live in every born-again believer of Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:56, “The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 John 5:4, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” - Assurance of forgiveness. The Bible teaches that salvation and forgiveness are by grace. That means you can’t earn them, nor do you deserve them. It is a gift of God. This doesn’t mean that you are free to behave sinfully. This forgiveness means that as you pursue His righteousness and right living, you are bound to make mistakes and stumble, and the Lord will not cast you away. Very much like when your children were small, you didn’t cast away your child because they made mistakes.
Ephesians 1:7, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”
Colossians 1:13 “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” - Assurance of guidance. To receive the guidance or direction of the Holy Spirit is a process. Learning to hear the voice of the Lord takes practice, and you will probably make mistakes along the way; this is natural and normal. Don’t give up! God can speak to us in our minds or heart, through others, through the Bible, as well as through the circumstances of life. Don’t underestimate the Holy Spirit’s ability to communicate with you, but you must recognize His voice. When my wife calls me on the phone, I never ask, “who is this,” because I recognize her voice. In the same way, you learn to recognize the voice or actions of the Holy Spirit.
John 14:26, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”
John 16:13, “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.”
Conclusion
- In conclusion, let me say this; there is a difference between faith and assurance. Faith sees into the supernatural, and faith brings the Kingdom of God to the earth. Assurance, on the other hand, causes one not to be afraid, embarrassed or intimidated in living the Christ-centered life or sharing what Jesus has done for you. We need faith to please God (Hebrews 11:6); we need assurance or confidence to convince others of the truthfulness of the Bible and the plan of salvation available to all. In the words of the Apostle Paul in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
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152 The Miracles of Jesus – Lazarus Raised from the Dead!
Today we look at the final miracle of Jesus in the Gospel of John. John the Apostle wrote about seven miracles; the final one is truly the most important and symbolic of the life to come. Remember, John chose to write about seven miracles, but John also wrote this at the end of the Gospel, John 11:24, “This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true. 25 And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.”
In other words, John chose these seven miracles out of many to show that Jesus had authority and power, from the Father, over all of the earth. Show More
- Changing water into wine at Cana in John 2:1–11, Jesus has authority over science, changing water into wine.
- Healing the royal official’s son in Capernaum in John 4:46–54, Jesus has authority over sickness.
- Healing the paralytic at Bethesda in John 5:1–15, Jesus has authority over paralysis in the body.
- Feeding the 5000 in John 6:5–14, Jesus has authority provision, feeding 5000.
- Jesus walking on water in John 6:16–24, Jesus has authority over the physical order of nature.
- Healing the man blind from birth in John 9:1–7, Jesus has authority over blindness, both physical and spiritual.
- The raising of Lazarus from the dead in John 11:1–45, Jesus has authority over life and death.
The Death of Lazarus, John 11:1-16
This chapter opens with Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, sending word that Lazarus, whom Jesus loved, was sick. The word love, in this case, is from the Greek Philio, which describes a dearly loved friend. Philio love is different from God’s love for us, which is Agape in Greek, which is unconditional love that does not depend on performance or worthiness. Agape love is unearned and undeserved; it is a gift of Grace! However, in this case, Jesus is getting word that his friend Lazarus is sick.
Upon hearing about Lazarus, Jesus says in John 11:4, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Jesus always saw life as an opportunity to glorify the Father. At this point, Jesus decides to stay an additional two days. I’ve read about a Jewish tradition that the spirit of a person does not leave the body until after three days. Perhaps Jesus delayed His journey to make sure that there were no doubts that Lazarus was truly dead.
Walking in the light.
Jesus then announces to the disciples His intention of going to Lazarus in Bethany. The disciples remind Him that the religious leaders seek to “stone Him to death.” Jesus speaks to them this puzzling statement in verses 9-10, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” This statement is so important for us to understand.
Walking in the light means walking in close communication with God the Father. John 8:12, “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life.” To be a true follower of Jesus means that we are in communication with the Lord, this is the relationship that God desires for His children. The Apostle Paul says in Ephesians 5:8, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” Without communication there can be no relationship. God speaks to us through the Holy Spirit living in the Believer.
Walking in the darkness means walking in our own strength or emotions. So, what Jesus said is that although there are people who wish to kill Me, I will only do what the Father tells me to do. Neither the threats of the Pharisees nor the love I have for Lazarus and his sisters will move me. I can only do what the Father shows me to do. Look at what Jesus says in John 5:19, “Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.”
This is powerful instruction for us. Through the Holy Spirit, we are led by the Father; only what He says will He perform. Listen to what the Lord says in Isaiah 55:11 “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” Only What God says will God perform, not what we want unless what we want lines up with His Word.
I Am the Resurrection and the Life, John 11:17-27
Lazarus has been in the tomb for four days when Jesus encounters Martha, Lazarus’ sister. Martha says to Jesus in verse 21, “… “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise
When Martha heard Jesus say, “your brother will rise again, she said, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Martha was thinking about the final resurrection at the end of time however, Jesus corrects her and says “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this? 27 She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
Here we have one of Jesus’ most powerful “I AM” statements, “I am the resurrection and the life.” If one believes that Jesus is God in the flesh, that He died for our sins, and is totally forgiven, he will not die. “Never die” in this sense means that we will never be separated from God! Yes, we will all experience physical death, but for a Believer, death will be a passing from an earthly life to a heavenly one.
I remember an expression, “If you are born once, you die twice; if you are born twice, you die once!” This means if you are only born physically, you will die twice. Once a physical death and then an eternal death. The Bible states in
However, if you are born twice, a physical birth and a spiritual birth (born-again), you only die once, a physical death, and then go to be with Jesus forever.
Jesus and Death, the Last Enemy, John 11:28-37
Jesus then goes to the tomb of Lazarus, where He meets Mary, the other sister of Lazarus. “32 Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. 34 And He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!” here we get a glimpse into the humanity of Jesus, He wept over the grief and sadness of His dear friends. Sometimes we forget that Jesus experienced all the trials, temptations, and emotions that human beings experience. It is in this humanity of Jesus that we have hope. We can never say that God does not understand what we are going through because Jesus went through it all for us.
- 1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”
- Hebrews 2:18, “For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.”
Some of the mourners who were present had a thought which is probably familiar to all of us; couldn’t God do something before now? “37 And some of them said, “Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?” this would be a natural thought to have, but this kind of thought overlooks the purpose of God; that Jesus be glorified, and thus the Father glorified in Him. We all know Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” In this verse, there are two conditions; one is to love God, and the evidence of this kind of love is obedience to the teachings of the Bible. The second condition is that we are called to His purpose. As Jesus demonstrated, time and time again, He only did what the Father showed Him to do. We have the Holy Spirit living in us, and we must learn how to be led or directed by the Holy Spirit of God to bring glory to Him. It isn’t always about us and what we want or think should happen. It is about Him, our Lord and Savior.
Lazarus Raised from the Dead, John 11:38-44
Finally, Jesus stands before the tomb, a tomb like the one He would be placed in after His crucifixion. The tomb was a cave with a large boulder or stone rolled in front of it to seal it. “39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone. “Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.”Martha and Mary still did not understand what Jesus meant when He said, “I Am the resurrection and the life!” They did not comprehend that Jesus had all authority and power over the physical realm as well as the spiritual realm. “40 Jesus said to Martha, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?”
“41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” Jesus made this statement to give evidence that God the Father hears the obedient Son to all those then and now.
After saying those things, Jesus, 43… cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.” What a sight that must have been, to see one who was dead for four days rise up still in graveclothes, frightening perhaps for a moment, and then joy when they removed the graveclothes and saw Lazarus standing in perfect health.
Lazarus was raised from physical death toward physical life, and although Lazarus would die again, as is the fate of all mankind, he became the focus of God’s glory. His resurrection demonstrated that even death is swallowed up in the victory of Jesus Christ. There is no miracle, too small or too great, that the Lord can’t perform. What God did then, God can do today, for He is the same yesterday, today, and forever!
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151 The Miracles of Jesus – The Blind Man Sees!
The sixth of the seven miracles mentioned in the Gospel of John is the healing of the man who was born blind. This story is in John 9, and this miraculous event makes three important points.
1. The difference between the Old Covenant of Law and the New Covenant of Grace.
2. The simplicity of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.
3. The difference between physical sight and spiritual sight. Show MoreJohn 9, “1 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. 4 I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
When Jesus ministered on earth, it was under the Old Covenant. The New Covenant did not come to pass until Jesus was resurrected and the Holy Spirit descended to live in the Believer. Under the Old Covenant teaching, because the man was born blind, it was assumed that it was because of his sin or the parents’ sins.
The Difference Between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant.
The Old Testament describes the Covenant of the Law, which the Lord instituted with the Israelites through Moses. This covenant was a conditional covenant. A conditional covenant (like a contract) is when the two parties, in this case, Jehovah God and Moses (representing the people of Israel), agree to terms and conditions beforehand. In the Old Covenant, God said He would produce blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience (Deuteronomy 28). That is why we see the Lord dispensing disasters under the Old Covenant when the people of Israel strayed from worshiping Him as the One true God.
What is important here is that when we view God through the lens of the Old Testament or covenant, it is true that He will visit the iniquities of the father upon the children. Deuteronomy 5:9 says, “you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 10 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.”
However, as Christians, we are not under the Old Covenant of Law but under the New Covenant of Grace purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ. God makes it clear that He did not come to condemn those in the world but to save them through Jesus Christ; John 3:17, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”
If you have any doubts, I urge you to read Hebrews 8-10, where the New Covenant is described as a better covenant (better than the Old Covenant). Remember, Jesus fulfilled the Old Covenant and opened the door to the New Covenant, the New Covenant, which is based on better promises. Jesus says in Matthew 5:17, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the Law till all is fulfilled.” Jesus fulfilled the Covenant of Law!
The Law of Moses was for the Jews who practiced Judaism, and the New Covenant provides Grace for all people, Jews, and non-Jews, who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. As Christians, we live under the cover of the Blood of Jesus, where repentance and forgiveness are found.
A Moral Universe
However, many fail to recognize that God created a moral universe, which applies to the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. What I mean by a Moral Universe is there are moral laws that, when broken, produce consequences. Let me give you an obvious natural example. In science, there is a law called “Newton’s law of universal gravitation,” in simple language, it means “what goes up must come down.” Throw a ball into the air, and it must fall back to the ground. If you violate the Law of Gravity and jump off a building, you will not fly; you will fall to the ground! When the Law of gravity is broken, the result is always the same; you will fall.
In the same sense, when you break one of the Ten Commandments, you will experience physical, emotional, or spiritual consequences. There are always consequences to sin, and it isn’t because God is punishing you directly because of your sin; it is simply how the Lord created and set up the universe.
I am not saying that the Lord will never judge and punish those who do evil because He will, but it will be at the “End of the Age or the End Times.” On that day, all evildoers will be judged and punished; that will be at the White Throne Judgment described in Revelation 20:11, “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” Aren’t you glad that, as a Believer, your name is written in the Book of Life?
The Blind Man is Healed.
Back to the Gospel of John 9 and see how the healing of this blind man would bring glory to God! “6 When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. 7 And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So, he went and washed, and came back seeing.”
Using spit and dirt may sound like a strange way to cure a blind man, but I can assure you the blind man didn’t care because he came back seeing! Keep in mind that the man did not even know at this time that Jesus the Messiah touched him.
There was some controversy among the spectators. Some believed what they saw, a blind man who could now see. Others doubted what they saw and said it was not the same man that was blind. So, the crowds brought the man to the Pharisees. The religious leaders were skeptical and questioned the man once blind. They didn’t like his simple answers, so they decided to ask the parents of the once-blind man. “20 His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21 but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. 23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
The Simplicity of the Gospel
“24 So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, “Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner.” 25 He answered and said, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.” 26 Then they said to him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?”
To me, verse 25 is one of the most profound statements in the Bible. “One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.” So many spend time trying to figure out or analyze how and why God allows things or how God does things! How and why God moves in the ways He does is the Lord’s business, our response should always be, “I trust you, Lord!
When trying to understand the ways of God, I am reminded of Isaiah 55:8-9, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.” How can we, the created ones, fully understand the Creator? Read Jeremiah 18 for more on this theme of the “Potter and the Clay.”
In three of the Gospels, Jesus uses children to illustrate our attitude towards the Lord. In Mark 10:14, “…Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. 15 Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” 16 And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.” What do you think it means to “receive the kingdom of God as a little child?” I believe that it means that we trust that the Lord knows best, and we must embrace that the Lord is good, even when we don’t understand what is happening around us.
I remember reading a story about an Ant and a Centipede. The ant, seeing gracefully the centipede moved all its 100 legs, said to the centipede, “After you stop walking, which leg do you move first to begin walking again.” The centipede had never thought about what came so naturally before, so the centipede decided to analyze the process. The centipede spent so much time determining which leg to move first that it never walked again. Over-analysis can lead to paralysis! So are some Christians trying to figure out how the Lord works. The blind man in John 9 had the correct answer to some of life’s most perplexing questions: “One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.” As Christians, we need to focus on the result rather than the process of how God works. When a person is healed, they don’t ask how; they are simply grateful that they are!
Here is an amazing point, it wasn’t because of the blind man’s faith that Jesus healed the blind man, and it wasn’t because of sin that he was blind; it was “that the works of God should be revealed in him.” The man that was blind still did not know that it was Jesus the Messiah who had healed him. Listen to the following, “35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?” 36 He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” 37 And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him, and it is He who is talking with you.” 38 Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him.”
Physical and Spiritual Blindness
This miraculous episode created further divisions among the religious leaders, as the message of the Gospel still does today. The Apostle Paul says in 1Corinthians 10:22, “For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”
The difference between those who can see Jesus for who He is and those who doubt has to do with sight! John closes out chapter 9 with the following conversation with the religious leaders, “39 And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.” 40 Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore, your sin remains.”
Acceptance or rejection of Jesus as the Christ (or Messiah) by faith determines the sight we have, whether physical sight, which demands proof or spiritual sight, which demands faith. In the Apostle Paul’s words, we are called to “walk by faith and not by sight! (2 Corinthians 5:7) Choose to be a faith walker and see the great works of God!
Conclusion
What can we conclude from John 9? First, Jesus is the miracle worker, God in the flesh. Our understanding of our relationship with Jesus comes through the New Covenant, which is the New Testament. Jesus fulfilled the Law which has passed away and introduced us into His Grace.
Keep the Gospel simple. Jesus loves, Jesus heals, and Jesus saves. The Bible says so; therefore, that settles it. Don’t try to analyze God; the human mind can’t comprehend the heart and mind of our good God.
The Kingdom of God is a spiritual kingdom, and our responsibility is to bring heaven to earth. To see and enter the kingdom, one must be born-again; then, we will have spiritual eyes to see the truth. In the end, trust the Bible and the Holy Spirit in you.
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150 The Miracles of Jesus – Walking on Water!
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” Hebrews 11:6.
Faith is an Action
Faith is an action; it is the active choice of the will to believe something that is in the natural unbelievable. You don’t need faith to believe something you can see and understand. Hebrews 11:1 describes faith as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith has its foundation in the “things hoped for.” As Christians, what can we hope for? We can hope for every promise found in the Bible and made available to us through the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. All these promises are gifts of grace from the Lord. That grace is not earned or deserved; it is received on the same basis as our salvation; “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast,” Ephesians 2:8-9. You see, God extends grace to us, and we can only accept that grace by faith. The Lord moves first by grace, and then we respond by faith. Show More
Some mistakenly think that grace means I can do anything I want or I can get anything I ask for from God; all I must do is have faith. This kind of thinking is such an abuse of God’s grace. One can only have true faith in what the Lord has said or revealed; grace and faith are bound together.
In Romans 4, the Apostle Paul explains the difference between grace and works. Grace is God’s work provided by Jesus on the Cross of Calvary. Again, Grace is God’s gift and cannot be earned or deserved. From God’s point of view, His Grace is freely given to those who believe the gift of God is available and then act upon the gift being offered. Notice that I said to believe that the gift is available; that’s faith, and acting on that faith, that’s grace fulfilled. It is a challenge to say you believe in God, that’s the easy part, but you must also act or behave as you believe. Faith is not just words; it is an action too.
Abraham is our Example.
The Apostle Paul uses Abraham, “the father of faith,” as an example. Remember, Abraham was in his 90s when the Lord promised that he would be the father of nations. At this time, he still had no children. Now listen to what the Lord said about Abraham, Romans 4:17,”(as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” 19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. 22 And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.” The last two verses are so important; Abraham did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief; he was strengthened in faith because he was fully convinced that what God promises God will deliver! Remember James 1:6, “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”
Abraham’s testimony was that he did not waver in faith, and because of his steadfastness, Abraham was declared righteous. The same is true for us; look at verses 23-24; now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, 24 but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification. Can you say amen to that!
Jesus Walks on the Sea of Galilee
Now, look at the fifth miracle in the Gospel of John, Jesus walking on water. This event is found in John 6:15, Matthew 14:22, and Mark 6:45. Three accounts of the same miracle from three different perspectives.
John 6:15, “Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone. They tried to make Jesus King, and Jesus would not take glory for Himself. Jesus always gave glory to the Father. We, in like manner, need to be careful that we don’t take for ourselves the glory of what God does through us. We must be mindful that it is not about us, but it is all about Jesus!
16 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them. 18 Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. 19 So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid. 20 But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.”
The first thing to notice is that Jesus sent the disciples ahead by themselves; he did not go with them. There are times in our lives when Jesus will allow tests to come into our lives to help us see who we are really trusting in and where our faith lies. While we may feel like the Lord “doesn’t care,” we must assure ourselves that “He will never leave us nor forsake us!” That’s why we should never trust in our emotions when it comes to issues of faith. As a friend of mine used to say,
“Feelings come, and feelings go-
Feelings can be deceiving-
But the word of God is always true-
No matter what your feeling.”
The Gospel of Matthew account gives us additional information about this miracle. In Matthew 14:22,“Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. 23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. 24 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. Jesus sent the disciples away in a boat… Hmmm! Was this a test? Of course, Jesus knew what He was going to do.
25 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”
28 And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” 29 So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”
31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”
At this point, the disciples still did not understand the power and authority that Jesus was anointed with. They caught glimpses of who He was, but in the middle of a crisis, they forgot who He was and what He was capable of. They panicked when they saw a “figure” walking on the sea. It is understandable; it was the night the winds were blowing, the rain was falling, and it was probably impossible to see clearly under the conditions. However, they recognized His voice, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” How comforting it is in the midst of a storm to recognize the voice of Jesus saying, don’t worry, I am still in control!
Of all the disciples, Peter had the courage and faith to say, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” Sometimes in life, you just have to get out of the boat that everyone else is in and trust Jesus. Notice that as long as Peter kept his eyes on Jesus, he walked on water; wow! However, the moment Peter took his eyes off Jesus and looked at the storm around him, he began to sink. That is a lesson for us; when life’s trials and tribulations come, keep your eyes on Jesus!
Peter wavered in faith; he saw the storm with his natural eyes instead of seeing the One who had authority over all of nature with his spiritual eyes. It would be easy to criticize Peter, but how would you do in the same situation? Regardless, Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water! Listen to what Jesus said to Peter, “And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” This was not a harsh rebuke or chastisement but a challenge to Peter and all of us today, when we waver and doubt, not to feel defeated and crushed but to learn to be a better faith-walker.
The storms of life will come to all of us, and the question is, “do you want to be alone in the storm or have Jesus with you? Notice that when Jesus got into the boat, the storm stopped. The safest place to be in life is in the company of Jesus.
From Faith to Faith
In the Gospel of Mark account in Mark 6:51, Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. 52 For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.” What Mark is pointing out is that they were amazed at what Jesus and Peter had done when they should have realized that this is was normal behavior for Jesus and Believers in Jesus. Normal Christianity is filled with signs, wonders, and miracles for those who can see with spiritual eyes and faith. Mark points out that they forgot about the past miracles, in this case the feeding of the 5000, which was meant to be a building block to see even greater things. The apostle Paul says in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” We all start with a measure of faith (Romans 12:3) as we encounter life’s challenges and represent our Lord Jesus. As we successfully face each challenge, we grow in our faith; if we will remember what Jesus has done for us in the past, step by step, faith to faith.
Your faith will grow as you remember that Jesus loves you and that the Lord has a plan for your life, a good plan. Just trust in the Lord!
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149 The Miracles of Jesus – The Feeding of the 5000!
Today we will look at the fourth miracle Jesus performed in the Gospel of John. In each miraculous event, Jesus went from small groups to ever larger groups of people. Remember, the first miracle was at a family wedding in Cana, where He turned water into wine. This sign was at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. This is an important message for each of us who are called to serve the Lord. The message is that our ministry starts in the family. The family is the proving ground where some of the difficult lessons of life are learned. Show More
From there, Jesus performed a miracle for the Centurion whose son was dying and then the disabled man at the crowded Pool of Bethesda.
The next miracle is often referred to as the “feeding of the 5000”. After performing the mentioned signs and wonders, Jesus had many people following after Him. The multitudes were hungry for more signs, wonders, and profound sayings of Jesus. They were so hungry that they traveled great distances and even crossed the Sea of Galilee to see and hear Him. The question that we must ask is, why were they following Jesus? Some thought that Jesus would solve all their problems. Others thought He was the deliverer of Israel as King David was in his day. and still others were just “thrill seekers” looking for an exciting time. Then some were drawn to His message of hope, healing, and wholeness. The lesson we learn here is that people are no different today. Everyone is seeking something.
Beginning in John 6:4, “Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. 5 Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” 6 But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do. 7 Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.” There are two points I would like to make here.
Philip Fails the Test
The first is Jesus is not afraid to test our faith. The testing of our faith is how we grow in maturity in Christ. James 1 says, “2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”
The testing of our faith is how we learn who we truly trust. I remember an expression I heard long ago about faith, “We are legends in our own minds!” This means that in our minds, we are mighty people of faith, always doing the right things, and overcoming the greatest challenges. However, it is not in our minds that life is lived; it is in the everyday ups and downs of life that our Christianity is worked out.
Being a Christian is all about who you trust! If you trust in your own strength, then you can only go as far as your strength will endure. If you trust in your intellect, then you can only go as far as your intellect can take you. However, if you trust in Jesus, there are no limits, and nothing is impossible. So, it makes a lot of sense to learn how to put our faith in Jesus in our everyday life, and this is how our faith is proven.
Jesus wanted to show Philip and the other disciples who they were trusting in. Jesus already knew the answer, but He needed to show His disciples what was really in their hearts. In this case, Philip failed the test! He forgot the message in Matthew 6 that he heard when Jesus said, “31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Instead of trusting in Jesus Philip trusted in his own understanding of the circumstances.
Jesus and the disciples had two hundred denarii! What is a denarius worth? A denarius was equal to a day’s wage; therefore, 200 denarii would represent over a half year of wages. Later we find out that there were about 5000 men, not including women and children. This means there may have been 10-20 thousand people to feed with their money. In the natural, it was an impossible situation, and it’s always a challenge for us to “walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7)”, but when Jesus is with us, nothing is impossible with God!
Andrew Fails the Tests
Then Andrew, Peter’s brother, also fails the test when he speaks unbelief in John 6:8, “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?“ Andrew expressed doubt which is the enemy of faith. All he could see were five loaves and two fish, quickly forgetting what Jesus had done at the wedding at Cana, the Centurion’s son, and the lame man at the Pool of Bethesda.
In the Gospel of Mark is a great story that Jesus used to teach His disciples and us about doubt and faith. Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem, where he encountered a fig tree with no fruit on it. When He saw the barren tree, He said, with in the hearing of the disciples, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.” Later, when they passed the tree again, it was withered and dead. Listen to what Jesus said in Mark 11:22, “So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” Clearly, belief or faith cannot coexist with doubt and unbelief! The lesson for us is to combat doubt and unbelief, which the devil will use to weaken our faith. We need to learn how to rebuke the doubt and unbelief and walk in faith in the One who saved us and delivered us from darkness, and placed us in His glorious light.
The Stage is Set for another Miracle.
John 6:10 “Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 11 And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.”
Jesus is the Lord of abundance. There is no shortage in heaven or supply chain issues.
Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us (the Holy Spirit), 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” We often try to “figure out” how God will do something instead of simply trusting and believing that “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)
An important detail to note is that Jesus did not distribute the food Himself. Jesus provided the food to the disciples, and the disciples were the ones who provided the food to the people. This is true of our outreach to our families, friends, and communities. The Lord has given all Believers the ministry of reconciliation to provide an atmosphere where the Gospel may be presented and received. There is a time to pray and a time to act. If Jesus is to be our example, then we should get the mind of God and go forth, as it says in Mark 16, “15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” We reach the lost through words and deeds, in particular, Holy Spirit anointed words and supernatural deeds!
There is no lack in the Kingdom of God on Earth
John 6:12, “So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.” 13 Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.
Can you imagine, they started with five loaves of bread and two fish, and ended up with 12 baskets full! One basket for each disciple that served. As I said earlier, there is no lack of abundance through the Lord. As Believers, we hold the keys to the Kingdom as it says in Matthew 16:10, “And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
This important saying of Jesus reminds us that whatever is allowed in Heaven is allowed on earth; whatever is not allowed in Heaven is not allowed in the Kingdom on earth. This should help us to know what we should be praying for and praying against. There is no sickness, disease, bondage, condemnation, or evil in Heaven. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and the Holy Spirit living in us, we have the authority and power to establish His Kingdom on earth.
The Purpose of the feeding of the 5000
“14 Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.” To many of the Jewish people, this miracle was evidence that Jesus was the Messiah who was prophesied in the Old Testament. These words and deeds of Jesus stirred up hope in a people who were downtrodden and without hope under Roman rule. They heard a message and saw a Man who gave them hope, and for many, that hope became faith, and that faith led people to make a decision to follow Jesus.
The same is true for us today. Our responsibility as Christians is to know Jesus and make Him known. Each one of us has been given different talents and abilities as well as a circle of influence. There are people that others may not be able to reach, but you can. Just as there are people you can’t reach, but hopefully other Christians can. We are all in this together, serving the same Lord and Savior. Your testimony of how and why you came to Christ may inspire others in your sphere of influence to make a decision for Jesus.
Finally, remember the disciples are the ones who passed out the bread and fishes Jesus gave them, but all the glory goes to our Jesus. It is not about you; it is about Him!
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148 The Miracles of Jesus – At the Pool of Bethesda!
Third miracle of Jesus; The Lame Man is Healed!
Before getting into the third miracle that Jesus performed in the gospel of John, that is the healing of the disabled man who was infirm for 38 years. I want to give an overview of what I believe this episode in Jesus’ life teaches us.
The scripture I want to start off with is found in John 10:10, I’m sure you are familiar with it, but I hope to give you some deeper insight. Listen to what Jesus said, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
An important truth to remember is that God does not cause sickness and disease; that is the work of the devil and sin in a fallen world. Remember what Jesus came to do, “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”, 1 John 3:8. Jesus is the abundant life giver; never forget that. Show More
Who is the thief in John 10:10? We know that the thief is Satan or the devil. There are three things that the devil wants to do that is steal, kill, and destroy. Let’s look at each one of these one at a time.
The Thief wants to Steal.
Satan wants to steal everything that God has given you for your good. The first thing that comes to mind is the fruit of the Spirit, which is found in Galatians 5. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These are yours because these are the traits of the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit lives in you as a believer in Jesus Christ. They may not be especially evident, but as you pursue your relationship with Jesus, they will become more and more manifest.
The second thing the thief wants to steal from you is the Holy Spirit gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are as follows “7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.” Again, these are your gifts because the Holy Spirit dwells within you. In the same chapter, Paul admonishes us to “not be ignorant of these gifts of the Holy Spirit.”
Without the fruit and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we become powerless Christians. Powerless to be a witness for Jesus, powerless to be the healing hand of Jesus, and powerless to be a genuine leader for the cause of Christ.
The Thief wants to Kill
As a believer in Jesus Christ, you have an enemy, the devil. The devil’s strategy is that if he can’t have you, He will try to make you ineffective and, if necessary, kill you. It might sound frightening but remember Revelation 12:11, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” You see, the enemy can’t touch us if we remember who we belong to, Jesus!
The blood of the Lamb of God shed on the cross is our covering and protection. James 4:7 says, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” First, obey the Lord, then resist the devil; you have authority in Jesus’ name.
Word of our testimony is our outward expression by words and deeds that Jesus is our King. The thief wants to create fear that will cause us to doubt our God and ultimately not trust Jesus. We are ambassadors of Christ.
We don’t love our lives even to the death because we believe the promise that Jesus made in John 14:2, “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” As believers in Jesus Christ, our home is Heaven, and one day each of us will depart this life to be with Jesus forever!
The Thief wants to Destroy
Your hope and faith in Jesus. The basis of our relationship with the Lord is faith, as it says in 2 Corinthians 5:7, “We walk by faith and not by sight.” Faith is the key to all spiritual authority and power. Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as spiritual, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:6 tells us that it is the only way to please God, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
So, the devil will do whatever he can to discourage and dismantle our faith in Jesus. Remember, it is not faith in faith, but faith in Jesus! The devil will try to get us to trust our experience, our education, our intellect, the pursuit of wealth, our friends, or any other thing that will cause us to take our eyes off Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith!
Jesus’ Third Miracle at the Pool of Bethesda
As Jesus and His disciples traveled to Jerusalem, it is interesting that Jesus chose to go through the Sheep Gate to enter the city. Why would Jesus choose that gate? It was because there was a pool called Bethesda near the gate. This pool had five landings or porches where “a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed,” waited for the water to be stirred. Tradition had it that an angel would come down at certain times and stir up the waters, and it was believed that whoever got into the water first would be healed of whatever disease he had! Now you have to ask yourself the question, “why did Jesus go to the Pool of Bethesda? Let’s read the actual biblical account.
A Man Healed at the Pool of Bethesda
Jesus was able to cut through the traditions of men and reveal the truth of God. The tradition was that an angel of the Lord would stir up the waters of the pool, and the first one in would be healed. There is no scriptural basis for this practice. It was probably an event that became a practice that eventually became a tradition, a tradition of men. The Apostle Paul had this to say about traditions, “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” Colossians 2:8 The truth that Jesus brought was, “believe in me and I will make you well!” that truth still stands today. Remember, the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but Jesus came to give life and life more abundantly!
John 5:5, “Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” 7 The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” 9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath.”
Deceptions of the Devil
In my last post, I mentioned three general areas where we can be deceived.
- The first and most common area where we can be deceived is relying on personal experience as a basis for our relationship with Jesus. Our emotions can be a very unreliable indicator of truth. When we pray and don’t get what we want from God, our minds can then become fertile ground for the devil to come and deceive us with lies about God.
- The second area of deception is leaning on our own understanding or human logic. You must examine what you believe and why you believe it because most modern education creates skepticism for anything spiritual! (Proverbs 3:5, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;). Depending on your own limited understanding, compared to God’s omniscience, is a trap of the enemy.
- The third area of misinformation is the incorrect teaching that the supernatural does not apply today. Many leaders are teaching that miracles don’t happen today. Yet, the New Testament is filled with miracles, signs, and wonders. The church also has a long history of miracles, signs, and wonders. Think about this; even your salvation is a miracle! However, the thief would try to keep you in ignorance of the glorious life that the Lord has for you.
The Religious Leader’s Response to The Lame Man Healed.
10 The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.”Isn’t it incredible and sad that in the face of a miracle only God could perform the religious Jews preferred to lean on their traditions. The religious leaders preferred legalism over mercy and grace. It is as if there were a veil across their eyes preventing them from seeing the truth, that Jesus was the Christ the hope of glory. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 3:12, “Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech— 13 unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. 14 But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. 15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. 16 Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.” As Christians, our covenant is found in the New Testament, where the veil is taken away.
The religious leaders did not recognize Jesus because they were more interested in their privilege and position than truth! They did not make the connection between who Jesus was and the Old Testament prophecy in Jeremiah 31:31, “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— 32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” The New Covenant was clearly prophesied in the Old Covenant.
The veils of tradition and culture are strong, and when they are contrary to what Jesus purchased at the Cross of Calvary, we must reject them. We often hear people say, “It is the way we do things here!” Yes, but does it line up with the Word of God? The practice must line up with the Word of God. The veil of culture is a subtle but powerful influence we are unaware of because we grew up in it. Prevailing attitudes about love, vengeance, gender, marriage, children, honesty, and integrity are built into the culture. These attitudes may be contrary to scriptures and yet widely accepted. However, are called to adhere to biblical truth.
When the healed man was questioned by the religious leaders, “11 He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’” 12 Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” 13 But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place” Clearly, the purpose of Jesus healing the crippled man was to glorify the Father, make the statement that He was from God and that He had the power and authority to administer mercy and grace to even the most insignificant of people. This miracle should encourage us, who the devil has tried to steal, kill and destroy, that our Lord and King is greater and has promised us abundant life.
In closing, let me say what Peter said in 2Peter 1:2, “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
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153 – Assurance in Jesus Christ!
/RSS FeedAs we begin a new year, I can think of no better subject to examine than that of Assurance. One of the most important issues in becoming a strong Christian is the issue of assurance or confidence. Assurance is defined as certainty, sureness, confidence, hope, or expectation. Assurance as a Christian means that we believe in all that Jesus has said and done on our behalf. Another word we could use is confidence. As a Believer, we are confident in our relationship with Jesus, the love of the Father, and the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The Lord did not send Jesus to us so that we would be in doubt of all the rights and privileges of being a Believer. Remember, we are to be witnesses to Jesus. Therefore, the assurance of how we live our lives and speak testifies that what we are saying and displaying is true! Why else would anyone believe our testimony? Our assurance or confidence makes others wonder about our faith and want to know more. “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15. Show More
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152 The Miracles of Jesus – Lazarus Raised from the Dead!
/RSS FeedToday we look at the final miracle of Jesus in the Gospel of John. John the Apostle wrote about seven miracles; the final one is truly the most important and symbolic of the life to come. Remember, John chose to write about seven miracles, but John also wrote this at the end of the Gospel, John 11:24, “This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true. 25 And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.”
In other words, John chose these seven miracles out of many to show that Jesus had authority and power, from the Father, over all of the earth. Show More
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151 The Miracles of Jesus – The Blind Man Sees!
/RSS FeedThe sixth of the seven miracles mentioned in the Gospel of John is the healing of the man who was born blind. This story is in John 9, and this miraculous event makes three important points.
1. The difference between the Old Covenant of Law and the New Covenant of Grace.
2. The simplicity of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.
3. The difference between physical sight and spiritual sight. Show More -
150 The Miracles of Jesus – Walking on Water!
/RSS Feed“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” Hebrews 11:6.
Faith is an Action
Faith is an action; it is the active choice of the will to believe something that is in the natural unbelievable. You don’t need faith to believe something you can see and understand. Hebrews 11:1 describes faith as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith has its foundation in the “things hoped for.” As Christians, what can we hope for? We can hope for every promise found in the Bible and made available to us through the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. All these promises are gifts of grace from the Lord. That grace is not earned or deserved; it is received on the same basis as our salvation; “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast,” Ephesians 2:8-9. You see, God extends grace to us, and we can only accept that grace by faith. The Lord moves first by grace, and then we respond by faith. Show More
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149 The Miracles of Jesus – The Feeding of the 5000!
/RSS FeedToday we will look at the fourth miracle Jesus performed in the Gospel of John. In each miraculous event, Jesus went from small groups to ever larger groups of people. Remember, the first miracle was at a family wedding in Cana, where He turned water into wine. This sign was at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. This is an important message for each of us who are called to serve the Lord. The message is that our ministry starts in the family. The family is the proving ground where some of the difficult lessons of life are learned. Show More
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148 The Miracles of Jesus – At the Pool of Bethesda!
/RSS FeedThird miracle of Jesus; The Lame Man is Healed!
Before getting into the third miracle that Jesus performed in the gospel of John, that is the healing of the disabled man who was infirm for 38 years. I want to give an overview of what I believe this episode in Jesus’ life teaches us.
The scripture I want to start off with is found in John 10:10, I’m sure you are familiar with it, but I hope to give you some deeper insight. Listen to what Jesus said, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
An important truth to remember is that God does not cause sickness and disease; that is the work of the devil and sin in a fallen world. Remember what Jesus came to do, “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”, 1 John 3:8. Jesus is the abundant life giver; never forget that. Show More
