David's Bible Blog

Matthew 21:22 (NKJV)

And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."

We talk about how God always answers prayer and go on to explain that sometimes his answer is "not yet" and sometimes his answer is "no." This is how we rationalize the fact that we don't get what we ask for in prayer. We say that we must not have been asking for the right thing. But we need to understand what unimaginable power is available through faith in Jesus Christ.

John MacArthur said: "Mountain-moving faith is unselfish, undoubting, and unqualified confidence in God. It is believing in God's truth and God's power while seeking to do God's will."

The sad thing is not that prayers go unanswered but that they go unasked because of laziness and unbelief.

Matthew 17:20 (NKJV)

So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you."

John 14:14 (NKJV)

If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

John 15:7 (NKJV)

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

John 16:23 (NKJV)

And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.

Matthew 7:7-8 (NKJV)

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

Exodus 12:7,13 (NKJV)

And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it.

Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.

The instructions for the first Passover supper must have seemed strange to the Israelites, but they dared not question what God had said he was going to do--they had already seen his mighty hand in the previous nine plagues. A lamb was slaughtered and roasted and eaten and his blood was placed on top and on the two sides of the door to the house in the form of a cross. God was painting a picture, a symbol, a sign of the real Lamb of God who was to come so that we might be found under the protection of His blood. God did not pick and choose based on morality, works or status. He delivered any who were under the blood.

What does the blood do? It satisfies God's wrath against our sin when He sees the blood of His innocent Lamb and allows Him to pass over the sin of those who have applied the blood and have come under it.

Romans 3:25-26 (NKJV)

... whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Hebrews 9:22b

...and without shedding of blood there is no remission.

Matthew 19:25-26 (NKJV)

When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

Jesus was talking to the rich young ruler who had asked Him this question and Jesus, knowing what was in his heart, had answered him by telling him to keep the commandments and to sell all he had and come follow Him. All of this seemed impossible to his disciples which is exactly the point Jesus wanted to drive home. Man cannot save himself by what he does. You cannot earn your way to heaven. However, God can save you and offers it to you as a free gift if you will accept it.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV)

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.

Matthew 19:4-5 (NKJV)

And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'?

This is an interesting passage from the perspective of creation. Really, the context is about why divorce is wrong. But you can see here an implied assumption Jesus had about when man was created and the first two chapters of Genesis. He points out that the scriptures say man was made at the beginning. If there were billions of years of star and planet formation and then billions of years of evolution before man finally appears on the scene then Jesus should have said they were created near the end rather than at the beginning.

I believe the Bible to be the literal, inerrant, inspired word of God but when Jesus' own words confirm it, that really settles the matter for me.

Matthew 18:3-4,10 (NKJV)

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

What is it about a little child that Jesus is trying to convey? What does “Humbles himself” mean? I know a lot of Christians who are are strong, self confident, self sufficient, intelligent, controlling and resourceful individuals. Perhaps we are much much like these disciples Jesus is speaking to. I am thinking that this demand of Jesus is not really what we want to hear. So what is Jesus really demanding? Why did he choose Little Children?

We naturally desire power, status, self-sufficiency, control. Little children are naturally not strong, have no status, are not self-sufficient, and are trusting. Little children don't worry about things. They don't worry about their next meal. Little children are lowly and not great in the world’s eyes. But little children are happy, worry-free, and confident that their every need will be provided. Little children are not bothered by their lowly status and they are content to be cared for by their parents. Substitute every "little children" in this paragraph with "true Christians" and I think we might begin to understand what Jesus is saying.

Now, there is a lot more you can say about little children like for example: they are selfish, unproductive, and immature and that may very well be true of us as his "sheep" but I don't think that’s the point of the comparison which was answered to the question about who was the greatest.

We should not love being stronger or richer or more intelligent than others. We should not begrudge lack of recognition if we don’t get it from the world. We just trust and obey. What do we find our security and meaning and joy in? Jesus.

Matthew 11:25 (NKJV)

At that time Jesus answered and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes.

Exodus 3:13-15 (NKJV)

Then Moses said to God, "Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they say to me, 'What is His name?' what shall I say to them?"

And God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And He said, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.' " Moreover God said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: 'The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.'

"I AM" is a strange name isn't it? It is the name we transliterate into Yahweh or anglicize into Jehovah. Why would God pick a name such as "I AM"? I am glad he did not say that His name is "I WAS" or even "I WILL BE." You get a glimpse of the idea that God is timeless. It is as if He is saying "I always was, I always am, I always will be...I AM". Eternity is always in the present. I have thought a lot about the physics of Eternity if such a thing can even be comprehended.

I heard one preacher say that we can think of God's name as I AM _________ where you fill in the blank for whatever you need right now. That is certainly true because God can supply all of our needs. But I think this name must be far more profound. It not only speaks of His timelessness but also of his supreme power in the sense that everything derives from Him. Nothing exists without Him.

Jesus replied to the soldiers who were looking to arrest him saying, "I am He." In my Bible, the He is italicized meaning that that word is not in the original Greek. He was speaking his eternal name. The Jesus of the New Testament is the I AM of the Old Testament. By the way, notice what happened to the soldiers when Jesus spoke his name, they fell backward to the ground. The force of that name spoken by God Himself must be awesome!

John 18:4-6 (NKJV)

Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, "Whom are you seeking?" They answered Him, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said to them, "I am He" And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them. Now when He said to them, "I am He, " they drew back and fell to the ground.

Matthew 16:24-25 (NKJV)

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

Many think that taking up your cross means living with a little discomfort. They will say: "Well that is just my cross to bear." Think about what it meant to Jesus and to those who lived during his time. It meant nothing less than death. The follower of Jesus Christ is to die to himself. But don't stop there; what is the result of such loss of life? It means finding real life, the kind of life Jesus was taking about when he said: "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." [John 10:10b]

Jesus logic always seems to go backwards from the world's. People say if I see it, I'll believe it. Jesus says believe it and you will see it. People say "live today for tomorrow you may die." Jesus says die today and tomorrow you will live.

Psalm 20:7 (NKJV)

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.

All this talk of the war on terror is unsettling. We depend on our government to protect us with its military might. Does this verse mean we should not defend ourselves? No, of course not, but our trust should go beyond what we can do for ourselves. It should go to the One who can answer prayer, to the One who can change hearts. Ask God to protect you, to bless you, to bless our leaders, and give them wisdom. Ask him to save the ones who want to kill us.

Psalm 127:1 (NKJV)

Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.

Psalm 19:1-3 (NIV)

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.

Do you marvel at the beauty of the night sky? Do you wonder what awesome power could have hung them out there in space so far away? With the naked eye you can see about five thousand stars. With my eight inch telescope, I can see about two million. The Hubble telescope can see billions of galaxies, and each galaxy probably contains a trillion stars! David the psalmist says that we all hear the inaudible voice of the heavens and the skies proclaiming God's glory. What kind of unfathomable power and wisdom could produce such a wonderful and massive marvel as the universe!

That testimony is not enough to bring us to a saving knowledge of God but it is enough to hold us accountable to know that there is a God. I have heard the objection many times that if Jesus is the only way, isn't God unfair to hold those accountable who have never heard the gospel?

Romans 10:18 (NKJV)

But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed: “Their sound has gone out to all the earth,  And their words to the ends of the world.”

We are responsible for our unbelief, for failing to respond to the "speech" clearly spoken in the revelation of the heavens.

Matthew 14:17-20 (NKJV)

And they said to Him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish."

He said, "Bring them here to Me." Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained.

When we talk about creating something ourselves, we are actually starting with existing raw material and then shaping and reforming it into what we want to create. When God creates, it is "ex nihilo"—out of nothing.

I have never had a problem believing in Jesus' miracles. So whenever I am considering how it could be possible for God to create the heavens and the earth out of nothing and by his word only, I just look back at Jesus. Think about this miracle of feeding the 5,000. He starts with little bit of baked bread and fish and multiplies them. I must admit that sometimes in my curiosity, I wonder at what point the "magic" takes place. I imagine that it was while the disciples were carrying the baskets over their heads and then another loaf and fish would appear. Could they see it happen or did they look away and then notice that the basket was suddenly heavier and now there were four where there was once two?

I also think about that loaf of bread. It contained wheat flour mixed with oil and water and yeast, and was baked. Was there another unseen realm close by where the angels were busy baking the bread to place in the baskets? I think not. The creative power of Jesus Christ is too wonderful to understand! It is a joy to believe and trust in Him, the creator of the universe!

Jeremiah 32:27 (NKJV)

Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?

Matthew 13:54-57 (NKJV)

When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?” So they were offended at Him.

The last time Jesus taught in his home town synagogue, they tried to throw him off a cliff. His homies were too familiar with Jesus to recognize him. Even his brothers and sisters did not recognize him. Can you imagine growing up with Jesus as your older brother? It is interesting to note that after his resurrection, in Acts chapter 1, Jesus finally won all of his brothers and sisters to the truth about his real identity.

Matthew 13:58

But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.” Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Here is the real implication of their unbelief: He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief. Unbelief stifles the miracle working of God. Why is this so? There were not many people healed by Jesus there because not many people there came to him to be healed. They did not believe and they did not come.

It is not that God is somehow empowered by our belief or disabled by our unbelief. But why would God bless anyone when there is no desire for the blessing? Why would God meet a need when there is no need felt? Why would God save someone who is offended at the idea that they need to be saved? Stubborn unbelief will hinder your blessings from God!

Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV)

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.

Matthew 13:24-30 (NKJV)

Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”

This parable introduces the idea of diabolical opposition. There are two types of seeds sown, good and bad. The bad seed is sown by an enemy under cover of darkness. The parables were easy enough to understand on their surface but the deeper meanings were hidden from the multitude. Even the disciples were mystified and asked Jesus to explain this one in private later. Here is how Jesus identifies the players starting in verse 37:

• Man who sowed good seed = Christ
• Field = world
• Seed = believers
• Tares = children of devil
• Enemy = Satan
• Reapers = angels
• Harvest = end of age

The point of this parable is not that you can't tell the difference between the wheat and the tares as has been suggested by some commentators.  Notice that the servants of the owner could tell immediately that there were tares mixed in with the crop. The point is that the Kingdom will grow and be intimately infiltrated by children of the devil. And Jesus is longsuffering and allows the children of the devil to remain out of concern for the well-being of the sons of the Kingdom. At the end of the age, for some reason not explained in the story, the wheat (or matured believers) are no longer in danger of being damaged when the tares are separated.

Then Jesus gives the ultimate fate of the two groups:

Matthew 13:40-43

Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

Jesus does not mince words, nor does he shy away from the truth. The children of the devil are cast into the fire. But they will not be consumed because there will be continual wailing and gnashing of teeth. Hell is real and it is terrible.

But heaven is just as real and sweet and glorious. The sons of the Kingdom will be righteous and will shine in their glorified bodies.

How can people hear this unless we tell them...the whole truth?

Genesis 39:7-9 (NKJV)

And it came to pass after these things that his master’s wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, “Lie with me.” But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand. There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

You know the story of Joseph and Potiphar's wife. Potiphar had purchased Joseph as a slave and made him head of his household. But then Potiphar's wife took a liking to the handsome young Joseph and tried to seduce him.  But notice Joseph's reply: he was not worrying about sinning against Potiphar—he was worried about sinning against God! David the Psalm writer would later say "against Thee and Thee only have I sinned" when repenting of his stealing Bathsheba and killing her husband Uriah. Yes, innocent people suffer when we sin but God is the one chiefly offended. This is the right kind of understanding we need to have about God and sin.

Genesis 39:19-23

So it was, when his master heard the words which his wife spoke to him, saying, “Your servant did to me after this manner,” that his anger was aroused. Then Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were confined. And he was there in the prison.

Any normal person would be totally discouraged but Joseph is a man of integrity. No matter what happens to him he continued to trust the Lord and to do his work as unto Him. I am sure Joseph still remembers the dreams of his brothers bowing down before him and he has to be wondering how God will work this out.

Genesis 39:21, 23

But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy...and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper.

God’s plan for the believer will include unexpected detours and unexpected blessings.

Matthew 12:31-32 (NKJV)

"Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.

Is there a point of no return in rejecting God's offer of salvation? This verse strongly suggests that there is. The good news in this verse is the incredible extent to which forgiveness of sin is available. You can reject and speak against Jesus Christ and even that sin will be forgiven. You might not understand the words of the Bible. You might not understand what people tell you about God. That is OK. But when the Holy Spirit communicates directly to you, there is no way NOT to understand. To speak against such divine knowledge is unforgivable and demonstrates a hardheartedness that is incapable of repentance.

Many young Christians have feared that they have committed this unpardonable sin. Not to worry; those who desire to repent, by this very desire, demonstrate that they have not committed this sin!

John 3:36 (NKJV)

He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."

Psalm 15 (NKJV)

Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart; he who does not backbite with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor does he take up a reproach against his friend; in whose eyes a vile person is despised, but he honors those who fear the Lord;he who swears to his own hurt and does not change; he who does not put out his money at usury, nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.He who does these things shall never be moved.

This Psalm lists a few of the attributes we are to expect from persons who claim to be on their way to heaven. It describes a person who is truthful and honest, who treats others with fairness, who keeps their oaths. Are you that kind of person? What motivates a person to be like this? Is it the promise of dwelling with God? Taken with the rest of the Bible we know that heaven cannot be earned or deserved. So what makes a person like this? It is the outworking of the Spirit of God dwelling in us that makes us like this.

Accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, love him, obey him and you will become like the man of Psalm 15.

John 14:16-17 (NKJV)

And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever--the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

John 14:23 (NKJV)

Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him."

Matthew 11:28-30 (NKJV)

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

Jesus is amazing, on the one hand he says that He is the only way, the only solution. If someone were to say the kinds of things Jesus said about himself today you would say he was an egotistical maniac. But then Jesus says that he is gentle and lowly in heart, and somehow you agree with this statement too. He is at once mighty and humble. That is because he is both God and man. He is the God-man, Emanuel, God with us.

Jesus just says, "Come to Me." He doesn't speak of any difficult requirements to find the rest he speaks of. No doubt we are to serve Him but He says that His burden is easy and light. Notice that it is His yoke and not yours. He is carrying it. We are like the little child who wants to help his father carry the heavy load. The father picks it up in the middle bearing most of the weight and allows the child to "carry" one end. If you find it difficult then something is wrong. Could it be that you are carrying a yoke of your own choosing rather than the one Jesus is asking you to carry?

Psalm 13:1-3 (NIV)

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look on me and answer, O Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death.

Despair is a terrible feeling. When we walk through these times it feels like God is ignoring us. We wonder how long must we wait for Him to answer our prayers. It is perfectly alright to feel this way. We see examples of this all through the Psalms. Even Jesus cried out in agony in the garden before he was to be crucified.

Must we just suffer through the waiting? Is there immediate relief in the waiting? You won't be happy about your dire circumstance but you can still trust God and you can still have joy! The psalmist goes on a couple of verses later:

Psalm 13:5-6 (NIV)

But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me.

Whenever life seems darkest, just step back and look at the bigger picture. Your feelings will betray you. God's word will never fail. Put your trust in that which is trustworthy.

Matthew 10:16 (NKJV)

"Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

When most people think of a genuine Christian, they usually have the idea of a weak-minded person. And this comes from biblical commands that describe how we are to be with words such as humble, meekness, and humility. We are told to turn the other cheek. People think that having faith like a little child implies that we are to leave our minds at the door when we enter the church.

Acts 19:8 (NKJV)

And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God.

Christianity is not a mindless religion. It is supremely logical and intellectually satisfying but at the same time God's ways are mysterious because His ways are higher than our ways.

Being wise, shrewd, persuasive, bold and intellectual are not mutually exclusive with being meek and humble and having faith like a little child. No, if you find someone who has all those traits, you will find someone whom you will really love, respect and want to be around. In fact, it sounds a lot like Jesus to me! I pray that others will see Jesus in me.

Matthew 9:18-26 (NKJV)

While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.” So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples. And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.

Jesus is on his way to heal this ruler's daughter and gets interrupted. But Jesus is never annoyed by interruptions. We need to see them as an opportunity to minister. The story is told about the man who was devoutly praying to God for his ministry and how he would go and do whatever God wanted him to. Then he is interrupted by a telephone call from some annoying person in his life and complained how this was interrupting his prayer time. There God was answering his prayer even before he had finished praying it with an opportunity to minister!

By the way, Jesus wants to eliminate idea that somehow it was the touching that was effective. He says It is her faith that made her well. It is the touch of faith in that results in salvation. It is not faith in a creed but in the person of Jesus Christ. Notice too how Jesus responds personally to her; he affectionately calls her “daughter” and encourages her. We have a personal relationship with Jesus too. He responds personally to us.

After the healing of this woman, Jesus continues with his original mission to raise this ruler's daughter from the dead.

²³ When Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, He said to them, “Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.” And they ridiculed Him. But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. And the report of this went out into all that land.

Is there more to this story? Is there any symbolic meaning in this? Perhaps.

In Leviticus 15 and 18 and elsewhere we find out that for a woman with an issue of blood, it is required that she stay outside the camp because she is ceremonially unclean. Anything that she touched, where she sat, etc. was declared unclean. Now, this woman mixing in with the crowd is not abiding by these laws. Can we infer from this the woman’s nationality? It is almost certain that she was a Gentile who had no regard for the ceremonial laws. Lets go further then. Who is it that Jesus is called upon to raise from the dead? We learn from the other accounts in Mark and Luke that she is a daughter of Zion, a title of Israel.

So symbolically we see Jesus Christ is on his way to raise the daughter of Zion, and incidental to this mission, a Gentile woman receives her healing by faith. I find the allusions there fascinating. One day the Lord will touch Israel and bring her back to life. He has not abandoned His plan for His chosen people. (Romans 11). God has a future plan for the nation of Israel. Meanwhile, in this parenthesis in time, God has extended His plan of salvation to include Gentiles who are coming to Him by faith today.

Matthew 9:1-8 (NKJV)

So He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own city. Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.”

This is the story about the four friends that bring a paralytic on a bed to see Jesus but the house was so crowded they could not get in so they climb on the roof and lower him through a hole they made. How wonderful to see friends bringing another needy friend to see Jesus. And notice that it was their faith, the friends faith, that Jesus saw.

So picture the scene: The guy being lowered through the roof is probably somewhat embarrassed, But notice how Jesus puts him at ease by saying "Son, be of good cheer." How gracious! But then Jesus says "your sins are forgiven." Now the guy is probably thinking "Gee, that's great, but I really sort of had a healing in mind." But forgiveness of sins is what we all really need more than anything. Now notice the reaction of some of the observers:

Matthew 9:3-8

And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, "This Man blasphemes!" But Jesus, knowing their thoughts , said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins” (now he turns to the sick man)—then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” And he arose and departed to his house. Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such power to men.

Jesus is not surprised at the reaction of the scribes observing on the back row—he knew this would upset them. I think He said this to antagonize them because they know only God could forgive sins.

"Knowing their thoughts"—This particular skill that Jesus has ought to be really disconcerting to you and me.

Now the rest of the crowd marveled when Jesus healed the man. They may not have understood all the theology yet since they did not recognize Jesus himself as God (the scribes at least got the implication right on that one), but they realize that something remarkable has just happened and that God was at work.

This is a common rabbinic teaching method, arguing from the lesser to the greater. Jesus basically argued: If I can heal (supposedly the more difficult to do) then could I not also forgive sins? This is why he said “which is easier to say” rather than do. Now, Jesus could not prove the forgiveness of sins, such a thing is so easy to say, anybody could say it. But the reality is that forgiveness of sins is far more difficult to do.

Here in this episode we have Jesus forgiving sins, receiving worship, and knowing men’s thoughts. All things that only God can do. I think I'll use this example with the nice people who come to the door trying to tell me Jesus is not God.

Speaking of knowing men's thoughts, I am reminded of this passage:

Psalm 139:1-4 (NKJV)

O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.

Genesis 25:21 (NKJV)

Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

We learn some interesting things about prayer in this passage. Isaac was fervent in his prayer and it was an intercessory prayer for his wife. Now we know that God had already promised through Abraham, that it would be thorough Isaac that he would have descendants more numerous that the stars. So, why is it that Isaac needed to pray and ask God to fulfill what he had already promised? We can conclude from this example and from many others in the Bible that this is exactly how God accomplishes his sovereign will—through the prayers of his people. One benefit of this is that after much waiting on the Lord, neither we nor Isaac could conclude that these children were just the result of the laws of nature since it is natural for a woman to have babies. But because of Rebekah's barrenness for 20 years, the credit and glory must go to God as both answered prayer and as part of accomplishing his will and promise through grace. Additionally, Isaac and Rebekah had to exercise faith and patience and dependence on God.

Ephesians 1:11

In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will

God’s sovereign will is accomplished through answered prayer. But, there is more to be learned about prayer in the next verse in this story.

Genesis 25:22-23

But the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If all is well, why am I like this?” So she went to inquire of the Lord.  And the Lord said to her: “Two nations are in your womb, Two peoples shall be separated from your body; One people shall be stronger than the other, And the older shall serve the younger.”

Notice where Rebekah goes to find out what is going on with her. We should always turn to the Lord first with all of our questions. But notice God's answer to Rebekah. God’s will about Rebekah's situation and about the future is revealed through answered prayer.

One of the great and difficult questions about the mystery of prayer and sovereignty is this: If God knows everything that is going to happen, and he is unchanging, how is it that prayer can change God? I think this little episode goes a long way towards answering that question. God answers our prayers to both accomplish and to reveal his sovereign will.

Matthew 8:1-2 (NKJV)

When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”

The leper says a remarkable thing. Notice that the question is not if Jesus is able but if he is willing. This is the first time recorded in the New Testament that anyone calls Jesus Lord. The Greek word for Lord here is equivalent to the Hebrew Adonai.

This is the first miracle recorded by Jesus too, and interestingly it introduces leprosy. Think about audience of the Gospels: Matthew is written to a Jewish audience, Mark to the Romans, Luke to the Greeks, and John to the believer in Christ. The first miracle of Mark and Luke were both casting out a demon which would have held much interest to Greeks and Romans. The first miracle of John was turning water into wine and John is a mystic of sorts which might appeal to the believer in Christ. The healing of a leper would have special meaning to a Jew. Leprosy was used by Holy Spirit in Old Testament to be emblematic of sin.

Leprosy, known today as Hanson’s disease, is caused by mycobacterium leprae and affects the skin, peripheral nerves, and mucous membranes. It is a loathsome disease, and very visible in the later stages. The eventual disfigurement is a manifestation of the corruption going on within. There was no cure for leprosy in Old Testament. Leprosy is different from all other diseases in that there is a social stigma attached to it. This is true all over the world.

Sin too is an inner corruption that eventually manifests itself outwardly.

Warren Weirsbe in his book Be Holy, commented on the instructions given to priests in the book of Leviticus. He points out that Leviticus helps us to understand the nature of sin. We learn that:

• Sin and Leprosy are both more than skin deep (Lev 13:3). Leprosy cannot be cured by just treating the lesions on the surface. We know that the sin problem is in the depths of our heart. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked [Jer 17:9] .
• Sin and Leprosy spread (Lev 13:8). Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death [James 1:15].
• Leprosy and sin both defile and isolate (Lev 13:45–46) Lepers were put outside the camp. But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags [Is 64:6]. I am a man of unclean lips [Is 6]
• Leprosy and sin are both fit only for the fire ( Lev 13:52,57) They had to burn the garments soiled by Leprosy. Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels' [Matthew 25:41].

So in the first miracle of Matthew we have a leper who comes and worships Jesus Christ and calls Him Lord. “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” In the mind of this leper, there is no basis for a cure except from God. Do you see what is going on?

Matt 8:3

Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

Jesus demonstrates total authority. The most important thing to remember about this story is the identity of this Leper. This will make the story more important to you: that leper is you and I. We have a disease worse than leprosy. We have a disorder called SIN for which there is only a blood cure...the blood of Jesus and His willingness. And He is willing!

By the Way, what must you do to be healed of this malady? Do what this leper did: Worship Jesus, admit your uncleanness and inability to do for yourself, ask him humbly, trust him, and finally take his outstretched hand.

Visualize yourself in the leper’s place. You’ll be blessed.

Psalm 9:10 (NKJV)

And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.

I was reading this verse this morning and was reminded of the famous question "What about those who have never heard of Gospel, how can they be saved?" Romans 1:20 says that God's creation clearly testifies of a Creator showing us his power and attributes. So there is no excuse for not believing in God. But how would someone who had never heard the Gospel ever get saved? This verse in Psalm 9:10 tells that those who seek Him will never be forsaken. Our problem is not how can we know God but rather that we do not act upon what is already known about Him!

Jeremiah 29:13 (NKJV)

And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

On the other hand, there are those who claim to know him but have never really sought him. They are interested in wearing the label and having the benefits but they are not really going after God because they do not really care about what He says as evidenced by their lack of obedience.

Matthew 7:21 (NKJV)

Not everyone who says to Me, "Lord, Lord," shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?" And then I will declare to them, "I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!"

Psalm 8:1 (NKJV)

O LORD, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth, Who have set Your glory above the heavens!

David is greatly impressed by God.

The two Lords in this verse are different in the Hebrew. The first is Jehovah, the covenant name of God. It called the tetragrammaton or "word with four letters", YHWH, which when pronounced sounds like Yahweh. It literally means "to be" or "He that is". Further, it means I Am Who I Am, the self-existent one. The second Lord is Adonai which indicates ownership or mastership. God is my owner and He claims my unrestricted devotion and obedience.

How high is God? He is not in the Heavens, a part of the created…He is above the heavens, he exists outside of space and time!

Ephesians 4:10

He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.

David is impressed with God's creation.

Psalm 8:3-4

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?

The carnal mind sees God in nothing while the spiritual mind sees God in everything.

Who is man? This is the great question of philosophy. The world's answer is that man is just another animal. Shakespeare said in Macbeth:

Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more; it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.

God's answer is different. God says we are created in His image. God has given us dominion over the earth.

Psalm 8:5-8

For You have made him a little lower than the angels,
And You have crowned him with glory and honor.
You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet

This is the way it was meant to be. It did not last very long, only until we in Adam rebelled and stopped believing. But those who are in Christ have been redeemed and there is a future glory awaiting:

2 Corinthians 3:18

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

1 John 3:2

Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

What is the action plan after reading Psalm 8?

• Marvel at every sunset and be awed by the stars
• Wonder in amazement at the Creator of the Universe
• Invite Jesus into your life
• Meditate on who you are in Christ

Matthew 6:1-4 (NKJV)

Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.

One thing that will hinder your walk with God in the Kingdom is a desire to have approval of others. The desire for approval is basically pride. It is certainly a problem for the world at large but how big of a problem is it for the Christian? The Pharisees for example desired religious respect and they wanted people to notice when they did pious things. Certainly the church is not immune to this problem, in fact, it probably is quite common but conveniently disguised in many cases.

How do I know this? It's called honest reflection into my own life and motivations.  It is during these moments that I can relate to this verse:

Jeremiah 17:9 (NKJV)

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?

I come away saying "that is describing my heart!"

If my motive of doing good is to be noticed by others then Jesus says that notice from others is my reward.

Jesus does not teach that we should hide our good deeds. That might be appropriate, but not the point. The issue is one of intents and purposes. It is not whether we are seen doing a good deed but whether we are doing a good deed to be seen.

When you are transformed by a daily walk with God, you will naturally become the kind of person whose left hand would not notice what the right hand is doing.

It's sort of like not noticing when you are driving a car; it's so ingrained and natural, you don’t think about it. Or when speaking your own language, you don't have to think about the words or how to pronounce them.

Genesis 15:6 (NKJV)

And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.

I looked at many translations of this verse and found many renderings of the word for accounted. I found counted, reckoned, credited, accepted, considered worthy, was pleased with, and declared.

God did not find some valuable asset in Abram and then recognize it. It is more like a transaction where someone deposits assets into your account.

Abram said, “I don’t see it, but I believe it.” God then said, “Righteous!”

That Hebrew word for believe is "aman". It means to be trustworthy, true, confirmed, established, verified, certain, reliable. What does that word remind you of? When we say our prayers, Amen or "so be it". Jesus used that word when he said, truly truly, verily verily, most assuredly. In the Hebrew language, the way you make a superlative is to double the word or even triple the word (like Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God of hosts).

So Abram hears God’s word, then he believes. This kind of belief affects behavior. Abraham will eventually act this belief out in obedience to God.

Now note when Abram was counted righteous. Not when he obeyed God about leaving Ur of the Chaldees but when he believed. What was it that Abram believed in? God had just promised him that he would give him a son and that his seed (descendants) would be greater than the stars in the heavens.

So what Abram believed that was accounted to him for righteousness was the promise regarding the Seed. And who is that Seed?

Galatians 3:16 (NKJV)

Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ.

It is not mere faith that saves but faith in Jesus Christ!

Genesis 15:7-8 (NKJV)

Then He said to him, “I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it.” And he said, “Lord God, how shall I know that I will inherit it”

There it is, the difference. The world says show me and I’ll believe it. Abraham said I believe it, now show me.

Genesis 11:4 (NKJV)

And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”

Remember, Gods command was to multiply and fill the earth, yet these post-flood people are planning to stay in one place. But notice the true motive, pride. They wanted to make a name for themselves. The next verse is really quite humorous:

Genesis 11:5

But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built.

As if God had to come down to see this little puny construction going on out there. Our tallest buildings and cathedrals are nothing to the Lord and He knows what’s going on everywhere anyway. What’s funny is that they were building this thing to reach heaven. And it is as if God is saying “not only does your tower not reach heaven, I had to come down to even see it” What man thinks is so big, to God is nothing.

Isaiah 40:22a

It is He who sits above the circle of the earth,
And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers...

This is a dramatic way of expressing the puniness of man’s accomplishments when set alongside the creator’s omnipotence.

Genesis 11:6

And the Lord said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.

On the other hand, we must recognize that man is a very competent creature. The fact that we can ride in an airplane going 600 miles an hour and five miles high and be served dinner is unbelievable. The potential of these people made in the image of God is quite high and if that potential is used for evil, it would be as bad as before the flood. God is not going to let that happen:

Genesis 11:7-8

Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech. So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city.

Another humorous scene of all these construction superintendents barking out orders and no one is able to understand—total chaos.

According to Wycliffe there are about 6,400 languages in the world today. Even today at the "one-world" governing body, the UN, many delegates have put on headphones and have the message translated into any number of different languages.

Proverbs 1:20-23 (NLT)

Wisdom shouts in the streets. She cries out in the public square. She calls to the crowds along the main street, to those gathered in front of the city gate: “How long, you simpletons, will you insist on being simpleminded? How long will you mockers relish your mocking? How long will you fools hate knowledge? Come and listen to my counsel. I’ll share my heart with you and make you wise.

Wisdom is a precious resource, and yet we treat it as something that is either only to be had in old age or something that is too difficult to find. Yet wisdom is something that makes itself available for the listening. You don't have to search it out to try to find it. It is constantly speaking and available for the listening. In fact, if you will just pay attention to it, wisdom will "share it's heart with you and make you wise."

In a crowded and noisy place our senses are bombarded with so much information that trying to take it all in and make sense of it is impossible. But it is possible to focus on one thing and tune the rest out. If it is possible to ignore the voice of wisdom then it is also possible to pay attention to it and ignore the rest of the competing messages.

Philippians 4:8-9 (NLT)

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

How can you tell wisdom apart from the rest of the voices? The answer is to know Who Wisdom is:

1 Corinthians 2:7-8 (NKJV)

But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

Wisdom is Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.

When I think about the temptations of Jesus after he had gone into the wilderness for forty days of fasting and prayer I think about the fact that Jesus was just as human as you or me. Jesus was not a super-human. This is the mystery of his incarnation that he was both fully God and fully man. In the wilderness he was being tested as fully man. These temptations Satan had for Him, like turning a stone into bread, are telling. Certainly Jesus was just as famished as you or I would be but as the God-Man don't you think Jesus could have pulled off that miracle? The test was whether Jesus would pull rank in his unglorified state. Remember when Jesus told Peter while he was being taken by the Roman soldiers to be tried.

Matthew 26:53 (NKJV)

Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?

Notice that to wield the power he had, it had to come from praying to the Father. Jesus had infinite power at his instant disposal but because he had condescended himself to become a full human being, He was in the same boat we are, dependent upon God for our power through prayer.

The last temptation is particularly interesting in how it ends. Of course, they all end with Jesus quoting some scripture from Deut 6-8.

Matthew 4:8-11 (NKJV)

Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”

Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”

Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.

First of all, the utter gall of Satan to ask Jesus to bow down and worship him just leaves me dumbfounded. But Jesus answers so appropriately, first he dismisses Satan and then quotes the Scripture about worshiping and serving the Lord God only. At first I can't help but think Satan is absurdly stupid to ask Jesus to worship him. But I think of the offer Satan is making in exchange. Basically Satan is offering Jesus the Kingdom without the Cross. Jesus was willing to go to the cross but even He asked God if there be any other way to let this cup pass from him.

Remember Satan is the ruler of "this world" because Adam gave it over to him after God had originally given it to Adam. God is doing everything legally and properly in this war against sin and Satan. And Jesus is demonstrating perfect righteousness as a kinsman of ours, fully human, unclothed of all his splendor and majesty. It is only in this way that He can offer His own earned righteousness as a human to us because he did not have to pay the penalty of His own sin because there was no sin found in him.

You know the story of how the serpent tempted Eve to eat the fruit of “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil”. Adam was there and ate too and this is what is known as the fall of man. A lesser known fact of the story is the prophesy of a hatred (enmity) between two parties. Talking to the serpent, God says:

Genesis 3:15 (NKJV)

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.

The woman is Eve right? But Eve has no offspring (seed) yet. Furthermore, to get technical, the female does not have seed, rather the male carries the seed. Could it be that God is talking about a virgin birth in which there is no human father, hence it would be prophetically correct to speak of the "her" seed? So let's conclude that this is the virgin mother of Christ being prophesied here and therefore Jesus is the seed and let's see where that idea takes us in the story.

Now the hostility expands to the ultimate battle between Christ and Satan. For all of Satan’s efforts, he only succeeds in wounding Christ by playing a God appointed role in Jesus own death and resurrection. I like to think of the bruising of Jesus heel as the temporary infliction caused by Jesus' crushing Satan's head in victory.

Then after pronouncing the penalties that Adam and Eve and their descendents would have to suffer(thorns and thistles from ground, pain in childbirth), God made clothing of animal skins to cover them.

Genesis 3:21 (NKJV)

Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.

Where did God get these skins? They had to come from a sacrificed animal which no doubt would have produced much blood. Can you see the picture of God’s mercy in providing a covering purchased with the shedding of blood?

Let's be much occupied with Jesus Christ this year!

Psalm 2:11-12

Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, 
when His wrath is kindled but a little. 
Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

Genesis 1:1 (NKJV)

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

One of the philosophical arguments for the existence of God is called the Cosmological Argument which states that every thing that begins to exist must have a had a cause outside of itself. I love the first verse in the Bible because in a matter-of-fact way, it ignores any requirement to defend the existence of God. Yet so powerfully and in such understated fashion, it reminds us of the absolute requirement of a first cause or a prime mover for anything at all to exist.

Note the elements of time (beginning), space (heavens), and matter (earth), and energy (created). Here we have the profound notion that matter itself was created, and that's no small feat. But notice that time and space are also created things. What was it like before time? What does it mean to not have space? That's God's domain—eternity. And that is why the Bible describes God as a spiritual being. The spirit is the other realm that has no dependence on our physical realm.

Now the Bible tells us that Jesus is the agent of creation:

Colossians 1:15-16 (NKJV)

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.

Yet, Jesus, the One who spoke time, space and matter into existence, came into this world as a baby.

Matthew 1:21-23

"And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.” So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”

Why did he do this? He became one of us, to save us from our sins. He came to do for us what we could not do for ourselves. He live a sinless life and died on a cross in our place, for us. He is our kinsman redeemer.