Do You Believe?

Matthew 9:28-29     And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.

 

“Following Jesus”  These two blind men had been following Jesus crying out for mercy.  Jesus had performed several miracles in the previous verses and it goes without saying that people were talking.  These blind men had heard what was happening and decided that today was their day to receive a miracle, so, they began to follow Jesus.  If you want to receive your miracle today that is exactly where it begins – Seeking Jesus.

 

“Do You Believe”  God is not up in Heaven worried about what His next step will be or how He is going to help you.  He is able!  The question that must be addressed is what do you believe?  Is God able to open blind eyes?  Is He able to heal cancer?  Is He able to restore your marriage?  When you look at your situation and you cry out to God in desperation have you fully settled the matter in your heart?  A double minded man will receive nothing from God.  We cannot say God is able and then act like God has abandoned us.  Yes, Lord!  I know you love me.  Yes, Lord! I know you died for me.  Yes, Lord!  I know you are able.  God is waiting for us to settle this in our hearts.  What will our answer be today?

 

“Yes Lord”  When Jesus asked if they believed He was able to do this, heal them, the blind men did not hesitate.  They didn’t have to work through a lengthy mental exercise or weigh all of the facts.  They said two of the most important words we can speak in response to God.  Yes, Lord!  Not, “I think so.” or “if it is your will.”  Their response was, Yes, Lord!  I know that you can do this.  All power is in you.  You created the heavens and the earth.  You created every nerve ending in my body.  You are the breath that I breathe and the bread that I eat.  You are in control and at your Word mountains tremble.  Do I believe?  How could I not believe in you?  You are Lord!  You spoke and the world was created.  If you get the right perspective on who Jesus is you cannot help but believe.  He is not dependent on any mortal man.  He is God!  Lord of all creation and He is able.

 

“He Touched Me”  The song goes, “I was shackled by a heavy burden.  Neath a load of guilt and shame.  Then the hand of Jesus touched me, and now I am no longer the same.  He touched me…”  Have you been struggling with the weight of this world pressing on your shoulders?  Has worry and fear tried to steal the joy of your Christian walk?  Does every step you take feel like you can’t go on?  Cry out to Jesus right now.  Don’t wait for a better time.  There is no better time than right now to feel His touch and know His love.  Burdens are lifted and hearts are restored in the presence of the King.

 

“That’s Why He Came”  When we cry out to Jesus He will surely rescue us.  He is not far away and He is not deaf that He cannot hear.  He doesn’t have to “give it thought” or determine our worth.  So often we picture God like a celestial banker with a big ledger keeping track of the good and bad each of us has done and paying us back in kind.  But that is not why Jesus came.  He came while we were yet sinners.  He came when we were morally bankrupt.  He owed us nothing and we deserved death “But God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son that whosoever…”  The truth of the matter is that He came looking for us.  He wants to touch us and when we call on His name there is nothing that can separate us from His love.   Jesus came to seek and to save the lost.  He wants to touch you, to heal you, to save you, to restore you, after all, that’s why He came

 

 “According To Your Faith”  It is God that creates and sustains.  It is by His hand that we are made whole and it is by His Word that we are saved.  He is our all in all and there is nothing too hard for him but let no man think that he will receive anything from God without faith.  God has ordained that without faith it is impossible to please Him.  We are commanded to believe and to not waiver in James 1:6-8 and that principle still holds true today.  Jesus did not make this statement only once but Scripture is replete with this truth.  In Matthew 8:13 he told the centurion, “Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee.”  In Mark 11:24 Jesus said, “What things so ever you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them.”    

 

So the question becomes, “How can I increase my faith?  How do I believe in the midst of this storm?  Paul tells us in Romans 10:17 that faith comes by hearing the word of God.  But have you ever read the rest of that chapter?  He goes on to rebuke Israel because they heard and remained disobedient.  In fact the very next verse says “But I say, have they not heard”.  Just hearing God’s Word is not going to magically give you faith.  You must believe that God is and that He is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him.  You must hide His Word in your heart so that you will not sin against Him.  Again, just memorizing the Scriptures isn’t enough.  You must do it SO that you might not sin against God.  This implies that you are living to please Him, desiring to not offend God in even the smallest thing.  Faith is like the nucleus of an atomic particle.  A particle so small, yet within that tiny structure is power so great that when it is released the power takes on a self sustaining life of its own.  Faith in God is just like that.  Deep within the core of your being is something as small as a mustard seed that can lay dormant and inactive for a lifetime.  But when you come face to face with the Creator, its Creator, that faith can be activated and things will never be the same.  It truly is a gift from God and as Jesus said, “All things are possible”, only believe.

Wonderful Counselor

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Isaiah 9:6 (NIV) 

This week children are counting down the days to Christmas and across the nation people are fully engaged in the annual rituals of our celebration of Jesus’ Birthday. Our church has an annual Birthday Celebration on the Sunday before Christmas where we purchase a cake and gather for a Birthday Party. It is easy in all the gift giving to each other to forget that this celebration isn’t about us, it’s about Jesus. I can’t think of anybody else’s birthday where we all get gifts and they are mostly forgotten. Our passage this week serves to remind us that there is ample reason to rejoice. A child is born, a son is given, and He will reign forever and ever. The government will be on His shoulders. All power and glory and honor is given unto Him. Over 700 years before the birth of Jesus the prophet Isaiah was moved by the Holy Spirit to prophecy of His coming and give us some hints of what we were about to receive.

You might notice that there are four descriptions of the child King. Each one has a noun and adjective. Today I want to look at the first – Wonderful Counselor. In the King James Version there is a comma between these two words. In other versions it has been removed. It is possible to read this as “His name is Wonderful.”

Do you remember in Judges 13 when the Angel of the Lord came to visit Manoah and his wife. The angel had told her that she would have a child and now was confirming his word to her husband. In the Old Testament often times the Angel of the Lord was actually the pre-incarnate Christ. Before the Holy Spirit moved upon Mary and she conceived the Only Begotten Son of God there was The Word. “The Word became flesh and dwelled among us.” That is Jesus! Angels don’t receive worship and when it was an actual messenger of God they would always warn the people to worship only God. But there were times when The Angel of the Lord would receive the worship of men and identify Himself. The most notable example of this is when Joshua encountered the man outside of Jericho who identified Himself as the “Captain (or Commander) of the Lord’s Host” He even commanded Joshua to take off his shoes because he was on holy ground. This was obviously the pre-incarnate Christ.

Back to Manoah. He asked the “angel” that came to visit what was his name? The angel answered that His name was “secret”. In the Hebrew that word is פָּלִיא or “paliy” it can be translated secret or (are you ready for this) wonderful. In Judges 13:19 as Manoah offers a burnt offering to the Lord the “Angel” stepped into the fire and did “wondrously”’ as He ascended to heaven. What a beautiful picture of how God receives our sacrifices of praise. Think about it. God inhabits the praises of His people.

When we say, “He is Wonderful” we are proclaiming one of the names of Jesus. Our hearts are overwhelmed as we think of His lowly birth. He lived sinless and died in our place. He conquered death and the grave as He burst forth from the tomb in glorious resurrection. We stand with arms held high and proclaim, “He is Wonderful!” Jesus stands alone in the annals of history, He alone is worthy, He alone reigns supreme! He is the Only Begotten of the Father, touched with the feeling of our infirmities, reaching down to lost man, His grace is manifested over and over in our lives. YES! He is Wonderful!

But here in Isaiah 9:6 Jesus is called Wonderful Counselor. In all that we know of the wonders of Christ He comes to reveal to us the Father. He leads us beside the still waters and teaches us the way. Everything that Jesus did from His birth to His resurrection was to open our eyes to the love of the Father. His mission was to lead us to that place of restoration and healing where God becomes our All in All.

John starts his Gospel with the statement, “In the beginning was the Word”. This is the name he gives to the pre-incarnate Christ. When we want to make others understand us we use words. It is how we express ourselves and reveal our deepest thoughts and desires. God sent His Word! Jesus! He was one with the Father from the beginning and when God created the heavens and the earth Genesis records that “He said let there be..” It was the Eternal Word of God that placed the stars in the heavens and created the firmaments of the earth. It was by the Word of God that all things were created.

Jesus didn’t just come to earth to show us the way to the Father but to walk beside us. He is the Word that abides in us and empowers us so that we might walk in Truth and Righteousness. He truly is our Wonderful Counselor.

Wrong Thinking

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Romans 1:21 (NIV)

It’s Black Friday! Millions of people that were giving thanks for the things that they have are now elbowing and shoving their way through the crowds to save a few dollars. It’s not that they can’t buy the item later, this is about money. The stores have spent millions to convince us that we need to camp out in line in the freezing cold, crush our neighbor trying to crowd through the front door, and push the little old lady out of the way so we can get a blender for $9.99. Black Friday is the embodiment of selfishness all done under the guise of celebrating Jesus and giving to others. Wow! Now that is some wrong thinking.

Paul tells us that those that had known God but did not glorify Him as God and did not give thanks to Him became futile in their thinking and their hearts were darkened. What embodies that more than the displays we see during this season as we claim to be celebrating Jesus. He left the splendor of Heaven, lived in poverty, and gave His body as a sacrifice for sin so that we might learn how to live. He taught us to love others, to put others first and to take the lowest seat at the table, not to seek honor but to seek to serve. Somewhere along the line our thinking has become futile and our hearts foolish.

As we begin this season of joy and peace to men, remember that the only way to attain those wonderful gifts are from God. God didn’t send some reindeer pulling a sled packed with goodies. He came! He lived! He died! He gave Himself so that we might be restored to fellowship with the Father. If we want to celebrate Jesus let’s live and love more like Him. That might require us to walk away from the crowd today.

Things Above

Ephesians 1:3 (NIV) Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

Can you imagine living just one day without the presence of the Holy Spirit leading you? The thought of that possibility sobers my mind! I depend on Him from the time I rise from my bed in the morning and in every situation of the day. Some might view the Holy Spirit as someone they call on whenever they need Him but that relegates Him to the role of “sometime” friend. One of those “I’ll call you in a pinch people” that we try to find their number because we don’t talk to them that often. If we are to “walk in the Spirit” then we must become more and more aware of His presence in our life. Like a faithful friend that never leaves us God has ordained that His Spirit is the conduit of every Spiritual Blessing.

Paul tells the Ephesians that they are blessed with “every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus” but those blessings are from Heavenly realms. To walk in the spirit is our connection to the Father. Living a life filled with His presence allows us to receive the blessings that flow from God. When Adam sinned and hurled mankind into the darkness of separation from God there was no hope of reconciliation to be found on earth. There was no man, no woman, no beast, nothing that had been created could reconcile fallen man. Our salvation had to begin in Heavenly Realms. It started with God and only by His grace and mercy could the plan of salvation take place. But then the wonder of the ages began to unfold. God came down to earth! Born of the virgin, Jesus became the conduit of God’s grace and mercy. It was at His baptism that the Holy Spirit descended upon Him and from that moment on Jesus began to perform miracles and confound the religious circles. He spoke with authority and wisdom and looked into the hearts of men and women with discernment that was undeniable. His every step was ordered by the Spirit.

If we are to follow in the footsteps of Jesus than we must understand that our life and strength comes from God. Become dependent on the Spirit! Cry out like the Psalmist, “Take not thy Holy Spirit from me.” Wake up with Him in the morning and lay down with Him at night. Be aware of His promptings and know His voice better than anyone or anything else. Long for Him. Desire Him. Depend on Him. Be desperate for Him. Because every spiritual blessing that we receive in Christ is directed through our lives by the Holy Spirit. What is He speaking to you now? Do you know His voice?

City Lights

Matthew 5:14-16 (KJV) Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it gives light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Travelling the dark roads at night while crossing the countryside can be dreary. Endless miles stretch before you with nothing to follow except the white line of the highway. Often while travelling I have seen the glow on the horizon shining like a beacon in the darkness. City lights seem to penetrate the night for miles, when placed on a hill those lights can lead the weary pilgrim to their destination and sweet rest.

This is the reference that Jesus makes when He compares Believers to a city that is set on a hill or a lamp in our homes. Lights are not lit to hide under a bowl but to be placed where everyone can see them. The life of a Christian is not to be one of clandestine holiness but is meant to be a beacon leading the lost to Jesus.

There is a song that talks about a little boy who was lost in the city. He doesn’t know his address or even how to get home, but then he remembers the old mission church that is near his house. He remembers that there is a big lighted cross at the top of the mission and cries out “If you can get me to the cross I can get home.” Isn’t that exactly what the world needs, someone to help them find their way. God has given that job to those that are called by His name.

We are to be filled with the light! The Light of the World has beckoned us come and be filled, to overflow with Truth and Life. There are many that are lost and cannot find their way home. They search in the darkness of this world for something to set them free but all that the world has to offer are the thorns and briers that entangle them even more. Frantically they thrash about in the darkness searching, longing, hoping and then they see a light. There is hope as they make their way to the light that is in you. It is Christ in you the hope of glory.

In Christ’s day everyone was familiar with the oil lamps that were needed to give light in the darkness. They knew that those lights had to be maintained. They had to be cleaned because the soot and dirt would cloud the light and make it harder to see. They knew that the oil had to be kept full so the light would burn through the night and they knew that the lamp had to be placed on a lamp stand so that everyone could see the light. No one puts a lamp under a bowl and hides the light. That is not a real light. True light cannot be hidden it must be lifted so that it may draw men. We see this illustrated in the words of Christ,

“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” John 12:32

Jesus held nothing back as He offered Himself up to the cruel cross of Calvary. But in His submission to the will of the Father we are shown the way each of us can offer ourselves as living sacrifices holy and acceptable unto Him. Our reasonable service is to let our light shine for Jesus no matter what the cost.

Reflections

Matthew 5:14-16 (KJV) Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it gives light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

     “When I think about His goodness and what He’s done for me. When I think about His goodness and how He set me free. It makes me want to shout.”

     I couldn’t help but think of the words to that chorus as I read the what Jesus had to say about us. “You are the light of the world!”

     Born in sin, shaped in iniquity, surrounded by darkness with nothing to offer anyone and lost in the blackness of my own despair, how could anyone see beauty or worth in me. I couldn’t even save myself, how could I be the light of the world? How could I help anyone find the way? Surely the Master must have gotten this one wrong.

      Let me take you to the blackness of our solar system to illustrate what Jesus was saying to those that believe on Him. Genesis records that there was a time when the stars did not shine and “darkness was upon the face of the deep”. I believe that refers to much more than just it being dark over the ocean. Deep in the reaches of space there was no understanding, there was no sun shining upon the planets and the cold darkness of space stifled life. The darkness meant death! There was no active presence of God being manifest. Then God spoke. What did He say?

     “Let there be light!”

     Don’t let the glory of that moment escape you. In the face of death and vast emptiness God saw what was needed more than anything else and sent light. The Sun began to shine and there was hope. Hope for tomorrow. Hope for a new start. Hope for abundance. In the glory of the light that was shining the darkness was cast off and boundless possibilities were now ready to explode upon the scene. There is no life without light.

      There is no revelation without light. As we peer into the darkness of space, we would see nothing if it were not for the light. Staring up into the darkness that surrounds earth we would never see the moon if it were not for the Sun. The moon has no source of light in itself. Its beauty and potential lay dormant and hidden outside of the light that shines upon it. What we see when we look up at the moon is light reflected from the Sun. What our eyes are registering and turning into an image that our minds can fathom is light. The shapes and colors that create the beauty of the celestial beings are all viewed because of the light. Turn off the Sun and everything else vanishes in the still darkness of night. But in the evening when the Sun is hidden by the earth there is a light. It shines in the darkness and allows us to see even if we only see in part. The moon, which has no light of its own, is shining. The Sun is reflecting off the moon and creates a light that shines in the darkness.

       Without Jesus there is no light! When He came into this world the light of God’s glory burst forth in glorious praise. He was the light that destroyed death, hell, and the grave. He was the light that endured the cross. He was the light that raised the dead and healed the sick. Jesus, ascended into Heaven, seated at the right hand of the Father, is still the light!

      Consider the words of Jesus in John 5:19,

     “Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it.”

     Jesus is teaching us about Light! He came to show us the Father. His earthly life was a reflection of the love, truth, and holiness of the Father. When Jesus walked into a room His purpose was to make the Father known. He was about the Father business and when we saw Jesus we saw the Father. That’s how we become light. Not from any value or power of our own but because Jesus lives in us. His light shines through the darkness of this world and finds a reflector, one that believes on Him and is willing to make Him known. When we live our lives in the light of Christ’s immeasurable glory we are the light! 

No More Junk Food

Matthew 5:6 (KJV) Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

I have to confess there are times when I am hungry and begin to rustle through the kitchen for something to satisfy my longings. I don’t want to take the time to cook or make something complicated, I just want to eat. I will open the pantry, the refrigerator, look in the bread box, and cabinets but can find nothing to eat. Now we all know there was plenty to eat in those places but I didn’t want to go to the trouble. So, having gone through my exhaustive search I pull out the bag of candy and have a snack. It is just enough to relieve the hunger and trick my mind into thinking that I have eaten. Healthy? No way! Am I really full? Absolutely not! Will I be back in the kitchen looking for something? Before you can even ask the question.

Unfortunately, we are not only guilty of this with our physical eating habits but in so many other areas of our life as well. Commercials fill the air waves with “time saving” gimmicks that promise to make our lives easier and fulfill our needs. Being hungry or needing help and reaching out for the wrong thing will never truly satisfy. Instead we waste valuable time and effort on that which can give us only fleeting satisfaction.

When we hunger and thirst for righteousness there is a deep, yearning in our soul that cries out to be satisfied. Some try to fill that hunger with legalism and think that in their rules and regulations they will be filled. The Pharisees were caught in this trap and history tells us that they were never satisfied but had to always find new laws, new rules, new regulations to follow. None of these ever truly made them righteous. No human effort ever could.

Others tried to dismiss their hunger with excuses for their sinful behavior. Grace became an excuse to be unrighteous and no amount of grace applied could ever fill the longing to live right before God. Instead of becoming the satisfaction that God had meant for grace to be in the lives of men it became the opposite of what it was intended to be. They had frustrated the grace of God.

God’s law and His grace are both important parts of salvation. Used properly they can build us up in the faith and help to create a strong, healthy body. It’s important to remember that when we hunger and thirst for righteousness there is only one who is righteous, Jesus! We must take the time to gather all of the ingredients for this meal.

The Law is our school master that brings us to Christ.

Grace is the door wherein we can enter into this new life in Christ.

The Church is the means by which the Holy Spirit teaches us of Christ.

As we hunger and thirst for righteousness we must never forget that the main thing, the only thing that matters is Jesus! He put it this way,

“Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever." John 6:53-58

Hungry? Thirsty? Only Jesus can satisfy that longing down in your soul.