Tag Archives: Healing

Nothing He Can’t Do

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In the readings for this week, we see a picture of who Jesus is. He is epic. He is divine and powerful and strong and eternal.

Why? Why do the readings this week focus so much on how big Jesus is, on His divine Majesty, on His power, on His might? Why are we reminded of these things?

Because we need to remember that this is His world. He is King. He is Lord. He is in control. He is in charge.

We are not. Seriously. We are not in control. He is. Listen to what happens today in Matthew 9: 2-8:

And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” And he rose and went home. When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.

downloadJesus says, not just be healed, but be forgiven. Because as great as the healing was, the forgiveness is even more amazing. That’s the kind of God that Jesus is. He has the power to heal. He has the power to forgive.

There is literally nothing that He can’t do. He can do everything. There is not a portion, a part, an inch of your life that Jesus can’t restore, can’t rebuild, can’t bring new life to.

Nothing. There is nothing that He can’t do.

Nothing.

Today remember His power. Remember that He has the power to heal. He has the power to forgive. He has the power to do everything. Don’t forsake that power. Don’t forget that power.

Live as a child of risen and resurrected King. There’s nothing He can’t do.

Nothing.

Do you believe that? Do you live like that? We should. We have to. Because that’s who He is.

Today, let’s live like we believe that Jesus is who He says that He is. Let’s live in the power that He grants to us. Let’s live.

Don’t forget, you can click here to download Asbury’s mobile app and read these devotionals, as well as listen to my sermons on your smart phones, and you thought our app, you can now watch our worship services from Asbury too!

The One Thing I Know

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There’s a lot of things that I don’t know. There’s a lot of things that I don’t understand. There’s a lot of parts of the Bible that don’t make sense to me, a lot of mysteries of God that I can’t fathom. There’s a lot that I don’t know in life.

And, by the way, the older I get, the more that I’m ok with not knowing everything.

There’s a lot that I don’t know. But there is one that that I know for sure.  I’ll let what it says in John 9: 24-25 explain that:

So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.”

One-Thing-121In John 9, Jesus heals a blind man.  This man was hauled before the authorities to be questioned about his healing, about Jesus, about everything. And they hurl question after question at him, to the point where he’s finally fed up with it. And this is how he responds.  I don’t know everything. But I know this.  I was was blind, but now I see.

The one thing I know is this. I once was blind, but now I see. There’s a lot of things that my mind will never understand. But I know this.  Jesus changed my life.  He made me different.  He changed my purpose, He changed my plans, He changed everything about me.

I once was blind, but now I see.  I once had no purpose, now I have purpose.  I once had no peace, now I have peace.  I once had no hope, now I have hope.

I once was blind, but now I see.  I know that.  I’ve experienced that.  I’ve lived that.

There’s a lot I don’t know.  But I do know this.  Jesus changed my life. And there’s not a single life that He can’t change.  That’s what I do know.

Don’t forget, you can click here to download Asbury’s mobile app and read these devotionals, as well as listen to my sermons on your smart phones, and you thought our app, you can now watch our worship services from Asbury too!

Didn’t See that Coming

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I really love when the Bible catches us off guard. When we read something or see something or something within the text gets us in a way that we do not expect.

When we see something unfold in the text the we didn’t see coming.

Like what we read today in Mark 3:1-5. Listen to this text and see if the same thing that hit me hits you:

Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.

Man-with-withered-handWe see Jesus come into synagogue, a place of Jewish teaching. And we see people plotting against Jesus, because it was in the man-made law (not the Old Testament law) that people were restricted from work on the Sabbath. Why? Because one of the Commandment is to honor the Sabbath and keep it holy. It should be a time of rest. But, the religious leaders had moved this to a commandment that had far exceeded its actual religious purpose and had moved it to just straight legalism and control.

So, Jesus is there, and he says, is it against the law to help someone?  And they are silent. And there it is.

“He looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart.” Jesus got angry! Didn’t see that one coming! He got angry.

We have this milk toast image of Jesus as just laid back, smiling, walking around, always happy, not very passionate, just kind of there. Today, it says when He was confronted by folks that would rather observe a man-made law than would help someone, He got angry.

Because they valued man-made laws and regulations over the true law of God. What is that true law? To love God and love neighbor. Jesus valued people over everything. That’s why He came. And that’s what He longs to teach us.

To value people over everything.

And they didn’t. The valued their rules over people. And it grieved Him. And it made Him angry.

Today, as the people of God, seeing others hurt should make us angry. Seeing children with no food to eat should make us angry. Seeing women and children abused should make angry. Seeing sin run rampant in the world should make us angry.

But, we can’t just get angry. We must do something about it. Jesus just didn’t get angry. He healed the man.

Today, these things that make you angry, these things of injustice and hurt. What are you going to do about them?

How are we going to act to help someone today? For in doing that, we are really living out the law that God wants us to live. And we are making a difference in for the kingdom.

Don’t forget, you can click here to download Asbury’s mobile app and read these devotionals, as well as listen to my sermons on your smart phones

Give Thanks

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172Today, you’ve been forgiven.

Now, you have to accept that forgiveness. For it to make a difference in your life, you’ve got to accept it, internalize it, believe it for yourself.

Allow it make a difference in your life and in your soul.

But, you’ve been forgiven. The work is done. The price is paid. The effort is fulfilled.

Will you give thanks today? Listen to the story we see today in Luke 17:15-19:

Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”

Jesus heals 10 lepers. He tells them to go and present themselves, for in that day to be fully “cleansed” you had to present yourself to the priests.

So, all 10 do that.

And only 1 returns to give thanks. Only 1 returns to Jesus to thank Him for their healing and their new life. Only one returns to show a thankful heart for what God has done.

Today, you’ve been forgiven. Today, grace is available and ready for you. Today, mercy and hope and new life are there for you.

And if you’ve received it, have you returned to God to say thank you?

He loves you. He heals our brokenness. He gives us love.

And out of thankful hearts we should stop. Pause. And say thank you.

Of the 10 folks healed, only 1 returned. Today, will we be 9? Or will we be the 1?

Don’t forget, you can click here to download Asbury’s mobile app and read these devotionals, as well as listen to my sermons on your smart phones.

Healing

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Do you want to be healed today? That was the question that Jesus asked a man today in John 5. Jesus saw a man sitting beside a pool where healing happened.

Listen to what happened:

When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me. “Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.

This man had been sitting there for many years. Jesus came to him and said, do you want to be healed. He said no one could help him.

Jesus cuts to the chance. He doesn’t accept that statement. He heals him. He restores him. He helps him to become whole again.

The same Jesus comes to us today and asks us the same question. Do you want to be healed? Now we may be facing a physical situation that has no easy answer.

We may be facing and emotional or spiritual situation that has no easy answer.

We may be dealing with things that aren’t easy to fix. That are challenges. That may take lots of work, tears, prayers, and faith.

Our life may be full of these types of challenges. But, listen to the question that Jesus asked this man.

Do you want to be healed? Do you want to be whole? Do you want to be restored?

You can be. By Jesus.

He can make you whole. Even if He doesn’t “heal” you. You may still have you physical challenges. You may still have your emotional challenges. You may still face trials, trouble, and worries.

But, you can be healed today. You can be made whole today. You can be restored and renewed today.

Through Jesus. In Jesus. By Jesus. Today.

Today, do you want to be healed? Today, may each of us find that new life in Jesus Christ!

Don’t forget, you can click here to download Asbury’s mobile app and read these devotionals, as well as listen to my sermons on your smart phones.

Healing and Wholeness

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Do you want to be healed today? That was the question that Jesus asked a man today in John 5. Jesus saw a man sitting beside a pool where healing happened.

Listen to what happened:

When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me. “Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.

This man had been sitting there for many years. Jesus came to him and said, do you want to be healed. He said no one could help him.

Jesus cuts to the chase. He doesn’t accept that statement. He heals him. He restores him. He helps him to become whole again.

The same Jesus comes to us today and asks us the same question. Do you want to be healed? Now we may be facing a physical situation that has no easy answer.

We may be facing and emotional or spiritual situation that has no easy answer.

We may be dealing with things that aren’t easy to fix. That are challenges. That may take lots of work, tears, prayers, and faith.

Our life may be full of these types of challenges. But, listen to the question that Jesus asked this man.

Do you want to be healed? Do you want to be whole? Do you want to be restored?

You can be. By Jesus.

He can make you whole. Even if He doesn’t “heal” you. You may still have you physical challenges. You may still have your emotional challenges. You may still face trials, trouble, and worries.

But, you can be healed today. You can be made whole today. You can be restored and renewed today.

Through Jesus. In Jesus. By Jesus. Today.

Today, do you want to be healed? Today, may each of us find that new life in Jesus Christ!

Don’t forget, you can click here to download Asbury’s mobile app and read these devotionals, as well as listen to my sermons on your smart phones.

Give Thanks

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Today, in Luke’s Gospel, we read about Jesus healing some folks.  This one of those miracles that has something expected in it.

In fact, what happens after the miracle is more amazing than the miracle it’s self.

Listen to what happens today in Luke 17

15Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. 16He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. 17Then Jesus asked, ‘Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? 18Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?’

Ten folks were healed by Jesus.  Only one returned to give Him thanks.

Only one.

Why is that?  The text doesn’t say. We don’t know why only returned.  But we know that it happened.

Perhaps they were busy. Perhaps they were seeing family and friends they hadn’t seen in a while. Perhaps in joy, they just forgot.

But, they didn’t return to give thanks. For whatever reason, they didn’t come back to give thanks.

And, even more amazing, the only one of the nine to return and give thanks was a Samaritan. He wasn’t even one of the “chosen.” He didn’t know who Jesus was. He wasn’t one of the people.

So, of the ten, the nine that were Jesus’ people, that we were Jewish, they didn’t return to give thanks.

And the only one that did, was a Samaritan, a foreigner.  He gave thanks.

Today, are we thankful. Are we thankful for grace?

For life?

For family?

For health?

Today, yes, life may be hard.  You may have a lot of challenges ahead of you in the days to come. Yes, it may not be easy.

But, you are here.  You are breathing. You gotta a chance!

Be thankful. For the little things. For life. For the love of God and family. For all He has done.

And particularly those of us that are Christians, we should be most thankful.

For we know this – we are loved, we are forgiven.

We, among all folks, should be most thankful.

Today, give thanks, for God is good. And His love endures forever.

Don’t Miss It

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One of the things we see in Gospels, during Jesus ministry, is that so many people missed what He was doing.

They didn’t see.

Maybe they didn’t want to see it.

Maybe they would have done things different from Jesus.

Maybe they disagreed with how He did things.

But, for whatever reason, so many of the religious leaders missed what Jesus was doing.

Take the text in Luke 13 this morning:

14But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, ‘There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the sabbath day.’ 15But the Lord answered him and said, ‘You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water? 16And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the sabbath day?’

Because it wasn’t the way that would have done it, the teacher got mad.

He said, you shouldn’t heal on the Sabbath. But, he missed the most important point – someone was healed!

And He missed it!  He missed what Jesus was doing!  He missed the miracle that Jesus performed!  He missed that hope that Jesus gave.

Because He was focusing on what didn’t really matter.

Do we, in our lives, miss what God is trying to do, because we focus on what doesn’t matter?  Do we miss what God may be trying to accomplish in our lives, or in the lives others because it’s not the way that we’d do it.

Do we miss the things that we should be praising God for instead of complaining about?

Don’t miss what God is trying to do. Be on the lookout for what His spirit is doing!

God is at work, all around you today.

Don’t miss it!

Amazing Love

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One of my favorite works by Charles Wesley is “And Can it Be?”  It has that awesome chorus “Amazing love! How can it be, That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?”

We know God loves us. We’ve heard that from the time we were children. We’ve song the songs, read the verses.

We know God loves us.

But, I think we can forget, or maybe not really know, the depth of God’s love for us.

Listen to what happens in Luke’s Gospel today:

43 Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years; and though she had spent all she had on physicians, no one could cure her…. 47 When the woman saw that she could not remain hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before him, she declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. 48 He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.’

She was sick, she had been bleeding for years. This made her unclean, according the Law.

Because of her illness, she couldn’t go to the Temple (church). She couldn’t go to the Market (Wal-Mart). She couldn’t even go to her family. For, simply touching someone that is unclean would make you unclean.

She was separated from all that she loved. She was cut off from everyone and everything.

Desperate, she sees Jesus walking in a crowd and she. . . . . touches him.

Probably the first touch she’d received in many, many years.

And in touching Jesus, she could have made Him unclean.  Not could have, would have.

He could have responded in anger.  The text said she was trembling. Why?

She knew what she had done. She knew the risk she had taken.  It wasn’t even a risk, it was a certainty.  In touching Him, she had risked everything.

She didn’t know what His reaction would be, or the crowd.

How did He respond?  Amazing Love – you are healed.  You are whole.  You are loved.

He responded to in amazing love.  In spite of her condition which had left her cut off for years.  In spite of her doing something, by the Law, she shouldn’t have, in touching Him.  In spite of these.

He healed her.  He loved her.  He made her whole.

Today, no matter who we are.  Jesus loves us.  He wants to make us whole today.

He wants to restore us.  He wants to love us.

Amazing Love, how can it be? That’s the love of Jesus Christ for you.

Today, may we each realize how much we are loved.