Month: April 2023

Reflection on Matthew 8: 5-13

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Scripture

But the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed.”

Observation

A Roman officer comes to Jesus and asks Him to heal his servant who is paralysed and in pain.

Jesus offers to come to the officer’s house to heal him, but the officer says, “You do not need to come to my home. Just say the word and my servant will be healed. I am under authority, and I also have authority. You just need to give the command.”

Jesus marvels at the man’s faith. He warns the crowd that many Gentiles will come into God’s Kingdom, but many Israelites will be sent to hell.

Jesus then tells the man to go back home for his servant is healed.

Application

This Roman officer understood the authority that Jesus had. This authority resided in the person of Jesus, and He could just give the order and the servant would be healed.

Faith is about trusting in the power and the willingness of God to do what He has said He will do.

When we get a diagnosis, we often don’t think that God is able to heal us. The doctors have spoken, and their word seems to carry more weight in our minds than the word of God.

When we look at the bills that need to be paid, we can sometimes get overwhelmed by our inadequacy to pay them. We forget that God is our provider. He owns all things and will not withhold them from us.

The key to this is faith – trusting and believing that God loves us. He sees what we need and He will provide.

Prayer

Lord, please help me to trust you for everything I need today. Amen.

Reflection on Matthew 8:1-4

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Scripture

“This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.”

Observation

Jesus and the crowd go down the mountain, where a leper asks Jesus to heal him.

Jesus reaches out and touches him and then commands the man, “Be healed.” Jesus then tells the man not to tell anyone, but instead to go to the priest for examination and make the offering required by the law of Moses.

Application

We should all have a testimony about Jesus that we can share in public, that is with our family and friends. For this man, the testimony was to obey the law of Moses for cleansed lepers. No doubt he would get to tell the priest about Jesus.

The man born blind had a very simple testimony, “I once was blind but now I see.”

What has Jesus done in your life?

How does that work out in everyday living?

Your salvation should change your words, your deeds, your reactions, and your interests. This does not necessarily happen immediately, but faith in Jesus does bring great changes in our lives .

One touch from the Lord changed this man’s life forever. One touch from the Lord will change your life forever.

Prayer

Lord, I thank you for the power of the name of Jesus. You are still changing lives. Please make my life what you want it to be. Amen.

Quote for the Day

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Paul’s concepts of “the day of the Lord,” the second coming, and final judgment appear to form a constellation of related, not distinct, eschatological events. Although some have tried to chart them out, they ultimately defy systemization. For Paul, these future happenings comprise a single, grand finale, even as the cross, burial, and resurrection of Jesus form a single, world-changing event in the middle of time. David Capes

Quote for the Day

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In this way Jesus as kyrios stands in the same kind of relation to the church/individual believers as YHWH (kyrios) stands in relation to Israel/individual Jews. This is a remarkable appropriation of language reserved for the one true God; it is rendered all the more remarkable when one considers that Jesus was executed as a messianic pretender only a few years before, within the memory of many who were still alive. It is also remarkable that Jesus is linked so profoundly with the covenant name of God. David Capes

Reflection on Matthew 7: 24-28

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Scripture

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.”

Observation

If we listen to Jesus and follow His instructions, we will be wise. This is like someone who builds a house on solid rock. Even when storms come and flood waters rise, it will stand firm.

A person who he hears Jesus’ teaching and does not follow it is like the person who builds a house on sand. This house collapses when the weather turns nasty.

Application

To have a life that prospers and stands resilient in the storms that beset us, we need to build it on the solid foundation of obedience to Christ.

So many people build their lives on bad foundations – like feelings, security, family, human ideology or philosophy and so on. These things are not strong enough to withstand the crises and problems that are inevitable. It is no wonder that marriages are fragile, that society is fractured, and people have no sense of direction.

We must determine in our hearts to follow Jesus in all things. Put God at the top of our list, love for family and friends (even our enemies) next, then we will go a long way to being successful and stable in all of our ways.

Many business people follow the principle of tithing even though they are not christians. God blesses these people because they are building on a solid foundation.

Build your life on Christ. Seek first God’s Kingdom and everything else will come to you.

Prayer

Lord, I want to build on the rock. Show me what I need to change in order to do this. Amen

Quote for the Day

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With a single exception (husbands/fathers) Paul lays a series of demands on family members by appealing to the authority of the Lord Jesus. Seven times in just a few verses he makes reference to Jesus in his role as kyrios. As kyrios Jesus becomes the basis for wives’ respectful demeanors to their husbands, children’s obedience to their parents, slaves’ service to their masters, and masters’ just treatment of their slaves. David Capes