Made Well By Faith

Have you been struggling with your health? Is your emotional well-being in question? How is your spirit? Would you say it is well? Or is it a train wreck waiting to happen? Would you like your life to better, be well?

We struggle with mental, physical, and spiritual wellness from time-to-time. We see various doctors for mental and physical healing. Physical healing is often the easiest to tackle, even when dealing with serious illnesses or diseases.

Mental healing can be a significant struggle. It may take years of therapy to overcome our past experiences. Sometimes, we never fully heal them. The memories keep coming back. We relive the incidents. But we can heal enough to be able to live a relatively normal life. We may also need to continue to seek therapeutic help for the rest of our lives.

Unfortunately, we often neglect our spiritual well-being. We may not even be aware our spirit is suffering. The outward signs we experience or see are often attributed to stress at work, a physical ailment, having too much to do, or a relationship gone sour. We fail to focus on the foundation that may be crumbling.

To experience the abundant life Jesus promised in John 10:10, all three areas of our life need to be well. But our spiritual life is the foundation. When our spirit is well, our emotional well-being is better. When both are in good shape, our physical well-being is better. This doesn’t mean we don’t need to work on both of the others, focusing only on our spirit. It does mean we can work on our emotional and physical well-being and still not experience the abundant life due to our spirit being in poor shape.

I pray we all spend some time focusing on our spiritual well-being. I pray we strive to strengthen our foundation. I pray each one of us will improve our relationship with Jesus Christ. Fix your foundation. Improve your spiritual well-being. Strengthen your relationship with Jesus. Increase your faith. Experience the abundant life.

Luke 17:19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

Practice Patience

How do you handle waiting? Do you wait patiently? Or are you impatient, continually complaining about the requirement to wait? Have you been captured by the instant access to information on the internet and overnight shipping, now wanting everything immediately?

Our culture has become impatient. We have become used to getting answers immediately. It simply takes a quick Google search, and we have our answer. We can order an item on Amazon and receive it within a day or two. Waiting to be served at a restaurant tries our patience. We want to be served now.

With the shortages of personnel at many businesses now, some of us are having to learn patience. We are learning to do a little planning that accounts for waiting. It is causing us to adjust to a new way of planning (or going back an old way that few of us remember).

Waiting is not always a bad thing. It can provide us time to think or think more thoroughly about our decisions. Knowing we will need to wait causes us to take a pause to make the best decision rather than rashly making a choice in the belief we can change it and our direction if we do not like the outcome.

The Apostle’s had to wait. Jesus told them to wait a few days for the Holy Spirit to baptize them. I’m not sure they fully understood what Jesus meant, though they would experience it in a few days. There might have been a lot of questioning and discussion about what and how it would happen. But what they experienced turned out for the best. After all, when that baptism came, three thousand were converted on that day after hearing Peter’s amazing sermon.

I pray we all exercise a little patience. I pray we patiently wait for God’s blessing. I pray each of us are patient with one another and spend a little time in prayer and planning as we follow the path God as prepared for us. Be patient. Learn patience. Practice patience. Learn to plan. Train yourself to think before acting. Trust God has the best in mind for you.

Acts 1:4-5 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

The Great Commission

Ever wonder what you are to do with your life? Would you like to know what God wants you to do today? What about tomorrow? Do you wish each days’ task list was written out for you? Unfortunately, God doesn’t work that way.

It would be nice to have a schedule posted for us each day. It would also be nice to know we would successfully accomplish each task. We could simply go from one task to the other without a worry in the world.

But we don’t have a task list from God. We don’t have a guarantee any task list we devise will be successful. We don’t always know in great detail what God wants us to do. We feel as though we are left to figure it out on our own. So, we go about our lives without a plan to work for God’s purposes.

Take a look at today’s passage. Jesus didn’t leave us without a mission. The details of how we carry it out will vary from person-to-person. Each of us live in a different situation, even if we live in the same house. We interact with different people in our jobs. Each person we interact with has a different personality, different preferences, different modes of communication.

In order to carry out the mission, Jesus must be our number one priority. We must be filled with His teachings. We must accept the guidance of the Holy Spirit, being in tune with Him. When Jesus fills us from the inside out, we will carry out the mission in whatever situation we are in.

It can be challenging to speak of Jesus to some people. But when we rely on Jesus to provide us with the strength, courage, and the right words, we can be sure we are doing the work He wants us to do. We may not always be the one who sees a specific person baptized into the kingdom, but we can rest assured we planted the seeds that may grow later.

I pray we all choose to go about God’s work each day. I pray we look for opportunities to plant seeds. I pray each one of us relies on the Holy Spirit to guide us in every situation. Seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Plan to go about God’s work. Leave the growth to God. Depend on God in all situations. 

Matthew 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Mary’s Example

What do you know about Mary, Jesus’ Mother? Do you know she continued with the apostles? Do you know she followed the Law of the Jews? Do you know she enticed Him to perform His first miracle?

Mary was a woman of amazing faith, submissiveness, and flexibility. Her faith and submissiveness allowed her to speak the words in today’s passage. Her words are very near the same words Jesus spoke in the Garden of Gethsemane.

She was flexible and submissive in following the path God laid out before her. She did as He told her and Joseph to do. She went where God told her and Joseph to go. Her willingness to follow God is an example for all of us.

She raised four other boys besides Jesus. She juggled being a fulltime mother while keeping tabs on her first son. She followed Jesus at times and was blessed by others because of what He did. Though Mary could not always be where Jesus was, she would catch up with Him from time-to-time.

Mary is a wonderful example for us to follow. We should have the faith, submissive attitude, and flexibility Mary had. Being willing to do as God tells us and go where He tells us brings about awesome blessings. But first, we must set aside our own desires, putting God’s desires for us first.

I pray we all decide to follow Mary’s example. I pray we are strong in faith, submissive to God, and flexible to follow. I pray each of us follow Mary’s example of following where God leads us. Have faith in God. Be submissive to God. Be flexible to follow the path God has for you.

Luke 1:38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

From Grief To Joy

Do you like surprises? What about surprises that first seem to be bad, but then turn out to be extraordinary? Do you like feeling sorrowful about something only to have it turn into the sweetest joy? Do you like being completely startled?

We get surprised by the unexpected throughout our lives. Those surprises come in various forms. It may be the unexpected sorrow that turns to grief and may turn to depression. Those can have a profound effect on our lives. Especially if the source is a close family member.

We may have an unexpected joyful surprise. One that turns our world upside down in a positive way. We may be lifted out of near destitution to having a wonderful job that pays well. We may have nearly given up on finding the perfect mate and suddenly he or she appears right before our eyes. It is magical.

Rarely do we experience some type of grief that turns into ecstatic joy. In fact, we may never experience that reversal of feeling in our lifetime. But that is what happened on that Easter weekend nearly two-thousand years ago.

The women who went to the tomb on that Easter day were shocked, afraid, sorrowful, and joyous all within a span of a few minutes—perhaps a few seconds. The range of emotion they felt would be unlike anything we will ever experience. It requires us to cobble together multiple experiences to begin to understand what they went through in those moments. That’s how amazing our God is. He can turn sorrow to joy with the snap of His fingers. He can turn our world upside down in a breath.

I pray we all come to know God’s awesome power. I pray we hold on to the hope Jesus came to give us. I pray each one of us trust God is in control and reach out to Him in times of sorrow. God is omnipotent. God is all-powerful. Trust Him. Reach out to God. Hold on to your hope. Jesus will answer you.

Matthew 28:5-7 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

Birth Pains

Continuing our discussion from yesterday, many of the signs we see are just the beginning. Many destructive events will take place. As unfortunate as it is, many people will die because of human greed, selfishness, and pride.

We are not to be deceived by those who cry wolf nor those who claim to be speaking on behalf of God, but not speaking truth. There will people who make false claims. Unfortunately, there will be people who fall prey to them, believing those claims are true.

Jesus clearly states these destructive events are the beginning of birth pains. He lists wars, rumors of wars, nation against nation, famines, and earthquakes. True, we have seen them all. True, they are still happening. And true, they are the beginning. But the beginning is still the beginning.

Is the end of time imminent? Yes. Yet despite the claims of false teachers, no one knows when that will happen. Should we be prepared at all times? Yes. Our own end may come at any time. We may be taken from this world and meet God face-to-face at any moment. But that does not mean the end of time for this world has come.

Some may even think it is gruesome or morbid to think of our life coming to an end. It is neither. It is reality. It is moving into the next phase of life. It is either going to be with God in heaven or going to hades to await the final judgment. It is a reality we don’t want to contemplate. It is one we will all deal with, whether we procrastinate until it is too late or not.

I pray we all contemplate our lives and our decisions. I pray we understand the reality of our situation. I pray each one of us seeks the truth and refuse to listen to false claims. Read God’s Word. Hear Jesus speak truth. Refuse false teachers. Be prepared. Make the right decision.

Matthew 24:4-8 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.”

It Is Not For You To Know

Have you heard the rhetoric the end times are here? Do you wonder if the world is coming to an end? Are you worried the rumors may be true? Would you like to have peace of mind? Do you know there is no intention for you to know?

It is likely we have all seen on social media or heard people talking about the end times. The events that have taken place over the past couple years have prompted many false rumors to spring up. These rumors have caused many to become anxious and worry.

There is no need to worry about the end times. Especially if you are in Christ. There is no need to be anxious about things coming to an end, for the end of this world is the beginning a new, wondrous world of eternity without evil, living in the presence of God. Quite honestly, that is something to look forward to with anticipation.

But even if we don’t fully understand how wonderful the new heaven and new earth will be, we still are not to attempt to know when the end will come. In today’s passage, Jesus tells His Apostle’s the restoration of the earth to what God originally intended is not for them to know. If He would not, or could not, tell His Apostle’s when it would come, we cannot expect to know either.

God the Father has set the timetable. Only He knows when it will all come about. All we can do is continue to follow Jesus, continue to do the work He has set before us, continue to live the lives we have. God has a plan and we do not know everything that is to happen. Think about it for just a moment. We don’t even know what will happen tomorrow. We don’t know what is happening at every moment in our own town. Why do we need to know? We don’t. We want to know because we are curious, and we want to feel in control. When we relieve ourselves of those desires, we will find an ultimate peace in knowing God is in control.

I pray we all let go of our desire to know the future with certainty. I pray we let go of our desire to be in control. I pray each one of us trusts that God is in control and find the peace we desire. Do not be anxious. Do not worry. Know that God is in control. Trust God. Follow Jesus. Seek His guidance for your life. Follow the path He has laid out for you.

Acts 1:7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.”

It’s All About Jesus

What is your understanding of the Bible? Do you know what it is about? Do you know who it is about? Have you ever thought the Bible is a saga across thousands of years telling the story of God and His desire to save each of us?

When we first start to learn about God and read the Bible, it appears to be overwhelming. We read stories of events that took place thousands of years ago and wonder how they apply to us. We may not even like history.

But what if the Bible was really one story? Guess what! It is! Sure, there are a lot of twists and turns along the way. But no more than any good mystery or fantasy novel has. The other thing about the Bible is this, the more you read it, the better you understand it. Each time you read it; you discover something you missed when you read it before.

Here is the cliff notes version of the Bible. God created everything. Everything in the Bible is ultimately about Jesus. Jesus is God. God wants each of us to be with Him for eternity. He has provided us with the information we need to choose to be with Him.

Now that we know the short version of the Bible, we can read it with a new perspective. When we read about Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt, the purpose was to bring about the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. When we read about King David and his struggles, we know he survived being hunted by his enemies so that Jesus could be born in Bethlehem.

When we read about Mary being visited by Gabriel with his angelic message, we know it was to foretell Jesus’ birth. When we read of Jesus’ teaching, we know He was providing us instruction to be with Him. When we read of Him going to the cross, we know it was to provide us a way to Him. The Bible is the story of God’s love for us and His desire to bring us all back to Him.

I pray we all spend time reading our Bible. I pray we read it with the perspective that it is all about Jesus. I pray each one of us decide to draw closer to God through His Word. Know the story of the Bible. Spend time reading your Bible. Know that it is all about Jesus. Know that God’s Word shows His love for you.

Luke 24:44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”

Seek Understanding

Have you experienced doubts about the Scripture? Do you need someone who can help explain it to you? Have you asked someone to help you understand? Do you know someone you can trust to explain it well?

Scripture can be challenging to understand when you first start reading it. It can appear to be fragmented, cryptic, and confusing. Yet, a little explanation is all it takes to get you started down the path of understanding.

The Bible is a thick book. Some of us have never read a book with that many pages nor that many stories in it. Hebrew poems, once translated into English, won’t rhyme like we think poems should. Prophecy can be difficult to piece together when it is scattered in different books within the Bible. Thankfully, there is help available.

First, there are good people in our churches who have spent years studying the Bible. Not only have they read it multiple times, sat through multiple Bible studies, but they also read scholarly commentaries. Most of them are more than willing to sit with us to answer our questions, helping us understand the message being presented.

Speaking of commentaries, we can read them for ourselves. However, they also can be a bit challenging for a beginner to understand. But there are numerous Christian authors and a plethora of books available. The one caution is this, go to someone in your church you trust to ask who they recommend. Not all authors are trustworthy.

We may even have an experience like the two men on their way to Emmaus. Though we may not have Jesus walk alongside us to explain the Scripture, the Holy Spirit is always with us and will help us understand if we will only ask. We will feel the same burning inside. We will experience the thrill of understanding. Excitement will fill us as we grow in knowledge.

I pray we all choose to spend more time reading our Bible. I pray we ask someone we trust to help us understand. I pray each one of us will seek knowledge and understanding of Scripture. Desire to understand Scripture. Reach out to someone you trust. Participate in Bible classes. Read Christian authors. Ask questions. Ask the Holy Spirit to help.

He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

The Thomas Reaction

What is your reaction to Jesus? Do you react at all? Do you still wrestle with doubts about Him? Have you allowed your doubts to keep you away from Him? Have you chosen to know more about Him or walk away from Him?

Each person reacts differently to Jesus. Yet, there are only two general possibilities for us. We either accept Him as Lord and Savior or we reject His authority. Jesus doesn’t leave us any other options. But that doesn’t mean we may not waffle between the two at times.

Thomas had followed Jesus for three years listening to His teachings, seeing the miracles He performed, and ate many meals with Him. Thomas had heard Jesus declare that He would die but would rise again on the third day. Yet, he wouldn’t believe He had done just that until he saw Jesus himself.

We often give Thomas a hard time. Yet Peter and John did not believe the report the women brought to them, and they ran to the tomb to verify it was empty. How would we react to hearing someone we loved had risen from the dead? Probably much like everyone else did initially. Even the women were asking where they had moved His body.

When we do accept Him as Lord and Savior, fully accept Him, what will our reaction be? Will we react like Thomas? See how he reacted in today’s passage. He exclaimed in awe and wonder that Jesus was Lord and God. It wasn’t just the words Thomas spoke but the emphasis he put into them. He put his whole heart into his exclamation. He likely fell to his knees, looked up into Jesus’ eyes, and had several emotions running through him all at once, including amazement, joy, fear, wonder, and hope.

I pray we all react to Jesus in the same way Thomas did. I pray we fall to our knees and proclaim Jesus as Lord and God. I pray each one of us seek to know Him with both our hearts and our heads. Accept Jesus as Lord and God. Accept Him as Savior. Be in awe and wonder. Give Him your whole heart. Seek to know Him fully.

John 20: 26-28 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”