Just A Touch 2

Matthew 14:34-36

Throughout His ministry, Jesus was constantly on the move, traveling from place to place, doing the works of His Father. His purpose was to reach and teach as many as He could, during the time He would spend on the earth.

After revealing another dimension of His power by way of walking on water, and being acknowledged a second time as the Son of God, Jesus and those who followed Him, went to a land called Gennesaret. This fertile land was north of the shore of Galilee, and was known for producing both temperate and tropical fruits. This particular area was also brimming with people who suffered sickness and disease. So, when the men of the land recognized the man among them was Jesus, they quickly spread word to all the country, to bring all who were diseased to Jesus.

The most interesting point in this story seems to relate to the woman who had the issue of blood. I’m not 100 percent certain there’s a relation with the woman and the people of Gennesaret, but all who came to Jesus, sought only to touch the hem of His garment for their healing, so word of the woman’s story may have spread to this land as well. These sick folk had enough faith to believe, only a touch of Jesus’ clothes, would bring their healing. Mercifully, their faith was in the right place, for all who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment were made perfectly whole. Jesus didn’t perform half healings, but His manifestations were total and permanent.

Jesus healed according to the faith of those who came to Him, so all who desired healing, sought total deliverance and restoration. When you come to God, do you seek partial deliverance, or do you want God to give you a total and complete manifestation of those things your heart desires? Reach out in faith, and touch Jesus, so He can make you whole again.

Huddle Up!

Acts 5:12-16

One of the hardest things to do on this planet is, get a group of people to agree on the same ideals, required to reach a unified goal. Many sports teams fail to win the coveted championship trophy, because certain members of their team aren’t in sync with the coach’s gameplan. We often see how certain individuals act out of character, when their team is on the verge of winning a game, thus causing them to suffer a loss. Even when playing a game of tug-of-war, if all members on a team aren’t working collectively as a group, they’ll easily be pulled over to the other side. Teamwork really does make the dream work, especially when all who are joined together share the same mindset, and one goal. This same concept can be applied to an individual, and their body. When the natural body is healthy, one can easily accomplish those things the mind is set to achieve. Unity is the key ingredient to any collective group, seeking to achieve success.

In our text, the apostles of Jesus were responsible for doing many signs and wonders among the people of the early church. Their miraculous manifestations would not have been made possible if confusion and ill will was among them, but their minds were set on being obedient to God, and fulfilling His command to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The body of Christ consists of many members, all who may be affiliated with different denominations, but if all have their minds and hearts set on fulfilling God’s will, then God can do great things through His people, no matter who they are affiliated with. The truth will indeed stand forever, so when the church collectively spreads the truth of the Gospel to all men, God will reveal His awesome power through all who are of one accord.

“Unity is what makes success a reality.” – Ell

Promise Of Power

John 14:8-14

What is greater than healing someone who was sick? What could be greater than turning water into wine? What’s greater than walking on water? What’s greater than speaking a word, and causing a man to rise from the grave? What was greater than feeding 5,000 men (not including women and children) with two fish, and five loaves of bread? What greater works can we do today, than the list of awesome works I mentioned that Jesus performed thousands of years ago?

God wrapped Himself in flesh (Jesus), and came to the earth to redeem man back to himself, but while in the earth, His works were limited to a single vessel (Jesus), a single location, and the technology of that time. Jesus did some amazing things during His time with man, and His works continue to resonate during this 21st century, but what did He mean when He said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father” (vs. 12). Where Jesus was limited to a certain place, He now lives in all those who have surrendered themselves to God, and can literally be expressed all over the world, at the same time, through countless believers. Could this be an example of greater works? I dunno… maybe, maybe not. Jesus raised men from the dead, and this was definitely amazing, but we have His power of influence to awaken men from their dead state of living. Could this also be a greater work? I dunno… maybe, maybe not. Jesus was limited to the technology of His time, and worked accordingly with it, but we have access to all sorts of high tech gadgets, that allow us to reach as many as we can with the Gospel message, in a matter of seconds. Could this be a greater work? I dunno… maybe, maybe not.

The Saints of God have the Holy Spirit literally influencing their every move (if they have submitted themselves to Him) and need not follow the man Jesus, as the disciples did, but can carry Him everywhere they go, inside their hearts, to do those things they’ve been empowered to do. This is just awesome in itself! Each believer can operate in the same power as Jesus did, to perform the same miracles He performed, and greater, if the situation demands it.

I’m only limited to what I’ve experienced, and what the news chooses to share with the world, but I am totally convinced, there are men on this planet, who have performed miraculous works, in the name of Jesus. There may not be apostles as there were in the time of Christ, who did those things Jesus did, but we have the same power flowing through us, that walked with the disciples, and we too can be used to do great works, even during these troublesome days.

Don’t limit yourself to the opinions of others, nor by the evil in the land, because God still reigns supreme, and you have His authority to represent His awesomeness, as Jesus did, in your lifetime.

“What do you and God have in common? – Ell

Gratitude

Luke 17:11-19

What are you thankful for? Think for a moment, of all the experiences you’ve had thus far in life; all the good, bad, and even ugly ones. After all the struggles, hard times, and suffering, how did you respond, when God finally healed you from a sickness or disease, made your crooked places straight, or kept you safe in troublesome times? What joy it brings to one’s soul, when God steps into an unfavorable situation, and makes things work for your good! Even though many of us presently suffer, and go through trials, knowing that God can, and will deliver us, should be enough to keep us moving forward. Never take for granted, the blessings of the Lord, because doing so proves what’s really in one’s heart.

God loves our praise, not only after He blesses us, but when we do it willingly, and consistently. Our text gives an example of one who was conscious enough to acknowledge the One responsible for delivering him from an extremely unfavorable situation. According to Christianity.com, Leprosy was the scourge of the ancient world. Nothing evoked more fear, more dread, or more revulsion than the sight of these walking dead. That is what a leper was called, a walking dead man. The smell of his decaying flesh would announce his coming long before the tattered scraps of his clothing would be seen, or his raspy “Unclean! Unclean!” announcement he was required to declare, could be heard. The stumbling shuffle of toeless feet, the wandering of sightless eyes and the moan of a cheek less mouth, all pointed to Leprosy, this unseen attacker that slowly destroyed human bodies, and made the individual an untouchable to society.

Can you imagine being in a position where everyone who looks at you, considers you “dead” to society? I haven’t had an experience like the ten lepers in our text, but I’m certain when Jesus came to town, they were all prepared to throw out a lifeline for an immediate miracle.

After the ten lepers heard Jesus was in town they met Him at a distance, then lifted up their voices together and cried out for mercy. What a scene that must have been! Ten men, shunned from society, yet banned together by their shared struggle, were able to come to Jesus in unity, to seek deliverance. It’s amazing how healthy church folk can’t even get along to unite in prayer, let alone seek God for a miracle. But, these men were tired of their situation, and desired to be healed of their horrible disease.

Jesus, spoke a word, the men obeyed, and were instantly healed. Wow! Of all the ten lepers who were healed, only one returned to give Jesus an “I Can’t Believe What Just Happened Praise”! Why didn’t all the men return to thank Jesus for doing something in their lives that no one else could have done? That one, humble Samaritan, one who was considered a half-breed, and shunned by other nations, was grateful for his life-changing experience, and would not take another step forward, until he gave thanks to Jesus. How will you respond when God finally delivers you?

“He died for me… I’ll live for Him.” – Ell

Jesus heralds the centurion’s faith

Luke 7:1-10

The older I get, the more I see the values of men change. Gone are the days when character meant something; when men praised each other more for rendering acts of kindness, rather than selfish accomplishments. Men today take more pride in flaunting their muscles, money, and influence, rather than allow their godly attributes like faith and love, to speak on their behalf. God is never impressed by things that bring glory to ourselves, but He takes pleasure in watching us work our faith, so that He can get glory out of our lives.

In our text, Jesus was impressed by a man who had greater faith than anyone in all Israel. How honorable it is to be considered one who has the greatest level of faith, than everyone in your country! Even during Bible days, men were known by their wealth and prestige, yet rarely were men praised for their good name. The man responsible for grabbing Jesus’ attention was a centurion, who had a servant suffering from a near-death illness, and was in need of a miraculous healing. Jesus had a knack of always being in the right place, at the right time (the omnipresent power of God probably led Him where He needed to be), and met the needs of all who came to Him in faith.

A centurion was a Roman military leader who commanded up to 100 soldiers. Unlike many who take pride in their positions of power, the centurion felt unworthy to have Jesus enter his home. He also felt unworthy to come where Jesus was. There first step in receiving a miracle from God is, keeping oneself in the state of humility, realizing that the Lord is more likely to bless those who reverence His power and authority, over those who boast in their own. Jesus moved at the words of the faithful centurion, and sent healing where his servant was. 🎵🎶 Faith, faith, faith, just a little more faith 🎶🎵

Walk in love,

Ell

Bartimaeus healed by faith

Mark 10:46-52

If Jesus was here today, walking, teaching, healing, and proclaiming the goodness of God, how would this new generation receive Him? I strongly believe Christ would be rejected the same today, if not worse, than He was during the days of old. Technology has caused men to become lazy, and distracted from staying focused on the things of God, and people have turned away from following after righteousness, to clinging more to things of the world.

Jesus was all God, wrapped in human flesh, so everything He did was only to draw men unto Himself, in hopes of changing their hearts. Some followed and believed the message of Christ, others were healed by His power, while a large number opposed His message, because of selfish and wicked reasons. Despite being rejected by some, even those from His hometown, Jesus had no issue tending to the needs of those who came to Him, but He had moments where His attention was directed solely on certain individuals who exhibited unprecedented faith. For example, the woman who had a blood issue for twelve years, pressed her way through pain, shame, embarrassment, and crowds of people, just to touch the clothes Jesus wore, because her faith led her to believe, the healing power of Jesus could flow even through His garments. The centurion had enough faith to believe that Jesus could pray from a distance, and his servant would be healed. These are just a few examples of Bible characters who had enough faith to make Jesus marvel.

Our text introduces blind Bartimaeus, who heard Jesus was passing by, as he sat on the side of the road begging. It’s not hard to imagine how those who are destitute, and left to suffer, dream of miracles night and day, because most people pass by them often, seeing them holding “help me” signs, and asking for spare change. I often wish I could simply touch each one of them, and rid them of their sickness, disease, and poverty, but I do what I can to help some of them get through the day. Jesus heard the blind man cry loud to Him, then wondered who it was. After being shushed by those in the crowd (I HATE being shushed; I’m a grown man), Bartimaeus cried even louder lol. I love that guy. Never allow anyone to keep you from getting to Jesus, even of it annoys them. Trying to keep the man quiet while he reached out for a blessing proved that the people didn’t mind him being left in his condition. Once Jesus connects with your faith, there’s nothing anyone can do to sever that connection. Jesus called for the blind man, asked for his request, granted that request, then acknowledged that his faith was responsible for his healing.

I often express that faith is what moves God to act on our behalf, so it’s important to grasp this concept, and implement it in our daily lives, so that we can begin to enjoy the full benefits of being a child of the God of all creation.

Walk in love,

Ell

Widow’s faithfulness rewarded

1 Kings 17:8-16

At the end of a race, or athletic event, those who finish first, or outlast their opponent, are usually granted a reward. In any organized competition, individuals who are fearful, usually get exposed by those who are confident, and victory seldom comes to those who lack the boldness necessary to compete. For this reason, it’s essential for all who seek to obtain a reward, to be fearless, and confident in their chances to achieve success. Even during moments when a person falls behind in a race, if they keep their eyes fixed on the prize, they will be able to overcome all obstacles that hinder their success.

This same example can be applied to a child of God’s obedience, or lack thereof. When we trust God throughout a process, and are faithful to His commands, He will always reward us for our faithfulness. On the contrary, when we allow fear to keep us from obeying God, we set ourselves up to either delay what God has for us, or lose some things altogether.

The Bible is full of examples of men who either allowed fear to cause them to miss a blessing from God, or faith that granted them opportunities to be showered with the goodness of God’s grace, mercy, and favor. As we close this week’s lesson with final thoughts on the widow woman, and her faithfulness in keeping God’s Word, I want to reiterate a few points I mentioned in lessons prior to this one. First off, we learned how God moves based on our faith and action, not fear. The Bible teaches that perfect love cast out fear, because fear has torment. Many will sit idle and refuse to move at the words of God, when fear controls their mind. The widow woman could have missed out on a great blessing, had she allowed the fear of eating her last meal, then dying, keep her from obeying what God commanded her to do.

In the same way an athlete has faith, and confidence in their ability to accomplish their goals, believers should have faith in God, and confidence in His ability to do exceeding, abundantly, and above all we can ask or think. But, this is made possible, according to the power that works in us. God has proven Himself to all of us, simply by sustaining us this long, and keeping us in good health. It’s the duty of the children of God to love Him, and keep His commandments, so as you continue on your path of righteousness, keep your eyes fixed on God, and strengthen your faith through every experience you encounter in this life.

Walk in love,

Ell

Elijah restores life to a widow’s son

1 Kings 17:17-24

During our seasons of testing and suffering, God will always sustain His people, as long as they remain committed to His agenda. As the inhabitants of Israel continued to suffer from famine, God continued to provide for His prophet, Elijah. When the first place God sent Elijah to rest had ceased from providing water, God prepared the heart of a widow to receive the prophet, and care for his needs for a season. God has a very unique way of bringing people together, in order to fulfill His will. Elijah had no idea the woman wasn’t in a good position to provide for anyone, but God knew that she needed divine intervention, and Elijah was capable of interceding, to bring that to pass. God places people in our lives for seasons, so that they can help take us to the next level, because there will be times when we won’t be capable of getting there on our own.

While the widow woman was gathering sticks one day to prepare the last meal for herself and her son, Elijah approached her, then asked for water to drink. As she left to get water, Elijah also asked if she could bring him something to eat as well. Take a brief moment, and put yourself in the shoes of the woman. God had already told you He was sending a man who needed your help, and in turn, you’d be blessed beyond measure (I’m uncertain how God relayed that message to the woman, but she got it somehow). Would you follow through with the man’s requests, without hesitation, or would your faith waver at the thought of not having enough supplies to care for you and your son? Faith tests aren’t always easy, but the benefits of following through are usually amazing!

Knowing what God had commanded her to do, the woman still felt the need to inform the prophet of her lack of resources. Elijah’s faith in God’s power of provision had already grown stronger after his experience at the brook of Cherith, so he knew that if the woman took care of his need, God would definitely take care of hers. So, the woman did as she was commanded, and was blessed with more than she could ever imagine. Ironically, this miracle wasn’t enough to fully convince the woman that Elijah was a true man of God, and that his words were complete truth. That’s odd, because she had seen the plan of God play out accordingly, but still held doubts. Many of us today are the same way, because God can do something super duper amazing for us, but when something more challenging comes along, we cringe in fear.

Following many days of miraculous increase, the woman’s son got sick, and died. Rather than approach the man of God in humility, and request his assistance for intercession, the woman question whether or not Elijah came to kill her son. Oh how frail we humans become, when times of blessing become moments of sorrow. Elijah took the boy, laid him on his bed, cried to God and asked the same question the widow woman posed to him. Interesting. Elijah stretched himself over the child three times, then asked God to bring life back into the boy. God granted his request. This miracle was more than enough to convince the woman that God lived through Elijah.

Are you fully persuaded in the power of God to take care of you, or do you live in fear that someday you’ll be left broke and destitute. The Bible is filled with examples of God’s grace and mercy on those who are committed to Him, and obey His simple commands. Trust God wholeheartedly, and never doubt that He is able to sustain you, no matter what condition you find yourself in.

Walk in love,

Ell

Paul in faithfulness restores life

Acts 20:7-12

Growing up in the church, as a child, the worst part of service (in my humble, childish opinion) was, sitting through those looooooong, dry sermons. Attention span, as measured by sustained attention, varies with age. Older children are capable of longer periods of attention than younger children, and it’s obvious the attention span of a child is only a few minutes, so after the music and singing was done, it was my time to fall asleep, because I knew the sermon would probably do it anyway (don’t judge me; I was only a kid). Whether miracles were taking place, or people were being delivered, I didn’t find out until after service, when I heard about it from others.

If you think me sleeping through sermons was bad, you’ll be shocked to know that worse happened to a man in the Bible…well, kinda. The most prominent Bible author was the apostle Paul. He was responsible for writing 13 epistles (14, if you include Hebrews), and took advantage of every opportunity to spread the Gospel message. He was intelligent, well-educated, and full of the Spirit of God, so when he spoke, his words were never taken lightly. One particular Sunday, as the disciples gathered together to worship, and partake of the Lord’s supper, Paul delivered a profound, yet elongated expression of God’s Word. In the midst of a well-lit room, the apostle Paul preached to his audience for nearly eight hours! Eight hours?!!! Zzzzzz…..zzzzzz….. sorry, I dozed off at the thought of sitting through that sermon lol. On a serious note, I’m certain Paul expounded on some informative, and necessary points, but there was a certain man who decided that naptime was still on his schedule. This certain man sat near a window, and fell into a deep sleep, as the length of Paul’s message was apparently too long for him to pay attention to. While snoozing through the sermon, the man fell from the third loft, or story, then was pronounced dead. Talk about a powerful message; it was so profound, until it literally killed a man.

Imagine that happening today, where a preacher preached so long, someone fell asleep in the balcony, then fell over onto the first floor, and died. This unfortunate occurrence forced Paul to stop preaching, as he rushed to attend to the dead man. It was obvious to the crowd that the man was indeed dead, but Paul embraced him, then encouraged the onlookers to worry not, because a miracle was about to take place. In some miraculous form or fashion, the man who was pronounced dead, had been resurrected, according to the faith in the apostle Paul who believed in the power of the resurrection (Christ). After the man had been brought back to life, the apostle Paul went back up to continue preaching (LOL, seriously! God bless his soul, and those who were in attendance). The people who had witnessed this great event, were left amazed, as was I, after reading this passage of Scripture again.

I’ll conclude this lesson by doing a brief comparison between the apostle Paul, and the modern-day apostle, or preacher. In the midst of his preaching, Paul stopped to perform a miracle, then went back to finish his assignment. This was a classic case of true humility. Men today need to first be motivated by the cords of the organ, before they’ll even begin to “preach”, let alone pray for someone. All attention from the pulpit should be directed to God, and not to self, because it’s our faith that moves God to act, and not our selfish performances.

Walk in love,

Ell

Remember that you were there

Deuteronomy 4:9-11

Picture this: You get a call one day from your pastor, or spiritual leader, who tells you that he’s gathering all the congregation together, to meet at the nearest mountain (in Florida, that would be a far drive, unless you reside near the Panhandle). Anyhoo, once everyone arrives at this mountain, they all witness the entire mass of earth begin to burn with fire, yet not be consumed by it. To make this encounter more interesting, the voice of God begins to speak from the mountain of fire, and gives you instructions on how to live, and what He expects from you. Realistically speaking, after your eyes dim down to normal size, mouth winds up from the ground, and skin rest gently back on your body, would you easily forget this experience? I highly doubt I would, because this one instance would literally change my life forever!

Seeing such a miraculous happening, and hearing the voice of God from a mountain engulfed in flames must have been an awesome sight, and breathtaking sound to the children of Israel, and God never wanted them to forget it, “lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life” (vs.9). God’s law set the standard by which His people were to live by. Those who understood God’s words, were to abide by them, then teach them to their children, and continue it throughout their generations. The world would be a different place, if that tradition was followed by everyone who claimed to be a child of God. In any case, God wanted Israel to know, without a doubt, that He was all-powerful, all-knowing, and in control of the things they would face in life. He wanted them to be fully persuaded that there was no other god in Heaven, nor on the earth, who was able to do exceeding, abundantly, and above all they could ask for, or think of.

Good examples make way for positive influence, and living a life pleasing to God, will impact the lives of those who follow you in a positive way. However, not everyone will change based on how you live, but they’ll know for certain, God is real, by the way He reveals Himself through your life. In those moments when life’s pressures break them, they’ll look up and see you standing strong, because God is with you. When trouble surrounds them on every side, they’ll cry to you for help, because they’ve witnessed you overcome the impossible. Even in time of sickness, those who watch your life will look to you for prayer and encouragement, because they know, if God healed and delivered you, then He can do the same for them too.

Never forget how amazing God is, and how His love impacts your life daily. Share His words with all those you meet, especially those from the younger generation, because the children of today, will become the leaders of tomorrow.

Walk in love,

Ell