-Miracle Inception-

Upon studying this morning I heard a commentary state that,

“the woman’s faith healed her” as well as “faith opens the door for the miracles.”

I love what they are saying here, however we have to understand that Jesus’ miracle was more than just the miracle. It was about the heart of the individual needing forgiveness from the sin. This time as I was studying this part of Matthew, it dawned on me that these miracles are two part miracles. We have the external miracle that heals the flesh. That which we can see and physically understand and then the internal miracle that heals the heart which we can only see from a Spiritual understanding upon being redeemed by Christ.

Jesus in Jesus fashion never misses an opportunity to show us something on a deeper level. Jesus doesn’t want us to live on the surface level but on a deeper level with deeper understanding of what he has truly healed or saved us from. Sin.

Often time we ask God for a miracle in our lives and I’m not saying that’s a bad thing. However, if we are like so much of the “crowd” the Bible references and showing up for the outward miracle and not the inward miracle of soul restoration and salvation from our sins so that we are made just and right in the eyes of God so we may have eternal life instead of eternal death, then we are missing the target.

Christ getting the death penalty for our sins so that we may have eternal life. Grafted into the vine known as Jesus. Adopted into his Kingdom. Saving Grace poured out onto your life.

That’s the true miracle in our lives.

You just need faith in Jesus to open the door to this miracle.

If you have anything you want me to pray about be sure to fill the comments up below or DM me. Let’s be in prayer together.

-Hansen’s Disease?-

Do you know what Hansen’s Disease is? If you look in Matthew 8 you’ll find Jesus healing a man who has Hansen’s Disease. We all know it by its other name. Leprosy.

“Hansen’s disease (also known as leprosy) is an infection caused by slow-growing bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae. It can affect the nerves, skin, eyes, and lining of the nose (nasal mucosa).”

-CDC-

The Mycobacterium leprae; the slow growing bacteria mentioned above is like sin that enters our lives. Sometimes if not often sin is slow growing as well.

Leprosy would consume peoples flesh and eventually destroy them. They were considered unclean and couldn’t come into 6 feet of someone according to Jewish law. They were considered unclean and outcast. They were never to be touched. However, Jesus did just that. He reached out and healed this man that the world had rejected and considered unclean filth. A stain on their society.

This paints a great picture here regarding the sin in our lives. Sin consumes and destroys our lives. Just as leprosy does. Often when we live in that sin for so long we become isolated and feel as an outcast. We eventually feel as if we don’t belong. We feel just like this leper in Matthew 8 and Jesus knows that.

The beautiful thing displayed in Matthew 8 is his Power. Jesus doesn’t heal people just to flex. He does it to teach the ones being healed and the ones witnessing it something valuable. That he came to bring True healing to us. To heal hearts that are poisoned with sin. To cleanse the disease (sin) of our hearts like he cleansed the disease of the leper’s flesh. Just as this man wasn’t too unclean for Jesus to heal, neither are you. You may feel like you are too deep into sin and too filthy to be clean but you’re not. Jesus wants to purify your heart and make it clean. (Psalm 51:10) Jesus wants to bring you from the depths of destruction that sin has led you to. To do so you only need to believe he died for those sins on the cross. You only need to believe that he was buried and resurrected. Believe that he is the living Christ and make him lord of your life. God loves you so much and he wants a relationship with you. He’s already offered the gift of salvation. You only need to accept it.

If you have any prayer request make sure to comment so we can be in prayer together.

Our Denial and His Grace

John 13:38:

Jesus answered him, will you lay down your life for my sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied me three times.

Lately I have been studying in John for the past month or so. I came across the verse above. A verse I have read and heard many times over the years. This time I felt compelled to share on it. I feel we have all come to this point in our lives as christians. A point where we live for Christ and follow after him as Peter did and still manage to deny our relationship with our one true friend. Our Lord and saviour.

The thing is sometimes we deny Christ in the smallest of ways. It isn’t always a big situation like the one Peter was confronted with. Sometimes its not praying over our food in public because it isn’t the social norm. Sometimes its deciding not to talk to a co-worker or friend about Christ and his love for them because the fear of rejection or making them uncomfortable despite the call to do so. Sometimes its denying the ones we share this life and planet with. (Matthew 25:40-And the king will answer and say to them, Assuredly, I say to you inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my bretheren, you did it to me.)

Now you might be reading this and feeling convicted and terrible because you have done the things above in the past. I have and still do from time to time… but now time for the good news. I’m gonna chase a rabbit for a second.

To start with Christ himself is considered the word of God, and has been since the beginning. (Read John 1:1 and John 1:14) We have heard the word or scripture called the “Gospel” which many say means the Good news. I recently read that the actual Greek translation is reward for bringing good news. Which I find the word “reward” interesting. If Christ himself is the word and we share the word (Christ) we then gain the reward of Christ and Christ is the good news. That being said we can move on to my point.

Yes we feel convicted and terrible but the good news is Christ and his unfailing grace. Later on after Peter denied Christ three times he came to Peter and called him by name. That being said the same happens to us. No matter how many times we fail Christ or turn away and deny, he will always call us back by name. His grace and love covers all of our sins. The point of this isn’t to just tell you a story from the Bible. Its about what Peter did after grace covered him. After the denial was all over and the ultimate act of grace was shown, Peter continued to follow after Christ and spread the Good news and reap the reward (Christ) for doing so. And with that, so should we. Grace already covers us so we should accept that and all the holy spirit to change us and spread the word, spread Christ and gain him as our reward. Christ and his kingdom is the only reward worth obtaining afterall.

PRAYER? WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR? (ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING)

What is prayer? Well dictionaries tell us it is a solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God or an object of worship. Now lets see what the bible tells us what prayer is.

• Exodus 32:11-THEN MOSES PLEADED WITH THE LORD HIS GOD…
• 2 Chronicles 32:20-… PRAYED AND CRIED OUT
• Job 8:5-IF YOU WOULD EARNESTLY SEEK GOD AND MAKE YOUR SUPPLICATION TO THE ALMIGHTY
• Ephesians 3:14-…I BOW MY KNEES…

(These are just a few verses that describe what prayer is in the Bible. I urge you not to just take my word but to grab your bible and search and study for yourself.)

Now lets see what we have gathered. In Exodus 32:11 we are told prayer is a pleading with the Lord our God. Plead means, “to make an emotional appeal. Synonyms include beg, implore and supplicate.(remember this word) 2 Chronicles 32:20 tells and shows us prayer is a cry out to the Lord our God. The phrase cry out is defined as, “to weep, shed tears with or without sound. Also defined as, to call loudly, shout or to demand resolution or strongly indicate a particular disposition. Now Job 8:5 tells us prayer is, “earnestly seeking good and making our supplication.” Earnestly defined is, “is with sincere and intense conviction. Supplication means, “the action of asking or begging for something earnestly or humbly. Ephesians 3:14 show us that prayer is a bowing of our knees. What this means is that we humble ourselves in the presence of our God. For we are not worthy to stand in his presence.

Why is Prayer important?

For starters prayer is a direct commucication to our Father. Prayer is also how we call upon Christ in that moment we gain our salvation. The fact that we use prayer to call out to Christ and accept him as our lord and saviour makes it so important. Through prayer we gain guidance. We gain understanding of who God is and what his Word means. Through prayer it strengthens and builds our relationship with God. I believe prayer should be a huge part of our faith and relationship with God. In reality, if your not praying and communicating with God, its not much of a relationship. Its like relationships on earth. To build and maintain a relationship we have to communicate with one another. So again, PRAYER? WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR? ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING.

So to close this out here is my prayer. Lord I ask that you work your way through our lives letting your will will be done. I ask that you put it on our hearts to humble ourselves and call out to you in prayer. I thank you for the ultimate sacrifice and our salvation. In Jesus name I pray, Amen