You know, it is not enough for us Christians, to just want a healing or anything else from God. God wants to see, that we demonstrate our faith somehow. One thing is to believe, but entirely other thing is to act on your faith.
When we read Matthew 8:6,7, we can see, that there is a questions, which Jesus asked the centurion. Now, did not Jesus know, that all that the centurion wanted, is for Jesus to heal his servant. Of course, he knew, because the centurion has already told him so. But despite the fact, that Jesus knew what is the problem with the servant of the centurion, and what that centurion wanted Jesus to do for him, he still asked the centurion that question 'Shall I come and heal him'? Was that question necessary? Well according to the centurion, probably not, but according to God, yes. You see, God wants us to not only believe his Word and his promises, but to also act on our faith. God wants us to confess our faith in him and his Word, just like the centurion did, by saying to Jesus, to just say the Word, and his servant would be healed, in verses 8, and 9. If Jesus did not ask the centurion that question, if he should go to the place of the centurion, and heal his servant, perhaps the centurion would not make those great statements of faith, before Jesus, which he made in verses 8, and 9. What the centurion said in the verses 8 and 9, was pure faith in what Jesus can do for him, pure faith and a confession of faith in the miraculous from God. That is why Jesus was amazed at his faith, and commented that the faith of the centurion is a great faith. God could ask us a question, to test our faith, before he gives us a miracle, in order to see our response, if it will be a response of a great faith, which will glorify God, and will bring the miraculous, or it would be a lack of faith, which will be like a handbrake for the miracle from heaven. And all that is left, is up to us, how we want to respond to the promises of God.
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The person who really trusts God about his protection and deliverance from trouble, is able to relax, and go to bed. What is the proof that a Christian really trusts in God, for his protection and deliverance from trouble? The proof is if that Christian, is able to sleep during the night.
When we read the book of Acts chapter 12, and verses from 1 to 11, we can see, that Apostle Peter, was captured by king Herod, and was put in prison. Now, the reason Herod did that, is because he had started to persecute some Christians, and he even killed James, the brother of John. Therefore, he also decided to find Peter, and shut him in prison. When we read what actually happened to Peter, while he was put in prison, we will find him relaxing, and going to bed, to sleep. What is important for us to notice here, is that Peter surely knew, that king Herod, was persecuting Christians, and that he even killed James, the brother of John. Now, just knowing that fact, would be enough for Apostle Peter, to start worry and be gripped with anxiety, about his own safety and about his life. Peter probably thought, that if Herod killed James, the brother of John, he could kill him too, in order to please the Jews. But what we find when we read Acts 12:1-11, is that Peter instead of worrying and being anxious about being killed by Herod, decided to go to bed. Now, that I believe, is a complete trust in God. I believe that Peter perhaps even did not care about his life anymore, but believed that whatever happened to him, if he was killed by Herod, he would go to heaven, but if he was not killed, he would continue to preach the Gospel, and that is what all mattered to Peter, at that time in prison. Remember that Peter, was scared for losing his own life, when he denied Jesus three times, and was trying to pretend, that he did not know Jesus. Peter did that, because he was worried that the Jews could crucify him too, just like his master Jesus was. But that was before the day of Pentecost, or before the day after the resurrection of Jesus, when the Apostles were filled and baptised, with the Holy Spirit. Since the baptism of the Holy Spirit, on the day of Pentecost, Peter has become a different man, bold and courageous, by the Holy Spirit in him, and that is what made him not worry about losing his life, anymore. Could you as a Christian, be able to sleep, if you were put in prison, and if you knew that you could be killed, because of your faith in Christ? Peter did, and the proof that he was completely trusting God, no matter what happened to him, is in the fact, that he went to bed, and was sound asleep. And that is when God sent an angel, which took him out of prison, in a miraculous way. Faith and trust in God, will bring peace and a sound sleep to a Christian, even in the time of persecution, just like Peter was. But a lack of faith or trust of God, for his protection and deliverance, will bring plenty or worry and anxiety, and inability to sleep, and have a sweet dreams. What we look at in life, will determine, if we have more, less, or not at all faith in God. What we look at, we pay attention to, and give ourselves to it. If we look and our attention remains with the circumstances of our life, or with the news on the TV, or with what the doctors or friends say to us, then we can be full of fear, and lack of faith.
In Matthew 14:30, you can see, that as long as Peter was looking at Jesus, in the middle of the storm, he was safe, and was walking on the water. But the same verse says, that Peter shifted his attention from Jesus, and began to look at the wind, he became afraid, which proves, that he lost his faith in the word which Jesus gave him, ‘come’, and began to believe in the power of the wind and the storm, rather in the power of God and his Word. The Bible tells us to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. Peter was doing just that, fixing his attention to Jesus, and walking on the water for a few seconds, but then he fixed his eyes on the circumstances around him, and especially on the wind. I am sure Peter began to think to himself, how powerful that wind and storm was, and completely forgot, how powerful his God was. But that is what happens to everyone, who fixes their attention on the wrong thing, because what we give our attention to, we empower to influence us, either on the circumstances in our life, which will produce often fear and no faith, or on the Word of God, which will produce faith and diminish fear. If Peter decided, to stay focused on what Jesus told him to do, and carry on looking at Jesus, instead looking at the wind, he would be able to walk on the water, and he would be able to walk over many other things and challenges, in his life. He had to stay focused on the words of Jesus, instead of focusing on the power of the wind and the waves. That is what determines success or failure, faith or doubt, victory or defeat. The Scripture is very clear, you will have all needs met by God. There are no ifs and buts if you read Psalm 128:1,2!
He has said that, and it will be done! It is a wonder to figure out, how can some Christians fight against the prosperity of their needs met by God, and have leftovers, when it is very clear in many passages of the Bible, that God is our God of more than enough. Do not we see, that twice when Jesus provided food for thousands of people, as recorded in the Gospels, there were baskets left, full with leftovers. God could provide exactly the amount of food they needed, but instead, on both occasions, he provided them with baskets full with leftovers. What is even more, there is even one occasion in the Gospels recorded, when the disciples forgot to take bread with them, and when Jesus warned them to be careful about the yeast of the Pharisees. In that case, they thought that he is warning them about not having enough bread. But Jesus asked them, if they do not remember the thousands of people he had miraculously fed, and how many baskets of leftovers were there. That is what Jesus asked them. Mark 8:19-21 Why did Jesus ask them that question about the baskets full with leftovers? Because he wanted them to know, that we are with him, there is always a basket provided for us with leftovers. He is not satisfied to provide us with just enough to survive. No, that is why he gave them twice baskets full with leftovers. Are you finding yourself in a need for money to pay your bills, or for food to feed your family? Then do not forget what God has promised particularly for you, in Psalm 128:2, that blessing and prosperity will be yours! That is what God has said! Do we want to believe him, or do we want to believe the empty bank account more? Believing in the empty bank account, will give you worry and no miracle or provision, but believing the Word of God, will fulfil what it has promised! Which one you want to carry on believing? Is the hand of God too short to provide? No, he will for those who want to trust in him. He finds difficult to provide for those who doubt his Word and promises, although he wants to provide. The reason is, that if he continues to provide for the doubting, he will encourage them to continue living in doubt, because they will learn, that he provides even if you doubt. And yes, he does, but that is not what he wants. God wants us to grow in faith and trust in him, and although he will provide what we need, he is unwilling to provide just because we need something. He wants to be trusted and believed, because it surely grieves him, if we doubt what he has promised us in his Word. Pray or perish. The more we press the snooze button, the less we pray, and the more we are tempted. The less we pray, the more we sin. Be filled with the Holy Spirit. That is a command, not an option. How can we be filled with the Holy Spirit if we do not pray? Jesus said in another place that we are in error, because we do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. How can we know the power of God, if we do not pray? Knowing and even acting on the Word of God is not enough. If we do not pray, we lose communication with heaven, and when we do, the communication we are left with is this world and what it has to offer. The image of God shines brighter and is shaped more and more in our life, when we pray. Less prayer, less image from heaven in us, and more from the fallen human nature in us and this world. Surely Jesus prayed more intensively, the closer he came to the cross. That is why he urged the disciples to do the same, shortly before he was captured and crucified. In the most crucial time in the garden of temptation, they pressed the snooze button. I am sure God wanted them to press the prayer button instead of the snooze button. The less we pray, the more we sleep. The more we sleep, the less we have what heaven has to offer. When we press the spiritual snooze button, we drop the Sword, and lose the battle. The less we pray, the more we sin. The more we sin, the less we grow in maturity in Christ. The less we mature in Christ, the more of the solid food for us God has we miss. We carry on drinking only milk and stay like a spiritual infant. The enemy knows that the less we pray, the more we can be tempted, so he is watching for an opportunity we give him, when we press the snooze button. Are you struggling at the moment to get a job? There are so many people now in the world, who need employment, because of the Covid 19 pandemic. Perhaps you have been looking to find a new job for a long time. Be sure of the fact of the promise of God, that he cares for you and will provide you with an employment. But how can you be sure? Well, let us look at Psalm 112. In verse 2 the Word of God says that if you are a Christian, and serve God, you will be blessed. How can you be blessed, if you do not have a job? The two just do not go together. It is all down to what we want to believe more. The circumstances of unemployment we see, and our empty pocket, or the Word of God, and what God says about it. Think about it. God created the whole universe and the earth, and all the gold and diamonds in the earth just by his Word, by what God spoke. He created the universe by his spoken words out of nothing. Now, do not you think, that God will surely provide you with a job by commanding a job to be given to you? He even gave job to Adam and Eve from the very beginning. And now, you are his beloved child. He was willing to give up for you and me, the most precious he ever had, his Son Jesus to suffer a horrible death on the cross, for my and your sins. God the Father did not refuse to let Jesus go on the cross for you and me. And will he be unwilling to give a job to you? No way! He promised to give good gifts to those who ask him. So, do not wonder anymore, if God will provide you with a job, because he will! God said in Psalm 112:3 that wealth and riches will be in your house, if you believe in him and follow him. That wealth and riches surely includes an employment! Why should God want to give you wealth and riches, and not want to give you a job? God wants not just to pay your bills, but for you to have more than enough. That is what he said, that wealth and riches are yours! That is much more than just having a job! He wants you to have more than a salary! God wants you to be rich! Read verse 3 again! That is the opinion of God, not a man. God wants you prosperous! That is God’s own idea, not man’s! Wealth and riches means only one thing, wealth and riches, and there are no ifs, no buts, and all the other stuff, which does not come from heaven. |
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