And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. Mark 1:40-41 KJV
Establishing a Diagnosis
Many people will spend more time examining the vegetables in the supermarket than they will spend evaluating their faith.
Generally speaking, faith is relying on what God has done rather than on one’s own efforts.
In the Old Testament, faith is rarely mentioned. In its place the word “trust” is frequently used, and verbs like “believe” and “rely on” are used to express the right attitude one should display to God.
The classic example is Abraham, whose faith was reckoned as righteousness (Gen. 15:6), and at the heart of the Christian message is the story of the cross: Christ’s dying to bring salvation for all.
I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Psalm 16:8-9, 11 KJV
I talked to a friend of mine on the telephone last night and she told me that when she retired she took a trip to another country and was away from her husband for four months. I said, “You must have really missed him.” She replied “I was so busy and was so involved in doing things and going places that I didn’t have time to miss him until I went to bed.”
When She Went to Bed (Too Busy for Jesus) Read More »
I’m sure you’ve heard many times that we are to think positive thoughts and indeed we do need to think positive instead of thinking negative. However, just thinking positive thoughts will never change us or our circumstances. We don’t have the power to change anything. It takes the power of our risen Saviour living in us to change us and our circumstances. Instead of thinking positive we should “Think Jesus.” He is the only one who can change a life and melt a hardened heart into a soft heart.
I think if we would be honest with ourselves, all of us could say that there are times in our lives when we get discouraged because of cruel, sarcastic and critical words that have been said to us. Our strength grows weak, our determination to keep going falters and we are tempted to say things and do things that a Christian should not say or do.
His Faithfuless, My Faithfulness Read More »
Today is the day we celebrate our nation’s freedom yet there are so many people who are still in bondage. They are in bondage to schedules, deadlines, television, sports, alcohol, drugs, sex, profanity, and all the other things that come before Jesus and keep them from serving Him and spending time with Him as He has commanded us to do. He has told us that we should have no other gods before Him. However all too often we allow things that will one day mean nothing come before Him and our service to Him.
Freedom From Bondage Read More »
With acknowledgements to Bernard of Clairvaux.
Modes of Spiritual Growth Read More »
When does a person think about health? For me, this question surfaced when I was sick, when I was far from healthy. For years I thought I was a healthy person. My doctors had declared how healthy and strong I was for my age. Then, very much to my surprise, I discovered that I had cancer. Health flew from my mind and disease and debilitation and death took health’s place. The plain and simple fact that a biopsy had found a significant cancer in my body immediately effected my identity. My sense of self was instantaneously altered . I became, from that hour of discovery, different. I was no longer healthy. Who was I? I was no longer even myself, but a cancer victim, and might soon become a cancer survivor. Whatever the outcome of this dread discovery, I thought I would never be the same.
In Sickness and in Health Read More »
Shortly after I married his daughter, my father-in-law gave me one of the most treasured gifts I have ever received — a book titled Hedges: Loving Your Marriage Enough to Protect It.
From the precepts found in the book, I learned how building “hedges” is important to a marriage. Just as in Scripture, hedges are a protection and direction against infidelity, a leading cause of marriage failure in America.
Husbands, love your wives – build hedges Read More »
Psalm 30:1-2, KJV
I will extol thee, O Lord; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.
