2024 Advent Deeper Christmas Devotion Day 7: Whom did Jesus come to heal?

Jesus was born for this. The Bible is full of stories of the downs and outs. Crowds thronged Jesus, including the rich, the famous and the powerful, those with ample means to donate and contribute to His ministry, some of whom might have employed tough strong body guards to open their way to access to Jesus. When everybody was rushing against time, Jesus always slowed down, paused, looked around and stopped for the sick, weak, lowly, poor, voiceless, and even an outcast, and showed God’s great mercy and grace (undeserved favor) for such individuals to ensure that they got heard and their needs attended to. He knows the Father’s hearts, and He follows the Father’s will. 

Who were the ones that Jesus stopped for? Here are some general and specific examples, spanning over old and young, men and women, Jews and foreigners, 

Indeed, all sorts of sick, physically or mentally afflicted or oppressed people who came to Him were healed and set free. They were of all ages, races, nationalities, social classes and financial status, cultures/political/religious affiliations. He was concerned with their spirit, soul and body health. The Bible recorded some of such incidents and those He healed, delivered, and paid special attention. Here is an unexhaustive list: 

Matthew 8: a leper; a Roman Centurion’s servant; Peter’s mother-in-law;  two demon-possessed men set free.

Matthew 9: a paralytic; Matthew (Levi, Luke 5) the tax collector (soul and spirit); a 12th year old girl restored to life, a woman who had bleeding issue for 12 years healed instantly; two blind men received their sight -healed; a mute man healed.

Matthew 12: healed a man with a withered hand on Sabbath in a synagogue; also healed a demon-possessed, blind and mute man.

Matthew 14: Showed His compassion for the great multitudes who followed Him on foot from the cities and healed their sick. At evening He fed them, by miraculously multiplying five loaves and two fish to feed about five thousands men, besides women and children. (Provision)

Matthew 14: Many sick people begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment and as many as touched it were perfectly well.

Matthew 15: A gentile (Greek) woman showed her faith and cried out to Him to heal her severely demon-possessed daughter and she was healed from that very hour.

Matthew 17: A deaf and dumb spirit tormented boy with seizure was healed despite the unbelief of even the boy’s father. 

Mark 2: Forgave and healed a paralytic carried by four men who had faith and were undeterred by the crowd. They  uncovered the roof and let down the bed so Jesus could heal him. (Spirit, soul and body)

Mark 10: Let the little children come to Him, took them up in His arms and blessed them.  (Special attention.)

Mark 12: Took note of and praised one poor widow who could had only two small copper coins and gave all to the temple. (Special attention.)

Luke 7: Raised from dead the son of a widow of Nain. (Special attention.)

Luke 7: While being a guest in a Pharisees’ house, Jesus let a repentant sinner woman wash his feet with her tears, wipe with her hair, kiss his feet and anoint them with fragrant oil. (Spirit, soul and body)

Luke 14: Healed a man with dropsy on Sabbath in the home of a ruler of the Pharisees. 

Luke 15: All the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. (Spirit and soul)

Luke 17: Ten lepers cleansed, including a Samaritan. 

Luke 18: Counseled a rich young ruler. (Spirit and soul)

Luke 18: Stopped for a blind beggar, Bartimaeus, near Jericho and healed him.

Luke 19: Brought salvation to a rich chief tax collector, Zacchaeus and his house. (Spirit and soul)

John 4: Shared the Kingdom of God with a Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. (Spirit and soul)

John 4: A Samaritan (foreign) woman who had five husbands and was living with one not her husband. (Spirit and soul)

John 4: Healed the dying son of a nobleman.

John 8: Jesus pointed out that not one of the accuser was without sin. So the adulteress was forgiven and not condemned, and He asked her to go and sin no more. (Spirit, soul and body)

John 9: Healed a man who was born blind. 

John 11: Raised Lazarus who was dead for four days. 

Summary of those whom Jesus healed and saved: Luke 5:31-32 NLT 31 Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. 32 I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”

Application: Think about why we need Jesus. Why is remembering His birth so important? What more do we still need to ask since He has given all He has for all mankind? 

2024-12-17 Καὶnos

2024 Advent Deeper Christmas Devotion Day 6: a greater present for Christmas!

Would you like to know the end before you begin? Imagine the pain of a parent of a child who knows of the short and painful lifespan of their child before birth or even conception. The Father God knew of what His beloved Son would go through even before the foundation of the earth. Jesus knew. He was there together with the Creator Father God and the Holy Spirit from the very beginning of this earth and mankind. What greatness in love for them to have agreed to let Jesus come to earth for the most excruciating painful assignment in spite of the foreknowledge of the eventual outcome This is what we need to think upon today as we walk with Jesus to the deeper end during this Advent (Sun, Dec 1, 2024 – Tue, Dec 24, 2024). 

What is Advent? the arrival of a notable person or thing. The first season of the Church year, leading up to Christmas and including the four preceding Sundays.

Advent is a season observed in most Christian denominations as a time of waiting and preparation for both the celebration of Jesus’s birth at Christmas and the return of Christ at the Second Coming. It begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, often referred to as Advent Sunday. The name comes from Latin adventus (‘coming; arrival’), translating the Greek parousia from the New Testament, originally referring to the Second Coming.

The first coming dealt with the salvation and redemption of mankind. What about the Second Coming? 

The Second Coming: Bible verses (Excerpts quoted from NLT Bible unless otherwise specified)

Matthew 24:36–44: “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. 37 “When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day.

Luke 21:25–28: 27 Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on a cloud with power and great glory. 28 So when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for your salvation is near!”.  

John 5:28–29: 28 Don’t be so surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God’s Son, 29 and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment.

1 Thessalonians 4:16–17: 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 

Revelation 1:7: Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven.

And everyone will see him—

    even those who pierced him.

And all the nations of the world

    will mourn for him.

Yes! Amen!.

Hebrews 9:27–28 (NKJV): 27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, 28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

Matthew 24:26–31 (NKJV): “27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” “29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days … 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. “ (Three times in the NT we are told about the “trumpet call of God” which is always associated with the second Advent and the great resurrection of the dead. Matt. 24:31; 1 Cor. 15:52; 1 Thess. 4:16.)

1 Thessalonians 5:1–3 (NKJV): But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.

1 Corinthians 15:51–52: 51 But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! 52 It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. 

John 14:1–3: ““Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.”

The Good News of the Second Coming of Jesus gives hope and assurance of a secured future. This brings Christmas to another level of depth about the grace and truth that came through Jesus’ first coming. 

Application: Continue to meditate on the goodness and love of God through giving all mankind Jesus, the ultimate present!

2024-12-16

2024 Advent Deeper Christmas Devotion Day 5: Neither ashamed nor afraid

 Often Christians are ashamed. Why? Where? How come? These are the questions for which we find answers from our brethren the apostle Paul today as we dive into deeper waters with Jesus. Jesus assured us not to be afraid. Paul assured us not to be ashamed. He was not ashamed too. 

Romans 1:16-17 New Living Translation

16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.[a] 17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”[b]

Footnotes

1:16 Greek also the Greek.

1:17 Or “The righteous will live by faith.” Hab 2:4.

1. Why are Christians ashamed to tell the Good News of Jesus even at His birthday celebration right now? They don’t know the power of God in the Gospel:
1. They are afraid of being rejected, ridiculed, not politically correct, judged, and worse, even persecuted. 
2. They do not know in Christian faith we are required to just believe and carry out our belief by faith in the living God.
3. God has assured of a divine power, through the Holy Spirit, to carry out to fulfill His purpose of saving lost souls.
4. This salvation is available for everyone who believes, regardless of race and past beliefs. 
2. What is this all powerful God-initiated Good news about Jesus?

Romans 1:3-5 New Living Translation

3 The Good News is about his Son. In his earthly life he was born into King David’s family line, 4 and he was shown to be[a] the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit.[b] He is Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through Christ, God has given us the privilege[c] and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name.

Footnotes

1:4a Or and was designated.

1:4b Or by the Spirit of holiness; or in the new realm of the Spirit.

1:5 Or the grace.

In summary, you have to believe this:

1. The Good News is about Jesus Christ, the Son of God
2. He was born into King David’s family line on earth, just as prophesied
3. He died for us and was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit
4. The God News is all about Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Application: Our belief is based entirely on the truth given in the Bible, as we believe by faith and not by sight. With man’s tendency to use our mind this is hard and quite impossible. But with God, nothing is impossible. This Christmas let us expect the divine intervention of the Holy Spirit from God making the impossible to possible!  

Note from my post on 2022-12-20: “Jesus has declared that He and His Father are one. Jesus also says this of us (His believers): “I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.” And His Father is our Father. This is the greatest assurance today. As we are united with Christ and God, we have nothing to fear or worry about. His house is our house. His lives in us and His divine life is our real life. He does things with us, speaks to us and teaches us. He gives us all good gifts. He loves us to the extent of giving His Son to us, to redeem us so that we can return to Him and be reconciled with Him as His children. He sent His Son to purchase our life, pay for our healing and divine health too.”

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Romans 8:32

2024-12-11 Καὶnos

Three perfect storms in Bible (2): key success factors

The key success factors used by Jesus (while on earth as a human), Apostle Paul and Prophet Jonah to overcome the raging storm (adversities and adversaries) around them are: Know God (His Word, His Spirit, His Presence, His Power); know how to access to God through Prayer as led by His Spirit and His Word. To each of these three witnesses of God’s reality in our lives, God is real and living. There is no unbelief and doubt. From the way they conversed with God, listened to Him, prayed (talked) to Him, walking in cool calmness and confidence, we can see that they know God in their daily living, storm or no storm. It is clear that handling of storm, whatever mode it may come, physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual, is in the daily consistent and persistent preparation and not at the last minute when it hits like the hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunami, flood, fire, adversities and disasters in life (career, family, relationship, finance, safety and security etc.) Preparation takes time and there is no short-cut. Jesus-the Son of God took thirty years to prepare.
After looking at the how Prophet Jonah (about 800-750 BC) responded to a storm, today we study how our Lord Jesus (7–2 BC to AD 30–33) handled a storm. We read from Luke 8:22-39 (NKJV) (Bible verses are quoted in parts from Luke 8:22-39; boldness of some verses added; my notes before the verses are in capital letters).
JESUS SPEAKS THE WORD TO DECLARE AND COMMAND: HE KNOWS HIS WORD CARRIES THE POWER AND AUTHORITY OF THE ALMIGHTY GOD, HIS FATHER IN HEAVEN. BECAUSE HE STAYS IN THE FATHER AND DOES THE WORK OF THE FATHER HE KNOWS WHAT IS AHEAD AND DOES NOT WORRY ABOUT THE STORMY AND SEEMINGLY THREATENING CIRCUMSTANCES FROM THE ENEMIES. HE IS ON A MISSION SENT BY THE FATHER. HE KNOWS THE PURPOSE AND OUTCOME OF HIS JOURNEY. HE STAYS IN PEACE. HE MERELY LAUNCHES OUT, CROSSES OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LAKE, DOES THE WORK-SAVING AND DELIVERING, AND RETURNS IN THE SAME PEACE AND CONFIDENCE HE ALWAYS CARRIES EVEN TO THE FINAL MISSION ON EARTH, THE CROSS. HE SETS A ROLE MODEL FOR HIS DISCIPLES.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples. And He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.” And they launched out. 23 But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy. 24 And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!”
Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. 25 But He said to them, “Where is your faith?”
And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, “Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~26 Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes…there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time. And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, …“What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!” 29 For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man…
32 Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain. So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them. And He permitted them. 33 Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned……and (the people) found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 36 They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed. 37 Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. And He got into the boat and returned.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SOME PERSONAL NOTES ON OUR WORK ON EARTH: (workplace and marketplace employment and making an independent productive living)
The grand ‘masters’ in the world (of sports or chess or music or politics or any other profession) know this: Preparation through daily long hours of practicing according to the perfect synchronization and execution of every move, based on calculation and prediction of every element (including human) and every factor seen and unseen, submitting the body and soul to the strict discipline of proven success.
An average factory worker knows too if he needs to be continuously employed and earn a decent living for himself and family, he has to be educated and trained for the specific job and role before he can fit in. In today’s increasingly highly developed and competitive technological and global market-driven age, a worker knows too that to ensure continuous employable status he needs more than mere mechanical skill. He also needs to be trainable and upgraded in technological knowledge and skills which become outdated within every five to ten years.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Jesus wants us to be wiser than the people of the world. Christians are not exempted from living a life of highly disciplined preparation in the physical as well as in the spiritual (through training and practicing in the words of God, guidance and empowerment by the Holy Spirit): acquiring knowledge, training and practice that produce a good and meaningful worthy job (bearing good fruits), not only overcoming our personal life’s adversities, fulfilling the abundant-life goals of the Kingdom of God, but also contributing to the well-being of others on earth.
Matthew 7:24
[ Build on the Rock ] “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:
Matthew 10:16
[ Persecutions Are Coming ] “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
Luke 16:8
So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.
1 Thessalonians 4:10-12
10 and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more; 11 that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, 12 that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.

see My Father, says Jesus

1. John 8:49
   
   Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.
   John 8:48-50 (in Context) John 8 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
2. John 8:54
   Jesus answered, “If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God.
   John 8:53-55 (in Context) John 8 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
3. John 8:56
   Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”
   John 8:55-57 (in Context) John 8 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
4. John 10:15
   As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.
   John 10:14-16 (in Context) John 10 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
5. John 10:17
   “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.
   John 10:16-18 (in Context) John 10 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
6. John 10:18
   No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”
   John 10:17-19 (in Context) John 10 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
7. John 10:25
   Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me.
   John 10:24-26 (in Context) John 10 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
8. John 10:29
   My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.
   John 10:28-30 (in Context) John 10 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
9. John 10:30
   I and My Father are one.”
   John 10:29-31 (in Context) John 10 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
10. John 10:32
    Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?”
    John 10:31-33 (in Context) John 10 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
11. John 10:37
    If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me;
    John 10:36-38 (in Context) John 10 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
12. John 12:26
    If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.
    John 12:25-27 (in Context) John 12 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations