Podcasts about Capernaum

Pastor Joe Hite Jesus Forgives And Heals A Paralyzed Man Mark 2:1-12 NLT 1 When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home.  2 Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While […]

John 5:1-9   After Jesus healed the son of the official in Capernaum, there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew Beth-zatha, which has five porticoes. In these lay many invalids-- blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be made well?" The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me." Jesus said to him, "Stand up, take your mat and walk." At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk. Now that day was a sabbath.

Daily Dose of Hope May 23, 2025 Day 5 of Week 8   Scripture - Matthew 4:12-25   Prayer:  Holy God, We come to you today with expectancy.  We need to hear your voice.  We need to feel your presence.  Lord Jesus, we know that we are weak.  Our lives are incomplete and empty without you.  Our world is nothing without you.  Help us go through this day remembering that we belong to you.  With your Spirit in us, we have power.  With your Spirit in us, we can be bold and courageous.  We give you our day, Lord.  Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a Deep Dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Happy Friday, everyone!  Today, we are finishing up Matthew, chapter 4.    Jesus' public ministry begins after his time in the wilderness and after the arrest of John the Baptist.  We don't know how Jesus felt about John's arrest, as Matthew doesn't give us that information, but we know they were first cousins and may have been close.  We also know that John's arrest foreshadows Jesus' own.   The Scripture for today says that Jesus moves from Nazareth to Capernaum.  Could it have been John's imprisonment that led Jesus to move?  We don't really know.  Capernaum was a fishing town on the Sea of Galilee and it becomes Jesus' base of operations.  It's strategic location also allowed Jesus to reach a wider audience and travel more easily.  Matthew points out that what Jesus was doing was also a fulfillment of prophecy from Isaiah 9.  Remember, Matthew is weaving in this theme of Jesus as the Messiah from the line of David, the one who the Jews have been waiting for.    Next, Jesus begins to call his first disciples.  I think it's hard for us to imagine how abruptly these four men responded to Jesus.  While there was probably more back story here that we aren't privy to, the reality is that they left everything to follow Jesus.  They left all human sources of security, all human goals and aspirations to respond to a call by God.  They left their jobs and probably their families to respond to a call, and did so as far as we can tell, without hesitation or doubt.   Could we do the same?  God calls each and every one of us but we still hold on to various aspects of the world.  How often do we fully and completely let go of everything to simply follow Jesus?  This is the demand of the kingdom of God–turn away from the kingdom of the world and give all to a bigger, deeper purpose.  Stop worrying so much about fishing for money, power, or admiration and simply fish for people.  We may live 2000 years later but this is our mission and call as well.  Do you believe this?  Are you ready to say yes?   It's right after this that Jesus begins his ministry.  He travels around the region to heal the sick and proclaims the Kingdom of God.  He preached in synagogues too.  But all kinds of people followed Jesus.  It says those from Syria, Judea, Jerusalem, and even the Decapolis (those would have been the pagans), brought their sick to Jesus and then followed him.  That means very early on, there were both Jews and Gentiles who were getting a picture of God's Kingdom.  Very early on, Jesus was crossing boundaries.    Let's end by talking a bit about the Kingdom.  What does it mean that Jesus was proclaiming the Kingdom of God?  This is actually a really important point.  Bear with me here, because I'm going to go back a bit.  God's mission from the beginning was to redeem his world and restore it to its intended purpose.   We see throughout scripture how God's plan unfolds. First, he pours himself into the nation of Israel, revealing his character, shaping a new kind of people. But, if you've read the Old Testament, you know what happens. Israel repeatedly disobeys God and eventually rebels against God until there is no turning back. And just when we think all is lost, God speaks through the prophets and the next part of his mission begins to unfold. He says, “It may seem like things are hopeless now but they aren't because someday, I'm going to send someone who will restore the people of Israel to me. This person will be a light to the Gentiles, and will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth and it will be obvious once more that your God reigns.” Then, 600 years after that prophecy in Isaiah, in God's perfect timing, his mission becomes more full and complete through the person of Jesus Christ who fulfilled this promise of reconciliation and “making things right again.”   Central to Jesus' ministry was the announcement of God's reign, that God's Kingdom was here. Think about Mark 1:15, Jesus says, “The time promised by God has come at last!” In Luke 4, we read that Jesus announces, “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” and then later in that same chapter, “I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” Because that is why he was sent - to proclaim the GOOD NEWS of the Kingdom of God.    So what is the Kingdom of God?  Sorry it took me so long to get here. The Kingdom of God is anywhere that God reigns and his values are at work, anywhere where the world is working in the way that God always intended it to work. This means the Kingdom of God is present when values like justice, mercy, forgiveness, hope for the poor and oppressed, compassion, righteousness, are lived out by God's people.   What Jesus was saying, and I want you to understand how radical and revolutionary this was at the time, is that the Kingdom of God is here. He was saying that he represents the Kingdom. He represents a new way of doing life, a new way of being human, a way of doing life that demonstrates the reign of God. And so everything he does–all his miracles, all his parables---they were all intended to show what the Kingdom of God is like, what the new way of being human is all about.   Why did Jesus feed people? Because in God's Kingdom, in the kind of world that God always intended for us to have, there is no hunger. In God's Kingdom, there is no sickness, so Jesus healed people. In God's Kingdom, there is no discrimination, so he elevated the status of those who were rejected by society. He ate with the people that everyone else hated–the tax collectors and the prostitutes–because in God's Kingdom, every single human life has value. In God's Kingdom, there is justice, mercy, and love. Thus, he offered acceptance. He offered love in everything he did, ultimately giving up his life in the greatest act of love in the history of the world.   Jesus' ministry was not just about getting individuals right with God. That was part of it but certainly the good news of the Kingdom is more than “you can go to heaven when you die.” It's “you can be reconciled to God now. You can live under the reign of Christ and live life abundant.” Yes, Christ came to ensure individual salvation but it was one part of something much bigger. By dying on the cross and being raised from the dead, there was final victory over sin and the barrier between heaven and earth was broken for good.   Enough for today.  You can see I might be just a teensy bit passionate about this.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki      

In Luke 4:31–44, Jesus teaches in Capernaum with astonishing authority, silencing and casting out demons, and healing the sick with just a word. The people are amazed not only at His power over evil but also at the compassion that compels Him to heal all who come to Him. Even when crowds try to keep Him from leaving, Jesus insists on proclaiming the good news to other towns, revealing His mission to bring God's kingdom to all.

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every single day. We are in the Gospel of Mark. Visit the website and purchase the Scripture Journal for this study so that you can follow along with us. I want to give a shout-out today to Robert Jassey from Double Springs, AL. Thank you for being a monthly partner in Project23 and helping us share the Gospel with millions as we work our way through the entire Bible. Today, we're reading Mark 2:1-5: And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” — Mark 2:1-5 The room was packed. People crowding every inch, spilling out the door. But that didn't stop these four men. They showed up carrying a friend who couldn't walk—and when the door was blocked, they didn't turn around. They climbed the roof. Tore it open. Lowered him down right in front of Jesus. Because real faith doesn't wait for perfect conditions. It finds a way. Jesus saw it. He didn't just see a paralyzed man—He saw their faith. Not faith spoken. Faith acted out. Faith with sweat on its forehead and dirt under its fingernails. Faith that refuses to quit until it collides with Jesus. And what does Jesus do? He says something unexpected: "Son, your sins are forgiven." Before He heals the body, He heals the soul. Because that's how Jesus works—He goes after the real issue first. If you're waiting for the “right time” to come to Jesus, stop. If you're waiting for your "life to get cleaned up before you act," stop. Faith tears the roof off whatever stands between you and Jesus. Right now, take action and tear off your roof by praying this simple prayer with me, and watch as Jesus provides you with the real healing you need. Jesus, I don't know all the right steps to take. But I know this prayer is a step in the process. Receive this prayer as my step of faith in you. I am trusting that you will provide me with the healing I really need. Amen. If you prayed this prayer with me, and this is the first time you've taken this step, let me know in the comments by typing: "I choose Jesus!" #FaithInAction, #RoofTearingFaith, #SoulHealing ASK THIS: What's one "crowd" standing in the way of you getting closer to Jesus? How does the boldness of these four men challenge your view of faith? Where have you been waiting for perfect conditions instead of taking action? Are you seeking Jesus for surface needs—or for soul-deep healing? DO THIS: Identify one excuse you've been using to stay stuck spiritually. Name it. Then, today—take one bold, imperfect step toward Jesus anyway. PRAY THIS: Jesus, break down anything that stands between me and you. Give me a faith that's not afraid to rip the roof off if that's what it takes.  Amen. PLAY THIS: Same God.

John 6:16-21,When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going. One of the tensions we feel in preaching the Gospel of John is how to get the right balance in explaining the narrative strategy of John and then also showing the practical reality of who Jesus is. We need to look at the text, to see what's going on, and we also need to look through the text to see the Person it's showing us.In other words, Bible study by itself will not change your life; it's encountering Jesus that will change your life — and encountering Jesus comes by giving attention to the Bible. The book is God's gift to us to show us Christ. We learned this in Chapter 5, verse 39 when Jesus told the Jewish leaders, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.”So see they had the Bible but missed Jesus — that's possible! That can happen! But we don't want to do that. We want to see Jesus through the Bible! That's a theological, affectional commitment of our church. And it's relevant for this sermon, because our passage this morning is really important to the narrative strategy of the Gospel of John. Chapter 5, verse 1, all the way through Chapter 8, verse 11, is a section in this Gospel that features the confession of the identity of Jesus. That's the theme. Who Jesus is as God the Son comes to the forefront in this section, and the direct center of this section is our passage today, Chapter 6, verses 16–21. And as you might expect, the center-point of this section is also the highest point where John gets his message across the clearest. Jesus's authority over the sea (which is what's happening here) is one of the most definitive declarations of Jesus's identity in all of his earthly ministry. And I want us to be able to see this in the text as straightforwardly as John is telling us.So we're going to look at this story this morning in its three natural parts: Setting, Conflict, and Resolution. Those are the three movements going on here, and we'll start first with the setting.Movement 1: the SettingHere it is: the disciples are in the dark and alone.Verse 16 tells us what happened after the feeding of the five thousand. Remember from last week that Jesus withdrew from the crowd. They wanted to force him to be king, in defiance of this Father's will, and so Jesus got out of there. And now in verse 16 it's evening. Jesus's disciples went down to the sea, got in a boat, and started sailing across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum. John is just telling us step by step what they're doing. But in verse 17 John reminds us of two important details. Everybody look at verse 17 and get ready. I want you to see this. Everybody find verse 17. In the second sentence of verse 17, John writes, “It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.”Now why is this a reminder?Well, it's because we already know both of these things: In verse 15 John told us that Jesus withdrew by himself (he's not with his disciples), and in verse 16 John told us it was evening. This means the reason he mentions these things again in verse 17 must be because they're important.So as readers, we need to keep these two things in mind. The disciples are in the dark and they're alone. That's the setting. Movement 2: the ConflictHere it is: the disciples are frightened.Now verse 19 tells us point-blank that the disciples were frightened. This is easy to see. The bigger question, though, is why they're frightened. Go to verse 18 for a minute…Verse 18 says that the sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. Apparently, according to people who know these things, the Sea of Galilee is infamous for storms. It's something to do with the geology and weather — because the sea is surrounded by hills, and there's unpredictable wind patterns and temperature changes — storms happen a lot here, and this one happened fast. But it would have been something the disciples were used to, and in fact, according to verse 19 they made significant headway in the storm: they rowed about three or four miles out into the sea, in the storm.Now I don't know if any of you have ever been three or four miles out in the Sea of Galilee — I've never been there — but I have been deep-sea fishing one time off the coast of North Carolina, and it wasn't long before we got far enough out in the ocean to be completely surrounded by just water in every direction, and I mean completely surrounded by water as in you feel vulnerable ... and I mean you feel vulnerable as in you don't expect to see a person walking up to you. And I was there in broad daylight. The disciples are here in the dark, in a storm. And verse 19 says they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near their boat, and then John tells us “they were frightened.” We might think, based upon how this story is going — dark, alone, storm — we might think that it's the sight of a figure walking on the water that scared them. When we read this account in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark that's the impression we get.Both Matthew and Mark say that when the disciples saw Jesus they thought he was a ghost! And that was enough to scare them. But John doesn't say that. John says explicitly that the disciples saw Jesus walking on the sea. And since John names Jesus this way he implies that the disciples recognized Jesus. And I think that is actually why the disciples were frightened. See, in John's account, they were frightened not because of the setting, and not because they were startled by a figure walking on the sea, but they were frightened precisely because they knew it was Jesus walking on the sea toward them.They knew what this meant! They knew it meant that Jesus is God and that they were now in the presence of God, and so the disciples do what we see basically every person in the Bible do when they encounter the presence of God: they're afraid!I think there's another Moses-wink going on here. (Remember the Moses-winks from last week? They are the several littles clues in Chapter 6 that allude back to Moses, and this is another one.) What's going on here is called a theophany. That word means God-appearing. It's when God appears to a person — they encounter the presence of God. And in the Old Testament, the most famous theophany involved Moses. …Moses and the burning bush. Now it's interesting that in that theophany, when Moses first sees the burning bush, he's not afraid, he's intrigued. He sees it and says I'm gonna check this out. And that's when God spoke to him from out of the bush. God said take off your sandals because you're standing on holy ground, and then God said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And immediately then, after Moses knew who he was talking to, we read, Exodus 3:6,“And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.”Moses was afraid after he recognized the encounter to be an encounter with God, and I think that's the same thing happening here. The disciples are not afraid of the unknown, they're afraid of the known!They know Genesis 1:2, that it was the Spirit of God who hovered over the face of the waters. They know Job 9:8 that it is God who “alone stretched out the heavens and trampled [upon] the waves of the sea.”They know that only God can do what Jesus is doing here and therefore Jesus is God, and that's why they were frightened! Because no longer are they just dealing with the Prophet who is like Moses (and greater than Moses), but they are in the presence of the God of Moses.Everything changes here. It gets flipped around. Jesus is not in the place of Moses anymore, but he is showing himself in the place of God and the disciples are in the place of Moses. They are biblically afraid, like Moses was. They're frightened. That's the conflict in this story. It's standard, expected, and essential … anytime mere mortals encounter the glory of Yahweh. … But now the resolution. Movement 3: ResolutionHere it is: Jesus speaks.This is verse 20. (This is still kinda like the burning bush, but it's even better because of how it ends.) Everybody look at verse 20. This is what Jesus said to the disciples as they were afraid. He said:“It is I; do not be afraid.”Now the second part of what Jesus says is a command (do not be afraid), but before the command is a declaration, and some of you might recognize it, but it's not super clear in our English translations. Most English translations put Jesus's first words here as “It is I” (because that's how we talk in English). But in the original Greek this is just two words. Everybody track with me here, okay? I want you to get this: the two Greek words are egō eimi — which, literally goes like this: egō means “I” and eimi is the verb “to be” — it means is or am. So put the two words together! egō eimi. What is Jesus saying here?! Do you see it? In this theophany, as Jesus is appearing to his disciples, showing himself to be God by his very action over the sea, and as they're frightened in his presence, he then speaks and he says I AM! So no wonder this story is the center-point and the highest point of this section in the Gospel of John. The identity of Jesus cannot be more in your face than this! Jesus Christ is God.Jesus shows this, Jesus says this, and then he says, “Do not be afraid.”And that's the real resolution.It's that God reveals himself and he says this — it's that God himself who created everything, who has authority over the seas, he is standing in front of the disciples in human flesh like theirs and he says You don't have to fear.Why not? Why shouldn't they be afraid? Shouldn't we all be afraid if we are literally meeting our Maker in the middle of a storm? Jesus is their Maker and Judge — on what basis does he tell them not to fear?Well, I think it's because of what Jesus has already told them in Chapter 3, verse 17, that “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”One day Jesus will come in judgment, but not right now, not in this story and not today. Because for now Jesus is on a rescue mission! Jesus has come as their Savior and as our Savior. That's what he says! He is not the “I AM here to condemn you.” He is the “I AM here to save you.”He is the I AM with you!I AM for you! Don't be afraid.And this is where, if we step back a little and look at this entire story as a whole, it becomes an illustration of conversion …This story is actually our story … this is everyone's story who trusts in Jesus.Let me go back and show you …The Picture of ConversionRemember the setting, the disciples were in the dark and alone.That word “darkness” is important to John. He uses it a lot:He starts this Gospel, in Chapter 1, verse 5, by saying that Jesus is the light that shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.In Chapter 3, verse 19 John tells us that Jesus is the light come into this world but people love darkness rather than the light because their works are evil. In his first letter, 1 John 1:5, John says, “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”So for John, darkness is a bad thing. Darkness is anti-God. It's a metaphor for lostness. And so it's interesting that John tells us that the disciples are in the dark here, and to make matters worse, Jesus is not with them. Again, John repeats both of these things in verse 17.The disciples are in the dark and without God, and we've been there before haven't we? … I've been there … Now, look, I grew up going to church — we were a three-times-a-week churchgoing family — but I remember being lost. And it was weird because I was so close to the light that I knew the right things to say, but I was so much in the dark that I knew I really wanted a hundred other things more than I wanted Jesus.Which means I wasn't good at either part. I was like a friend who shared this with me recently: he said he was sinner and a saint and lousy at both. That was me: I was no good at following Jesus, and I was no good at running from him. That's lostness, man.What happened?He showed up. He came for me. He confronted me in a kind of storm, a fork in the road, and I knew who I was dealing with. Jesus is God, just like the Bible says. Everything I heard about Jesus is true. He has the authority. He has the power. My life is in his hands. And somewhere in that whirlwind he pointed me to his cross.I can't be good enough. I can't earn his love. But he loves me anyway. By his grace, he died on the cross to save me. He came to save me where I was. And I don't have to be afraid.And guess what?When Jesus showed up like that I was glad to take him in my boat!That's verse 21 here! Once the disciples hear Jesus speak and he tells them they don't have to fear because he is the I AM (here to save you), they're like Get him in the boat! And that's us too, right!?When we meet Jesus, when he shows up and we know who he is, and we take him at his word, we are all in with him. He is worthy of nothing less than our everything. And that's what it means to trust him. He's our only hope and we want him in our boat, in our lives, and we'll go wherever he goes, we'll do whatever he says. He's our God.And maybe you're here this morning and you've come to recognize Jesus as who he is and you're wondering about the next step. The next step is to ask him to save you. It could be a simple prayer like this,Jesus, I can't save myself and I'm done trying.You died on the cross for me and rose from the dead.You are God, save me. I'm inviting you to trust in Jesus Christ today. And for those of us who have, let's be glad he's in our boat!Let's pray:Lord Jesus, you are God. You are great and you are good and we delight in you. Thank you for coming here. Thank you for showing us who you are. Thank you for saving us! We praise you! With everything we are, with everything we've got, we praise you! We praise you! Amen.

33And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, What were you discussing on the way? 34But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest.35And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.36And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every single day. We are in the Gospel of Mark. Go to the website and grab the Scripture Journal for this study so you can study along with us. I want to give a shout-out today to Tim Steinke from Menasha, WI. Go Packers! Thank you for being a monthly partner in Project23 and helping us share the Gospel with millions as we work our way through the entire Bible. Today, we're reading Mark 1:21-45: And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee. And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon's mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them. That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons. And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter. — Mark 1:21-45 Jesus walks into the synagogue and doesn't just teach—He commands. His words land differently. Not like the scribes. Not recycled thoughts or secondhand opinions. Jesus speaks with authority, and it stuns people. It's the kind of authority that silences demons and heals sickness with a touch. This is power and compassion, side by side. He speaks, and spirits flee. He touches, and sickness disappears. He lifts a woman by the hand—and she rises, healed, and starts serving. Jesus isn't just full of authority—He uses it to serve, not dominate. He doesn't flex to impress. He acts to restore. That's the kind of King He is. And word spreads. Fast. People start crowding the door. Sick, desperate, oppressed—everyone wants a moment with Jesus. But here's the key: the ones who encountered Him didn't just get relief, they experienced release. Not just healed from something—but freed for something. When Jesus shows up, things change. People don't stay the same. So, here's the question: Have you allowed his authority to change you? Not just inspire you—but actually disrupt, heal, and transform you? #JesusHeals, #SpiritualAuthority, #FaithOverFear ASK THIS: What do you notice about the way Jesus uses His authority? How does His power give you comfort instead of fear? Where do you need healing or freedom today? What's stopping you from bringing that to Jesus right now? DO THIS: Surrender an area of your life where you've been resisting Jesus' authority—ask Him to transform it today. PRAY THIS: Jesus, I don't just want to admire your power—I want to be changed by it. Heal what's broken in me, and lead me in freedom. Amen. PLAY THIS: Same Power.

The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying,“How can this man give us his Flesh to eat?”Jesus said to them,“Amen, amen, I say to you,unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood,you do not have life within you.Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Bloodhas eternal life,and I will raise him on the last day.For my Flesh is true food,and my Blood is true drink.Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Bloodremains in me and I in him.Just as the living Father sent meand I have life because of the Father,so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.This is the bread that came down from heaven.Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died,whoever eats this bread will live forever.”These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

This episode proves scripture is always teaching us, never grows old or goes out of date, journals are excellent tools and the Spirit opens our eyes to new wisdom if we sit and listen. I know! I know! We just had a podcast on this scripture a few weeks ago, but there's more. Why am I so surprised?Mark 2:1-5 -  After a few days, Jesus returned to Capernaum, and word got around that he was back home. A crowd gathered, jamming the entrance so no one could get in or out. He was teaching the Word. They brought a paraplegic to him, carried by four men. When they weren't able to get in because of the crowd, they removed part of the roof and lowered the paraplegic on his stretcher. Impressed by their bold belief, Jesus said to the paraplegic, “Son, I forgive your sins.”Questions to Consider:1. What is distracting you and making you take your eyes off of Jesus?2. In what situations/relationships in your life do you need to stop talking/teaching and simply listen, wait, and pray?

JOHN 4:43-54 - NOBLEMANS SON - BRIAN SUMNER - 2025JOHN 4:34 "Now after the two days He departed from there and went to Galilee. 44 For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. 45 So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they also had gone to the feast.46 So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. 47 When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48 Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.”49 The nobleman said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies!”50 Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your son lives.” So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way. 51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, “Your son lives!”52 Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” 53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives.” And he himself believed, and his whole household.54 This again is the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee."To support this channel and partner with Brian in Ministryhttps://www.briansumner.net/support/For more on Brianhttp://www.briansumner.nethttps://www.instagram.com/BRIANSUMNER/https://www.facebook.com/BRIANSUMNEROFFICIALTo listen to Brians Podcast, click below.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...Purchase Brians Marriage book at https://www.amazon.com/Never-Fails-Da...Brian is a full time "Urban Missionary" both locally and internationally with a focus on MISSIONS - MARRIAGES - MINISTRY. Since coming to faith in 2004 doors continued opening locally and internationally to do more and more ministry with a focus on Evangelism, Outreach Missions, Marriage, Counsel, Schools, Festivals, Conferences and the like.  Everything about this ministry is made possible because of people personally partnering through the non profit. God Bless and thank you. †Support the showSUPPORT THE SHOW

[After Jesus had fed the five thousand men, his disciples saw him walking on the sea.]The next day, the crowd that remained across the seasaw that there had been only one boat there,and that Jesus had not gone along with his disciples in the boat,but only his disciples had left.Other boats came from Tiberiasnear the place where they had eaten the breadwhen the Lord gave thanks.When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there,they themselves got into boatsand came to Capernaum looking for Jesus.And when they found him across the sea they said to him,"Rabbi, when did you get here?"Jesus answered them and said,"Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for menot because you saw signsbut because you ate the loaves and were filled.Do not work for food that perishesbut for the food that endures for eternal life,which the Son of Man will give you.For on him the Father, God, has set his seal."So they said to him,"What can we do to accomplish the works of God?"Jesus answered and said to them,"This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent."

Summary: Early in Jesus' ministry, on a small mountainside outside of Capernaum, Jesus picked up his verbal pen and painted a portrait of human life when it is restored to the way it is intended to be, by his power to overthrow sin. This portrait of kingdom life begins with eight heart attitudes that comprise righteousness. Today we examine the second of these beatitudes, not only because it is so fundamental to spiritual flourishing, but because it was clearly portrayed in King David's heart after he was confronted with his adultery with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah by the prophet Nathan. This priceless attitude is a broken and contrite heart. Jesus said, Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted (Mt 5:4). For Further Prayerful Thought: How would you summarize the meaning of the second beatitude, Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted?Jesus called us to grieve over our own sin and the destruction sin brings into others' lives before he presses on to the call to spread the kingdom of righteousness over the earth. Why might this order be important?As we looked at five perspective adjustments that we might have to make about the awfulness of our sin, which are expressed by David in Psalm 51 which ones stood out to you most. For the printed version of this message click here.For a summary of topics addressed by podcast series, click here.For FREE downloadable studies on men's issues click here.To make an online contribution to enable others to hear about the podcast: (Click link and scroll down to bottom left)

Friday, 2 May 2025   And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke. And the multitudes marveled, saying, “It was never seen like this in Israel!” Matthew 9:33   “And the demon, having been ejected, the mute – he spoke. And the crowds, they marveled, saying that never it appeared thus in Israel” (CG).   In the previous verse, a demon-possessed man who was mute was brought to Jesus. That thought now continues with, “And the demon, having been ejected.”   The surrounding details that took place are omitted. At other times, Jesus may ask a question or make some sort of statement in connection with a miracle, and that was surely the case at this time as well. However, the narrative is focusing on the miracle for effect. The mute man, who was also demon possessed, was brought forward, and the narrative goes right to the fact that the demon is ejected. With that accomplished, it next says, “the mute – he spoke.”   This would be as incredible as healing the blind. A mute person has some sort of cause for his condition. In his case, it is attributed to being demon-possessed. Jesus' authority over the demon is made manifest in His ability to cast it out. If the demon is under authority, meaning under Satan, it demonstrates that Jesus' abilities are greater than those of the house of Satan.   This is an important consideration because of what is recorded in the next verse. For now, however, those who beheld the miracle were amazed, as it next says, “And the crowds, they marveled.”   With the healing accomplished, the masses could hardly believe what their eyes saw. Even today, such a display would be considered incredible. It is one thing to go to a doctor, schedule surgery or some type of lengthy rehab, or take some other avenue to be cured of such things, and another to have someone taken to another person who immediately cures him of some major ailment. And yet, this is just what Matthew records. Therefore, the people were “saying that never it appeared thus in Israel.”   The words are debated over because such a statement is not usually made. People are cured of major issues by Jesus, the young girl was raised to life, etc., but this expression is a mark of something inordinate, as if healing a mute man is more exceptional than the other miracles.   Because of this, fanciful explanations have been made up over the years. One such explanation is that it was common to ask the name of a demon. By knowing its name, its source of power could be determined, and therefore, it could be properly handled. However, because this man is deaf, Jesus was exercising a power over an unnamed demon, something never seen before.   The explanation is ridiculous. There is nothing to even hint at this, but because it is sensational, people will pass it on as if it is true. Rather, the words “never it appeared thus in Israel” are a summary of everything thus far presented while Jesus is in Capernaum.   He had arrived there, and right in the middle of reclining, He was asked to come and restore a girl who had died to life. On the way to do this, a woman who had bled for twelve years was restored by faith. All she did was reach out to Him, and she was healed. After that, the young girl's life was restored. That was followed by the two blind men having their sight restored, and then this mute man having a demon ejected. This then loosened the man's tongue to speak.   Because of all of these marvelous things happening in rapid succession, the people of Capernaum were exceedingly astonished and made their exclamation that Israel had never seen such things. Throughout their Scriptures, which extensively cover their history and the lives of many prophets, nothing like this had ever been seen.   Life application: When watching videos or reading commentaries about the Bible, be careful not to accept what you read without checking things out. Innumerable falsities have become accepted explanations of things because people don't know how to otherwise explain them, and so they make something up out of thin air.   In a similar fashion, there are innumerable Jewish traditions (at times, invented Jewish traditions) that are inserted into the Bible in an attempt to explain matters. By saying, “The Jews often did xx and this is what Jesus is basing His example on,” a seeming note of authority is assigned to the explanation. In other words, “If the Jews did this, God must be using their tradition to explain His word.”   A major problem with that is that it makes God's word subject to some supposed Jewish cultural tradition. This is especially problematic when there actually is no such tradition. Rather, we must let Scripture interpret Scripture. To assign meaning to events in the Bible that come from outside of it destroys the integrity of what the Bible is presenting. It becomes an “anything means anything” approach to explaining Scripture.   Be careful of what you believe until you can verify that the matter is true. More often than not, if it sensationally explains the matter, you will find it is not.   Lord God, the record of Jesus' miracles as He ministered to Israel is extensive. They are laid out in a manner that tells us, with all certainty, that He is the Messiah. Despite this, the people as a whole rejected Him. We lift up the nation of Israel today, praying that many will have their eyes opened to the truth of what You have done through the coming of Jesus. Amen.

This episode is part 10 in a study of the gospel of Luke. In this episode we find Jesus back in Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee. He is teaching, healing, and casting our demons. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

MS// Scripture, Capernaum, city Jesus, Nazareth

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As we continue looking at the motivations of the crowd that followed Jesus to Capernaum, we study Christ's words to the them; he is the bread of life and they must take of his flesh and blood in order to have eternal life. These were hard words that conveyed a simple truth about the gospel of Jesus Christ. In this sermon we learn a lot from Jesus and the way people respond to his doctrine. From this moment, some stay with Jesus but many turn away - - which reveals to us the nature of our own faith and what we truly hunger for.

More Than Words—The Authority of the Son of God on Display 04/27/25 Pastor Jon Verwey 21 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers […]

I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Wednesday morning, the 23rd of April, 2025, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We start in the Gospel of Luke 4:28-30: “So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff. Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.”Our Lord Jesus Christ told the people in the synagogue, that “this Scripture has come to pass”, where He said He would set the captives free, heal the broken-hearted and proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. Then we go straight to the Gospel of Matthew 5:9: “Blessed are the peacemakers,For they shall be called sons of God.”I want to say to you today that we must move on. Sometimes we continue to ask people to forgive us, and they will not do it. Eventually, Jesus moved on. He went down to Galilee to Capernaum and performed many, many miracles there. We need to move on with our lives. You cannot keep holding back because people do not want to forgive you, they will not release you. Remember the prodigal son, what happened to him? He told his father he wanted all his inheritance, went off, and blew the whole lot. His father didn't run after him and say, “Come back son, let's talk about this.” He left him, and when he was completely at his wit's end, he came back to his dad. His dad loved him, forgave him and restored him. Today I might be speaking to someone who is dealing with that very issue. I have to move on, there is no change, they will not forgive me, they want to continue to persecute me. I am moving on with my life. The Lord says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” not “blessed are the peace-lovers." Sometimes, in order for reconciliation, there needs to be a time of moving on, and if that person wants to sincerely forgive you, they can come and visit you and forgive you, but in the meantime, you have got to get on with the calling on your life. Now, today move on just like Jesus did and leave that person whoever it might be. Maybe it is a member of your family, a loved one, or a workmate. Leave them in God's hands and He will deal with them in due course. Jesus bless you and have a wonderful day,Goodbye.

John 6:22-40Why do you seek Jesus? In our story the multitudes venture to find Jesus, and when they discover him in Capernaum, Christ confronts them and reveals their true motives. What we find is that they were more interested in having their hunger satisfied than they were in having their souls satisfied. Join us as we ask ourselves hard questions about what motivates us to find Jesus? Do we desire to serve him or would we prefer he bless and serve us? 

Sunday, 20 April 2025   For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” Matthew 9:21   “For she said in herself, ‘If only I shall touch His cloak, I will be saved'” (CG).   In the previous verse, it noted the woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years. She came behind Jesus and touched the hem, meaning the tassel, of His garment. In doing this, we read, “For she said in herself.”   The verb is imperfect. It would be as if she was saying, “This will work, this will work, I know this will work.” She didn't just say it as a passing thought, but it was an ongoing motivation that she was saying to herself, “If only I shall touch His cloak, I will be saved.”   Whether she had seen other miracles of Jesus or whether she had only heard of His power to heal, she was internally convinced that He could do what she hoped for. In fact, the parallel accounts in Mark and Luke tell us that this was her only hope –   “Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, 44 came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped.” Luke 8:43, 44   This woman had not only had a bleeding discharge for twelve years, but she had taken every path she could in order to find healing, and none could help. In the process, she had spent everything she had, but nothing worked. In hearing about Jesus, she had either seen or heard of healings that were completely effective.   Because of this, she trusted that the God of Israel had sent a Person who could tend to the needs of the people. Whether she felt He was the coming Messiah or just a prophet of the Lord, her faith in the God of Israel who had sent her was sufficient to save her from her affliction.   Life application: Matthew's gospel noted that Jesus healed a leper on the way to Capernaum. It also noted that Jesus healed the centurion's servant by a mere spoken word. Taking these two accounts together is probably what forms the basis for this woman's faith.   She knew He could heal someone with a bodily affliction that rendered that person unclean according to the Levitical law. And not only could He do so, but He was also willing to do so. Further, she would have heard that Jesus, by a mere spoken word, was able to restore a paralytic.   Taking these two accounts together, which surely would have circulated in the area, this woman was able to deduce that Jesus could heal her and that it did not require His actively reaching out to touch her.   In her humility concerning her shameful condition, something that would have caused the people around her to avoid her at all costs, she determined to not bother Jesus with a direct appeal. Instead, she possessed the faith that He could save her apart from such things.   We can learn from her example. The Bible provides various truths about Jesus and salvation, but they are not all lumped into one paragraph. Rather, there will be instruction about what Jesus' ministry means to us in Romans. There will be an explanation of how to appropriate that in Romans as well, but also in 1 Corinthians.   Ephesians and Colossians will build upon those things and explain the underlying process of how that takes place. In other words, like the woman who probably pieced together the basis for her faith from the accounts she had heard about, we also must piece together the basis for our faith from the record of Jesus and the explanation of what He has done.   God has logically structured the Bible to give us a full and detailed explanation of what He would do, what He was doing, and what He did in and through Jesus. He has also explained that process in detail after His coming.   The more we read the details provided in Scripture, the more perfectly we will understand the process. And further, the more we understand the process, the more grounded our faith will be. When troubled times come to our lives, we will be able to firmly avow that our faith remains strong. How will we do that without being grounded in the word that explains our salvation and position in Christ?   Lord God, thank You that we are saved by grace through faith. It takes the pressure off us to know that Jesus has done it all for us. Help us contemplate this marvelous salvation, study the process of it, and catalog what occurred so that we will stay strong and resolute in the faith we now possess. Amen.  

To become a follower of Jesus, visit: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/MeetJesus (NOT a Morning Mindset resource) ⇒ TELL SOMEONE ABOUT THE MORNING MINDSET - Your personal recommendation can make an eternal difference in the lives of the people you know! STEP ONE: Go to http://YourMorningMindset.com STEP TWO: Share that page with someone you know! ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Mark 2:1–12 - [1] And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. [2] And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. [3] And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. [4] And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. [5] And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” [6] Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, [7] “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” [8] And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? [9] Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? [10] But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic—[11] “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” [12] And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!” (ESV) ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE MORNING MINDSET: (not tax-deductible) -- Become a monthly partner: https://mm-gfk-partners.supercast.com/ -- Support a daily episode: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/daily-sponsor/ -- Give one-time: https://give.cornerstone.cc/careygreen -- Venmo: @CareyNGreen -- Support our SPANISH TRANSLATION: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/supportSpanish -- Support our HINDI TRANSLATION: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/supportHindi -- Support our CHINESE TRANSLATION: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/supportChinese  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FOREIGN LANGUAGE VERSIONS OF THIS PODCAST: SPANISH version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Spanish HINDI version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Hindi CHINESE version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Chinese  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ CONTACT: Carey@careygreen.com  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ THEME MUSIC: “King’s Trailer” – Creative Commons 0 | Provided by https://freepd.com/ ***All NON-ENGLISH versions of the Morning Mindset are translated using A.I. Dubbing and Translation tools from DubFormer.ai ***All NON-ENGLISH text content (descriptions and titles) are translated using the A.I. functionality of Google Translate.

To become a follower of Jesus, visit: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/MeetJesus (NOT a Morning Mindset resource) ⇒ TODAY'S DAILY SPONSOR: Today's episode is sponsored by a podcast called Thundering Legion. If you would like to be a part of advancing the gospel in the armed forces of every nation, and help build a community of armed forces members for the purpose of mutual encouragement and accountability, you should check out Thundering Legion. You can find the podcast at  https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/ThunderingLegion You can sponsor a daily episode of the Morning Mindset too, by going to https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/DailySponsor ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Mark 2:1–12 - [1] And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. [2] And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. [3] And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. [4] And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. [5] And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” [6] Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, [7] “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” [8] And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? [9] Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? [10] But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic—[11] “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” [12] And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!” (ESV) ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE MORNING MINDSET: (not tax-deductible) -- Become a monthly partner: https://mm-gfk-partners.supercast.com/ -- Support a daily episode: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/daily-sponsor/ -- Give one-time: https://give.cornerstone.cc/careygreen -- Venmo: @CareyNGreen -- Support our SPANISH TRANSLATION: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/supportSpanish -- Support our HINDI TRANSLATION: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/supportHindi -- Support our CHINESE TRANSLATION: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/supportChinese  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FOREIGN LANGUAGE VERSIONS OF THIS PODCAST: SPANISH version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Spanish HINDI version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Hindi CHINESE version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Chinese  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ CONTACT: Carey@careygreen.com  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ THEME MUSIC: “King’s Trailer” – Creative Commons 0 | Provided by https://freepd.com/ ***All NON-ENGLISH versions of the Morning Mindset are translated using A.I. Dubbing and Translation tools from DubFormer.ai ***All NON-ENGLISH text content (descriptions and titles) are translated using the A.I. functionality of Google Translate.

Send us a textGood morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)Spiritbuilding.com - (premium quality paperback)Youtube Video Introducing the ContentFeel free to reach out with any questions: emersonk78@me.comJohn 6 Jesus feeds 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish. The people proclaim Him as the Prophet of God. They want to make Him king, so He withdraws to the mountains. His disciples then cross the sea to Capernaum. Several miles out, in high winds, Jesus walks to them on the water! He gets in the boat, and they are immediately at the land. The crowd from the previous day crosses the sea looking for Him. Jesus explains they come to be fed, but that He is the bread of life. All who digest His words will be raised on the last day and live forever! Sadly, many are confused and leave Him. But the twelve apostles remain saying, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” Jesus performs physical signs to validate spiritual messages. When He feeds the people, some think of Him as a source of physical blessings. But the miracle is simply to demonstrate that He is the Source and Sustainer of life. His nourishment is truth, love, and forgiveness. He fills us with His goodness and spiritual promises so our souls will never lack and will live forever! God gave Israel manna, but they died in the wilderness. God has given us Jesus so that we may live now, and forever after the final resurrection. Jesus' teaching is not always easy to understand or follow, but to whom shall we go? He is the Holy One and He has the words of eternal life.  Holy God, Your Son is a miracle worker. He feeds thousands. He walks on water. He calms the storm. It is not just what He does that draws us, but who He is. He is Your Son. He is the bread of spiritual and eternal life. He is the Prophet who promises a future and resurrection into the glory of heaven. He is everything to us. Lord, fill our hearts with thanksgiving and embolden our lives and lips to pronounce His majesty. When we struggle to understand, hold us close and help us learn to trust Him in all things. Thought Questions: -       Christians understand that following Jesus is about spiritual richness over physical provisions. How do you show that in your life? -        Jesus says to eat His body and drink His blood. In practical Christian terms, what does that look like in your walk of faith? -       When things got hard, many disciples left. What keeps you serving Jesus when His will is difficult to understand or follow?

Thursday, 17 April 2025   While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.” Matthew 9:18   “He, speaking these to them, you behold! A ruler, having come, he kneeled to Him, saying that, ‘My daughter now, she died. But having come, You upon-set Your hand upon her, and she will live'” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus noted that they don't put new wine into old wineskins. Rather, they put new wine into new skins. It is during this conversation that Matthew next says, “He, speaking these to them, you behold!”   What transpires at this time is a part of what is leading up to John the Baptist's question to Jesus, which will be seen in Chapter 11. John's disciples are there asking a question of Jesus. As such, it can be assumed that they will follow Jesus as He responds to the request that will now be made. Understanding this, it next says, “A ruler, having come, he kneeled to Him.”   The man's position is a new noun, archon. It is derived from the verb archó to rule. Hence, it refers to a ruler of some sort. In this case, he is a ruler of the synagogue named Jairus, as noted in Mark 5. Whether this means he was the chief ruler or one of the officials there isn't stated, but he held a ruling position in the synagogue.   His kneeling before Jesus is a mark of respect and humility. He is in a greater position within the society, and yet, he has humbled himself before Jesus. It demonstrates that something has informed him that Jesus is actually in a greater position in reality. Because of this, it next says he was “saying that, ‘My daughter now, she died.'”   Here the thugatér is introduced. It is a primary word signifying a female child. It can be used figuratively of the feminine position in general, such as “daughters of Jerusalem,” or “daughter of Zion.” In such a case, it is a Hebraism indicating belonging to a society, city, household, etc.   As for Jairus' daughter, death is something common to all people. When a person dies, it is evident that it has happened. There are times when someone may still be alive, having been misdiagnosed for one reason or another, but that is an extremely rare occasion.   In other words, it is certain that the child has died. People who attempt to diminish the words of this account 1) weren't there, 2) have to dismiss the words of those who would know, and thus, 3) make a claim based on biases that are not supported by the text.   We have the words that describe the situation and are asked to accept them as true and reliable. Understanding this, Jairus continues to speak, saying, “But having come, You upon-set Your hand upon her, and she will live.”   Another new word is seen here, epitithémi. It is derived from epi, upon, and tithémi, to set, lay, appoint, etc. In this case, it means to lay upon. Jairus believes that Jesus has this ability, and he is requesting that He come with him to have her life restored to her.   We can question what the basis of his faith in Jesus' abilities is. In other words, what is it that would make this person think Jesus could do this? The answer is probably because of events that previously took place there in Capernaum. In Chapter 8, the centurion pleaded with Jesus to come and heal his servant. As noted, from the parallel account in Luke, this centurion had built the synagogue for them –   “Now when He concluded all His sayings in the hearing of the people, He entered Capernaum. 2 And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear to him, was sick and ready to die. 3 So when he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to Him, pleading with Him to come and heal his servant. 4 And when they came to Jesus, they begged Him earnestly, saying that the one for whom He should do this was deserving, 5 ‘for he loves our nation, and has built us a synagogue.'” Luke 7:1-5   Therefore, it is likely that he knew of the event and was placing the same trust in Jesus that the centurion had done. He very well may have been one of the elders who was sent to Jesus. Now, his child was dead. There was nowhere else to turn, and so he came to Jesus in the hope that the same power that worked through Him to heal the centurion's servant would be available to restore his daughter to life.   Life application: If the conjecture about Jesus' interaction with the centurion is correct, it is a subtle hint at the direction of the overall narrative as the life and ministry of Jesus unfolds, and which is unfortunately overlooked.   This synagogue ruler is right that Jesus can heal his daughter. It is also of note that he bowed before Jesus and requested Him to come and heal her. But there is a difference in the account with the centurion. Luke 7 continues with –   “Then Jesus went with them. And when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying to Him, ‘Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof. 7 Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 For I also am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to one, “Go,” and he goes; and to another, “Come,” and he comes; and to my servant, “Do this,” and he does it.'” Luke 7:6-8   Even if the ruler of the synagogue has done nothing wrong and his actions are what would normally be expected, the contrast between the Gentile centurion and the Jewish ruler is still markedly noticeable. Instead of coming to Jesus and asking Him to heal his daughter immediately, he instead asked Him to come and place His hands upon her.   This subtle difference demonstrates a great chasm between the faith of the centurion and the synagogue ruler. Even if this is not noticeably highlighted, it follows the pattern set time and again in Scripture. God is looking for faith above all else. At what point will our faith be established?   Will our faith be proven by sight? Do we need a miracle to establish our belief in the capabilities of the Lord? Will our faith be strengthened through a new job or a promotion? Or is our faith strong enough to exist without any such things? The Gentile centurion's faith was without sight. It was without the nearness of his presence to Jesus. It was also with the understanding that Jesus could accomplish His actions by verbal command alone.   Jairus was respectful and hopeful, but it appears the contrast is purposeful. His faith was one that desired to be validated through action rather than trusting that the action was already the sure outcome.   Let us have the faith that says, “Lord, we know you can do all things. Whether You grant our petition or not, we will never allow our faith in You to diminish.” With this, God will certainly be pleased.   Lord God, help us to be people of faith, even without sight or without results in our petitions to You. Help us to remember that what we want is not always what is right according to Your plan. When we do not receive what we have desired, may our faith remain steady and unwavering. Amen.

Each day this Holy Week we will use the gospel appointed for the day, and hear from one of the main characters in the story, as I imagine they might speak. I hope this will help engage our imaginations as we walk this story with Jesus. Today we reflect on John 13:1-17 and Matthew 26:69-75, the story of Jesus' washing his disciples' feet during a Passover meal and its effect on a disciple. © Kate Heichler, 2025. To receive Water Daily by email each morning, subscribe here. Here are the bible readings for next Sunday.

Return of the Man-Child (8)  (audio) David Eells – 4/16/25  Father, in Jesus' Name, we thank You so much, Lord, that we can fellowship around Your Word. We know and trust in Your Word that is going to reveal to us those things that we need to know for the days to come and things that will enable us to cooperate with You in this process of sanctification and holiness, and also in the ministry of the Lord. We thank You that the Lord Jesus is coming in His people in order to fulfill in His Church that which You stated You would do from the beginning. We thank You, Lord, that You have taught us that what has been shall be, so that we can see how history repeats and see how wonderfully You have told us in the Word exactly what You are going to do. In the name of Jesus, Amen.  Well, we left off in Matthew 4, where we saw wonderful things that God is going to repeat in our day. The Lord had told me that everything that happened in the Gospels and in the Book of Acts would be repeated in our day, except that the cast of characters would be multiplied many times over, as more people are born into the world. The same thing has happened in history, but now it just happens with more people.  Let's pick up right after Jesus was anointed and had been tempted of the devil. Note that the Bible speaks about a “great light” that He was going to bring into the world, especially the world of God's people. (Mat.4:12) Now when he heard that John was delivered up, he withdrew into Galilee; (13) and leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali: (14) that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, (15) The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, Toward the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, (16) The people that sat in darkness Saw a great light, and to them that sat in the region and shadow of death, To them did light spring up. What could this light be other than the Lord Jesus Himself? Not only that, but what the Lord Jesus was sharing with people was the command to repent and believe.   Light is necessary in both of these areas if we want to walk in the Kingdom of God. We are walking out of one kingdom and into another. We are walking out of the kingdom of the world, much like walking out of Egypt, and we are walking into the Kingdom of God, which means under His Lordship and guidance. I believe the next verse begins with a revelation of that. (Mat.4:17) From that time began Jesus to preach, and to say, Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.  That just happens to be a perfect quote from John the Baptist, who said, Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Mat.3:2). Of course, John went on in verse 7 to say to the Pharisees, who were coming to be baptized because it was a politically correct thing to do, (Mat.3:7) Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (8) Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance (What does someone who has repented look like? What kind of fruit should they have?): (Mat.3:9) and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father … Don't a lot of Christians say the same thing? “Hey, I'm a Christian; I had my experience with the Lord years ago and accepted Jesus as my personal Savior.” Yes, but do you have fruit worthy of repentance? I believe that the light is going to come to the Church, which has not even understood what repentance means. The first thing Jesus did was to take up where John left off. You notice that when we left off in verse 12, He realized that John was delivered up, and that's when Jesus came into this particular area of the country where they said they saw great light. Like John, He said, “Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Repentance is necessary for the next revelation, which is the Gospel of the Kingdom. For those who repented, Jesus shared the Gospel of the Kingdom, the Good News of the Kingdom of God.  My friend Xavier once went to share with an apostate preacher who was living in fornication. He had the “greasy grace” that says, “It's okay; the Lord will forgive me. That's what the Gospel is all about, right? Forgiveness.” But no, that's not it. That's just a part of the Gospel. There is forgiveness, and then there is sanctification. Forgiveness is just a way to have a relationship with God until sanctification has done its work. There was another man in this church who recognized that the preacher was a sinner, but he told Xavier, “It would be wrong for you to judge him.” Of course, Xavier was sharing verses with the man, and the truth is that, yes, there is judgment. There is judgment in the Church. John the Baptist was judging when he said, “Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance.” He wanted to see their repentance. He did not want to see somebody say they were sorry and then continue on in their debauchery. The word “repentance” is metanoia, which means “to change your mind; to go the other way.” We have the authority to do this. We have the authority to change our mind and go the other way because of what Jesus did at the cross. He took away our sins; He delivered us out of the power of darkness; He made us free from sin. (Heb.10:14) For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.  When Xavier and I spoke about this, here's one of the verses I shared with him: (1Co.6:9) Or know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? What Kingdom of God is he referring to? The Kingdom of God is where God rules over you. It's not some place you go to after you leave this earth. It's some place you enter into when you repent. Notice what he's saying. (1Co.6:9) Or know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived (there is much deception out there concerning this): neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men, (10) nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. Where are you to inherit the Kingdom of God? Here and now. As a matter of fact, some people are waiting to go to Heaven to inherit the Kingdom of God. They will never see Heaven if they wait. You have to enter the Kingdom of God here and now, and you enter it through repentance and faith. Faith gives you the blood covering and repentance gives you the opportunity of entering the Kingdom. Without repentance, you cannot enter the Kingdom.  John the Baptist came in order to preach repentance to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord in their life. The Lord does not come into your life without repentance. If you received the first-fruits of Christ, which is a born-again spirit, and do not go on to get a born-again soul through your obedience to the truth (1 Peter 1:22,23), you are going to be an unprofitable servant. A “servant” refers to someone who has come to Him in one form or another. You will be an unprofitable servant who is good for nothing but to be cast out and trampled under the feet of men and cast into outer darkness. (Mat.5:13) Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men. (Mat.25:30) And cast ye out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. Now notice what he says in the next verse. (1Co.6:11) And such were some of you: but ye were washed (He is saying, “Some of you people were in these same sins, but you were washed.”), but ye were sanctified, but ye were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God. The Lord demands repentance for you to enter into His Kingdom, which is where He is King over you. That's how you enter His Kingdom.  If you look elsewhere in 1st Corinthians, Paul said somewhat of the same thing. (1Co.5:3) For I verily, being absent in body but present in spirit, have already as though I were present judged him that hath so wrought this thing. Paul judged him. Was he wrong in that he judged? No. Paul had the Spirit of God and what he wrote here was from the Spirit of God. He judged him because this man was in willful disobedience, had not repented of his sin, and had not believed the Gospel. If you believe the Good News that Jesus took away your sin, then your faith has power to walk away from anything. Everyone who believes can repent and walk away. Belief is not merely mental assent, like it is in most of the Church. (1Co.5:5) To deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh (I would say that's judgment! He is turning him over to the curse.), that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. People will repent when they are turned over to the devil. This is very common. If you want to know why you are living under that curse, you should question whether or not you are in willful disobedience or whether you have repented of everything and are walking by faith because the devil does a great job of bringing people to repentance. Many people come to the Lord because of what the Lord permits the devil to do.  (1Co.5:6) Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? (He means that, in the Body of Christ, there are people who are fornicators, liars, and thieves.) (1Co.5:7) Purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump (“Purge out the old leaven”; in other words, get rid of them.), even as ye are unleavened. For our passover also hath been sacrificed, [even] Christ: (1Co.5:8) wherefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (9) I wrote unto you in my epistle to have no company with fornicators; (10) not at all [meaning] with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous and extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world: (11) but as it is, I wrote unto you not to keep company, if any man that is named a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no, not to eat.   Well, this parishioner who was not in the fornication, but was saying that you could not judge the pastor who was in it, was saying, “Hey, Jesus ate with publicans and sinners.” But Paul tells you here quite clearly, “If any man that is named a brother be” in one of these sins, no, not to eat with him. It is not only abstaining from eating with him physically, but spiritually, as well, because he's talking about keeping the Feast of Unleavened Bread. We eat when we study the Word of God. Jesus said, Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees (Mat.16:6). In other words, “Don't eat their leaven; don't partake of their doctrine.” Paul goes on to say, (1Co.5:12) For what have I to do with judging them that are without? Do not ye judge them that are within? So there was judgment; there was judgment from John the Baptist and judgment from Jesus, concerning people who are in willful disobedience and do not want to repent and believe the Good News that they don't have to walk in their sins anymore.  Clearly, there is judgment from the Bible, and that pastor and parishioner were trying to condemn Xavier for judging willful disobedience and lack of repentance when he was merely showing them what the Father had said in His Word. Look at what the Lord says in Ezekiel. (Eze.3:18) When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life … How is it judgment when you say, “Hey, that's fornication and you can't enter the Kingdom like that”? They say, “Oh, but I'm saved.” No, you're not saved, as long as you walk in willful disobedience. You are not in the Kingdom. “Be not deceived,” Paul said, but speak “to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life.”   (Eze.3:18) When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thy hand. So God is saying, “If you don't tell them they're sinning, if you don't tell them, ‘Look, you can't enter the Kingdom of Heaven (which has to be entered here, by the way), while you are in willful, outward immorality,' then I will require his blood at your hand.” It's the very opposite of what those people say. They do not want to repent, so they try to condemn the person who brings the message.  Notice, the Lord said, “When I say to the wicked.” We just read what God said to the wicked. You can tell anybody what God said to the wicked, whether you are judging or not. That's a moot point. The question is, are they going to enter the Kingdom by repentance? Or are they going to try to shift the blame over on you? The truth is, He says to have no company with them, to cast out the old leaven. If a person will not confess his sins but try to justify them or think that they are acceptable in the sight of the Lord because of the blood of Jesus, there is no hope for him. By the way, Jesus' blood does not cover willful disobedience. (Heb.10:26) For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins, (27) but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries. It says, If we walk in the light (Walking in the light is not walking in sin. Everyone would agree with that.) as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another (He tells you, “Don't have any fellowship with people walking in willful disobedience.” Period.), and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin (1Jn.1:7). That's a wonderful promise! If you will repent and believe and walk in the light, He will cleanse you of that sin. (1Jn.1:8) If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  If a person doesn't want to confess his sin and wants to justify himself and hold onto his sin and wants to blame you for condemning him or bringing Scriptures showing where the Father has condemned him, then this person is not going to have any part of the Kingdom of God. The Lord says it very plainly, and we have to tell him the exact truth here concerning this. The light of the Gospel has to come. The true light of what repentance actually means is going to be brought on the scene here pretty quickly, folks. The overwhelming majority of Christianity don't understand what repentance is. They don't have any hope that repentance could actually deliver them from their sin and that they will not have to worry about that sin or walk in that sin anymore because of what Jesus did at the cross. He took their sin and nailed it on that cross. You do not have it anymore. Repentance and faith are necessary.  Back to where we were in Matthew, we found that Jesus took up where John left off. The next thing He does is to go out and gather His disciples. (Mat.4:18) And walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brethren, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishers. (19) And he saith unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you fishers of men. (20) And they straightway left the nets, and followed him. (21) And going on from thence he saw two other brethren, James the [son] of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. (22) And they straightway left the boat and their father, and followed him. Jesus has just begun His ministry here. The people whom He was going to were seeing a great light and He was gathering together His “elders” of the Church. He was raising up His forefathers of the Church, like Jacob raised up the 12 patriarchs, who were the elders of the Church. As you know, from here on out, He carried them with Him, demonstrating to them the truth of the Gospel by His works of healing, delivering, setting free, etc., so that they could live in the Kingdom of God.  In the Kingdom of God, all the promises come to pass; the Kingdom of God is where God rules. We pray; Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth (6:10). When God's Kingdom comes on Earth, it is as it is in Heaven. Is there any sickness in Heaven? Are there any demon-possessed people in Heaven? Is there anybody lacking in Heaven? The provision of God's Kingdom is total and complete in this earth, and we want to enter into it because that's where all of God's provision is. (Eph.1:3) Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly [places] in Christ. He's blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ.   As we enter into Christ, we have all these spiritual blessings that God has in His Heavenly Kingdom. He is gathering up His disciples, with whom He is going to walk, and send them forth into a much broader path than He could walk in. They, in turn, were going to raise up disciples who were going to do the same thing in a geometric progression that was going to bring a great revival. This is a type and shadow of the Man-child ministry that's coming, in whom Jesus is come to be manifested. Jesus raised up disciples in whom He was manifested here, and the same thing is going to happen in our day. Disciples are going to be raised up as forefathers to the Church of our day, except there will be many more because the Man-child is not an individual, but a corporate body.  It goes on to say, And Jesus went about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom (Mat.4:23). So He preached repentance, and then He preached the Gospel of the Kingdom. What is the Gospel of the Kingdom? Gospel means “Good News,” the Good News of the Kingdom. The Good News is that you can enter into God's Kingdom on Earth through repentance and faith. Well, God's Kingdom is where God rules in your life, and this is the Good News, that you can walk in obedience to God; you can walk in the Kingdom of God, under the leadership and rulership of God. The reason we know that you can do this now is because of what Jesus did at the cross. He made reconciliation: He took your sinful life and nailed it on that cross, and He gave up His Life. Do you believe it? Do you believe that He sanctified you on that cross? That He washed you on that cross? That He delivered you from sin on that cross? The Bible says in Romans 6:18 that He made you free from sin. He delivered you.   See, here is the great light that is going to come. Most of the Church believes that the only opportunity you have is forgiveness from God, and that is the beginning, but that is not the great revelation that God's people are going to get. They already know that. The great revelation is that the Bible is actually true. Jesus actually did deliver you from your sin; He actually did heal your body; He actually did deliver you from the curse; He actually did deliver you out of the power of darkness. Hallelujah! He did this. This is going to come as a sudden shock to a lot of people, but the Gospel is actually true; it's not just a nice saying, but it's actually true.  I want to backup a little here. (Mat.4:16) The people that sat in darkness Saw a great light (He was talking about His people), and to them that sat in the region and shadow of death, To them did light spring up. He's referring to walking in the light, which was what Jesus was about to show them. He was about to show them that they can walk in the light and be delivered of their sin, washed of all unrighteousness (1 John 1:7-9). This is the Good News that most of the Church has never heard. Oh, they have heard the Gospel, but they didn't realize it was really true. They never had any faith, only mental assent. Folks, He is talking about the nature of sin, about delivering you out of the power of darkness. It does not have any power over you. That is an awesome revelation that's going to come to the Church through the raising up of this Man-child ministry and disciples who walk in the steps of Jesus Christ.  Then Jesus went out to demonstrate this by “preaching the gospel of the Kingdom and healing all manner of disease.” Most of the Church does not understand that you have a right to healing, that you are not under the curse because you are a new creation. They don't understand that old things have passed away and all things have become new (2 Corinthians 5:17). They don't understand that you have been delivered of sin (Romans 8:2) and God accounts you righteous through your faith in Him (Romans 4:3), your faith in what the Bible says. It needs to be real faith. This is the light, the sudden revelation that a lot of the Church is going to get and that some of you have already received.   (Mat.4:23) And Jesus went about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of disease and all manner of sickness among the people. (24) And the report of him went forth into all Syria: and they brought unto him all that were sick, holden with divers diseases and torments, possessed with demons, and epileptic, and palsied; and he healed them. (25) And there followed him great multitudes from Galilee and Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judaea and [from] beyond the Jordan. He was demonstrating the Gospel that these people were not guilty anymore, demonstrating that God was forgiving them by healing them and delivering them of every curse that came upon them. Those curses came because of their disobedience to God and also because of the sin they inherited when they were born. They were born into sin. Some people say, “Well, God made me this way.” What does that have to do with anything? You were born in sin, you came into this world with the nature of sin, and so you say, “Because I was born this way, I'm supposed to keep it”? That will not float, folks. In the Kingdom of Heaven, you need to repent of this.  Let's read more of how Jesus demonstrated the Gospel. (Mat.8:16) And when even was come, they brought unto him many possessed with demons: and he cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all that were sick: (17) that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our diseases. He carried His disciples with Him and demonstrated to them how to minister and administer this Gospel of the Kingdom. Everyone who repented and believed could have these gifts because they were no longer under the curse, as they were no longer under sin. That's the Great News of the Kingdom. God not only forgave them, He washed and cleansed them, He healed them, He delivered them, and He took away every other form of the curse. It was just like the Passover. The Passover was the Death Angel, the Destroyer, passing over them because they actually had the blood upon the doorpost (Exodus 12:23). How do you get the blood upon your doorpost? The Bible is pretty plain about that. (1Jn.1:7) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin. The blood of Jesus cleanses us of all sin. Walk in the light. You take those steps in the light because of repentance and God will wash you, cleanse you and deliver you.  We see here something that is going to be fulfilled in our day on a much larger scale. The Man-child ministry is going to go forth to deliver, heal, bless, and demonstrate the Gospel. Not only that, there will be the saving of souls who are in bondage to sin, which many of you have experienced, but many more are going to experience that. Do you know how we know this is going to be repeated? Because this was a repetition in itself; this had happened before. You ask, “When did it ever happen before?” Well, go back and look in the Old Testament because in Hebrews 3, the author compared Moses' house and Christ's house. There is a comparison because Moses was the Man-child in his day and he did the exact same thing that Jesus did, even bringing the same Gospel.   Let me show you how we can see that. I know that it's in the types and shadows, but when it's pointed out to you, you can see it. For instance, when Jesus was anointed, the Bible tells us that He was given the throne of David, His father (Luke 1:32). Jesus was to rule over Israel, and His anointing was compared with the anointing that David had to rule over Israel. That is what's happening to Moses here. (Exo.3:1) Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro (whose name means “His excellence”), his father-in-law … Why is Moses' father-in-law called “His excellence”? Because his father-in-law was also the Father of the Bride. Is that not still true today? Exactly so. Moses was keeping the flock. Remember, David was keeping the flock before he was anointed to be king. Moses was doing the same thing.  (Exo.3:1) Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the back of the wilderness, and came to the mountain of God, unto Horeb. (2) And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned … Moses saw this sight and wanted to go investigate and when he did, he stepped onto holy ground, meaning he became holy. The Lord told him to take his shoes off, that he was standing on holy ground, and Moses did not want to be separated from holiness (Exodus 3:5). He was holy before God, and this is where he got his ordination to lead his people out of bondage in Egypt. As a matter of fact, the Lord said, And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land (Exo.3:8). “I am come down.” Is that not what the Lord said in Hosea 6:2-3? He said there that He would come as the latter rain on the morning of the third day, and that's exactly what's going to happen. The Lord is coming down to deliver His people out of bondage in Egypt, which is a representation of the world.  (Exo.3:16) Go, and gather the elders of Israel … That's the first thing the Lord told Moses to do, the same thing Jesus did. He gathered the elders of Israel. Who was Israel? Israel was Jacob and Jacob raised up 12 patriarchs, which is exactly what Jesus raised up, 12 patriarchs. So there you have it. It's a perfect parallel here. “Go and gather the elders of Israel.” Why? It's because they were to walk with Moses, just like those elders walked with Jesus. The Gospel had to be demonstrated; the power of God was demonstrated to them. They were to walk in the same path.   (Exo.3:16) Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, the Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, hath appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and [seen] that which is done to you in Egypt: (17) and I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt … There it is. He's going to deliver them from the curse of Egypt, the affliction of Egypt. He had said, “I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians.” Who are the Egyptians? The Egyptians are the old man, the old flesh, the bondage to the flesh. What He's saying is, “Look, I'm going to deliver you from the god of this world (that is, the old man, the flesh), and I'm going to deliver you from the curse because you've been obeying them both.” That is the Gospel of the Kingdom, which is what Jesus was preaching.  (Exo.3:17) And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. These were the “ites” that represented the old man, the same thing the Egyptian represented, which was the one who had brought them into bondage. You are not supposed to be in bondage to your flesh anymore. The Lord has already delivered you at the cross; it has already been done. He has already accomplished it. That's the Good News of the Kingdom. Why is God bringing them into the Promised Land? He's doing it in order to put to death those people who were ruling in the land. The Israelite was to rule in the land, not these people. He brought the Israelites in there for the purpose of putting them to death. Most Christians today want to live with the old man, but when Israel did that and let the enemies stay in the land, they became thorns in their side for the rest of their life. So the Jews did not inherit all of the land the Lord gave them, and they lived under a curse, under warfare, because they did not obey God. He said, “You take up your sword and go in there. I will be with you. You put them to death and take their house to live in and raise up your crop, your fruit in that land” (Deuteronomy 7). That's the Gospel.  (Exo.3:18) And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, hath met with us (As if He had not been there all along! Actually, He came down in a much mightier way than He had ever done in the 400-odd years that they had been in bondage, and that's how He is about to come today. He's about to come in a more powerful way than any of us have ever experienced, for the purpose of delivering His people out of Egypt and out from under the god of this world.): and now let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God. They had to serve God in the wilderness. Moses was taking the elders of Israel with him at this time, just as Jesus was, and demonstrating unto them the Gospel.  Here is the gathering of the elders again. (Exo.4:29) And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel. When Jesus gathered the elders, He was not gathering together the apostates. He started all over, which is what He is going to do this time as well. He is not going to the apostates, but He will start all over with some new, humble people who did not go to Bible school. He is going to raise them up. Paul is one of those who obviously went to Bible school, but He had to prove that He could do it, and He did. But what is represented by Moses and Aaron here? We're looking at a parallel of what Jesus did and now we see Moses and Aaron, but it had said earlier, And thou (Moses) shalt speak unto him (Aaron), and put the words in his mouth (Exo.4:15). Moses was to put the words in Aaron's mouth? That's a little like what the Lord does to us, which is what He's about to say. (Exo.4:15) … And I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. (16) And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people; and it shall come to pass, that he shall be to thee a mouth, and thou shalt be to him as God.   Interesting. He is likening Moses to God, like Jesus was to God. Now let me say, if a Man-child comes in our day, Who is it Who is going to be with him, putting words in his mouth? Jesus, Who is God! Moses is being used of God, and Aaron is being used as his prophet to speak his words, to do his work, and to take the staff that he did to do the miracles. In this case, we're seeing Aaron as the Man-child and Moses as Jesus in the Man-child or behind the Man-child to do the works. (Exo.4:29) And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel (This is much like Jesus did; His Father God was in Him doing the works. Jesus was the spokesman, the mouthpiece; He gathered together His disciples and did the miracles, and Aaron is doing the same thing here.): (Exo.4:30) and Aaron spake all the words which the Lord had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people. So it was Aaron speaking the words and doing the works, just like Jesus did.  “Aaron” means “bright” or “illumined.” He represents the glory of God shining out of a person, like this says: (2Co.3:18) But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. There are three glories: star glory, moon glory, and sun glory (1 Corinthians 15:40-41). It gets brighter and brighter and brighter. This is the shining forth of God in His people. He is coming in “Aaron,” His first-fruits. Jesus was called the first-fruits (1 Corinthians 15:20), and there is a first-fruits in our day. David also represented the first-fruits and Joseph, as well. It is not the only fruits, just the first-fruits. He is planning on doing this with His whole Body. (Exo.4:31) And the people believed: and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel, and that he had seen their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped. This was a monumental time in their history because they were about to be delivered out of bondage to the old man, the Egyptian, Pharaoh, the god of this world, and to the curse they were under because they were serving them.  (Exo.5:4) And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, loose the people from their works? … Some people think you have to put up with your “works” the rest of your life, that there is nothing you can do about it because you're always going to be a “sinner saved by grace.” That is an anti-Christ gospel. They were setting the people free from their works, from their service to the old man and to the devil, who is the god of this world that ruled over them, like Pharaoh did. They were being set free and the devil did not like it. “Get you unto your burdens.” In other words, “Get back under the heavy weight of your burden.” (Exo.5:5) And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land are now many, and ye make them rest from their burdens. This is what the Lord brought us out of bondage for, to enter into His rest and to cease from our own works, the works of the flesh. We do not serve the flesh anymore. We serve the spiritual man now. This is the Gospel of the Kingdom, and it sets people free. Even the devil had to admit that they were setting them free from their works.  (Exo.6:9) And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses … You cannot set someone free unless they believe the Gospel of the Kingdom. Moses came there to set the Israelites free. God ordained him on Mount Horeb, representing the Kingdom of God, to go and bring them out of bondage and take them to that mountain, too, but they had to believe him first because the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth (Rom.1:16). (Exo.6:9) … But they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage. God had to do a work in them before they could actually receive this light of the knowledge of the Kingdom. (Exo.6:10) And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, (11) Go in, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt … The word “Pharaoh” means “temple of the sun.” He was God to the Egyptians. They believed he was divinity, believed that he was the sun god. Pharaoh was not the Son of God and not even a close facsimile to the Son of God, but he was usurping God's position over the people of God.  The devil does that today. He usurps the position of the Son of God over the people of God, and they do not know that the one they're serving is the devil. They don't know that they're serving the old man that serves the devil, which is the Egyptian. We know that the Egyptian represents the old man because when the Israelites went through the Red Sea, Paul called it a “baptism.” In the baptism, the old man died in the Red Sea, and the Israelite came up on the other side; the new man, the spiritual man came up out of the water. The carnal man died and the spiritual man was made alive, so we know this parable is true. (Exo.6:11) Go in, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land. Do you suppose this Man-child is going to have this same authority to tell the devil to set God's people free? Well, Jesus was doing it. He commanded the devil to loose them; He commanded the sickness to come out of them; He delivered their mind from the fogginess of their fallen state. And, yes, this is what not only the Man-child but the witnesses and the elders who are raised up by the Man-child are going to do. They're going to have the authority to say, “Turn them loose, devil,” and it's going to happen.  (Exo.6:12) And Moses spake before the Lord, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips? Does the devil have to listen to you when you tell him to turn people loose if they do not believe? No. When you preach the Gospel and they believe it, only then do you have the authority to say, “Turn them loose, devil.” This is exactly what Moses complained of. He was saying, “Hey, they don't believe me yet, so why would Pharaoh listen?” (Exo.6:13) And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, and gave them a charge unto the children of Israel, and unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt. That was their ordination, their command from God, Who said, “Bring them out.   You have the authority to do this.” Jesus had the same authority, by the Isaiah 61 anointing, which Luke 4:18 also speaks about. (Isa.61:1) The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening [of the prison] to them that are bound. Who were they bound to? They were in bondage to their old man, in bondage to the devil, and they were living under the curse. Jesus took care of all three and that was all involved in the Gospel of the Kingdom. Now we know that Moses, too, was dealing with the Gospel of the Kingdom and trying to get those people to believe what he said. Praise the Lord!  (Exo.12:21) Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel (I'd like to point out to you that these elders were with him exactly as the disciples of Jesus, all the time, and he was demonstrating to them the Gospel. Actually, here is the Gospel in a nutshell.), and said unto them, Draw out, and take you lambs according to your families, and kill the passover. We're told that they had to eat all of the lamb (Exodus 12:8-10) and that the blood was to be put on the doorposts (Exodus 12:7), so that the Death Angel, the Destroyer, would pass over them and smite the Egyptians (Exodus 12:13). Jesus said, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, ye have not life in yourselves (Joh.6:53). Most of the Church is refusing to eat the body and drink the blood of Jesus Christ. The Bible says, The life of the flesh is in the blood (Lev.17:11). They are refusing the life of Christ through unbelief. Moses is not able to exercise any authority over Pharaoh because of their unbelief. Jesus was the bread Who came down out of Heaven (John 6:51) that gives life to the world, and that was His Body, the Word of God.  We are also told this: (Exo.12:15) Seven days (that is the last seven “days”) shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses (This is the house that we live in. There shall be no leaven, no polluting the pure Word of God.): for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel. This is a dire warning to God's people that during the Tribulation period, you cannot continue onward believing the doctrine of these apostate religions. (Mar.8:15) … Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod, too, because there are many who are worshipping the government. They're worshipping their country, their nation; they're pledging allegiance to a wicked, worldly nation. This is not to say that you aren't supposed to submit to them in every way, except when God tells you to do otherwise. Your allegiance is to the Lord, and you will bow to no one else. We see here that Moses was leading them to partake of the body and blood of Christ, and this was causing a Passover so that they did not have to live under the curse. Praise be to God!  (Exo.12:29) And it came to pass at midnight, that the Lord smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the first-born of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the first-born of cattle. (30) And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead. In every house there was one dead. So if we are the house, there has to be one dead, and that's the old man. He is the firstborn of Egypt, born of the flesh, born of the world. He is dead and we know that he is dead, and we are free because of what Jesus did at the cross because we were crucified with Christ. The Lamb was slain here, but the Bible says, we were crucified with Christ and it is no longer we who live, but it is Christ Who lives in us (Galatians 2:20). That is the new man and that is how faith in the Gospel works. We continue to believe what the Bible says, that, “Yes, this old man is dead. He was put to death, so I don't have to serve him anymore because he is dead, and he was crucified with Christ. Now the new man lives and rules in me.” That new man is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Col.1:27). We behold with unveiled face as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, and are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit (2Co.3:18). Like Aaron, who was the “brilliance,” the shining forth of the Lord in him, so the people of God will be.  (Exo.12:31) And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as ye have said. Pharaoh finally gave up, and the devil is going to turn God's people loose. The god of this world, the sun god, the one who imitates the Lord and usurps His authority over God's people, is going to turn them loose, is going to obey the command of Moses. When does that happen? It happens when they, “the people,” believe they're no longer in bondage to Satan because the Gospel, the Good News of the Kingdom, is the power of God to save the one who believes. It's the power to save them from the old man, from the devil, and from the curse. You will be delivered of those three things when you believe and continue to walk in the faith of the Gospel that sets free.  (Exo.17:5) And the Lord said unto Moses, Pass on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thy hand, and go. (6) Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. Here, Moses was still demonstrating the power of God's provision for God's people. Jesus multiplied the fishes and the loaves, and here Moses was still demonstrating it with the authority and the power of God to the elders and the people. (Exo.18:12) And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took a burnt-offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before God. Praise the Lord!   This is, once again, Jesus raising up His elders and the Man-child in our day, raising up the elders to be free from the bondage of Satan and free from the bondage of the flesh. The harvest started getting bigger and bigger, and more and more people started coming into the Kingdom, just as it was also said about Jesus. (Exo.24:1) And he said unto Moses, Come up unto the Lord, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off: (2) and Moses alone shall come near unto the Lord; but they shall not come near; neither shall the people go up with him. As you know, Moses went up on the mountain and was caught up unto the throne of God. This is the first mention of the 70 elders. He had already mentioned them, but now He refers to them as the “seventy.”  We have already discussed Jesus raising up the elders, but He also raised up the 70. (Luk.10:1) Now after these things the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself was about to come. (2) And he said unto them, The harvest indeed is plenteous, but the laborers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth laborers into his harvest. Obviously, the 12 were not enough. This was a great revival for many hungry people; there was a need. Even with Moses, his father-in-law Jethro had said, “You're going to kill yourself trying to serve all the people by yourself” (Exodus 18:14-18). Then Jethro gave Moses the wisdom from God to raise up elders unto the people to judge them, meet their needs, and so on (Exodus 18:19-26).   Jesus said, Go your ways; behold, I send you forth as lambs in the midst of wolves (Luk.10:3). (4) Carry no purse, no wallet, no shoes; and salute no man on the way. (5) And into whatsoever house ye shall enter, first say, Peace be to this house. (6) And if a son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon him: but if not, it shall turn to you again. (7) And in that same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. (8) And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: (9) and heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. The Kingdom of God is where people are healed, delivered, prospered, blessed, delivered from sin, etc.  (Luk.10:10) But into whatsoever city ye shall enter, and they receive you not, go out into the streets thereof and say, (11) Even the dust from your city, that cleaveth to our feet, we wipe off against you: nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh. That is judgment; He brought judgment. These people brought judgment upon the ones who refused the Gospel. They cleaned their shoes off as a judgment against them. Don't believe that God did not do something about that because He goes on, (Luk.10:12) I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. (13) Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which were done in you, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. (14) But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment, than for you.  God bless you, saints! Just remember, the Good News of the Gospel of the Kingdom is about to be preached with mighty power, and a great revival is going to go forth from it. God bless you! 

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Proverbs 24 verses 1-32 concludes the 30 proverbs recorded in chapters 22-24. Verses 1-2 tells of the folly of envy. The rich and powerful frequently bring troubles. Verses 3-7 outline the blessings that come from wise thinking and wise actions. The metaphor of the house built by wisdom and the bounties which fill its rooms. By way of contrast verses 8-9 speak of the curses brought by the scorner. Verses 10-12 tell of the need for diligence and perseverance in order to achieve success. Verses 13-14 tells of seeking divine wisdom in contrast to being wise in one's own conceits. Verses 15-16 shows that the evil plot the downfall of the just; but the righteous cannot be overthrown because Yahweh upholds them. Verses 17-20 speaks of keeping things in perspective. This means seeking the good of everyone – even one's foes. Remember the righteous have a future. This is not the way for the evil who will be eradicated from the earth. Verses 21-22 says that the framing of one's life is based on a reverence for the Almighty. Verses 23-34 give further sayings of the wise. Verses 23-26 outlines the need for honesty in dealing with others; and the need for nothing to be done by partiality. Verses 27-29 speak of truthfulness and fair dealing with others. Verses 30-34 tells of the results of slothfulness and how the lazy are reduced to poverty.John 6 records signs 4 and 5 – the feeding of the 5,000 and our Lord's walking on the troubled sea. The feeding of the 5,000 took place in spring – a time of abundant green grass. It was Passover time (12 months before Jesus' crucifixion) and just after the death of John the Baptist. Jesus, in testing Philip, asks where can Jesus and his Apostles purchase sufficient bread in the wilderness for this crowd; for our Lord already knew what he was going to do. From the personal lunch of a lad – five loaves and two fish Jesus feeds 5,000 and collects 12 baskets full of fragments. Having full bellies the multitude wants to forcibly make Jesus their king. Our Lord rapidly disperses the crowd and sends the disciples away by boat. Jesus goes into a mountain to pray. The Lord comes to the disciples walking on the water. No sooner had he joined them than they arrive at Capernaum – the city of comfort. This is a parable illustrating our vain toiling on the troubled sea of nations as we await the return of our Master. As soon as Jesus returns we will receive the peace he brings and the comforts of the kingdom age. At the synagogue in Capernaum a discussion takes place as Jesus tells them that he is the ‘bread of life' – in contrast to the wilderness manna eaten by their fathers. The Son of God has been sealed in his thinking by his Father; and what they need to do was believe. Their being saved is through what the Father has done through His Son and all they can do is to accept this by believing on His Son. Isaiah 55 is a key link to this chapter and it focused on resurrection – “the sure mercies, ie chesed, to David”. Note the emphasis in John 6 and how many times Jesus refers to resurrection – verses 39, 44. Verse 45 quotes from Isaiah 54 verse 13. All who believe the faithful message of the gospel are “taught of God”. Jesus found that many would-be disciples leave him being unable to cope with the challenging ideas our Lord Jesus presents. Peter brings great comfort to our Lord and encouragement for every potential disciple by saying in verses 68-69, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed and come to know, that you are the Holy One of God”. ESV

John 2:12-13 After this He went down to Capernaum, He and His mother and His brothers and His disciples; and they stayed there a few days. The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Let's begin with a couple of facts. The distance from Cana to Capernaum was around 16 miles (which is almost 26 kilometers for my friends in other countries). The journey from Capernaum to Jerusalem was 85 miles or almost 137 kilometers. The average walker would make the trip to Capernaum in 5 hours and 15 minutes with no stops, so we know that didn't happen. Perhaps with stops to rest, eat, and perform several unrecorded acts of love for people God put in Jesus' path, the journey from Cana to Capernaum took a day or so. If we use the same calculations for the trip to Jerusalem, it was perhaps a 4-5 day journey. So from the time of the wedding until Jesus arrived in Jerusalem was somewhere around 12 days to two weeks. I shared these facts with you because that's around two weeks of Jesus' life and works of which we know nothing except His general location. What we do know is that every one of those days, He glorified His Father by loving with His Father. Everything He did and said was as necessary, powerful, and life-changing for those the Father put His path as the events at the wedding in Cana. The last verse of John's gospel says, “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written (21:25). The same is true for you and me. Very few of the things we do each day will be remembered, much less written of, but that doesn't mean they aren't necessary, powerful, and pleasing to the Father. As long as they flow out of an intimate relationship with Jesus, the Father is glorified by Jesus in us. I encourage us all to abide in Jesus and not despise the little things, the mundane, the seemingly unnotable acts of love and service. Although they are not captured in print for others to read or see, the Lord has taken notice. For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them (Eph. 2:10). These many things are not recorded, but they are all for God's glory. I invite you to become a partner in our ministry. Would you pray about becoming a regular supporter of Elijah Ministries and the Live to Love with Jesus ministry? I hope you will receive the joy and benefit of “giving it forward,” so others may receive encouragement to turn their hearts to God and to live to love with Jesus. You may give online or send a check to the address listed at www.spiritofelijah.com/donate.

o become a follower of Jesus, visit: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/MeetJesus (NOT a Morning Mindset resource) ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ ⇒Check out all of Carey's books - for adults and kids, fiction and nonfiction : https://CareyGreen.com/books ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Mark 1:21–22 - [21] And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. [22] And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. (ESV) ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE MORNING MINDSET: (not tax-deductible) -- Become a monthly partner: https://mm-gfk-partners.supercast.com/ -- Support a daily episode: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/daily-sponsor/ -- Give one-time: https://give.cornerstone.cc/careygreen -- Venmo: @CareyNGreen -- Support our SPANISH TRANSLATION: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/supportSpanish -- Support our HINDI TRANSLATION: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/supportHindi -- Support our CHINESE TRANSLATION: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/supportChinese  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FOREIGN LANGUAGE VERSIONS OF THIS PODCAST: SPANISH version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Spanish HINDI version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Hindi CHINESE version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Chinese  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ CONTACT: Carey@careygreen.com  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ THEME MUSIC: “King’s Trailer” – Creative Commons 0 | Provided by https://freepd.com/ ***All NON-ENGLISH versions of the Morning Mindset are translated using A.I. Dubbing and Translation tools from DubFormer.ai ***All NON-ENGLISH text content (descriptions and titles) are translated using the A.I. functionality of Google Translate.

John 4 deals with the incident between Jesus and the woman of Samaria in which he offers her “living water”. There follows a discussion between Jesus and the woman about the site of acceptable worship – Jerusalem, or Gerazim. Jesus firstly tells her that salvation is from the Jews. Acceptance of God is dependent on two factors sincerity and truth – these have always been the focus at Shechem (Joshua 14 verses 14-15; Judges 9 verses 14-15). The woman accepts Jesus as the Christ (Messiah) and she then has an incredible impact on helping the Samaritans to receive Jesus also. Philip would about 7 years later reap the gathering harvest now being down. That harvest is spoken about in Acts 8. From verse 46 to the end of John chapter 4 our Lord Jesus heals the son of an official from Capernaum – this being the second of the signs recorded by John and resuting in the official and that Nobleman – thought by some to be Herod's keeper of the larder Chuza – and his entire household becoming believers in our Lord.

Join Pastor Shawn and the gang at Calvary Chapel Birmingham as they study the Bible verse by verse and chapter by chapter. In this episode, we continue our study in Luke with the first part of chapter 7.

Return of the Man-Child (7)  (audio) David Eells – 4/9/25  History happened once in the letter, and it is happening again in the Spirit. We've noticed a repetition of history on a larger scale in every type and shadow that we have looked at. The first revelation was according to the letter, but the way it is being fulfilled in our day is in the Spirit. Last time, we saw that Christ had been anointed with the power of the former rain, and we know that Jesus did not do a miracle or a sign or a wonder until after He had received this anointing of the former rain. It was power! I don't think a lot of people realize that when God gives you power, He tests you to see if you are going to use that power according to His Will or take it for your own use. In other words, you could abuse power and authority. Jesus was being tried here. The Bible says, He hath been in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin (Heb.4:15).  We'll continue our study in Matthew. (Mat.4:1) Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. So He had just been anointed with the power of the Holy Spirit to do all the wondrous works, and now He is being led by the Holy Spirit to be tempted of the devil. There is a purpose in temptation; there is a need for temptation, the Bible tells us. (Jas.1:2) Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into manifold temptations; (3) knowing that the proving of your faith worketh patience. (4) And let patience have [its] perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing. Temptation is a way to perfection, or as it's sometimes translated in the Scriptures, “maturity.” (Jas.1:12) Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he hath been approved, he shall receive the crown of life, which [the Lord] promised to them that love Him. Even Abraham was tempted or tried. (Heb.11:17) By faith Abraham, being tried … The word there is peirazo, the same word for “tempted.” And the same word occurs again further down in the text, in verse 37 – “they were tempted.” So Abraham was tempted   Does God tempt anybody? No, He does not. Temptation comes quite naturally to us because of our old carnal nature. (Jas.1:13) Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempteth no man: (14) but each man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. God tempts no man, but He does bring us through the trial to be tempted, so we can make a decision as to whether we're going to walk in the flesh or whether we're going to walk in the Spirit. The Bible says, if we walk in the light, as He is in the light … the blood of Jesus … cleanseth us of all sin (1Jn.1:7). Being tempted is a method by which you can have more of God because when you walk in the light or, in other words, when you walk after the Spirit, the Holy Spirit cleanses you of the very sin nature that you don't want anymore.   Temptation is God's method for giving you more of God and less of you. (Heb.11:17) By faith Abraham, being tried, offered up Isaac: yea, he that had gladly received the promise was offering up his only begotten [son;] (18) [even he] to whom it was said, In Isaac shall thy seed be called: (19) accounting that God [is] able to raise up, even from the dead; from whence he did also in a figure receive him back. Abraham was tried and God said, Now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from me (Gen.22:12). Will God do these things with us? Will He try us? Yes, He will. First of all, when Jesus received power, He had to be tried before He started His ministry. I think everybody is tried. If God gives you a gift or power or authority, you are going to be tried to see if you're going to abuse what you've been given.  I'd like us to note the very next thing He speaks about. (Mat.4:2) And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he afterward hungered. (3) And the tempter came … What does fasting have to do with a trial? Remember, I'm not taking anything away from the letter. Jesus was fasting in the letter; He was physically fasting, denying Himself food. So far, we've seen that there is a spiritual manifestation now in the New Testament for the people who walk in the steps of Jesus. We are not doing away with the letter. We're still talking about literal fasting. But there is also a spiritual fast, and if you keep this spiritual fast, no matter how much the devil tempts you, you will win every time. Isaiah speaks about this spiritual fast.   Let me point out some things to you. (Isa.58:3) Wherefore have we fasted, [say they,] and thou seest not? [wherefore] have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find [your own] pleasure, and exact all your labors. In other words, there is selfishness in there – selfish desire and ambition. The old man is not only living, he is thriving in the midst of their fast. You can refrain from eating food and still be a big sinner, but you cannot do a spiritual fast and walk in sin. I will point that out to you. (Isa.58:4) Behold, ye fast for strife and contention, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye fast not this day so as to make your voice to be heard on high. (5) Is such the fast that I have chosen? the day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head as a rush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord? He is being rather critical of a natural fast that has no spiritual component, no spiritual focus.  Then Isaiah speaks about another kind of fasting. (Isa.58:6) Is not this the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke … What is “wickedness” and what is “the yoke”? It is the old man. Remember when the three Hebrews went into the fire and the only thing that burned up was their bonds (Daniel 3)? What do you think that means? It means the wood, hay and stubble, the old man, was burned up. That's what binds us; that's the “wickedness” and “the yoke” right there. Jesus came with the Isaiah 61 anointing to open the prison for those who were bound and to set the captives free. How does He do that? The old man has to die here. (Isa.58:6) Is not this the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? So there is a fast that breaks every yoke. God is about to tell you about His fast, not just their natural fast. They were failing to do anything but sin in the midst of their fast. (Isa.58:7) Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry … It is not just refraining from eating it; it is giving it to somebody who needs it. It is denying yourself.  First of all, a physical fast is to deny your physical self food. A spiritual fast is to deny your self food because “self” is a spiritual entity. It is a sinful, carnal entity, and if you do not feed “self”, “self” dies. How many of you know that you can refrain from feeding your body and still feed “self”? That's what God is talking to them about here. He is saying, “Okay, you are fasting, but it is not doing you any good whatsoever. Let me tell you about My fast.” It is a fast that actually does away with the bondage to the old man. It's not enough to not eat it; give it to somebody else. Deny your “self”; don't feed self. Instead, give.   (Isa.58:7) Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? We all like our privacy and our peace, but it is also a sacrifice to bring people into your house. For years, we have had people in need in and out of our house. It is a big sacrifice. You have to give up a part of you; you have to bend toward their needs. You have to resist your flesh, and that's a big temptation, especially if people come to live with you for very long. But the Lord is saying, “Deny yourself; don't feed the old man. Do something for the Kingdom here.”  Now let me say that there are a few verses in here that speak about the fast, and all the rest of the verses in this text are promises to those who do fast. Here is one promise: (Isa.58:8) Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy healing shall spring forth speedily; and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall by thy rearward. (9) Then shalt thou call, and the Lord will answer (That is an awesome promise!); thou shalt cry, and he will say, Here I am. (And then here is a part of the fast:) If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking wickedly. Now that is a fast! It is denying feeding “self”. Self wants its way; self wants you to give it the reins and let it run. You have to pull back and say, “No. I deny self. I will not feed “self” today. I will not feed the flesh today.” Anytime you give the flesh its way, you are feeding it. When you are denying it, it is dying. Jesus said, Whosoever doth not bear his own cross (which is to die on), and come after me, cannot be my disciple (Luk.14:27). A fast is taking up your cross. It is not really something we should ever stop. In a literal fast, you have to stop, and it may not gain you anything. But it's good if you use it as a means to an end in the Kingdom. For instance, when you give your bread to someone else, it's good.  As we read on, we see another part of this fast. (Isa.58:10) And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry (In other words, in what your soul desires, make sure you are meeting someone else's need.), and satisfy the afflicted soul: then shall thy light rise in darkness, and thine obscurity be as the noonday; (11) and the Lord will guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in dry places, and make strong thy bones; and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. (12) And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places; thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations (Well, that's what we need today, folks; we need to go back and restore again the foundation that is fallen.); and thou shalt be called The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. Here's another part of the fast: (Isa.58:13) If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day … Now we know that the Sabbath is not a day anymore, according to Hebrews 4. It is a sabbatismos, a continual ceasing from your works, which are the works of the old man, and entering the rest. In other words, it's denying the flesh; it's not feeding the old man. That is what the Sabbath is.  (Isa.58:13) If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, [and] the holy of the Lord honorable; and shalt honor it, not doing thine own ways (again, not feeding self), nor finding thine own pleasure (instead, attempting to please the Lord, meeting the brethren's needs and sacrificing yourself, etc.), nor speaking [thine own] words. That's an important one right there because the tongue [is] a restless evil (Jas.3:8), and the tongue can no man tame (8). Only the Lord can tame it if you give Him faith. (Isa.58:14) Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will make thee to ride upon the high places of the earth; and I will feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. That is an awesome promise of God's spiritual fast! There definitely has to be a fulfillment in the Spirit, and we can look at Jesus or the Man-child ministry as showing us how to do a spiritual fast.   I believe that the Man-Child ministry's corporate body is going to be tried in this question about power and authority, and I do not think that they are all going to overcome it. I have seen dreams and visions about this. But I believe that if we do this spiritual fast, we cannot fail. If you do what the spiritual fast calls for – if you do not feed your old man, if you deny yourself in the midst of trial – then you're not going to listen to Satan, and you're going to be an overcomer. As you read the Book of Revelation, all of the promises to the churches are for overcomers. There is no promise to people who are not overcoming. What are they overcoming? They're overcoming self and temptation because they're overcoming self. Notice that God is not necessarily doing away with the natural fast. He is saying, “Look, if you don't eat food, give it to somebody who needs it.”  I want to share a revelation with you about fasting. It says the exact same thing about the spiritual fast, and it was given to Hermas, who wrote The Shepherd of Hermas, which you can read on our site. At the end of the first century, the Shepherd came to Hermas and gave him revelations in the way of visions to give to the Church, which was just about to go into great tribulation, as we are in our day. In fact, they were going to face the Beast and the Harlot of their day and many of them were going to lose their lives. The Lord gave them an exhortation through Hermas. That exhortation was then sent throughout the early Church, and he gave them a revelation on fasting. Notice its similarity to what we just studied. Let's begin in similitude 5, chapter 54. (My comments are in parentheses.)  While I was fasting and sitting on a certain mountain, thanking the Lord for all that He had done for me, I saw the Shepherd (the Shepherd here is the Lord) sitting beside me and saying these things to me: “Why have you come here so early?” “Because, sir,” I said, “I am on guard duty.” “What,” said he, “is the guard?” “I am fasting, sir,” I said. “But what,” said he, “is this fast that you are keeping?” “Sir,” I said, “I am fasting just as I have been accustomed to do.” “You do not know how to fast to God,” he said, “and this useless fast that you are keeping for Him is not a fast.” (He called this fast “useless.” I'm sure Hermas was refraining from eating food, but the Lord called it a “useless fast.”) “Why, sir,” I said, “do you say this?” “I am telling you,” he said, “that this is not a fast you are keeping, but I will teach you what an acceptable and a complete fast to the Lord is.” “Yes, sir,” said I. “You will make me happy if I may know the fast acceptable to God.” “Listen,” said he. “God does not wish such a futile fast as this, for by fasting in this way, you do nothing for righteousness, (It can be, as we just saw in Isaiah 58, that they were fasting diligently, but getting nowhere and doing nothing but feeding the flesh because they were leaving selfish ambition alive.) but fast to God in this way: Do nothing evil in your life. (He is talking about a spiritual fast here. In other words, do not feed the flesh.) But serve the Lord with a clean heart, keeping His commandments, following His orders. (Again, do not feed the flesh. The commandments of God crucify the flesh; they do not permit it to live. That's why there is so much emphasis on ear-tickling doctrines out there, because they all permit the old man to live. If you obey God, the old man dies. It's like you're starving him. You're not giving him what he wants, so he dies.) And let no evil desire arise in your heart. (Do not listen to him; do not feed him; do not let him live.) Believe in God, because if you do these things and fear Him and abstain from every evil deed (in other words, not feeding the flesh), you will live to God. And if you do these things, you will complete a fast that is great and acceptable to the Lord.”  Wow! That is a spiritual fast! He didn't touch on the physical fast, but in one of the next chapters, he does talk a little bit about the physical fast and how it can tie into the spiritual fast. You can see here the spiritual fast, which was the most important. You can fast for the rest of your life for selfish ambition, and you will not do anything for the Kingdom. Your sacrifice is worthless before God. But, if you do a spiritual fast, you are going to grow in God. I am not denying that you can mix this with a physical fast, but if you do a spiritual fast, you will conquer the devil every time. The only thing in you that he can use to conquer you is your flesh, so if you do not feed your flesh, your flesh is not going to be able to conquer you. Let me go to chapter 56.  I said to him, “Sir, I do not understand these parables, nor could I comprehend them unless you interpret them to me.” “I will interpret everything to you,” he said, “and whatsoever I tell you, I will explain. Keep the commandments of the Lord and you will be pleasing to Him and be enrolled in the number of those who keep His commandments. If you do something good beyond the commandment of God, you will gain greater glory for yourself. (This is an important issue here. You can go beyond what God commands and God will give you good credit for that.) And you will be more honored before God than you would have been. If then, while keeping the commandments of God, you add also to those services, you will rejoice, and you will keep them according to my commandment.” I said to him, “Sir, whatever you command me I will follow, for I know that you are with me.” “I will be with you,” he said, “because you have such zeal for doing good, and I will be with all,” said he, “who have the same zeal. This fast,” he said, “is very good, if you keep the commandments of the Lord. So observe this fast which you are going to keep in this way: First of all, guard against every evil word and every evil desire. (Do not feed “self” and do not give “self” permission or the right to give in to evil thoughts or evil words. Otherwise, you are wasting your fast.) And cleanse your heart of all the vanities of this world. (In other words, there are a lot of things in the world that have no point in the Kingdom. The Bible says to lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race (Heb.12:1). And the sin? Some weights are not sin, but they hold us back. They themselves are not sin, but they keep us from doing things that are important in the Kingdom.)  (Many people do not take the Great Commission seriously. They figure they hired their preacher to do that, so they just live their lives the way they want to all week long and then at the end of the week, they go to church and call that “service.” No, actually we're called to be disciples of Jesus Christ and we're called to keep and to do the Great Commission and do the works of Jesus. (Joh.14:12) 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 the Father. We are called to do His works, and if the Church had been doing that all along, just think how much of the world would have been taken into the Church by now. The Lord says to avoid the vanities of this world, which are not necessarily sin, but have this uselessness. There are so many things that Christians do that are useless. If you are really devoted to God, your hobbies ought to be His hobbies. Your loves ought to be His loves. You ought to be doing the things that are pleasing to your Father. Even as a child, Jesus said (Luk.2:49) Knew ye not that I must be in my Father's house? In other words, “be about my Father's work”? That's right; that's what we are here for.)   If you observe these things, this fast will be complete. And here is what you will do: When you have finished the above-mentioned, on that day when you are fasting, (Now he is talking about a physical fast.) you will taste nothing except bread and water, and you will be aware of the cost of your food you would have eaten on that day which you are going to keep. Having set it aside, you will give it to a widow, or an orphan, or someone else in need. And in this way, you will be humble-minded, so that from your humility, the one who receives may fill his soul and pray to the Lord for you. (So, here's a way that a physical fast can actually be a spiritual fast in denying yourself and then furthering the Kingdom, by not only refraining from eating, but giving it or the monetary equivalent to someone who needs it, or through sacrifice.) If then you complete the fast in this way, as I command you, your sacrifice will be acceptable to God. And this fast will be recorded, and the service done in this way is good and joyous and acceptable to the Lord. This is the way you shall observe these things with your children and all your house. If you observe them, you will be blessed, and as many as hear them and keep them will be blessed, and whatever they ask of the Lord they will receive.”  That is very interesting because Isaiah 58:7 basically says that, too, “to deal thy bread to the hungry,” give that which you would have eaten to the hungry. Then Isaiah goes on to talk about the same principle, but in many other ways that are dealing with “self”, such as using something that you would consider yours to meet the need of someone else. In this way, a physical fast can be a spiritual fast. I dare say that a lot of people who fast are sometimes too miserable to even pray and take advantage of their fast. Have you ever caught yourself doing that? I used to fast regularly and I still do, but I would catch myself and say, “Wait a minute! I'm not taking advantage of this sacrifice here. I need to be fasting and praying.” So I would remember and go back to praying and making my fast count for something. I was always giving, and a person who fasts should use it to further the Kingdom and bless God's people. Now, if you do that and the devil tempts you and you keep on fasting and denying self in order to let your Spirit man live, there is no way the devil can beat you.  If you look at the Book of Matthew, you see that Jesus received this great power from God and He was going to be tried by the devil to see if He was going to use that power wisely. (Mat.4:2) And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he afterward hungered. (3) And the tempter came and said unto him, If thou art the Son of God, command that these stones become bread. (4) But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. What kind of temptation is this? First of all, with “If thou art the Son of God,” the devil was tempting Jesus to believe that He was not Who He was supposed to be, and that is the Son of God. He was tempting Jesus to use His power to feed His flesh. Look at it in the Spirit, not just in the letter.   In what way can you use your power to feed your flesh? Well, for example, you could be in the prosperity doctrine. You can use your power and authority to live high above the average means of the people around you, to consume upon your flesh the things that would be detrimental to your spiritual health. (1Ti.6:9) But they that are minded to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts, such as drown men in destruction and perdition. Many people fall away, according to Paul in 1st Timothy, because of their lusting after the things of the world. They use God's power and even their bodily efforts, which is again using God's power because ye were bought with a price (1Co.6:20), to live after the lusts of their flesh.  Now let's look at the next temptation. (Mat.4:5) Then the devil taketh him into the holy city; and he set him on the pinnacle of the temple, (6) and saith unto him, If thou art the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and, On their hands they shall bear thee up, lest haply thou dash thy foot against a stone. (7) Jesus said unto him, Again it is written, Thou shalt not make trial of the Lord thy God. What is the devil tempting Him with here? He's tempting Jesus with proving to others Who He is. Why do we have to prove to others who we are? Isn't that really something that should just be left up to God? There are people who abuse the power and authority that the Lord has given them to make themselves great in the sight of other people. That is a temptation, especially if you have power.   I see it today in people exercising power in such a way as to put on a show. You've seen it; you've seen the wave of the hand and half the audience falls down. What's the purpose of that? Who is getting the glory for that? When did Jesus ever do such a thing? Even when He healed someone and they were entering the town, He said, Go to thy house unto thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee (Mar.5:19), not “Remember me when you tell the story.” How many times did He disappear like the Lone Ranger after He did a good deed? That was because He was not looking for the credit for it. You do not have to prove who you are to anybody. As a matter of fact, it's better if you are pretty quiet about it. If you did not deny yourself or fast spiritually, if you did not deny the flesh its right to prove who it was, then to glory in the things done would just cause your flesh to grow.  Here is another temptation. (Mat.4:8) Again, the devil taketh him unto an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; (9) and he said unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. (10) Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. (11) Then the devil leaveth him; and behold, angels came and ministered unto him. What kind of a temptation is that? Well, the glory of the authority over the world. When we receive power from God, there is a temptation to use it to gain the glory of this authority. In these days, there are many people who run around calling themselves apostles or prophets or giving themselves great titles, none of which the early disciples did or used. But they do that in order to profit “self” and glory in the authority that they have. They count the numbers of people in their churches so they can glory about how big their church is. They talk about how many churches are under their authority or how many men are under their authority. They use power and authority to glory and to build “self”. Jesus was being tempted to see if He would abuse authority and power. Of course, God knew the outcome, but you still have to go through the temptation. It has to be proven. That was the whole gist of this temptation, from beginning to end.  I believe that the Man-child ministry will go through the exact same testing, and those people who are making somebody of themselves, taking advantage of other people because of their authority, plundering the flock because of their position, will not be qualified to be in the Man-child ministry. When you look at Jesus, when you look at His disciples, you see humble people. You see people who did not plunder the flock for the sake of themselves, to live high on the hog. You don't see fancy-dressed people who take positions of authority or who glorify self. Jesus and His disciples denied “self” in order to meet the needs of others; love caused them to pass up many of the things in the world that people take for granted. They didn't have time for the world or vanity because their ambition and their hobby was God's people, meeting their needs and serving them.   The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve. If Jesus did that, how much more should we? Glory to God! We are going to be tried. Everybody who is called to this latter rain ministry of restoring the Church will be tried and it's a fairly small number who will remain in the Man-child. We will be tested and tried to see if we will abuse that power. If we do, we will not be qualified. But Jesus overcame and, therefore, God sent Him to the Church. You say, “Well, why wouldn't He be qualified? He was the Son of God.” But when He came, He had to be made in all things like unto His brethren, and He came as a Spirit-filled Man in order to do the works of the Spirit and to be used of God. He could have come in all the omnipotence of God, but He didn't. Jesus became tired; He got weak; He had to eat. He came as a Spirit-filled Man and laid aside His omnipotence and, in some cases, omniscience, because He said that God knew things that He did not know and could not reveal in order to come and be as a man.  We know that He was God in flesh, but did you know that your spiritual man, “Christ in you,” is also God in flesh? Christ is God wherever He is, and He is God in you, in your heart. Before we can be trusted to be used of the Lord, we are going to be tried to see if we're going to be abusive of His power or authority. It doesn't matter if you are in the Man-child ministry or not. You are going to be tried, and if you fail, that does not mean you will not keep on being a minister or a preacher or having your title or your church; you just will not be doing it in God. There were lots of ministers around when Jesus came, but they were a bunch of apostates. In fact, He said, All that came before me are thieves and robbers (Joh.10:8). They had stolen the position that they had over the flock, and they were plundering the flock.   But Jesus had the kind of authority from God that they did not have. They had natural authority that was given to them, given to their title, given to their position. But Jesus' authority came only from God, and it came in the form of meeting the needs of God's people, of serving God's people and feeding them spiritually, of delivering them from demons and healing their bodies. I do not care what kind of ministry you have. You are going to be tried to see if the position of authority over God's people you have is abused or if the power that God gives you to use your supernatural gifts is abused. If it's abused for the purpose of aggrandizing yourself, then you are not qualified to do this for God. You might continue on in religion, and they may still give you a position and a salary, but you are not doing it in God.  We see that Jesus has overcome and it was obvious that anybody who took this position in the world to glory was worshipping Satan, not God. (Mat.4:10) Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God … The word “worship” is proskuneo and it means “to kiss toward.” It is an act of love toward God. If you love God, you're not going to aggrandize “self” and you're going to keep His commandments. You're going to be humble. You're going to know that you can do nothing without Him and that it is all by grace, and you're going to know that you don't deserve this position any more than anybody else does. It was given to you by grace. You cannot take it for granted.  (Mat.4:11) Then the devil leaveth him; and behold, angels came and ministered unto him. (12) Now when he heard that John was delivered up, he withdrew into Galilee. Here is Jesus coming right out of His temptation and going to Galilee. Luke tells you some things that are not told to us in Matthew, so I would like to look at that. (Luk.4:14) And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and a fame went out concerning him through all the region round about. Fame is something you need to be careful of. A lot of people fail when it comes to fame and they will lose their humility and begin to abuse their position and power. (Luk.4:15) And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. This did not last long, but as soon as He was anointed and was tried and had overcome, God sent Him to the people of God. Where were they? They were in the synagogues, which were very apostate, as Jesus made clear to them. I am sure He was extremely graceful for a short while, but there were teachings He had to get out to them because He had an extremely short ministry. So He had to get around to some of these hard things. Well, in the beginning He was “glorified of all” and I can tell you He had to have been very weak to the weak (1 Corinthians 9:22) in order to get away with some of those teachings, being Who He was and having the power that He had, with the authority that He had. For Him to be accepted among these apostate synagogues, He had to be weak to the weak. I tell you, the first sermon when He was not as graceful, they wanted to kill Him.  (Luk.4:16) And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and he entered, as his custom was, into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up to read. (17) And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And he opened the book, and found the place where it was written, (18) The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, Because he anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor: He hath sent me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovering of sight to the blind, To set at liberty them that are bruised, (19) To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. (20) And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down: and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him. They were saying, “What's your point here, Jesus? What are you getting at?” (21) And he began to say unto them, To-day hath this scripture been fulfilled in your ears. Uh-oh. They believed that this text was written about the Messiah, and now Jesus is taking credit for being the Messiah, in a subtle way.  I think they're finally getting the point here; they're looking at Him and wondering. (Luk.4:22) And all bare him witness, and wondered at the words of grace which proceeded out of his mouth: and they said, Is not this Joseph's son? “Wait a minute now; we know this guy. We watched him grow up. He's nothing special. He's human like we are.” They were probably thinking all these things. (Luk.4:23) And he said unto them, Doubtless ye will say unto me this parable, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done at Capernaum, do also here in thine own country. (24) And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is acceptable in his own country. (25) But of a truth I say unto you, There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there came a great famine over all the land; (26) and unto none of them was Elijah sent, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. (He had to even go to a Gentile, didn't he?) (27) And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian. Wow! They're really getting mad now, aren't they? (28) And they were all filled with wrath in the synagogue, as they heard these things; (29) and they rose up, and cast him forth out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might throw him down headlong. (30) But he passing through the midst of them went his way. There is no doubt this was supernatural. When you're on the edge of a hill and there's a crowd behind you that wants to kill you, how are you going to pass through the midst of them, unless it's supernatural? That's what I think happened here.  At any rate, the honeymoon was over, as they say. Jesus was basically telling them who He was and what He was sent to do. And they thought instead that He was glorifying Himself, but in this case, He was telling the absolute truth because He was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matthew 15:24). He was pointing out to them, “There are a lot of Gentiles out there more righteous than you are.” Of course, that's still true today, and the opposite is still true for the Church. There are a lot of Jews out there more righteous than some Gentile Church folks. That's why God is going to turn back to the Jews once again at the end of the gathering of all the last Gentiles. But the honeymoon was over, and now they wanted to kill Jesus because He told them the truth, and the ministry that's coming is going to be the same way. There is going to come a time when the Man-child ministry will be weak to the weak and they will go into the apostate churches because now it's the Christians who are the lost sheep of the house of Israel, circumcised in heart and not in flesh (Romans 2:28-29). He called those believers the Israel of God (Gal.6:16) because they were sons of Abraham through faith.  So this time, the Man-child is going to go to the apostate church that is not willing to know the truth, not willing to know that Jesus is once again in their midst. You know, when Jesus sent out His disciples, He said, He that receiveth you receiveth me (Mat.10:40). Those disciples had Jesus in them because He had spoken His Word into their hearts and recreated His life in them. They were called “Christians.” They were anointed to go and serve, to teach, and to heal the sick and cast out demons. Jesus was in them. It will be the same with the last days' disciples of the Lord, who are going to go forth with the authority and the power of Jesus to do these things. But their teaching and even their very lives are going to be rebuked by the apostate church, especially by the apostate leaders. They're going to want to kill them, but they're not going to be able to do that with the Man-child ministry. It's not going to be possible. They will pass right through their midst and the apostates will not be able to kill them because their time is not yet (John 7:6). We will come a little later to the crucifixion and how that applies to the Man-child ministry, but for now, it suffices to know that these people are going to be hated by the Church, just exactly the way Jesus was hated by the Jews.  There was a first-fruits company that came out from among them and followed Jesus. John the Baptist pointed them out and said, He that hath the bride is the bridegroom (Joh.3:29). They followed Jesus, but they were in the minority. The rest of the Jews really loved their religion and respected their religious leaders, for whom Jesus had absolutely no respect because they were in total apostasy. And in these days, it's again going to be just as we've studied. Before the David ministry can come, the Saul ministry has to lose its life on Mount Gilboa to the Philistines (1 Samuel 31:1-6), meaning the old man has to put them to death. They were twice dead, plucked up by the roots (Jud.12). There will once again be a great falling away in our day of the Saul ministry, to make room for the Davidic Man-child ministry.   They are falling away as they are plundering the sheep and stumbling in everything we saw that the devil tempted Jesus in. They're falling right into temptation and they're loving and serving the devil; they're worshipping the devil and they don't even know it. They're living high on the hog, taking advantage of their position, glorying in the authority that has been given to them by the world. Remember, the devil said, “I'll give you all this if you just worship me.” He had this dominion, and it was under his authority to give it. It is under his authority, actually, to “prosper” people if they will serve the devil to obtain it. If you are prospering in the world while your brother is not and you are not paying any attention to him, misusing your position to aggrandize yourself, then you are worshipping the devil. It does not matter if you call him Jesus; you are still worshipping the devil.  So the Man-child ministry is coming to leadership. Remember what Jesus said as the Man-child of His day: (Joh.10:8) All that came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. Wow! There was a group who recognized Jesus when He came. They recognized integrity, sacrifice, and humility. The rest of them were all fawning over the apostate leadership, totally submitting to them and respecting them because they had no eyes to see nor ears to hear. This is where we are heading again. History is going to repeat on a larger scale this time. We know that the Man-child ministry is what it is because Jesus lives in their hearts. He is the One Who is doing the works! Even Jesus gave credit to the Father for doing the works in Him, and these people will give credit to the Lord for doing the works through them. Everything they have is by grace. The apostle Paul said, But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not found vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me (1Co.15:10). Amen. 

Tony Holt shares a great study with us today. By examining Jesus healing people in Capernaum, we see that service doesn't end when we leave church, after we get healed we need to get to work and that Jesus heals us as individuals. This is a study we all need to hear!

Daily Dose of Hope April 2, 2025 Day 3 of Week 1   Scripture – Mark 2:1-12   Prayer – Heavenly Father, you are almighty and all-powerful.  You are God of all and yet you care for us.  Thank you, Lord.  Help us settle our scattered thoughts and be silent before you...Thank you, Jesus.  Please guide us as we reflect on your Word today.  Meet us in the midst of our reading and this devotional.  In Your Name, Amen.    Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, Deep Dive into the Gospels and Acts.  We start Mark 2 today, specifically the first twelve verses.  This is a narrative that is familiar to many of us, but I want us to be open to what God may have for us today.  That is the miracle of Scripture.  We can read the same verses at one point in our life and receive one thing from God and read them again several years later and hear something new.  God's Word is truly alive and active.    Jesus is teaching in Capernaum, in someone's home.  Now this house was packed with people listening to Jesus and we can picture them flowing out the front door.  No one is willing to give up their spot.  Have you ever been someplace like that?  A place where people are just packed in like sardines and no one is going to give up their space because if they do, they know someone else will take it quickly.  I've been to concerts where the place was super-packed and there was no way I could leave, even to go to the bathroom, because I would lose my good spot.  You get it.    Well, there were four men who are determined to get their paralyzed friend before Jesus.  But they quickly note that the front door just wasn't going to be a possibility.  No one was leaving the house.  No one would budge to let them by.  So, they get him to the roof, which was probably no small feat.   The house would have been made of basalt stone because timber was scarce in that area.  The ceiling/roof was made with plaster. Rollers were used to compact the plaster to make it waterproof.  To make a hole in the roof, the plaster had to be scraped off and they would even need to remove some of the thinner slabs of stone used to support the ceiling.  They would keep doing this until a space was made large enough through which to lower the paralytic man.  This was lots and lots of work.  I don't want this to be lost on us 2000 years later.   But their persistence pays off.  The four men lower their friend on his mat right in front of Jesus.  What a surprise to everyone in that room!  Jesus isn't upset about the interruption, at least that we can tell.  Instead, he uses it as a profound, life-changing teaching moment.  Scripture says that when Jesus saw the faith of the men, he said to the paralyzed man, “Your sins are forgiven.”    This causes all kinds of ruckus.  The Pharisees or teachers of the law who were there were thinking, “This is blasphemy.  Only God can forgive sins.”  But it's Jesus and he is God so he knows exactly what they are thinking and he calls them out.  What the teachers of the law cannot see is that Jesus is authorized to speak and act on God's behalf. He is God's anointed, the Messiah, God's beloved Son. As a demonstration of his authority to forgive sins, Jesus tells the paralyzed man to stand up, take his mat and return home, which the man promptly does. Jesus boldly demonstrates his power to bring both spiritual and physical healing, and the crowds respond by being amazed and glorifying God.   This is such a powerful piece of Scripture.  Could it be possible that God is suggesting that we create a stir, in a good way, in our social circles and do some interrupting?  Could it be that God is suggesting that we are not passive bystanders?  These friends put themselves out there.  They took risks and they went to great lengths to bring their friend to Jesus.  What kinds of efforts do we make to bring our friends to Jesus?  Are we spending time building relationships and praying for our friends?  Are we doing all we can, putting true effort, into bringing them before Jesus?      The other question that this passage prompts is what does it means to stand in the gap for others?   In this text, we are told nothing of the faith of the paralyzed man.  It was the faith of his friends that Jesus was wowed by.  They are the ones who were so very determined that their friend be brought before Jesus.  This really got me thinking about our role as believers.  Oftentimes, people aren't aware of their need for Jesus, maybe they are struggling with faith or doubt, maybe they have a bad history with the church, or maybe they think God is irrelevant to their lives.  But Jesus healed the man because of the faith of the friends.  Are we regularly, consistently standing in the gap for others?  Jesus healed the man because of the faith of the friends.  Let that sink in.    Let's close with some beautiful truth from John 15:12-17,  My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Tuesday, 1 April 2025   Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.” Matthew 9:2   “And, you behold, they presented Him a paralytic having been cast upon a bed. And Jesus, having seen their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘You embolden child! Your sins, they are forgiven you'” (CG).   In the previous verse, it noted that Jesus got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own city, meaning Capernaum. Now, Matthew continues with, “And, you behold, they presented Him a paralytic.”   This is now the third time the word has been used. In verse 4:24, it noted that He healed paralytics. In Matthew 8, the servant of the centurion was noted as a paralytic. So, it would seem this was just another paralytic out of many. But it is how the matter is approached that makes this account different. As for the paralytic, it says of him, “having been cast upon a bed.”   The word kline, translated as bed, is introduced here. It signifies a bed or table. Strong's notes that the word is used to describe a bed for sickness, sleep, sitting, or eating.   As for the words, there still appears to be nothing unusual in the account. If someone is paralyzed, they would be immobilized, usually on a bed. Today, we have wheelchairs and the like, but at this time in history, a person in such a state would be confined to the home or carried on a litter. Next, Matthew notes, “And Jesus, having seen their faith.”   This is where the words in Matthew jump over events that are recorded in Mark and Luke. Without understanding the context, it seems odd to go from a guy on a bed to “having seen their faith.” Anyone in such a state who wanted to be healed would naturally be brought in.   In Mark 2, it says –   “And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. 2 Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. 3 Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. 4 And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.” Mark 2:1-4   It is this extraordinary effort that brings Jesus to His words about their faith. When they could not approach Him due to the thronging crowd, they came up with an innovative way of dealing with things.   Their actions demonstrated that they truly believed that Jesus could heal the man. Otherwise, they would not have bothered, figuring they would look foolish for putting in so much effort just to return home disappointed. Because of their actions, which were based on their faith in Jesus' capabilities, “He said to the paralytic, ‘You embolden child! Your sins, they are forgiven you.'”   Rather than performing a physical healing, as one would expect with a person who has come to be healed, Jesus deals with a more important issue, the man's sin. These words set off a firestorm among some of those who are there with Jesus. That will be seen in the verses ahead.   Life application: If you go to churches where healing is the focus, the physical aspect of the healing takes priority. It is as if a Hollywood presentation is going on when the supposed faith healer may run around on stage, laying hands on people, pushing them backwards with gasps and fainting, and people jump to their feet as if victoriously healed of whatever malady they supposedly possessed.   Benny Hinn used to take off his coat and swing it at people, as if he had the power to heal them by slapping them with it. All of the false faith healing in the world does nothing to deal with the issue of sin. And it is sin that keeps one from God. It would be better to be forgiven of one's sins and to lay on one's bed for an entire life as a paralytic than to be denied entrance into heaven because the gospel was not properly shared with him.   We should keep the main purpose of Jesus' work in mind at all times. He came to save humanity from sin. Without that, the rest just doesn't matter. What ultimately happens to us in this temporary, futile, fallen world makes no difference without Jesus and His cleansing us from our sin.   Heavenly Father, thank You that we are forgiven from our sins because of what Jesus has done for us. Without that, we are just specks of matter, formed together for a breath in the stream of time, destined to perish and return to nothingness. But we know that is not true. We were created by You and we must return to You through Jesus. Thank You for Jesus. Amen.

Today's Topics: 1, 2, 3, 4) Father Charles Murr joins Terry Gospel - John 4:43-54 - At that time Jesus left [Samaria] for Galilee. For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his native place. When He came into Galilee, the Galileans welcomed Him, since they had seen all He had done in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves had gone to the feast. Then He returned to Cana in Galilee, where He had made the water wine. Now there was a royal official whose son was ill in Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to Him and asked Him to come down and heal his son, who was near death. Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” The royal official said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” Jesus said to him, “You may go; your son will live.” The man believed what Jesus said to him and left. While the man was on his way back, his slaves met him and told him that his boy would live. He asked them when he began to recover. They told him, “The fever left him yesterday, about one in the afternoon.” The father realized that just at that time Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live,” and he and his whole household came to believe. Now this was the second sign Jesus did when He came to Galilee from Judea. Bishop Sheen quote of the day

Friends of the Rosary,As a continuation of yesterday's Laetare Sunday joyful spirit, today we read in the Gospel (John 4:43-54) how Jesus cured the son of a royal official in Capernaum."Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe."Tomorrow, and during the next two weeks, the Gospel's main readings will be from St. John.Day after day, we will read about the growing hostility against Jesus and their persecution that climaxed in the crucifixion of Holy Friday.Through his Passion, Death, and Resurrection, Christ reconciled us with God and one another. God's great love for us has been revealed in Jesus.He came to divinize us, to start a new creation with us, and reconcile us to God — and not just to teach a moral code, as other religions do: As St. Paul explained it yesterday (2 Corinthians 5:17-21):"Whoever is in Christ is a new creation:the old things have passed away;behold, new things have come.And all this is from God,who has reconciled us to himself through Christand given us the ministry of reconciliation,namely, God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ,not counting their trespasses against themand entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.So we are ambassadors for Christ."Ave Maria!Jesus, I Trust In You!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will. Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot | RosaryNetwork.com, New York Enhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• ⁠March 31, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

At that time Jesus left [Samaria] for Galilee.For Jesus himself testifiedthat a prophet has no honor in his native place.When he came into Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him,since they had seen all he had done in Jerusalem at the feast;for they themselves had gone to the feast.Then he returned to Cana in Galilee,where he had made the water wine.Now there was a royal official whose son was ill in Capernaum.When he heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea,he went to him and asked him to come downand heal his son, who was near death.Jesus said to him,“Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.”The royal official said to him,“Sir, come down before my child dies.”Jesus said to him, “You may go; your son will live.”The man believed what Jesus said to him and left.While the man was on his way back,his slaves met him and told him that his boy would live.He asked them when he began to recover.They told him,“The fever left him yesterday, about one in the afternoon.”The father realized that just at that time Jesus had said to him,“Your son will live,”and he and his whole household came to believe.Now this was the second sign Jesus didwhen he came to Galilee from Judea.

Who Is Jesus? // Week 5 // The Complete HealerPastor JF WilkersonHebrews 1:1-3a NIV 1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.John 1:14 NIV 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.Mark 2:1-12 NIV 1 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2 They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 “Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? 9 Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk'? 10 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, 11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”1. UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PEOPLE AROUND YOUMark 2:3-4 NIV 3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on.Mark 2:5 NIV 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”1. UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU.2. UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE OF THE CHANGE INSIDE OF YOUMark 2:5 NIV 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”1. UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU.2. UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE OF THE CHANGE INSIDE OF YOU3. UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE OF THE OPPOSITION IN FRONT OF YOUMark 2:5-12 NIV 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 “Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? 9 Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk'? 10 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, 11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all.

Monday, 31 March 2025   So He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own city. Matthew 9:1   “And having entered the boat, He through-crossed, and He came into His own city” (CG).   The previous verse ended Chapter 8 as it completed the account of the two demon-possessed men. Now, with Jesus and His disciples having been asked to depart from the region, it next says, “And having entered the boat.”   They had come from Capernaum to this area, having passed over from there. Now departed, it says, “He through-crossed.”   This is a new word, diaperaó, coming from dia, through, and peran, which signifies beyond, over, the other side, etc. Thus, it signifies to cross entirely, from one side to the other. To keep the words in line with the Greek, through-crossed gets the point across. In their through-crossing, it next says, “and He came into His own city.”   Another new word is seen, idios. It signifies that which pertains to self, such as one's own, or something private or separate, etc. In this case, it is referring to Jesus' city, Capernaum, where He had set as the base for His ministry.   Life application: The trip from Capernaum to the Gergesenes and back was short but filled with action. The seas raged, the disciples feared, Jesus calmed the sea, and the disciples marveled, wondering what kind of Man Jesus was.   From there they landed on the shore, met with the demon-possessed men, and Jesus ejected the demons from them into pigs, bringing the men to a right state. From there, they departed and went right back to Capernaum.   The Bible is highlighting Jesus, His actions, and His work. We should pay heed to what we are seeing. A storm arose and He calmed it. A spiritual storm arose in the men, and Jesus calmed it.   We are being shown the nature of the Man that the disciples couldn't seem to grasp, even though they were right there with Him watching the things He did. He commanded a person to be healed who wasn't even in His presence. He also healed a leper by touching Him. Rather than becoming unclean, He remained clean and the leper was cleansed.   Jesus thereby demonstrated that He was greater than the law even though He submitted to the law. As the law was given by God to Israel through Moses, we are being shown the true nature of the Man. If you are struggling with the idea of Jesus' deity, you are struggling against the word of God.   God, through His word, is conveying to us information about what He has done in and through the Person of Jesus. Don't fret about this matter! Accept it by faith. Jesus Christ is the God/Man. When we pray to God through Jesus, we have all the power in the universe hearing our prayers. He will respond accordingly. Trust that it is so.   Heavenly Father, we thank You for what You have done for us in sending Jesus. Help us in our times of lacking trust. Help us in our weak faith. Strengthen us through Your word so that we can always feel confident as we walk in this world, awaiting the day when we will be brought near to You forever. Amen.

Read OnlineNow there was a royal official whose son was ill in Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, who was near death. Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” John 4:46–48Jesus did end up healing the royal official's son. And when the royal official returned to discover his son healed, we are told that “he and his whole household came to believe.” Some came to believe in Jesus only after He performed miracles. There are two lessons we should take from this.First of all, the fact that Jesus performed miracles is a testimony to Who He is. He is a God of abundant mercy. As God, Jesus could have expected faith from those to whom He ministered without offering them the “proof” of signs and wonders. This is because true faith is not based upon external evidence, such as seeing miracles; rather, authentic faith is based upon an interior revelation from God by which He communicates His very self to us and we believe. Therefore, the fact that Jesus did signs and wonders shows just how merciful He is. He offered these miracles, not because anyone deserved them but simply because of His abundant generosity to help spark faith in the lives of those who found it hard to believe through the interior gift of faith alone.With that said, it's important to understand that we should work to develop our faith without relying upon external signs. Imagine, for example, if Jesus would have never performed any miracles. How many would have come to believe in Him? Perhaps very few. But there would have been some who came to believe, and those who did would have had a faith that was exceptionally deep and authentic. Imagine, for example, if this royal official did not receive a miracle for his son but, nonetheless, chose to believe in Jesus anyway through the transforming interior gift of faith.In each one of our lives, it is essential that we work to develop our faith, even if God doesn't seem to act in powerful and evident ways. In fact, the deepest form of faith is born in our lives when we choose to love God and serve Him, even when things are very difficult. Faith in the midst of difficulty is a sign of very authentic faith.Reflect, today, upon the depth of your own faith. When life is hard, do you love God and serve Him anyway? Even if He doesn't remove the crosses you carry? Seek to have true faith at all times and in every circumstance and you will be amazed at how real and sustaining your faith becomes. My merciful Jesus, Your love for us is beyond what we will ever fathom. Your generosity is truly great. Help me to believe in You and to embrace Your holy will both in good times and in difficult ones. Help me, especially, to be open to the gift of faith, even when Your presence and action in my life seems silent. May those moments, dear Lord, be moments of true interior transformation and grace. Jesus, I trust in You.Paolo Veronese, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

John 4:43-54,43 After the two days he departed for Galilee. 44 (For Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.) 45 So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast. For they too had gone to the feast.46 So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48 So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” 49 The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” 50 Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. 51 As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. 52 So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” 53 The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” And he himself believed, and all his household. 54 This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee. To get started this morning I want to tell you the first thing I told our middle school baseball team this past week: it's that the most important thing in your life is your faith in Jesus Christ.Now there's a lot of important things in life — there's big things, critical things — but the most important thing is your continued, abiding, daily faith in Jesus, and that's what I want to talk about this morning, because that's the main theme in our passage.We've already said (and we're gonna keep saying) that John's purpose in this Gospel is that we believe in Jesus. John cares a lot about our faith and the nature of true faith — and that comes through in this story, verses 43–54. So for today's sermon, we're gonna look at these verses and I want to show you three aspects about the nature of true faith. And these are aspects that, as we look at them, we should evaluate our own faith in their light. Here's the first:1. True faith goes deeper than gawking at signs and wonders. This is the broader message coming through in this whole section and I know it's gonna make sense to you, but I need you to track with me, okay? There's a lot of details here, so get ready. We're gonna start by looking at verse 43. “After the two days he [Jesus] left for Galilee.”Now where did he leave from? Where has Jesus been (that we've seen) over the last couple of Sundays? Samaria.So Jesus has now left Samaria to go to Galilee, which means we need to do a little geography check-in for a minute. In ancient Israel there were three regions stacked on top of one another: Galilee in the north, then Samaria, then Judea. Let's try to follow where Jesus has been: Remember Chapter 2 starts and Jesus is in Galilee, at the wedding at Cana; then, in 2:13, he goes to Jerusalem to go to the temple, which is in Judea (south); then in Chapter 4, verse 3, “[Jesus] left Judea and departed again for Galilee” (going north, and what's in the middle of Judea and Galilee? Samaria) … So Chapter 4, verse 4: “[Jesus] had to pass through Samaria” (that's what we've seen in Chapter 4) — Jesus spent two days in Samaria, but now he's back on the road to Galilee.And Galilee is where he's from. Nazareth is in Galilee, and Jesus grew up in Nazareth, but notice what John includes for us in verse 44. This is a little note in the text just for us, verse 44. Everybody look at verse 44:“Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.”That phrase “own country” is literally the word “fatherland” — it's another way to say “hometown,” and in this case, it's not talking about Galilee specifically, but it's talking about the land of Jewish people — which includes both Galilee and Judea. Basically, this means not Samaria. The land of the Samaritans is not Jesus's “own country” — but the land of Jewish people is. That's the point. And so we're set up here to see a contrast between the way Jesus is treated by his own people in his own country and the way he was just received in Samaria (not his country). And verse 44 would suggest that the difference is going to be a negative response in Galilee. “No honor,” verse 44 says.Why the Welcome?Now look at verse 45. It's just the next verse. You're right there. Verse 45: “So [or therefore] when he came to Galilee [his own country], the Galileans welcomed him …”Now wait a minute! Verse 44 just said no honor in his own country. Verse 45 says his own country welcomed him. How does that make sense?Well, it has to do with why they welcomed him. We gotta keep reading, verse 45: “the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast. For they too had gone to the feast.”Which means they had seen Jesus bring the mayhem. Remember that in Chapter 2? They saw him pushing over tables and cracking a whip — it was a scene! He turned some heads. He got their attention. They wanna see more of that!Now, skip down to verse 48. In verse 48, Jesus is speaking to this official who's son was sick — we're about to get there — but first I want you to see this part. Jesus is talking to this official, but when he says “you” in verse 48, it's plural. Jesus is actually talking about the Galileans overall. He's speaking to the official in verse 48, but he's saying: “Unless y'all [unless all you Galileans, Jewish people, my people] — Unless y'all see signs and wonders y'all will not believe.” That's their problem. Now how is that different from Samaria? Samaria Was DifferentRemember there's supposed to be a contrast between Jesus's own country and where he's just been in Samaria. So then, what was it like in Samaria? Fruitful! People believed! It started with the Samaritan woman who believed in Jesus and then by verse 41 a whole crowd of Samaritans believed in Jesus, but the details here are really important. We gotta pay attention to this. I want you to see this in verse 41. Look back up, Chapter 4, verse 41:“And many more [Samaritans] believed [in Jesus] because of his word.”So they believed in Jesus because of his what? Word.That's the contrast. Jesus's own country, his own people, they just wanna see a spectacle. They wanna light show. Give me that head-turnin' buzz-worthy drama! Their faith is as true as a roller-coaster ride is eternal.But the Samaritans … there was nothing flashy there at all. It started with a conversation at a well at noon. Yet the Samaritans believed Jesus because of his word.And we're supposed to see here: that is true faith! It goes much deeper than gawking at signs and wonders Jesus can do, but it's about Jesus himself. Because what he gives us in his word is himself.Look, I don't know what all of you think faith in Jesus is, but it might be much simpler and deeper than you imagined — most basically, faith in Jesus is taking Jesus at his word. What he says is … because of who he is. So what you do with his word is what you do with him. Here's the second aspect we see about true faith …2. True faith often emerges among real-life needs.Now we're gonna talk about this official in verse 46. Jesus is back in Cana, in Galilee, and verse 46 says,46 … And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked [or begged] him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.We don't know too much about this official — just they that he was a royal official (that's what that word means — most likely he worked under Herod); so we know that, and we know he was a man; and we know he was a father who lived in Capernaum where his son was sick. Capernaum was around 25 miles east of Cana, by the Sea of Galilee, and so this official's travel from Capernaum to Cana would not have been easy. It would have been 25 miles uphill. And that helps us understand more his request. It was not a mere “Hey, Jesus, if you got a minute, would you consider helping me?”That word translated “ask” in verse 47 has already been used twice in John Chapter 4. First, in verse 31, when the disciples urged Jesus to eat, that word for “urge” is the same word translated “ask” here in verse 47. It shows up again in verse 40, when the Samaritans “asked” Jesus to stay with them for a couple more days. They really wanted Jesus to stay. So this word means an earnest petition. Like begging. Which means we should imagine this official, wearied from his journey, finally seeing Jesus, and he pleads with him to heal his son who is on his deathbed.And what does Jesus do? He takes this moment as an opportunity to address the problem of shallow faith. This official is desperate, and it's almost like Jesus looks over him, for the sake of everyone else, all of Galilee, and he says, “Y'all are all about the signs and wonders, and that's not truth faith.”The Locked-In DadIt's like Jesus starts going all “rabbi” on this guy (and whoever else is listening) — Jesus is teaching about the nature of true faith. This is important! Listen up! And notice how this guy replies in verse 49. He's ‘super intrigued' by what Jesus says! He's been ‘waiting his whole life for this theological conversation' — is that what we see? No. Jesus says what he says about faith, and the man says back to him: “Sir, come down before my child dies.”This official is locked in on one thing. His child is sick. And the word for “child” in verse 49 is different from the word “son” used in verse 47. A son can be any age — every man in this room is a son — but that word “child” means little child. It's an affectionate term.So here's what's going on: This man comes to Jesus because he wants his son to be healed; Jesus teaches about true faith; the man replies: Sir, if you don't come now my little child will die.And that is a clue for us that this official is not really after signs and wonders. He's not looking for a show. He's not motivated by the thrill of entertainment. He just loves his little boy, that's all. That Desperate EnergyI think all the parents in here could put ourselves in this official's shoes. We get this — we love our children, don't we? But as I worked on this passage, I thought especially about parents whose children have been terribly sick. And there are more than a few parents in our church who have been there. We pray often for them. And I thought of Logan and Stacy Brennecke.The Brenneckes have five children, and they've experienced suffering as parents. In 2014 they lost their daughter at six days old, and today their youngest son, Theo, who is three, has been on our prayer list his whole life so far. He was born with some complications — He's had four surgeries, including a kidney transplant. He's had countless procedures, worked with 12 different specialists, and in the last two years he's been in the hospital about 100 days. And praise God, today he's doing well! But I was able to connect with Logan and Stacy this week because I wanted just to hear more about their experience in light of this passage.In hearing from them, Stacy talked about one of the hardest parts in their experience is being told there's nothing you can do to make your child well. She called the feeling a “desperate energy.” She's been there more than once, but about one experience, Stacy said, I felt claustrophobic — I was stuck in a tight space, unable to get out but frantically trying to. I would've done anything, gone anywhere, acted the fool in front of anybody, if it would just help my child.See, that's where this official was in this story. He was at home, in Capernaum, a father by his little son's bedside, stuck with that desperate energy. And then someone told him, “Sir, Jesus of Nazareth has come back.”In verse 47 of this story we don't know anything about this official's faith, just that he heard Jesus was back — this Jesus who was different, this Jesus who had caused that scene in Jerusalem, who claimed to be the Messiah. For this father, it's only hearsay, but what if there's a chance?! So he goes. He goes to Jesus. He meets Jesus. He pleads with Jesus, and in verse 50 Jesus replies: “Go; your son will live.”And what does it say at the end of verse 50? You gotta see this. Verse 50, after Jesus says “Your son will live,” we read: “The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.”So for this Galilean, he has faith like the Samaritans did. Because he believed Jesus's word. Where We LiveAnd we might think, wait a minute. He didn't come to Jesus because he wanted Jesus, he came to Jesus because he wanted his son to live. And that's right, but, the initial reason why he came to Jesus should not make us continue to question the sincerity of this man's faith. The fact that he wanted his child to live just means he's a real person. He lives where we do. He lives in real life, with real needs and longings and love for his children. Get this: true faith emerges from this, from real life.Understand that a lot of times what comes first is not “standing amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene,” but it's falling desperate before him because you need help. Often it's real-life stuff that leads us to Jesus. We know this in our stories.For a lot of us, we were living our lives, doing our own thing, and then something went sideways. Living got hard. We were leveled by a need and we found ourselves in a mess, and somewhere in that mess we heard about Jesus — or we remembered Jesus — and we thought, “Maybe he can help.” And guess what? He can.See, a lot of us started by looking for answers over here, and we ended up finding Jesus, and that's okay. This gets to something super important when it comes to faith: listen, it's not how you start; it's how you finish.Which means two things:One, if you're here this morning and you're currently in a mess, if you're in a desperate situation and you're not really seeking Jesus but you find yourselves here, I want you to know that's not strange. That's how it goes. You don't have to have your life all figured out first. You don't have to have your “theological Ps and Qs” in order. Most of the time, true faith emerges among real-life needs. You're in real life, and then you meet Jesus, and then you take Jesus at his word. And this is his word to you this morning — listen, this is the gospel word of Jesus to you — he says:“Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”I love you. I died for you, if you come to me. I will forgive you all of your sins and I will make you a child of God. Wherever it is you're coming from this morning, right now you can take Jesus at his word.Second, if you've trusted in Jesus in the past, which is a lot of us, the question today is, Do you trust him now? Believe him now. Keep taking him at his word! And if at times it seems like your faith is failing, if your trust dwindles, you can pray what another desperate father once prayed, Mark 9:24,“I believe; help my unbelief!”And Jesus will. True faith often emerges among real-life needs. 3. True faith rests in Jesus who is powerful and kind. This man believed Jesus's word and went on his way back to Capernaum, and on his way back his servants met him on the road. They had good news. They told him that his son was alive. He's recovering. And the man asked them what time his son started to recover. (Which is fascinating. This is dramatic irony. As readers, we know why he's asking this question, but his servants don't know). They tell him, His fever broke yesterday at 1pm. And the father knew! That's when Jesus said the words “Your son will live.”So verse 53 says,“And he himself believed, and all his household.” So this man's initial, simple faith is now followed by an abiding faith that spreads. His whole household believed. Like with the Samaritan woman, true faith gets shared. Who Our Faith Rests InBut I want to end here by saying more about who our faith rests in. I want you to notice the power and kindness of Jesus in this passage.First, his power. All he had to do was say the word. The very moment Jesus said “Your son will live,” 25 miles away the fever broke. Look, he who commands the wind and the waves also has power over sickness. Jesus has power over fevers and kidneys and MCLs and you name it. Jesus is powerful.And also Jesus is kind. Notice a change that happens in this story. This official, who is a father, is not actually called a father until verse 53.First, it's formal. He's an official from Capernaum. He's a Galilean. Then he's called a man. But by the end of the story, in verse 53, for the first time he's called “the father.”And I think this shows us the kindness of Jesus to meet all of us where we are. We come to him in our need and he meets us as those who are needy. Which does not mean, listen, this does not mean he always gives us the healing we want. Sometimes he doesn't give us the Yes we want in that moment, but, he always gives us himself. And he helps us. Sometimes that means he just has to carry us. Be near to us. If he doesn't make the pain go away, he will bring you through the pain. He's kind. He's kind. Jesus is kind.And I can't help but think that Jesus's kindness to this father shows that Jesus must know something about a father's love for his son. Jesus doesn't know this because Jesus was a father — he wasn't — but he was a son — he is a Son, the beloved Son of God the Father. And the Father's love for Jesus is so glorious that Jesus wants us to know what it's like (see John 17:24). That's why he went to the cross.And that's what brings us to the Table.The TableAt the cross, Jesus game himself for us to make us the children of God, and at this table we remember that. And we come here to rest in him. We come here to remember his death for us, and his word to us: We are loved. In him we are forgiven. We are children of God. That's why this Table is for Christians. This table is for everyone who has put their faith in Jesus. And if that's not you yet, you can just pass the elements down the row, but don't let the moment pass. As we're hearing and singing this song, I invite you to believe in Jesus. Put your faith in him. And if you'd like, I'd love to talk to you more about that after the service.Now, to those who trust in Jesus, let's rest in him and give him thanks…

Monday, 24 March 2025   When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. Matthew 8:28   “And He, having come into the beyond, into the country of the Gergesenes, two demon-possessings, they met Him, coming out from the tombs – exceedingly dangerous – so too, not anyone capacitate to pass through that way” (CG).   In the previous verse, the disciples marveled at the capability of Jesus to silence the storm, asking who He could be. Matthew next records, “And He, having come into the beyond.”   In other words, they had left Capernaum, sailed across the Sea of Galilee, and had then arrived on the other side, having gone “into the country of the Gergesenes.” Depending on what source text is used, or what book (Matthew, Mark, or Luke) is being evaluated, the area arrived at could be –   Gergesenes Gadarenes Gerasenes   Charles Ellicott notes the following: “Gadara was a city east of the Sea of Galilee, about sixteen miles from Tiberias. ... Gerasa was a city in the Gilead district, twenty miles east of the Jordan, described sometimes as belonging to Cœle-Syria, sometimes to Arabia. ... There was no city named Gergesa, but the name Gergesenes was probably connected with the older Girgashites, one of the Canaanite races that occupied the country before the invasion of Israel (Genesis 10:16; Genesis 15:21; Joshua 3:10; Joshua 24:11; et al.). Apparently, however, from the last passage referred to, they were on the western side of the Jordan. It is, on the whole, more likely that the reading was a mistake, than that the old tribe still remained with its old name; but it is possible that the name of Gerasa may represent an altered form of Girgashim.”   Both Matthew's and Mark's gospels say that the herd of pigs noted in the account rushed into the sea. Luke says they rushed into a lake (meaning the Sea of Galilee). Therefore, the location now must be on the shore of the sea, not some place 20 miles from the Jordan.   Despite this, Albert Barnes rightly states, “There is no contradiction, therefore, in the evangelists. He came into the region in which the two cities were situated, and one evangelist mentioned one, and the other another. It shows that the writers had not agreed to impose on the world; for if they had, they would have mentioned the same city; and it shows. also, they were familiar with the country. No men would have written in this manner but those who were acquainted with the facts. Impostors do not mention places or homes if they can avoid it.”   As for their arrival, Matthew next says, “two demon-possessings, they met Him.” Another seeming problem arises. Matthew says two but Mark and Luke only note a man in the singular. Again, there is no contradiction. This occurs elsewhere in the gospels where one person is noted here and two there.   If there are two, then there is one. Mark and Luke are giving specific focus to one of the men who they encountered. Of these two people possessed with demons, it next says they were “coming out from the tombs.”   Here is a new word, mnémeion. Specifically, it means a remembrance, as in a monument. As such, it then provides the thought of a tomb where one is laid and a remembrance is implied. These demon-possessed men were there, and they were “exceedingly dangerous.”   Another new word is found here, chalepos. It is found only one more time, in 2 Timothy 3:1, where it speaks of perilous or difficult times. It signifies that which is dangerous, but it can also be applied to the state of a person by saying he is fierce or furious. The context will decide the intent.   Of them, it next says, “so too, not anyone capacitate to pass through that way.” The men were so violent that people avoided the area lest they be harmed. In the gospel records of Mark and Luke, the one that they focus on explained that the demons in him were named Legion, signifying many demons possessed him.   His violence was so great that Luke records that “he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness” (Luke 8:29).   One can see that because of this, while Matthew focused on the fact that there were two of them, the other two narratives wanted to highlight this one man who was an especially terrible case.   Life application: With a little bit of mental effort, difficulties between the gospel narratives are seen to be not impossible contradictions. It is good to remember that these are eyewitness accounts. As such, people's perspectives will naturally be different, and they will focus on different things.   Further, the fact is that when two accounts are exceedingly similar, those who want to dismiss the Bible will use that as an excuse, saying they were merely copied from one account to the next.   In other words, no matter what God has revealed in His word, there is always someone who is there to tear it apart and challenge it as if it is corrupt. The corruption can be found in their own mirror. They have failed to accept the written word of God for what it is.   Lord God, we pray for Your word to be held in the highest esteem among churches who proclaim You. When pastors, preachers, and teachers fail to uphold it for what it is, it can only damage the listeners who are waiting to be instructed by it. May we carefully and contemplatively consider it, and may we expect that from our spiritual leaders as well. Amen.

JOHN 2:12-25 - JESUS CLEANSES THE TEMPLE - BRIAN SUMNER - 2025JOHN 2:12-25 "12 After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days.13 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. 15 When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers' money and overturned the tables. 16 And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise!” 17 Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.”18 So the Jews answered and said to Him, “What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?”19 Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”20 Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body. 22 Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. 24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, 25 and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.”To support this channel and partner with Brian in Ministryhttps://www.briansumner.net/support/For more on Brianhttp://www.briansumner.nethttps://www.instagram.com/BRIANSUMNER/https://www.facebook.com/BRIANSUMNEROFFICIALTo listen to Brians Podcast, click below.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...Purchase Brians Marriage book at https://www.amazon.com/Never-Fails-Da...Brian is a full time "Urban Missionary" both locally and internationally with a focus on MISSIONS - MARRIAGES - MINISTRY. Since coming to faith in 2004 doors continued opening locally and internationally to do more and more ministry with a focus on Evangelism, Outreach Missions, Marriage, Counsel, Schools, Festivals, Conferences and the like.  Everything about this ministry is made possible because of people personally partnering through the non profit. God Bless and thank you. †Support the showSUPPORT THE SHOW

Send us a textGood morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)Spiritbuilding.com - (premium quality paperback)Youtube Video Introducing the ContentFeel free to reach out with any questions: emersonk78@me.comLuke 4 The Holy Spirit leads Jesus into the wilderness. He fasts for forty days and faces intense temptation from the devil. Satan asks Jesus to turn rocks into bread, to accept kingdoms from the devil, and to jump and challenge God to catch Him. On each occasion, Jesus quotes scripture, gives credit to God, and refuses to fall in the face of temptation. Following this, Jesus comes to Nazareth, enters the synagogue, and asks to read from the book of Isaiah. He reads about the favorable year of the Lord and proclaims that the time has come! They doubt Him and even try to drive Him off a cliff! Jesus goes to Capernaum, where He is better received. He preaches the kingdom of God and casts out demons and heals many. The devil uses three common tools to tempt Jesus: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life. This is how he tempted Adam and Eve in the beginning, and this is how he tempts us. Jesus uses faith, scripture, and wisdom to reject him, and we can do the same in His name. Jesus is the anointed One, and our Helper, and has ushered in a favorable age of victory over the devil. Jesus has proven His power in the wilderness, but also in casting out demons, healing the sick, and proving His limitless might. Even the demons proclaim Him to be the “Holy One of God.” How much more so should we?    Gracious Lord, thank You for the example Your Son set for us in His ministry. Help us to be more like Him and see through the devil's common and carnal tools of temptation. To choose Satan is to reject Your Son, and we pray to flee evil and cling to Christ. Jesus brought us freedom from captivity and has shown us that He controls the spiritual and physical world. It is sad to see His hometown drive Him out. Please help us to always be humble and in awe of Him and to never push our King away.    -       Have you tried categorizing temptations? When you feel it coming, identify if Satan is tempting your eye, your flesh, or your pride. -       Jesus' hometown could not accept that He was God's one and only plan to save them. Do you accept and embrace that fact today? -       What does it say about Christ's glory that even the demons fear and confess Him as God? How must your faith be better than the demons?

Join us on Patreon for Daily Prayer Matins - Monday in the First Week of Lent Opening Scripture:If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us, but if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.I John 1:8, 9 Confession:Let us take a moment to confess our sinsMost merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.Grant to your faithful people, merciful Lord, pardon and peace; that we may be cleansed from all our sins, and serve you with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The Invitatory and PsalterLord, open our lips.And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. ¶ Then follows the Invitatory Psalm with a Lenten antiphon.  Lenten AntiphonThe Lord is full of compassion and mercy: Come let us adore him.VeniteCome, let us sing to the Lord; * let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving * and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.For the Lord is a great God, * and a great King above all gods.In his hand are the caverns of the earth, * and the heights of the hills are his also.The sea is his, for he made it, * and his hands have molded the dry land.Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, * and kneel before the Lord our Maker.For he is our God,and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. * Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!Lenten AntiphonThe Lord is full of compassion and mercy: Come let us adore him. The PsalmsPsalm 411Happy are they who consider the poor and needy! *the Lord will deliver them in the time of trouble.2The Lord preserves them and keeps them alive,so that they may be happy in the land; *he does not hand them over to the will of their enemies.3The Lord sustains them on their sickbed *and ministers to them in their illness.4I said, “Lord, be merciful to me; *heal me, for I have sinned against you.”5My enemies are saying wicked things about me: *“When will he die, and his name perish?”6Even if they come to see me, they speak empty words; *their heart collects false rumors;they go outside and spread them.7All my enemies whisper together about me *and devise evil against me.8“A deadly thing,” they say, “has fastened on him; *he has taken to his bed and will never get up again.”9Even my best friend, whom I trusted,who broke bread with me, *has lifted up his heel and turned against me.10But you, O Lord, be merciful to me and raise me up, *and I shall repay them.11By this I know you are pleased with me, *that my enemy does not triumph over me.12In my integrity you hold me fast, *and shall set me before your face for ever.13Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, *from age to age. Amen. Amen. Psalm 521You tyrant, why do you boast of wickedness *against the godly all day long?2You plot ruin;your tongue is like a sharpened razor, *O worker of deception.3You love evil more than good *and lying more than speaking the truth.4You love all words that hurt, *O you deceitful tongue.5Oh, that God would demolish you utterly, *topple you, and snatch you from your dwelling,and root you out of the land of the living!6The righteous shall see and tremble, *and they shall laugh at him, saying,7“This is the one who did not take God for a refuge, *but trusted in great wealthand relied upon wickedness.”8But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; *I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.9I will give you thanks for what you have done *and declare the goodness of your Name in the presence of the godly. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. ReadingsDeuteronomy 8:11-20English Standard Version“Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, who led you through the great and terrifying wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water, who brought you water out of the flinty rock, who fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers did not know, that he might humble you and test you, to do you good in the end. Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.' You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day. And if you forget the Lord your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish. Like the nations that the Lord makes to perish before you, so shall you perish, because you would not obey the voice of the Lord your God.The Word of the LordThanks be to God Hebrews 2:11-18English Standard VersionFor he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying,“I will tell of your name to my brothers;    in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.”And again,“I will put my trust in him.”And again,“Behold, I and the children God has given me.”Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.The Word of the LordThanks be to God John 2:1-12English Standard VersionOn the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days.The Word of the LordThanks be to God The Third Song IsaiahSurge, illuminare (Isaiah 60:1-3, 11a, 14c, 18-19)Arise, shine, for your light has come, *and the glory of the Lord has dawned upon you.For behold, darkness covers the land; *deep gloom enshrouds the peoples.But over you the Lord will rise, *and his glory will appear upon you.Nations Will stream to your light, *and kings to the brightness of your dawning.Your gates will always be open; *by day or night they will never be shut.They will call you, The City of the Lord, *The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.Violence will no more be heard in your land, *ruin or destruction within your borders.You will call your walls, Salvation, *and all your portals, Praise.The sun will no more be your light by day; *by night you will not need the brightness of the moon.The Lord will be your everlasting light, *and your God will be your glory.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The Apostles' CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersLord, have mercy upon us.Christ, have mercy upon us.Lord, have mercy upon us.Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. SuffragesO Lord, show your mercy upon us;And grant us your salvation.O Lord, guide those who govern usAnd lead us in the way of justice and truth.Clothe your ministers with righteousness And let your people sing with joy.O Lord, save your peopleAnd bless your inheritance.Give peace in our time, O LordAnd defend us by your mighty power.Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgottenNor the hope of the poor be taken away.Create in us clean hearts, O GodAnd take not your Holy Spirit from us. Take a moment of silence at this time to reflect and pray for others. The CollectsCollect of the DayAlmighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan: Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations; and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for GraceO Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that, guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Prayer for MissionAlmighty and everlasting God, who alone works great marvels: Send down upon our clergy and the congregations committed to their charge the life-giving Spirit of your grace, shower them with the continual dew of your blessing, and ignite in them a zealous love of your Gospel; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; Through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen. A Prayer of St. ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. Let us bless the Lord.Thanks be to God.The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen.

Send us a textGood morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)Spiritbuilding.com - (premium quality paperback)Youtube Video Introducing the ContentFeel free to reach out with any questions: emersonk78@me.comMark 3Christ's early ministry continues as the Pharisees resume their accusations. Jesus heals a lame man in the synagogue on the Sabbath day. He points out the anger residing in the hearts of the Jewish leaders. They respond by conspiring against Him. Jesus withdraws to the sea and casts out many unclean spirits. Unlike the scribes, the demons proclaim, “You are the Son of God!” Before returning to Capernaum, Jesus chooses His twelve apostles. They return to the city where the scribes are waiting once again. They argue that Jesus casts out demons by the power of the devil! This is how deluded and hateful the unbelieving heart can get. He warns them that the Holy Spirit is the power behind the miracles and that blasphemy against Him would be eternal sin.  The Pharisees lacked mercy, even as Jesus demonstrated so much grace around them. A man had his hand restored in the synagogue. Many were healed of infirmities and had evil spirits driven away from them. How wonderful must that have been? The twelve were chosen and would soon have the power to proclaim Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. That must have been amazing. The scribes, however, rejected the Spirit and put their souls at eternal risk. The chapter ends with Jesus calling all who do the will of God His family. We can be helped and protected in His family. May we never harden our hearts and miss out on these blessings in Christ! Great God of heaven, You are worthy of all praise and adoration. Your Son has all power and wisdom and glory, on earth and in heaven. Strengthen us to trust Him and love Him more each day. May we never limit what He can do or question His authority. Guide us to believe in His Holy Spirit and to never blaspheme against the Spirit, the Son, or You. Jesus chose His family of faith even over His blood family. Please hold us close within that family and give us that same love for our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Thought Questions: -       The Jews had no compassion for people, lame or otherwise. Is there a risk that your beliefs could lead to a lack of love and attention for others? -        Do you have to understand everything about the Holy Spirit to trust in His power? How do you keep from blasphemy against the Spirit? -       What does it mean for you to be in the family of God? How should that inspire obedience to the Father and time with your brothers and sisters?