The Daily Dose

Your priority

Therefore, we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, Hebrews 2:1 & 3

Here you go!  If you have ever wondered what you are supposed to be doing here in this world and at this time, this is your answer. First, you are to be paying close attention to the things you have learned and read in the scripture to make sure you do not drift away in your relationship with your Father in heaven.  Second, don’t neglect your relationship with your Savior.

This is a good guide for life here in this world.  We must nurture and grow our relationship with God.  It is vital, not only for our survival in today’s world, but also for our effectiveness in it.  Verse 4 of this chapter says God bears witness or testifies the validity of the message of salvation through answered prayer and with signs and wonders as He wills.  His signs and wonders will not be seen to the outside world through us if we neglect and don’t give priority to our relationship and partnership with Him.

The example is the disciples of Jesus that spend their time ministering and walking with Jesus every day. They maintained a close relationship with Him.  Their relationship was the priority of their life and they proved this by leaving all they had and giving their life to the work of His ministry.

You may not be employed in full time ministry, but you should still be a full time minister of the good news wherever you are employed.  God has assigned you to that place to be His representative there.  It is so very important that your relationship with Him is first place in your life, so that He will be able to accomplish the things in this world through your life that He planned to.

Today I want to encourage you to give attention to the things you have learned in Christ Jesus, so you don’t drift away.  Don’t neglect His great salvation by making the busyness of life your priority.  Become aware of your position as His ambassador wherever you have been placed in this world and display His love for the people He brings into your life.  Help others to see that there is hope for the future in salvation through Jesus and lead others to the understanding of the world beyond this one.

Today’s scripture reading: Hebrews 2:1-4

1 Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.

2 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward,

3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,

4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?

Ministering Spirits

But to which of the angels has He ever said: “Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies Your footstool”? Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?  Hebrews 1:13&14

This is a good question.  Did God ever say to one of His angels, “Sit here at my right hand.”?  The answer is no.  He only gave that seat to Jesus.  The angels are God’s ministering spirits that He sends to minister.  To whom?  People.  All through the scripture there are references to the angels in all kinds of ministering positions.  Some bring glad tidings.  Some bring prophetic messages.  Some bring protection against armies, some bring battle plans and some minister physical strength and encouragement.

Angels are still around today.  Oh, we may not be aware of them, but they are close.  Even though we cannot see them, we know they are there because God’s Word tells us they are all ministering spirits and Hebrews 13 says many have entertained angel and were unaware of it.  Psalms 91:11 says that God puts His angels in charge of us to keep/protect us in all our ways.  Psalm 103:20 says they listen for those who speak God’s Word to do it.  Today’s verse says they are sent to serve those who have received (heirs of) salvation.

To sum up this first chapter of Hebrews, we could say: Jesus our Savior is holding all things in place (including our lives) by His powerful Words.  God raised up Jesus with His powerful Word to sit at His right hand and now God’s angels are ministering His powerful Word to all His people by serving, protecting and strengthening them.

Today I want to encourage you to think about the angels.  Consider that they are close and even hear the things we say and see the things we do.  Ask yourself if you have spoken God’s words recently for them to heed and do.  Then ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom concerning the angels that have been assigned to your life.  They are ready to be sent into action, all they need is the command of God’s Word!

Today’s scripture reading: Hebrews 1:10-14

10 And: “You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands.

11 They will perish, but You remain; and they will all grow old like a garment;

12 Like a cloak You will fold them up, and they will be changed.

But You are the same, and Your years will not fail.”

13 But to which of the angels has He ever said: “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool”?

14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?

 

Who is sending you?

But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish—the very works that I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me. John 5:36

I have had many places of employment over my lifetime. Mostly out of necessity.  I took jobs because I needed to make ends meet and sometimes, I worked 2 different jobs at the same time. I thought I was being independent, and I didn’t want to have to depend on anyone to take care of me.  I wasn’t very happy, and I spent a lot of time alone.

I didn’t have a plan and I lived day to day with no vision for the future.  Occasionally, I would consider what will be next, but mostly I lived life one day at a time never considering my future.  The furthest I could look ahead was the weekend or my next day off work.  Which didn’t happen very often when I was running from one place of employment to the other every day of the week.

My life was basically going nowhere except when things got uncomfortable.  Then I would look for the first opportunity to run to the next place or even a new state.  I was working to support myself and my child.  She was the only reason I kept going a lot of the time and I am so thankful for her life because of that.

Finally, I surrendered and put my life in God’s hands.  Things didn’t change too much at first, but I started doing some things differently and changed my priorities to focus on God’s plan and agenda.  Eventually, I began to live for a reason other than getting through a day.  I started learning God’s reason for my life.  I began to seek out His plan each day and live on His purpose.  I started spending time with Him each morning to dedicate the day to Him and ask Him to lead me through.  I began to realize that the only way my life could ever count for something was to offer whatever I could to honor and serve my Lord.

Now I have found the reason that I exist, and I know the purpose that I am in this world.  My life counts for something, and it will be carried into eternity with me when I leave here.  I am so thankful that now I understand what it means to be sent by my Father in heaven.

In today’s reading, Jesus told the Jewish leaders that His Father had sent Him to the world to save the people from sin.  The leaders didn’t want to believe Him, but Jesus knew in His heart that God the Father had Him here for that purpose and He determined to complete His mission regardless of any opposition.

You can know the reason you are here and that you have been sent by your Father.  God made a plan for your life before you were ever born.  He planned the best life for you that you could possibly have.  It is not a perfect life and you will still have ups and downs, but you will know the purpose, you will have a mission and you will live with passion in your heart to live each day to the fullest because you have a future and a hope.  You can complete down to the last detail everything that the Father has written for you to complete.  But you have to get the plan from Him and you have to walk through the doors by faith that He opens along the way.

Today I want to encourage you to seek out the plan of God for your life.  Recognize that you exist for a reason and that you can accomplish the great things that your heavenly Father has planned for you to do.  You can enjoy this life to the fullest, simply by following His lead step by step and day by day.  Understand and know that you have been sent here to the world for a purpose for such this time.  It is no accident that you are here now and there is an assignment for you to fulfill.  Start living your best life now by turning it all over to Your loving Father and press in close so you don’t miss a step.

Today’s scripture reading: John 5:31-47

31 “If I were to testify on my own behalf, my testimony would not be valid. 

32 But someone else is also testifying about me, and I assure you that everything he says about me is true. 

33 In fact, you sent investigators to listen to John the Baptist, and his testimony about me was true. 

34 Of course, I have no need of human witnesses, but I say these things so you might be saved. 

35 John was like a burning and shining lamp, and you were excited for a while about his message. 

36 But I have a greater witness than John—my teachings and my miracles. The Father gave me these works to accomplish, and they prove that he sent me. 

37 And the Father who sent me has testified about me himself. You have never heard his voice or seen him face to face, 

38 and you do not have his message in your hearts, because you do not believe me—the one he sent to you.

39 “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! 

40 Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life.

41 “Your approval means nothing to me, 

42 because I know you don’t have God’s love within you. 

43 For I have come to you in my Father’s name, and you have rejected me. Yet if others come in their own name, you gladly welcome them. 

44 No wonder you can’t believe! For you gladly honor each other, but you don’t care about the honor that comes from the one who alone is God.

45 “Yet it isn’t I who will accuse you before the Father. Moses will accuse you! Yes, Moses, in whom you put your hopes. 

46 If you really believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me. 

47 But since you don’t believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?”

What do you seek?

I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me. John 5:30

I have come to the point in my life where the fear of the Lord in my eyes is fear of not being close to Him and trusting Him with every detail.  I do believe in the fear of His awesomeness, but I am not afraid of His wrath or judgement because I know He desires the best for my life.  Because I spent many years seeking after my own will and working on getting my own way accomplished, I now know that path is nothing but heartache and destruction.  Today, my heart is to seek the will, plan and direction of my Father, who sends me to be His witness and His body in this world.

In today’s reading, Jesus talked about not seeking His own will but following the plan of God for His life.  However, He didn’t have the same problem that I had, because He made the decision from the beginning that He would do only what He heard from His Father in heaven.  Even though He struggled a little before He went to the cross, which is understandable, He still submitted His will to His Father’s because He knew the plan was for the good of all other people and that God would never let Him down.

Today, it is easy to look back on Jesus’ life and say that it was easy for Him to only do His Father’s will and even though He was perfect here in the world, it doesn’t mean that it was any easier for Him than it can be for us.  He had to make time to listen and press into God for strength, direction and the plan.  He knew that in order to accomplish what was in the heart of His Father, He would have to know His Father so intimately so He could complete every assignment that He was sent here to do.

This is our example still today.  If Jesus needed to seek God and spend time praying and listening for the plans of the day, how much more do we need that intimate close time to press in and listen for the plan for our day and our life.  It can be easy to start off in one direction and think “I got this, Lord”.  But if you do not check in on a daily basis, just the slightest distraction can knock you way off course where you can be devoured by the enemy of your soul.

So, today I want to encourage you to check in with your heavenly Father.  Ask Him to make your assignment for the day plain and clear.  It may be to reach out to someone who needs a word of encouragement or it may be to visit a friend who is going through a rough time.  Whatever He puts on your heart, be open and believe that He will make time for you to fit it into your schedule along with the other responsibilities you have.  Jesus was on His way to some place every time someone came to Him for help.  He didn’t turn them away. He made time for them right where He was.  He understood that people are the most important priority to God and they need to be ours too.

Today’s scripture reading: John 5:24-30

24 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. 

25 Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. 

26 For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, 

27 and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. 

28 Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice 

29 and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. 

30 I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.

It’s not just a title

Therefore, the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. John 5:18

Have you ever thought about this?  We pray to God and address Him as our Father or Heavenly Father.  It is true.  There are many passages that confirm we are children of God when we enter into His salvation through the blood of Jesus.  Even Jesus Himself said that when we pray, we should start by saying: Our Father in heaven. It makes sense, because when God created people, He made them in His image and the human race was born from Him.

In today’s reading, the Jews were upset with Jesus for healing on the Sabbath, but became even more angry when He referred to God as His Father.  They said that made Jesus equal with God.  While we know that is true, Jesus is the Son of God and the perfect Lamb, what does that mean for us if we call Him Father.  Certainly, we don’t think we are putting ourselves on His level.  And for sure, we have been given access to His power through faith, but very few of us know how use to or even think we have the God kind of power.

No, we are not equal to God, and it would be absurd to even pretend to think that. However, we are of His kind, and we are His created family.  God created people with the intention of having a family and it is the reason He created us in His image.  When He sent Jesus to rescue us, the payment He made was so powerful that He gave us the power to become the children of God according to John 1:12.  Now that’s a lot of power. 

This is not something we should take lightly and if we could begin to understand the power God gave us to reach this lost and dying world, we would turn this world up side down like the first Christians did.  God wants us to know who we are now that we are in Christ Jesus and He wants us to follow the example of the first one born of many brethren, the Lord Jesus!

Today I want to encourage you to consider the position you have been given when you received your salvation in the blood of Jesus.  Thank your Father in heaven for His great love with which He loved you and for the price He paid to get you back as His very own.  Then consider the part and power He has given you to let others know about His great love.  Ask Him how to release that power and how to make a bigger impact on your part of the world.  Don’t be a child of God in title only, begin imitating your Father with His great power as a dear child of the King (Ephesians 5:1)

Today’s scripture reading: John 5:16-23

16 For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath. 

17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.”

18 Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. 

19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. 

20 For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. 

21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. 

22 For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, 

23 that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

Don’t miss what He is doing

The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.” John 5:10

            Have you ever met anyone that like to pick apart ministries.  Maybe they don’t understand a style of preaching or maybe they just don’t like that some churches are bigger than others.  Some people even go after ministries that take the gospel all over the world just because they have an airplane to get it there. 

            Seems absurd, and hopefully you have never fallen into that trap and it is a trap.  Some would think they are super spiritual just because they don’t need a lot of expensive material things to do God’s work. but in reality, their ministry is limited because they do not have the resources, they need to reach people on the other side of the globe.  It is a religious and legalistic mentality, and it is nothing but trouble if you allow yourself to begin judging ministers of God.

            All through the scriptures, God used flawed people to get His message out and to get His work done.  I am so thankful that He did, or we wouldn’t know about the grace and goodness of God today, and there would be no place for me in the work of the Lord.

            In today’s reading, even Jesus was subject to the scrutiny of the religion minds of His day.  Jesus, who was perfect, not a flawed sinful person like the rest of the human race.  Can you imagine the audacity of the Jewish leaders of that day watching His every move to catch Him breaking the law of Moses.  They completely missed the work that God was doing through Him and so they completely missed the Lamb that was sent to pay the penalty of their sin.

            How sad it was in that day that the jealousy and religious mind set of the priest missed out on what God could have done in their lives if they had believed.  How sad it is in our day when so called Christian people miss out on the great move God is doing in the world now.  Don’t be among those who miss the goodness of God flowing through imperfect people and imperfect ministries.  Instead, pray and seek the Lord about where you fit into this great end time move and revival.

            Today I want to encourage you to stop criticizing ministers of God.  If you do not agree with them doctrinally, its ok, but you are also a flawed and sinful person so consider that you do not know it all yet either.  Pray for ministries and ministers and especially those that have much fruit from the message of salvation.  Trust that God can move through each one of us as we yield to Him and know that when the end of days here in this world have come, you will not have to answer for any of those other flawed people, only yourself.

Today’s scripture reading: John 5:10-15

10 The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.”

11 He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’ ”

12 Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” 

13 But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. 

14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.”

15 The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.

No Excuses

“When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”  John 5:6

Isn’t that a strange question?  Do you want to be made well?  Doesn’t it just make sense that someone would want to be made well?  Is it really that easy?  This makes it sound like being made well was this man’s decision.  Does Jesus just ask, and we can say yes or no?  So why did Jesus ask this question?   When Jesus did ask this question notice what the man’s response was.  He answered by making excuses.  He said, “I don’t have anyone to help me and someone else always gets there first.”  This man could only see his natural circumstances.  He thought his only hope for healing was this pool and the “story” of the angel stirring the water.  There was no appearance of faith from his response at all . . . until he obeyed what Jesus told him to do (took action).  “Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk. And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.”  (John 5:8-9) His faith became evident when he put action behind Jesus’ Words.

I find myself doing this at times.  When I consider my circumstances, instead of recognizing that God has a way and plan to “heal” them, I make excuses about how bad the situation is.  For instance:  If I am struggling with something at home or at work, I make an excuse of how someone else is behaving badly. Sometimes, if I set a goal and I am not reaching it, I may have an argument on the inside about why it hasn’t happened yet. 

It reminds me about a time I was praying for my friend and making excuses about their circumstances until the Lord showed me that He made a plan and it works no matter what the conditions are surrounding the problem. Now I understand that God’s way can change any circumstance and I am determined to get all areas of my life into His hands and keep them there!

Today I want to encourage you to put away excuses.  The next time you find yourself making excuses for yourself, other people, or circumstances, recognize what you are doing and then stop.  Decide instead to turn things over to God, trust and obey His direction and receive the peace and healing only He can give through your faith in action.

Today’s scripture reading:  John 5:1-9

1 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 

2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. 

3 In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. 

4 For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. 

5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. 

6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”

7 The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”

8 Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” 

9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath. 

What is Man?

For to which of the angels did He ever say: “You are My Son, today I have begotten You”? And again: “I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son”? Hebrews 1:5

Some days I have an attitude of “Why bother?”  I know it’s not right and it’s not often that I feel this way, but I think we all have moments in life when we consider “What’s the point?”  On those days, the second thought that usually comes is “Why does God bother with me?  What in the world could He possibly be interested in?”  King David asked this question in Psalm 8.  He asked, “What is it about man that You are interested in him? And why do You visit and give attention to this human race?”  It’s a good question for sure!  Why is God interested in us?  What have we ever done to deserve His attention and involvement in our lives?  The answer?  Nothing.  God is not interested in you because of anything you have done. He is not interested in you because of your great accomplishments, and He is not even interested in you because you are so beautiful.  He is interested in you because of what He has done.  He created you!  You are His workmanship!  His handiwork!  His masterpiece!  You are God’s greatest creation!

Think about this:  Did God ever say to any angel, you are my son, today I have given life to you?  Or did He ever say, “I am to Him a Father and He is My Son?”  Nope!  He said that to a man.  A human person.  Above every beautiful thing that God has created, He only loves people!  He doesn’t love the universe even though its vastness and beauty are unmatched.  He doesn’t love the angels even though they are mighty in strength.  He doesn’t even love animals that He created for our enjoyment.  Your design and uniqueness are qualities that God takes great pleasure in.  When God’s created people fell into sin, it was the greatest loss for God!  He desired to get His “man creation” back so much that He was willing to become one.  Yes, we needed Jesus to rescue us from the sin we had fallen into, but God wanted us back in a relationship with Him even more than our need.  As much as we needed Him, He wanted and loved us more!

Now, in heaven, there is a glorified human person, Christ Jesus, sitting next to God and ruling every created thing.  This was God’s creation that He actually became a part of.  He literally put Himself into His-story.

Today I want to encourage you to consider God’s great love for you.  Press into God and thank Him, first for creating you and making you so special and unique.  Then thank Him for the provision He made to get you back into fellowship with Him, the blood of Jesus.  Spend some time thinking about this today because it is so far beyond us that it requires some meditation to even start getting our heads wrapped around the idea.  We love Him and that’s because He loved us first!

Today’s scripture reading:  Hebrews 1:5-9

5 For to which of the angels did He ever say: “You are My Son, today I have begotten You”? And again: “I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son”?

6 But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: “Let all the angels of God worship Him.”

7 And of the angels He says: “Who makes His angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire.”

8 But to the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.

9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions.”

The Word of His Power

His Son, being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Hebrews 1:3

I struggled quite a bit with the decision to write the Daily Dose through the book of Hebrews.  It has always been an overwhelming book for me to handle.  I have grasped it only through holding on to a verse here and there throughout the chapters.  However, after much prayer, I am impressed to proceed.  It is almost as if the Lord was showing me that I would learn much through this writing, and I fully expect that He is right.

Having said all that, it started almost immediately.  I began reading chapter one, but started with the prayer that “Lord, you know I am trusting you to reveal what you want me to write about, so please make it plain and clear.” 

I didn’t have to read far before He answered this prayer.  When I got to verse 3, I remembered how this phrase “by the Word of His power” Had always tripped me up.  I didn’t get it.  What was its meaning?  I stepped away from reading and prayed about it and meditated on it for a little while.  I began to break it down into sections:  His Son, Jesus, being glorified became the exact image of God (looks just like Him) and holds everything in the heaven and earth in place by His powerful Word! By coming into the world as a man to get rid of sin’s power and dominion over people, then He finished that work and now sits with God the Father at His right hand in His glory in heaven. 

That’s it!  Now I can understand.  Everything that exists is being kept and held in place by the Word of God, His powerful Word.  He created it all by His Words and now, that is what is holding it all together (Hebrews 11:3).  God’s Word is eternal, and once it is spoken, it sticks!  His Word is so powerful, that He not only created the heavens and the earth through it, but these things can also never be destroyed until He says so.

Then it occurred to me.  If God’s Word is powerful enough to hold worlds together, surely it is strong enough to hold my life together.  If I apply God’s Word to the sick, broken or missing parts of my own life, it is most certainly strong enough to heal, mend and restore them.  This is why the scripture says:  Death and life are in the power of the tongue/words. (Proverbs 18:21)  If we begin to speak God’s Word into our lives and the lives of those we love, these words will hold them together just like they are holding all of creation in place!

Today I want to encourage you to speak the Word of God over your life, over your health, over your finances, over your family and over those you love.  He has given it to you in writing, to read, learn, live by and speak.  Let the power of God’s Word be the force that holds your life together and pray those words over all the many people that you love and care about. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.” – Isaiah 40:8

Today’s scripture reading: Hebrews 1:1-4

1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,

2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;

3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

4 having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

Just Believe

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. John 4:53

               Have you ever noticed that sometimes when you pray about something you are going through that the answer comes right away and other times it seems a long time in coming?  What makes the difference? Does it depend on how we come before the Lord with the petition or it is because of how long we waited to go to Him in prayer?  We can see all through scripture that there were times of instant answers and time of waiting out the storm. So what was the difference?

               In today’s reading, a nobleman came to Jesus to ask Him to heal his son.  This was a man who worked for Herod, obviously not one of Jesus regular followers.  Yet when he came to Jesus with the request for Jesus to heal his son, Jesus healed him almost immediately.  In this case, after Jesus spoke the words that his son lives, the passage say that the nobleman believed the words of the Lord and went on his way.  This gives the implication that the answer took place because the man believed.  He didn’t see the result yet, but he headed back home anyway.  He could have stayed with Jesus and begged and pleaded with him to come to his house to save the boy and he could have argued with Him about the method of how Jesus would answer his request.  Instead, he just believed.

               I wonder how many times we have prayed and asked God for help and instead of believing that He heard and saw when we prayed and is now answering that pray, we continue to ask for the same thing over and over again.  I have done this myself.  Because I didn’t feel like anything happened and didn’t see any change in the natural world, I kept on pleading with God for that problem.  Jesus made it plain and clear all through His ministry that it was because of faith the results showed up.  Almost every time someone came to Jesus and got the answer they came for, He told them it was because of their faith.

               That is the answer to the question and that is the way to receive anything from God.  You must come to Him by faith and believe that He hears, and the answer is on the way.  It may not look like it in that natural world yet, but you believe in your heart that you have taken the situation or problem to God and now He is working on it.  Think about it.  The way you received your salvation was by going to God in faith, believing in your heart that Jesus came to save you.  Nothing looked any different when you finished praying for salvation, yet from that moment in time, your life began to go in a different direction.  That’s how it is when we pray.  We ask and then we believe. (Mark 11:24)

Today I want to encourage you to believe you receive when you pray.  After you have taken a matter before the Father and asked for His help in the situation, believe He is at work in it and begin to thank Him for the answer that He is providing even right now.  Then every time you think of the issue after that, just go ahead and thank Him some more that He has that struggle in His hands and He is working all those things involved together for your good because you love Him (See Romans 8:28).  Leave that prayer time with His peace because you know that you have taken it to God and He is your good Father that helps you through every struggle and answers when you take your concerns to Him.

Today’s scripture reading: John 4:49-54

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.