Tag Archives: Belief

Jesus teaches about belief (Matthew 9: 27-31)

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Bible Summary:

Two blind men show up, follow Jesus and ask him for mercy. He asks them if they believe he can heal them. They say yes. Jesus touches their eyes saying, “Let it happen as you believe!” and they can now see. He tells them not to tell anyone, but they spread the news.

My Thoughts:

Belief: Everything you want in life requires belief and action. These two things can give you everything you have ever dreamed. Believe and act today.

Celebrity: Like all celebrities, Jesus would like just a little break from the onslaught so he asks the blind men not to say anything and of course human nature takes over and they tell everyone.

Matthew follows Jesus (Matthew 9: 9-13)

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Bible Summary:

Jesus meets and asks Matthew the tax collector to follow him. Matthew does right then. Later, Jesus and his disciples eat with outcasts at Matthew’s house. Some Pharisees ask the disciples how their teacher can eat with such people. Jesus overhears and says, “Only those who are sick need a doctor,” and quotes scripture, “It is kindness I want, not animal sacrifices.”

My Thoughts:

Letter of the Law: Jesus knows human nature, that the self-righteous will follow the letter of the law, so he focuses on the outcasts who need him. He jabs the Pharisees about showing a little kindness.

Follow your belief: Matthew drops everything to follow Jesus. How far would you go to follow your belief? Would you quit your job and follow a man you barely know with no guarantee to even have enough food to eat? I believe this gospel story teaches people to follow their convictions, which can give you freedom and strength.

Faith amid persecution

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Can you imagine being persecuted for your faith and belief in these modern times?  It happened to Christians in Gojra Pakistan in 2009.  Please read the incredible My Take: Looking for faith amid persecution story by Vivian Padilla-Chapman at CNN that details the incident and her feelings about it.

Per Matthew 5:11, Jesus said “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.”  But, I think it is more than that.  People persecute others because of their beliefs, faith, country of origin, color of their skin, height, hair color, eye color, income, social status, and many other reasons to separate “us” from “them”.  But, that is the crux of the matter, “us and them” thinking is the only concept keeping us from everlasting peace.  I believe there is no “us” and “them”, there is only “we”, we the people of the world.  Maybe someday we will learn. I pray it is before a common world threat occurs, which is likely the only way we will unite.

 

Tebow stumbles, but still encouraged

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Tim Tebow lost his second game as Denver Bronco’s quarterback, against the New England Patriots yesterday 41-23, but the Patriots had help with two turnovers and a muffed punt.  Don’t count Tebow out yet. This home-schooled son of Baptist missionaries is still likely to make the playoffs and who knows how far he can carry the Broncos with his belief, especially after encouragement from Patriots coach Bill Belichick.  Read more in The Patriot way tops Tebow-mania as New England defeats Denver story at USA Today.

NEWS: Faster than light?

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Scientist are having a hard time believing test neutrinos went faster than the speed of light from Switzerland to Italy since that is impossible by Albert Einstein’s Theory of Relativity. The test was confirmed twice, but in a third test the scientist are saying the results must be wrong.  Now, if I remember my science history correctly, Einstein’s theory in 1906 changed our thinking about Sir Isaac Newton’s Laws of Motion, by improving upon them. Perhaps Einstein’s theory needs a tweak after 105 years?

Learn more about the OPERA and ICARUS experiments in the Study rejects “faster than light” particle finding story at Reuters.

Water from a Rock (Exodus 17:1-7)

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Bible Summary:

The Israelites continue their journey but soon complain again to Moses about not having enough water, so God sends him on ahead to Mount Sinai with some leaders of Israel. Moses strikes a rock with his stick and water begins to flow.

My Thoughts:

Miracles: God did some amazing miracles for the Israelites, so we wonder why He fails to show up now, especially when times are difficult for us or others close to us. We wonder why He won’t help me find a job, heal my son from cancer, save my house from the mortgage company, or help me pay the bills?

God is not here to give us everything we want. But, He is here to give us everything we need. Many of us need to struggle to build our confidence, to build our faith. God knows that when everything is given to us we become complacent, we do not try. And, if you do not try, then you will miss out on your calling. And, believe it or not, your calling is the true miracle, because many of God’s works are done through people like you. God calls us to be the miracle, so be that miracle today.

Witnesses: Moses brought along witnesses to Mount Sinai to prove to the rest that the water flowed from the rock. It is so difficult to believe without actually witnessing miracles for yourself.  Hang in there, you will see and you will believe – in time.

Moses Returns to Egypt (Ex 4: 18-31)

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Bible Summary:

On the way to Egypt, God tells Moses to perform all the miracles to the king and that the king will not let the Hebrews leave. Moses is to tell the king that Israel is God’s first-born son and when he refuses that all the Egyptian first-born sons will be killed.

Meanwhile God tells Aaron to meet Moses in the desert at the holy mountain. Upon Aaron’s arrival, Moses tells him everything God shared with him.

Moses and Aaron go to Egypt and round up all the Israelite leaders. Aaron relays all the things God told Moses and then Moses performs the miracles. They believe and then bow down and worship God.

My Thoughts:

Seeing is Believing: Wouldn’t you love for God to show up and prove he exists like He did with Moses at the burning bush? I’m not sure we would believe the miracles Moses performed though, since many of us have seen David Copperfield do amazing illusions on TV.

Belief is an act of faith, but also an act of power. Power beyond our understanding, even that of the greatest doctors of our time. Belief has the power to heal or sustain someone with a debilitating disease well beyond what doctors predict. My aunt had breast cancer and was given six-months to live. Her faith carried her through some tough chemo and eight more years – long enough to watch her children become adults.

Joseph’s Brothers Buy Grain (Gen 42)

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Bible Summary:

During the famine, Jacob learns of the grain in Egypt, so sends all his sons except Benjamin to buy some so the family will not starve. Joseph’s half-brothers show up in Egypt to buy the grain and unknowingly bow to Joseph, since he has changed from the teenager they sold into slavery twenty years prior. Joseph says they are spies. Reuben whispers to his brothers that they are being paid back for Joseph’s death (he never knew Joseph was sold). Joseph understands, leaves, cries, composes himself, and returns. He keeps Simeon as a prisoner and sends the others back with grain to get their youngest brother as proof they are not spies.

The brothers are scared when they find their money on top of the full grain sacks Joseph provided. Upon their return to Canaan, they tell Jacob the whole story. He says Simeon and Joseph are already lost and he does not wish to lose any more children, especially Benjamin. Reuben says he will take Benjamin and guard him with his life and offers his two sons as collateral. Jacob says Benjamin is his only son left and would die if something happens to him.

My Thoughts:

Accepting God’s Will: Jacob favors one wife’s sons, Joseph and Benjamin, over the rest because she was his true love. Reuben, the true first born, accepts his father’s will so much that he tried to save Joseph years ago and now offers to guard Benjamin. Accept God’s will and you will gain peace and happiness.  Let Him lead the way.

Mixed Families: Divorce is the norm today. More divorces (33) were requested in Columbus, Ohio yesterday than births (22). Divorce leads to remarriage and in many cases mixed families, children from different families living together. This arrangement is a challenge for parents and kids alike. The most difficult scenario is the lone child shared between two families. Dealing with two parenting styles is hard enough but this child has four. Many cases are shared parenting, so this child does not feel a part of either family, just a burden to both.

If you are this lone child, know that God loves you and wants you to be strong. He put you in this position because He has great things planned for you.

Dream Comes True: Joseph’s dreams about the family bowing to him finally come true. It took twenty years, but his perseverance pays off. Keep at your dreams and they will come true – some day.  Believe!

Footprints in the Sand

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One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.

In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,
other times there was only one.

This bothered me because I noticed
that during the low periods of my life,
when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat,
I could see only one set of footprints, so I said to the Lord,

“You promised me Lord,
that if I followed you, you would walk with me always.
But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life
there has only been one set of footprints in the sand.
Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?”

The Lord replied, “The times when you have seen only one
set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you.”

– Mary Stevenson