Tag Archives: son

The Power Of Words

Bible Study, , ,

THE POWER OF WORDS

 “After two days He left for Galilee. (Now Jesus Himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honour in his own country). When He arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed Him. They had seen all He had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival. for they had also been there.

“Once more He visited Cana in Galilee where He had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to Him and begged Him to come and heal his son who was close to death.

“‘Unless you people see signs and wonders,’ Jesus told him, ‘you will never believe.’ The royal official said, ‘Sir, come down before my child dies.’ 

‘Go,’ Jesus replied, ‘your son will live.’ The man took Jesus at His word and departed.” John 4:43-50 (NIV).

Jesus spent two days with the Samaritans in Sychar. What must it have been like for His disciples? Were they still so wrapped up in their prejudice that they spent an uncomfortable two days, champing at the bit to get out of there, or were they so enthralled with the teaching of Jesus that they forget where they were? Most definitely the former, I think. They were still their old Jewish male selves and probably couldn’t wait to put Samaria behind them!

They must have breathed a sigh of relief when they finally put their feet back on Galilean soil, back to friends and family and familiar territory to take a break from their hectic schedule. But not for long. They were no sooner back in Cana than there was someone clamouring for Jesus’ attention.

John described him as a “royal official”. Was he someone from Caesar’s household or was he of Herod’s clan? John doesn’t tell us. We only know that he was someone important in social circles but that didn’t make him immune from potential tragedy in his family. His son was dying and he had no-one to turn to in his anxiety…until Jesus arrived in Cana.

Jesus could do nothing without it being broadcast around the country. He was the current sensation in Galilee. People who had been at the Passover were buzzing with news about Him. He was the “homeboy” who was making waves wherever He went and they loved it, for now.

The stricken family pricked up their ears when they heard He was back. The father wasted no time in setting off from Capernaum to Cana. He wouldn’t even risk sending a servant to enlist Jesus’ help. When he arrived in Cana and found Jesus, his earnest entreaty received an uncharacteristic rebuff from Him. ‘All you people are looking for are signs and wonders to boost your faith. You want what I can do, not me.’

The frantic father brushed Jesus’ words aside. His errand was too urgent to engage in a discussion. ‘Please,’ he begged, ‘come and heal my son before he dies.’ Jesus was satisfied that the man’s request for help was genuine and not another ploy to get Him to do a miracle to entertain the crowds. He did not even need to be there in Capernaum to heal the official’s son. ‘God,’ He said, ‘your son will live.’

This man’s faith in Jesus was tested to the limit. Jesus did not respond to his plea, ‘Come down and heal my son.’ There was no need for His physical presence to do the miracle. His word was enough and the royal official knew that. He understood how authority worked, and he recognised Jesus’ authority in the unseen realm. He set off home with complete confidence in Jesus’ spoken word.

What will it take for us who claim to believe in Jesus to have that kind of confidence in His word? His promises, printed in a book, have no less authority to do what He has said than the words He spoke to that desperate father that day.

Do you believe that?

Glimpses Of The Great God: Day Twelve

Devotion, , ,

DAY TWELVE

                         In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the

prophets

at many times and in various ways,

but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son,

whom He appointed heir of all things,

and through whom He made the universe.

The Son is the radiance of God’s glory

and the exact representation of His being,

sustaining all things by His powerful word.

After He had provided purification for sins,

He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

So He became as much more superior to the angels

as the name He has inherited is superior to theirs.

Hebrews 1:1-4

Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father

and that will be enough for us.” 

Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip,

even after I have been among you such a long time? 

Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.”

John 14:8,9a

 Although we have many descriptions of God’s character in the Old Testament, it is only in Jesus that God comes into full view.  When we take a long, hard look at Him, we see God in a human body, whose words and actions we can understand.  From here on we will keep looking at Jesus and through Him, come closer and closer to the heart of the Father.  Keep reading your Scriptures aloud.  Allow the truth to filter into your heart.  Every time you look at Jesus, you see God face to face.

 

Prayer – Lesson 1: The Foundation Of Prayer – Sonship

Prayer, , ,

STUDY ON PRAYER

LESSON 1

THE FOUNDATION OF PRAYER – SONSHIP

INTRODUCTION

This study is designed to help you to base your understanding and practice of prayer on Scripture rather than on the way you have learned to pray from listening to other people. This is a dangerous and futile way to pray because it perpetuates the errors of others and takes us farther away from the truth of the Scriptures.

This is my attempt to help you get back to the Bible as the source of your prayer lives. It is my passion and my prayer that this not be just an academic exercise but a life‑changing experience if you are serious about being a disciple of Jesus.

These are not prescriptions or a formula for successful prayer. They are Biblical guidelines to help you understand what prayer is so that you can engage meaningfully with God as your Father, not to get what you want but to work with Him in His purpose for you and for His kingdom.

Although all religions claim to engage their god in pray, prayer is actually the exclusive right of believers through faith in the one true God and who approach the Father through the Lord Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Other religions use various methods to “pray”to:

1. Get their god’s attention;

2. Gain his favour;

3. Avoid his anger;

4. Get what they want.

Prayer is not based on relationship but on fear and lies because gods do not exist except in the minds of those who believe in them.

Gods are a deception of the devil and are the impersonation of demons  to gain control of people through fear.

“Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar? Do I mean that a sacrifice offered to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything. No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God…” 1 Corinthians 10:18-20a.

Likewise, distortions of Christianity (sects and heresies) control and hold people through superstition and fear.

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:18.

Question: Do gods exist? Where do they originate?

Gods do not exist. They are the product of human imagination inspired by the devil to draw attention away from the living God and to receive worship in the name of the false god.

1. PRAYER IS A FAMILY EXPERIENCE

True prayer can only take place within the context of a Father / son relationship. Jesus’ relationship with the Father is the model of Biblical prayer.

Question: Does God answer the prayers of unbelievers? On what basis?

Every person on earth is potentially a son or daughter of God (Acts 17:28) and has been forgiven (Luke 23:24; 2 Cor 5:19) Those who receive Him are given the right to become children of God. God responds to unbelievers through His mercy. He does not have to answer their prayers but He does in order to show them His glory.

God relates and responds to us as a Father.

He knows our needs. There is no need to explain or advise.

“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father who is unseen. Then your Father who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like the pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” Matthew 6:6-8.

God responds to us as the perfect Father.

Because of His wisdom, God will always do and give the best to His children.

“If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him.” Matthew 7:11

We can approach God with confidence as His children.

Because Jesus had reconciled us to the Father:

“God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them.” 2 Corinthians 5:19a

Because He has given us the right to be His children:

“Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God…” John 1:12

Because He has given us the Spirit of sonship, not the spirit of fear:

“For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by Him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit Himself testifies that we are God’s children.” Romans 8:15,16.

Because He deals with us as sons:

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! … Dear friends, now we are the children of God…” 1 John 3:1a. 2a.

Question: If we are children of God, why does He not answer all of our prayers?

He is a wise and loving Father. He answers us in accordance with His nature and His will.

God treats us on the same level as He treats Jesus.

Jesus gave us power-of-attorney to use His name:

“In that day you will ask in my name; I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father Himself loves you because you have loved me, and have believed that I came from God.” John 16:26-27.

Jesus is our elder brother:

“Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.” Hebrews 2:11.

We are heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus:

“Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His suffering in order that we may also share in His glory.” Romans 8:17.

Question: If Jesus is perfect and we are imperfect, how can God treat us the same?

God treats us out of who He is, not out of who we are. He sees us as already perfected in Christ and does what He does to move us towards who we already are.

2. OUR ROLE AS SONS OF GOD

Sonship carries both privileges and responsibilities.

We cannot enjoy the privileges of sonship and ignore the responsibilities that go with it. As children of God we are to be partners in our Father’s business:

“For we are God’s fellow workers…” 1 Corinthians 3:9a.

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33.

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10.

Question: What is God’s business?

The business of the Son and us as sons of God is His kingdom. It is our role as followers of Jesus is to continue on earth what He began. He came to bring God’s rule into the chaos of what man has done through his rebellion and disobedience.

Characteristics of a mature son.

Jesus is the model of mature sonship:

“During the days of His life on earth, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save Him from  death, and He was heard because of His reverent submission. Although He was a son, he learned obedience from what He suffered and, once made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him,” Hebrews 5:7,8.

The Holy Spirit plays an active part in this “family” enterprise

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that cannot be expressed. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with the will of God.” Romans 8:26,27.

The business of the Son and us as sons of God is His kingdom.

Question: What are the most important qualities of a mature son?

Submission and obedience to the Father. Jesus perfectly modelled both – see Hebrews 5:7-8; Psalm 40:6-8; Hebrews 10:5 7.

CONCLUSION

1. True prayer can only be experienced on the basis of true sonship.

2.  Everything God does in us and for us is based on our relationship with Him as His children.

3. Part of our prayer experience is nurturing our Father / son / daughter relationship in order to grow our confidence in God as our Father.

4. Prayer is engaging with each person in the Trinity. We come to the Father through the Son with the help of the Holy Spirit.

 

 

From Grief To Joy

Bible Study, , ,

FROM GRIEF TO JOY

“Not long after that Jesus went to the village Nain, His disciples were with Him along with quite a large crowd. As they approached the village gate, they met a funeral procession — a woman’s only son was being carried out for burial. And the mother was a widow. When Jesus saw her, His heart broke. He said to her, ‘Don’t cry,’ Then He went over and touched the coffin. The pallbearers stopped. He said, ‘Young man, I tell you: Get up.’ The dead son sat up and began talking. Jesus presented him to his mother.” Luke 7:11-15 (The Message).

Now that really takes the cake!

It was amazing enough that Jesus healed sick people, opened deaf ears and blind eyes, and got rid of demons, but talking to a dead man and expecting him to hear and respond! That was outside the realm of these people’s experience. Just imagine how the tongues wagged after the crowd had seen that! His popularity must have soared a thousand present.

Anyone reading this story for the first time might be struck by the matter-of-fact-ness of what happened. It was told with such simplicity that Jesus might have been walking through an orchard picking apples. There is nothing mystical or magical about what He did. He stopped the funeral procession, spoke to the dead body and the young man heard and responded. Just like that!

What prompted Jesus to do something like that? Was He showing off His power to convince people who He was? There is nothing in the record to suggest that. Luke tells us clearly why He did it — His compassion for the grieving mother moved Him to action.

She was a widow and, with her son gone, she had become destitute. What would become of her without a breadwinner? Unlike modern times, she could not get a job to support herself. She was dependent on the goodwill of the people around her and it was a precarious living, to say the least. She was not supposed to outlive her son.

Jesus responded, not only to her grief but also to her plight. He understood her predicament and stepped in to undo the tragedy that had robbed her of her livelihood. Imagine how He felt when He walked away from that scene with the memory of a mother’s joy at being reunited with her son!

“They all realised they were in a place of holy mystery, that God was at work among them. They were quietly worshipful — and then noisily grateful, calling out among themselves, ‘God is back, looking to the needs of His people!’ The news of Jesus spread all through the country.” Luke 7:16, 17 (The Message).

At least these people didn’t call Jesus a devil and attribute His work to Beelzebub! The crowd was stunned into silence and then stirred into praise. ‘God is here,’ they marvelled, recognising that only God could do what Jesus was doing. Where were the Pharisees? Apparently dumbstruck or absent. No-one raised an objection; no-one accused Him of anything. They accepted what their eyes had just seen as the work of God.

Wherever He went, Jesus was putting His Father’s glory on display and showing His people what His kingdom was like so that He could invite them to share in a life that was infinitely attractive and compelling. This is how God wanted it to be, and this is how it would be when the enemies of His kingdom were finally overthrown and everything restored to His original design.

As children of God and citizens of God’s kingdom, it is our task to contribute to the restoration of His rule on earth. It is not enough to pray, ‘Your kingdom come; your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.’ Jesus has entrusted to us the role of continuing what He began, bringing heaven to earth by restoring what is broken wherever and whenever we can.

Are you doing that?