Tag Archives: touched

GOD’S WORD – ITS UNIQUENESS

Christian Life, ,

Today, I begin a series of meditations on the Word of God. I have no idea where this will lead but I pray that the Word itself will convince us of its incalculable worth in our lives as children of God. We live by His Word and die without it.

Our first obligation is to decide to believe what the Bible says about itself. We will never be convinced of its value for us unless we take at face value the Bible’s own witness. If we haven’t made that decision, the rest of this series is only of acedemic interest.

The Bible makes many claims to be unique, one of a kind, not in so many words but by what it is and does that no other book can do. Let’s examine some of its unique features, and for these features I am indebted to Google research, mostly from https://gotquestions.com

1. Unique in its popularity
The Bible is the bestselling book of all time. It has been translated into more languages and distributed more widely than any other book in history.

“The Guinness Book of World Records estimates that the Bible has been printed over 5 billion times.” (www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/best-selling-book-of-non-fiction, accessed 8/11/21).

2. Unique in its authorship
No other book can claim and demonstrate divine authorship.

2 Peter 1:20-21 NLT
[20] “Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, [21] or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.”

2 Timothy 3:16 NLT
[16]”All Scripture is inspired by God…”

Many other religious books claim divine revelation of one kind or another but cannot produce evidence of their truth. The Bible alone makes claims for itself which are backed up evidence, among which are archeological, historical, scientific and experiential proofs of its authenticity.

The Bible is a divine/human book.

“Although the Holy Spirit is ultimately the author of Scripture (2 Peter 1:21), He used many human authors to compile the 66 books of the Bible. Around forty different human writers in the span of about 1,500 years were involved in the collection of Scripture. These writers came from different time periods, backgrounds, occupations, and geographical locations. The writers include kings, prophets, fishermen, shepherds, servants, priests, and a physician.” (Quoted from” gotquestions”)

The Bible is a library of books, some short, some long, but bound together by supernatural inspiration and the common consent of spiritual leaders. Individual writings were gathered according to an agreed standard, into what is known as the canon of Scripture.

No other book has offended, been attacked and destroyed, been lost and found, been banned and outlawed, and yet been divinely protected than the Bible. Men suffered and died to translate, preserve and distribute this book. People either fear or revere the Bible.

3. Unique in its unity
Despite the span of time and the multiplicity of its writers, the Bible presents one theme, one God, and one human race.

“The different authors and writing styles make the Bible unique from other religious books, and it’s stunning to realize that the entire canon of Scripture shares a common theme—God’s salvation of mankind—and points to a central character—Jesus Christ.” (gotquestions)

Not only is the Bible unique in its unity but also in its presentation of God and man. Across the 66 books and multiplicity of writers, writing styles, genres, and languages, there is never a conflict between the writers’ presentation of God and mankind. The God of Genesis is the same God of Revelation and everything in between.

4. Unique in its content
No other book presents material so sublime with such authority and confidence, than can transform the lives of those who believe, than the Bible. From where come the mighty truths of Scripture but from the heart of God?

“Unlike other religious texts advocating good works to please an unreachable god, the Bible uniquely teaches that salvation is a gift from God that does not require human works (Ephesians 2:8–9). Whereas other religious books present a set of rules and regulations to follow, the Bible presents freedom in Christ (John 8:36). The Bible reveals that Jesus is God (John 1:1) and that He saves us through His death and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1–4). No other sacred book claims that a religious leader rose from the dead (Matthew 28:5–7; Luke 24:5–6; John 20:20; 1 Corinthians 15:4–8). The God of Scripture is not a far-off, uncaring god but the Creator of all things who is intimately involved in the lives of His creation (Psalm 139:7–12; Acts 17:25–27). No other religious text gives the assurance of eternal life (John 3:16). No other religion’s book is without error or flaw, but the Bible is inerrant and infallible (see 2 Timothy 3:16; 1 Thessalonians 2:13). (Quoted from “gotquestions”)

5. Unique in its prophetic content
“The Bible is also unique from other religious books in that it contains prophecy. In fact, by one count, about 27 percent of the Bible is predictive (Payne, J. B., The Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy, Baker Pub. Group, 1980, p. 675). This means that, when written, over one fourth of the Bible—more than one in four verses—was prophetic.” (quoted from “gotquestions”).

The Bible has detailed prophecies, from cover to cover, that have already been fulfilled or are yet to be fulfilled in the promise of Jesus’s second coming.

Isaiah 41:21-22 NLT
[21] “Present the case for your idols,” says the Lord. “Let them show what they can do,” says the King of Israel. [22] “Let them try to tell us what happened long ago so that we may consider the evidence. Or let them tell us what the future holds, so we can know what’s going to happen.”

Isaiah 42:8-9 NLT
[8] “I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not give my glory to anyone else, nor share my praise with carved idols. [9] Everything I prophesied has come true, and now I will prophesy again. I will tell you the future before it happens.”

6. Unique in its languages
“Most books are written in one language. For instance, the Quran of Islam was written completely in Arabic, Hinduism’s Vedas were composed entirely in Sanskrit, and the Book of Mormon was written entirely in English. In contrast, the Bible’s authors used three different languages: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek.” (quoted from “gotquestions”).

7. Unique in its sources
The writers show little evidence of borrowing from outside sources. Some quoted from historical records, some quoted from one another, for example, Paul quoted from David’s psalms but, in the main, prophets wrote from prophetic visions and and New Testament writers from eyewitness accounts…

1 John 1:1 NLT
[1] “We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life.”

… interpretation of Old Testament revelation

Acts of the Apostles 2:14-21 NLT
[14]”Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this. [15] These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming. Nine o’clock in the morning is much too early for that. [16] No, what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel: [17] ‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. [18] In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants—men and women alike— and they will prophesy. [19] And I will cause wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below— blood and fire and clouds of smoke. [20] The sun will become dark, and the moon will turn blood red before that great and glorious day of the Lord arrives. [21] But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”

….and personal experience.

Philippians 4:12-13 NLT
[12] “I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. [13] For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”

…and, finally,

8. Unique in its manuscript evidence
“The manuscript evidence for the New Testament is overwhelming. There are at least 5,300 Greek, 10,000 Latin, and 9,000 miscellaneous copies of the New Testament extant today.” (quoted from “gotquestions”)

Despite the overwhelming evidence for the uniqueness of the Bible, whether to believe or not to believe the evidence is a personal choice. As with all our interactions with the unseen God in the supernatural realm, faith is the only vehicle by which we can accept and receive the blessings and benefits of the salvation the Bible presents.

We alone can make the choice and experience the consequences of that choice.

To be continued…

THE GOSPEL OF LUKE – HER RISK PAID OFF

Bible Study, ,

HER RISK PAID OFF

“At that very moment the haemorrhaging stopped. Jesus said, ‘Who touched me?’ When no one stepped forward, Peter said, ‘But Master, we’ve got crowds of people on our hands. Dozens have touched you.’ Jesus insisted, ‘Someone touched me. I felt power discharging from me.’

“When the woman realised that she couldn’t remain hidden, she knelt trembling before Him. In front of all the people, she blurted out her story – why she touched Him and how at that same moment she was healed.

“Jesus said, ‘Daughter, you took a risk trusting me and now you’re healed and whole. Live well, live blessed.'” Luke 8: 45-48.

This was unusual behaviour for Jesus! Why did He insist on putting this poor woman on public display? Apart from the demoniac He had set free across the lake, He normally told people to keep what He had done for them under wraps.

But here He was broadcasting to the entire crowd that someone had touched Him. Could He possibly have had a reason other than simply letting everyone know that yet another person had been healed? Did He want to disgrace her for contaminating the entire crowd by infecting them, and Him, with her uncleanness?

But it was never in Jesus’ nature to do that. Besides, people were immediately cleansed when they came into contact with Him. He must have had a more significant reason than showing off His power.

Jesus was on His way to the home of a man whose child lay dying and was possibly already dead. It was not permissible for a rabbi to come into contact with a dead body except if he, too, were unclean. The only way to gain access to the child was to give the people the impression that the woman had made Him unclean by her touch! Brilliant!

Jesus also had another motive for insisting that the woman own up. He wanted to complete her healing, not just of her physical ailment but also of her heart. Thinking she was in trouble, she came forward to acknowledge what she had done in fear and trembling. She did not know what to expect from this rabbi.

The words He spoke were the words of life to her. His first word was the reassurance that she was somebody; not a nameless, despised, unclean outcast but ‘Daughter!’ Imagine how she felt to be called a daughter in Israel, regardless what anyone else might think or say. She was not only healed but also whole. She understood that.

To be whole – “shalom” – was to be restored to God’s original intention for her. She could put her twelve years of suffering behind her, knowing that she had been fully accepted as a member of God’s people.

Her very demeanour reveals what she thought of herself before she came face to face with Jesus.  She had hoped to remain anonymous, creeping up behind Him, being healed and creeping away again to enjoy what she knew He could do for her. But once again Jesus made a public display of a woman whom the people had cast aside as just a bit of filthy trash but whom He treated with compassion and restored to her rightful place in society and in God’s eyes.

Imagine her joy as she made her way home to pi ck up the pieces of her life…

In the meantime, Jairus was waiting, anxious and impatient. How did he feel about the interlude that interrupted his mission? The minutes were ticking by and his daughter was dying. Would this delay mean the difference between life and death for her?

How often we feel like that too! Time will make the difference between hope and despair, so we think. But time is not the issue with Jesus. It’s not about time; it’s about trust. Anxiety, fear, impatience, cancels trust. Jesus is never too late!

A Word About The Word

Bible Study, , ,

A WORD ABOUT THE WORD

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched – this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. (1 John 1: 1-2)

There is no testimony more powerful than that of an eyewitness. He was there. He saw it happen and he relates the details of the event with a measure of accuracy as his eyes and ears took it in and his brain processed the information. Of course, not every eyewitness’s story is exactly the same. Each one saw if happen from a slightly different geographical position and each one interpreted the details through his grid of understanding.

Some eye witnesses are more observant than others. They will pick up details which others miss. Others think they saw this when they actually saw that. But when one puts all the pieces together like a jigsaw puzzle, a clear and credible story begins to emerge. Most of the details correspond and overlap, making the story realistic and credible and can be accepted as an accurate account of what happened.

Why did the Holy Spirit orchestrate four gospels to be written? Some of the details in their accounts of Jesus’ life overlap; other bits differ slightly or even contradict, but the overall story is accurate and believable. Each of the gospel writers had a different purpose for telling His story and therefore it is understandable that they would have had different emphases and that they would have arranged their material differently.

Matthew presented Jesus as the King of the Jews, the fulfilment of prophecy and God’s promised Messiah. Chronology and details were not as important as his overall purpose and were fitted into the bigger picture. He was careful to record those parts of his information which highlighted Jesus’ identity as the King of the Jews.

Mark’s message was that Jesus came as the Servant of Yahweh. He included nothing about His birth or early childhood. He told us much about Jesus’ actions and little about His teaching. A servant is busy doing the will of his master, rather than teaching others about him.

Luke, the doctor, focussed on Jesus’ humanity. He was very much the Son of Man. This aspect of Jesus was real but not the only meaning of His identity since Son of Man was also a Messianic title. The Holy Spirit featured prominently in Luke’s story because, as a human being, Jesus did nothing without the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus was a real man, hungering, weary at times, eating and drinking and experiencing the whole range of human emotions.

When we get to John’s writings, which include his gospel, his letters and the book of Revelation, a much broader Jesus emerges, a man, yes, but much more than a man. John wrote in later years and had time to process the information he remembered about this Jesus. He could only reach one conclusion – He was indeed the Son of God.

He began his first letter to unknown recipients with words of affirmation and reassurance. What he had to say to them was based on eyewitness facts. He employed words which conveyed the activities of the senses – seen, heard, touched – sensory experiences which registered in his memory indelibly. Was it not John who leaned against Jesus at the supper table, hearing His hear beating in His chest, feeling the warmth of His body against his own?

Did he not see miracles happen,; deaf ears opened, blind eyes seeing, paralysed limbs functioning again and even the dead coming back to life? Did he not hear the resounding cries of his dying Lord from the cross? Did he not look with horror on the one who was pierced with a Roman spear until the last drops of His blood spilled on the ground? Did he not hear the words of the Roman centurion who pronounced that his Master was dead? Did he not gaze in wonder at the gaping wounds in the hands and feet of his risen Lord?

No one could deny what he had seen and heard and, on the solid foundation of eyewitness facts, he made his declaration to his readers. If Jesus said what He said, and did what He did, and then He fulfilled His predictions about His own death and resurrection, who could contradict what He taught about Himself and His mission?

No other human being in history who created a religion around himself or out of his own imagination could back up the ramblings of his mind with indisputable historical fact. Many skeptics have tried to disprove the resurrection of Jesus on legal grounds and have come away convinced of the truth of the Biblical record.

The bottom line is: Jesus was the Son of God. He came from the Father. He was God’s complete and final Word to humanity. Everything He said and did confirmed His identity. He brought us life through His death and resurrection. Those who believe in Him have eternal life and, though they die physically, they live eternally in the fullness of God’s presence and glory.

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Have you read my first book, Learning to be a Son – The Way to the Father’s Heart (Copyright © 2015, Partridge Publishing)? You’ll love it!

ISBN: Softcover – 978-1-4828-0512-3,                                                                              eBook 978-4828-0511-6

Available on www.amazon.com in paperback, e-book or kindle version, on www.takealot.com  or order directly from the publisher at www.partridgepublishing.com.

My second book, Learning to be a Disciple – The Way of the Master (Copyright © 2015, Partridge Publishing), companion volume to Learning to be a Son – The Way to the Father’s Heart, has been released in paperback and digital format on www.amazon.com.

For more details, check my website:

http://luellaannettecampbell.com/

Have you read my blogs on www.learningtobeason.wordpress.com ?

 

He Did Not Listen!

Bible Study, , , ,

HE DID NOT LISTEN!

A man with leprosy came to Him and begged Him on his knees, ‘If you are willing, you can make me clean.’ Jesus was indignant. He reached out His hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ He said, ‘Be clean!’ Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. “See you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.’ Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to Him from everywhere (Mark 1: 40-45).

It began with a desperate man and ended with a frustrated Master. All because he did not listen!

A man with leprosy came to Jesus. Leprosy – or an unidentified skin disease which was classified as “leprosy” – was not only a devastating condition because of what it did to the individual physically, but also because of what it did to a person socially and spiritually. The sufferer was doomed to a life of isolation from the family and society and loathing from the rest of the unaffected population. He was “unclean” and therefore untouchable and an outcast.

Any disease or condition that made a person less than perfect, made the sufferer “unclean”, but leprosy was particularly abhorrent because of what it did to the patient. True leprosy attacks the nerve endings, causing the loss of feeling. No feeling, no pain – no pain meant any injury went unnoticed and soon turned into suppurating sores and eventual loss of extremities, leaving the person offensive and deformed.

For this man even to come anywhere near Jesus was risky. He was not permitted to approach people because his condition was infectious. How did he know that Jesus was his lifeline to wholeness and cleanness again? Perhaps he had heard, via the grapevine that there was a rabbi with extraordinary power to heal, moving around in Galilee. To his great delight, Jesus came to his community and he was not going to miss his opportunity.

Only one thing troubled him. He had no doubt that Jesus could heal, but would He want to heal him – a smelly, diseased, deformed outcast? He grabbed his opportunity when Jesus appeared. Falling to the ground before Him, he voiced his misgiving. “If you want to . . .” Jesus was indignant. What gave the man the idea that He would heal some conditions but not others? Did he think that leprosy was one of those sicknesses on His list of “not-to-heal” diseases?

Just to show the man that He was not fazed by what he looked like or smelt like or any of the taboos surrounding his condition, He not only spoke to the man, He also touched him. Jesus, how could you do that? Don’t you know that to touch an unclean person makes you unclean? Not Jesus! He was never contaminated by anyone’s “uncleanness”, not by disease, not by death. He made “unclean” people clean. The poor, sick leper, one minute a pitiful, stinking, offensive outcast, in an instant was transformed by a touch and a word. God’s kingdom had broken through this man’s plight and restored him to wholeness again.

‘Don’t tell anyone,’ Jesus commanded. But how on earth could he keep it a secret? People would recognise him and ask him what happened. Lepers don’t just suddenly shed their leprosy and its terrible consequences like taking off their clothes. But more than that, he just could not shut up. Wouldn’t you tell everyone, even those who didn’t want to listen, what had happened to you? After all, it’s not the kind of everyday thing to be cured of an incurable disease, now is it?

But telling his “good news” did exactly what Jesus did not want him to do. It tied His hands. He became an instant celebrity. People ran after Him for the wrong reasons. Instead of basking in the limelight, He had to retreat and hide, but they still sniffed Him out and swamped Him to fix their problems. He had not come to fix problems. He came to reveal the Father and to show them what life would be like if they returned to God and to obedience to His will.

Jesus was not then and is still not interested now in followers who can get what they want out of Him. He is calling people to follow Him who are so convinced of who He is that they put Him above everyone and everything else to join Him in His mission to make earth where they live a little bit of heaven. Every time we make life better for someone else through the leading and power of the Holy Spirit, we are doing what He prayed, “Your kingdom come; your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Don’t you want to be a part of that?

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

 

Have you read my new book, Learning to be a Son – The Way to the Father’s Heart (copyright 2015, Partridge Publishing)? You’ll love it!

 

Available on www.amazon.com or www.kalahari.com in paperback, e-book or kindle format, or order directly from the publisher at www.partridgepublishing.com.

 

Check out my blogsite at www.learningtobeason.wordpress.com

 

Her Risk Paid Off

Bible Study, , ,

HER RISK PAID OFF

“At that very moment the haemorrhaging stopped. Jesus said, ‘Who touched me?’ When no one stepped forward, Peter said, ‘But Master, we’ve got crowds of people on our hands. Dozens have touched you.’ Jesus insisted, ‘Someone touched me. I felt power discharging from me.’

“When the woman realised that she couldn’t remain hidden, she knelt trembling before Him. In front of all the people, she blurted out her story — why she touched Him and how at that same moment she was healed.

“Jesus said, ‘Daughter, you took a risk trusting me and now you’re healed and whole. Live well, live blessed.'” Luke 8: 45-48 (The Message).

This was unusual behaviour for Jesus! Why did He insist on putting this poor woman on public display? Apart from the demoniac He had set free across the lake, He normally told people to keep what He had done for them under wraps.

But here He was broadcasting to the entire crowd that someone had touched Him. Could He possibly have had another reason than simply letting everyone know that yet another person had been healed? Did He want to disgrace her for contaminating the entire crowd by infecting them, and Him, with her uncleanness?

But it was never in Jesus’ nature to do that. Besides, people were immediately cleansed when they came into contact with Him. He must have had a more significant reason than showing off His power.

Jesus was on His way to the home of a man whose child lay dying and was possibly already dead. It was not permissible for a rabbi to come into contact with a dead body except if he, too, were unclean. The only way to gain access to the child was to give the people the impression that the woman had made Him unclean by her touch! Brilliant!

 

Jesus also had another motive for insisting that the woman own up. He wanted to complete her healing, not just of her physical ailment but also of her heart. Thinking she was in trouble, she came forward to acknowledge what she had done in fear and trembling. She did not know what to expect from this rabbi.

The words He spoke were the words of life to her. His first word was the reassurance that she was somebody; not a nameless, despised, unclean outcast but ‘Daughter!’ Imagine how she felt to be called a daughter in Israel, regardless what anyone else might think or say. She was not only healed but also whole. She understood that.

 

To be whole — “shalom” — was to be restored to God’s original intention for her. She could put her twelve years of suffering behind her, knowing that she had been fully accepted as a member of God’s people.

Her very demeanour reveals what she thought of herself before she came face to face with Jesus.  She had hoped to remain anonymous, creeping up behind Him, being healed and creeping away again to enjoy what she knew He could do for her. But once again Jesus made a public display of a woman whom the people had cast aside as just a filthy bit of trash but whom He treated with compassion and restored to her rightful place in society and in God’s eyes.

Imagine her joy as she made her way home to pick up the pieces of her life…

In the meantime, Jairus was waiting, anxious and impatient. How did he feel about the interlude that interrupted his mission? The minutes were ticking by and his daughter was dying. Would this delay mean the difference between life and death for her?

How often we feel like that too! Time will make the difference between hope and despair, so we think. But time is not the issue with Jesus. It’s not about time; it’s about trust. Anxiety, fear, impatience, cancels trust. Jesus is never too late!