Jesus proclaimed this not only to those He was speaking to at the time, but to us now, today. Jesus has already done the work…the devil has been defeated…we don’t have to allow fear, doubt, and hopelessness to govern our lives. So the next time doubt and fear hits…take a deep breath, and in the space of that breath…pray, ” Lord, I know You’re here, and I know we can face this together. Give me courage to move forward and to not give up. Amen.” For I know with God we are more than a overcomers.
Tag: all in the name of Jesus
I Kings 18: 42-43 ” So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Mt. Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees. ‘Go and look towards the sea,’ he told his servant. And he went up and looked. ‘There is nothing there,’ he said. Seven times Elijah said, ‘Go back.’ “
This is a wonderful example of persistent prayer. The kind of determined, tenacious, even stubborn prayer where we refuse to get out of the Lord’s face until He does something. In Luke 18: 1-8, Jesus tells the parable about the widow looking for justice who wore the judge down with her persistence. At the end of this story He instructs His disciples to have the same kind of unabashed audacity in prayer … to not give up.
Matthew 2:11 ” On coming to the house, they saw the child with His mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.”
The Magi came seeking the Messiah, and bringing with them, gifts…but very special gifts. These gifts were expensive luxuries of the day…fit for royal presents. But beyond that, they were also very symbolic in their meanings. The burning of frankincense symbolized prayers rising to heaven like the fragrant smoke it gave off… the prayers of Jesus interceding for us at the right hand of the Father. The myrrh was used for burials and symbolized death…Jesus’s death on the Cross for us. Finally, the gold was given to symbolize His royal status…and also for the very practical reason – His parents would soon need finances as they escaped to Egypt to flee from King Herod.
Malachi 3:1 ” See, I will send My messenger, who will prepare the way before Me.”
Malachi was speaking of the coming of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ. The forerunner, John the Baptist, came preaching a very simple sermon…Repent! His message from the start was that someone much more important than he was soon coming, and everyone should ready themselves. John’s words ring true even today…Repent! For the time is short. Change your ways, for the King is coming!
Acts 3:16 ” By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through Him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.”
The crowd and religious leaders couldn’t dispute the fact that just earlier they had all walked by this beggar at the entrance to the Temple…they had in fact passed by him for years, and were well acquainted with his deformities. So it had come as a complete shock when they saw him running, jumping, and dancing in the Temple court. It was Simon Peter’s healing faith, coupled with the beggar’s faith – all in the name of Jesus – that had healed him.
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