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Devotional: Jesus Raises Jairus' Daughter
Read Luke 8:41-56
“But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole” (v. 50).
What would you say is the opposite of faith? My first thought would probably be “doubt.” In this verse, however, Jesus juxtaposes faith and fear: “Fear not: believe only.”
“What’s wrong with fear?” you might wonder. “Isn’t fear a natural human response?” I certainly find it comes naturally to me. Actually, when faced with a perplexing situation my response most times is more akin to panic.
A certain amount of caution is wise. But when we allow fear or worry to gain the upper hand, it can blot out the truths of God’s wisdom, His power, and His goodness. Instead, all we can see is our big, scary problem.
Charles Spurgeon said it well. “The very essence of anxious care is the imagining that we are wiser than God, and the thrusting ourselves into His place to do for Him that which He has undertaken to do for us. . . . Anxiety makes us doubt God’s lovingkindness, and thus our love to Him grows cold. We feel mistrust, and thus grieve the Spirit of God, so that our prayers become hindered, our consistent example marred, and our life one of self-seeking.”
A little worry can work like termites, almost unseen but totally weakening the structure of faith. So, when we are faced with that undesirable diagnosis, that unforeseen roadblock, that unexpected sorrow, “Fear not: believe only.” (Ashlee Englund)
We must keep our eyes on God.
This devotional is the Sunday, December 13, 2015 entry of Opening the Word. Buy your copy today!
Lesson 2: The Dead Raised
Lesson 2: December 13, 2015
Focus Text: Luke 7:11-17; Colossians 2:13-15; 1 Corinthians 15:53-56
Central Truth: Our God is a God of life.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to tell someone how God gives life to those who have faith in Him.
Lesson Outline:
- Past (Luke 7:11-17)
- Present (Colossians 2:13-15)
- Future (1 Corinthians 15:53-56)
Lesson Highlight: "compassion"
"And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things." (Mark 6:34)
In "Word Focus" William Sillings writes:
It is interesting to note that Jesus was as interested in the physical needs of His followers as He was in their spiritual needs. Not only did He want His disciples to have a time to rest and recuperate, but He also wanted to take care of the multitude’s need for food. And He did. In fact, when they handed out the multiplied thousands of pieces of fish, everybody ate. And the Bible says they were filled (echortasth san, v. 42). This word means not merely that they were full, but that they were satisfied with food. This demonstrates that before you can satisfy people with spiritual food, you sometimes have to satisfy their physical needs. Satisfying physical needs will not always definitely lead to satisfaction spiritually, but it sometimes helps. Later on, after this passage, Jesus chided this same crowd for the fact that they followed Him for the loaves and the fish, but were not truly seeking the spiritual food they so desperately needed. (See John 6:26, 27.)
Source: Miracles of Jesus, Adult Teacher's Insights, page 4.
Lesson Highlight: "rest"
"And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat" (Mark 6:31)
In "Biblical Perspective" Dr. Gayle Woods writes:
In Jesus Only, Vance Havner said, “We need to come apart and rest awhile, and if we don’t come apart, we will come apart — we’ll go to pieces!” Stress can destroy a person’s life physically and spiritually. Headaches, heart problems, and stomach problems are just a few symptoms of this concern. Burnout is a problem for those who are in some form of Christian ministry. Whether a person is overworked or if life situations bring a lot of stress, it is essential that proper rest, relaxation, and nutrition be maintained in order to preserve good health. Jesus the Great Physician was concerned about the physical well-being of His disciples as well as their spiritual well-being. The disciples and Jesus clearly were overworked and overcommitted. The demands of the people upon their ministry were too great. A balance was needed, and the Doctor prescribed a short vacation.
Source: Miracles of Jesus, Adult Teacher's Insights, page 5.
Devotional: Provision in Time of Need
Read 1 Kings 19:1-8
“And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee” (v. 7).
When my father died in December 1947, my mother was left a widow. She had me, a boy of three-and-a-half years, my older brother of seven-and a-half years, and my younger brother of one-and-a-half years. She had no profession or trade by which she could earn a living, and farmers were not yet covered by Social Security. She was left with two small farms; one an eighty-acre tract with a house and out buildings, and a forty-acre tract with no improvements. She could not cultivate the farms and had only a small welfare check on which to try to feed her three boys and herself. She leaned heavily on the Lord for provisions.
Elijah found provisions for his need from an unexpected source, and it was sufficient for his long journey. The threat from Jezebel brought great fear to him, such that he asked God to take his life. The death of my father left my mother in a perplexing condition. For her to ask God to take her life would have left three boys as orphans. Therefore, she could only look to God for “provision in time of need.” Just as God provided for Elijah, so He provided for my mother and her boys. (Larry DeOrnellis)
It is possible that God permits us to pass through times of need to enable us to experience His provisions.
This devotional is the Monday, November 30, 2015 entry of Opening the Word. Buy your copy today!
Lesson 1: The Hungry Fed
Lesson 1 - December 6, 2015
Focus Text: Mark 6:30-44
Central Truth: Christ provides for all our needs.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to list at least three needs that they can turn over to God and state some different ways in which God meets our needs.
Lesson Outline:
- The Need for Rest (Mark 6:30-33)
- The Need for Ministry (Mark 6:34-37)
- The Need for Food (Mark 6:38-44)
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