Text: When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” – Mark 2:5 Thought: The Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke all record the healing of the paralysed man. ¹ While most of the dialogue centres on how Jesus dealt with the paralytic, I want to focus on the four people who carried him, as we consider “Being a Friend” in Today’s Teaching. Research data proves conclusively that the vast majority (as high as 85% or more) of those who become a Christian, do so as a result of friendship evangelism. So this is the area that Christians and churches must concentrate on in order to grow. What can we learn from these four friends There was an opportunity Jesus returned to Capernaum, almost secretly, but word got out that He was in town and soon the house was surrounded, for the power of the Lord was present with Him to heal.² This was their opportunity to act, believing that their friend could be healed too. When you care about someone, stirred by compassion and prayer, opportunities will arise for you to get them to someone, somewhere who can make a difference in their life. But do not miss that opportunity, for it may...
Learn More
Text: ‘That I may know Him’ – Philippians 3:10 Thought: “It’s not what you know but who you know”, the saying goes. We like to brag and boast about the people we know and have had contact with. Today’s Teaching is about the One who knows you and everything about you. The question is, “Do you really know God?” The Problem to Overcome ‘Jesus was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world did not know Him.’ 1 Knowing God doesn’t appeal to worldly wisdom because it seems foolish. In fact the world usually pities Christians, thinking they are deluded or mad. Worldly wisdom tries to work God out, but can’t and so ends up leaving God out. But the pathway to knowing God is faith, for through it we can believe in a God who created all things. 2 When we reach that point, it pleases God and He responds by revealing Himself to us. 3 It’s also a problem when we may have been a Christian for some time now, but we don’t really know God. Jesus said to Philip, ‘Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me?’ 4 The challenge is to have an intimate,...
Learn More
Text: ‘For by grace you have been saved through faith’ – Ephesians 2:8 Thought: In the Bible, Romans is a wonderful book, filled with faith-assuring verses for Christians, but also showing the pathway of salvation for those who are not. If you have never read Romans, or not for a while, I recommend having a good look at the sixteen chapters it contains. Another passage of the Bible records the desperate question of an ungodly, fearful jailer, who asked, ‘What must I do to be saved?’ 1 Asking that same question to anyone walking down the High street will result in a multitude of answers. But only one will be right and that’s the one given to that jailer, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved’. 2 To be saved means the assurance that all one’s sins are forgiven and the certainty of eternal life in heaven. Romans chapter ten reveals three aspects about people being saved. The Promise ‘Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved’ – v13. On the basis of this promise, it is possible for everyone in the world to be saved. It has to be; for Jesus died on the cross bearing the sins of the whole...
Learn More
Text: ‘Afterward Jesus found him in the temple’ – John 5:14 Thought: What happens to you afterwards is very important. This man had just been totally healed by an amazing miracle.1 Yet he didn’t know who had told him to, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’, for Jesus immediately disappeared into the crowd the moment the miracle occurred. When the religious authorities interrogated him for carrying his bed on the Sabbath, he replied that he was only doing what he had been told to do. Despite suffering from an infirmity for 38 years, he couldn’t identify the one who had healed him. Afterwards, Jesus found him in the temple, expressing his thankfulness. He didn’t forget God after being healed and helped in such a wonderful way. During the 1978 pioneer crusade in Wadebridge, an ex WREN Petty Officer entered the hall supported by 2 sticks. After receiving prayer for healing, she marched out shouting, “Gangway”, her friend walking behind her carrying her sticks! Afterwards she came only occasionally to the church. When a return visit of the evangelist was planned, I called to invite her to the service. She lived in an upstairs flat but always left the front door open to save her from coming down the stairs...
Learn More
Text: ‘And why worry about a speck in the eye of a brother when you have a board in your own? Should you say, ‘Friend, let me help you get that speck out of your eye,’ when you can’t even see because of the board in your own? Hypocrite! First get rid of the board. Then you can see to help your brother’ – Matthew 7:3-5 Living Bible Thought: I thought it was about time my eyes were tested again. Several years had lapsed since the last test and a newly developed sharp pain in my right eye stirred me into action. Being over 60, I now qualified for my first free eye test! Able to get an appointment for the same day, off I went. What a thorough examination in such a short space of time. They even took pictures of the backs of both eyes, which looked remarkably like a couple of Jupiter’s moons! Thankfully everything was fine, with no further deterioration or the need to replace my reading glasses with stronger lenses. Home I went rejoicing, like the car that passed its MOT without any faults! Eyesight is so valuable and delicate, a wonderful creation. Severe problems like glaucoma and blindness cause such distress. However there are...
Learn More
Recent Comments