Bible Verses: Luke 8:40-56Mark 10:1-16Matthew 14:35-36Matthew 8:3Matthew 8:15Matthew 9:29-30Luke 6:19
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For Reading and Meditation: Matthew 9:1-12
Perhaps one of the most significant ways in which Jesus is unlike anyone else who has ever lived is that He had the ability to forgive sins. I am sure you will know the words of the famous hymn which refers to the forgiveness offered by Christ: He breaks the power of cancelled sin, He sets the prisoner free. I know of...
Bible Verses: Matthew 9:1-12Matthew 26:17-30Acts 2:38Hebrews 9:22Acts 13:38
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Behold one of the great Physician's mightiest arts: he has power to forgive sin! While here he lived below, before the ransom had been paid, before the blood had been literally sprinkled on the mercy-seat, he had power to forgive sin. Hath he not power to do it now that he hath died? What power must dwell in him who to the utmost farthing has faithfully discharged the debts of his people! He has boundless power now that he has finished transgression and made an end of sin. If ye doubt it,...
Bible Verses: Matthew 9:6
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When Jesus asked two blind men if they believed that He was able to give them sight, they replied that they did. As He touched their eyes, He said, "According to your faith be it unto you," and their eyes were opened.
It would be easy to conclude from this that if we just have enough faith, we can get anything we want, whether wealth, healing, or whatever. But that is not the case. Faith must be based upon some word of the Lord, some promise of God, some command of Scripture. Otherwise...
Bible Verses: Matthew 9:292 Kings 13:14-19Ezekiel 47:1-23
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We must always remember that whenever the Lord tells us to do something, He gives us the needed power. All His commands include His enablement, even when His commands are in the realm of the impossible.
Jethro said to Moses, "If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure"(Exodus 18:23). "The principle is that God assumes full responsibility for enabling His man to fulfill every task to which He has...
Bible Verses: Ephesians 4:7Exodus 18:23Matthew 9:6John 5:9
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The mercy of God is His pity, lovingkindness and compassion on those who are guilty, failing, distressed or needy. The Scriptures emphasize that God is rich in mercy (Ephesians 2:4) and plenteous in mercy (Psalms 86:5). His mercy is abundant (1 Peter 1:3); it is great unto the heavens (Psalms 57:10). "For as the...
Bible Verses: Ephesians 2:4Ephesians 2:4Psalms 86:51 Peter 1:3Psalms 57:10Psalms 103:112 Corinthians 1:3James 5:11Matthew 5:45Titus 3:5Exodus 33:19Romans 9:15Psalms 136:1Romans 12:1Matthew 5:7Matthew 9:13Hebrews 4:16Galatians 6:161 Timothy 1:2
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God is far more interested in how we treat other people than in how many religious ceremonies we go through. He prefers mercy to sacrifice. He places practical morality above ritual. It might seem strange to read that God doesn't desire sacrifice, because it was He who instituted the sacrificial system in the first place. But there is no contradiction. While it is true that He ordered the people to bring sacrifices and offerings, He never intended these to take the place of justice and...
Bible Verses: Matthew 9:13Proverbs 21:3Isaiah 1:10-17Isaiah 58:6-7Isaiah 66:3Amos 5:21-24Micah 6:6-8Matthew 23:14Matthew 23:23Matthew 5:24
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"A ruler came and knelt before him and said: My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live."
Only comparatively few of our Lord's healings are recorded. He seems never to have refused to heal any who came to Him or were brought to Him. Besides, He healed some for whom no one interceded. Here was a ruler - an exceptional case, for the rulers were not His...
Bible Verses: Matthew 9:18-34Mark 9:22-24
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Matthew 9:35 to Matthew 10:15 Matthew 10:40-42
Jesus never rested. He went about doing good. His work is summed up here in three words: teaching, preaching, and healing. He was in this world to seek and save the lost, and He went everywhere on His holy mission of love. He did not stay in one...
Bible Verses: Matthew 9:35Matthew 10:15Matthew 10:40-42
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"A ruler came and knelt before him and said: My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live."
Only comparatively few of our Lord's healings are recorded. He seems never to have refused to heal any who came to Him or were brought to Him. Besides, He healed some for whom no one interceded. Here was a ruler - an exceptional case, for the rulers were not His...
Bible Verses: Matthew 9:18-34Mark 9:22-24
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For Reading and Meditation: Luke 8:40-56
We continue meditating on Christ's first prescription for happiness: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Over the past few days we have seen that the phrase "poor in spirit" refers not to material poverty, but spiritual poverty - a willingness to throw away our own self-sufficiency and...