Carol J German

As we transition from thankfulness into gratefulness, let’s spend the month of December deepening our walks with God. We are made to follow after a tiny baby who grew into the greatest King! A King who went all the way in His love for us. It’s a crazy love since He gives man an opportunity to say no. It’s crazy to think that the world, which He created, is inhabited by a former angel of heaven who is repugnant towards God and is given limited power to control Earth. His puny reign will come to end. Jesus is returning to make things right.

Until that day, we are to seek and find our way back to God. Disobedience causes sin. A prideful heart and discontentment caused Satan to lose his place in heaven. Since then, he’s rippin’ mad! How dare God thrust him out! And his mission, keep anyone from discovering the love of God. He started with Eve and one bite of an apple. His ploy is simple, keep man busy and distracted. When man’s focus is on anything other than Jesus, Satan receives victory and satisfaction. We need to realize that he does not care about us, at all. If he is going down, he is going to take as many as he can with him.

Thus, Jesus came one loud and busy night in a stinky manger. He grew a carpenter’s son and learned the trade. He came for a reason. That reason is love, love for you and me. It’s a love without boundaries. It’s a love that existed before the world began and will continue into eternity. At age 30 Jesus began His public ministry. He shared Himself with whoever would listen. He did not hide who He was. The Bible records many miracles of what He can do for someone who chooses to believe. Believing means one must have faith.

Faith is having confidence, trusting in something or someone; sight unseen. It’s like the air we breathe. We can’t see it but it’s there. We sit on a chair believing it will hold us up. We have faith when we eat a meal. We believe that our bodies will digest the food properly and disperse itself accordingly to what we need to stay healthy. Much of life on earth is exhibiting faith, in something.

Having faith in Jesus is so much more than having faith in the things of this world. In the world, things are set with parameters. Everything has a beginning and an end and there is a ceiling to how high you can reach. An example, reach for the sky. In God, this is not so! He is not bound by anything. When we walk in faith with our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ, our lives are open to the impossible!

People in the Bible experienced the impossible. When they chose to believe and have faith in this man proclaiming to be the Messiah, they experienced more than they ever dreamed! Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Paul understood Jesus’ power. Throughout the New Testament he remained focused on what He came to know and believe. His faith was never shaken by people or circumstances.

While preaching, Paul saw a crippled man from birth listening to him. He recognized that the man had faith to be healed. So, Paul called to him, “Stand up!” The man jumped to his feet and began walking! You can read about this in Acts 14 :8-10. God entrusted power to His first disciples.

In Matthew 9 there are three stories of Jesus healing people. Let’s look at their faith. In verses 18-26, there was a woman who suffered for 12 years from constant bleeding. No doctors could help her. She believed Jesus. She knew He could help her. “If I can just touch the fringe of His robe, I will be healed.” She touched and He healed her.

During this time, Jesus was summoned to help a man who requested healing for his daughter who had already died. “You can bring her back to life again if you just come and lay your hand on her.” What man thought was death, Jesus knew it wasn’t so. “She’s only asleep.” People laughed at such absurdity. Jesus took the girl by the hand and she arose.

As Jesus left the house two blind men followed him, read Matthew 9:27-31. They called out to Him to have mercy on them. They entered the house that Jesus went in. They sought His presence. They knew. They had faith. He opened their eyes. Jump over to Luke 7:36-50 and see how an immoral woman with many sins had them forgiven by Christ. “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Notice what she did that warranted Jesus to heal her.

Stay in Luke and go to chapter 17. My blog from the end of October is another example of Jesus’ ability to heal because of faith. In verses 11-19 we read about 10 men who suffered with leprosy. Jesus healed all of them but only one exhibited true faith. The kind of faith that Jesus died for. The other nine had selfish faith. We all need to be careful to not be like one of the nine.

Finally, go to Luke 18:35-43. A blind beggar was sitting alongside the road. He heard people passing by and asked what’s going on. He was told that Jesus was passing by. Here we see faith at it’s finest. The beggar shouted to Jesus, “have mercy on me!” Unfortunately, people told him to shut up. Satan’s ploy is unrelenting, the world will do everything and anything to keep you from Jesus. But he only shouted louder! My friends, do not let anything keep you from the Lover of your soul! Fight, for your life depends on it.

Because of his persistence, Jesus stopped and asked for the man to be brought to him. He asked the man what he wanted. Like Jesus didn’t know (wink wink). “I want to see!” Instantly, he could see and He followed Jesus. Faith has two aspects. We first must come to see and believe Jesus as Savior. Secondly, we must follow after Him; hard I might add. We can’t be wishy washy about our faith. We can’t just dip our toes in on Sunday mornings. We must take a leap of faith and dive in to what Jesus wants to do in our lives. We must immerse ourselves in His Word. Remember, Jesus isn’t wishy washy with us.

From Satan in the Garden, to the heroes in the Bible, all the way to our present day, we all suffer from pride, discontentment, blindness, immorality and diseases. Sin cripples us from birth and it leads to death. We need a Savior as well as a Lord to follow. We are inept on our own to finding our way.

Let’s live like these people did. They believed and had faith BEFORE they received healing: they listened to truth, they sought His presence, they touched the things of God, they called out to Him and asked for His hand to be upon their lives. They doused their tears on His feet and they did not remain quiet. They shouted and continued on until He answered them. Yes, it’s a crazy kind of love! Who’s with me in letting the King, who was once a tiny baby, be in control, knowing He has our back?