If you are unfamiliar with this passage of scripture, I’ve previously shared about it in my journal It’ll Never Happen Again. In summary, there’s a commotion because an unhappy father was venting about the disciples’ inability to cure his son.
Human expectations and disappointments How often we take our needs to folk who can do nothing about them. We place undue expectations on parents, siblings, mentors, pastors, prophets, friends, and consultants. I am a strong proponent of doing the needful, so if you must, consult a specialist but place your hope in God. Edward Mote is noted to have penned this profound revelation in song:
“On Christ the solid rock I stand All other ground is sinking sand”
A Neurologist could have easily and rightly diagnosed the boy’s condition as epilepsy; however, scripture reveals there was an underlying demonic cause. I’m glad the disciples’ attempts were unsuccessful so the man would connect with Jesus for a permanent fix.
Herein is hope for someone who’s recently had disappointing news – perhaps you’ve contracted COVID, or the fertility treatment failed, or it might be that you’ve miscarried yet again. Maybe you were refused credit or the re-mortgage application fell through, and your house’s about to be foreclosed. It could be that your job interview was unsuccessful, on top of that, you’re facing eviction, and to make matters worse, a special someone has walked out on you.
Help us if you can! I suspect it was such compounding issues that drove the man to plead “please have pity and help us if you can!” What do you mean if I can, Jesus retorted! I have a feeling He was wroth, and this is observable by the tone of his response. In other words, how dare you place a ‘cap’ on my ability by asking for pity and mere help? Do you recognize you are right before The Almighty who makes something out of nothing and calls those things that be not as though they are? You may not know this but I’m about to show you that I AM the ultimate healer and the Son of God who has come mainly to undo the works of the devil. Bring the boy to me!
Fill in the blank Jesus meant it when he said “Anything is possible”. Anything is a blank cheque. Everything is inclusive. Nothing is out of scope. This means God is able to heal you, connect you with the perfect spouse, align the right job or business opportunity, restore your finances, make you a joyful parent, sort out your accommodation problems, and enable you to buy a home debt-free. Anything is possible! Would you release those words into the atmosphere – Anything is possible! Anything is possible!! Anything is possible!!!
Don’t limit God Sometime later, having traveled everywhere doing good, healing the oppressed, and setting the captives free; Jesus decided to hold a revival in a synagogue at his hometown, Nazareth. Whatever the issues or the magnitude, He could and would have sorted them, but Matthew recorded:
And so he did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief. Matthew 13:58
The degree to which you believe determines what and how much you receive. Could it be your lack of faith is the reason you’ve experienced little or no miracles? Selah! God wants to show himself strong and mighty on your behalf, quit limiting him. Stop preventing him!!
A long while in history, the Israelites cried out for meat and Moses was trying to analyze how God would come through.
The Lord asked Moses, “Is there a limit to the Lord’s power? Now you will see whether or not my words come true.” Numbers 11:23
Now you will see! And they saw! God showed up and showed off in his capacity as Elshaddai piling up Quails about three feet high for miles, as far as a day’s walk in any direction. He went over and above the call of duty! He knocked their socks off!! He blew their minds!!! Why? Because anything is possible!
So having established the diagnosis and cause, Jesus enquired about the history before eventually providing the cure. He wants to do the same and more for you. I hear Him say “Take the limits off me, Child! Others may have failed you but I will never fail you! What do you mean if I can? I am willing, be clean, be healed, and be restored!
Hello Friend, good news is bubbling in my spirit and I am excited to share it with you.
God is good and so everything he’s made and continues to make, is good( Gen 1:31, Matt 7:11, Ps 107:8-9, etc). No wonder He has good and perfect gifts wrapped up and ready for you. They’re goodies for you to enjoy – you didn’t earn them and aren’t expected to work for them. All you need to do is align and receive. What good news!
Also, with these gifts comes the bonus of clarity to dispel all forms of opacity in your life. You’ll begin to see well so you can do better. That’s got me shouting and dancing
The best news is that the Father doesn’t change like the shifting shadows produced by the sun and the moon. There is no variation, inconsistency, or duplicity with him. You can count on his faithfulness, rely on his strength, and rest in his love. He has never changed, and won’t, ever; regardless of what’s happening all around.
I have no idea what’s going on with you and the sorts of dialogue you’re having, but I would like to stand and agree with you for:
A despatch, release, and cascade of all your desired gifts and boons!
A flooding of God’s rivers of light! I pray your eyes, ears, and hands are open to receive what is unfolding.
A fresh encounter that will signify and solidify the ‘invariableness’ of God in your life.
After this, I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God. Revelation 19:1
For context, the previous chapter (Revelation 18) records the judgment and lament over Babylon – a wicked and unrighteous city. Some of the doom songs and pronouncements include:
… Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!
… Woe! Woe to you, great city!
… Rejoice over her fate, O heaven and people of God and apostles and prophets! For at last God has judged her for your sakes.
… The music of harps and singers and of flutes and trumpets will no longer be heard in you.
… No workers will ever set up shop in that city, and the sound of grinding grain will be silenced forever.
… Lamps will no longer shine anywhere in Babylon, and couples will never again say wedding vows there.
It was after all ‘this’, that a new theme of praise broke out in heaven! Halleluyah! I heard a word for someone and as always, it’s good news. God has closed the old chapter of your life and has opened a new one – after this!
It doesn’t matter what your ‘this’ comprised, He’s giving you a new song instead of a dirge. The former things have passed away so put on your colourful garment of praise and celebrate. #ihaw#thereisgoodnews#fulfilmentcomes#hollaapraise
For I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. Philippians 1:19
Friend, I heard a word and it’s good news – What has happened to you will turn out for your deliverance. Deliverance is more of a state than it is an event. It is a done deal that was sealed well over 2000 years ago on the cross of Calvary. However, many are still in the process of appropriating it. Well, your time has come!
I’m grateful for Paul’s use of the phrase “turn out” which means it won’t always be like this; a shift will happen, the change will come, and things will get better. He gives us an inkling of how it will:
1. Prayer: Dialogue with God through the Holy Spirit.
2. Holy Spirit: Our divine partner/associate who works alongside us to lead, guide, teach, and help.
But then something happened! For it pleased God in his kindness to choose me and call me, even before I was born! What undeserved mercy! Galatians 1:15
In the preceding verses to this text, Paul talked about the man he used to be – his old pattern of living, behaviour, devotion, and religion. But then something happened!
I’m so glad there came a time in my chronicle that something happened – I came to the knowledge of the saving grace of Jesus, recognized his kindness toward me by choosing and calling me while I was in my mother’s womb! Hey! Herein my praise – what undeserved mercy!
It is by the LORD’S mercies that we are not destroyed, because His compassions never fail. Lamentations 3:22
This mercy is available to all because the Lord deals patiently for your sake, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Repentance is a change of heart resulting in a change of behaviour and destiny.
That’s what happened to Paul – his story began with persecution but ended with praise. You too can get in the flow of this mercy and here’s how:
If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9
If you are ready to make this commitment, click on the link below and say:
Lord Jesus, thank you for your kindness and mercy towards me- for dying to save me.
Thank you for choosing and calling me.
Today I choose you and I call on you to forgive me of my past ways.
I ask you by your Spirit to help me live and walk right from now on in Jesus name. Amen!
Here’s what captivated me as I listened to the word this morning: in the midst of what seemed like a sad story, there was good news!
Perhaps you’ve been humiliated, deprived of justice, and even had ‘life’ snatched away from you, hang on there is good news. God has a way of healing, restoring, and making bitter experiences sweet, and he usually does beginning with the same seemingly sad story.
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someone and as always, it’s good news. God has closed the old chapter of your life and has opened a new one – after this!
I’m grateful for Paul’s use of the phrase “turn out” which means it won’t always be like this; a shift will happen, the change will come, and things will get better. He gives us an inkling of how it will:
This mercy is available to all because the Lord deals patiently for your sake, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Repentance is a change of heart resulting in a change of behaviour and destiny.