Have you had the conversation with someone discussing and wondering if you would have accepted and followed Jesus if you had lived during Jesus’ time?

I kind of wondered what I would think or do, but looking at the following verses, I have more confidence that it would have been very difficult to ignore, write off, or rationalize what Jesus was doing at the time.

In Matthew 12:15, Matthew writes, “…with many following him. He healed all the sick among them.”

And in Matthew 14 after the story of the miracle of feeding the 5000, in verses 35 and 36, Matthew writes, “And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.”

The key word in both of these descriptions is “all.” Jesus didn’t heal some of those that were sick, he healed “all”, and it wasn’t just some of those that touched his cloak that were healed, in was “all.”

Finally John writes in John 21:25, “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.”

We can only imagine what the media frenzy would be like today if someone was able to heal every illness of everyone he encountered, and do the many other miracles Jesus did. We would all have been amazed at the significance and magnitude of what Jesus was doing at the time. It was incredible.

Dear Lord, we thank you that you have sent your Holy Spirit into the world, so that we don’t have to figure out and prove you are the Messiah. We only need to drop our resistance and accept the free gift of your salvation. Help us share the opportunity for this gift with others. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Have you ever felt you loved someone so much that it was as if they were part of yourself; Your spouse, children, siblings, parents. You felt such connection with them that it seemed that you could feel what they felt, and you experienced what they were experiencing. What a powerful love this is.

John tells us in 1 John 4:19, “We love because he first loved us.”

As deeply as we may love others, God loves us. So much that he, as Jesus, endured humiliation, agony and death for us, to save us.

Paul also tells us in Romans 11:33, “Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and ways!

When we experience tragedy, uncertainty, pain, loss, we may feel that God has abandoned us. He has not. Within those ways which we may not understand, is his love for us. We can trust in his plans.

James 4:8 tells us, “Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.”

Dear Lord, We cannot understand your ways, but we can trust in your love for us. Comfort those in need, and give them confidence that comes from trusting you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Have you ever had someone say something to you that just made your day? Someone you respect tells you “you look great,” or “what you are a doing is amazing and is making a great improvement.” On the other side of that coin, you may have heard people say things that seem to ruin your day.

We need to remember that we are often that someone who is making or ruining someone else’s day, by what we say.

There are many references in the Bible about the power and importance of words. James writes in James 3:3-5 “We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches.”

A few of the many references to the power of words in Proverbs are: Proverbs 15:4, “Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit,” 13:3, “Those who control their tongue will have a long life; opening your mouth can ruin everything,” and 12:18, “Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing.”

What if you had an unlimited amount of money that you could only use to give to others? Wouldn’t you use it to improve their lives? In a way, that is what we have with our words. We have an unlimited account of words which we can give to others and impact their spirit. Let’s use them for good.

Dear Lord, we thank and praise you for the wisdom you provide us in your word. Help us control what we say so that we can be a “tree of life” and “bring healing” with our words. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

The disciples and early Christians in the Bible often greeted each other with the words “Peace be with you.” What is the significance of them wishing each other “peace?”

Peace is contentment, tranquility; The absence of fear, worry, want, anger, and frustration. Jesus is described as the Prince of Peace, and He tells his disciples in John 14:27, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart!”

We can have the peace he offers if we keep our focus on him and not our problems and the things that take away our peace.

Isaiah writes in Isaiah 26:3, “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!”

Dear Lord, help us keep our thoughts and trust on you so that we may have your perfect peace. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

I have heard it said that your life is like an echo, what you send out comes back to you, or like a mirror, a reflection of you.

Paul writes in his letter to Titus 1:15, “A person who is pure of heart sees goodness and purity in everything; but a person whose own heart is evil and untrusting finds evil in everything, for his dirty mind and rebellious heart color all he sees and hears.”

I imagine you have met both kinds of people, those that look for the best in everything, and have good positive attitudes, and those that see the negative and problems in every experience. How interesting that they both can be looking at the same situation and see such different pictures. The verse above from Paul’s letter to Titus tells us that the way people look at a situation is an indication of what is in their own heart and mind. How they look at things is as much a statement on themselves as it is a statement on the people or things about which they are commenting.

Dear Lord, help us be people of pure hearts and find the goodness and purity you have put in our world. Help us also be a positive influence on those with evil and untrusting hearts, that they might see your love through us and desire to change. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.