Matthew Chapter 8
Welcome LOVED and CHOSEN by God! Do you look forward to the Holidays? I do. It seems people are a little kinder during the months of November and December. It also seems that people are a little more rushed during this time. I have evolved over the years to slow down a little bit. I used to get up at six to get the turkey ready for the oven and then I would be on my feet continually until dinner was served and beyond for clean-up. I was tired and cranky, and for many years I did not participate as I wanted. I was not in the moment because I was too worried about the process. Now I get up when I want to, I set dinner for 4:00 or 5:00 pm. I prep things the day before, and I truly enjoy being in the present. My husband has taken over washing the dishes, so I can relax. It is wonderful.
I hope you had the best Thanksgiving this year. I hope you relaxed and you were in the moment. I hope you focused on Jesus and family instead of the presentation of the meal and if your house was clean enough for company. I hope you chose the better thing this year. If not, Christmas is coming up and we all can practice again.
How are you enjoying the Book of Matthew? I am enjoying our time together. Thank you for the indulgence of taking half the week off last week. I had a couple of visitors and I felt like they needed my attention. I really am practicing intentionality with people. It is a concerted effort every day. I think I shared that I have not always been that way. I was very task orientated and rushed through so many days and so many hours to get the next thing checked off my list. I still attend to tasks but people are even more of a priority now. People can tell when you are not in the moment and sadly children even more so know when you are distracted with other things.
Yesterday my Pastor announced that next year he will have our church read a Bible chapter a week and memorize a Scripture verse a week from that chapter. I hope you are memorizing verses. Not just as an exercise but for life. I was talking to someone this morning about God’s promises for us right here and right now. Every single promise is for every single one of us at this moment. It is not meant for when we reach Heaven but for today.
Matthew 8:23-27 “23 Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. 24 And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. 25 Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!”
26 But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27 So the men marveled, saying, [b]“Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”
Since we moved churches a little over two years ago, I have been learning more about authority in Jesus than I had ever heard or learned before. As Followers of Jesus, it is extremely important that we understand and know who we are in Christ Jesus, our identity, and the authority that we have in Christ Jesus. Jesus told us that He has given us authority. Today I am just going to touch on authority for a couple of minutes.
Jesus told us in John 14:12 that we would do greater works than He did. John 14:12 ‘”Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.”‘
He tells us in Luke 9:1-2 and in Mark 16:17-18 that he gave us authority over ALL demons and over sickness and disease. Luke 9:1-2 “And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.” Mark 16:17-18 “And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
I think many times we look to other people to do what the LORD has told us all to do if we are a Follower of Jesus Christ. For many years I thought I had to go and get someone stronger in the faith to pray for healing or to cast out evil spirits. Do you know what I found out? I have been commissioned to do all these things too. Jesus gave me the authority through His name and His power to do ALL of the above. I think prayers for healing really began to resonate with me when I tweaked my knee about six years ago. I sat on my couch in pain and I didn’t know what to do, so I prayed something like this. “LORD, I am not an elder and I do not have anointing oil close by, but I do believe You are Healer. I am believing You are healing my knee and I will get up with no more pain. In Jesus’ name, Amen.” How many of you know I sat there for a few seconds just in case nothing happened? But, guess what, when I did stand up there was NO more pain whatsoever. None. Zilch. I didn’t follow a recipe for prayer I just prayed. Prior to the last couple of years that was one of my only experiences with the authority Jesus gives to us. In Jesus’ name, is the authority.
My Pastor has said we are ALL called to intercession. All of us who are Followers of Jesus are called to intercession. We are all called to pray and we have to believe that our prayers are heard. We have to believe that Jesus has given us authority over the things we are praying for on a daily basis. We also need to believe that every single prayer that we pray is heard. Every. Single. One. Do not be afraid to pray for others. Do not be afraid to pray out loud, Holy Spirit will give you the words, or just pray in the Spirit. He knows what we need more than we do. Know your authority. It is given to you to use.
Whew, that is such a big topic. This is just a glimpse. The time we live in though is calling us to deeper waters. Let’s fix our eyes on Jesus only and not what we are seeing in the natural. I will see you tomorrow.
