Luke 22:51
But Jesus answered and said “Stop”! No more of this” And He touched his ear and healed him.
John 18:10-11 tells us Peter is the one who cut the ear off and that the person’s name was Malchus.
On reading these passages the question came to mind…Malchus, did you believe Jesus after He touched your ear and it was healed perfectly? Will I see you when I go home and be able to ask you about your life after that happened?
This is what we know about him since his name is only mentioned one time in the bible.
Malchus was a slave of Caiaphas, the high priest who was a Sadducee (they didn’t believe in resurrection), and a bitter persecutor of Christians.
The name Malchus is of Hebrew origin and indicates he was an Israelite.
He had a relative also that was a slave of Caiaphas. (John 18:26)
So many of the miracles of Jesus resulted in the ones healed believing that He truly was the Christ.
And these believers became His followers. Was Malchus among them?
The Word does not tell us hardly anything about him and we cannot know for sure.
But Father, You made me to wonder if Malchus came to know Jesus and if so, some day we can have a good conversation about how Jesus changed his life with a touch.
I hope we can.
Father, I pray that as a believer in today's world You are able to touch others through the lives of your children who have the Spirit of the Risen Christ within them.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Our Root
Proverbs 12:3,12;7
This Proverb contrasts the righteous and the wicked. Righteous means being right with the One true Living God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Wicked (7563) means one guilty of sin. Only Jesus can take away the guilt of sin.
The words “root, stand, established” stood out to me.
12:3 A man will not be established by wickedness,
But the root of the righteous will not be moved.
12:12 The wicked desires the booty of evil men,
But the root of the righteous yields fruit.
The word root (8328) in the Hebrew, when figuratively speaking of people, means firmness or permanence. This is an encouraging word.
So this particular Proverb speaks to my heart of the eternal, the permanence one’s hope and confidence can have in Christ Jesus. Because He has made us righteous in Him, we are permanently established in His righteousness and Truth which never changes.
Mistakes and failures do not change the root. It goes deep, it is firmly planted. It yields fruit even in old age. (Ps 92:14)
Our root will not be moved. Because of this our life can be whole, stable, and not shaken by the circumstances of life. Not that everything is easy. But when our heart knows that the One who created us has created the world (Col 1:16-17) and all that is in it for Himself, and He is able to hold it all together, we are encouraged to face our life and circumstances with great hope, patience, and strength. We know that if Jesus can hold the Universe together He certainly has no problem holding our lives together. Faith in Him will bring peace and rest.
Proverbs 12:7 The wicked are overthrown and are no more,
But the house of the righteous will stand.
This scripture speaks in a future tense. What our eyes cannot see, God does.
“House” can mean dwelling, habitation, body, family. He enables us to dwell, live in Him, in His life where the eternal is. If He says our “house” will stand, we can know that He is able to hold our lives together by His mighty power. We can be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might (Eph 6:10) while we keep our eyes focused on Him and His promise.
Father, enable your children to remember that You have established us in Christ Jesus, who IS Lord.
Rev 22:16 “I am the root and descendant of David, the bright Morning Star.”
This Proverb contrasts the righteous and the wicked. Righteous means being right with the One true Living God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Wicked (7563) means one guilty of sin. Only Jesus can take away the guilt of sin.
The words “root, stand, established” stood out to me.
12:3 A man will not be established by wickedness,
But the root of the righteous will not be moved.
12:12 The wicked desires the booty of evil men,
But the root of the righteous yields fruit.
The word root (8328) in the Hebrew, when figuratively speaking of people, means firmness or permanence. This is an encouraging word.
So this particular Proverb speaks to my heart of the eternal, the permanence one’s hope and confidence can have in Christ Jesus. Because He has made us righteous in Him, we are permanently established in His righteousness and Truth which never changes.
Mistakes and failures do not change the root. It goes deep, it is firmly planted. It yields fruit even in old age. (Ps 92:14)
Our root will not be moved. Because of this our life can be whole, stable, and not shaken by the circumstances of life. Not that everything is easy. But when our heart knows that the One who created us has created the world (Col 1:16-17) and all that is in it for Himself, and He is able to hold it all together, we are encouraged to face our life and circumstances with great hope, patience, and strength. We know that if Jesus can hold the Universe together He certainly has no problem holding our lives together. Faith in Him will bring peace and rest.
Proverbs 12:7 The wicked are overthrown and are no more,
But the house of the righteous will stand.
This scripture speaks in a future tense. What our eyes cannot see, God does.
“House” can mean dwelling, habitation, body, family. He enables us to dwell, live in Him, in His life where the eternal is. If He says our “house” will stand, we can know that He is able to hold our lives together by His mighty power. We can be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might (Eph 6:10) while we keep our eyes focused on Him and His promise.
Father, enable your children to remember that You have established us in Christ Jesus, who IS Lord.
Rev 22:16 “I am the root and descendant of David, the bright Morning Star.”
Monday, May 2, 2011
Glory
:20 I do not ask in behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word
: that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that You did send Me.
:22 And the glory which You have given Me I have given to them: that they may be one, just as We are one.
Jesus says that the glory that He has been given by the Father, He has given to us believers. Wow. The Greek word for glory is #1391 doxa, something that belongs to Christ: “The absolutely perfect inward or personal excellency of Christ; the majesty”.
This is how we have any glory at all. In Christ, our Risen Lord alone do we have glory.
His indwelling us, His pure heart and character reveal glory to the world. He reveals His majesty in this world through His sheep, His Body.
And how do I walk in the glory of the Risen Christ? In this High Priestly prayer of Jesus, He prays about love, oneness, and unity.
:21 that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that You did send Me.
23 I in them, and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that You did send Me, and did love them even as You did love Me
Our Savior desires for His own to walk in love and in the unity of true oneness. This reveals His glory.
Can we have oneness without His love indwelling us?
His love is pure, without blemish. It continues to love based on what Jesus, our perfect Lamb has done and it unites, it draws believers into oneness because their eyes are on the Lamb and not on the imperfection of others.
In John 17:8 Jesus says that the word the Father gave to Him, His disciples received, and they truly understood that He came from the Father, and then they believed that He was sent by God. Truly understanding that Jesus was sent by God for the sake of man, is the beginning of knowing and understanding God’s deep love for us. Knowing Jesus changes the human heart forever!
This divine love that indwells believers is what shines, it is what is glorious, and is majestic in a way that nothing else on this earth is.
What is so amazing is that it does not have to make a big splash and to have the attention that the world thinks things of importance must have.
The glory can be in saying “I love you” from the heart when it is most difficult to say.
It can be remaining silent when we want to defend ourselves.
It can be yielding to someone else’s desires instead of getting our own way.
It can be having an open heart to people different than ourselves.
It can be giving with joy.
It all adds up to His life in us for He is our glory.
God has infinite ways of revealing Himself in believers. Each way is unique to the purpose and plan of His for the individual as well as His body. He uses us to reveal His Son and so draw people to Himself. Jesus is glory. When He is allowed to have His way the world will see it.
May Your Body, Father, truly understand that You sent Jesus so that we Your children, may be one
in Him and reveal His glory to this needy world.
: that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that You did send Me.
:22 And the glory which You have given Me I have given to them: that they may be one, just as We are one.
Jesus says that the glory that He has been given by the Father, He has given to us believers. Wow. The Greek word for glory is #1391 doxa, something that belongs to Christ: “The absolutely perfect inward or personal excellency of Christ; the majesty”.
This is how we have any glory at all. In Christ, our Risen Lord alone do we have glory.
His indwelling us, His pure heart and character reveal glory to the world. He reveals His majesty in this world through His sheep, His Body.
And how do I walk in the glory of the Risen Christ? In this High Priestly prayer of Jesus, He prays about love, oneness, and unity.
:21 that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that You did send Me.
23 I in them, and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that You did send Me, and did love them even as You did love Me
Our Savior desires for His own to walk in love and in the unity of true oneness. This reveals His glory.
Can we have oneness without His love indwelling us?
His love is pure, without blemish. It continues to love based on what Jesus, our perfect Lamb has done and it unites, it draws believers into oneness because their eyes are on the Lamb and not on the imperfection of others.
In John 17:8 Jesus says that the word the Father gave to Him, His disciples received, and they truly understood that He came from the Father, and then they believed that He was sent by God. Truly understanding that Jesus was sent by God for the sake of man, is the beginning of knowing and understanding God’s deep love for us. Knowing Jesus changes the human heart forever!
This divine love that indwells believers is what shines, it is what is glorious, and is majestic in a way that nothing else on this earth is.
What is so amazing is that it does not have to make a big splash and to have the attention that the world thinks things of importance must have.
The glory can be in saying “I love you” from the heart when it is most difficult to say.
It can be remaining silent when we want to defend ourselves.
It can be yielding to someone else’s desires instead of getting our own way.
It can be having an open heart to people different than ourselves.
It can be giving with joy.
It all adds up to His life in us for He is our glory.
God has infinite ways of revealing Himself in believers. Each way is unique to the purpose and plan of His for the individual as well as His body. He uses us to reveal His Son and so draw people to Himself. Jesus is glory. When He is allowed to have His way the world will see it.
May Your Body, Father, truly understand that You sent Jesus so that we Your children, may be one
in Him and reveal His glory to this needy world.
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