Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Great faith in Jesus brings healing

GREAT FAITH IN JESUS BRINGS HEALING: This is the continuation of the article entitled “If Ye Shall Ask Anything in My Name”, written by Emma Okorie and forwarded to me by Pastor Paul Waldmiller of New York, USA on Christmas day, December 25, 2009. The article contains a very powerful message. Read on:

“The father of a lunatic came to Jesus and pleaded: `Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatic, and sorely vexed: for oft times he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.’ (Matthew 17:15). Jesus rebuked the devil and the child was cured the same hour.

“A woman of Canaan also came to Jesus on account of her daughter who was demon-possessed. She cried unto Him saying `…Have mercy on me, O lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil’ (Matthew 15: 23-28 reports.

“ `But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying; Send her away; for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

“ `And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

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NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD: “This Canaanite woman’s persistence touched the Master and fetched healing. Even now, you can receive your own healing. Jesus is in the church because of your own case. Mark the time and date and remember that we serve a God of constant character.

“He that did it for all ten lepers and even to a Canaanite woman, outside the commonwealth of Israel, He will do it for you! He is the same yesterday, the same today and the same forever. Nothing is impossible for him.

“Jesus said, `If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.’ More than any other, Jesus’ encounter with blind Bartimeus is an affirmation of this prayer-answering provision.

“Mark 10:46-52 reports: `And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.

“And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried all the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.

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“ASKING MUST RECEIVE AN ANSWER”: “ `And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee. And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.

“And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.

“And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.”

“Defying detractors who wanted him to keep quiet, and remain in his blind state, he cried out all the more. Jesus was stopped by the resounding voice of faith. When Jesus asked what he wanted, his reply was unequivocal. He that asketh receiveth.

“Asking must receive an answer. Moses went to the extent of asking: `Show me thy glory’. God did not let him see his face but showed him a glimpse of his back. Be assured of answered prayers....”

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AGONY OF JESUS, AS THE FIRST SORROWFUL MYSTERY: After the Joyful Mysteries and the Mysteries of Light, the Holy Rosary of Roman Catholic Christians deal with the so-called “Sorrowful Mysteries”, which depict the parts of the life of Jesus that culminate in His death on the cross.

The first of these “Sorrowful Mysteries” is the “Agony of Jesus”, which is the story of Jesus agonizing at his impending crucifixion and death on the cross, and which is found in Matthew 26:36-45, Mark 14:32-42 and Luke 22:39-46 of the Bible.

In this story, Jesus is portrayed as being sorrowful and troubled, knowing as He did what was going to happen to him in just a few hours, even prompting Him to say “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.”

Certainly, this is a powerful picture of Jesus in his human attributes, especially when this is viewed in the light of His subsequent statement, which shows Him placing completely His trust and confidence in the Father with the words “My Father, if it is possible, may this cub be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.

The question is, if Jesus is the Son of God, why would he be troubled, and why would he say that, if possible, “this cup be taken from me”?

The answer, I believe, is that, it is necessary to show that in his human attributes, Jesus could agonize just like ordinary men, so that humans will not really despair when problems come to them, no matter how great those problems maybe.

There is a solution to the agony that everyone feels, and the solution is precisely what Jesus did: placing complete trust and confidence in the will of God.

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