The Miracles of Jesus

Lent – March 7, 2024

Jesus feeds 5000 plus women and children

John 6:1-15; Matthew 6:31-33

As a full-time youth worker, some of my students’ biggest fund-raisers were meals we served to the congregation and community. I can’t begin to tell you how many meals my groups served, and I organized over the years. There were breakfasts, luncheons, dinners, and parties at which we served meals.

But, the largest meal my group ever provided was while I was serving at Zion Lutheran Church in Fort Myers, FL. The meal was an Easter Morning breakfast, served continuously from 8 a.m. till 11 a.m. That day, we served breakfast to roughly 450 people. It took a lot of planning, food, a team of cooks, 30 students’ cooperation, and about the same number of parents to pull the event off.

I learned early on in my ministry that you can’t put fund-raisers on by yourself. An organized team of volunteer helpers is needed as well.

****************The Point*************

Jesus, too, had a team. A group of 12 men who believed and worked with Him, to accomplish His goals.

“After this, Jesus crossed over to the far side of the Sea of Galilee, also known as the Sea of Tiberias. A huge crowd kept following him wherever he went because they saw his miraculous signs as he healed the sick. Then Jesus climbed a hill and sat down with his disciples around him. (It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration.) Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for him. Turning to Philip, he asked, “Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?” He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do.

Philip replied, “Even if we worked for months, we wouldn’t have enough money (Greek: Two hundred denarii would not be enough. A denarius was equivalent to a laborer’s full day’s wage). to feed them!”

Then Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up. “There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?”

“Tell everyone to sit down,” Jesus said. So, they all sat down on the grassy slopes. (The men alone numbered about 5,000.) Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward, he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted. After everyone was full, Jesus told his disciples, “Now gather the leftovers so that nothing is wasted.” So, they picked up the pieces and filled twelve baskets with scraps left by the people who had eaten from the five barley loaves.”

John 6:1-15

We’ve all heard or read the story many times. Jesus feeds 5000 with two fish and five barley loaves. But wait, there’s more:

• John tells us that there were 5000 men that day. That number does not include the women and children there that day. Many theologians believe there were more than 15,000 people in attendance. Jesus would not have fed only the men. So, the two fish and five barley loaves went a very long way.
• As the passage says, “for he already knew what he was going to do.” Yes, Jesus asked Philip where they could buy bread, but He already knew that wasn’t going to happen. Jesus liked to ask questions of His disciples; it helped them grow in wisdom.

• Jesus used his disciples as helpers. They had the men sit in groups of 50-100. That had to take some time. Plus, Jesus gave them instructions to have the men sit in groups. As a good leader, Jesus knew better than to yell out, “Come and get it!”
• When the scripture says, “There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish.” Barley loaves were small; they were the bread of peasants. The fish would have been pickled or smoked and used as a side dish with the bread. There was probably just enough to feed two people.
• (It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration.) John inserts this short sentence into the passage and quickly moves on. But we must look at it. Take a moment to think about what this sentence means.

The first Passover, when the Jews left the bondage of Egypt, they traveled in the desert wilderness for 40 years. God provided food for them daily with Mana in the morning, and at night, He provided quail.

On this day, Jesus taught the people how He came to relieve them of the bondage of sin.

Jesus also fed the masses bread (manna) and fish (protein).

The final point is the most important. Jesus understood the need to take care of the needs of the people. In this case, it was two-fold. He taught them about forgiveness and the Kingdom of God, and Jesus quite literally fed them.

In Matthew 6, Jesus says:

“So, do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Matthew 6:31-33

Unfortunately, on the day He fed 5,000 plus, most people did not see Jesus as the Son of God. Instead, they followed Him because they knew He could heal ailments and now supply food for them. They saw Christ as a ticket to Easy Street. They wanted Him to be the “bread king.”

Jesus is anything but that. He is our Savior, our friend, our teacher, and our Lord. He supplies us with what we need. Just ask; He is there waiting and listening for you. Jesus is our savior, the bread of life.

Dear Jesus. Thank you for supplying us with our needs. Sometimes, we are selfish and feel we need or want more. But you know what is good for us. Remind us often, through your Holy Spirit, to seek Your Kingdom and righteousness first. Amen.

The Miracles of Jesus

Lent – March 6, 2024

John 5:1-15; Matthew 6:7-8

Jesus heals an invalid at Bethesda

When I ask someone a question, they are usually closed-end questions. In other words, when I ask a question, I look for a yes or no answer or a concise one. My wife Kathy almost always answers my yes or no questions as if they were open-ended. Example:

1.  “What time do you want me to put the ribs in the oven?” Answer: “Well, the recipe says they should be in the range at 275 for 3-3 ½ hours. Then I need to take them out and put BBQ sauce on them. The ribs recipe calls for them to be broiled on each side for 3-4 minutes after the BBQ sauce is on. So, it’s 1 p.m. now, and we want to eat by 6 p.m. I would say they need to go in the oven about 2 p.m.”

• “I’m heading over to Publix. Do you need anything from the store?” Answer: “Hmmm, if you were going to Aldi’s, I’d have you pick up some olive oil spray. But, since you’re only going to Publix, no, I guess I don’t need anything.”

In my first question, I was looking for a time of day. (2 p.m.)

In my second question, all I needed was a yes or no. (Unless Kathy was trying to guilt me into stopping at Aldi’s, too. 😊

*************************The Point*********************

In today’s miracle story, Jesus asks a direct question but gets an open-ended answer:

“After this, there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. For an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred the water: whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was healed of whatever disease he had One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another, steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once, the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.

Now, that day was the Sabbath. So, the Jews (Religious Leaders) said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.” But he answered them, “The man who healed me, that man said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.'” They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” Now, the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him.”

It was a pretty simple question Jesus asked, “Do you want to be healed?” 

Remember, Jesus is omniscient. That means he knows everything. Jesus already knew that this man was crippled and had been so for 38 years. He also knew the whole story of how he could never get to the water to be healed.

Instead of simply answering the question with a resounding “Yes!” The disabled man begins to complain about his circumstances. Jesus listened to him, and even though the disabled man never showed any signs of faith or knowledge of Jesus’ power, Jesus told him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.”

Jesus knows all of our backstories. If you feel He is asking you a question, be straightforward and concise with your answer.

One wonders, when Jesus encounters the man later, how this man could be such a sinner that Jesus would say to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” 

That’s quite a statement. Let’s face it, we’re all sinners; we all sin. Jesus must have known something about this man not stated in the text. Obviously, neither you, I, nor this crippled man can just stop sinning. Unfortunately, it is in our nature. But, we can look to improve and try harder to avoid sin. We also can pray to the Lord, asking for forgiveness of our sins, those we know about, and those we are unaware of.

BTW, Jesus tells us not to go on and on when we pray either.

“And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”

Matthew 6:7-8

 Get to the point when you pray, be specific, and ask for forgiveness.

Dear Lord. Help us not to be too wordy in our encounters with others. When we come to you in prayer, we will try to be to the point as we ask for forgiveness of our transgressions. Even if we get a little wordy, we know you are always there for us and will always listen. Amen.

The Miracles of Jesus

 Lent – March 5, 2024

Jesus heals a man unable to speak

Matthew 9:32-34

Have you ever been in a revolving door? When I was a kid, my brother and I would run into revolving doors and keep running in circles. We would laugh non-stop while going in circles until our parents told us to stop.

Nowadays, when someone says they’re trapped in a revolving door, it means they’re stuck in a rut. It happens to all of us.

************************The Point********************

Let’s take a few minutes to ponder Jesus healing a demon-possessed man:

“As they were going away, behold, a demon-oppressed man who was mute was brought to him. And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds marveled, saying, “Never was anything like this seen in Israel.” But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the prince of demons.“

Matthew 9:32-34

If we are to presume that Matthew has put Jesus’ miracles in order, we know from the last few devotions I’ve posted that Jesus has had a busy day.

Jesus calmed the storm at sea.

He rid a man of demon possession and sent the demons into a herd of pigs

Jesus healed a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years.

He raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead.

Jesus healed two blind men.

And now He heals a demon-oppressed man who was mute. (Oppressed, meaning the demon was keeping him from speaking.)

Matthew doesn’t say much about this miracle, just that it happened and that crowds who witnessed it said, “Never was anything like this seen in Israel.” Of course, there were the naysayers who said, “He casts out demons by the prince of demons.”

Think about that last statement for a moment. Would a demon cast out a demon? Of course not!

Here’s my ultimate point. Jesus performed all of these miracles in what may have been one day. He went from one place to another, with people grabbing at Him and asking for help. At times during His ministry, it must have felt like he was in a revolving door with no end to the people who wanted and needed help.

Let’s remember something here. Jesus was God and man. That means as a man, He got tired and needed sleep, companionship, and alone time.

Here are several examples:

“And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone.”

Matthew 14:23

“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” 

 Mark 1:35

“Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him.”

Luke 9:18

The Bible tells us that Jesus prayed. And, many times, Jesus prayed alone. Even Jesus, the God/man, needed to recharge. He needed to stay in touch with His Father. He prayed before and after performing a miracle. Jesus even prayed from the cross, asking His Father to forgive those who were causing Him to suffer.

We, too, need to get out of the revolving door and have alone time. You might say, “I’m not stuck in a revolving door!”

Aren’t you? You get up, shower, brush your teeth, grab breakfast, go to work, eat lunch, return to work, come home, have dinner, watch television or read, and then go to bed. That’s Monday. How’s your Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, etc. looking?

Spend time with God every chance you get. Read His word, talk with Him, and discuss your life, problems, wants, and needs. God is a great listener. And the best part is, He answers.

Dear Lord. Our lives can get to be a grind of repetition and the mundane. Please help us step out from the revolving door and spend time communing with you throughout our day. Amen

The Miracles of Jesus

Lent – March 4, 2024

Jesus heals two blind men

Matthew 9:27-31

 

Confession

&

Absolution

We do certain things during worship each week when we go to church. Two of those things are confessing our sins and being absolved of them by the Pastor. Below is one of the many confessions and absolutions you may acknowledge at your church.

Pastor – Most merciful God,

Congregation: We confess that we are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have daily sinned

against You in thought, word, and deed by what we have done and by what we have left

undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as

ourselves. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.

Pastor: In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was sent into the world to die for us. Through Him and

for His name’s sake, we receive grace and forgiveness for all we have done and are empowered to

become children of God. Go now in the knowledge that your sins are forgiven.

Amen

As Christians, we do the same thing throughout the day and week. We pray to God for the forgiveness of sins that we knowingly and unknowingly commit. And, because of Christ’s sacrifice, we are forgiven.

*****************************The Point***********************

Today’s devotion involves two blind men who never ask for healing, nor do they ask directly for forgiveness. Still, they do confess to Jesus that they believe:

“As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”

When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”

“Yes, Lord,” they replied.

Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith, let it be done to you,” and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.

Matthew 9:27-31

Here again, we have another healing based on faith. In this instance, though, recovery was not asked for. Let’s look at a few essential points from this passage:

The two blind men address Jesus as the Son of David. What does this imply? Their words tell us that they believe that Jesus is the Christ. He is the Messiah they have been waiting for.

The blind men didn’t ask for healing. They asked for mercy. They understood that they were sinners and needed forgiveness.

• Jesus replies to their pleas by asking them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” The blind men respond, “Yes, Lord.” Then Jesus replied to them, “According to your faith, be it done to you.” 

What happened during this exchange? The blind men confess they are sinners and acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah. Jesus absolved them of their sins, healing them spiritually as well as healing them physically.

We must confess our sins regularly, at church, and privately. We should go directly to God. We confess, He absolves. The most remarkable thing is that God doesn’t hold any of our transgressions against us.

We are forgiven through the blood of Christ, shed on the cross.

Dear Lord. Thank you for sending your Son Jesus to sacrifice Himself for our sins. Help us always come to you to confess our sins and transgressions with a penitent heart as we ask for forgiveness. Amen

The Miracles of Jesus

March 3, 2024

Third Sunday in Lent

Jesus clears the Temple

John 2:13-22; Ephesians 4:25-26;31-32; 2 Corinthians 5:21

We all get angry. If someone cuts you off while driving, you might scream at the car through your windshield. Someone may be tailgating you because they feel you’re not moving fast enough. When they pass you, they yell out the window and put up the middle finger of their hand towards you. The person in the car is angry at you, and now you are mad because they honked, yelled at you, and made the now-familiar hand motion at you.

We all get angry, sometimes at our spouses, boyfriends, girlfriends, children, co-workers, boss, and occasionally even the church.

****************************The Point**************************

Even Jesus got angry. Let’s take a moment to read the passage below, then compare His anger to the anger that often occurs in our lives.

“It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration, so Jesus went to Jerusalem. In the Temple area, he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices; he also saw dealers at tables exchanging foreign money. Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple. He drove out the sheep and cattle, scattered the money changers’ coins over the floor, and turned over their tables.

Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, 

“Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!”

Then, his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: “Passion for God’s house will consume me.”

But the Jewish leaders demanded, “What are you doing? If God gave you authority to do this, show us a miraculous sign to prove it.”

“All right,” Jesus replied. “Destroy this temple, and in three days, I will raise it up.”

“What!” they exclaimed. “It has taken forty-six years to build this Temple, and you can rebuild it in three days?” But when Jesus said, “this temple,” he meant his own body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered he had said this, and they believed both the Scriptures and what Jesus had said.”

John 2:13-22

Do you see the difference? The anger we engage in is human or the wrath of man. Christ’s anger was what is called “Righteous Anger.”

First, let’s look at what the Bible says about human anger:

“Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger and give no opportunity to the devil. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

Ephesians 4:25-26;31-32

In the book of Ephesians, Paul says, “Be angry and do not sin.“ This is what Jesus did because His anger was righteous indignation (anger).

God’s anger is always righteous and justified. Why? Because He’s God. Jesus was angry because of the injustice that was going on in His Father’s House (The Temple). There was nothing wrong with selling animals for sacrifice and exchanging money. But this was happening in the Temple, not outside, and it was distracting from worship. Furthermore, these vendors and money-changers were not there to help the people; they were ripping them off by overcharging and cheating them.

How do we know Jesus didn’t commit a sin in His anger?

In 2 Corinthians, Paul wrote:

“We implore you, on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

                           2 Corinthians 5:21

Jesus was sinless in everything He did. When He got angry or indignant, it was because people were doing something morally wrong in the eyes of God. Not because someone called Him a name or cut His car off while driving down the road. (😊 )

Dear Jesus. I get angry quite often. Sometimes, I get mad for a word someone says, other times for an action of another. Please help me not to overreact to situations by getting angry. Instead, please help me be more like You, being kind, peace-loving, and empathetic towards others. Amen

The Miracles of Jesus

March 2, 2024

Jesus brings Jairus’s daughter back to life

Mark 5:21—24; 35-43

If you’ve ever visited someone in a hospital ward or stayed there, it’s not uncommon to hear the words, “Code Blue, Code Blue, Room #___, Stat!” Code blue indicates a medical emergency such as cardiac or respiratory arrest.

Doctors and nurses rush to the patient’s room and try to get them breathing or heart pumping again. Sometimes, they succeed, and other times they don’t.

***************************The Point***********************

The Synagogue leader, Jairus, came to Jesus asking for his little daughter’s healing, who was near death. Here’s what happened:

“When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. Then, one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” So, Jesus went with him.”

(Jesus’ journey with Jairus was delayed by the healing of the woman who had been bleeding for 12 years. Afterwards, Jesus’ interaction with Jairus continued.)

“While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?”

Overhearing (5:36 Or Ignoring) what they said, Jesus told him, 

“Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. He went in and said to them, 

“Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.”

But they laughed at him.

After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, 

“Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). 

Immediately, the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this, they were completely astonished. He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this and told them to give her something to eat.

Mark 5:21—24; 35-43

Here is another story of Faith and healing. Jairus had just witnessed the healing of a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years. (Yesterday’s devotion) Jesus healed her based on her Faith. Now, Jairus needed a firm faith for what would come next that day.

1. Messengers arrive and tell Jairus that his daughter is dead. They told Him not to bother the master anymore; it was too late for Him to do anything.

How would you feel at this point if you were Jairus?

• Before Jairus can say anything to Jesus, Jesus says, “Don’t be afraid. Just have Faith.”

How strong would your Faith be, based on the healing you witnessed and the words of reassurance from Jesus?

• The group arrives at Jairus’s home. There’s a crowd of people mourning his daughter’s death. Jesus says, “Why all this commotion and weeping? The child isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.” The crowd laughs at Jesus.

You are full of mixed emotions. Your daughter is dead. Jesus says she’s asleep. Yet, you maintain your Faith. Jesus has a plan. Why else would He have come home with you? You have put your Faith entirely in this man who claims to be the Son of God.

• Jesus enters the house and takes the girl’s hand, saying, “Talitha koum,” which means “Little girl, get up!” And she does just that. The twelve-year-old girl is alive and well.

For the first time, we see Jesus as more than a healer. He has the power over life and death. He is truly the Son of God.

This story is just the prelude to the big event to come just a couple of years later. Jesus would die on the cross, be buried, and rise again three days later. Jesus overcame death so that you and I might be saved.

Someday, unless we live till Christ’s second coming, we all will die. But because of Christ’s death on the cross, we too will be resurrected; we too shall rise from the dead and live eternally with Him.

Dear Jesus. You showed your mighty power over death when you healed Jairus’s daughter. Please help us have strong Faith and never stop believing that one day we will rise and join you in eternity. Amen

The Miracles of Jesus

Lent – March 1, 2024

Jesus heals a sick woman

Mark 5:24b-34

When I was about nine years old, I contracted the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), otherwise known as infectious mononucleosis. In lay terms, it’s just called mono.

Mono is highly contagious and causes symptoms of exhaustion, sore throat, and swollen glands. I actually ended up in the hospital’s infectious disease ward for two weeks until they figured out what I had. Then I was sent home and slept a lot. All in all, I was down for about a month.

This was not a fun time for a nine-year-old who liked to ride bikes and hang with his neighborhood friends. By the way, did I mention it’s also known as “The Kissing disease” because mono is most common amongst teens?

 **************************The Point***********************

Having mono was a rough month for me. Having mono was nothing compared to the pain and agony the woman in today’s devotion went through for twelve years.

“and all the people followed, crowding around him. A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding. She had suffered a great deal from many doctors, and over the years, she had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better. In fact, she had gotten worse. She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe. For she thought to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.” Immediately, the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition.

Jesus realized at once that healing power had gone out from him, so he turned around in the crowd and asked, 

“Who touched my robe?”

His disciples said to him, “Look at this crowd pressing around you. How can you ask, ‘Who touched me?'”

But he kept on looking around to see who had done it. Then the frightened woman, trembling at the realization of what had happened to her, came and fell to her knees in front of him and told him what she had done. And he said to her, 

“Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over.”

Mark 24b-34

This is yet another story of faith and healing.

Let me cover a few critical points in this passage:

1. This woman was probably caught in her menstrual cycle. I’m a male, and I can remember my wife’s discomfort when going through it each month. I can’t even imagine the pain and discomfort of going through that every day for twelve years.
2. According to Levitical law, the woman was unclean. When a woman was going through her cycle, she could not touch or be touched by anyone. If she touched someone, they, too, were considered unclean.
3. She touched Jesus’ clothes. He would be considered unclean, too.
4.  Let’s remember something. Jesus was God and man. He knew who touched Him, and He knew why.
5. When Jesus called out and said, “Who touched my robe?” it wasn’t because He didn’t know who did it. He called the woman out because He wanted people to see and understand what had happened because of her faith. When the woman came forward and acknowledged what she did, she was afraid Jesus might take back the healing. Instead, He tells her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in Peace. Your suffering is over.”
6. By acknowledging that she was healed and no longer unclean, this response also made Jesus clean in the eyes of the law.
7.  So, did her faith heal the woman? No, Jesus healed the woman because of her faith.
8. Finally, even though this woman was probably older than Jesus, He called her daughter. Daughter is an endearing term. She was a daughter of the Kingdom of God. For years, she had been shunned and looked down upon. But now, Jesus states publicly that this woman is healed, loved, and has a strong faith.

There are times in our lives when we go through tremendous physical and or emotional difficulties. Then, more than ever, you and I need to touch Jesus and ask for healing. How do we touch Him? We connect to Jesus with our words of prayer, devotion, praise, and thanksgiving.

Are you hurting? Take some time right now and touch Him.

Dear Jesus, you are The Great Physician. I believe that You still perform miracles today. I know you are always listening. Please allow me to touch you through prayer, devotion, praise, and thanksgiving as I ask for healing from my emotional and physical disorders. Amen.

The Miracles of Jesus

Lent – February 29, 2024

Jesus casts demons into a herd of pigs

Mark 5:1-20

I guess my brain works a little differently than most. Whenever I read the story of Jesus casting out demons into a herd of pigs, I think of the 1950s movie “Beginning of the End.”

The movie was released in 1957. At the time, I was six years old and living in Chicago. “Beginning of the End” is what we used to call a B-class movie. It was made on a meager budget; you wouldn’t have known many of the actors. And the acting was horrible.

“Beginning of the End” was no different. It was the story of giant locusts (made gigantic by all the nuclear testing done back in the 1950s) that invaded Chicago. People died, got eaten, and someone figured out how to destroy them. Scientists put sound equipment in boats on Lake Michigan that attracted the locusts. The locust followed the sound, jumped into the lake, and drowned—the End.

***************************The Point************************

In Mark’s Gospel, we learn of a “Legion” of demons entering into 2000 pigs. They run over a cliff into the lake and drown.

“So, they arrived at the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus climbed out of the boat, a man possessed by an evil spirit came out from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the burial caves and could no longer be restrained, even with a chain. Whenever he was put into chains and shackles—as he often was—he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Day and night, he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones.

When Jesus was still some distance away, the man saw him, ran to meet him, and bowed low before him. With a shriek, he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In the name of God, I beg you, don’t torture me!”

 For Jesus had already said to the spirit, “Come out of the man, you evil spirit.”

Then Jesus demanded, “What is your name?”

And he replied, “My name is Legion because there are many of us inside this man.” Then, the evil spirits begged him again and again not to send them to some distant place.

There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby. “Send us into those pigs,” the spirits begged. “Let us enter them.”

So, Jesus gave them permission. The evil spirits came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd of about 2,000 pigs plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water.

The herdsmen fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. People rushed out to see what had happened. A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons. He was sitting there fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid. Then, those who had seen what happened told the others about the demon-possessed man and the pigs. And the crowd began pleading with Jesus to go away and leave them alone.

As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 

But Jesus said, “No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.” 

So, the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him, and everyone was amazed at what he told them.”

Mark 5:1-20

(A lot is going on in the passage you just read. As this is a devotion and not a Bible study, I would encourage you to read up on this miracle passage in a Bible commentary. You’ll get a much deeper understanding of the nuances of these verses.)

Let’s look at a few things in these verses:

1. Jesus didn’t approach the demon-possessed man; he approached Jesus.

We should approach Jesus regularly with praise, penitent hearts, asking for our needs, and yielding to His will. We should always follow the direction and path He wants us to.

2. The man was demon-possessed, not by one, but by many.

We are not all demon-possessed, but the devil is continually working on our minds and hearts to follow the world and not Christ.

3. Jesus healed this tortured man by ordering the demons out of him.

When we turn to Jesus in prayer, He is there for us. We all have problems. Some are small, while some difficulties torture us for long periods. Turn to Jesus, as Him for help and healing.

4. The cleansed man wanted to come with Jesus, but He told him no. He wanted the man to stay in the ten cities and be a witness.

We are Christ’s witnesses to the world:

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Acts 1:8

Here are a couple of questions for you to ponder:

1. Why were there so many demons in one man?
2. When the demons entered the pigs, and the pigs drowned in the lake, did the demons die too?

Lord Jesus, you are the great healer. You can heal our bodies, our minds, and our souls. Help us to be strong and fend off the attacks of Satan that make us weak. Thank you for being with us always. Amen

The Miracles of Jesus

Lent – February 28, 2024

Jesus calms a storm on the sea of Galilee

Mark 4:35-41

In 1983, I was a manager for Albertson’s supermarkets in Lake Worth, FL. That year, I won a contest through Progresso Foods for best display. The prize was a four-day, three-night cruise to the Bahamas.

I had never been on a cruise, but I knew I get motion sick pretty quickly. So, before we left, I purchased one of those patches you put behind your ear to help with equilibrium and some Dramamine.

The day we left the port of Miami was a chilly and dismal day in March. We would be sailing on the SS Sunward II. Everything was fine until the ship got out onto the Gulf Stream. Then, the boat began to rock back and forth and up and down. At one point, we hit 20-30-foot swells. I thought we were going to sink and drown for sure.

Needless to say, I got sick, as did most of the people on the ship that day. I haven’t been on a cruise or any other kind of boat except a canoe since.

*************************The Point********************

In the 4^th chapter of Mark’s Gospel, Jesus and His disciples have quite the adventure on the Sea of Galilee:

“As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So, they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). But soon, a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.

Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”

When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” 

Suddenly, the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. 

Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!”

Mark 4:35-41

The type of storm that is described in this story is not unusual for the Sea of Galilee. I’ve had two pastors tell stories of their experiences with squalls while on a boat in the Sea of Galilee and on a tour of Israel. I have also read about signs posted in the car parking lots on the western shore. The post warns that the waves can swamp your car when a storm occurs. The windstorms seem to come out of nowhere and will toss a boat on the water around like a kid’s toy.

Let’s get back to our story. Jesus gets on a boat with His disciples after a long day of teaching. His goal? To get to Geresenes, where He knew someone needed help. Jesus was exhausted. He went to the back of the boat, laid on a pillow, and fell asleep.

Suddenly, one of those crazy Sea of Galilee storms comes up. The boat fills up with water and is tossed around like nothing most of the disciples had experienced before. They thought they were going to die.

Where was Jesus? In the back of the boat, sleeping. I don’t know about you, but I’m a light sleeper. I wake up when a train goes by on the other side of the Intracoastal, two miles away.

But Jesus knew who He was and was not worried about a storm. But His disciples were. They came to the back of the boat and awakened Him. They were probably screaming at the top of their lungs, “Lord, don’t You care if we die?”

Of course, Jesus cares. Jesus cares about everyone. So, He gets up and tells the raging waters and hurricane-force winds to SHUT UP! And that’s precisely what happened—no storm, no waves, just calm.

Jesus shows us His power at yet another level. Just like when God created the seas, the wind, and everything else, Jesus shows who He is by commanding them to stop. Not only can Jesus heal and drive out demons, but now, He shows His disciples that He also has command over the elements.

They are in awe yet still don’t quite understand the full meaning of who Jesus is.

Once again, let’s take a quick trip to the other side of history. You’re there, I’m there, and this miraculous thing happens. What is your reaction? What questions do you ask? Who do you tell about the experience? Take some time and ponder those questions.

Dear Jesus. You are in complete control of everything. You heal people, make the sunshine, and give us rainy days. You are everywhere and involved in every aspect of our lives. Thank you for always being with us. Amen

The Miracles of Jesus

Lent – February 27, 2024

Jesus raises a widow’s son from the dead

Luke 7:11-17

Funerals and memorial services are never fun. I’ve been to many of them over my lifetime, and I always find them very depressing. People try to say comforting words to those who have lost a family member or friend. Relatives get up in front of the church and reminisce about what a great person a mother, father, or other family member was. The pastor talks about eternal life and a life well-lived and how this service celebrates the deceased’s life.

Even though I am a Christian and believe in eternal life, I never feel like celebrating.

One thing remains. The person is dead. Neither you nor I will see them again this side of eternity. A mother who has lost her child is devastated and never fully recovers from the loss. She mourns; she remembers her child every day. Her heart is heavy and broken.

*************************The Point**************************

In chapter seven of the Gospel of Luke, Jesus turns a funeral into a celebration:

“Soon afterward, Jesus went with his disciples to the village of Nain, and a large crowd followed him. A funeral procession was coming out as he approached the village gate. The young man who had died was a widow’s only son, and a large crowd from the village was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with compassion. 

“Don’t cry!” he said. 

Then he walked over to the coffin and touched it, and the bearers stopped. 

“Young man,” he said, “I tell you, get up.” 

Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk! And Jesus gave him back to his mother.

Great fear swept the crowd, and they praised God, saying, “A mighty prophet has risen among us” and “God has visited his people today.” And the news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding countryside.”

Luke 7:11-17

In previous devotions, I have written about the miracles of Jesus; the healed person’s faith was evident. In this story, we don’t see that. This time, we see Jesus’ faith and compassion given to a widow who has lost her young son.

Jesus takes His healing power to a whole new level in this story. He does something no one had ever seen done before. Jesus walks over to the coffin and touches it. Not only was this not allowed, but if you touched the casket or dead body, you were considered unclean.

But Jesus showed the love He has for everyone. Even women (who were held in low esteem at the time), and in Jesus’ previous miracle when He healed a gentile’s (Centurion’s) servant. Jesus is showing He came for everyone, not just Jews.

In your most trying times, when your heart and mind feel desolate because of a loss. Turn to Jesus. Loss is not always found in death. You may lose your job; turn to Jesus. Your marriage may end; turn to Jesus. You may lose your trust in someone who you thought you could. Turn to Jesus.

Ask Christ to help you to fill the emptiness and feelings of loss in your life. Remember, He is with you always.

Dear Jesus. You are amazing. You heal and speak, and people listen. You are always there for us. Help us remember to come to you when we feel empty and need refueling, and in thanks for your many blessings each day. Amen