John 9
Jesus heals blind man on Sabbath verse 1- 7
And as Jesus passed by
HE saw a man which was blind from his birth
and HIS disciples asked HIM – saying
Master – who did sin – this man or his parents
that he was born blind?
Jesus answered
Neither has this man sinner – nor his parents
BUT that the works of God
should be made manifest in him
I must work the works of HIM that sent ME
while it is day
the night comes when
no man can work
As long as I am in the world
I am the LIGHT OF THE WORLD
When HE had thus spoken
HE spat on the ground – and made clay of the spittle
and HE anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay
And HE said to him – Go – wash in the pool of Siloam
(which is by interpretation – Sent)
He went his way therefore – and washed
and came SEEING
Neighbors witness to man’s blindness verse 8- 12
The neighbors therefore
and they which before had seen him that was blind
said
Is not this he that sat and begged?
some said – This is he – others said – He is like him
BUT he said – I am he
Therefore said they to him
How were your eyes opened?
He answered and said – A man that is called Jesus made clay
and anointed mine eyes
and said to me
Go to the pool of Siloam
and wash – and I went and washed
and I received SIGHT
THEN said they to him – Where is HE?
He said I know not
Pharisees question former blind man verse 13- 17
They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind
and it was the Sabbath day when Jesus made the clay
and opened his eyes
THEN again the Pharisees also asked him
how he had receive his sight
He said to them
HE put clay upon mine eyes – and I washed
and do SEE
Therefore said some of the Pharisees
This MAN is not of God
BECAUSE HE keeps not the Sabbath day
Others said
How can a MAN that is a sinner do such miracles?
and there was a division among them
They said to the blind man again
What say you of HIM – that HE has opened thine eyes?
He said
HE is a prophet
Parents of blind man questioned verse 18- 23
BUT the Jews did not believe concerning him
that he had been blind and received his sight
until they called the parents of him that had
received his sight
And asked them – saying
Is this your son – who you say was born blind?
How then does he now see?
His parents answered them
and said
We know that this is our son – and that he was born blind
BUT by what means he now sees – we know not
OR who has opened his eyes – we know not
he is of age – ASK HIM
he shall speak for himself
These words spoke his parents
BECAUSE they feared the Jews
for the Jews had agreed already
that if any man did CONFESS
that HE was Christ
he should be put out of the synagogue
THEREFORE said his parents – He is of age – ASK HIM
Pharisees question blind man a second time verse 24- 29
THEN again called they the man that was blind
and said to him
Give God the praise
we know that this MAN is a SINNER
He answered and said
Whether HE is a SINNER or no – I know not
one thing I know – that – whereas I was blind
now I SEE
THEN said they to him again
What did HE to you? How opened HE your eyes?
He answered them – I have told you already
AND YOU DID NOT HEAR
Wherefore would you hear it again?
Will you also be HIS disciples?
THEN they reviled him – and said – You are HIS disciple
BUT we are Moses’ disciples
We know that God spoke unto Moses
as for this FELLOW
we know not from whence HE is
Blind man gives witness to Pharisees verse 30- 34
The man answered and said to them
Why herein is a marvelous thing
that you know not from where HE is
and yet HE has opened mine eyes
NOW we know that God hears NOT SINNERS
BUT IF any man be a worshipper of God
and does HIS will – him HE hears
Since the world began was it not heard that any man
opened the eyes of one that was born blind
IF this MAN were not of God
HE could do nothing
They answered and said to him
You were altogether born in sins
and do you teach us?
AND THEY CAST HIM OUT
Jesus informs Pharisees of their spiritual blindness verse 35- 41
Jesus heard that they had cast him out
and when HE had found him
HE said to him
Do you believe on the Son of God?
He answered and said
Who is HE Lord that I might believe on HIM?
And Jesus said to him – You have both seen HIM
and it is HE that talks with you
And he said – Lord – I believe
and he worshipped HIM
And Jesus said – For judgment I am come into this world
that they which see not might see
and that they which see might be made blind
And some of the Pharisees which were with HIM
heard these words and said to HIM
Are we blind also?
Jesus said to them – If you were blind
you should have no sin
but now you say – We see
THEREFORE your sin remains
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 2 And HIS disciples asked HIM, saying Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? (1118 “parents” [goneus] means the father and mother who produce, nurture, and raise a child, considered collectively, generator, biological or legal parents, or begetter)
DEVOTION: There are false teachings that we receive from the world around. There are false teachings taught by religious leaders. There is a lot of falsehood in our world. Remember that the author of these false teachings is the devil. He is a liar. People believe his lies and teach them to others.
Jesus is concerned with teaching the truth. HE wants everyone to know the truth regarding HIS relationship to the Father and our relationship to HIM. The only way we can discover truth is to study the Word of God.
There are two falsehoods that the disciples believed in this one statement. They believed that a child in the womb could sin before he was born. Yes everyone is born with a sin nature since Adam. Adam was created innocent but chose to sin when offered the fruit from Eve. If our sin nature caused this man to be blind at birth then all babies would be blind. We are all spiritually blind at birth.
The second falsehood that they believed is that a child born to parents who were sinners could be blind because their parents sin. There are diseases in the parents that cause the children to inherit those diseases but this isn’t the case with this man.
Jesus stated that the man was blind to manifest the works of God at this time. This was a special presentation of truth regarding the relationship between sickness and sin. Not all sickness is caused by sin. Not all those who are sick are out of fellowship with the LORD. Some sickness is for the glory of God.
Watch out that you don’t become like the disciples or like the Pharisees regarding their beliefs regarding sickness.
CHALLENGE: God does use sickness at times to correct a believer who is sinning. We also need to realize that not all sickness is because of sin. God uses it for HIS glory to show the world that Christian’s can handle sickness better than those outside of Christ.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 22 These words spoke his parents, because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that HE was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. (3670 “confess” [homologeo] means profess, promise, acknowledge, to agree with, to concede, to admit or declare one’s self guilty of what one is accused of, or to declare openly)
DEVOTION: In the time period when Jesus came the religious leaders had great power of the people. Their worst form of judgment was to put someone out of the Synagogue. That person was shunned by those who wanted to be in good standings with the religious leaders. It was like causing a person to be in solitary confinement with people around. No one would talk to them. No one would help them.
The parents of the blind man were afraid of this judgment and because of it they would not defend their son. They let him as an adult speak for himself and whatever happened to him was going to happen to him alone. Doesn’t sound like good parents but that was the way they handled this situation.
Parents have a responsibility toward their children to raise them to serve the LORD if they are believers. That doesn’t mean that all the children will be followers of the LORD but the parents have to try.
I believe parents and even grandparents are going to answer to the LORD for the raising of their children and grandchildren. Some grandparents who are believers are not setting a good example for their grandchildren. Some parents are listening to their parents rather than listening to the LORD.
If children don’t become followers of the LORD, they are going to be held personally accountable for their rejection of Jesus Christ. They will not be able to blame their parents or grandparents for their rejection at the Great White Throne. Many parents and grandparents might be saves yet so as by fire if even they are believers. Their claim might be false also.
CHALLENGE: False religion is a problem. Many people believe they are saved but there is no change. Some are afraid of social pressure. Some want social status rather than Jesus.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 31 Now we know that God hears not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and does HIS will, him HE hears. (268 “sinners” [hamartolos] means devoted to sin, especially wicked, pre-eminently sinful, or all wicked men.)
DEVOTION: False beliefs need to be confronted. Jesus confronted the false beliefs of the people in general. HE confronted the false beliefs of HIS disciples. HE confronted the false beliefs of the religious leaders. Too often we believe falsehoods that need to be corrected.
We have to be willing to listen to the Word of God regarding our beliefs. Remember that the Holy Spirit is our teacher and HE needs us to pay attention to HIM during our times of studying the Word of God. Jesus wanted HIS disciples to pay attention to HIS teachings.
The Pharisees thought that all tax collectors were sinners. The Pharisees thought all those who didn’t follow their teachings were sinners. The Pharisees called Jesus a sinner. We know from the Bible that Jesus never sinned. HE was sinless. HE was the only man who was sinless.
Now the blind man replies to the Pharisees regarding their teachings and the teachings of the word of God. He states that God doesn’t hear sinners. Is this a true statement? The first prayer that God hears from a sinner is his prayer of confession of sin and need for a Savior. Those who are worshippers of God are followers of Christ today or they should be.
Not everyone in a worship service in our churches is a follower of Christ. Some come in to hear what the preacher is saying to make fun of it. Some come in because their spouse or parent told them they had to come to worship service. Some come in and want to find out the truth about Jesus. Some come in who are genuine followers of Christ and want to worship HIM because of HIS provision of salvation.
The true worshiper are ones that the LORD hears when they pray. The blind man was reminding the Pharisees of the teaching of Scripture.
God doesn’t hear wicked men until they repent. If God doesn’t hear wicked men and God heard Jesus and healed the blind man, then Jesus must not be a sinner. Makes sense!!! The Pharisees could only respond by kicking the former blind man out of the synagogue.
Jesus ends HIS lesson by confronting the Pharisees that thought they had sight but were really blinded in their false beliefs.
CHALLENGE: Confront your beliefs with the Word of God. Sometimes sickness or blindness is for the glory of God.
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: 41 Jesus said to them, If you were blind, you should have no sin: but now you say, We see; therefore your sin remains. (5185 “blind” [tuphlos] means mentally blind, not able to understand, spiritual blindness, or deprive of sight)
DEVOTION: The whole chapter is centered around the fact that Jesus healed a blind man on the Sabbath. On this occasion HE spat on the ground and made clay of HIS spittle and anointed the eyes of the blind man. Then HE sent him to the pool of Siloam to wash. After he washed, he could see.
Now after all the questioning of the man, him parents, the crowd and the man again they didn’t believe that Jesus could heal because God doesn’t answer the prayers of a sinner according to the Pharisees.
Jesus confronts the Pharisees regarding not their physical sight but of their spiritual sight. They thought that they knew everything spiritual. They thought that they were the final judge regarding what God does and doesn’t’ do.
They ask Jesus if HE thought they were blind spiritually. HIS reply is found in this verse. HE stated that you have to be blind spiritually before you can be cleansed of sin. They were not blind spiritually according to themselves but thought they could see the truth. Jesus tells them that they were yet in their sins.
The Pharisees didn’t want to know the truth about their condition. They were sure that they had all the answers to all the problems they would ever face.
We can sometimes develop the same attitude once we have been a believer for a long time. We attend a fundamental church that believes fundamental truths regarding the Scriptures and teach these truths to the next generation. A problem can develop of spiritual elite thinking. We can think that we are the only church that is genuinely teaching the truth and that all others are false teachers.
Once we start thinking that way we stop learning and listening to the Holy Spirit in our life. HE doesn’t want us to have spiritual pride. HE wants us to have humble acceptance of our position in HIS Kingdom.
We have to watch out for spiritual pride that causes us to stop searching the Scriptures to learn more about a proper relationship to the LORD. We need to remember that we never arrive at perfection while we are on this earth.
CHALLENGE: We need to be humble learners from the time we become a believer until the day we die.
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
God doesn’t hear sinners prayer verse 31
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Sabbath day verse 14, 16
Synagogue verse 22
Worshiper of God verse 31
Blind man worships Jesus verse 38
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Moses verse 28, 29
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
God verse 3, 16, 24, 29, 31, 33
Works of God verse 3
Father sent the Son verse 4
God spoke to Moses verse 29
Creation verse 32
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
Jesus verse 1, 3, 11, 14, 35, 37, 39, 41
Healing of blind man on Sabbath verse 1- 41
Master verse 2
Light of the world verse 5
Miracles verse 16
Prophet verse 17
Christ verse 22
Sinner (called by Pharisees) verse 24
Worshiper of God verse 31
Does will of God verse 31
God hears HIM verse 31
Son of God verse 35, 37
Lord verse 36, 38
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Neighbors verse 8
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Sin verse 2, 3, 34, 41
Sinner verse 16, 24, 25, 31
Call Christ a sinner verse 24
Reviled blind man verse 28
Cast former blind man out of Synagogue verse 34, 35
Sinners are spiritually blind verse 40, 41
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Confess verse 22
Praise verse 24
Worship verse 31, 38
Will of God verse 31
Hear verse 31
Teach verse 34
Believe verse 35, 36, 38
Worship Jesus verse 38
See verse 39
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Pool of Siloam verse 7, 11
Pharisees verse 13, 15, 16, 40
Jews verse 18, 22
Moses verse 28, 29
Moses disciples verse 28
Church (New Testament people of God)
Disciples verse 2, 27
Last Things (Future Events)
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DONATIONS:
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QUOTES regarding passage
39–41 The negative result is illustrated by the Pharisees’ response. Jesus’ remark, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind,” makes him the pivot on which human destiny turns. The Pharisees, assuming that they could “see” without his intervention, asked in resentment, “Are we blind too?” Jesus’ reply indicated that if they had acknowledged blindness, they could be freed from sin; but if they asserted that they could see when they were really blind, there would be no remedy for them. If they acted in ignorance of the light, they could not be held responsible for not knowing it; but if they claimed to understand it and still rejected it, they would be liable for judgment. Deliberate rejection of light means that “the light within … is darkness” (Matt 6:23) (Tenney, M. C. (1981). John. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: John and Acts (Vol. 9, p. 105). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
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John 9:41
If ye were blind (εἰ τυφλοι ἠτε [ei tuphloi ēte]). Condition of second class with imperfect indicative in the protasis. The old word τυφλος [tuphlos] is from τυφω [tuphō], to raise a smoke, to blind by smoke (literally and metaphorically). Here, of course, it is moral blindness. If the Pharisees were born morally blind, they would, like idiots, be without responsibility. Ye would not have sin (οὐκ ἀν εἰχετε ἁμαρτιαν [ouk an eichete hamartian]). Regular form for conclusion of second-class condition, ἀν [an] with imperfect. But now ye say (νυν δε λεγετε [nun de legete]). In contrast to the previous condition. See like contrast in 15:22, 24. They arrogantly asserted superior knowledge. We see (βλεπομεν [blepomen]). The ignorant mob do not (7:49). It is sin against light and is hopeless (Mark 3:29; Matt. 12:31f.). “Ye are witnesses against yourselves” (μαρτυρειτε ἑαυτοις [martureite heautois], Matt. 23:31). (Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (Jn 9:41). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.)
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9:40–41. Some of the Pharisees … asked, literally, “We also are not blind, are we?” They expected a negative answer because they assumed that certainly they, of all men, possessed spiritual perception. Sin constantly deceives people so they live in falsehood. Jesus replied, If the Pharisees were blind to spiritual things absolutely, they might have claimed ignorance as a defense. But their claims and pretentions of spiritual insight (you claim you can see) and leadership made them culpable. They were responsible for their sins because they sinned willfully. It is dangerous to be a teacher of spiritual truths (cf. 3:10; Rom. 2:19–24; James 3:1). (Blum, E. A. (1985). John. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 309). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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Wherever Jesus went, some of the Pharisees tried to be present so they could catch Him in something He said or did. Seeing them, Jesus closed this episode by preaching a brief but penetrating sermon on spiritual blindness.
John 9:39 does not contradict John 3:16–17. The reason for our Lord’s coming was salvation, but the result of His coming was condemnation of those who would not believe. The same sun that brings beauty out of the seeds also exposes the vermin hiding under the rocks. The religious leaders were blind and would not admit it; therefore, the light of truth only made them blinder. The beggar admitted his need, and he received both physical and spiritual sight. No one is so blind as he who will not see, the one who thinks he has “all truth” and there is nothing more for him to learn (John 9:28, 34).
The listening Pharisees heard what Jesus said and it disturbed them. “Are we blind also?” they asked, expecting a negative answer. Jesus had already called them “blind leaders of the blind” (Matt. 15:14), so they had their answer. They were blinded by their pride, their self-righteousness, their tradition, and their false interpretation of the Word of God.
Our Lord’s reply was a paradox. “If you were blind, you would be better off. But you claim to see. Therefore, you are guilty!” Blindness would at least be an excuse for not knowing what was going on. But they did know what was going on. Jesus had performed many miracles and the religious leaders ignored the evidence to make a right decision.
Jesus is the Light of the world (John 8:12; 9:5). The only people who cannot see the light are blind people and those who refuse to look, those who make themselves blind. The beggar was physically blind and spiritually blind, yet both his eyes and his heart were opened. Why? Because he listened to the Word, believed it, obeyed, and experienced the grace of God. The Pharisees had good physical vision, but they were blind spiritually. Had they listened to the Word and sincerely considered the evidence, they too would have believed on Jesus Christ and been born again.
In what sense did the Pharisees “see”? They saw the change in the blind beggar and could not deny that he had been healed. They saw the mighty works that Jesus performed. Even Nicodemus, one of their number, was impressed with the Lord’s miracles (John 3:2). If they had examined the evidence with honesty, they would have seen the truth clearly. “If any man wills to do His [God’s] will, he shall know of the doctrine” (John 7:17, literal translation). “And ye will not come to Me, that ye might have life” (John 5:40). (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, pp. 327–328). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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“And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth” (John 9:40, 41). This receives explanation in John 15:22–24: “If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak (excuse) for their sin. He that hateth Me hateth My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both Me and My Father.” The simple meaning then of these words of Christ to the Pharisees is this: “If you were sensible of your blindness and really desired light, if you would take this place before Me, salvation would be yours and no condemnation would rest upon you. But because of your pride and self-sufficiency, because you refuse to acknowledge your undone condition, your guilt remaineth.” How strikingly this confirms our interpretation of v. 6 and the sequel. The blind man made to see illustrates those who accept God’s verdict of man’s lost condition; the self-righteous Pharisees who refused to bow to the Lord’s decision that they were “condemned already” (John 3:18), continued in their blindness and sin. (Pink, A. W. (1923–1945). Exposition of the Gospel of John (p. 507). Swengel, PA: Bible Truth Depot.)
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Ver. 41. Jesus said unto them, if ye were blind, &c.] And sensible of it, and knew yourselves to be blind, and were desirous of light and knowledge, ye would have no sin; or your sin would not be so aggravated; it would not be imputed to you; it would be pardoned and taken away from you: for the sense cannot be, that their blindness would not have been criminal, or they should have no sin in them, or any done by them; only, that had this been barely their case, there would have been some hope of them, that their sin might be forgiven, and put away, and be no more; see 1 Tim. 1:13 but now ye say we see; they thought themselves to be wise and knowing, and stood in no need of any illumination from him, but were obstinate and hardened in their infidelity, and wilfully opposed and shut their eyes against all the light and evidence of truth: therefore your sin remaineth; untaken away, yea, immoveable, or unpardonable; the guilt of it abode upon them; nor was there any hope of its being removed from them; owning that they saw, and yet believed not: sinning wilfully against light and knowledge in rejecting Jesus, as the Messiah, they sinned the sin against the Holy Ghost, which is never forgiven. And so the Ethiopic version renders it, your error shall not be forgiven you; see Matt. 12:32. (Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 2, pp. 10–11). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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FROM MY READING:
TEN TESTS: TESTS 4-6
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 1 John 4:16
Fourth, I have a sense of sins forgiven. I do not understand it, but I am aware of it. I know that I have sinned; “my sin is ever before me” (Psalm 51:3), as David says. I remember my sins, and yet the moment I pray, I know my sins are forgiven. I cannot understand it, I do not know how God does it, but I know He does it, and that my sins are forgiven.
A sense of sins forgiven leads me to the fifth test: a sense of gratitude and thanksgiving to God. No one can believe that God sent His only begotten Son into the world to die on the cross without feeling a sense of praise and thanksgiving. Think of Saul of Tarsus there on the road to Damascus. The moment he saw and understood something of what had happened to him, he said, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6). That is, what can I do to repay You—how can I show my gratitude? Do you feel a sense of gratitude? Do you want to praise God? A sense of gratitude and a desire to praise is further proof of the knowledge of God.
Then sixth, there is an increasing hatred of sin. I sometimes think there is no better proof of a knowledge of God and knowledge of the love of God than that. You know, if you hate sin, you are like God, for God hates it and abominates it. We are told that He cannot look upon iniquity (Habakkuk 1:13); therefore, whatever your feelings may or may not be, if you have an increasing hatred of sin, it is because the love of God is in you—God is in you. No man hates sin apart from God.
A Thought to Ponder: No man hates sin apart from God. (From The Love of God, pp. 151-152 by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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Hebrews 12
Following the example of Christ, we are to endure the chastening of God in our lives.
INSIGHT
We don’t mind suffering some things as long as someone else is suffering too; we don’t like to be the only one. Few things make us feel worse than when everything seems to be going well for everyone else and we are in the throes of suffering. The writer of Hebrews encourages us to endure our present sufferings as Christians in this world by reminding us that Christ suffered for us and that we ought, therefore, to be willing to suffer for Him. One of Jesus’ highest points of integrity is that He never asks us to do anything for Him that He is not willing to do for us. (Quiet Walk)
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Our Listening God
“O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.” (Psalm 65:2)
There come times in each life when loneliness overshadows like a cloud, and no one is there to listen and provide counsel. Or perhaps there is some problem so personal and intimate that it seems unfitting or too embarrassing to share with anyone else.
But God will listen! No need is so small, no place too remote, no burden too heavy that He who is the “God of all grace” and “the God of all comfort” (1 Peter 5:10; 2 Corinthians 1:3) will not listen and care. “The LORD will hear when I call unto him” (Psalm 4:3).
Young people sometimes complain that their parents won’t listen to them; wives may say their husbands don’t listen; sometimes it seems that no one will listen to our questions or ideas about anything. But “the LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth” (Psalm 145:18). Therefore, “pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah” (Psalm 62:8).
But how can He listen? After all, God is far away upon His throne. The risen Savior ascended far above all heavens to sit down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. How can the Father hear when we whisper a prayer in our hearts that no human could hear?
God is indeed up there, but He is also right here! Jesus said: “It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you” (John 16:7). Our God is a triune God, and He can be both in heaven and in our room and even, as the Holy Spirit, within our very hearts. Of course, “if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (Psalm 66:18). But for those who confess and forsake their sins, “his ears are open unto their prayers” (1 Peter 3:12).
(HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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Daily Hope
Today’s Scripture
Psalm 144
As our children were growing, it was a joy to coach and assist them to succeed in education and sports. It is gratifying to know they now recognize and appreciate our efforts through the years. Likewise, identifying the Lord’s work in our life is also essential. God has blessed and prospered us as a people, and we should be careful to acknowledge His unseen hand in all our prosperity. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord!
The psalmist exclaimed throughout this psalm the recognition that God alone was the one that preserved and prospered him. His God had trained him for battle and the Lord was continually with him in whatever battle or situation David encountered. Kings could make proclamations and claims of superiority, but David knew God was more powerful (vv.7-8). His cry to rescue and bring deliverance from the hands of foreigners and enemies was indicative of his dependance upon the Lord. As God aided His people, Israel’s children, animals, and produce became plentiful (vv.12-14). God’s power and presence was manifested throughout Israel as their needs were met, and peace was present in the nation (v.14).
David’s recognition of God’s continual guidance in his life is an example we need to heed today. When difficulties and hardship arise, do we consciously seek the wisdom of God for the situation? God’s power and wisdom is available to meet the pressures and challenges which confront us. Like the Apostle Paul as he was imprisoned, vilified, and ridiculed, we can call out and “know the Lord is at hand” (Philippians 4:5).
The psalmist was able to sing a new song of praises as he meditated on God’s continual care and protection in his personal life and throughout Israel’s history. Today is a good time to recognize and praise the Lord for His continual presence in our lives.
With an Expectant hope, Pastor Miller
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We now have a Facebook page for Small Church Ministries – please invite others to join us on Facebook. Thank you. Look for the logo from the devotionals.