God delivers, protects and heals

New Guest: Like this one, most posts are devotional; those related to CAR BIZ can be found by searching for that title. You might read 'Welcome,' the first post, dated November 12, 2008, in the archives.

Friday, May 1, 2009
Devotions: Ps 105; Dan 6:1-15; 2 Jn; Lk 5:12-26

Give thanks to YHWH and make His name known to all. Sing His praise and tell of His wonderful works. I will seek God and His strength continually, recalling all He has done for me. He is Judge of all creation, Maker and Keeper of covenant with the sons and daughters of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He protected His people during their bondage in Egypt, and led them to freedom through Moses and Aaron. He overcame the gods and rulers of Egypt; He cared for the people during their long wilderness trek. They despoiled Egypt, and God provided food and water in the desert—manna, quail, and water from the Rock. He gave them the Holy Land as an inheritance, asking only that the people keep His law and obey His commands.

Under Darius the Mede, the Babylonian empire was divided into 120 provinces, with their satraps under three presidents, one of whom was Daniel. Because the king favored Daniel, the other presidents and satraps sought to discredit him. They decided to focus on Daniel’s devotion to his God. They persuaded Darius to issue a decree that if anyone made petition to any god or human except Darius, that person would be cast into a den of lions. Daniel continued to worship YHWH, the conspirators accused him before the king, and demanded that the unbreakable decree be kept. Despite his sorrow, the king directed that Daniel be put into the lions’ den, and the entrance was sealed with the king’s own signet. The king spent a restless night in fasting, and hurried back to the den at daybreak to see if God had spared Daniel.

John the Elder wrote ‘to the Elect Lady and her children’—probably a local church and its members—whom I love in the truth which abides in us forever, grace, mercy and peace will be with us from God the Father and Jesus His Son, in truth and love. John had been gratified to find that some of the church members were living in a holy manner, ‘just as we have been commanded by the Father.’ He implored the church to keep the commandment of love, by obeying God’s word and will. John decried the deceivers abroad, who denied the incarnation of the Messiah Jesus, and whom John called the antichrist. Those who abide in Christ have God the Father as well; those who deny the Son also are separated from the Father. John counseled his audience not to receive those who deny Jesus as Messiah and God’s Son—for those who would welcome them are partaking in their wicked work!

As Jesus ministered in the Galilee, a man ‘full of leprosy’ came and fell before Him and begged Him: ‘Lord, if You will, You can make me clean.’ Jesus touched the man, and said, ‘I will: be clean.’ Immediately, the man was free of leprosy; Jesus told him not to discuss these events with anyone, but to show himself to the priests and make an offering, in accord with Mosaic law. Of course, the word got out, and multitudes sought Jesus, to hear and to be healed. Jesus withdrew to the wilderness and prayed. One day, as Jesus taught, some Pharisees and Torah teachers gathered, from every village in Galilee and Judea, and from Jerusalem. Four men brought a paralyzed friend, carrying his pallet; but since they couldn’t get near Jesus through the throng around Him, they climbed onto the roof of the house where He was teaching, and made a hold through the tiles and roofing, through which they lowered their friend, on his pallet, to Jesus’ feet. When Jesus observed the faith of the four friends, He said to the paralytic, ‘Man, your sins are forgiven.’ This enraged the Pharisees and Torah scholars; to them, Jesus blasphemed, since only God can forgive sins. Jesus also perceived their unspoken responses, and addressed His critics openly: ‘Why do you question in your hearts? Which is easier: to speak forgiveness or to cure paralysis? But so you may know that I, the Son of man, have authority on earth to forgive sins…’ He spoke to the man: ‘I say to you, rise, take up your bed, and go home.’ Immediately, the man did so, and departed, glorifying God. Amazement seized the onlookers, and they also glorified God and were filled with awe, repeating ‘We have seen strange things today!’