Week 5 - Jairus Part 3

Last week we ended with Jairus facing a decision of whether to listen to the Lord and, “Fear not, believe only…” or to walk away in the defeat of his daughter’s death.

Thankfully, Jairus chose to listen to the Lord and follow Him to his home where his deceased daughter awaited them. Now, the devil loves to beat you when you are down, and his actions were no different in this case. As soon as Jairus and Jesus arrived back at the house, they were bombarded by mourning and weeping from the paid mourners, an act that was customary during this time. The sounds alone were probably enough to make Jairus want to turn and run. But, he didn’t…he held to Christ’s words. Then, another blow to his faith came, these mourners laughed Jesus to scorn when He stated that the little girl was not dead but sleeping. Jairus was alone in his stand…no one even wanted to admit that Christ could still possibly bring a miracle. (Please note that the little girl was actually physically dead, but to Jesus, she was only asleep because he was about to “wake her up.”) Nevertheless, Christ did not tolerate this lack of belief. He immediately put these mourners in their rightful place…outside the door. You see, Christ can not work where unbelief resides. The Bible states in Hebrews 11:6 that without faith it is impossible to please Him. Christ knew that if these people stayed, they would cast a negative influence on Jairus because (unbeknownst to them they were actually being used by the devil in one final attempt to discourage Jairus’ faith).

Jesus allowed Jairus to face many faith tests that day, and Jairus passed each one. He chose to fear not and to believe and because of that, Christ honored his faith and his beloved daughter was raised from the dead.

Friend, are you in a Jairus situation? Does it seem like death is lying at your doorstep, Christ has taken a leave of absence, and all is hopeless? Perhaps you have even humbled yourself until you are prostrate on the floor and you have still not heard from the Lord. Well, take heart. Christ is still on the scene and He has heard and will continue to hear your plea. He wants you to continue to look to Him until His perfect moment arrives. Believe me, I’ve had times in my life when I thought my prayers were literally bouncing off the ceiling and hitting me in the head and the devil had to be in a backpack on my back. But God had mercy every time and came to my rescue. Christ promised us that He would not allow us to be tempted above what we are able to bear without a way of escape. He is our escape every time. So, when the devil shoots another fiery dart your way, and believe me he will. Look to Christ and “Fear not, believe only.”

Monday: Select and read one of the 3 gospel accounts of Jairus. (Luke 8: 41-56, Matthew 9: 18-26, Mark 5:21-43)


Tuesday: Have you ever had one of those days when the devil has hit you on every side and just when you think you can’t take any more, another blow comes? What did you do? Did you fight back with God’s help or give up in defeat? (Remember, there are no wrong answers. We’ve all faced defeat, but it is good to look back and evaluate our responses to the trial.)


Wednesday: Think back about a time when you have chosen to believe Christ despite the “death” that lay at your door? How did Christ honor your faith? If you don’t have a time that you can recall, ask God to strengthen your faith so that you may honor Him when you are faced with another trail.


Thursday: Spend time today thanking God for His merciful help in times of need.


Friday & Saturday: Review the memory verses from the past two weeks: Luke 8:50 and Romans 8:28

Week 4 - Jairus Part 2

Our study today picks up where we left Jairus, at the feet of Jesus (and no better place is there to be I might add). We studied last week about Jairus’ plea to the Lord. Now, take a look at the next event described in the scripture (Luke 8: 41-56). In all 3 gospel accounts of this story, we do not see Jesus respond to Jairus at this time. Instead, we see Christ’s attention turned immediately away from Jairus to another medical emergency. Now how do you think Jairus might have felt at this point? He was in desperate need of help and he needed it in a hurry…you know like yesterday kind of hurry. However, went don’t see Jairus get angry, throw a fit, or even leave the scene. Instead, he waits on the Lord, and we know he did because no sooner had Christ dealt with the other emergency that had surfaced then we see Him shift his attention back to Jairus. Why do you think this happened? Why do you think Christ allowed this other event to be interjected into the middle of Jairus’ story? Perhaps it was to let Jairus see the miracle he would and did perform for this lady who had been sick the entire length of his daughter’s life, 12 years. No better boost for our faith than to see a hopeless circumstance given new life, and Jairus was on the verge of facing what appeared to be a hopeless situation. As the story shifts back to Jairus, he is given the worst news that I think any parent could ever bare to hear, “… [your] daughter is dead; trouble not the Master.”

Oh, can you sense the pain that just flooded his soul. He had pled his case to Christ, waited for Christ to go home with him, and then he is told it is over; his daughter is dead. His servant didn’t help matters either when he told Jairus not to trouble the Master (or in my terminology, there is nothing Jesus can do about it); he just added coal to the flame. I’m sure that awful sick feeling, you know the one I’m talking about, flooded Jairus’ soul and nearly knocked the breath out of him. His baby, his only precious, beautiful daughter was dead. Oh, the agony he had to be feeling. Pause a moment and consider and empathize with Jairus’ new situation. How would you feel if you were in his shoes?

Now praise be to God, the story doesn’t end there. No, verse 50 tells us that Jesus heard what was said by the servant, and He chose that moment, that perfect moment to respond to Jairus. Finally, a word from the Master. Let’s just picture how this scene might have unfolded. With all the strength he had left, Jairus raises his head to Christ and their eyes meet. No words yet, but perhaps their eye contact spoke volumes to Jairus’ soul. Perhaps Christ heard his soul cry out, “Master, I want to believe you can still do something, but….” Then the Savior spoke. He spoke words that no doubt resonated through Jairus’ heart, “Fear not, believe only, and she shall be made whole.” You see, Christ knew all about what was transpiring. Nothing about the situation was a shock to Him. (Aren’t you thankful nothing is ever a shock to Him! Praise Him!)

I believe Jesus waited until the perfect moment before he addressed Jairus’ plea. While his daughter (as Jairus believed) was still alive, he was able to exercise faith that Christ could do something for his daughter. But now the tables had turned and his daughter was dead. How would his faith react to his now hopeless situation? Christ could see to Jairus’ soul. He knew this poor man was dying himself on the inside. Yet Christ used this time to reach out and say, “Fear not, believe only.” Don’t you know those words were like a balm to Jairus’ soul. I imagine they ignited a new spark of hope in him. You see, Christ had seen Jairus desperate and humbled, but for some reason He needed to remove all distractions from Jairus’ view. He needed Jairus to see beyond the death that lay inside his door and to look to the Life standing in front of him. He had allowed Jairus to witness His healing of a 12 year disease just moments before for a reason, more than likely to strengthen his faith. Now Jairus had seen first hand the power of Christ, and Christ was calling him to not let fear and doubt invade but to keep trusting with his original faith.

Sometimes, God has to remove all things that we are clinging to for hope and security and humble us to the point that when we look up, all we can see is Him. I know that those times in my life have never been comfortable and they probably haven’t been/won’t be for you either. However, we can rest assured that God ALWAYS has our best interest at heart. Romans 8:28 reminds us that, “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.” So, the next time you feel Christ is stripping some things from your life, continue to trust Him and know that He is working to build your faith and make you more like Him. (Next week we’ll close by looking at how Jairus faced his new dilemma.)

Monday: Read and meditate on Luke 8:41-56.

Tuesday: Why do you think God allowed Jairus’ to witness His healing of the woman with the 12 year issue of blood?

Wednesday: Do you think it is significant that Christ waited to verbally respond to Jairus as long as he did?

Thursday: Have you ever faced a time in your life when it felt like God was removing everything of value from you? How did you handle the situation?

Friday & Saturday: Memorize Romans 8:28

Week 3 - Jairus Part 1

Over the next three weeks, I want us to take a look at a ruler in the Bible by the name of Jairus.

In Luke 8:41-56, we read the account of the ruler Jairus and his 12 year old daughter. The Greek definition of the term ruler as Jairus was described in verse 41 means that he was, “a first (in rank or power), a chief. Keep this in mind as we look closer at these scriptures.

Jairus’ daughter was very ill, even to the point of death. Like any loving parent of a sick or hurting child, Jairus was doing any thing he could for his daughter. Being the political authority that he was, I’m sure he had already spent loads of money on the best doctors and medicines of the day but to no avail. Now, he had personally come to Jesus to seek help and healing on her behalf during this desperate hour. No doubt, by his actions, he had heard of Jesus’ miracles and perhaps had even seen him perform some of them. Notice that he did not send a hired servant to fetch the Lord; he went personally. I believe this showed his love and sincere need of help for his daughter. He realized without Christ’s help, his daughter had no hope. So, in one final attempt, he sought the famed man Christ. Now I don’t know much about Jairus’ spiritual condition; the Bible does not elaborate on that. However, it does show us that Jairus respected Christ enough to fall at his feet and beg him greatly for his help, thus assuming a posture of humbleness and worship. Look back at the Greek explanation of ruler as used here. Jairus was first in rank or power and now look at his present posture. Here he was a chief in the political realm and yet none of his power or prestige mattered when it came to his little girl. His pride was shot, his heart was humbled, and he was in need of the Great Physician. Oh, what a precious picture that is here portrayed. The Bible tells us in James 4:10 to, “Humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up.” Why? Because He also tells us that, “…God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.” (James 4:6) Jairus had assumed the position of ultimate humility for someone of his rank. He was bowing and begging and don’t you know Jesus was willing and ready to bestow some almighty grace and lift up this humbled man. Oh, just take a moment and let the awesomeness of that scene sink into your soul. Have you ever been so humbled by a situation that you needed the merciful hand of Christ to reach down and lift you up to your feet again? If you are a Christian, there has been at least once when the Savior did this for you…when you turned to Him alone for your salvation. Take time today to thank Him for that wonderful turning point in your life. If you are currently going through a desperate situation, perhaps its financial, or physical, or maybe even a situation with a loved one, humble yourself before the Lord and rest assured, “He shall lift you up.”


Monday: Read and study Luke 8: 41-56

Tuesday: Read and study Matthew 9: 18-26

Wednesday: Read and study Mark 5:21-43

Thursday: Compare and contrast the accounts of the past three days’ readings.

Friday & Saturday: Memorize Luke 8:50

References
KJV Hebrew & Greek Key Word Study Bible, 1991, AMG Publishers, Chattanooga, TN

Week 2 - Will You Pass The Test?

How many times have you been asked a question and you didn't know the answer? You knew you should, after all, you are the boss, or the teacher, or the parent. Yet, for some reason you realize that you must have missed class on the day the topic at hand was discussed. So there you stand, embarrassed, hoping you don't appear that way, and groping for the right answer or at least an answer you hope sounds dignified and satisfying to the questioner. Go on admit it...we've all been there.

Now let me ask you this? How many times has the unanswerable question posed to you been about your faith? Ouch...did that hit a nerve. It has in me. Too many times, I have avoided conversation where I was afraid I wasn't going to know the answer to a possible theoretical question that may arise. And, in doing so, I displeased my Lord because I was not ready to be used for His service.

As a Christian, there is one course that we should not neglect to attend...Bible study. It is so vitally important to study the Bible that God inspired Paul to write the following in his second letter to Timothy, "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth." (II Tim. 2:15) Lets take a closer look at that verse. First, according to this scripture, when we study the Word, we are "approved unto God." The Greek word here for approved is "dokimos" meaning tried. In other words, God can try our scripture knowledge just as a teacher would test students on class or textbook notes.

Secondly, as that same teacher would grade the test, so God grades us on our knowledge of His Word. Now, if we fail in knowledge, we don't lose our salvation or get knocked over the head by His almighty hand, but we suffer something far worse...shame. My husband has often said that it was easier for him to take a spanking as a child than it was to see disappointment or shame on his father's face when he had done something wrong. I'm sure most of us would have to agree. However, the good news is that we don't have to ever suffer that shame. If we've studied for the test, we become "a workman that needeth not to be ashamed." Now I don't know about you, but when I think about the fact that I am God's, "...workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which [He] hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10), I don't want to disappoint the teacher (or in this case, the Creator). God is expecting me to be a knowledgeable workman of His Word. Why? So I can "rightly [divide] the word of truth;" or as the Greek term "orthotomeo" defines, I can make a straight cut or dissect or expound God's Word correctly to others.

You might be thinking, "Well ,this all sounds good, but the Bible is hard to comprehend and I am not comfortable speaking about it with others." You're not alone in those thoughts; I mentioned earlier that I have had them (and more). I've not always been a diligent student of the Bible. I certainly would be the first to admit that I don't always understand everything I read...especially not the first time and sometimes not even after 10 times. Yet, that is where the key word of our scripture today kicks in...STUDY. If reading and understanding God's word were simple, I believe He would have just told Paul to use the term "read" when he penned the verse. Instead though, He chose the word "study." That means we have to diligently go over the material, use other resources/commentaries to expound on the material, and give our time and prayers over to the effort.

When we do these things, we honor the Lord and He will bless us for our obedience to Him. Then, when He decides to give us a pop quiz we will "...be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you..." (I Peter 3:15)


Monday: Study and meditate on II Timothy 2:15.


Tuesday: Study and meditate on I Peter 3:15.


Wednesday: How do the above two verses coincide with one another?


Thursday: What grade percentage would you give your current study habits of God's Word? Pray and ask the Lord to help you grow in His Word and to liberally poor out His wisdom upon you.


Friday and Saturday: Commit to memory II Timothy 2:15 and I Peter 3:15


References:
Strong's Concordance with Hebrew and Greek Lexicon

Week 1 - No Longer Just Dust

In the book of John 9:1-7 we read the story of Jesus healing a blind man with some clay and spittle. You might think that to be a rather odd combination. Why didn't Jesus just touch the man or simply speak healing to the blind eyes? After all, He was Jesus, the Great Physician who could do anything. So why did he use the clay and spittle? First let me say, that Jesus never did anything on a whim. Every move He made was so that we could learn more about Him and His mercy and love for mankind.

In the book of Genesis we are told that God made man from the dust (or dirt/clay) of the ground. So when Christ used the dirt in the case of the blind man, it was a representation of mankind. Alone, the dirt was of no value, just as we are without the Holy Spirit living inside of us. However, Christ didn't perform the miracle with just dirt, He put some of Himself (the spittle) into that dirt. Now the dirt had healing power. But, the story doesn't end there. The man had to by faith let Christ apply the mixture to his eyes. The man believed that when Christ applied the mixture and told him to go wash his eyes, that he would be healed and as the story goes, he was.

Christ was not only performing a miracle on that day in history, He was also teaching an object lesson. Through the example of the dirt and spittle, Christ was showing us how we can experience that same healing power when we accept Him into our lives. By ourselves, we are nothing. Christ is waiting to apply Himself to our lives; but, He will not force Himself upon us. We have to accept Him through faith...faith that says for an unbeliever, "I know alone I am a wretched sinner, but because Christ died for my sins on an old rugged cross. I can have His Spirit living and abiding powerfully in me and for those reasons, I accept Him into my life." For the Christian, it is a faith that says, "Despite my circumstances, I choose to believe that Christ is all powerful and with His help I can live an abundant, victorious life. For those reasons I plead the blood of Christ." At those very moments of faith, Christ is free to pour out Himself upon us and provide the healing that we need for our lives. Dear friend, at those moments, we are no longer just worthless dust, but an exemplary mixture of what happens when the "spittle" hits the "dust." We are redeemed, restored, and without a doubt...made whole.



Monday: Read and meditate on Genesis 2:7.

Tuesday: Read and meditate on John 9:1-7.

Wednesday: How does Genesis 2:7 compare with Jesus' actions in John 9:1-7?

Thursday: What has this scripture meant to your life?

Friday & Saturday: Memorize John 9:6 and thank God for applying Himself in your life.