Have you thought about the conversations you will have today? I believe you will find that most people will allow you to bring up the topic of God and to a certain point be happy to discuss it. It is an entirely different scenario when you bring up the Son of God – Jesus Christ. Most will try to avert the subject or attempt to bring Jesus down to a mere man. They will try to undo His deity. Salvation and freedom from sin comes through the name of Jesus – none other!

Jesus is God. The record of His earthly ministry contains many declarations of this. Though men may say that He nowhere claimed to be God manifest in the flesh, today’s text clearly contradicts such foolishness.

Jesus’ ministry was characterized by physical healings. The people throughout Judea had come to expect Him to deliver them from blindness, demonic possession, leprosy, as well as many other afflictions. On this occasion in Capernaum, there was another large crowd gathered to receive healing and to hear the Word of God preached (vv. 1-2). As usual, a man afflicted in his body was brought to the Lord (v. 3-4).

Unlike the other instances recorded in God’s Word, the Lord did not initially heal this man. Instead He, with all authority, made this pronouncement: “Son, thy sins be forgiven thee” (v. 5). There can be no clearer testimony of the person of Jesus, for we read that the religious in attendance perceived Christ’s presentation of Himself as God (vv. 6-7). Who can forgive sins? The scribes were correct, God only. And what had our Lord just done? “Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.” Jesus had just done what only God could do.

What follows is an unequivocal statement of Christ’s deity. Jesus perceived that these scribes were accusing Him of blasphemy – in their hearts. Then He posed this question: “Is it easier to tell a palsied man, “Your sins are forgiven,” or “Your body is restored”? By what standard could these acts be compared to determine relative “ease”? Neither is easy. It requires the omnipotence of God to realize either spiritual healing or physical healing. Perhaps these religious leaders thought it was “easier” to perform healings. They did not seem too ruffled at Christ’s work in healing, as long as it wasn’t on the Sabbath.

Gathered was this crowd of seekers and skeptics and one sick of the palsy. So that all present would know that Jesus was God manifest in the flesh, with “power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house” (vv. 10-11). He immediately arose, before them all, and went out in perfect health (v. 12).

This is the Christ of the Bible. Not a social activist, angel, or secondary god. He is Eternal, the Lord Who alone has power to forgive sins. Without this Jesus, we cannot be saved and without this Jesus we cannot be made free. Talk to someone about Jesus today!

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Psalm 107:1-9

Good morning! I praise God that you joined me today as I have this awesome opportunity to share with you a portion of God’s Word that has tremendously impacted my life over the past several days. Today I would like to talk to you about, “Satisfaction For The Hungry Soul.” My following two blogs will cover, “Deliverance For The Bound Soul” and “Healing For The Sick Soul.”

The first division of this blessed Psalm depicts God’s people in a desert wilderness setting. Their desperate situation was a direct result of both outward extremity as well as their own insufficiency. The homeward march was through foreign territory – barren, solitary, and inhospitable in every way imaginable. No wonder weariness characterized each struggling traveler (vv4-5). It would be difficult to visualize a less satisfying situation.

The prayer of faith dramatically changed the picture. The environment remained the same, but changes within made even a desert seem like a taste of heaven on earth – God saw to that (v. 6). The distress they experienced was for a purpose: God wanted them to come to the place where they would look solely to Him. In this way they would not be disappointed, for God forever delights to prove Himself faithful in behalf of them who trust Him for sustaining, overflowing grace. How was that response which God desired expressed? Believing prayer!

God answered their prayer. The Lord led them out of their dilemma “by the right way,…to a city of habitation” (v. 7). They were not only led through the wilderness to the promised destination, but also provided with complete satisfaction of every need en route. What a tremendous representation this is of what God wants to do for you and me when we, too, find ourselves burdened down and about to faint under the load! Are we in need of Heaven-sent nourishment for our weary souls today? Then tell God about it! He delights to answer such requests (v. 9).

The philosophies, pleasures, and riches of this world are no more conducive to satisfying the longings of the believer than the desert is in quenching the thirst of a dying man. Christ alone will satisfy. Also, spiritual famine is invariably the result of setting our sights on the temporal rather than the eternal. Always remember, God delights to meet our EVERY need, but He wants us to seek first our greatest need of all, the peace and fullness of God (Phil. 4:7). “Seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Lk. 12:31).

“The Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not” (Isa. 58:11). There’s no excuse for a desert experience today!

I pray that the Lord will bless your ministry as we walk in Him.

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