Tag: teaching

49.o. Wilderness – 13.u. “Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things”

 

Deu 4:9  “Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children— how on the day that you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb, the LORD said to me, ‘Gather the people to me, that I may let them hear my words, so that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children so.’ And you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, while the mountain burned with fire to the heart of heaven, wrapped in darkness, cloud, and gloom. Then the LORD spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. You heard the sound of words, but saw no form; there was only a voice. And he declared to you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, that is, the Ten Commandments, and he wrote them on two tablets of stone. And the LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and rules, that you might do them in the land that you are going over to possess.

 Proverbs 3:1    My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments,

 Proverbs 3:3   Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.

 Proverbs 7:1   My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you;

 Proverbs 4:20-23  My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.  Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart.  For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.  Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.

 Hebrews 2:3    how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard,

 Psalms 119:11    I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Their only danger was, lest they should grow careless and unmindful of all the wonderful things that God had done for them and thereby not teach them to their children.  The possession of the oracles of God by Israel was a benefit to them only as these were kept in mind and reverently obeyed. Therefore they were to take heed and diligently beware of forgetting the circumstances under which the Law had been received at Horeb. God had then commanded the people to be gathered together, so that they stood before the Lord, were in his manifested presence, and were made to hear his voice speaking to them from amidst the fire and the clouds that covered the mount. They had thus actual evidence and guarantee that the Law they had received was Divine; and this they were to keep in mind as long as they lived, and to communicate to their children in all coming time, that so they might fear the Lord; for on this rested that covenant which God had made with Israel, and which they were to keep as the condition of their continuing to enjoy privilege and life. (Unkown)

When we are passive towards God’s Word and the things of God we will become complacent and neglectful. The quiet whispers of the Holy Spirit’s leading will be drowned out by the busyness of whatever we have turned to or allowed to consume our desire to honor and glorify Jesus Christ. The Bible was inspired and authored by and through the Holy Spirit. His Word was given to us so that we might know God and His plans, purposes, and promises. How many days go by when we are just going through the motions of being a faithful servant? How many times do we leave our house and give no thought to how we might continually honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all of our thoughts, words, and actions? How many trials and problems do we seek to rely on self-reliance rather than reliance on God our heavenly Father? 

God is ever-present and worthy of all praise, honor, glory, and worship. Becoming careless and unmindful of God’s purpose for each of us is to believe, trust, follow, obey, and rely upon Him, and grow in our understanding of His great power, might, grace, mercy, and love, and be in a continual desire to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all of our thoughts, words, and actions, we drift away, think unholy things, speak worldly thoughts, and seek the pleasure of fleshly and worldly desires. 

How is it possible to know what honors and glorifies Jesus Christ if the Word of God is neglected?

How is it possible to grow in our understanding of God’s grace, mercy, and love if there is no desire to do so?

How is it possible to determine what is holy and what is worldly when all that fills your mind is what comes from that which is worldly?

How is it possible to be a light shining in the darkness when the light of God’s Word is dim in your life?

How is it possible to know God’s will when there is no desire to know it?

How many years have we been walking in the wilderness because we allow worldly values and culture to consume us and we walk on paths away from God?

When there is no heart, mind, and soul desire to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all of our thoughts, words, and actions – all of the time – then there will be no fueled desire to read His Word and know God.

See what David said; Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting 

34.y. “They do all their deeds to be seen by others. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility.”

 

Matthew 23:1  Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others.

 Luke 11:46    And he said, “Woe to you lawyers also! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.

 Acts 15:10   Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?

 Philippians 2:3     Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

 John 12:43    for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.

 Luke 16:15    And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

 Proverbs 3:3    Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.

 Proverbs 6:21-23    Bind them on your heart always; tie them around your neck.  When you walk, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk with you.  For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life,

Then spake Jesus to the multitude,…. To the common people that were about him in the temple; the high priests and elders, Scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees, having left him, being all nonplussed and silenced by him: and now, lest on the one hand, the people seeing the ignorance and errors of these men detected by Christ, should be tempted to conclude there was nothing in religion, and to neglect the word and worship of God, on account of the concern these men had in it; and on the other hand, because of their great authority and influence, being in Moses’s chair, lest the people should be led into bad principles and practices by them, he directs them in what they should observe them, and in what not: that they were not altogether to be rejected, nor in everything to be attended to; and warns them against their ostentation, pride, hypocrisy, covetousness, and cruelty; and, at the same time, removes an objection against himself, proving that he was no enemy to Moses, and the law, rightly explained and practiced. (Gill)

Legalism in any form of justifying ourselves before God is a lie continually proclaimed by satan, always wrong, and temps those that seek redemption apart from complete reliance on Jesus Christ. It does not take much tempting by satan to get a person to wear good deeds in pride. As good of deeds as they may be, they are wasted in that person’s heart for the glory and honor of Jesus Christ alone. Do we think that counting and keeping track of our good deeds in some way puts God in our debt?  Likewise, do we do good deeds out of fear of God or because we love God? Do we expect more of others than we do of ourselves? 

There are many who proclaim many do’s and don’t’s for a Christian to follow. Let these be summed up in a few. Love God with your whole heart, mind, and soul. Do that which honors and glorifies Jesus Christ in all you say, think, and do. Do not be conformed to this world and what it has to offer. Do love others above yourself. Do read scripture with an expectant heart and mind for the purpose of gaining more understanding, wisdom, and knowledge of Jesus Christ and how you might honor and glorify Him more and more each day. 

34.w. “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.”

 

Matthew 22:29  But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God: I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living.” And when the crowd heard it, they were astonished at his teaching.

 Job 19:25-27    For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.  And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God,  whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another.

 Psalms 16:9-11    Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.  For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.  You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

 Isaiah 26:19    Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead.

 Jeremiah 32:17    ‘Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.

 Genesis 18:14    Is anything too hard for the LORD?

 Acts 26:8    Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?

 Mark 12:27   He is not God of the dead, but of the living.

In this world, death takes away one after another, and so ends all earthly hopes, joys, sorrows, and connections. How wretched are those who look for nothing better beyond the grave! If a person does not understand scripture they will not understand even less of faith in the Power of God. It is possible for a person to have much Bible knowledge, yet not fundamentally know the Scriptures. The Sadducees denied supernatural truths such as the existence of angelic beings and the bodily resurrection. They had a fundamental doubt about the power of God to do beyond what they could measure and understand in the material world; many today are like the Sadducees in this respect.

“If you knew the power of God, you would know that God is able to raise the dead…If you knew the Scriptures, you would know that God will raise the dead.” (Poole)

Know this, God will raise the dead, some to eternal life and some to eternal torment. To know Jesus Christ and have a relationship with Him, having faith in Him, relying on Him, trusting Him, following Him, obeying Him, is much different than knowing of Him and putting your trust in the knowledge of Him rather than knowing Him. Resurrection from the dead will happen just as eternal judgment will happen. Having a knowing relationship with Jesus Christ assures the promise of eternal life just as not knowing or having a relationship with Him promises eternal torment. A person intentionally chooses to have this trusting and reliant relationship with Jesus or not. This choice will result in your eternal destiny. Every person is without excuse for the whole and entire Word of God proclaims this from beginning to end.

34.s. “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?”

Matthew 21:23  And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, Why then did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From man,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

Jesus did not confine himself to beneficent acts; he used the opportunity of the gathering of crowds around him to preach unto them the gospel (Luke 20:1), to teach truths which came with double force from One who bad done such marvellous things. By what authority doest thou these things? They refer to the triumphal entry, the reception of the homage offered, the healing of the blind and lame, the teaching as with the authority of a rabbi, and especially to the cleansing of the temple. No one could presume to teach without a proper commission: where was his authorization? They were the guardians and rulers of the temple: what right had he to interfere with their management, and to use the sacred precincts for his own purposes? These and such like questions were in their mind when they addressed him thus. Wilfully ignoring the many proofs they had of Christ’s Divine mission.

Who gave thee this authority? They resolve the general inquiry into the personal one – Who was it that conferred upon you this authority which you presume to exercise? Was it some earthly ruler, or was it God himself? Perhaps they mean to insinuate that Satan was the master whose power he wielded – an accusation already often made. They thought thus to place Christ in an embarrassing position, from which he could not emerge without affording the opportunity which they desired. The trap was cleverly set, and, as they deemed, unavoidable. If he was forced to confess that he spoke and acted without any proper authorization, he would be humiliated in the eyes of the people, and might be officially silenced by the strong hand. If he asserted himself to be the Messiah and the bearer of a Divine commission, they would at once bring against him a charge of blasphemy.

Without the infilling Holy Spirit, it is impossible to comprehend the honor and glory Jesus Christ deserves. His power, might, authority, and message will be ever falling on the deaf ears of those who deny and reject His Good News of salvation, redemption, forgiveness, and eternal life. The Word of God is a sharp sword that swings at the thoughts and intents of the heart of a person. It is a smart person who, after being cut to the heart, cries out for the wielder of the sword to heal and make their heart new.

33.z. “Let these words sink into your ears”

 

Matthew 17:22 As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.” And they were greatly distressed.

 Mark 9:30-31    They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know,  for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.

Luke 44  “Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.”

 Matthew 16:21    From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.

 Mark 8:31    And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again.

 Luke 9:22     saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”

 Mark 10:33-34   saying, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles.  And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.”

 Luke 24:6-7    He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee,  that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.”

 Luke 24:26     Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?”

Jesus, knowing of His betrayal, beatings, mocking, rejection, and suffering to death on the cross, chose to bear all of this for your salvation and redemption. Willingly He took on all the sins of man, past and future so that those who would believe in Him would have eternal life.

John 3:15 “that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”

I fear there will be many who believe Jesus was the Son of God and that He died for sinners, but they have never trusted Him for the forgiveness of “Their Sins”. They believe who Jesus was but it has no effect on their lives or in their heart. This shallowness is a one-way ticket to eternal hell. Oh, that these souls would see they are without hope apart from complete humble surrender, belief, trust, and reliance in and on Jesus Christ. There are a good number of people who live good lives, do good things, and say kind words but have never felt the need to completely trust in Jesus Christ. They have looked at their lives and concluded they are good enough to inherit eternal life by the way they have conducted their lives. Nothing could be further from the truth. The goodness of one’s life will never equal eternal life. It is only when any and all self-centered reliance is recognized and discarded as a filthy rag that a person will see the fullness of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, salvation, and redemption. There is not a single person who does enough good or is good enough to stand before God in their good works that are done apart from first being fully committed to believing, trusting, relying, obeying, and following Jesus Christ. Now is the time of salvation. Now is the time to repent. Now is the time to believe in the salvation and redemption found in and through Jesus Christ alone. Turn away from any and all thoughts of being good enough and cast all your hope and trust in the work Jesus Christ did on the cross for YOUR sin.

33.r. “Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump”

 

Matthew 16:5  When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.” But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

 Luke 12:1   In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

 1 Corinthians 5:6-8   Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?  Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.  Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

 Galatians 5:9   A little leaven leavens the whole lump

 2 Timothy 2:16-17   But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness,  and their talk will spread like gangrene.

 Matthew 16:12    Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

 “It was the Jewish metaphorical expression for an evil influence. To the Jewish mind leaven was always symbolic of evil…leaven stood for an evil influence liable to spread through life and to corrupt it.” (Barclay) 

 “False doctrine; which is fitly called leaven, because it soureth, swelleth, spreadeth, corrupteth the whole lump, and all this secretly.” (Trapp)

Then Jesus said, Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees — That is, of their false doctrine; elegantly called leaven, for it spreads in the soul, or the church, as leaven does in bread. (Benson)

It passes secretly, silently, but certainly through the mass of dough. None can see its progress.” So it was with the doctrines of the Pharisees. They were insinuating, artful, plausible. They concealed the real tendency of their doctrines; they instilled them secretly into the mind, until they pervaded all the faculties like leaven.   It is secret, silent, steady; pervading all the faculties of the soul and all the kingdoms of the world, as leaven, or yeast, though hidden in the flour, and though deposited only in one place, works silently until all the mass is brought under its influence. (Barnes)

When God’s Word is neglected or when we become complacent with its influence in our daily lives, it is then we will begin to tolerate (by intentional choice) worldly or fleshly thoughts or actions that had no room in our heart, mind, and soul previously. By His Word and through the Holy Spirit we are given discernment into what is right, pure, good, and holy.  By its neglect, we allow leaven in and day by day it silently and surely influences what we say, think, and do. How sad it is that through neglect and complacency we intentionally choose to become blind and deaf to things of God and the quiet whispers of the Holy Spirit’s leading in our lives.  None are immune to the effects of “leaven”. The key is to be ever seeking and desiring the Holy Spirit’s leading through God’s Word so that in all things we think, say, and do, they honor and glorify Jesus Christ.

32.f. “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few”

 

Matthew 9:35  And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

 Acts 2:22   “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—

As Jesus encountered the depth of human need He was moved with compassion for them. He spent His time teaching and healing. Jesus here described what man is apart from God; that we are like sheep having no shepherd. This means that we are in a lot of trouble until we come under the care of our Shepherd. Being without a shepherd was worse than being under Roman bondage. The people had people who claimed to be spiritual leaders, scribes, priests, and Pharisees. For all their work and piety, these proclaimed spiritual leaders offered nothing that would guide a person into a right relationship with God. Jesus said these leaders do not attend to their flock nor do they harvest ripe fruit and allow it to go to waste. 

 “Pretenders were many, but real ‘laborers’ in the harvest were few…Man-made ministers are useless. Still, are the fields encumbered with people who cannot use the sickle. Still, the real gospel teaching men are few and far between. Where are the instructive, soul-winning ministries?” (Spurgeon)

How many preachers, teachers, and leaders go about their vocation proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ without compassion for the lost souls of men. Oh, they may have started out this way but have since turned this holy ministry of the Kingdom of God into seeking more money, recognition, and honor for themselves. They have turned from compassion for lost souls to lusts of the flesh, having a form of godliness but have become blind to the author and finisher Jesus Christ who rightly deserves all honor and glory. These teachers, preachers, and leaders may have lost their pure compassion for lost souls. It has become diluted or traded in for human and worldly ideals. The thing is, God’s Word does not return void. Though these people teach with hearts and minds divided amongst godly and worldly, God’s Word is still able to reach lost souls. God’s Word should never profit man in ways other than that which will honor and glorify Jesus Christ. In the blessings of forgiveness, redemption, salvation, healing, peace, joy, courage, strength, and love from Jesus Christ we surely benefit while on this side of eternity. However, all of these benefits are for His honor and glory. 

Pray for teachers, preachers, and laborers who are willed with the continued presence of the Holy Spirit and with their hearts, mind, and souls focused and consumed on honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ. Bind temptations of this world from affecting their ministries. Protect them from everything that will draw them away from this holy honor to honor and glorify Jesus Christ.

31.v. “And they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority.”

 

Matthew 7:28  And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.

 Mark 1:22    And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.

 Mark 6:2     And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands?

 Luke 4:22    And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?”

 Luke 4:32   and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority.

 John 7:46     The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man!”

 His audience could not but notice that Jesus taught with an authority lacking in the other teachers in His day, who often only quoted other rabbis. Jesus spoke with inherent authority, and the authority of God’s revealed Word.  “Two things surprised them: the substance of his teaching, and the manner of it. They had never heard such doctrine before; the precepts which he had given were quite new to their thoughts. But their main astonishment was at his manner: there was a certainty, a power, a weight about it, such as they had never seen.” (Spurgeon)

We often hear people quote other people to make a point supporting their point. These are published people who we may know by name or they come from a peer-reviewed published paper. We give these people some sort of higher position because of their understanding and knowledge in their field of expertise.  I don’t think there is anything inherently wrong with this if it is understood that these people, though they may have very high IQ or wealth, they are just people who speak from a worldly, temporary position.  Jesus spoke of the heavenly and Godly.  He spoke with authority, wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. And yet, we read His words and give them little thought. We read it without meditating on it. We read it like we are reading a newspaper or magazine. There is deep wisdom, knowledge, and understanding in His Word. If we were to study it for a thousand lifetimes we would just begin to scratch the surface of its holiness.  Blessed is the one who takes to heart God’s Word both in thought and practice.

30. n. “They followed him, and he welcomed them”

 

 

Matthew 4:23  And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and he healed them. And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.

 Psalms 103:3   who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,

 Luke 4:40-41   Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them.

 Luke 9:11   When the crowds learned it, they followed him, and he welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God and cured those who had need of healing.

Healing by Jesus was an act of mercy, demonstration of His power over creation, and a revelation of who Jesus is. I can’t imagine what it must have been like not only for the person being healed but also for those who brought their loved ones to Jesus for healing. Deaf able to hear, blind able to see, cripples able to walk, and lepers cleansed marked the authentic power, might, mercy, and love of Jesus. I am not sure what the medical capabilities were like back then, but for sure they did not need a medical Dr to tell them they were incurable.  Today we have all kinds of medical science that are able to do all kinds of healing.  Not for everything but certainly quite a bit of what affects people every day. I wonder if medical science advancements have taken the place of Jesus. I am not saying or indicating that medical science and procedures should not be utilized – that would be foolish. I just wonder if people just put more trust in it than in Jesus Christ. Can Jesus still heal? Has all healing been given over to Medical science? God has allowed and granted advancements in medical science and procedures. God has given people special gifts to understand and advance medical science and procedures for many sicknesses and ailments.  It is God we should be ever thanking for allowing this understanding and medical wisdom. It would not be known if God had not granted it and allowed it to be known. Having the medical science, understanding, and wisdom does not mean for a second God should be cast aside and all trust put into human hands. God is the author and finisher of all there is and all there will ever be. It is in Him we should place our trust and reliance. It is when we face a medical issue and come before God with humbleness saying, “God I trust you, I trust you have control over this issue, I trust the Dr. you have led me to, I trust the outcome whatever it is because I TRUST YOU.