Song: Time to Believe, by forever Jones (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIH10cSarLc)
Scripture: Luke 7:1-10 (New International Version, ©2011)
The Faith of the Centurion
1 When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people who were listening, he entered Capernaum. 2 There a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. 3 The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, “This man deserves to have you do this, 5 because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” 6 So Jesus went with them.
He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. 7 That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” 10 Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.
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Through God’s goodness and with His help, maybe I’m growing so I won’t be barren or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. – Hallelujah!
1.) As I finally lay down for the night, I felt like there was something else that I was supposed to be doing. I wanted to be obedient, but I was really just too tired. Many times before in that situation, I would beg off, asking God to let me off the hook, forgive me for what I was not going to do, and then I would just go on to sleep. This time I just told Him that I was very tired, too physically tired to do it. I‘m not even sure I asked for strength – I just admitted my need. Almost immediately I felt strengthened! I smiled, and prayed a silent “thank You” as I sang a “thank You” song chorus. Then I got up and did what I was to do.
The next day, I read the previous day’s Our Daily Bread devotional (http://odb.org/2011/03/20/the-stones/), and at the end it said:
God’s faithfulness we’ve known throughout the years,
His oneness with us in our joys and tears;
So many times the Lord has helped us through,
Has answered prayer and given strength anew. —F. Hess
Remembering God’s goodness is a good cure for doubt.
2.) So today, I’m battling this cough – not sure if it’s because of a cold or allergy or some combination. I was trying to catch a nap, but the cough wouldn’t let up. I had some cough drops in another room, but – again – felt too tired to do what I should – in this case, to get up and get the medicine.
I remembered the strength I received the other day. I had really been physically tired and sleepy, but all of that was changed in an instant. What I felt, what my body was going through, changed. I had recently read the story of Jesus healing the centurion’s servant, and I thought about that as well. So I asked God if the “go and then it goes” applied to coughs as well. The cough stopped. There seemed to be this calming that settled on my throat and chest, and the coughing stopped. WOW!!! Thank You, God!
Song: Doxology, by Helen Baylor (http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4aa6o_doxology-by-helen-baylor_music)
Romans 4:19-25
GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
19Abraham didn’t weaken. Through faith he regarded the facts: His body was already as good as dead now that he was about a hundred years old, and Sarah was unable to have children. 20He didn’t doubt God’s promise out of a lack of faith. Instead, giving honor to God for the promise, he became strong because of faith 21and was absolutely confident that God would do what he promised. 22That is why his faith was regarded as God’s approval of him.
23But the words “his faith was regarded as God’s approval of him” were written not only for him 24but also for us. Our faith will be regarded as God’s approval of us who believe in the one who brought Jesus, our Lord, back to life. 25Jesus, our Lord, was handed over to death because of our failures and was brought back to life so that we could receive God’s approval.
New Living Translation (NLT)
19 And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb.
20 Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. 21 He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. 22 And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous. 23 And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded 24 for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.
…and my journey with Him continues…
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