DAY 4

MrsLarCat

37 The next day, after they had come down the mountain, a large crowd met Jesus. 38 A man in the crowd called out to him, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, my only child. 39 An evil spirit keeps seizing him, making him scream. It throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It batters him and hardly ever leaves him alone. 40 I begged your disciples to cast out the spirit, but they couldn’t do it.”

41 Jesus said, “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you and put up with you?” Then he said to the man, “Bring your son here.”

42 As the boy came forward, the demon knocked him to the ground and threw him into a violent convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the evil spirit and healed the boy. Then he gave him back to his father. 43 Awe gripped the people as they saw this majestic display of God’s power.

While everyone was marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, 44 “Listen to me and remember what I say. The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies.” 45 But they didn’t know what he meant. Its significance was hidden from them, so they couldn’t understand it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.

46 Then his disciples began arguing about which of them was the greatest. 47 But Jesus knew their thoughts, so he brought a little child to his side. 48 Then he said to them, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me also welcomes my Father who sent me. Whoever is the least among you is the greatest.”

MrsLarCat

Lord,

Please help me to have an open hear to your message and hear and understand your word, willingly and without my own bias and judgment. I admit, I bristle at your statement, “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you and put up with you?” - I always expect to hear only positive things, see only the God of Love, less the God of Justice, the God that is Holy. Please help me to be humble, take away my earthly expectations of You, allow me to accept myself as the lowly and undeserving sinner I am and feel completely grateful for an ounce of mercy or attention you show me or my kind. I sometimes, honestly, most of the time, think I'm being "good" so you should be pleased with me, I'm spending time with you, when I should be humbled that you would take pity on such an undeserving creature. I deserve your derision and I should expect nothing less. Please help me to appropriately fear you and be humbled in your presence. Let me feel the weight of conviction - but use this (if it is your will) to make me grateful for you, to be wholly grateful that You would show any mercy and not use my human context to judge the "kindness" of your words. Help me to focus on You and your mercy, not the "rules", not any good deeds that are like filthy rags at your feet. I am a sinner, I don't deserve your mercy and grace, yet You love me as your child nonetheless, despite my ungrateful and selfish nature - help me to have an attitude that is pleasing to You. Forgive my sins, work in my heart, work through me, let you will be done. Let me serve your kingdom.

lyttmab

47 But Jesus knew their thoughts, so he brought a little child to his side. 48 Then he said to them, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me also welcomes my Father who sent me. Whoever is the least among you is the greatest.”

I LOVE THESE VERSES!! I love how Jesus showed his disciples that it is not who knows the most, or who is the "greatest', that is important, but it is the sincerety, realness, innocence, unconditional love of a child, that is important to Him.

Lord, please help me to show sincerety in my words I use and in my actions. Please help me to not judge others as to their insincereties and to never be the one to cast the first stone. Thank you, Jesus, for your all consuming, unconditional love and grace, that will save me from myself and some day bring me to your side for everlasting life. I know I do not deserve the love and forgiveness you constantly are bestowing on me, but inspite of myself, thank you, Lord!

Thank you for another day to work on becoming healthy and living the life you've granted me here on earth. I am your vessel to mold and shape . . . please help me not to resist the reshaping . . . and most of all, thank you for your patience with me. I am the least deserving . . . yet you are always there for me. Thank you, Lord, in your most holy and precious name, Amen!

HealthFitNow

"43 Awe gripped the people as they saw this majestic display of God’s power."

I love that the transforming power of Jesus was so overwhelmingly clear in the healing of the son, that people were truly in awe--maybe a little scared--at the demonstration of his power.

It's fascinating that while the people were chattering about the amazing healing, Jesus turned to his disciples to make it a teachable moment.

Contrast all that power at Jesus' disposal with his telling his best friends, "Someone will betray the Son of Man and give him over to His enemies." Everything must be seen in context.

Jesus was so focused on what was important. His mission. He never got lost in the adulation; he knew the pain around the corner.

What is our mission? To make disciples. Jesus taught his disciples the truth. Always. And here he treats children as members of the kingdom. BTW. Children were chattel/property back then, and had no status in society. If Jesus included kids in the kingdom, how much more would he include the adults?

We have access to Jesus and therefore, to God--something unheard of before this.

May I be faithful to Jesus' mission that he will speak of me as he did King David--a man after God's own heart. May all I do serve God's higher plan and equip me to guide others to Jesus. Amen

kimbershep

LUKE 9:37-48

OBSERVATION
Coming from the mountain where they just had the most awesome spiritual experience, they come down to witness something most terrifying and evil. When I read this it made me think about when I first received Christ (babe in Christ). I was getting fat off of milk (sitting under so much teaching) and just having a wonderful spiritual experience in Him. Some call it having a spiritual high. Then all of a sudden, something happened and I walked into a situation where evil most undoubtedly was present. Of course this was the time for me to put all of the teaching I was receiving into action and rebuke the enemy. However, I didn't because it caught me off guard. It shows us that even though we can be on a spiritual high....evil is still here as long as we are in this world. It is a constant battle and we must not ever forget to never lay aside our armor.

The question here one would ask is if Jesus had already sent the disciples out with the authority to cast out demons, heal and raise the dead, why could't they heal this boy? Well, it "might" be that their faith had grown weary and spiritually they weren't as strong as they should have been to cast them out. The disciples were human just as we are and everyday is a constant battle in this war with the enemy. Its our flesh, sin and temptation that we struggle with. Our faith must be strong in order to overcome and be victorious.

As Jesus told them of His death to come, they didn't understand. I think they didn't understand because, again, they couldn't get passed their idea of Him being the Messiah, their earthly King, their conqueror. They were most concerned with who would be greatest . They were arguing amongst themselves and Jesus knew their thoughts. Just as some today, they forget about the main goal of christianity is. Being the greatest, having the highest position, being most important is not on top of God's list. Jesus corrected their way of thinking by letting them know that you must develop an attitude of servanthood. Whomever is least is greatest and whomever is greatest is least.

APPLICATION
My love for God supersedes any advancement in the eyes of man. For I know that I can do nothing without God. I am nothing without Him. It is my true desire to stay humble in spirit always before Him and whatever it is that He desires me to do, I do it all in His glory. I know that it is a struggle daily dealing with this flesh...my desires but I must put that aside and only walk in the path that will be most pleasing to God.

PRAYER
Heavenly Father, I pray that you guide my footsteps daily. I give myself totally to you. I surrender everything and desire to be used by you. My greatest achievement is knowing that I lived a life that was pleasing to you. I ask that you will continue to bless my family. Give us what we need to survive spiritually. Lift up my husband, our spiritual lead. Keep our family together in love and in unity. Most importantly, help us to be a blessing to others. Bless our friends and family and hear their prayers. Strengthen them right now and save those who need you right now. I pray that the words and encouragement of all the ladies who take part in this study session will plant seeds in the hearts of all who read; knowing that you will water and give the increase. I thank you for them and allowing us to fellowship online. In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, Amen.