Healing the Brokenhearted 9 – Your attitude towards healing

The aim of this devotional study is to consider one’s attitude and persistence in search of healing in Christ.

Scripture

2 Kings 5:1-3, 9-14

1  Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man in the eyes of his master, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper.  2  And the Syrians had gone out on raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She waited on Naaman’s wife.  3  Then she said to her mistress, “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.”…

9  Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha’s house. 10  And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.”  11  But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, “Indeed, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.’  12  Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage.

13  And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”  14  So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

Observation

1. What do you learn about Naaman from this portion of Scripture? [hint: read through the text and record everything it reveals about Naaman’s position and problem, character and attitude.]
2. Explain the lesson behind the following ironies in the Text regarding Namaan’s healing:
   1. Naaman’s success and his problem
   2. The wisdom of Namaan and his slaves
   3. The mighty clean, Syrian rivers and Jordan River
   4. What Namaan expected of the prophet and the simple path to (cure for) his healing
3. What are the major lessons of healing in this historic account then? [look carefully at verses 10 and 13]

Personal reflection and Application

1. Consider your own life in the light of Namaan’s success and problem:
   1. What personal problem do you have that, in spite of your worldly achievements, you could not solve? What is your “leprosy” that might ultimately cause shame and isolation if it is not healed?
   2. Whom will you seek for guidance to find healing from God? Make that appointment now.
   3. Do you know what the simple steps of obedience is?
   4. Have you started with the process and stopped at some point? (dip yourself “seven times!”
   5. Pray to God for fullness of health – don’t give up with this process until you are fully healed!
2. Consider your own life in the light of Namaan’s slave girl:
   1. Whom do you know closely that has a (shameful or private) problem so big it could destroy them?
   2. Pray and ask God for a gap to share a testimony, to point this person towards Christ for healing. Where can you refer them?

Worship 1 – surrendering all to God

The Aim of this devotional study is to study the first mention of worship in the Bible.

Scripture

Genesis 22:1-6

1  After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”  2  He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”

3  So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.

4  On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar.  5  Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.”  6  And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together.

Observation

Context: This is the beginning of the historic event where Abraham obeyed God and offered Isaac went to offer his son Isaac, before the Lord intervened. 

1. When someone invite you to a worship celebration, what do you expect?
2. This is the first mention of “worship” in the Bible. What other words would you use to describe Abraham’s attitudes and activities in response to God’s command?
3. Look at Abraham’s response to God’s command
   1. How soon after God commanend this big sacrifice did Abraham obey? What does that say about his devotion to God?
   2. How long did Abraham journey to obey God? What does that say about his devotion to God?
   3. What efforts did Abraham make to obey God? What does that say about his devotion to God?
4. Considering this text, what do you learn of Abraham’s worship in terms of:
   1. Surrendering all to God.
   2. Obedience to God.
   3. Faith in God.
   4. Devotion to God.

Application and Prayer

God asked Abraham for the biggest and most precious thing in life – Isaac, his son, his legacy.   And Abraham worshipped God by implicit, radical surrender and obedience.

1. What is the ONE thing in your life that – if God asks you to do or to give up – you might be tempted to say “no”?
   1. Honestly tell God how you feel about that.
   2. As Abraham, reflect on God as the “Giver of All Good Things” that gave this and can bring it back to life again.
   3. Ask God for grace to surrender even this to Him, and when you’re ready – surrender this thing to God from the heart.
2. In prayer, worship God by surrendering every aspect of your life to God, devoting your whole self in service to Him, as Paul wrote:

Romans 12:1 “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”

Discipleship 7 – marks of discipleship

The aim of this devotional study to reflect on the marks of a true disciple .

Observations

1 John 2:3-11

3  And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.

4  Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5  but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6  whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

7  Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. 8  At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.  9  Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.  10  Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling.  11  But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

Observations and reflections

1. What are the two marks of a true disciple John mentions in this text?
2. Regarding OBEDIENCE:
   1. In which three ways does John express a disciple’s obedience to Jesus? [hint: v3, v5, v6]
   2. Note the progression. What do you understand in each of these three phrases?
   3. How do you interpret verse 4 above in the light of John’s writing in the previous chapter? “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:8-9)
3. Regarding LOVE:
   1. What “Old Command” is John writing about? And why does he call it “Old”? (v 7)
   2. List the contrast and explain in your own words the difference between true disciples and false disciples in verses 9-11.

Application and Prayer

1. Spend a while in prayerful reflection, asking the Lord if there is any command you have been ignoring / neglecting.
   1. Ask for grace and commit to obey it
   2. Send a message to a Christian friend about it now asking to keep you accountable!
2. Spend a while in prayerful reflection, asking the Lord if there is any Christian brother/ sister with whom you are at odds with or who has something against you.
   1. Pray about that now, confess forgiveness and ask for God’s love to fill your heart. [pray until you experience it]
   2. Then send a message to the person to arrange a meeting for reconciliation.
3. Pray that the Lord will fill your heart with pure love and readiness for obedience.

Motivational Gifts 2 – the perceiver

The aim of the devotional bible study is to grow in the understanding and appreciation of motivational gift of the perceiver (also called “prophet”).

Scripture

Luke 3:1-20

1  …the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3  And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

4  As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5  Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, 6  and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'”

7  He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8  Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 9  Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”  10  And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?”  11  And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.”

12  Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?”  13  And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.”

14  Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”

15  As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, 16  John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17  His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” 18  So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people.

19  But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, 20  added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison.

Observations

Note: in the reading of today’s Text we will focus on the character and motives of John the Baptist to better understand the motivational gifts of the perceiver / prophet. This is one of the seven motivational gifts (also called “the gifts of the Father” according to 1 Corinthians 12:4-6) each person is born with which drives his/her actions.

1. Perceiver / prophetically motivated people generally have the following characteristics. How can you identify them in the personality and ministry of John the Baptist?  Comment and give verse references from the Scripture above.
   1. Honesty and truth is central to their life.
   2. They have a strong sense of justice and have a strong sense of conviction.
   3. They are driven by obedience, and seek to move others towards it.
   4. They crave sincerity and despise hypocrisy – they want to see change in others.
   5. Their life radiates moral excellence and goodness, and inspire that in others.
   6. They are generally confident people who speak up for the truth even if it hurts.
2. Where did John the Baptist spend most of his time? What does that suggest of the relationships of the perceiver motivated person?
3. Considering the imprisonment and later execution of John the Baptist (Luke 9:7-9), what honorable characteristic do we see in perceiver motivated people? [hint: why was he locked up and later killed?]

Reflections:

1. Looking at John the Baptist as an example of a perceiver / prophetically gifted person – what should a person with this motivational gift be cautious of when confronting people? [hint: how can they be easily misunderstood in terms of their behavior?]
2. Considering the characteristics listed in Observation question 1 above, why do we consider perceiver motivated people as “gifts from God the Father”? i.e. how do they benefit me, you and the world around us?

Application and Prayer

Note: If you have not completed the free online motivational gift test, do so now: www.gifttest.org

1. Are you a strong perceiver / prophet motivated person? Considering the life example of John the Baptist:
   1. What are you grateful for about your gift, which you must cherish?
   2. What must you be cautious about in your interactions with others?
   3. What must you cherish with all your heart and guard with all your strength? [hint: if you betray this you betray yourself and your witness falls apart]
   4. Thank God for how he made you, and pray that you may grow in a love for the truth, a sensitivity to His Spirit, for confidence and humility to speak the truth in love, and lastly for grace to walk in integrity all your days.
2. Who do you know that are strongly perceiver / prophet motivated?
   1. Thank them for their good influence in your life – be specific about what they have challenged you with and how that helped you walk in righteousness and the fear of God.
   2. Thank God for them and their influence for the good in your life. Pray that God will bless with a greater love for the truth, sensitivity to His Spirit, greater boldness and humility to speak the truth in love, and that they may live true to their God-given conscience.

Biblical Faith 5

The Aim of this devotional study is to grow in understanding and appreciation of Biblical Faith, and to put it to practice today.

Scripture

Mark 2:1-12

1  And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home.  2  And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them.

3  And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4  And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay.  5  And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

6  Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7  “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

8  And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9  Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? 10  But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”–he said to the paralytic– 11  “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.”

12  And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

Observations

1. Jesus healed the paralytic man because of the faith of the friends. How did Jesus see their faith?
2. Connect the persons or groups on the left with the most appropriate characteristics on the right, as illustrated in this text:

Jesus                            Ecstatic with thanks

God                              Focused on what is right and wrong

Friends                        Alone can forgive sins

Paralytic                      Amazed

Scribes                         Filled with compassion

Crowd                          Acted in faith

3. What is the lesson on faith in Jesus’ interaction with the friends?
4. What is the lesson on faith in the Jesus’ interaction with scribes?
5. What is the lesson on faith in the Jesus’ interaction with paralytic man?

Application and prayer

1. It is so easy to miss the needs of people or even what God is doing when one fixate on what is “right and wrong” as the scribes’ did. Spend some time to ask the Lord for love and “eyes of faith” to see what he is doing in the lives of the people you interact with today.
2. The lame man obeyed the command of Jesus to get up immediately and received his healing by faith. Ask the Lord for that faith to obey when He commands to day.
3. The friends took it upon themselves to act in faith – with lots of creativity and effort – to bring their friend to Jesus for the miracle he needs, and Jesus reward their faith. Which friend needs a miracle today? What will you do to bring him/her to Jesus?  Start in prayer now, and see what the Lord says. (It can be as simple as bringing him/her to church).  Be that friend!