When I saw this painting of John Huss, I had to take a photo of it. It made such an impression on me. He was in the dungeon in the Island Tower in Konstanz, Germany, confined with fetters on his legs, hardly able to walk, yet his dedication to the Lord kept him. It helped him to rise above his dismal surroundings and conditions. It was here that he had a dream which comforted him in his last days. It was of the triumph of the true faith and the image of Christ painted afresh in hearts by better preachers than himself.
In the painting his eyes are looking up in faith and not down in despair. He was looking to the Author and Finisher of his faith. It was to his Savior that he sang, “Jesus, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me” as the flames kindled about him.
Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; He has put him to grief. If he made himself as an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, he shall prolong his days, and the good pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand – Isaiah 53:10
Whenever I watch the scenes of Jesus getting beaten, mocked and nailed to the cross, I cry. It hurts to see the suffering and humiliation He went through. Yet, it says that it pleased the Father to crush Him and make Him suffer. Why? It was the Father’s will that His Son would carry out the plan of salvation. It pleased God that His Son willingly offered Himself. Jesus explained why the plan of salvation was so important to the Father. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). God bestowed His Son as a Gift. He didn’t send Him into the world to condemn us but to save us and to give us life. “And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son” (1 John 5:11).
When God gave us His Son, He gave us much more than we could even imagine or deserve. Paul said, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Can you imagine, instead of facing death for your sins, you receive the gift of life instead? Instead of facing God’s wrath, you receive His grace? This is why it pleased God to offer up His Son. When Jesus laid down His life, He provided a way for us to be reconciled to the Father. Sin had separated us from Him. We were God’s enemies yet, He showed His love for us when He sent His Son to die in our place (Romans 5:8). God wanted to reconcile with us but that could only happen through Jesus’ death. Without the shedding of blood, there could be no forgiveness or pardon from sin (Hebrews 9:22). It pleased God to send His Son, “in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:14).
God’s love for us is so profound that He went to great lengths to save us. How many of us would have made such a supreme sacrifice? Yes, the plan of salvation brought great suffering to Jesus but the reward is that those who believe in Him will not perish but will have everlasting life. Yes, it pleased God to set us free from sin and this freedom can only be found in His beloved Son. “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).
Dear heavenly Father, thank You for loving us so much that You sent Your precious Son to suffer and die in our place. He died so that we could live. He bore and died for our sins so that we could be reconciled to You. Thank You for Your grace and unfailing love and mercy. Thank You for the gift of salvation. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
He was where he always was, sitting by the road begging. And when he heard that Jesus was there in the city of Jericho, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
It was an urgent cry from a man who was blind. His world was plunged in darkness. It was all he knew. It was what drove him to beg by the side of the road. It was what filled him with despair. He could feel the warmth of the sunshine but could not see its brilliance. He could hear the birds singing but could not see their beauty.
Today, Jesus who healed the sick, gave sight to the blind and made the lame walk, was here in Jericho. This was a golden opportunity for Bartimaeus to receive his sight. He knew that Jesus could help him. He had to cry out. He did but the crowd told him to be quiet. Stubbornly, he cried out all the more. This time Jesus heard him and stopped. He commanded that the man be brought to Him. The people were encouraging this time and they said to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.”
Throwing aside his garment, Bartimaeus went to Jesus. He was throwing aside the life he had known to embrace a new one. He went to Jesus.
Jesus asked him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” No doubt Jesus knew what he wanted but when we go to the Lord, we must be specific in our petitions. Bartimaeus answered, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.” This was something that he had always wanted, longed for and now he was about to receive it.
Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.
Jesus responded to the urgent cry of a blind man whose stubborn faith refused to be silenced or discouraged. When we cry out the Lord in faith, He will hear us. He will respond to our greatest need. And our response is to follow Him.
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need – Hebrews 4:16
The power of prayer is remarkable. We have a God whom we can go to and ask for grace, mercy and help for others or ourselves and He will be more than happy to help us. Jesus was always encouraging people to pray. He told the story of the persistent widow who wearied the unjust judge until he granted her request. Jesus made it clear that if an unjust judge could grant this woman her request, how much more wouldn’t our loving Father grant ours.
When Santinu, a young boy from a poor village was diagnosed with a brain tumor, it must have seemed hopeless to his family and neighbors. However, with God nothing is hopeless or impossible. Through the prayers of Santinu’s friend, Sagan and a group of children from the Bridge of Hope Center, God demonstrated His awesome power.
Now, my God, I pray, let Your eyes be open and let Your ears be attentive to the prayermade in this place – 2 Chronicles 6:40
I watched this incredible video and saw how God moves mightily in what might seem like insurmountable situations.
My friends and I started praying together because I believe in Jesus and I believe He can heal – Sagan
I was moved by the persistent prayer of these children. They went every day to Santinu’s home to pray for him. Jesus instructed us to, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Matthew 7:7). These children didn’t pray once and thought that was enough. No, they prayed daily until God answered. Their faith and trust in Him and their persistence impacted not only the sick boy’s life but the lives of others who needed healing too.
As I watched Santinu writhing in pain, I knew that God would intervene because He can’t stand to see anyone suffering. It was His will to heal Santinu. When I saw Santinu giving his testimony of how prayer had healed him, I couldn’t believe that it was the same boy. He looked completely different. He was no longer in pain. He was no longer facing death. God had blessed him with a new life, future and hope.
Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place – 2 Chronicles 7:15
It is God’s will to do so much for us. All we have to do is ask. God could have healed Santinu on His own but He chose to involve the children. The children had seen the power of prayer in the lives of their teachers and as a result they followed their example. I thought it was great how God decided to show Sagan and his prayer group that He will answer their prayers too in a mighty way. Like their teachers, they got to see the power of prayer demonstrated in their own lives and in the life of Santinu. People came to know the God who heals through children.
Have you seen the power of prayer in action? My husband has! Just the other day, he prayed to God about the pain in his leg. The very day he prayed about it, God answered. He can get in and out of the car without experiencing any pain. Yesterday morning we spoke about it. I said that God is just waiting to give us what we need. All we have to do is ask.
God uses anyone to impact the lives of others. He used Sagan and a group of children to show His love and mercy to those who didn’t know Him. He used the meek. These children acted in faith and humility, trusting in the power of the God they had learned about from their teachers at the Bridge of Hope.
This video showed me that as parents, teachers, we are to be godly examples to our children, training them up in the way they are to go so that when they are older they will not depart but will in turn teach the next generations by their example.
I will share this video with my seven year old son. I want him to see that no matter how old or how young you are, God can use you to help others and that prayer is a very powerful tool. Through prayer, God can use you to change lives, work miracles, move mountains and do the impossible. It is important for children to know that as long as their prayers are from the heart, God will hear them and respond. Encourage them to pray every day.
If you are interested in learning more about the Bridge of Hope, visit this link.
And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive – Matthew 21:22
The greater the debts the greater should our appreciation of God be. The forgiveness of our own debts should move us to be humble and forgiving towards others, especially if their debts to us are far less than the debts we owed God which He, in His mercy, cancelled.
The difference between the servant and the prostitute is that her focus was on the Master (Jesus) rather than on the debt.
Forgiving others is not always easy but in order to receive it we must learn how to give it.
This morning my son and I read the story of the two blind men who were sitting by the side of the road when they heard that Jesus was passing by. Can you imagine, Jesus passing through the town where you lived? A crowd is flanking him. These two men realized that the opportunity of a lifetime is here and they were going to take full advantage of it. Who wouldn’t? So, they cried out to Jesus, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David.”
The crowd warned them to be quiet. Can you believe that? These poor men were blind. We don’t know for how long. They weren’t born blind. Could you imagine what it must have been like for them? One day their world was plunged into darkness. They couldn’t see the faces of their friends and families. They couldn’t see the trees swaying gently in the breeze or the clear blue sky or the sunlight that warmed their faces. How they must have longed to regain their sight. Put yourselves in their shoes. Imagine not seeingca the faces of your children or the beautiful flowers whose fragrance fills your nostrils. Imagine losing your sight and living the rest of your life in darkness. That would be the fate of these men, had Jesus not passed that way.
Being blind meant that these men couldn’t work. They had to beg for bread now. They were probably begging by the side of the road when they heard that Jesus was there. They had heard about Him and what He had done for others. They believed that He could help them too. So they cried out to Him in faith. And when the crowd tried to silence them, they cried out louder. They refused to keep quiet. How could they when the answer to their prayers was right there? In stubborn faith and boldness, they cried out, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David”.
I love the following three words, Jesus stood still. They had gotten His attention. Actually, they had His full attention now. He called them to Him and they went. How their hearts must have been pounding with excitement. Jesus had heard them and was calling them over to Him. Wow.
Jesus asked them kindly, “What do you want Me to do for you?” They said the words that were burning in their hearts, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.” When Jesus looked at them, He was filled with compassion. Here were two men standing in front of Him, anxiously waiting for Him to give them their sight. They were trembling in anticipation of the miracle they knew that only He could perform. And then they felt the touch. They felt His fingers on their eyes and immediately they felt a difference. When He removed His hands, they opened their eyes. And the first thing they saw was Jesus’ face. What a sight to behold! Could you imagine seeing the Saviour’s wonderful face? Tears of joy must have poured down their faces as they stared at His smiling face. Joy filled their hearts and they gave their lives to Him that very instant. They followed Him.
When God places an opportunity within your reach, grab it. Don’t let others discourage you. Ignore the naysayers, the doubters and step out in faith. If you are hurting cry out to Jesus. He will hear you, stop and call you to Him. Don’t be silenced. Cry out.
He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them – Psalm 145:19
O Lord, I pray, please let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your name; and let Your servant prosper this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” For I was the king’s cupbearer (Nehemiah 1:11).
When Nehemiah learned that Jerusalem’s wall was broken down and the gates were on fire, he wept. He mourned for several days. He fasted and prayed to God. His prayer is a wonderful model prayer. It follows this pattern:
Acknowledgment: O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments
Confession: Your servant which I pray before You now, day and night, for the children of Israel Your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both my father’s house and I have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against You, and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses.
Thanksgiving: Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations; but if you return to Me, and keep My commandments and do them, though some of you were cast out to the farthest part of the heavens, yet I will gather them from there, and bring them to the place which I have chosen as a dwelling for My name.’ Now these are Your servants and Your people, whom You have redeemed by Your great power, and by Your strong hand.
Supplication: O Lord, I pray, please let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your name; and let Your servant prosper this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.”
God answered Nehemiah’s prayer. The king granted Nehemiah’s request to return to Judah. The cupbearer prospered and was granted mercy in the king’s sight.
When we hear bad news we give ourselves time to deal with it like Nehemiah. He cried and mourned. Then, we reach out in faith. Nehemiah fasted and prayed. Then we act in faith. Nehemiah told the king the situation and what he needed and his request was granted.
Don’t let a bad situation keep you down for long. Turn it over to God and He will take care of it. The best weapon against adversity is prayer.
