As I study the four Gospels and the activities of the Lord Jesus and His disciples, I notice that all He did was focused on the children of promise. He was very direct that His Father sent Him to the children of Israel--the children of promise. Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Gentile woman who lived there came to him, pleading, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter is possessed by a demon that torments her severely.”
But Jesus gave her no reply, not even a word. Then his disciples urged him to send her away. “Tell her to go away,” they said. “She is bothering us with all her begging.”
Then Jesus said to the woman, “I was sent only to help God’s lost sheep—the people of Israel.”
But she came and worshiped him, pleading again, “Lord, help me!”
Jesus responded, “It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.”
She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their masters’ table.”
“Dear woman,” Jesus said to her, “your faith is great. Your request is granted.” And her daughter was instantly healed.
The Gentile woman was very persistent with her request for her daughter. Even thought she wasn't of the nation for which the Lord Jesus was sent, it was her faith in Him that got His attention and caused her daughter to be delivered. “Dear woman,” Jesus said to her, “your faith is great. Your request is granted.” And her daughter was instantly healed. As I have said many times, it is your faith in Him and His Word that will get the Lord Jesus' attention.
Even though His purpose was to restore the Kingdom to His nation, He couldn't ignore the faith she had in Him. Then Jesus said to the woman, “I was sent only to help God’s lost sheep—the people of Israel.”
The Lord Jesus has a purpose and assignment for you from the very day you were born. I am a living example of that statement. In all my disobedience to His Word, yet He chose me to be His ambassador to His Kingdom. He saved and delivered me for His purpose and gave me an assignment. I am grateful and will never deviate from it. Have you noticed that the Lord passed that assignment to His disciples? The message never changed, neither did His purpose. One day Jesus called together his twelve disciples and gave them power and authority to cast out all demons and to heal all diseases. Then he sent them out to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. “Take nothing for your journey,” he instructed them. “Don’t take a walking stick, a traveler’s bag, food, money, or even a change of clothes. Wherever you go, stay in the same house until you leave town. And if a town refuses to welcome you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.”
So they began their circuit of the villages, preaching the Good News and healing the sick.
Mark also wrote the same account of the Lord Jesus sending them out two by two with the same instructions. And he called his twelve disciples together and began sending them out two by two, giving them authority to cast out evil spirits. He told them to take nothing for their journey except a walking stick—no food, no traveler’s bag, no money. He allowed them to wear sandals but not to take a change of clothes.
“Wherever you go,” he said, “stay in the same house until you leave town. But if any place refuses to welcome you or listen to you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.”
So the disciples went out, telling everyone they met to repent of their sins and turn to God. And they cast out many demons and healed many sick people, anointing them with olive oil. We must learn to be more observant to the four Gospels and the life of our King while He was here on earth. Reading the letters of the apostles is good, but studying the life of the King is a perfect example of how we should conduct ourselves. The Lord God's purpose for all of His children is to be walking examples of His Son, Jesus the Christ. Are you one of His children?
Before Saul became Paul, he was a serious persecutor of the believers in Christ. Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains.
As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. He even assisted in the murder of Stephen. Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul.
Stephen was a Kingdom citizen, in good standing with the King. This is how he was able to speak so boldly to all of those religious leaders. “You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? That’s what your ancestors did, and so do you! Name one prophet your ancestors didn’t persecute! They even killed the ones who predicted the coming of the Righteous One—the Messiah whom you betrayed and murdered. You deliberately disobeyed God’s law, even though you received it from the hands of angels.” When you know who you are in the Kingdom and you know who your Lord and King is and the rights you have as a citizen of the Kingdom of God, you will be bold. You will do what God has purposed you to do without fear and without doubt or uncertainty!
Regardless of your past transgressions and disobedience to His Word, if you call on the name of the Lord Jesus for your salvation, He will deliver you and show you your purpose and assignment. Look what He did for Saul: Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains.
As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”
“Who are you, lord?” Saul asked.
And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting!
Saul had such a notorious reputation that the Lord Jesus had to speak to another disciple concerning him. Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!”
“Yes, Lord!” he replied.
The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.” Even after speaking to Ananias, he still had doubts, until the Lord Jesus gave him details concerning Saul's purpose. “But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.”
But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.
From that point on, Ananias followed the Lord Jesus' instructions. So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength.
Remember, it is your faith that operates in the Kingdom, not your religious beliefs. Without faith, you will never fulfill God's purpose for your life.
Matthew 15:21-28 Luke 9:1-6 Mark 6:7-13
Acts 8:1-3; 7:57-58, 51-53; 9:1-5, 10-15, 17-19 all NLT, unless noted
W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
This article may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are included at the end of the article as originally placed. Thank you
But Jesus gave her no reply, not even a word. Then his disciples urged him to send her away. “Tell her to go away,” they said. “She is bothering us with all her begging.”
Then Jesus said to the woman, “I was sent only to help God’s lost sheep—the people of Israel.”
But she came and worshiped him, pleading again, “Lord, help me!”
Jesus responded, “It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.”
She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their masters’ table.”
“Dear woman,” Jesus said to her, “your faith is great. Your request is granted.” And her daughter was instantly healed.
The Gentile woman was very persistent with her request for her daughter. Even thought she wasn't of the nation for which the Lord Jesus was sent, it was her faith in Him that got His attention and caused her daughter to be delivered. “Dear woman,” Jesus said to her, “your faith is great. Your request is granted.” And her daughter was instantly healed. As I have said many times, it is your faith in Him and His Word that will get the Lord Jesus' attention.
Even though His purpose was to restore the Kingdom to His nation, He couldn't ignore the faith she had in Him. Then Jesus said to the woman, “I was sent only to help God’s lost sheep—the people of Israel.”
The Lord Jesus has a purpose and assignment for you from the very day you were born. I am a living example of that statement. In all my disobedience to His Word, yet He chose me to be His ambassador to His Kingdom. He saved and delivered me for His purpose and gave me an assignment. I am grateful and will never deviate from it. Have you noticed that the Lord passed that assignment to His disciples? The message never changed, neither did His purpose. One day Jesus called together his twelve disciples and gave them power and authority to cast out all demons and to heal all diseases. Then he sent them out to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. “Take nothing for your journey,” he instructed them. “Don’t take a walking stick, a traveler’s bag, food, money, or even a change of clothes. Wherever you go, stay in the same house until you leave town. And if a town refuses to welcome you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.”
So they began their circuit of the villages, preaching the Good News and healing the sick.
Mark also wrote the same account of the Lord Jesus sending them out two by two with the same instructions. And he called his twelve disciples together and began sending them out two by two, giving them authority to cast out evil spirits. He told them to take nothing for their journey except a walking stick—no food, no traveler’s bag, no money. He allowed them to wear sandals but not to take a change of clothes.
“Wherever you go,” he said, “stay in the same house until you leave town. But if any place refuses to welcome you or listen to you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.”
So the disciples went out, telling everyone they met to repent of their sins and turn to God. And they cast out many demons and healed many sick people, anointing them with olive oil. We must learn to be more observant to the four Gospels and the life of our King while He was here on earth. Reading the letters of the apostles is good, but studying the life of the King is a perfect example of how we should conduct ourselves. The Lord God's purpose for all of His children is to be walking examples of His Son, Jesus the Christ. Are you one of His children?
Before Saul became Paul, he was a serious persecutor of the believers in Christ. Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains.
As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. He even assisted in the murder of Stephen. Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul.
Stephen was a Kingdom citizen, in good standing with the King. This is how he was able to speak so boldly to all of those religious leaders. “You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? That’s what your ancestors did, and so do you! Name one prophet your ancestors didn’t persecute! They even killed the ones who predicted the coming of the Righteous One—the Messiah whom you betrayed and murdered. You deliberately disobeyed God’s law, even though you received it from the hands of angels.” When you know who you are in the Kingdom and you know who your Lord and King is and the rights you have as a citizen of the Kingdom of God, you will be bold. You will do what God has purposed you to do without fear and without doubt or uncertainty!
Regardless of your past transgressions and disobedience to His Word, if you call on the name of the Lord Jesus for your salvation, He will deliver you and show you your purpose and assignment. Look what He did for Saul: Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains.
As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”
“Who are you, lord?” Saul asked.
And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting!
Saul had such a notorious reputation that the Lord Jesus had to speak to another disciple concerning him. Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!”
“Yes, Lord!” he replied.
The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.” Even after speaking to Ananias, he still had doubts, until the Lord Jesus gave him details concerning Saul's purpose. “But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.”
But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.
From that point on, Ananias followed the Lord Jesus' instructions. So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength.
Remember, it is your faith that operates in the Kingdom, not your religious beliefs. Without faith, you will never fulfill God's purpose for your life.
Matthew 15:21-28 Luke 9:1-6 Mark 6:7-13
Acts 8:1-3; 7:57-58, 51-53; 9:1-5, 10-15, 17-19 all NLT, unless noted
W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
This article may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are included at the end of the article as originally placed. Thank you
