God knows how many hairs are on my head! (yours too!)
Matthew 10:30 And even the very hairs on your head are numbered.
He cares deeply for me (and you too!) He knows my needs and I wanted to share something he did for me today (well yesterday since I didn't get to post this yet) .
Sometimes it's easy to read the verses of the Bible and think wow, that's pretty cool that God did that back then and to think that the days & time we live in are quite different then back when the Bible was written. But as I've shared before
Jesus is the same yesterday, today, & forever. Hebrews 13:8 Which means that the God of back when the Bible was written is the same God that is here today. That's quite reassuring to me. That also means that not only does he know every hair on my head & have compassion for me, he knows what I need even better than I do.
Take today for example. I had a conversation with someone who shared with me that his brother was diagnosed with cancer of the blood last year. It affected his kidneys and when they did a cancer number (kinda like the tumor marker they did on me), they normally range in the hundreds, this man's was over 5,000. Since his kidneys were so affected the doctors were hopeful that they could get him back to at least 75% of function of what it used to be and they wanted to decrease the cancer marker to 25% of the 5,000. So if I've done my math correctly, they were aiming for 1,250.
That doesn't sound altogether too hopeful to me, more like a half hope. I mean, it's kinda like what they said to me about being incurable. BUT, and let me tell you, it matters where you put your but. lol
I know the one true God.
The God of all creation.
The God that knew me while I was in my mother's womb.
The God that knows how many hairs are on my head and loves me and has compassion for me, is full of mercy, and kindness, and so much more!
He is greater than anything on this earth.
Even greater than the doctors (whom he created).
He's greater than any sickness or disease (even cancer, and just as the holy spirit revealed to me a few months back, just like sin is sin to God, sickness is sickness to him as well & cancer ain't nothin'.)
Back to this man's brother...they were praying for God to heal him completely & make him whole. I think he went through some treatments but remember, even with the treatments the doctors felt that there was only so much that could be done for him. This man had a few different doctors and when they did some tests later, the doctor came back to tell him that his kidney function was actually at 100% and was totally amazed. He responded to the surprise by saying that it was answered prayer. Then another test was done and instead of getting the cancer marker down to 1,250, they actually couldn't find ANYTHING in his body of the cancer. His response when the doctor was surprised was "that's answered prayer!" It didn't sound like the cancer doctor had a relationship with God and sort of rolled her eyes when he said it again that it was answered prayer. This was encouraging to me to see the wonders and miracles that God has done & is still doing in people. It reminded me of why testimonies are so important. God knows that we need to be reminded of what He's done AND what HE's doing. I think we forget easily, which is silly. On a side note, I used to wonder when reading the Bible, how could the Israelites forget how God had freed them from Pharaoh and then go on & worship an idol calf they had made. I used to judge them & think that it was amazing what he did by parting the Red Sea, among other things in order to free them & they forgot so quickly. BUT ya know what? I forget easily sometimes too and I'm gonna go out on a limb here & say that you probably do too.
God knew that I needed a reminder of the miracles & wonders he's done for others and done for me so that I can put my hope, my trust, my faith, and my eyes back on HIM. I need to see things through God's eyes rather than my own. This reminds me of what I've recently learned from Matthew 11. Let me see if I can explain this the way I understand it. I hope that I have this correct because I don't want to lead anyone in the wrong direction. So here goes...
In Matthew 11, John the Baptist was in prison and he sent his disciples to go ask Jesus if he was the Messiah or should someone else be expected. Why did John do it? Why did he have such a question as this? Didn't he get a word from God that when he baptized the Messiah that a dove would come down from heaven? Didn't he spend his entire life learning & studying God's word while in the desert in order to pave the way for Jesus to come? Wasn't he baptized in the holy spirit 3 months prior to his birth? Didn't he see the dove come down after he baptized Jesus and hear God say "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
Matthew 3:16-17 16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
So what happened that John was questioning his faith? Well...he was in prison. I've never been in prison but I can say with certainty that prison back then was NO posh place. I'm sure John was quite discouraged for a few reasons. For one, he was in prison. 2. He wasn't out preaching, doing his heart's desire like God had called him to do & that was probably hard for him. And so even though he had been baptized with the Holy Spirit since he was about 6 months in his mother's womb and he had studied God's word in the desert his whole life and he had baptized Jesus in the Jordan and saw the dove come down & heard the voice of God say it was his son...he began to have doubts. And that's probably where these questions came from. He probably had a long time to think & wonder if he had spent his whole life learning about God for nothing or had he said that Jesus was God's son when he wasn't?? Have you ever had doubts about something after? I know I have. Well John had studied God's word and knew that in Isaiah it said:
Isaiah 35:5-6
New International Version (NIV)
5 Then will the eyes of the blind be opened
and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
6 Then will the lame leap like a deer,
and the mute tongue shout for joy.
So when Jesus talked to John the Baptist's disciples, he told them to go and remind John of the scriptures he had studied and things he had seen happen, that the blind will see, the lame will walk, the deaf will hear & make it even better, he added that those with leprosy would be cleansed and the dead will be raised. Wow!
But why didn't he tell John's disciples that he thought John was an amazing man? Wouldn't that have been encouraging? Probably to some degree but it was even better for Jesus to have John reminded of the word of God and it being fulfilled. It was a testimony to Jesus' power to heal & save. And I'm sure that John pondered on this and remembered what he had learned in his studies and what he had seen & this testimony renewed his faith, pushing out the doubt.
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Matthew 11:1-15 (NIV)
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Jesus
and John the Baptist
1After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples,
he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee. 2When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the
Messiah, he sent his disciples 3to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we
expect someone else?” 4Jesus replied, “Go back and
report to John what you hear and see: 5The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those
who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are
raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 6Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on
account of me.” 7As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to
the crowd about John: “What did you go out into
the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 8If not, what did you go out to see? A man
dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’
palaces. 9Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes,
I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10This is the one about whom it is written: “ ‘I will send my
messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your
way before you.’
11Truly I tell you, among those born of women
there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is
least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12From the days of John the Baptist until now, the
kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and violent people have been raiding it. 13For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied
until John. 14And if you are willing to accept it, he is the
Elijah who was to come. 15Whoever has ears, let them hear.
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This chapter has become important to me as I battle doubts that creep up in my mind. Satan trying to steel my joy in Christ. Satan trying to make me question my faith. So today I am thankful that God blessed me with a testimony of a man's brother who's doctors hadn't given him hope of a complete healing and yet, he was completely healed. Praise God! My hope, my trust, my faith is in HIM! Thank you Lord for renewing my faith and renewing my mind with testimonies are your Word. I will meditate on your word day & night for you alone are God!
Heavenly Father,
There are so many people in this world that are broken and need to be made whole. I know that when Jesus died on the cross, he didn't just die for our sins, he died for our healing too and you want us to be whole. Abba-father, I ask that you minister to each person that is broken, is in need of healing, forgiveness, of knowing your great love. May your word be planted into their hearts and seep down into the very depth of their souls, mine too, so that we can not only experience all that you have for us but that we are overflowing with love, compassion, kindness, faith, joy, peace, mercy, grace, patience, goodness, faithfulness, & self-control in order to share it with others. May we be the salt and light in this ever darkening & sinful world. Please keep reminding us of your signs, wonders, miracles, & blessings so that we can keep our eyes focused on you. And help us to walk by faith, not by sight. For that is only a fraction of reality.
In your precious son, Jesus' name. Amen
