Category: Know These Truths

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, prayer, Quiet Time, She, Volume 3

Mary, Mother of Jesus, Part 3

Posted on by MaryEllen

Adapted from She, delighting in the women of the Bible, volume 3, pp 33-34

Today’s Scripture: Luke 1:39-56, Hebrews 11:6, and Psalm 37:4-5

Take delight in the LORD; and He will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the LORD; trust Him and He will help you.

Psalm 37:4-5

Sometime after Mary professed her belief in the angel’s message and surrendered to the will of the LORD, she went to visit her cousin, Elizabeth. You most likely know the story, but it never gets old, does it? Luke writes that Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, ‘God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. Why am I so honored that the mother of my Lord should visit me? When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. Oh, how I love the words of Elizabeth, the description of the baby jumping for joy, and the sign that seemed to be to her that Mary had indeed been given the honor of bringing the long-awaited Messiah into the world.

As Mary had believed the words of the angel and surrendered to the will of God for her life, Elizabeth also believed and made her belief known to Mary, saying: “And blessed is she that believed; for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.” What an encouragement that must have been to Mary, whom I cannot help but imagine has been feeling somewhat alone in all of this since she received the announcement. Though undoubtedly, her faith was a sustaining grace, the questions, conversations, judgments, and, especially, Joseph’s initial doubts had to weigh heavily on her mind and heart. Then she arrives at Elizabeth’s and is greeted with great excitement and honor. The Lord, our God, is so good to give us just the encouragement we need when we need it.

The willingness of the women to believe and Mary’s willingness to surrender were, as the study journal points out, “birthed in faith that if the Lord said it, there is no doubt it would happen.”

This is the faith that the author of Hebrews writes about in Hebrews 11:6, where we read: “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Both Mary and Elizabeth believed that what God had said would happen. This reminds me of what Paul alludes to in Philippians 1:6, when he states that he is “confident that He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it.“

She had faith, and God performed a miracle.1

MARY, THE MOTHER OF JESUS, ALSO SERVES AS AN EXAMPLE THAT WHEN WE BELIEVE WHAT THE LORD HAS PROMISED, HE IS CERTAIN TO PERFORM IT.

Reflection and Application

When you pray, is your attitude one of confidence – not in what you want but in what the Lord can do? If you are waiting for a prayer to be answered, are you confidently surrendered to the will/desire of God for your life or the life of the one you are praying for?

Friends, the way we pray and what we pray matters… consider this commentary from Hebrews 11:6 by bibleref.com:

What does Hebrews 11:6 mean?

This is a popular verse from the book of Hebrews, and also one easily misunderstood out of context. Taken all by itself, the verse presents a truth which is fairly easy to understand. Namely, that God’s first and foremost concern is with our faith—our attitude towards Him and trust in Him—rather than in our actions. This does not make our behaviors unimportant. On the contrary: what we do reflects what we truly believe (James 2:14–17). However, as this verse shows, merely “going through the motions” is not what God is looking for. Those who want to please God need to have faith, not simple agreement, and not merely reluctant cooperation. ~ ~The problem with quoting or reading this verse out of its context is the specter of “blind faith,” or wishful thinking. As shown in prior passages, the writer of Hebrews is not advocating for a gullible, wishful-thinking attitude. On the contrary, this entire letter has been an exercise in evidence and logic. The writer’s point is meant to emphasize the primacy of true faith over insincere works: robotic obedience without legitimate trust in God is worthless. This lesson is given as part of a description of Old Testament figures whose actions prove their faith. (emphasis mine)

The More We Know

“Many of our prayers appear to go unanswered simply because we do not believe that God is willing and able to bring them to pass.”2

  1. She, delighting in the examples of the women of the Bible/Volume 3/p33 ↩︎
  2. She, delighting in the examples of the women of the Bible/Volume 3/p34 ↩︎
Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, Quiet Time, She, Volume 3

Mary, The Mother of Jesus, part 2

Posted on by MaryEllen

Adapted from She, delighting in the women of the Bible, volume 3, pp 29-30

Today’s Scripture: Luke 1:26-38, Matthew 1:21, and Psalm 40:8

I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart.”

Psalm 40:8

I love the details of Matthew 1:21, where the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream after he had decided to break off the engagement and told him not to be afraid to marry her, explaining that the child she was carrying was conceived by the Holy Spirit.

“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21

To borrow a quote from the She study journal, p31, “Mary carried the Savior of the world into this world for a specific purpose.” He would save His people from their sins.

An angel also visited and encouraged Mary, telling her she was highly favored and blessed among women; he assured her that the Lord was pleased with her. The angel’s words were not only about her, though; he also told her about the child, saying: “He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David.” She learned that He would reign over the house of Jacob forever, and that his kingdom would never end. Wow! Talk about a good and encouraging ‘ultrasound’ report! (Luke 1:32-33)

Mary’s response was one of willingness, saying: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.” (Luke 1:38) In other words, “Thy will be done.” Whatever God had said or asked of her, she believed the angel’s message and surrendered to the Father’s will.

MARY, THE MOTHER OF JESUS, ALSO SERVES AS AN EXAMPLE THAT GOD CAN USE US FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

What did it mean when Mary said: “…be it unto me according to thy word…”? Is this our attitude/answer to Him in life?

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, Quiet Time, She, Volume 3

The Widow of Nain

Posted on by MaryEllen

adapted from She, delighting in the women of the Bible, Volume 3, pp 75-76

Today’s Scripture: Luke 7:11-17 and 1 John 4:9

God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 1 Jn 4:9

The raising of the dead never gets old, does it? On the contrary, it moves (or should move) us to marvel at what God has done, weeping with joy and/or glorifying God. Whether it is Peter raising a beloved and generous widow from her deathbed, or Jesus speaking to a mother’s son lying dead on a bier1, or Christ, who was dead for three days but rose and walked out of the tomb on the third day – may we never cease to glorify God when we read of resurrected life or see Him work miracles around/for us today.

THE WIDOW OF NAIN SERVES AS AN EXAMPLE OF THE MIRACLES THAT CHRIST CAN PERFORM IN OUR LIVES SIMPLY BECAUSE OF HIS LOVE FOR US. 2

The emphasis on never tiring of reading about these miracles hit me today as I caught myself thinking – ‘hey, we just read about Peter telling Tabitha to “arise”‘. I found it a bit strange that the study book had put two “resurrection” accounts so close together. However, there are notable differences, such as in the story of Tabitha being raised, which happened because Peter had been urged to come without delay. Yet, in the story of the widow of Nain, Scripture does not indicate that Jesus had been told about the son’s death, only that Jesus saw her, and He had compassion on her, saying, “Weep not”. These comforting words were followed by the life-giving words spoken to her son: “Young man, I say to you, arise.”

Friends, until that day comes when we are called to be with Him, may we rise up daily, take up our cross, turn from our selfish ways, and faithfully follow Him toward everlasting life in His presence.

The More We Know

When the Lord works miracles, we must do just as the multitudes did that day…glorify Him.3

So what does it mean to glorify God?

I was taught years ago that to glorify God means to make him known.

Check out these other helpful definitions/explanations that rightfully help us to understand the importance and value of glorifying God.

  • Glorifying God is the ultimate purpose of human existence, defined in Christian theology as thinking, feeling, and acting in ways that reflect God’s supreme greatness, beauty, and perfections. It is the act of making God’s glory visible, acknowledging His intrinsic worth (kabod/glory) and magnifying His character to the world.

The Theological Foundation of Glorifying God

  • Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Glory: God possesses inherent, infinite glory (intrinsic) that cannot be increased. Glorifying God means acknowledging this glory and displaying it (extrinsic) through creation, redemption, and human lives.
  • The “Telescope” Analogy: As described by John Piper in The Wasted Life, humans are intended to act like telescopes, not microscopes. A telescope reveals the massive grandeur of God, whereas a microscope shrinks the view to focus on oneself.
  • The Trinity and Glory: God glorifies Himself in everything; therefore, believers glorify God by aligning with His purposes. Jesus modeled this by perfectly obeying the Father, revealing His character, and offering His life as a sacrifice.

Reflection and Application

Do you make a habit of glorifying God daily, regardless of where you are? Or do you just save it for Sunday morning church services? How can you be more intentional to daily glorify Him wherever you are and no matter who you are with?

How can we glorify God at all times? To glorify God is to honor Him with praise or worship. God is glorious; that is, He is great and magnificent—He is exceptionally grand in His nature and deeds. “Full of splendor and majesty is his work” (Psalm 111:3, ESV). When we glorify Him, we acknowledge His greatness and splendor and laud Him for it. When we “give Him glory,” as all the world is told to do in Revelation 14:7, we direct our praise, adoration, thanksgiving, and worship to Him who alone is worthy.

David suggested these particular ways (and more) in First Chronicles 16:7–36

• give praise to the Lord (verse 8)
• proclaim the greatness of God’s name (verse 8)
• tell the whole world what God has done (verses 8–9, 24)
• sing to the Lord (verses 9, 23)
• glory, or exult, in His name (verse 10)
• rejoice in Him (verse 10)
• seek out the Lord and trust in His power (verse 11)
• remember all the Lord’s mighty deeds (verse 12)
• ascribe glory and strength to Him because it is His due (verses 28–29). To ascribe is to think of as belonging, as a quality or characteristic; thus, we regard the Lord as possessing glory and strength.
• bring an offering to God (verse 29). In Asaph’s time, the offerings were in accordance with the Law of Moses; today, we are “to offer [our] bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is [our] true and proper worship” (Romans 12:1).
• worship the Lord (verse 29)
• give thanks to God for His goodness and love (verse 34)
• cry out to God for deliverance (verse 35)

Sources

  1. A bier is a stand on which a corpse, coffin, or casket containing a corpse is placed to lie in state or to be carried to its final disposition. In a Christian burial, the bier is often placed in the center of the nave with candles surrounding it, and remains in place during the funeral. Source: Wikipedia ↩︎
  2. She, delighting in the women of the Bible, Volume 3, pp 75-76 ↩︎
  3. She, delighting in the women of the Bible, Volume 3, pp 75-76 ↩︎
Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, LGG Study, Love, prayer, Quiet Time, She, Volume 3

Tabitha

Posted on by MaryEllen

adapted from the She study, delighting in the women of the Bible, volume 3, pp 68-69

Today’s Scripture Reading: Acts 9:32-43 and Proverbs 31:10

“Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.”

Proverbs 31:10

Tabitha, also known as Dorcas, is another woman of the Bible who is seldom taught and little known by most. Actually, if you had asked me three weeks ago (before I began looking through this study book) who Tabitha was, I would have told you she was a character from the Bewitched Show.1 It wasn’t until I began reading today’s passage of Scripture that I remembered her story. This Tabitha was not an adorable child who could twitch her nose and make things move or disappear. Instead, she was a New Testament believer known for her good works and kind deeds. These deeds/works are not really elaborated on, but what we do know is that she was specifically known for her good works and acts of love for the poor/needy, particularly the widows (Acts 9:36 & 39).

While Tabitha’s story is told in a mere seven verses, it is one of inspiration and a miraculous restoration of life that led to many more believers in the city of Joppa. It is safe to say that her testimony is far more valuable than rubies. This is made evident when Peter not only responds quickly to the message he received about her passing, but then raises her from the dead.

SHE WAS ALIVE AGAIN, A LIVING TESTIMONY OF THE MIRACULOUS GRACE OF GOD.2

Friends, like Tabitha, our testimonies matter. How we live for God, not only on Sundays or when people are watching, matters. From our words, to our facial expressions, to the things we do for God and for others matter. How we live will either lead people toward God or away from Him. As my pastor preached yesterday,3 “others will know when we have spent time with Jesus”(Acts 4:13).

Every time a person is raised from the dead, it is a stupendous miracle, showing that the God who is Himself the Source of Life has the ability to give life to whom He will—even after death.4

Tabitha serves as an example that faithfulness can lead to great miracles and much fruit, which in this case was other believers5 (Acts 9:42).

Reflections and Application

When others see us, will they see that we have spent time with Jesus? Will they be able to tell that we are faithful followers of Jesus? When they hear or see that we are sick, will they call others in the body of Christ to pray for us? Will the watching world see what Jesus is doing in us and choose to follow him as well?

Faithfulness is a rare quality. How can you/we be more faithful?

The More We Know

How many people were raised from the dead in the Bible?

  1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bewitched ↩︎
  2. She, delighting in the women of the Bible, volume 3, p 69 ↩︎
  3. Sermon, The Cost of Following, by Pastor David Lemming ↩︎
  4. https://www.gotquestions.org/raised-from-the-dead.html ↩︎
  5. She, delighting in the women of the Bible, volume 3, p 69 ↩︎

https://lmbc.org/media/v5r87c4/the-cost-of-following-part-3

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, Quiet Time, She, Volume 3

Rahab, part 1

Posted on by MaryEllen

Adapted from the She study, volume 3, pp. 49-50

Today’s Scriptures: Joshua 2:1-15; Genesis 12:3

And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse that curseth thee and in thee: shall all families of the earth be blessed.

Genesis 12:3

When Joshua sent two men to spy out Jericho, we are told that they went into the house of a prostitute named Rahab, whose house was on the town wall. To help explain why/how the spies came to be in the house of a prostitute, gotquestions.org offers this insightful explanation:

It may seem strange that the spies found refuge in the house of a prostitute—what were they, people of God, doing there? The answer may be quite simple. To state the obvious, perhaps the spies were seeking the services of a prostitute. There is another possible explanation, however. The house of a harlot was probably a good place to avoid detection—a couple of travelers entering such a house would probably not arouse much suspicion. The spies, seeking anonymity, figured a house of prostitution would be a good place to find it. Also, Rahab’s house was situated on the city wall (Joshua 2:15), providing an escape route. As it turned out, the spies’ choice of a hiding place was God-ordained.

God gives us so many wonderful examples of His timeless and boundless grace through the people He saves and chooses to use throughout His Word. Rahab is definitely one of these living illustrations. We find her story in Joshua chapters 2 and 6 as well as in Matthew 1:5, Hebrews 11:31, and James 2:25. Each time she is mentioned, we are pointed to her faith, and in three of those passages, the author notes not only her faith but things she did because of her faith. In the Joshua 2 account, Rahab:

  • hid the men in a safe place
  • lied to protect the men when men from the town came searching for them
  • made her faith known to them
  • sought protection for herself and her family, and
  • when it was safe, she safely let them down through the window

She serves as an example that when we bless the people of God, He will bless us in return.

She, delighting in the examples of the women of the Bible, p50

Like Gomer in the book of Hosea, Rahab is among my favorite stories because of how God’s grace is revealed to and through her. Notice, for instance, one of my favorite passages in this story: “9 And she said unto the men, ‘I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. 10 For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. 11 And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the Lord your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.’”

Friends, may we make sure others hear what God is doing in our lives and in the world around us ~ so that, like Rahab, they might declare their faith and be saved.

The More We Know

For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) – There is no one, not even a prostitute, beyond the saving grace of our God.

If you have questions about how you can be saved and what it means, I invite you to read “Know These Truths,” where you will find why and how – and the promised hope that Rahab received.

Know These Truths
Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, Quiet Time, She, Volume 3

Rachel

Posted on by MaryEllen

Adapted from the Bible Study: She, delighting in the examples of the women of the Bible, pp 43-44

Today’s Scripture: Genesis 30 & 35 and 2 Corinthians 4:17

 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!

2 Corinthians 4:17

A Season of Barrenness

In our previous post, we looked at the life of Leah, Rachel’s older sister, who was:

  • deceitfully given in marriage to the man Rachel was promised to
  • delivered six sons to Jacob, while Rachel remained barren

As today’s study journal points out, Rachel was much like Sarah, Jacob’s grandmother, who took matters into her own hands rather than waiting on the Lord to provide, Genesis 30:3-6. Because of this, she ended up with two sons by Bilah, her handmaiden.

Rachel was the one whom Jacob loved, yet she had not bare him any children.

She, delighting in the examples of the women of the Bible, p43

Friends, like Rachel, I have experienced barrenness. For eight long years, I longed for a child. For eight long years, I waited – patiently at first, but over the years, patience turned to impatience, bitterness toward God, and resentment of any of my friends (and for that matter, strangers) who became pregnant before me. Bitterness turned to anger, and anger resulted in a broken relationship with God and the alienation/loss of once treasured friends; and yes, like Rachel, I blamed and resented my husband. Little did I know that God was using all of the brokenness through those eight long years to lead me right where He wanted me to be – slowly but surely to the way of restoration and blessing. First with Him, then with friendships – old and new – and eventually to the daughters I would have.

“After that trial of waiting, God remembered Rachel and gave her children.” 1

Rachel gave birth to Joseph and died shortly after giving birth to Benjamin, the last of Jacob’s sons.

Rachel serves as an example that what we seek and eventually find may end in sorrow, but God always has a purpose and will for our lives.

She, delighting in the examples of the women of the Bible, p44

Reflection and Application

Reflect on the years of your life. How has the Lord used sorrow in your life for your good and His glory?

The More We Know

Read the full story of Rachel (and Leah), which is found in the Book of Genesis, primarily in chapters 29 through 35. It details their marriage to Jacob, their intense rivalry, and the birth of the children who became the ancestors of the twelve tribes of Israel, including key events such as Laban’s deception.

Know These Truths
  1. She, delighting in the examples of the women of the Bible, p43 (and Genesis 30:22) ↩︎
Posted in Bible study, Devotion, Easter, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

A Day of Lament

Posted on by MaryEllen

As He approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it.

Luke 19:41

Friends, we have journeyed for weeks now, toward the cross, and we have known this day would come. The day God planned from eternity past, the day His only begotten Son would hang and die for us, sinners, condemned unclean! Yet in this world of animatronics, it is easy to forget that He came not as a spirit or a robotic type creature, but as “fully man”! He came as a baby in a manger – a suffering servant – the son of God, yet sent to earth as the son of a carpenter – sent not to sit on a royal throne and be served but to serve and ultimately to die for the world God so loved. Yet not before He would seek and save those who were lost. For He came to dwell among them, teaching them about the God who saves, and to show them the way to live and the way to eternal life. A life that could only come through death – the death of the spotless, scarificial lamb of God.

Just days before His death, we find Him walking into Jerusalem, weeping as He entered the city.

Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem

41 But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. 42 “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes. 43 Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. 44 They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not recognize it when God visited you.”

Luke 19:41-44

Even as He was being welcomed by the crowd as He rode in on the donkey, the crowd was waving palm branches and shouting, “Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in Heaven and glory in the highest heaven!” Even then, (like us today), He wept for He knew what the leaders and rulers were planning. He knew then what had to be – ‘fully man but fully God,’ -He knew and had come to accomplish it – to redeem the lost, a lost and dying world – a world God had chosen to love and to save through the blood of a lamb – a people who would believe in this man – who was also fully God! He knew the death He would die and the destruction that would come upon this city and its people, and He wept – lamenting that the Jews – “of all people,” would have understood the way to peace! He was that Way, but they had rejected Him. They could not see Him as the rescuer He was, but rather as a threat to be done away with! — So He wept, and continued on the road … the road that led to the Temple…the road that led to Him lamenting their blindness, their lack of understanding, and what would come because of it – not just His own death – but the destruction of Jerusalem – The City of God!

Jesus Clears the Temple

Then Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people selling animals for sacrifices. 46 He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.”

47 After that, he taught daily in the Temple, but the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the other leaders of the people began planning how to kill him. 48 But they could think of nothing, because all the people hung on every word he said.

Luke 19:45-48

It was a road that led to His authority being challenged…the road that would lead to the upper room…the washing of feet…the last supper with His disciples…the Garden of Gethsemene and His heartfelt prayer of lament that the Father would “let this cup pass from Him” It was the road that led to…Judas’ betrayal and the arrest that followed…Peter’s denial…the trial… and ultimately the road that ended at the cross, or more appropriately stated today – “On the cross”, where He suffered and bled and died, not as one without feeling, but in agony,1 on a cross of scorn, of sin, and shame meant for us.

Friends, Jesus could have called down 10,000 angels to take Him from the cross – , where He suffered and bled and died, not as one without feeling, but in agony.1 It wasn’t His cross to bear, it was ours – a cross of scorn, of sin, and shame but as a sacrifical lamb led to the slaughter He took our place, our scouraging, our nails, our pain and shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last.

And when all the crowd that came to see the crucifixion saw what had happened, they went home in deep sorrow. 49 But Jesus’ friends, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching. – Luke 23:48-49

Prayer of Response

Father this day brings great sorrow to me, a great awareness of Your sacrifice, of Jesus’ suffering, and of my sin. But I do not sorrow as one without hope – but one who knows that Sunday is coming! And so I cry with grateful heart, thank You, God, for loving me. Thank you, Jesus – Lamb of God, for Your tears and Your willingness – even through lamenting – to not turn back but to take my stripes and my wounds and all the torment it must have been. I am forever indebted and forever changed because of Your love and Your obedience to the will of the Father. Amen and amen! – May my life and lips forever tell Your story!2 –

The More We Know

Credits for today’s graphic belong to Susan Hill’s excellent Easter Devotional, “A Savior Is Risen”, p121.

  1. The Medical Aspecs of the Crucifixion ↩︎
  2. I love to tell the Story ↩︎

Dear Reader: If you do not know the story of Jesus, the truths of His Word and the invitation that is open to you to receive salvation through Faith in Jesus, the sacrificial lamb of God – I invite you (urge you) to click on “Know These Truths” and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ ~ the Way, the Truth, and the Life -~ to all who believe.

KNOW THESE TRUTHS

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, Quiet Time, She, Volume 2

The Woman with the Issue of Blood, Part 2

Posted on by MaryEllen

Adapted from: She, Volume 2/pp97-98

Read: Mark 5:25-34

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Romans 1:16 NET

In our previous post, we explored many Scriptures that spoke about the faith of a woman with a bleeding issue. A faith inspired by hearing about Jesus, the man who had healed many people of their infirmities. So certain was she of what she had heard that when she learned where He was, she placed herself in the midst of the crowd that was following Him and worked her way closer and closer to Him, with the hope of being able to simply touch just the edge of His garment. She believed that even that would be enough for her to be healed – and, as we read in Luke 8:44, it was!

After all the doctors and all the money spent and all of the disappointments and growing problems, she touched the hem of His garment, and she knew immediately that she had been healed.

She came up behind Jesus and touched the edge of his cloak, and at once the bleeding stopped. 

Luke 8:44 NET

Not only did she realize she had been healed, but much to her surprise, and I would imagine (because of the attention it drew to her) some embarrassment, Jesus also knew that someone had touched Him and at their touch power had gone out from Him.

And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately.

Luke 8:47 KJV

45 Then Jesus asked, “Who was it who touched me?” When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds are surrounding you and pressing against you!” 46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I know that power has gone out from me.” 47 When the woman saw that she could not escape notice, she came trembling and fell down before him. In the presence of all the people, she explained why she had touched him and how she had been immediately healed. 48 Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace.

Luke 8:45-48 NET

Surely the beauty of this story is that her faith had brought about a miraculous healing, but by following the ‘breadcrumbs’ left by the other writers, we find credible evidence of at least the possibility that through her testimony, others came to Jesus, hoping for the same miraculous touch.

Matthew writes about a time when they had landed in Gennesaret, and “When the people there recognized Jesus, they sent word into all the surrounding area, and they brought all their sick to him. They begged him if they could only touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.” Some commentators speculate that the people may have requested this particular method of healing because they had heard the woman’s story. Friends, regardless of how they knew to ask to touch the hem of His garment, they knew. Regardless of how the woman with the issue of blood had heard enough about Jesus to place her faith in His power, she had heard and believed. The truth and the lesson we must not let pass us by is that it is important to tell others about Jesus. Yes, this means sharing the Gospel, but it also means sharing what He has done in your life, or what you have seen Him do in the lives of others. It’s about sharing the good news that our God changes lives when we call out to Him (or, as in the case of the woman today, reach out to Him) in faith.

Consider this:

Someone told you of your need for Jesus. where would you be if they chose not to share the Good News with you?

She, Volume 2/p98
Reflection and Application
  • Who told you about Jesus?
    • Thank them today.
  • Let’s commit to asking God daily to:
    • show us someone who needs to hear the good news about Jesus
    • help us see them
    • give us courage to stop and share Jesus with them
    • prepare their hearts to receive the message and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ
The More We Know

Dear reader, if you do not know Jesus… if you have never put your faith in Him, I invite you to explore “Know These Truths,” where you will discover the Way to everlasting life and an indescribable joy. It is available to all who believe. There is no greater hope for me concerning this website than for God to use it to lead others to Jesus, His only begotten Son, who came to earth so that you might enjoy everlasting life.

Know These Truths
Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, Quiet Time, She, Volume 2

The Woman With an Issue of Blood, Part 1

Posted on by MaryEllen

Adapted from She, Volume 2/pp95-96

Read: Matthew 9:20-22 and Luke 8:43-48

But a woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. 21 For she kept saying to herself, “If only I touch his cloak, I will be healed.”

Matthew 9:20-21 NET

Desperation can cause us to do things we would not usually do; this is the case with today’s woman in the Bible. She is not named, but oh, how we need to know her story, share it with others, and let it affect our faith.

We are not told how she found out about Jesus (Mark 5:27) or how she came to believe that if she could only touch his garment, even the hem of it, she would be healed. Her disease wasn’t one that she could simply walk up to Him in public and talk about. It wasn’t a disease that any doctor or remedy she was given had been able to cure, but it was one on which she had spent all of her money in an attempt to find a cure, only to have the disease grow worse (see Mark 5:25–26).

As bad as those details sound, add to it “the Jewish Law that declared her to be ceremonially unclean due to her bleeding issue (Leviticus 15:25-27).” Which, as gotquestions.org explains, “meant that she would not have been permitted to enter the temple for Jewish religious ceremonies. According to the Law, anything or anyone she touched became unclean as well. The fact that she was in the crowd pressing around Jesus means that each person who bumped into her would have become unclean, too—including Jesus.” However, as has already been said, desperation can push us to do things we would never do otherwise. Such is the case here. “After twelve years of suffering, she was obviously desperate for a miracle.” So, “When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, ‘If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed’” (Mark 5:27–28).

If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.”

Matthew 9:20 KJV

And so it was, just as she had believed. Scripture bears witness to us that the woman was made whole (Luke 8:47 and Mark 5:30). We could stop there with that testimony and celebrate both her faith and the victory that she experienced because of it. However, I can’t resist sharing the following commentary from gotquestions.org, which offers a wonderful bonus reason to lift our hands in praise for Jesus’ transforming power through her faith.

“As soon as the woman touches Jesus, her bleeding stops and she knows she’s been healed. In an instant, Jesus does what no doctor in twelve years had been able to. This proves the power of Christ, of course, but it also illustrates an important point about Jesus and the Law. In Leviticus 15:31 God says, “You must keep the Israelites separate from things that make them unclean, so they will not die in their uncleanness for defiling my dwelling place, which is among them.” In the Old Testament, the temple was where God dwelt among the Israelites, but in the New Testament, God dwelt among men in the person of Jesus Christ (see John 1:14). Through Jesus the penalties of the Law are reversed, and the contamination of this world had no effect on Christ. The woman did not make Jesus (God’s dwelling) unclean—He made her clean!”

Friends, I don’t know about you, but to that beautiful picture of ‘faith’s glorious victory’ I am shouting a loud amen and hallelujah!

Reflection and Application
  • What was so special about the garment Jesus was wearing?
The More We Know

Join me tomorrow as we look at another example of this woman with the issue of blood. It’s amazing what these women can teach us.

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, Quiet Time, She, Volume 2, The Gospel

The True Harlot Mother

Posted on by MaryEllen

Adapted from She, Volume 2/p83-84

Read: 1 Kings 3

If you’ve heard the story, you already know the outcome; if you haven’t, then you may be surprised at the King’s first suggestion and the vastly different reactions of the women. Whether the story is new to you or well-known, we must be careful not to brush it aside as irrelevant to us today. Our circumstances and life choices may never place us in the exact scenario of the two mothers, but throughout our lifetime, we will inevitably face difficult choices – choices that make us choose right from wrong, good or evil, love or hate, gain or loss – and in all of these, we must choose carefully. Our decisions must be made with a heart yielded and committed to God’s glory (the righteous choice), even if it means suffering great loss. After all, Jesus told His disciples (including us): whoever wanted to follow Him would need to deny themselves daily and take up their cross, which, as explained by one commentary1, means to: “accept the rejection of the world for turning to Jesus and following him. Discipleship involves a death that is like a crucifixion (Gal. 2: 20 and 6:14).” This is why Jesus went on to say: “Whoever wants to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life because of me will save it” (Luke 9:24).

Solomon could not tell from their words which woman was telling the truth. Instead, he issued a shocking command: “Bring me a sword. . . . Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other”

(1 Kings 3:24–25). 
Reflection and Application
  • Leave a comment below with another example of someone willing to suffer great loss for God’s glory.
The More We Know

The chapter’s final verse notes the effect that Solomon’s unorthodox methods had on the kingdom: “When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice” (1 Kings 3:28). Solomon’s wisdom had been given by God when Solomon requested it (verse 5). The account of Solomon’s handling of the case of the two prostitutes showed that he had indeed been granted wisdom from God. ~ (Got questions.org)

Dear reader, if you do not know Jesus… if you have never professed your faith in Him, I invite you to explore “Know These Truths” where you will discover the Way to everlasting life and an indescribable joy. It is available to all who believe.

Know These Truths
  1. Biblegateway.com sn Only Luke mentions taking up one’s cross daily. To bear the cross means to accept the rejection of the world for turning to Jesus and following him. Discipleship involves a death that is like a crucifixion; see Gal 6:14. ↩︎