Fear No Fear

(All scripture from the NET, netbible.org, all rights reserved)

Jesus said to them, “No doubt you will quote to me the proverb, ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ and say, ‘What we have heard that you did in Capernaum, do here in your hometown too.’”
Luke 4:23 (emphasis added)

We do love a good sign, don’t we? We live in a society that is more and more falling in love with the IDEA of ‘proof’. Ironically, people often point toward science as their benchmark for this proof. However, in science NOTHING is EVER proven. Science isn’t about proof. It is about the collection and analysis of evidence leading to the general acceptance of something as most probable. Science is the evaluation of collected evidence. It is our observations of what is around us. In true science, something can be universally accepted but NOTHING is ever truly PROVEN.

This is a principle that we can understand. This might even be something that we value. In most areas of our lives, we can accept it without argument. For example, it is universally accepted that there is such a thing as gravity. There is overwhelming evidence that gravity both exists and reliably follows a set of rules with a consistency that helps us refer to it as a law. Yet you cannot PROVE gravity. This bothers no one. We all accept the discoverable force, teach it as an accepted thing, and move on with our lives without really putting any thought into it – no matter how prevalent it is and how much it effects every moment of every day of our lives. Start talking about the things of Yahweh? All of a sudden our attitude changes.

Prove God exists. Miracles died with the Twelve Apostles because I see no evidence of it. If you want me to believe someone was raised from the dead show me the medical and legal documentation of it. Christians can’t get prosperous because we’re called to a live of poverty. Suffering helps you be pious. And so on and so on and so on. If you don’t look at the exact words and think more of tone and intent, these comments – and many like them – are the same as the questions and comments from the Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes. Nothing has changed. Religious thinking tries to choke the promises of the Word out and kill the ministry of Jesus (Matthew 13:7).

If JESUS was asked for proof, what chance do we have? The same chance Jesus did. Jesus COULD have given them proof. He certainly performed miracles elsewhere. In Capernaum Jesus did quite a few things. He gave the Sermon on the Mount. It was the site of the miraculous catch of fish – although that may or may not have been publicly known. He healed Peter’s mother-in-law. He healed a paralytic who was lowered through the roof of Jesus’ home. The woman with the issue of blood was healed through touching Jesus. The daughter of the leader of the synagogue was raised from the dead. He healed two blind men. Jesus cast out a demon that was manifesting the inability to speak in a man – the man talked afterwards and people marvelled. A man with a withered hand was healed in a synagogue. And it was across the sea from Capernaum – probably with residents of the town present – that Jesus fed the five thousand through His disciples. Capernaum was a bit of a hot spot for Jesus’ miracles.

It’s normal to have a feeling of jealousy rise up because our flesh is fallen and jealousy is a fallen feeling. The people of Jesus’ hometown to feel jealous. Perhaps with a bit of ‘if you’re so hot do it here’ thrown in. There was no YEARNING for a move of the Father. There was no SEEKING of Yahweh. There was no acknowledgement that everyone is equal in Adonai’s eyes and if they would humble themselves and submit they would qualify for the same kinds of miracles and manifestations of Yahweh’s power. None of that. There was only a carnal feeling of jealousy. There was only a natural, skeptical, ‘prove it’ attitude. Jesus did NOT respond to this. But He was bound by it.

The Word tells us that if we bind something here, it is also bound in heaven (Matthew 18:18-20). There are several applications of this principle in different ways, but we can see the principle of this way in operation throughout scripture. If we harbour unbelief or rebellion, we limit God. We don’t keep HIM from moving. We keep OURSELVES from receiving. The Lord doesn’t violate our free will. The Lord doesn’t violate the spiritual laws that He has put into place. If we won’t, He won’t. If we’re willing, He’s willing. Yahweh tells us His will in the Word. If we go along with that, we get what He promises. If we refuse it, nothing happens for us. Since these people were proclaiming that they weren’t willing without proof, Jesus backed off and gave no proof. They wouldn’t, so He didn’t.

What about Thomas, you might ask. Didn’t HE demand proof? Yes, and he did NOT receive the same joy as the others. They rejoiced and he refused. He missed out on a blessing. “Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are the people who have not seen and yet have believed”” (John 20:29). Thomas repented. He changed his mind. Thomas’ problem wasn’t that he didn’t have FAITH. Thomas’ problem was that he had UNBELIEF. He witnessed Jesus DIE. He had to have seen other people crucified in the course of his life. Twenty or so years previously a minor revolt in Judea was brutally squelched, resulting in the crucifixion of 2,000 Jews in Jerusalem by the Romans. His EXPERIENCE said that Jesus wasn’t coming back. He CHOSE his disbelief and said (in John 20:25) that if he didn’t see something and touch it he would NEVER believe. THAT was the same kind of challenge these people in Nazareth made. But that isn’t how Yahweh works.

Adonai wants us to TRUST. Based on HIS WORD. Period. No exceptions. Doesn’t matter what you see. Doesn’t matter what you hear. Doesn’t matter what other evidence may tell you. The WORD trumps everything in this existence because Yahweh MADE everything. HE is above it. HE knows it. HE gets to say what is what is what. “Absolutely not! Let God be proven true, and every human being shown up as a liar, just as it is written: “so that you will be justified in your words and will prevail when you are judged”” (Romans 3:4).

Signs are great. They are affirming. They are exciting. They stir the mind as well as the spirit and the soul. But they are NOT the end-all be-all. The LORD GOD ALMIGHTY without ANY sign or move or manifestation is enough. THAT needs to be our foundation. We stand on the WORD. We believe the WORD. And because of that we submit to ANYTHING He wants ANY WAY He wants ANY TIME He wants. THAT is when we will see signs and wonders: when we as believers choose not to NEED anything but the LORD HIMSELF. We will go where He tells us and everything else will follow (Mark 16:17-18; Matthew 6:33). If you want to experience healing for yourself or for those you pray for, grasp this simple message: TRUST THE WORD.

Daily Affirmation Jesus IS Messiah: Exodus 33:19

“And the Lord said, “I will make all my goodness pass before your face, and I will proclaim the Lord by name before you; I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious; I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy.” The Lord God Almighty is a God of MERCY. It is one of the key aspects of His character. His mercies do not end (Lamentations 3:22-23). Messiah would be an instrument of His Mercy. It would be part of the character of Messiah (Luke 1:72). Nowhere in the Gospels will you find an account of Jesus being ANYTHING other than merciful to ALL who came to Him. Jesus taught it as a foundational principal of the Kingdom of God (Matthew 5:7; 18:33; Luke 6:36; Luke 10:37). He showed mercy even on the cross (Luke 23:34 & 43). Jesus IS merciful. Jesus IS Messiah.

Your Daily Confession of Jesus/Yeshua’s Identity:

Yeshua is the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Matthew 16:16b