John’s tweets for today:

• Coming down the mountain from that amazing experience of seeing Jesus w/ Moses & Elijah. Another crowd is waiting for Jesus.
• A man brought his son to the other disciples.  He wanted them to drive an evil spirit out of the boy, but they couldn’t.
• The man said the demon made the boy mute & throws him to the ground so he writhes & foams at the mouth.
• Jesus is upset that they couldn’t drive out the demon. He called us unbelieving generation & wondered how long he’d have to put up w/ us.
• They brought the boy to Jesus. He was having a seizure, writhing on the ground. Jesus asked the dad how long this has been going on.
• The dad said since boy was very little, the demon has even tried to throw him in the fire or river to kill him.
• “If you can do anything, please help him.” Jesus told the man “There are no ‘ifs’ among believers. Anything can happen.”
• The man said “I want to believe. Help me w/ my doubts.”
• A crowd is running up to see it all now. Jesus commands the demon to get out. It left w/ lots of screaming & thrashing.
• Now the boy looks dead, pale. The people think he’s dead but Jesus takes his hand & he’s getting up!
• Later, the other disciples asked Jesus why they couldn’t drive out the demon. He said it takes prayer to get rid of that kind.

There’s so much going on in this scene.  Jesus is coming down from the mountain with Peter, James and John.  They had just seen Jesus transfigured before their eyes.  The disciples who didn’t go with them are trying to cast a demon out of a boy.  They have evidently been able to do this before, but this time it isn’t working.

The boy’s father wants to believe Jesus can help his son, but he’s having trouble.  And no wonder.  The boy is writhing on the ground and a crowd is gathering.  It would be hard to believe with all of that swirling around, especially since the disciples have already tried to cast out the demon unsuccessfully.

The father asks for Jesus to help him believe.  I think this must be one of the most powerful prayers we can pray.  When the darkness swirls around us, we only need to ask Jesus for his help in believing that He can do what He says He can do.

Our situation may not turn out the way we hope or imagine.  But we can know that God will never leave us and He is always more powerful than any situation we may face.  And if we have trouble believing that, He will help us believe.

Bible reference: Mark 9:14-29

The scene is so rich in this story.  A deranged, naked man falls at the feet of Jesus.

A herd of pigs runs off a cliff and drowns in the sea, driven by demons.

Jesus sets the man free of the mob of demons that has tormented him.  He gives him back a clear mind.

But the miracle isn’t complete until it’s cloaked in the ordinary.  Someone found clothes for the man and removed the fragments of chain hanging from his ankles and wrists.  If the townspeople had come back to see him naked and in his right mind I don’t know that it would have made as big an impression on them.

But the man was “dressed and in his right mind”.  The miracle was cloaked in the ordinary.

Bible reference: Matthew 8:24-34, Mark 5:1-20, Luke 8:26-39

photo credit: Jsome1

More often than I would like, I find that my heart is just as black and tainted as the hearts of the Pharisees.  Jesus cast a demon from a man, giving him both sight and hearing.  The response from the Pharisees?  He only casts out demons by the prince of demons.

Have you ever questioned the motives of another person’s or organization’s good work, just because you didn’t like that person or group?  I know I have and it’s shameful.  Just because I’m upset with them or don’t like the direction they’re taking things or I feel threatened in some way, I decide that they have no pure motives and their good deed is only meant to manipulate.

Lord Jesus, forgive me and guard me from this attitude.

Bible reference: Matthew 12:22-37

photo credit: Meredith

Have you ever heard someone scream at the preacher in church?  While he was teaching?

I haven’t.  But that’s exactly what happened to Jesus in the synagogue.  A man screamed at him while he was teaching.  Jesus immediately recognizes the man has a demon and he commands it to leave.  It throws the man to the ground and leaves.

Can you imagine?  What must John and the others thought about that?

Later the same day, Jesus heals Peter’s mother-in-law and then the whole town shows up at the door.  He touches sick people and they are well again.  Demons are coming out of people, calling Jesus “Son of God”.  Darkness is falling on this scene at Peter’s house.

What would have been going through John’s mind as he lay down to sleep that night?  Jesus isn’t just turning water into wine on this day.  He’s turned the whole town upside down – right side up!

Bible Reference: Mark 1: 21-34, Luke 4:31-44, Matthew 8:14-17

photo credit: batega