Morning by Morning, July 31 - “Now it Happened on a Certain Day”
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Be exalted in my heart and every moment of my day (Philippians 2:9). ...
“Now it happened on a certain day, as (Jesus) was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them” (Luke 5:17). Last night at the Healing Academy at Aldersgate Renewal Ministries, I was beginning to share a message of Your healing the paralytic man after seeing the faith of his friends and their persistence to bring him to You (Luke 5:17-26). But as I began to share the Passage of Scripture, these first Words of the Story stood out to me in a fresh way as never before: “Now it happened on a certain day” (v. 17). There was “a certain day” that this healing was to “happen.” It was a day when “the power of the Lord was present to heal” (v. 17). And that time, that day, determined for this man’s healing was “now.” In that mystery of both the sovereignty of God and the persistence of faith, this man was healed. You’re the God who knows the end from the beginning and the beginning from the end (Isaiah 46:10). And at the same, time, You call us to choose in the freedom we have to “only believe” (Mark 5:36). And even in that, before You healed this man physically, You first addressed a need for his inner healing, spiritually and emotionally, from the inside out, when You addressed his need to know and hear Your Words, “Your sins are forgiven you” (v. 20). Then, after his inner healing, You spoke the words, “Arise, take up you bed, and go to your house” (v. 24). His day for healing was “now.” “It happened on a certain day.” It was all in the sovereignty of Your timing and Your way; yet it also required a healing of his heart and embracing of forgiveness first before the manifestation of his miracle. Your sovereignty and our free will--at the same time. In this case, Your desire to heal and the man’s friends’ desire to “bring him in ... into the midst before Jesus” in the persistence of their faith and determination of their will to get him into Your Presence all came together for this moment of “now” (v. 19). Such a mystery and yet so much to learn of the ways and will and timing of God to receive our healing from God. But I thank You for these certain days that come when “now” is the time for it to happen. And I thank You for giving us grace to let it go and release it to You whenever we’ve been disappointed in the days it didn’t happen before or even disappointed in You. Thank You for the grace to heal us and free us from the effects of when our hearts have even grown sick from “hope deferred” in the disappointments of the past (Proverbs 13:12). Free us from that, that we can embrace fresh faith to believe for the certain day when our healing for ourselves or for our friends is “now.” In expectant faith, persistent faith, give us grace to believe and grace to receive the Truth of Your Word that “With God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26); and that “All things are possible for one who believes” (Mark 9:23).
“Now may the God of hope fill (us) with all joy and peace in believing, that (we) may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit!” (Romans 15:13) In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today. In the love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
My friend, may you embrace grace of God to believe Him with persistent faith in the "now" moments of His healing power, in Jesus' name. Amen. God bless you, my friend! And you have a great day!
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Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries 502 North Milam Street Fredericksburg, Texas 78624
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