miracles

How Was Your Day?

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“Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” John 6:9 NIV

Sometimes I try to imagine about that day for the young boy. Now I’ve always thought this young fellow was very likely the disciple Mark, so let’s peek in on how his day went. Maybe that morning, he went to his parents asking, “Can I go up to the hillside to listen to Jesus? I’m all caught up with my chores.”

His Dad, who was busy getting ready to head out to work, said, ” It’s all right by me. Go ask your mother.”

Mom, overhearing the conversation sighs, puts her hands on her hips and smiles. “Okay, but no foolishness. Stay with the boys next door, and, don’t forget to take something for lunch. These 5 little loaves and two salted fish should give you enough to share with your friends.”

Now we all know how things happened, but his parents, did not. So, late that evening as Mark walked in the door, the first question they asked was, “So how did your day go? Who did you share your lunch with?”

With the biggest smile of  his life Mark answers with a shout, ” You’re not going to believe it! I could write a book about it!”

The Last Healing

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And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Mark 10:47 NKJV

As Jesus began His final journey towards Jerusalem, a blind man named Bartimaeus hears the news and in desperation cries to Him for help. Breaking the decorum of his day, he started to shout as loudly as possible, trying to get Jesus’ attention, no matter what anyone else thought.

During His ministry on earth, Jesus had healed all kinds of people. In one of His earliest acts, he healed the mother of the Apostle Peter’s wife, later, the servant of a local government official and then woman who touched his robe in a crowd. Finally as He neared the end of His time on earth; He raised His friend Lazarus from the dead. But in this last miraculous act recorded in the Bible, Jesus paused to heal a bind beggar named Bartimaeus. This blind man had no special credentials or connections except that Jesus was passing by. That amazing hope which He found is also for anyone who has no pedigree, political connections, or friends in high places. The mercy of Jesus comes only with the requirement that, like Bartimaeus, we ask with all our heart. Jesus is as willing to stop for a jailer as for a prisoner. He hears the prayer of the surgeon as well as the patient. He bends his ear as closely to hear orphans as he does to the father of a nation. Our hope in Jesus Christ is based on one thing alone. He died for our sins and rose again. He is walking down our street, and He is still inviting beggars to come to His side in His heavenly home!

Transformed – One Family at a Time

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Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2 ESV

A lot is said about revival: how we need it, what we need to do to get it or why we aren’t experiencing it. But, often we overlook the simple fact that God’s definition of revival is played out in real time in our real world, one person and one family at a time. This week at Life Care Center, we opened the service listening to the personal story of Gena and her daughter Lindsay. Gena is a single mom, whose teenage daughter Lindsay is autistic and nonverbal. In spite of those challenges, God put it on Gena’s heart to begin volunteering at Life Care Center for a few hours 2-3 days each week. Over four months, Gena even began helping us during our Friday service by passing out song books, opening our meeting with prayer and encouraging the residents to participate. So, when I heard that Joni and Friends ministry was having a family retreat nearby, I got Gena connected with the regional director. With the challenges of financing, scheduling and convincing her daughter Lindsay to go, I wasn’t sure if it would happen, but God worked out every one of those details. Yesterday, Gena shared what she called, the “Miraculous experience,” God did in her life and in Lindsay’s heart over that week. Gena’s testimony really touched all the residents at the nursing home. They could all easily identify with having special needs because they struggle with many of their own. And Gena’s story reminds all of us that no one is more delighted than Jesus to help those with special needs. The one who took time to listen to a father of a child struggling with seizures and forgave and healed a lame man lowered through the roof by his friends, truly loves those the world overlooks. He listens to our prayers, and He is willing to give grace to anyone who will reach out to Him. If you would like to learn more about nursing home ministry, consider liking or subscribing to our channel. To learn more about Joni and Friends Ministry you can find them on Facebook or at joniandfriends.org.