Most mornings, I am awake enough to see John’s clock beside the bed. Usually, the clock says somewhere between 8:02 and 8:08. In James Goll’s advice about journaling and getting your dreams recorded, he stressed getting down the exact time, because it’s probably a Scripture the Spirit is leading you to look up. This led the Spirit to prompt me to do another Bible series. It’s been a while since I’ve done one, so here goes. I begin with Matthew 8:1.

Jesus Cleanses a Leper

8:1 When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. ² And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” ³ Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. ⁴ And Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

This is the story of a single leper, as opposed to the story of the ten. Notice, Jesus had to be ready “in season and out of season” to minister to great multitudes, but at the same time, minister to the one person in front of him. Another thing I notice is that the leper came and worshipped Jesus, probably kneeling at his feet. Let us worship Him for who He is before we bring our requests.

The Leper’s question is one most of us ask, “Lord, if you are willing, You can make me clean.” We must believe Jesus is willing to answer our prayers when we pray them. Jesus reached out and touched the diseased man, and said, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Faith, which includes the idea of trust in our Heavenly Father, and His Son, is what needs to be exercised. “Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.”

Jesus urged the healed man to not tell anyone but go straight to the priests. Can you imagine what would have happened if the man spread the news and it got to the priests before he did? I wonder how many priests over the generations got a chance to see a healed leper. Being from the community, they would have recognized the man as a leper, even as he came to them healed.

Appearing with the offering prescribed by the Law, fully cleansed, was to be a testimony to the priests. These days we live in, many need a testimony of seeing Jesus healing people to believe. Blessed is he that believes without seeing! But also bless the one who needs a sign to move their heart, bypassing their head knowledge!

Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant

⁵ Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, ⁶ saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.” ⁷ And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” ⁸ The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.

Jesus entered Capernaum, meaning the village of consolation/comfort. The centurion, leader of one hundred soldiers, came to Jesus, pleading with him. Centurions weren’t known for pleading with anyone! Jesus has compassion for those who humble themselves before him. The servant was paralyzed, dreadfully tormented. This centurion was also tormented, by his love and respect for the servant. In Jesus’ compassion, he offered to go straight to the centurion’s home. The centurion was a military man, trained to follow protocol. He knew he was not worthy to have Jesus come to his home. He trusted Jesus to have the power to heal his servant without touching him.

What about us? Most of us have not seen Jesus with our own eyes, but he is just as willing today to honor the scripture from Psalm 107:20 He sent His word and healed them and delivered them from their destructions (or fears). What happened in the Bible and in past generations is still available for us today. If it was done in the past, the Lord can still do it today! Let us believe that we serve a prayer hearing, prayer answering Father God. As His children, connected with Jesus, we have the same power and authority available to us that Jesus did.

Here is the most recent book I have read. Wow! Shawn’s accounts of his heavenly encounters through dreams and visions are inspiring. He shares how God is doing a maturing process that will make us as strong oak trees with deep roots. He shares seeing Father, Son, and Spirit working on creating us. Jesus is ecstatic about the destiny they are planning for each one, each person is his favorite. There is a perfect plan for each of us, but the enemy thwarts as much of that plan as he can manage with his minions. It inspired me to dig in deep and realize I don’t have to let the evil one into my plans. If we don’t partner with the evil spirits, they cannot have any power on earth. I encourage you to read this book. It reveals a lot of what’s happened and is happening, and what is about to happen! We who know Jesus have bright days ahead!

I leave you with a photo I took one morning as I awoke, the sunlight shining through the blinds. Notice the Ukranian doilies I have on my dresser. It’s a great memory of our trips there and good for remembering to pray. Since my page won’t let me leave the box below empty, I’ll let you contemplate what’s going on in the firmament between us and heaven.