Our paragraph topic is: (Why the disciples could not cure him) Part 5.
Christ taught them. He instructed them. He gave to them all that they would need to know for now. For they could only bare so much. Their understanding was limited and their hearts were weak. So Christ had to give them a little at a time that they would not be overcome with the total truth of what was to come. The sacrifice had not yet been made. The gift had not been given. And the justification was not yet made. So he taught them as though they were little children. He gave them what they needed now to continue on the journey that they were upon.
Why did they follow Christ? Why did they sacrifice all? Why did they seek to know without having the faith that all would be well? Christ was the key. He was the answer to all they sought. He was the Messiah and they followed him because they had some belief in him. But they were not sure. They were not certain. They did not yet have the spirit within them that they would know. So he taught them and gave them what they needed to know for now. He showed them the way to cast out demons and how to cast out this particular demon. He told them: "But this kind can be cast out only by prayer and fasting."
They did not have the faith of a mustard seed. They did not have the faith of a grain of sand. They did not have the faith to cast out the demon from the boy. Yet they wanted to know why they could not cast it out. They wanted to know how it could be done. Christ had given them power to cast out demons before. He had sent them to the towns and villages to perform miracles in his name. But because of their little faith they could only cast out this demon by fasting and prayer.
Do we have demons today that need casting out? Do we have addictions? Do we have lust? Do we have compulsions that control us and will not let go? Do we over eat? Are we compelled to over shop? Do we gamble out of control? Are we addicted to adrenalin? Do we fear compulsively over everything? Are we control junkies where we must control everything within our reach? Do we have demons in our lives that cause us to do things that we do not want to do? Some would say yes. Some would say no. Some would say that we are weak and lack control. We are no longer possessed by demons but we have all the things in this world that make us subject to being controlled.
Christ came that we would have freedom. Christ came that we would have choice. Christ gave himself as sacrifice for our sins that we would have life and have it more abundantly. But we have life already. We live and breathe and see, and feel, and love, and want and desire and hate and fear and lust and kill and then we die. Do we have spiritual life? Do we have the life within us that Christ died for? Do we have the light of his spirit within us that we know who we are and where we are from? Do we know that we are spiritual beings and not physical beings? Do we know that our spiritual life continues after our physical life ends?
Come! See the life that Christ has given you. He told us how to find it. He told us where to look. He gave us instructions as to how to keep it from harm. He wrote for us in his own words how we would preserve that which he has given us. And he told us that he would be with us for all times. He has even prepared a place for us in his father's house that we may live with him for all eternity. And the Father has prepared great things for those who love him. Come! See the light that is within you and you will know the truth of who you are in Christ. Follow the path before. Read the words given you. Open your heart to the truth. And the Holy Spirit will come and reside with you. May the peace of Christ be with you and the love of the Father be in your heart.
Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage and then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ. The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in.
Christ taught them. He instructed them. He gave to them all that they would need to know for now. For they could only bare so much. Their understanding was limited and their hearts were weak. So Christ had to give them a little at a time that they would not be overcome with the total truth of what was to come. The sacrifice had not yet been made. The gift had not been given. And the justification was not yet made. So he taught them as though they were little children. He gave them what they needed now to continue on the journey that they were upon.
Why did they follow Christ? Why did they sacrifice all? Why did they seek to know without having the faith that all would be well? Christ was the key. He was the answer to all they sought. He was the Messiah and they followed him because they had some belief in him. But they were not sure. They were not certain. They did not yet have the spirit within them that they would know. So he taught them and gave them what they needed to know for now. He showed them the way to cast out demons and how to cast out this particular demon. He told them: "But this kind can be cast out only by prayer and fasting."
They did not have the faith of a mustard seed. They did not have the faith of a grain of sand. They did not have the faith to cast out the demon from the boy. Yet they wanted to know why they could not cast it out. They wanted to know how it could be done. Christ had given them power to cast out demons before. He had sent them to the towns and villages to perform miracles in his name. But because of their little faith they could only cast out this demon by fasting and prayer.
Do we have demons today that need casting out? Do we have addictions? Do we have lust? Do we have compulsions that control us and will not let go? Do we over eat? Are we compelled to over shop? Do we gamble out of control? Are we addicted to adrenalin? Do we fear compulsively over everything? Are we control junkies where we must control everything within our reach? Do we have demons in our lives that cause us to do things that we do not want to do? Some would say yes. Some would say no. Some would say that we are weak and lack control. We are no longer possessed by demons but we have all the things in this world that make us subject to being controlled.
Christ came that we would have freedom. Christ came that we would have choice. Christ gave himself as sacrifice for our sins that we would have life and have it more abundantly. But we have life already. We live and breathe and see, and feel, and love, and want and desire and hate and fear and lust and kill and then we die. Do we have spiritual life? Do we have the life within us that Christ died for? Do we have the light of his spirit within us that we know who we are and where we are from? Do we know that we are spiritual beings and not physical beings? Do we know that our spiritual life continues after our physical life ends?
Come! See the life that Christ has given you. He told us how to find it. He told us where to look. He gave us instructions as to how to keep it from harm. He wrote for us in his own words how we would preserve that which he has given us. And he told us that he would be with us for all times. He has even prepared a place for us in his father's house that we may live with him for all eternity. And the Father has prepared great things for those who love him. Come! See the light that is within you and you will know the truth of who you are in Christ. Follow the path before. Read the words given you. Open your heart to the truth. And the Holy Spirit will come and reside with you. May the peace of Christ be with you and the love of the Father be in your heart.
Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage and then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ. The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in.
