Tag: great faith
“Great faith!”
Scripture reading for April 26th: Matthew 15, Psalm 83, Proverbs 21
Matthew 15:22-28 “And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came and begged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before Him, saying, “Lord, help me.” And He answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.”
Jesus encountered a Canaanite woman who has sought Him out for the deliverance of her daughter from demons. She had diligently pursued Jesus and was crying out for mercy and help in this hopeless situation. Jesus at first did not even answer her request. Persistently, she kept on crying out to the disciples and finally the disciples begged Jesus to send her away. Jesus answered them by saying that His mission was to the lost of the Jews. The woman knelt before Jesus and asked again for help. Jesus responded by telling her that the ‘children’s bread’ (healing for her daughter) was not to be thrown to Gentiles (dogs). She persistently asked for crumbs from the master’s table! At this, Jesus proclaimed her faith as “Great faith!” The child was immediately delivered!
Psalm 83:1 “O God, do not keep silence; do not hold Your peace or be still, O God!”
Prayer: Father God, thank You for this example of great faith and persistence to press in to obtain the promises You have made. Forgive me for my ‘little’ faith of not trusting You or doubting Your goodness and mercy towards me or others I am ministering to. Strengthen my faith today and help me to always press in and trust You for the needs I have or prayers that need answers. Do not be silent, O God!
Proverbs 21:5 “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.”
Faith presses past obstacles!
Scripture reading for January 21st: Matthew 15, Psalm 15, Prov. 15
Key Scriptures: Matthew 15:25-28 “But she came and knelt before Him, saying, “Lord, help me.” And He answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” The Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.”
A Canaanite woman pressed in to see Jesus concerning her daughter who was oppressed by demonic forces. Jesus’ disciples wanted to send her away and Jesus initially gave her a discouraging statement. He said He was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel and asked if it was right to give the “children’s bread to dogs?” This lady was not from Israel (considered a ‘dog’), but pressed in to ask Jesus for the crumbs of the children’s bread for her daughter. Jesus marveled at her apt answer: “Great Faith!” Her daughter was instantly healed!
Faith’s confession: Lord, I desire to press past obstacles and receive what I need from You because I have total faith in You and Your Word.
Proverbs 15:23 “To make an apt answer is a joy to a man, and a word in season, how good it is.”
Children’s bread for a Gentile!
Scripture reading for January 21st: Matthew 15
What would you and I do if we came to Jesus for help for our kids, and Jesus refused to answer us? Worse yet, what if He referred to us with a racial slur of the day, calling us “dogs?” Would we press on with getting down in front of Jesus with a more desperate plea? Matthew records just such an incident in Jesus’ ministry!
“Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to Him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon possession.” “Jesus did not answer her a word.” (Matthew 15:21-23a) This Canaanite woman was a Gentile and yet recognized Jesus as the “Son of David” and “Lord”. She appealed to Jesus for mercy. “The woman came and knelt before Him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.” “Yes, Lord,” she said, ” but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” (Matthew 15:25-27) Jesus then commended this woman for her great faith! Her faith brought healing to her daughter immediately!
Jesus told this woman from outside the family of Abraham, that healing was the ‘children’s bread’! In other words, God gladly provides what His children need! He sent Jesus to those children who would have faith in His ability to provide and asked and kept on asking! This woman was persistent. She refused to be offended and sought the crumbs under the Master’s table! Jesus marveled at her “great faith”! He always honors faith! Why not press in today and ask Jesus for healing or help! If you are a child of His by faith, it belongs to you!