As told in John, chapter 9, Jesus’ disciples questioned Him one day
about a blind man they’d passed by who’d been born that way.

That he or his parents had sinned was their initial thought.
Jesus said it was neither, but that a work of God should be wrought.

Then He spoke of doing God’s work before the coming night–
and that while He was in the world, He was the world’s light.

After that, Jesus spit on the ground, to make some clay for the man,
which He applied to his eyes, as the first step of God’s healing plan.

Then, washing in the pool of Siloam would turn out to be freeing.
The man obeyed Jesus and washed there, and he came back seeing!

Those who’d known the man wondered if he could possibly be
the same beggar they had known, who’d been blind, but now could see.

When he said, “I am the one,” they questioned him as to how…
such a thing could have happened, for his total blindness to “bow.”

Well, it bowed to “the man who is called Jesus,” was his immediate reply.
“Where is He?” they asked; but he didn’t know, for Jesus had passed by.

Then he was brought before the Pharisees.  It was a Sabbath day.
He told them, also, about the pool and Jesus having applied the clay.

Because Jesus had done this on a Sabbath, His divinity was dismissed.
Keeping that law was a matter on which most of them would always insist.

Other Pharisees said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?”
So there was a division among them as they considered this in their minds.

Again, they questioned the formerly blind man, calling for his parents, too.
The Pharisees doubted he’d been born blind and asked them if it was true.

They confirmed that he was their son who’d been blind from even day one.
But how or by whom he’d been freed, they couldn’t say–“Just ask our son.”

They were afraid of being put out of the synagogue by giving laud to Christ.
But their son said he only knew this–that Jesus’ healing touch had sufficed.

The synagogue leaders kept questioning him, to the extent that he, in turn,
asked if they were wanting to be Jesus’ disciples–a notion which they spurned.

Calling him a disciple of Jesus, they said that they followed Moses of old.
At that point, the man who’d been healed made statements that were bold:

“Well, here is an amazing thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes.  We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing, and does His will, He hears him.  Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind.  If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.”

That was enough for the Pharisees to berate him as being a sinful man.
“Are you teaching us?” they said, and made him subject to a synagogue ban.

Jesus heard of this and then found him and asked him a question of His own.
“Do you believe in the Son of Man?”  But of that title, he hadn’t known.

So he asked the Lord who that was, so that he could, therefore, believe.
Jesus said the Son of Man was Himself.  (By God’s Spirit, He’d been conceived.)

“Lord, I believe,” were the heartfelt words of the man who had been born blind.
Then he worshiped Jesus, who is the Son of Man and the Son of God combined!

Conclusion:
“Then Jesus told him, ‘I entered this world to render judgment–to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.’  Some Pharisees who were standing by heard Him and asked, ‘Are you saying we’re blind?’  ‘If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty,’ Jesus replied.  ‘But you remain guilty because you claim you can see.'”

(Scriptures from John 9, NKJV and NLT)

P. A. Oltrogge

When facing difficulties…

Beloved, to God, you are His rose in the rain;
And don’t ever think He doesn’t feel your pain.
Trials aren’t sent to us by the Lord;
No, they’re deep rivers that He alone helps us ford.
The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy,
But we’ve got God’s Word to foil the thief’s ploy.
God’s promises are sure–He never has lied;
And the desire of your heart will surely be supplied!
With our eyes on God’s Word, we persevere;
We know this fulfillment is already here!
For faith says right now what isn’t seen with our eyes,
Because we know that our God has heard our hearts’ cries.
A rose in the rain, but you’re hardy and strong—
You trust in God’s Word and in Him to Whom you belong.
There’s an answer in God for every problem we face;
So we thank You, Heavenly Father, for the answer by Your grace.

P. A. Oltrogge

“The righteous cry and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”
Psalm 34:17-19

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” spoken by Jesus in John 10:10

“Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

“Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” Ephesians 6:10-20

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1

Jesus told His disciples to go ahead of Him to the other side of the sea.

He had sent the crowds away and, for a time of prayer, He needed to be free.

When Jesus came walking upon the water in the fourth watch of the night,

the disciples, in their boat, thought they were seeing a ghost and cried out in fright.

They had already been disturbed that night, having been battered by waves—

the wind was contrary. Here, we’ll see another instance where “Jesus saves!”

Jesus told them to take courage—that it was Him and that there was nothing to fear.

Some translations of this account say that He told them to be of good cheer!

Having witnessed the Lord’s miracles, Peter wanted to be a disciple of faith, as Jesus had taught,

and join the Lord on the water. Stepping out of the boat, he actually walked on the sea, but then became distraught.

Initially, his confidence had been high, so when the Lord told him to come, he boldly went ahead.

The Bible indicates, though, that he took his eyes off of Jesus by noticing the wind, instead.

It says that he “saw” the wind, meaning that it was whipping up the water to a greater degree. 

Looking away from Jesus, the Fearless One, even for just that moment, caused Peter’s courage to flee.

Jesus reached out quickly and rescued Peter, but questioned him as to why he had succumbed to doubt. 

As they entered the boat, the wind stopped; and the disciples, in awe, worshiped the Lord as they continued on their route.

We, too, today, must ever look to Jesus, remembering His great love for us and the mighty miracles that He can perform.

We have testimonies today—as well as those told in the Bible—of His ability to bring us out, in victory, through any kind of storm.

P. A. Oltrogge

(From Matthew 14:22-32)

Photo by Porch of the Lord,
Bequia Island

Let “Ask, and it will be given to you,” and “Seek, and you will find,”
and “Knock, and the door will be opened to you,” often come to mind.

God has so many possibilities, when we are thinking there are none–
The disciples were distraught at Jesus’ death ’til they beheld the risen Son.

When hope seems to have ended, remember your mighty God’s deeds.
He’s a “beyond all that we ask or think” God, who supplies beyond our needs.

So be blessed to be a blessing to others as God pours out His love.
Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of lights above.

P. A. Oltrogge

“Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen”.
Ephesians 3:20-21 NKJV

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” James 1:17KJV

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him? Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 7:7-12 NKJV

A man with deafness and a speech impediment was in need of Jesus’ touch.
Those who brought him begged the Lord to heal him, being confident of such.

Jesus led him, then, away from the crowd so that they could be alone.
He put His fingers into the man’s ears—the beginning of his hearing tone.

Jesus spit upon His own fingers and touched the man’s tongue as well.
“Ephphatha,” (“Be opened!”) He said, looking up to heaven—then the man instantly heard, clear as a bell!

The man’s tongue was also freed—his speech became perfectly clear.
Jesus told the crowd not to spread the story, but they couldn’t help tell that the man could now speak and hear.

“Everything Jesus does is wonderful,” they shared, in relating this event.
The deaf could hear, the dumb could speak. God’s goodness was being displayed wherever Jesus went!

P. A. Oltrogge

From Mark 7:31-37

“Everything He does is wonderful! He even makes the deaf to hear and gives speech to those who cannot speak.”
Mark 7:37 NLT

“Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits; Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases….” Psalm 103:1-3

Hear testimonies of the works of Jesus today…or receive prayer, M-F, 9:30 a.m. ET; 8:30 a.m. CT at http://www.govictory.com (Morning Prayer)

Refer also to archived post, “Immersion in God’s Word,” or to other sites, such as http://www.moorelife.org, http://www.awmi.net, and others previously mentioned on this blog.