Power of Hope and Gratitude

 Hope opens the door to God's help. Gratitude releases God's spirit.

God is sovereign, isn't he? But in the Bible, I see that our attitude can influence God's actions.

God saved the Hebrews from brutal slavery in Egypt. He also rescued them from Pharaoh's army and led them across the Red Sea.

God gave Moses the Ten Commandments and caused supernatural food to appear in the wilderness.
Despite all this, many Hebrews were ungrateful.

Then the LORD spoke to Moses, “Go down at once, for your people, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves.

“They have quickly turned aside from the way which I commanded them. They have made for themselves a molten calf, and have worshipped it and have sacrificed to it and said, ‘This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!’ ” Ex 32:7–8 NASB95

But Moses stood up in the gap. He begged God not to kill all the Hebrews, not to condemn them. And God answered.

At the end of the war, there was a miraculous revival in Germany. God also worked miraculous healings. There were huge crowds at the church services. But who remembers that today?

In Nuremberg, the Allies organised trials for Nazi war criminals. The Nazis had acted like devils, but many were still nominal Christians.

The Americans sent a Catholic priest and a Protestant pastor to help the prominent prisoners with pastoral care.

Some of the worst criminals in the Nazi leadership genuinely repented. When Hitler's arrogant ex-foreign minister went to the gallows, he begged his wife to raise their daughters as Christians.

But how many remember that? We humans tend to think negatively and ungratefully.

Since the war, God has blessed Germany amazingly. The Americans and British helped a lot in the beginning and the Germans themselves worked very diligently with wise leaders.

The economic miracle was a real miracle, but the basis of the miracle was the grace of God, the God of the Jews, the God who forgives.

God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. Rom 5:20 NLT

God spared the Hebrews when Moses pleaded for their lives. Who prayed for Germany during the war? Who prayed for mercy before and after the war?

We know a few names, some British intercessors and also some faithful German Christians. We think of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, of course. God answers our prayers when we pray for our nation, for our world and for our enemies.

Hope opens the door to God's help. Gratitude releases God's spirit.

‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’ Jer 33:3 NIV

Gratitude Activates Faith

 In the Bible, Jesus healed countless sick, suffering and disabled people. This is one of the most prominent themes in the New Testament.

In the Gospel of Matthew, we read how Jesus healed all those who sought healing from him.

When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. Mt 8:16 NIV

When Peter first proclaimed the good news to non-Jews, he summarised Jesus' ministry in the following words.

And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. Acts 10:38 NLT

We read the same words in both Bible texts. Jesus healed everyone.

Was this a special offer when Jesus was on earth in the flesh before the cross?

Clearly not.

Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord.

The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. Jas 5:14–15 NRSV

Here we see the word SAVE. This is a translation of the Greek word SOZO:

This word in the Greek NT sometimes means SAVE and sometimes HEAL

It has always been God's will that the eternal salvation of the soul and salvation from illness should belong together.

We already see both together in the Psalms.

... who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, Ps 103:3 NIV

What is the basis for this confident faith in God’s healing?

Firstly, holding on to God's promises and testimonies, no matter what other Christians or even theologians say.

The second is found in the same psalm.

Gratitude.

Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—
who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, Ps 103:2–3 NIV 

Today, countless Muslims are experiencing miraculous healings in the name of Jesus. Millions of Muslims are converting to Jesus. Gratitude for miraculous healings is very often decisive.

In Europe we often see a completely different attitude. So many Christians do not react to miracles with gratitude, but with doubt.

The humanistic culture in Europe has taught us to question everything. Tragically, this way of thinking is not only found in  traditional churches, but also in some free churches.

One of the most important concepts in the Bible is PEACE:

Paul repeatedly greeted the churches in the New Testament with GRACE and PEACE:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Eph 1:2 NRSV

Paul wants to explain to Christians that they have peace through God's grace, that they are reconciled with God and should no longer fear God's judgement and punishment.

But Paul was also Jewish. The Hebrew word for peace is SHALOM:

Peace: shalo̱m also means (external as well as internal) well-being; welfare; well-being;

• God wants to restore us holistically, to reconcile us to himself.

• God wants to heal our wounded souls and broken hearts.

• God wants to free us from illness and all kinds of disabilities.

Not only in heaven, but here and now.

Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Mt 6:10 NRSV

If you have problems with this teaching, you cannot eliminate your doubts with your logical mind alone.

Try a new approach. Start with gratitude.
Reflect on all the help you have received in life.

There is nothing good in this world that does not come from God.

Gratitude Releases the Power of God

 When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. Mt 8:28 NIV

In Mark and Luke, we read the same story, but only one demonised man is mentioned. Some might claim that this is proof that you can find errors in the Bible, but that is not the case.

Speaking of only one person in a situation does not mean that there were no others.

Why do Mark and Luke only focus on one of the possessed men?

Because this man played a dramatic role in Jesus' mission after his deliverance.

Jesus commanded the demons to leave both men.

The demons threw themselves from the men into a herd of pigs. The pigs were forced by the demons to throw themselves into the sea, where they drowned.

The pagan population were outraged and asked Jesus to leave their neighbourhood.

One of these men wanted to stay with Jesus, because after his deliverance he believed in Jesus, but Jesus sent him on a mission instead.

But Jesus said, “No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.”

So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them. Mk 5:19–20 NLT

His mission was not in vain, for when Jesus later returned to the area, he was received very favourably.

Jesus left Tyre and went up to Sidon before going back to the Sea of Galilee and the region of the Ten Towns.

A deaf man with a speech impediment was brought to him, and the people begged Jesus to lay his hands on the man to heal him.

Jesus led him away from the crowd so they could be alone. He put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then, spitting on his own fingers, he touched the man’s tongue.

Looking up to heaven, he sighed and said, “Ephphatha,” which means, “Be opened!”
Instantly the man could hear perfectly, and his tongue was freed so he could speak plainly!

Jesus told the crowd not to tell anyone, but the more he told them not to, the more they spread the news. Mk 7:31–36 NLT

One of the two possessed men in the account in Matthew's gospel responded with extreme gratitude and devotion, but we know nothing more about the other man.

Many receive miraculous healing and deliverance from Jesus even today. Perhaps you too. How do you respond to God's love and grace?