And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

Mark 2:1-12

And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Mark 2:5

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, I focus on an unassisted review of Mark 2:1-12, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary.  Observations from the text using the Sword Method:

• What do we learn from the passage about God?:  Spreading the Good News is important - just as He did in chapter 1, we see Jesus teaching others (v2).  Jesus has compassion and He heals (vv4-5, 10-12).  He has power and authority (vv10-11) - Jesus reigns over all (see also Colossians 1:15-17).  Jesus also understands scripture - as He is the divine author (see John 1:1)!
• What do we learn from the passage about people: We must demonstrate faith trusting Jesus that He can heal others both spiritually and physically.  We must have compassion for others just as Jesus did - notice how the paralytic's friends were desperate to get Jesus to see and heal him (see vv3-4).  We must understand that we have sins of the heart or sins, God sees all of our sin (Leviticus 19:17) - notice how God understood the thoughts of the scribes (vv6-8).  We must love others as God loves us.  We must also recognize God for who He is - as God not only has power to forgive sins but over everything. 
• Is there anything from the passage God wants us to obey?: Sins to avoid: questioning the authority of God or not fearing God. Promises to claim: Jesus forgives my sins and His mercies never cease and are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).  Examples to follow: According to our role at home and in the church, we must teach God's Word. We must also demonstrate compassion to serve others in need. Commands to obey: Love and forgive others as Jesus loved us.

Just as the paralytic's friends were desperate for healing for him, we must also be desperate for the spiritual healing as we are all broken, sinful and in need of a Savior.  Jesus is this Savior.  He will forgive and save, pour out mercies ceaselessly that are new every morning, and He will live in your heart changing you from the inside out to become progressively more like Him every day.  "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied (Matthew 5:6)." 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of incredible grace and compassion. Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of Your rich mercies and grace that are inexhaustible, and of course of my salvation.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.  

To you, Lord, I call, for fire has devoured the pastures in the wilderness and flames have burned up all the trees of the field. Even the wild animals pant for you; the streams of water have dried up and fire has devoured the pastures in the wilderness.

Joel 1

To you, Lord, I call, for fire has devoured the pastures in the wilderness and flames have burned up all the trees of the field.  Even the wild animals pant for you; the streams of water have dried up and fire has devoured the pastures in the wilderness. v19-20

Joel is the 2nd of the minor prophets and the focus of Joel is Judah's sin, God's punishment for Judah, and Joel's efforts to bring about Judah's repentance.  Just like Israel, Judah turned away from God, and God uses a plague of locusts to bring famine to the land to get Judah's attention. 

There are times in our lives when God either allows something devastating to happen or He causes it.  It's not necessarily something we did (i.e. punishment), as God often allows or causes difficulties for strong believers so that His power is seen through His children.  In Joel, it is that Judah has turned away from God and God uses famine and Joel to get the attention of Judah - to get them to see their sin and to get them to repent and turn towards God.  Judah (as anyone experiencing a famine would) has nowhere to turn except to God - they become desperate.

We should not wait for calamity to happen - regardless of what we are experiencing in our life we should be desperate for God.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who provides for me during all times - good and bad.  Thank You Jesus.  I know that without You, I have no good things.  I am undeserving of the rich blessings You pour out for me.  I worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?

Psalm 42

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? v1-2

As a follow up to a post from a couple of days ago, we must recognize that we can do no good things and have no good things without God; we would also be lost and condemned without Him.  Therefore, we must be desperate for Him - He is life and without Him we would be dead.


Even further, we must see ourselves as dead without Christ.

As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. James 2:26

But Christ is life.

Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” John 7:38

“If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” John 4:10

But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. Romans 8:10

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an awesome God You are...You are life, You saved me and You provide life...to the full!  I am blessed and my cup overflows.  I am overwhelmed.  Thank You Jesus.  But I am not worth such love and blessings.  I worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

Matthew 4, 8-9, Mark 1-2, and Luke 4-5

Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Mark 2:3-5, Luke 5:18-20

Day 295 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues as I move further into the New Testament - focusing this morning on the rapid growth of Jesus' ministry.  My commentary* notes that "[a]pparently in order to emphasize the nature of his ministry, Jesus does not come as a religious leader in any traditional sense. He holds no official position, nor is he specially trained to be a priest or other cleric." Jesus then goes into Galilee: "[u]sing the city of Capernaum as a base for his travels, Jesus teaches and performs miracles around the Sea of Galilee (Lake of Gennesaret) and throughout the entire province. It is here that Jesus gains popularity among the people and begins to see the crowds swell."

*Smith, F. LaGard. The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition. 

While all of Jesus' miracles in the reading today are of note, of particular note are how (1) people make extraordinary efforts to see and hear Jesus (see Matthew 9:1-2, Mark 2:1-5, Luke 5:17-20; see also , and (2) how Jesus knows our heart condition which is most important vs external behavior (see Matthew 9:3-8, Mark 2:6-12, Luke 5:21-26).

We must all reach a place in our life where we become desperate for God - He should become the most important focus in our life.  Like those who lowered the paralyzed men from the roof into the room to see Jesus, we must remove obstacles that prevent us from growing in a relationship with Jesus. 

“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell. Matthew 18:6-9

While Jesus refers to not just the literal meaning of removing obstacles, He is also referring to the figurative meaning of obstacles as discussed in this post on DesiringGod.com.  

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God and You removed all obstacles, even going to the cross for me, so that I could have forgiveness of sins and eternal life.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a gift - the greatest gift of all time.  My sin continues...worry, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus an help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling.

Mark 4:35-41

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. Mark 4:35-37

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, I my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Mark 4:35-41, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary - which offers six divisions for this text. Excerpts from the commentary's introduction to the text (vv35-41) and the first (of six) division (vv35-37): 

• Main idea for vv35-41: "Jesus’ authority over the wind and the sea demonstrate His identity as God and as the One we can trust."
• We are referred to Psalm 107:23-32 for text elsewhere that highlights how God should be the source of our peace and refuge during the storms of life. 
• The commentary reminds us here in vv35-41 and elsewhere in Mark how Jesus not only has providence or dominion over nature but also demons (5:1-20), sickness (5:25-34), and even death (5:21-34, 35-43).  
• "God orchestrates an event in the lives of the apostles to increase their faith in the One they should already trust. Few stories have been more poorly applied than this one. It is not about Jesus’ getting you through the storms of life. He does that, of course, but this account is about the One who is the sovereign and all-powerful Lord. Demons rightly recognize Him as God (5:7), and we should fully trust Him." 
• The commentary's subtitle for this division: "God Is Working in the Circumstances of Our Lives."  
• "There is a crucial detail: it was Jesus who led them into the storm! This was not accidental. This did not catch God off guard. We should not be alarmed by surprises in our lives. They are divinely ordained moments whereby God is working in the everyday circumstances of our lives to reveal who He is, who we are, and who we need! Trials and tribulations, difficulties and desperate moments are when God does His greatest work in our lives. When He brings us to the end of ourselves, we are driven to Him and Him alone as Savior and Rescuer." 

Scripture is replete with trials and tribulations of various kinds - and they are of course all too familiar for all of us.  It is important for us to recognize what God is doing in these trials as these are by design from God for His will.  Romans 8:28 is key to remind us how God is always at work for good, how His ways and thoughts are a mystery (Isaiah 55:8), and how with God we will overcome whatever trial we experience - even death (John 16:33).   

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God that will never leave or forsake me, You are always at work for good, and with You I will overcome the world.  Thank You Jesus for these blessings and my salvation.  I am not deserving of such blessings and my salvation.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

...God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”

 Psalm 23 and Genesis 22:9-14

...God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” Genesis 22:1

I continue my pause of my study of Jude to use Tony Evan's The Power of God's Names sermon outline series - maintaining focusing on Message Four: Jehovah Rohi and Jehovah Jireh.  Today, I continue to focus on those sermon notes that stand out to me - specifically looking at Sermon Point #1: To Understand Your Shepherd, Jehovah Rohi, You Must Realize That You Are Like A Sheep.  In describing sheep, the sermon notes share that "sheep...are dumb, defenseless, dirty, and dependent."  This last attribute is key - before we truly accept Jesus, we must all get to a place where we say we need Him...desperately.  As a litmus test, when God calls us, we must be prepared to answer Him right away.  As two examples, Abraham did not hesitate when God called him in Genesis 22:1 and 11.  There are of course many other Biblical examples where God called someone and they responded "here I am, ready to submit and serve You God," including Isaiah 6:8, where Isaiah cries out in response to God: “Here I am! Send me.”  We should respond because we want to submit and obey, again, because we should recognize that we are completely dependent on God, desperate for Him, and that because God is Our Shepherd, He cares for us and only wants good things for us (although how we define "good" is according to God's definition not our own).  On the other hand, there are many scriptural examples where God called someone and they failed to willingly submit to God.  Ananias and Sapphira come to mind - see this message from John Piper here. Other examples include Jonah and Judas (the apostle).  Take John Piper's recommendation and be more like Barnabas and not Ananias!  See also John 15:5 as another example where Jesus shares how "apart from me you can do nothing."

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are my great Shepherd and my great Provider!  Thank You Jesus for being this for me because I desperately need it - I know that apart from You I can do nothing.  I am undeserving for how You do this for me as my sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But now be so kind as to look at me.

Job 6

But now be so kind as to look at me. v28

Job cries out to God in his anguish and He is desperate to see God in his difficulties.  But again, Job does not curse God nor deny His sovereignty.  There will be times in our life when we can barely speak - our pain and anguish is so great.  It is in these times when we must recognize that we can come to God just as we are.  God wants us to depend on Him - we should be desperate for Him.  God hears our cries.

During the Israelites bondage in Egypt, they cried out and God heard them.

The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them. Exodus 3:23-25 

Yet we must also understand that our faith is strongest when we commune with God during both good times and bad.  It is during these good times when we can draw on the goodness of God in hindsight to see all that God has done. As I posted several days ago, we should be building our faith on a firm foundation so that when turbulent times come, and they will (John 16:33), we can remain firm in our faith. 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who provides for all of my needs and who has come to save me - thank You Jesus.  I am not worth such love.  I am broken.  I worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friend and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

[A]ll the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

 Mark 1:1-8

[A]ll the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Mark 1:5

This morning, based on the recommendation of the author of my previous study of The Character of Jesus, I commence a study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  I start with an unassisted review of Mark 1:1-8.

• The first thing I notice about the text is how Mark immediately goes to the Old Testament (see Isaiah 40:3) in vv2-3, reinforcing how we are to read the entirety of the Bible - not just the New Testament, and we should dive into our study of those books we may believe are more challenging, such as Leviticus.  See 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
• An expanded view of Isaiah (see Isaiah 40:4-5) reveals God's intention with Jesus that, unlike God who was on top of the mountain (Mt Sinai) and only available to Moses or later to the high priests in the inner most section of the tabernacle, He would walk and be among His people and be more accessible (straight paths).    
• Next, I notice how John is in the wilderness, perhaps giving hope to those who are in spiritual wilderness or desert, hungry, thirsty, and desperate for God - the promised Messiah.  The Israelites also wandered in the wilderness/desert for 40 years before entering the Promised Land.
• Baptism in vv4-5 is described early in the Gospel and it triggers explanation of why a baptism is needed and a quick search of DesiringGod.com reminds me of how water is used in the Old Testament for ritual washing away of sin and how immersion and a rise from the water represents death and then a new life. 
• John appears as someone who lives off the grid and as less refined. Perhaps this is how many lived during this time, but still people from "all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him" as they were drawn to the message and again it is striking that people would go into the wilderness and find something of value - the Good News.  I am reminded how the Israelites also encountered God in the wilderness (parting of Red Sea, water from rock, manna from Heaven, Ten Commandments, guided by cloud during day, by fire at night).  John was part of God's plan from long ago (prophesied by Isaiah) and Gabriel further prophesied on John from Luke 1:5-24.  God meets us during our times of need to guide us and remind us that He is there always.        
• John the Baptist's delivers the message that Jesus is on the way, He is greater, and how He brings the Holy Spirit. Humility and truth.

John lived in the wilderness (see also Luke 3), and was led by God to proclaim that the long awaited Messiah was on His way. People went out to the wilderness to find the Good News and to be saved.  Where ever you are, in what ever emotional state you find yourself in, God is there and He seeks to carry your cares and anxieties (1 Peter 5:7).  He came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10) - in your spiritual wilderness, a place of seeming desolation, God saves.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, Jesus, You are an awesome God that saw me as lost in my wilderness and inclined my ear and softened my heart to hear the Good News, confess my sins, and asked to be saved - and You responded saving me!  Thank You Jesus.  I am not deserving of how You saved me and continue to pour out mercies every morning that never cease, revealing Yourself to me in the Word, and through the sanctification process.  Thank You but again I am not deserving.  Please forgive me for my sin and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.   

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

Psalm 119

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. v105

It is not definitively agreed upon who the author of this psalm is nor when it was written or the circumstances of the psalm. Yet as with all scripture, it has eternal value as it is God breathed and living.

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness[.] 1 Timothy 3:16

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

This morning, I feel desperate for God and His light.  I don't know what the future holds and many days I have concerns about how I can provide for my family - these are of course unfounded as God provides.  Once again I should hold on to what is true and let go of what is going on my mind as many thoughts are directed by Satan who wants to separate me from God.

See also this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who will always be with me - I am 100% certain!  Thank You Jesus.  I am not worth such love.  I worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

1 Samuel 18-22

That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:10

I continue with my study of - Ten Men of the Bible: How God Used Imperfect People to Change the World - eBook by Max Lucado (for purchase). This morning, I continue with the story of "David: Giant Problems and Colossal Collapses*".

*Title of lesson five from the Max Lucado study.

The commentary* of day two starts with Max Lucado discussing how after slaying Goliath and the Philistines, David finds himself favored by both Saul and all of Israel, the latter of whom see David as their new hero.  Saul is increasingly envious and jealous and begins to plot against David.  Yet David, instead of relying on God on first instinct as he did when facing Goliath, David relies on his own strength, and his own fears lead to sinful deception of others and he ultimately goes into hiding. Lucado wants us to see how:

• "After a victory, our enemy will go on the attack and try to bring us to a low place where we doubt the love and provision of God."
• "It is when we find ourselves cut off and in a lonely place that we will be tempted to seek refuge in things other God."
• "When we experience a setback and things are not going as planned, we need to regroup, rediscover our courage, and refocus ourselves on God."
  

Desperation often leads us to seek ungodly refuge.  Yet God wants us to be desperate for Him.

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God and I have felt Your strength during times of difficulty - You protect me and I am grateful!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving for how You never leave or forsake me.  I love You.  Yet I am undeserving of Your love for me and how You saved me.  I am harsh with words and actions.  Please forgive me Jesus.  Help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them. But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.

Jonah 2

Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them. But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord. v8-9

What's interesting is that while Jonah is desperate and cries out to God, it does not appear certain that he truly had a contrite heart and that he both acknowledged his sin (Jonah 1:12 establishes this) and explicitly sought God forgiveness for this sin.  You can acknowledge God's sovereignty and at the same time not fully surrender to such sovereignty...this to me appears to be the issue with Jonah...and of course with many of us, myself included.

We need to heed Jesus words from the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
    for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Matthew 5:3-10

If we are who Jesus talks about in the Beatitudes, we surrender ourselves to Him in the way that Jesus seeks (Exodus 20, Matthew 22:37-40).

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are without a doubt King of Kings, Lord of Lords and sovereign over all for all times.  I can do no good things without You and all good and perfect gifts come from You.  You are in and before all things, You created all things through You and for You and You hold all things together.  You bless me well beyond what I deserve.  Thank You Jesus but I desperately need You to cleanse my sins and to help me turn from such sins of harsh words towards others.  Help me turn towards You and love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind.  Help me love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself strength and wisdom.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.

Mark 5:21-43

Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live. Mark 5:23

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, I focus on an unassisted review of Mark 5:21-43, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary. Observations of the text based on the Sword Bible Study Method: 

• What do we learn from the passage about God?: God is all powerful, able to do what no mortal being can do - He raises Jairus's daughter from the dead and heals the bleeding woman (after she had spent all that she had with doctors and her condition not only did not improve but grew worse).  God is also one of great compassion, referring to those who come in faith as daughter (v34) and He takes Jairus's daughter by her hand (v41) - He wants us to be part of His family which is a family with bonds much stronger than with earthly families.  
• What do we learn from the passage about people?: People are desperate for Him, yet they don't fully understand who is He is as He is still referred to as Teacher.  Of course He is Teacher but He is the One True God and it is only the demons that recognize Him at this point in scripture - they even laugh at Him (v40).  People both seek Jesus and they fear Him (v33) for His power - this is a reverent fear and it is appropriate because if we anger or disappoint Him, He holds our lives in His hands  
• Is there anything from the passage God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): We can claim the promise that Jesus heals - this is guaranteed both spiritually and physically and while it may not be in this life, it will be in Heaven (see Revelation 21:4). Jesus came to seek and save the lost so we should as well - following His lead as well as those such as Paul who mission work and fruit is detailed in Acts and much of the New Testament. Our faith should follow those of Jairus and the bleeding woman who sought simply a touch. I am reminded of the Parable of the Mustard Seed (Matthew 13:31-32). 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and who is seeks for us to be part of His family - You care for us SO much that You sent Your One and Only Son Jesus to die for us.  Thank You Father!  I am not deserving of such a gift - the greatest gift of all time.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.

1 Corinthians 16

On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come. 1 Corinthians 16:2

I resume my study of 1 Corinthians, moving on to an assisted review of 1 Corinthians 16:1-4 using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary volume for this book.  From the commentary for this text:

Main idea: "Giving will always be a part of the church’s worship, and it should follow some specific guidelines."

Key excerpts from the introduction: "[I]t is refreshing to note that with all the flaws and foibles of the Corinthian church, it was a generous church....We know from another letter that Paul wrote that this collection was for the poor and suffering among the Jewish Christian brothers and sisters in Jerusalem (Romans 15:26)....In several solid and practical ways, Paul gives us a model that shows how Christians should be financially faithful to the church and how the church should be forensically faithful in managing what is given."

Divisions per the commentary:

1. We Should Give with Sincere Dedication (16:1):"[T]he church in Jerusalem was in the middle of a great economic depression. They were having to minister to thousands of new converts who had come to Christ, and many of them were in desperate need of financial help. Well aware of this, Paul had sent out a communiqué to several Gentile churches he had founded, asking them to help their brothers and sisters in Jerusalem. Everyone knew what this offering was to be dedicated to; it had a specific purpose. These Corinthian Christians, then, were motivated by a love for and a brokenness over their Jerusalem brothers and sisters. They eagerly agreed to give to this offering because they realized Christianity is a team sport and everyone is on the same team."
2. We Should Give to a Specific Destination (16:2a): "When you worship, you give your voice in exaltation as you praise the character of God. You give your ear in concentration as you listen to the Word of God. You give your mind in meditation as you think about the things of God. You give your heart in adoration as you bask in the love of God. Surely we should also bring our offerings in commemoration as we remember the goodness of God. This is not to be understood as saying that all giving should only be given to any specific church, but I do believe this passage suggests the first financial gifts we give to God should be to the work of the church."
   
3. We Should Give with Steadfast Determination (16:2a): "Paul makes it plain that everybody should give something to this offering. There is no room for exemptions, exceptions, or excuses....The best way to give, though it may certainly be supplemented with spontaneous offerings, is systematically. We should give with a steadfast determination to give as often as our income is refreshed or we have an unexpected inflow of money."
   
4. We Should Give with Studied Deliberation (16:2b)."Therefore, our lives as those he has redeemed should be lived in gratitude for all that God has given to us and done for us."
5. We Should Give with Sober Discrimination (16:3-4): "place. In other words, the money was not only to be given in the church, to the church, and for the church, it was to be managed by the church. It is incumbent on those of us who give money to God’s work to do everything possible to make sure that dollars given toward his work are always used correctly, properly, and wisely."

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who provides for all needs - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You provide.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.

Mark 5:1-20

So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea. Mark  5:13

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Mark 5:1-20, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary - which offers three divisions for this text. Excerpts from the commentary's second (of three) division (vv6-13): 

• The commentary's title for this division is "Jesus Conquers the Destructive."
• Emphasizing vv6-7, the commentary describes how the demonic man threw himself at Jesus's feet, "not [as] an act of worship, but an acknowledgement of authority."  
• "[The demons] knowledge of Jesus’ identity is superior to the disciples’ knowledge, at least at this point in their journey. The demon’s confession in 5:7 answers the disciples’ question in 4:41. The demoniac knows who Jesus is, and he knows his existence is at stake. His time has run out."
• "[The demonic man's] only hope was in a Liberator whose power and authority were greater than what now possessed him. That Liberator was Jesus Christ, the Son of God."
•  "In a microcosm of the battle between good and evil, Jesus gives a preview of the fate of Satan and his demons. The demons, through the voice of the man, keep begging Jesus not to send them out of the region. The tormentor is now the tormented as he contemplates his destiny." See also Luke 8:31 for more details on this account.  They begged and bargained with Jesus - see v12.
• As the man was cutting himself with stones, the commentary insists that Satan was so tormenting this man that he was driving the man to suicide. The commentary points to William Lane who shares that "[f]irst, Jesus recognized the time of the ultimate vanquishment of the demons had not yet come; his encounter and triumph over the demonic does not yet put an end to Satan’s power. It is the pledge and the symbol of that definitive triumph, but the time when that triumph will be fully realized is yet deferred. It must await the appointment of God. Therefore, Jesus allows the demons to continue their destructive work, but not upon a man. The second element is related to this: Jesus allowed the demons to enter the swine to indicate beyond question that their real purpose was the total destruction of their host."
• "The event demonstrates that God cares more for man, whom He created in His image and recreates in salvation, than He does for animals that do not bear His image."  

Jesus has total dominion and authority over everything in the universe, including Satan and evil.  Believers know and can take great comfort in knowing that Jesus has already defeated death and victory over Satan is assured - see also Revelation 20.  We also know that Jesus seeks to save as many as He can and tell us to "have mercy on those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them out of the fire" (Jude 22-23). The demon-possessed man was desperate for help but not beyond salvation.  If you feel beyond help, be encouraged!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves!  Thank You for the comfort in knowing that victory over sin and death is already won and assured.  I am not deserving the salvation You give me.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Romans 1

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Romans 1:21

Today I pause both my study of 1 Corinthians and my study that accompanies participation in a men's discipleship group (d-group) at my church.  Instead, I lean on DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today explores the root of ingratitude.  John Piper uses Romans 1:21 (see also John MacArthur commentary introduction to Romans) where Paul writes to believers in Rome, including both Jews and Gentiles, and in v21 and surrounding verses (vv18-32), Paul shares how Gentiles specifically had no excuse in acknowledging a divine Creator.  They pursued idol worship and this is where John Piper picks up today with the devotional.  Piper starts by pointing to yesterday's devotion where a gratitude towards God results in magnification of Him and a desire to bring Him glory.  He then looks at why we don't show gratitude towards God - he shares: "there is a very good reason that human beings by nature do not want to magnify God with thanksgiving or glorify him as their benefactor. The reason is that it detracts from our own glory, and all people by nature love their own glory more than the glory of God. At the root of all ingratitude is the love of one’s own greatness. For genuine gratitude admits that we are beneficiaries of an unearned bequest. We are cripples leaning on the cross-shaped crutch of Jesus Christ....[W]hile a man loves his own glory, and prizes his self-sufficiency, and hates to think of himself as sin-sick and helpless, he will never feel genuine gratitude to the true God and so will never magnify God as he ought, but only himself." This is the futility of thinking Paul writes about.  Piper concludes the devotion by pointing us to Mark 2:17 where Jesus said "[T]hose who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of compassion and grace - I KNOW I need You - for everything - including my salvation and how You intercede for my continuously and forever through prayer.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love and blessings.  My sin is great and I am in DESPERATE need for You...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.

Mark 1:35-45

And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.  Mark 1:40-42

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, I focus on a commentary-assisted review of Mark 1:35-45, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary.  Excerpts from the third (of three) division of the commentary, which covers 1:40-45:

• "The person with the disease was mocked and shunned. The leper had to wear torn clothes, leave his hair unkempt, cover his face, and cry out “Unclean!” He was forced to live in isolation."
• "Leviticus 13–14 discusses the disease. It was usually regarded as an evidence of divine punishment. As such, the cure could only come from the Lord. Other illnesses could be healed, but leprosy had to be both healed and cleansed. Needless to say, no one in the Bible healed a leper by touch other than Jesus."
• Warren Wiersbe's Be Diligent shares: "When you read the ‘tests’ for leprosy in Leviticus 13, you can see how the disease is a picture of sin. Like sin, leprosy is deeper than the skin (v3); it spreads (vv5-8); it defiles and isolates (vv44-46); and it renders things fit only for the fire (vv47-59). Anyone who has never trusted the Savior is spiritually in worse shape than this man was physically."
• "[The leper] was desperate, and he believed only Jesus could heal him and make him clean. He came, knelt, and begged, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Wow! His faith is astounding! The issue is not whether Jesus could heal him, but would He? This man comes to Jesus with great courage, great humility, and great faith—the same way we, as sin-sick sinners, must come to Him. He came believing in the only One who could change his life and make him whole."
• "As the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53:4, [Jesus] takes on Himself the infirmities of this man, cleanses him, and makes him whole!"
• "Jesus sternly charged the cleansed leper to see the priest to be pronounced clean so that he could return to his community and not to tell anyone. Jesus "wants followers who seek Him! People are always tempted by the sensational. Jesus desires followers who long for truth and want to know Him. He does not want people to come to Him to get what they want."  God is not a vending machine!
• "Ironically, Jesus and the leper have traded places. The leper is now on the inside with family and friends. Jesus is on the outside in a lonely and desolate place. This picture of substitution is the heart of the gospel. It is why Jesus came. He will take on Himself our sin, our sorrow, and our shame. In return He gives us His forgiveness, His holiness, and His righteousness—praise the Lord! What an exchange!"   

Jesus' healing of the leper is of course key to this third and last division (vv40-45) of the text - Mark 1:35 to 1:45. The commentary refers to this division as The Kingdom Advances Through Healing.  The first and second divisions...Through Prayer, and Through Preaching.  We must all recognize that we are all spiritually dead and broken until Jesus saves us - we all need a Savior and the One Who Heals and Binds Our Wounds and Sins.  He does this by taking our sin upon Himself and the punishment we deserve.

Also, in my commentary-assisted study of this division, I once again revisit the "Messianic Secret" which I first explored a few days ago here.  God reveals Himself in the Word through the Holy Spirit.  Yet until glorification, we don't fully comprehend God's Word or even God Himself.  We rely on sanctification to bring about a progressively greater understanding of God.  This post from John Piper on DesiringGod.com explores this topic further as Piper describes the mystery of God, sharing: "[s]o I'm not sure I know why God would hold his insights, and give them at certain points, and then crash us with wonderful insights for a season and then withhold them for others. God knows what he is doing, and we need to profit from it by acknowledging that we are finite and fallible and sinful."

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of incredible grace and compassion for me - saving me while I was still hostile and an enemy to You.  You also continue to pour out rich mercies that never cease and I experience every morning.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.

1 Timothy 1

But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. v16

God redeems our sin and uses it for His glory.  That is what Paul is referring to when he writes Timothy in this letter.  God uses and redeems MY sin and uses it to demonstrate to others (perhaps with the same or similar sin or who otherwise might feel "touched" or "connected" to your story) His grace and power - SO THAT others can come to know and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.  We are but instruments of God.

My Prayer: Lord, what an awesome God You are.  You are the one and only true God...worthy of my praise.  You have redeemed my sin and the sin of others for Your glory and so that others can receive the Good News of Jesus Christ.  You are so full of love, mercy, patience, gentleness, etc...for me. I am not deserving of such gifts.  Thank You anyway Jesus.  I am desperate for You in my life.  I am weak and broken...quick to anger, and slow to listen, lacking in patience. Please forgive me Jesus.  Help me overcome such sin and turn towards You instead.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me be a light to others and draw them to You.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength, comfort, and freedom from pain.  Encourage her.  Please heal and cure her of this cancer.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Blind Faith...God Really Does Provide

Today's Reading
1 Kings Chp 17

This is a well known story, yet once again I am reminded that God does love me and his love, protection, guidance, and provision is always there for me, even in my darkest hours.  It has been very difficult for me at work and I have been neglecting my study and quiet time with the Lord...yet here the Lord is - in this story - showing me faith in him truly does produce results.

Here, such faith is blind faith.  A woman and her son at wit's end find themselves with only enough food for one more meal - truly a desperate situation.  Yet, on request and without any resistance, she willingly gives up this food based on Elijah's promise that God will provide.

¹³ Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. ¹⁴ For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD sends rain on the land.’”  (verses 13-14)

...

¹⁵ She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. ¹⁶ For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah.  (verses 15-16)

Her faith in Elijah's God is tested once more with the illness of her son, yet once again, God comes through and finally, the woman sees and accepts Truth:

²⁴ Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the LORD from your mouth is the truth.”  (verse 24)

My Prayer: Lord, your provision is great and it manifests itself in so many ways - all of this despite my sin and my neglect of you.  Forgive me for my sin and my neglect. Help me deepen my faith.  Help me seek you out more.  Help me trust you more.  Help me love you more.  Help me follow you and obey you more. 

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Matthew 9, Mark 2, and Luke 5

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Matthew 5:6

I continue with my study of - Ten Men of the Bible: How God Used Imperfect People to Change the World - eBook by Max Lucado (for purchase). This morning, I continue with the story of "Matthew: Redefining God's Family*".

*Title of lesson seven from the Max Lucado study.

The commentary* of day three starts with Max Lucado highlighting how Matthew was not content to simply meet then follow Jesus; he immediately wanted to know more about Jesus so invited Him to spend more time with him at his house. Lucado also points us to the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19 where we see another tax collector, shorter in stature so desperate to see and meet Jesus that he climbs a tree to see Him and gives half his belongings to the poor.  Jesus recognizes that Zachhaeus is willing to "lose his life" to have Jesus in his.

...[God] rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6

Lucado then turns to the story of the rich young ruler in Matthew 19. This man sought "a quick fix" or a "checklist" from Jesus vs a relationship with Him.  He wanted validation that he was doing all the right things - he wanted to be justified.  We must recognize that there is nothing we can do to deserve salvation. None of us deserve it - instead the "wages of sin are death" (Romans 6:23). However, God freely provides salvation for those who truly seek it.  We must hunger and thirst for righteousness and be willing to deny ourselves and glorify God.

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who freely gave me salvation - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a gift and for the many blessings You pour out for me.  I continue to sin - worry, etc. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

“Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”

Matthew 15

“Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” v27

A Canaanite woman pleads with Jesus to heal her demon-possessed daughter, yet Jesus ignores her plea initially and the disciples urge Him to move on.  Her pleas continue to the point of getting on her knees and debating with Jesus (see also Matthew Henry Commentary), and He agrees to heal her daughter - seeing the faith she has and the desire she has for Him and His healing powers.

God wants us to be desperate for Him, and for us to have a contrite heart - see also verses here.  We should acknowledge that we all sin and are in need of a Savior. 

David had a contrite heart:

When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.  Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.”
And you forgave the guilt of my sin. Psalm 32:3-5

Bottom line: Jesus wants us exactly where we are - desperate, humble, angry, etc.  We can debate with Him, etc.  We must however acknowledge who God is and remain in reverent fear of Him..

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are Lord of All, King of Kings, and You reign over the heavens and the earth - and You are my God.  You adopted me and died for me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such a God.  I am selfish, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.