Do you
Believe it?- In His Word
Some of
Jesus' disciples were walking on the road and suddenly there was
Jesus walking with them. He spoke with them, and shared who He was
but they were not sure until He asked them for food. After they ate,
or as they ate Jesus opened their minds to understand what He had
told them before.
Reading
this portion of scripture in Luke today I was caught up in the fact
that Jesus spoke to them and the did not know it was Him.
They
stopped short, sadness written across their faces. Then one of them,
Cleopas, replied, “You must be the only person in Jerusalem who
hasn't heard about the things that have happened here the last few
days.”
“What
things?” Jesus asked.
The
things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth.” they
said.”He was a prophet who did powerful miracles and he was a
mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people...” Luke 24:17 -20
Jesus
spoke with them a while, but they did not know it was them for he had
to speak the following;
Then He
said unto them, “O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the
prophets have spoken: ought not Christ to have suffered these things
and enter into his glory? Luke 24:25
He
reminded them of the scriptures and how God had His prophets tell of
Jesus' coming and of His death and rising again.
They
asked him to stay and eat with them instead of traveling on to
wherever this man was going. As he broke the bread and blessed it
they realized who it was who sat with them! He opened their heart
and mind to understand what it was that He had spoken to them prior
to his death, and Resurrection.
He
vanished after they knew who he was they returned to Jerusalem right
away to find the 11 Apostles who were left and told them “The Lord
is risen...” all of them believed but Thomas. Even He believed
after Jesus called him out on his unbelief.
It is
funny, in a way because all the times they heard Him say to someone
as they came to be healed to believe in Him; and the very 12 with Him
on the way one of them was not ready to believe. In fact at first
they thought Jesus was a ghost!
“Why
are you frightened?”He asked. “Why are your hearts filed with
doubt? Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it's
really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because
ghosts don't have bodies, as you see that I do.” As he spoke, he
showed them his hands and his feet. Still they stood there in
disbelief, filled with joy and wonder. Then he asked them, “Do you
have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish
and he ate it as they watched.”
Luke
24:36-40
Then he
said, "When I was with you before, I told you that everything written
about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must
be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the
scriptures. And he said, “Yes it was written long ago that the
Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day.
It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in
authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem:
'There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.' You are witnesses
of all these things. Luke 24:44-48Its no different for us today.
If you believe in Jesus, if you believe that He is the Son of God; then He will open the Word of God to you to understanding. Before we believe, we don't always 'get it' when we read. Sure we can study and glean wisdom from the words in the Holy Bible, but until we have our hearts and minds opened to the understanding we may not get the whole gist of it. Even then we only get a portion of what things are to come. Our belief is strengthened as we walk out lives out in the Word.
What do I mean by that? How can we walk out lives out in the Word?
by
reading
- by
thinking on what we read
- by
studying to see what happened when and who each scripture is meant
for, or who it is about
- by
praying and asking God to help us be 'doers of the Word' and not
just readers.
- It
means that we not only know what we read, but we act like the word
tells us to act.
Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another just as God through Christ as forgiven you. Ephesians 4:31-32When you believe in the Lord who brought the words to life in your heart and mind then you can understand what His Spirit is trying to tell you today.
When you read it and do it, then you are walking out the Word.
Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and believe what His Word says because if you believe you can be healed, restored, encouraged, loved, forgiven, and so much more!
Dear Heavenly Father, we ask you to open our eyes, to see, our ears to hear and out hearts to believe that we may walk in the way in which You have sent us to walk. Show us the steps to take this week in Your Word. In Jesus' name, amen.
Suggested
Reading: Ephesians 4:1-32, John 20:1-31, Acts 11:1-30 and Romans
10:1-21