Blessed Is He!

Matthew 11:6 – And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. 

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Matthew 11:6 – And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. 

John, the Baptizer, is the cousin of Jesus. Chapter 1 in the Gospel of John says that John was a man sent from God to bear witness to the Light. He was sent to prepare the way for the Messiah. John, the Baptizer, was doing what God created him to do. Walking in His God-ordained purpose, baptizing those who repented of their sins, and preaching about the coming Messiah! Verses 28-34 tell us that while John was baptizing in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, he saw his cousin Jesus coming towards him and made this statement out loud, in front of those gathered. "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" 

Despite being the blood relative of Jesus, John may not have known that Jesus was the Messiah. However, John 1:33-34 indicates that God, who sent John to baptize and prepare the way for the Messiah, eventually gave him some insider information, explicitly identifying the True Light, the Messiah, as one upon whom the Holy Spirit remains. 

John 1:33-34 -"I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God." 

Two of John's disciples were so moved by this statement that they searched for Jesus and began following him the next day. 

Now, let's review a few things about  John  and what He knows  thus far: 

-           He knows that the  Messiah, the True Light, the one who will give Light to every man, is coming into the world.   

-           John is obedient to God and understands his God-given assignment to go and tell people about that True Light!  

-           John has been given a credibility checklist. God tells him to look for the one upon whom the Holy Spirit remains. 

-           John baptized Jesus, and I saw the Spirit descending and remaining on Him. God's word is confirmed! Now he knows that Jesus is the  Messiah, the True Light, sent from God!

- He has heard about the miracles being done by Jesus in the surrounding areas, and this baptism experience gives John firmer ground on which to believe that Jesus is the True Light!  

Matthew 11:2-3 tells us that John sends two disciples to question Jesus. God has told him what to look for; he has seen with his own eyes what was foretold; he has heard about the miracles performed by Jesus, but now doubt seems to be creeping in. 

What is going on in John's life that would cause him to doubt what he has seen and heard and what God has said to him? Why is John questioning the Truth, the words of our creator?  

Matthew 11:2-3 – "And when John had heard in the prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples. And said to Him, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?" 

John, the man sent from God, a faithful servant who has endured the ridicule of people, is now in prison, and just like you and I, when pain and fear show up, we, too, often question the Truth! 

I do not know why John felt the need to question Jesus. The Bible does not say God discussed with John how his earthly assignment would end. What I do know is that in my Christian journey, I, too, have pondered the whys behind pain and suffering. What is your response when your circumstances conflict with the Truth, God's Word, and what He says about the situation?   

I have had moments where I spent days wondering: Is Jesus ever going to fix this, or is this my lot in life? Does God see me? Does He care? Is He even listening to my prayers? 

If you allow me to be transparent, I started writing this devotional during a faith fight! I know what God's word says, but my physical body and medical test are in complete contradiction to that Truth. Like John, I am searching for a better understanding of my situation. In my attempt to draw closer to My Savior, Jesus Christ, I started reading this story about John, the Baptizer. John is searching for clarity! 

I cannot speak for John, the Baptizer, but I can tell you this: when you are being stalked by pain, fear, and disappointment, the struggle to hold on to the Truth is real! We forget that we have an enemy whose sole mission is to steal, kill, and destroy. Satan hates the children of God, and he is after our faith in God. There is a spiritual war at play for souls. A war that demands an appropriate response from those who call themselves Christ followers. If you and I are going to see victory, we must use our God-given weapons,  the first being Truth, His Word. 

Jesus responds to John's question, and that same response applies to me and anyone else who needs an attitude adjustment or their faith recalibrated!  

Matthew 11: 4-6 – Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye have to hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed. And the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed (a state of inner peace, joy, and well-being that is not affected by circumstances) is he whosoever shall not be offended in me. 

Friends, unpleasant circumstances are part of this Christian journey; no one likes to discuss that part, but every blood-washed disciple of Jesus Christ will have a few valley experiences. Jesus wants you and I to know that our predicaments do not and cannot change who He is  ---  the Messiah, the True Light, the one sent for God, His only Son, the Savior of the world. And our circumstances do not and cannot separate us from His love!

But----- 

But what?  

What is the but? 

My friends, if you get upset and bitter to the point of offense on this journey because life is not the way you would prefer, you will not win this faith fight! You will lose big and possibly forfeit God's best for you. You will miss out on the peace, joy, and well-being that Jesus Christ came to give, despite our circumstances.  

Jesus is the Messiah, the True Light. He is a man of His Word. We must hold on to the Truth. We must search the scriptures and memorize them until that living word is imprinted on our hearts and minds. We must begin to say what God says about our situation. Speak the Truth out of your mouths! We need to give the angels something to work with! Don't give in to pain, fear, disappointment, and despondency. Use your spiritual weapons, hold on to the Truth, and keep your eyes on Jesus, the Messiah! 

Psalm 29:11- The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace. 

Psalm 37:8 – Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret – it only causes harm. 

If you have lost your peace, praying has become difficult because your heart is aching. If you buried your face in a bag of chips and dip, or you've eaten more than your share of cheesecake in search of comfort. It's time to get honest. It's time to talk to Jesus about what's ailing your heart. Don't ignore Him or the situation. Don't run away, and don't sit still and settle in despair, defeat, or silence. Don't let anxiety rule your day! Take hold of the Truth, which is the word of God, even the parts you don't like, and let it change your life. 

In Matthew 11, John the Baptizer is in a very unpleasant situation. It may have been taking a toll on him, and His cousin, the miracle worker, is in another town on a mission. 

The response John received from Jesus is for us today! If you permit me to paraphrase, "Hey, don't doubt me now, and don't lose heart. The work I do speaks and confirms who I am, so don't let what you are experiencing now or your expectations of what you think I should be doing right now on your behalf cause you to forget the Truth and get offended. Don't forfeit your blessing, and don't forfeit your peace."

In late Spring, doctors found a mass during a routine exam. When another test series was taken 31 days later, the medical report read, "Previous finding no longer present!"  Yet another reminder that  God does care! He is a miracle worker, and He hears and answers prayers. Many people were praying with and for me, and yes, initially, I was in physical and emotional pain, scared and despondent. But I shared my situation with a small group of praying people and the leaders at my local church  (Life Church- Lenexa). We (my community of prayer support)  put our spiritual weapons (Prayer, Fasting, Praise, and God's Word)  to use, and God was gracious and allowed me to bypass that horrible door of cancer. I mentioned earlier that  I started writing this devotional in the middle of a faith fight,  and if I had gotten offended with God about what I was going through and why, had I remained stuck in fear, doubt, and despair? The outcome would have indeed ended in defeat. We have the blessing of choice. Each day, we are presented with options for responding to life's obstacles; sometimes, our circumstances speak loudly. However, God wants you and I to remember what we already know about Him and His proven faithfulness in our lives. He wants us to remember what He has said in His word in general and to us personally. God wants us and expects His children to use the spiritual weapons we have been given, such as prayer, praise, and His word! He wants us to bypass offense and only believe! 

Here are a few of the scriptures that carried me through that crisis:
 
Jeremiah 1:12 – Then said the Lord unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it. 

 Psalm 103:20-21 – Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure. 

 Luke 18:1  - And He spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray and not to faint.
 
Number 23:19- God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? 

Psalm 103: 1-3 - Bless the Lord, O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits; Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies.


 Let's Pray 

Jehovah- Nissi, fight my battles. You, Lord, are the one who fights for me. Thank you, Lord, for your patience, grace, and loving-kindness. Thank you, Lord, for blotting out my transgressions. Thank you for cleansing me from all unrighteousness. You, Lord, are Truth. You are the Savior of the world, and I thank you for saving my soul and my life. Lord, each day we encounter things that work against our peace, but you are Jehovah Shalom, you are my peace, and I trust you. I love you! Help me, Lord, when situations and circumstances seem contrary to the Truth, help me not to get offended. Help me to hold on to your word because you have the final say. Help me only to believe! Lord, help me use the weapons you gave me, especially when the battle gets rough. Help me, Lord, to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly before you all the days of my life in Jesus' Name, Amen!

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