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Friday... What we give to God does make a difference.


Matthew 8:2 (AMP), "And a leper came to Him and bowed down to Him, saying, 'Lord, if you are willing, You are able to make me clean (well).'"

Friday... What we give to God does make a difference.

Now there was this big crowd and Jesus had given to them a very important sermon and he had finished but there was a man who had leprosy who believe that Jesus could heal him but he wasn't sure that he would want to. I mean, the man was a leper. Matthew 8:2 (AMP) says, "And a leper came to Him and bowed down to Him, saying, 'Lord, if you are willing, You are able to make me clean (well).'"

Yes, we may believe that God has the ability but we're not always sure that he has the desire. And a leper could feel that way and we also in our situation could feel that way. Our belief in God's ability sometimes doesn't go far enough. Yes, we know that he can do it but does he want to. We give ourselves that inch so we don't look bad if it doesn't happen. 


But another way to look at this is that it is important for God to be willing. He sees everything from his point of view. Yes, it is important for us to believe he can but also to trust him to do what is best. To trust his willingness. 

Well verse 3 says, "Jesus reached out His hand and touched him, saying, 'I am willing; be cleaned."

Now could it be that there are things in our life where we need God but we don't ask because we don't believe it is his will when what he wants is for us to ask and trust him to do what is best. Yes, what we give to God does make a difference and what we don't give also makes a difference.

So go ahead and ask, "Lord, if you are willing, You are able to make me clean (well)." And give him the chance to say, "I am willing; be cleaned."

Now another guy came to Jesus with another response. Verses 5-7 (NLT) says, "When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer came and pleaded with him, 'Lord, my young servant lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain.' Jesus said, 'I will come and heal him." Now here this man believed he could do it and Jesus was willing but there was a problem.

Verse 8 says, "But the officer said, 'Lord, I am unworthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed." What the man felt made a difference and verse 10 says, "When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, 'I tell you the truth, I haven't seen faith like this in all Israel.'" and verse 13 says, "Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, 'Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.' And the young servant was healed that same hour."

Now there is a humility in there that makes a difference. And that feeling of unworthiness had a power of faith that God honored. This guy didn't need to be the center he just needed to be the channel of faith. And God honors that. He really does.

Yes, what we give to God does make a difference in his response.  "I am willing; be cleaned." "Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened." Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning

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