Unfaithful Servant

They are unfaithful to the LORD;
they give birth to illegitimate children.
When they celebrate their New Moon feasts,
he will devour their fields.
- Hosea 5:7 -

Here is a sorrowful truth.

We are the beloved of the LORD, redeemed by blood, called by grace, preserved in Christ Jesus, accepted in the Beloved, and on our way to Heaven.

But we are unfaithful to the LORD.

We are found to be unfaithful in the matter of vows and promises.

We have forgotten the happy time, the springtime of our spiritual life.

Oh, how closely we clang to our Master then!

But now, we are unfaithful to the LORD.

Prayer has oftentimes been slurred.

It has been short, but not sweet.

Brief, but not fervent.

Communion with Christ has been forgotten.

Instead of a heavenly mind, there have been carnal cares, worldly vanities and thoughts of evil.

Instead of service, there has been disobedience.

Instead of fervency, lukewarmness.

Instead of patience, petulance.

Instead of faith, confidence in an arm of flesh.

As a soldier of the cross, there has been cowardice, disobedience, and desertion, to a very shameful degree.

We are unfaithful to the LORD.

We have sinned against Him terribly.

Oh LORD! Forgive us.

Oh! Let us not sin again!

How shameful it is to be unfaithful to the LORD who never forgets us.

Faith As Small As A Mustard Seed

Matthew 17:14-21

When the Lord Jesus Christ came down from the mountain with Peter, James and John, He found the other disciples surrounded by a crowd.

They were disputing with the scribes after failing to exorcise a demon from a boy.

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This failure brought much scorn from the enemies of the Lord Jesus Christ.

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The distraught father of the boy pleaded with the Lord Jesus Christ to deliver his son from the demon which had rendered him deaf and dumb and caused him to throw fits.

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The Lord Jesus Christ rebuked those around Him, “You unbelieving and perverse generation”.

The disciples and the boy’s father were lacking in faith.

The perverse scribes were gloating at the failure of the disciples to help the man and his son.

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The Lord Jesus Christ graciously answered the man’s prayer.

The boy was delivered from the demon that had so tormented him.

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The disciples had known success on other occasions.

They were very concerned at their failure to help the boy.

The Lord Jesus Christ told them that they were lacking in prayer, in fasting, and in faith.

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We cannot live on past successes.

If we neglect our communion with God, we will become weak and impotent in our work for God.

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The Lord Jesus Christ promised, “if you have faith as small as a mustard seed …. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

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A mustard seed was very small and yet grew into a tree which was large enough to shelter birds.

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“Faith as small as a mustard seed” is a trust in God which does not give way to despair when prayer is not immediately answered.

It continues to maintain fellowship with God and to pray fervently.

It is not motivated by sinful desires when it prays.

It expects great things from God and attempts great things for God.

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Is our faith very small, just like a mustard seed?

Do not be discouraged.

Exercise that faith and discover what God is able to do!

Your faith Has Made You Well

Matthew 9: 18-26

Story & Lessons

The ruler of the synagogue was Jairus.

His daughter was 12 years old.

Jairus asked the Lord Jesus to heal his daughter.

But then, a message came, informing him that his daughter was dead.

Jesus encouraged him not to despair, but to believe.

Jairus expressed his trust in the Lord Jesus to raise his daughter from the dead.

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Jesus was on the way to the house of Jairus.

He was interrupted by a woman.

The poor woman had suffered 12 years of misery through continuous hemorrhages.

She had spent all that she had in search of a cure.

But her condition had grown worse.

She had suffered repeated disappointments in the past.

But she was confident that the Lord Jesus could heal her.

She touched the Lord Jesus' garment.

The Lord Jesus turned and said to her, "Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well."

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God is pleased when we really trust Him in all circumstances.

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Jesus affirmed that the girl was not dead but sleeping.

Th professional mourners at Jairus' housed laughed Him to scorn.

They misunderstood Him.

What the Lord Jesus was saying was that death would not have the last word.

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Jesus put them out of the house.

He raised the child from the dead.

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Reflections

The Lord Jesus was very tender in His dealings with the woman and with Jairus.

We have a wonderful Saviour!

Let us worship Him!

Let us trust in Him at all times!