We talked this past week about letting God be in control; we can trust Him to guide us. Sometimes I see songs that are a little out of the ordinary, but they seem to fit our studies. This song speaks of "letting go" and accepting His offer of "one more chance."
She was driving last Friday on her way to Cincinnati
On a snow white Christmas Eve
Going home to see her Mama and her Daddy with the baby in the backseat
Fifty miles to go and she was running low on faith and gasoline
It'd been a long hard year
She had a lot on her mind and she didn't pay attention
She was going way too fast
Before she knew it she was spinning on a thin black sheet of glass
She saw both their lives flash before her eyes
She didn't even have time to cry
She was so scared
She threw her hands up in the air
Jesus take the wheel
Take it from my hands
Cause I can't do this on my own
I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
Save me from this road I'm on
Jesus take the wheel
It was still getting colder when she made it to the shoulder
And the car came to a stop
She cried when she saw that baby in the backseat sleeping like a rock
And for the first time in a long time
She bowed her head to pray
She said I'm sorry for the way
I've been living my life
I know I've got to change
So from now on tonight
Jesus take the wheel
Take it from my hands
Cause I can't do this on my own
I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
Save me from this road I'm on
Oh, Jesus take the wheel
Friday, February 28, 2014
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Work -- is it a "four letter word"?
Remember I said there was a lot packed into this chapter?
Let's go back and look at this verse:
In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” John 5:17Sometimes we parents ask our kiddos, "What do you want to do (be) when you grow up?" And we encourage them to seek their passion, to do what brings them joy.
That's all well and good. But it doesn't necessarily follow that every adult will have a job that makes them bounce out of bed each morning, grinning about going to work that day! It's a fact, though, that work is something that we do, in order to provide for ourselves and our families, to witness to others, and to give God glory. Now, those are things we can find joy in, even if we find our job to sometimes be a chore!
How we think about work, our work ethic, is important.
The mentality to work cheerfully is a very good thing -- our God worked in the beginning of time as we know it. He worked and created the stars and planets, the earth and all the plants and animals on it. Of course, we can assume that it was not hard work, since He is Almighty and all-powerful! But He was pleased to work, and give us that good example. He put a lot of Himself into His work, didn't He? (Grin) After all, we are made in His image!
We can find a wonderful example of a work ethic, and how we should adjust our attitudes toward work, in Paul's letter to the church at Thessalonica:
II Thessalonians 3:6-10 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat."We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat. And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right.What a tremendous example! How in the world can we hope to do that?
One key to that is the realization that we are serving our Lord and our fellow man in some way or another. Regardless of what we are doing, we can give the best service possible. We can give our best in everything.
Another key to accomplishing our work in the way Paul spoke, is to always be considerate of others.
Peter told us:
I Peter 3:8-9 “Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”This scripture tells us how Christians should treat one another, but in reality, we should treat all people this way: in harmony, sympathetic, compassionate, humble, and not seeking vengeance. Trying to combat evil with evil never pays.The point of I Peter 3 is that we should work with people and not against them. We should work together as a team and caring for one another at the same time. The work place is always better when people are considerate of one another.
The last key is to remember Who we are working for . . . we are to:
"obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." Colossians 3:22-24We all believe our Lord is our real boss in life, or at least He is supposed to be. He is the giver of every good gift, and the ultimate gift, eternal life. We should be listening to Him and trying to do what He would have us do.
There used to be a lot of cars on the road with bumper stickers that read "Jesus is my co-pilot." It always made me think, and I wondered why it didn't say, "Jesus is my Pilot." If He is our co-pilot, that means we turn over the controls to Him when we are tired, or when we want to take a break. But shouldn't He have the controls all the time? He does a much better job at charting our course than we can do!
Sometimes we may take a wrong turn, or do the wrong thing. We might be frustrated and forget that we are serving our Lord and one another. We might not take the time to be considerate. We might even forget Who our boss is. And work becomes a terrible four letter word . . . no joy, no fun.
On the other hand, we might be able to do our work with a grin instead of a groan, if we follow these rules from the Word. I know I need to follow these rules more closely -- how about you?
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Many witnesses
When we paused on Monday, we had seen the crowd of Pharisees and their followers listening to Jesus and getting more upset by the minute. But Jesus had authority to speak as He did, right? Well, we know He did, but He needed to "prove" it to all of them . . .
You see, in the Law, the testimony of two or three witnesses was needed to settle a matter. Nothing could be decided unless you had witnesses.
Jesus was telling these people that He had four witnesses -- more than what was required in the Law.
So He established that His claims were real:
The first witness was John the Baptist. Jesus said, "You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth." By this time, it was common knowledge that John, whose popularity had grown and then had diminished with the arrival of Jesus, had put his stamp of approval on Jesus. He said that Jesus was the Messiah they were waiting for; he called Him the Lamb of God. This was the Man that John had prepared the way for.
Next, Jesus said, "I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent me." (John 5:36) Wow. What work is He talking about here? As they would say in a court of law, here was exhibit number one: the paralytic man, who now was healed. They all knew who he was, and that he'd been crippled for thirty-eight years, but now he was standing right there, hale and healthy. The very fact that Jesus had healed him was a proof that God had sent Him.
Thirdly, Jesus said, " the Father who sent me has testified Himself concerning me." (John 5:37) Remember when John the Baptist and Jesus were in the water? When Jesus was baptized, the heavens opened up and the Spirit of God came down in the form of a dove. The Father declared, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:17)
Jesus had a fourth witness, too. He had more than He needed, more than the Law required. "You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me." (John 5:39)
Over the course of His life and ministry, Jesus would fulfill over three hundred Old Testament prophecies. No other being, either before Him or after Him, has ever fulfilled even a fraction of these prophecies. These were like Jesus' personal calling cards -- they proved He was who He claimed to be.
Over and over in John's gospel, we will see that Jesus fulfilled or exceeded the Law; He offered more witnesses here than He was required to. He proved that He was who He claimed. Now, that doesn't mean that everyone believed Him.
You see, in the Law, the testimony of two or three witnesses was needed to settle a matter. Nothing could be decided unless you had witnesses.
Jesus was telling these people that He had four witnesses -- more than what was required in the Law.
So He established that His claims were real:
The first witness was John the Baptist. Jesus said, "You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth." By this time, it was common knowledge that John, whose popularity had grown and then had diminished with the arrival of Jesus, had put his stamp of approval on Jesus. He said that Jesus was the Messiah they were waiting for; he called Him the Lamb of God. This was the Man that John had prepared the way for.
Thirdly, Jesus said, " the Father who sent me has testified Himself concerning me." (John 5:37) Remember when John the Baptist and Jesus were in the water? When Jesus was baptized, the heavens opened up and the Spirit of God came down in the form of a dove. The Father declared, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:17)
Jesus had a fourth witness, too. He had more than He needed, more than the Law required. "You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me." (John 5:39)
Over the course of His life and ministry, Jesus would fulfill over three hundred Old Testament prophecies. No other being, either before Him or after Him, has ever fulfilled even a fraction of these prophecies. These were like Jesus' personal calling cards -- they proved He was who He claimed to be.
Over and over in John's gospel, we will see that Jesus fulfilled or exceeded the Law; He offered more witnesses here than He was required to. He proved that He was who He claimed. Now, that doesn't mean that everyone believed Him.
yet you refuse to come to me to have life.“I do not accept glory from human beings, but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; ( John 5:40-43a)How sad that they would not accept Him and His gift of life. How wonderful that some did, and their lives were changed -- as ours can be, when we accept Him!
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Verses that mean so much to us
This week I'd like to invite all of our readers to take just a moment to leave a comment on this post in particular. Many times we study our Bible and find gems from God that truly bless and inspire us; we may find "just the right" verse to help us through a difficult situation.
Won't you share with us, if you have found a verse or passage to be helpful in the past week or two? You never know who might really need that verse or insight that you share . . .
This passage helped me recently; perhaps someone else needs to read this, too:
I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. I Timothy 1:12-17Won't you leave a comment today, with a verse that has meant a great deal to you? One that has given you a blessing?
Monday, February 24, 2014
John 5, continued
Making the most of a situation . . .
You've heard that phrase before, right? I'd like for you to read the whole rest of the chapter we are in. Go ahead. It's the fifth chapter of the gospel of John.
We'll wait right here . . .
When we last studied together, we were witness to the miracle of the paralytic man, healed by Jesus, who picked up his mat and walked away from the pool of Bethesda.
The rest of the chapter is so packed full of good stuff that we'll stop and rest a while, and then move a little further on, and keep going and going!
Remember in the eighth verse, Jesus told the man to "get up and walk"?
Gotcha!
He actually told him to "pick up your mat and walk." Have you wondered why? It wasn't because it was necessary to clean up around the pool for the upcoming festival. (Grin)
Jesus was actually getting the attention of the people. Two groups of people, in reality. We've talked about how he got the attention of the common people, who had seen this man for years, and they knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was crippled. There was no question that he was healed when they saw him pick up his mat and walk away!
The other group of people was the legalistic bunch known as the Pharisees. They were to be at the receiving end of Jesus' anger more than just once. And they deserved it! We'll talk more about why they deserved it in some other passages. So how is He getting their attention?
Well, it was the Sabbath.
And the Pharisees were all wrapped up in "can't do this, can't do that" on the Sabbath. They made a list of thirty-nine types of activities that could NOT be done on the Sabbath. Notice the operative word there . . . THEY made the list. The fourth commandment simply said people should not work on the Sabbath day, but honor it; that God rested on the day. The Pharisees took it much further -- they called their rules "the traditions of the elders" and many times the rules became more important than the Word of God itself.
That's why they had such a difficult time understanding Jesus. Not only were they doing the wrong things, but they were guiding other people to do the wrong things. They trusted God would bring them a Messiah, but their religion was really about behavior. They had hundreds of strict rules about how to behave.
A large crowd of people came with the Pharisees, who were very upset that Jesus had told the man to pick up his mat and walk. Jesus knew they would . . .
He made the most of the situation by preaching to them. He introduces Himself, and many in the crowd become angry when He clearly implies that He is divine. John 5:18 says that the crowd who listened became angry because "He was even calling God His own father, and making Himself equal with God."
Then Jesus goes a step further and declares:
We'll continue this on Wednesday.
You've heard that phrase before, right? I'd like for you to read the whole rest of the chapter we are in. Go ahead. It's the fifth chapter of the gospel of John.
We'll wait right here . . .
When we last studied together, we were witness to the miracle of the paralytic man, healed by Jesus, who picked up his mat and walked away from the pool of Bethesda.
The rest of the chapter is so packed full of good stuff that we'll stop and rest a while, and then move a little further on, and keep going and going!
Remember in the eighth verse, Jesus told the man to "get up and walk"?
Gotcha!
He actually told him to "pick up your mat and walk." Have you wondered why? It wasn't because it was necessary to clean up around the pool for the upcoming festival. (Grin)
Jesus was actually getting the attention of the people. Two groups of people, in reality. We've talked about how he got the attention of the common people, who had seen this man for years, and they knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was crippled. There was no question that he was healed when they saw him pick up his mat and walk away!
The other group of people was the legalistic bunch known as the Pharisees. They were to be at the receiving end of Jesus' anger more than just once. And they deserved it! We'll talk more about why they deserved it in some other passages. So how is He getting their attention?
Well, it was the Sabbath.
And the Pharisees were all wrapped up in "can't do this, can't do that" on the Sabbath. They made a list of thirty-nine types of activities that could NOT be done on the Sabbath. Notice the operative word there . . . THEY made the list. The fourth commandment simply said people should not work on the Sabbath day, but honor it; that God rested on the day. The Pharisees took it much further -- they called their rules "the traditions of the elders" and many times the rules became more important than the Word of God itself.
That's why they had such a difficult time understanding Jesus. Not only were they doing the wrong things, but they were guiding other people to do the wrong things. They trusted God would bring them a Messiah, but their religion was really about behavior. They had hundreds of strict rules about how to behave.
A large crowd of people came with the Pharisees, who were very upset that Jesus had told the man to pick up his mat and walk. Jesus knew they would . . .
He made the most of the situation by preaching to them. He introduces Himself, and many in the crowd become angry when He clearly implies that He is divine. John 5:18 says that the crowd who listened became angry because "He was even calling God His own father, and making Himself equal with God."
Then Jesus goes a step further and declares:
“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. John 5:24-25So now it's time for Him to show His credentials, so to speak. And that is just what He does.
We'll continue this on Wednesday.
Friday, February 21, 2014
Friday slowdown
I felt this old hymn of our faith was just right for this week's study. I hope you will start the video, then close your eyes and prayerfully listen. There's no need to see the singers, just meditate on the words of the hymn. I hope it's a blessing to all.
There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel's veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
Lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.
Washed all my sins away, washed all my sins away;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.
Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood shall never lose its power
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.
Be saved, to sin no more, be saved, to sin no more;
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.
E'er since, by faith, I saw the stream Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.
And shall be till I die, and shall be till I die;
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.
Then in a nobler, sweeter song, I'll sing Thy power to save,
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.
Lies silent in the grave, lies silent in the grave;
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.
Lord, I believe Thou hast prepared, unworthy though I be,
For me a blood bought free reward, a golden harp for me!
'Tis strung and tuned for endless years, and formed by power divine,
To sound in God the Father's ears no other name but Thine.
There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel's veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
Lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.
Washed all my sins away, washed all my sins away;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.
Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood shall never lose its power
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.
Be saved, to sin no more, be saved, to sin no more;
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.
E'er since, by faith, I saw the stream Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.
And shall be till I die, and shall be till I die;
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.
Then in a nobler, sweeter song, I'll sing Thy power to save,
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.
Lies silent in the grave, lies silent in the grave;
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.
Lord, I believe Thou hast prepared, unworthy though I be,
For me a blood bought free reward, a golden harp for me!
'Tis strung and tuned for endless years, and formed by power divine,
To sound in God the Father's ears no other name but Thine.
Thursday, February 20, 2014
John 5:1-9 Walk with me again
Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed.One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”
“Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”
Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.
Our story continues . . .
Ephraim! Ephraim! My old friend, are you still awake? Yes, yes, it is I, your companion of childhood, Daniel. I have traveled all day from the village, along the dusty roads to reach Jerusalem.
Ah, many thanks, my friend, for opening your door. Yes, a draught of water would be welcome. I am indeed parched. I am not as young as I used to be, and the trip was strenuous.
I must tell you, Ephraim, what has been happening in the village. Do you recall the other day, when we passed by the pool of Bethesda? I mentioned to you that a cousin of Miriam's was there at the pool -- had been for many years.You will never believe this, Ephraim -- he is healed!
Yes, I see you are astonished, as was I! Yet it is true! Amariah (that is his name) is there in the village, and he can walk and stand and sit just as well as any other healthy man! (You know, Ephraim, that his name means "Yahweh has said" and I'll tell you more about that in a minute.)
Amariah told us the most amazing story -- he says that a certain Jesus, a Nazarene, born into an humble family and trained in carpentry, came to the pool that same day that we walked by. He must have been there for the festival. Anyway, He was told about Amariah, about how he was paralytic and had been there for so long . . . and He looked down at him and said, "Do you want to get well?" Can you imagine asking someone at the pool of Bethesda that question? Well, of course, Amariah wanted to get well, and he explained to this Jesus (and His disciples, who were standing there with Him) that he had no way of getting to the water if the angel stirred it up.
Do you know what happened then, Ephraim? Well, of course you don't -- this Jesus looked at Amariah and told him to get up! And to top it all off, He said to pick up his mat, and walk! The way I hear it, everyone who heard gasped in surprise, for they all knew Amariah had been unable to move on his own for years!
But this is the amazing part -- Amariah said he felt an incredible feeling all through his body -- he suddenly had the energy of a youth -- and he reached down and put his hands on the stone floor and raised himself up! And then he rolled up his mat, placed it over his shoulder, and walked!
He says he felt like kicking up his heels and dancing, but he walked as he had been told. He didn't stop walking until he reached the village, and then he began to tell everyone his story.
Oy! The house has been full of people and chatter and feasting! The rabbi came and verified that he was really our cousin Amariah, and that he'd been healed. (Our rabbi says that it is significant that Amariah's name is "Yahweh has said" for that is what happened . . . this Jesus had only to speak, and he was healed!)
You should hear the stories that have been told around our humble table: stories of how this same Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding festival, and how he was baptized by John the Baptist, and many saw a dove that came and landed on his shoulder, as if it came from heaven. Some people say that it's whispered that his mother, Mary, was pregnant before her marriage to Joseph, and that her cousin Elizabeth said it was the Spirit of God that overshadowed her and she conceived.
Oh, Ephraim! Old friend, I am convinced that Jesus is the Messiah that the rabbi told us about, in our classes as young boys in the village. Surely you are not so wealthy and worldly that you do not remember our lessons! The prophets foretold that our Savior would be born of a virgin, and that He would do many signs and wonders. Come with me and see Him. Come away from Jerusalem, to the places where He preaches and teaches the throngs of people who come to hear Him. I've heard that the Pharisees do not like Him, but I will not let that stop me! I want to hear more from the One who healed Amariah; He may be the One that was promised. The One who will save us, whose mercy endureth forever!
It may be, Ephraim, that this One, Jesus, is the all-powerful Savior -- far more powerful than the water of the pool of Bethesda . . .
“Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”
Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.
Our story continues . . .
Ephraim! Ephraim! My old friend, are you still awake? Yes, yes, it is I, your companion of childhood, Daniel. I have traveled all day from the village, along the dusty roads to reach Jerusalem.
Ah, many thanks, my friend, for opening your door. Yes, a draught of water would be welcome. I am indeed parched. I am not as young as I used to be, and the trip was strenuous.
I must tell you, Ephraim, what has been happening in the village. Do you recall the other day, when we passed by the pool of Bethesda? I mentioned to you that a cousin of Miriam's was there at the pool -- had been for many years.You will never believe this, Ephraim -- he is healed!
Yes, I see you are astonished, as was I! Yet it is true! Amariah (that is his name) is there in the village, and he can walk and stand and sit just as well as any other healthy man! (You know, Ephraim, that his name means "Yahweh has said" and I'll tell you more about that in a minute.)
Amariah told us the most amazing story -- he says that a certain Jesus, a Nazarene, born into an humble family and trained in carpentry, came to the pool that same day that we walked by. He must have been there for the festival. Anyway, He was told about Amariah, about how he was paralytic and had been there for so long . . . and He looked down at him and said, "Do you want to get well?" Can you imagine asking someone at the pool of Bethesda that question? Well, of course, Amariah wanted to get well, and he explained to this Jesus (and His disciples, who were standing there with Him) that he had no way of getting to the water if the angel stirred it up.
Do you know what happened then, Ephraim? Well, of course you don't -- this Jesus looked at Amariah and told him to get up! And to top it all off, He said to pick up his mat, and walk! The way I hear it, everyone who heard gasped in surprise, for they all knew Amariah had been unable to move on his own for years!
But this is the amazing part -- Amariah said he felt an incredible feeling all through his body -- he suddenly had the energy of a youth -- and he reached down and put his hands on the stone floor and raised himself up! And then he rolled up his mat, placed it over his shoulder, and walked!
He says he felt like kicking up his heels and dancing, but he walked as he had been told. He didn't stop walking until he reached the village, and then he began to tell everyone his story.
Oy! The house has been full of people and chatter and feasting! The rabbi came and verified that he was really our cousin Amariah, and that he'd been healed. (Our rabbi says that it is significant that Amariah's name is "Yahweh has said" for that is what happened . . . this Jesus had only to speak, and he was healed!)
You should hear the stories that have been told around our humble table: stories of how this same Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding festival, and how he was baptized by John the Baptist, and many saw a dove that came and landed on his shoulder, as if it came from heaven. Some people say that it's whispered that his mother, Mary, was pregnant before her marriage to Joseph, and that her cousin Elizabeth said it was the Spirit of God that overshadowed her and she conceived.
Oh, Ephraim! Old friend, I am convinced that Jesus is the Messiah that the rabbi told us about, in our classes as young boys in the village. Surely you are not so wealthy and worldly that you do not remember our lessons! The prophets foretold that our Savior would be born of a virgin, and that He would do many signs and wonders. Come with me and see Him. Come away from Jerusalem, to the places where He preaches and teaches the throngs of people who come to hear Him. I've heard that the Pharisees do not like Him, but I will not let that stop me! I want to hear more from the One who healed Amariah; He may be the One that was promised. The One who will save us, whose mercy endureth forever!
It may be, Ephraim, that this One, Jesus, is the all-powerful Savior -- far more powerful than the water of the pool of Bethesda . . .
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