The Capernaum Paralytic
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Shelley and Dan |
The Capernaum Paralytic (Mark 2:1-12)
And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them.
Jesus has moved from Nazareth to Capernaum and after being there a short time, it was reported that He was at home. Many people gathered and in Luke’s account in chapter 5, verse 17, you find that the scribes are coming from every village in Galilee, Judea and Jerusalem. Quite a crowd gathered and there was no room, even at the door to get in.
Saturday, February 22, 2025 | 0 Comments
Jesus’ family tree
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Rachel and Mike |
I have promised earlier that I would try to write and publish some sermons by our two sons, who are pastors. Dan is pastor of Swanton Christian Church, in Swanton, Vermont and Mike is pastor of Church of Hope in Elk River, Minnesota. I need to print a sermon by Dan, actually preached to Mike´s church from Mike and Rachel´s home during the first days of Covid. Dan talks about Jesus’ ministry in Capernaum, Galilee, especially of the salvation and healing of a paralytic, who was let down through the roof in his bed.
Today, I am posting an
outstanding message by Mike, given in 2021, about the four women in the
genealogy of Christ. It was of great encouragement to me, and I think you will
also find it to be something, which will feed your soul.
Jesus´ Family Tree (Matthew 1:3, 5-6)
Mike Brueckner, Christmas 2021
The prophet Isaiah said that God´s
thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are not our ways. In fact, he says,
Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, that’s how much higher His ways
and His thoughts are beyond us. In 1 Corinthians 1, it teaches that God uses
the things that the world would consider foolish, or not usable, and uses those
things, so that He may be glorified.
Tuesday, February 18, 2025 | 0 Comments
Charles Finney Autobiography 6
This article contains accounts
of Christians, who have found the highest level of communion in their
relationship with their Lord. In so doing, they have discovered the meaning of
the creation of man, made in the image and likeness of God. It is something
that causes bewilderment in the mind of an unbeliever, even if he happens to be
the husband of a believing woman, as we will see in the first account below. It
is followed by the story of another woman, who finds the high calling of an
intimate relationship with God, which becomes the greatest thing in her life…
more than life itself. Next, we will see an elder in a church, grown cold,
although occupied in playing a leading part in religion. He is revitalized in a
moment, by one touch of God upon his life. We will see how the overwhelming power
of the truth, frees and transforms someone, who had been deceived by error that
had been falsely presented to him as Christianity. Finally, before turning to Finney’s own story,
we will see a beloved believer, traveling through the valley of the shadow of
death, but no valley or shadow appears, only the hope of joining the triumphant
saints in glory.
The amazing work of God in the hearts of human beings
Sunday, February 16, 2025 | 0 Comments
Charles Finney Autobiography 5
General revival characteristics, godly fear, and one
exemplary meeting
Saturday, February 08, 2025 | 0 Comments
Charles Finney Autobiography 4
When you read Finney’s autobiography, you will notice many instances in which he refers to a “spirit of prayer”. When questioned concerning methods used in revival, his response was, “Our method is prayer.” This was evidently true, to the point that I want to devote a good amount of space in these chapters to the power of prayer. Already, I have earlier pointed to this truth. I don’t remember the person who remarked that, whenever God’s purpose is to do a special work at any point in history, He first moves His people to pray. Prayer itself, then, is an initial work of the Spirit of God and comments are made that sometimes hundreds and thousands of people are in prayer in a certain geographical area, without having contact with one another. The call to prayer was supernatural.
I also want to point out the
fact, that in revivals, the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit are in
constant operation. There were supernatural words of wisdom and knowledge, as
well as prophecy. Certainly, the gift of miraculous faith was frequently
manifested. Therefore, I am giving the reader several cases that demonstrate
this truth. I suppose, that there are different opinions regarding these
operations and what gift specifically is demonstrated in various cases, but
that is not my primary concern. My concern is to point to the fact that when
the Spirit of God is moving, these gifts continue to occur in the church and
through its members in the 19th Century, resulting from a
post-conversion baptism in the Holy Spirit.
The Lord taught me in those early days of my Christian
experience, many very important truths in regard to the Spirit of prayer. Not long after I was converted, a lady with whom I had
boarded, was taken very sick. She was not a Christian, but her husband was
a professor of religion. He came into our office one evening, being a brother
of Esquire Wright, and said to me, "My wife cannot live through the
night." This seemed to plant an arrow, as it were, in my heart… the nature
of which I could not at all understand, but with it came an intense desire to
pray for that woman.
Saturday, January 25, 2025 | 0 Comments
Charles Finney Autobiography 3
No one can read Charles Finney’s autobiography and doubt that his word pierced the hearts of those, to whom he spoke. It occurred in private conversation and it occurred when he preached. Finney attributed this power to his baptism in the Holy Spirit. Following my thoughts, is an example of him speaking to his employer and the interesting conversion of the man, which contains a bit of humor.
In this chapter, I wanted to insert
a couple accounts of the power of revival praying. There is a touch of humor,
as well, in the first account about the prayer of old Deacon Montague. But it
was also a demonstration of spiritual power, which stirred everyone present, as
well as the entire community. Montague was an old man, but the story that
follows concerns young people in prayer. I have learned that nothing satisfies
youth more that the reality of the movings of God. We also should observe that
the Lord uses young people, just as he uses the older ones. In fact, the Bible
teaches that He often called adolescents into His purposes and used them mightily.
Finney’s employer, Esquire Wright
This morning, of which I have spoken, I went down into the office and there I was having the renewal of these mighty waves of love and salvation flowing over me when Esq. Wright came into the office, where I studied law. I said a few words to him on the subject of his salvation--I do not recollect what. He looked at me with astonishment but made no reply whatever that I recollect. He dropped his head, and after standing a few minutes left the office. I thought no more of it then, but afterwards found that the remark I made pierced him like a sword, and he did not recover from it till he was converted.
Monday, January 06, 2025 | 0 Comments