Day 4 of 21 Day Challenge

Proverbs 13:14 says "The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death."  As many of you know, I use a cyber school to teach my kids at home. As a result, this verse made me think about the words I say when I'm trying to teach my kids something. Are they "a fountain of life"? Are they enticing, beautiful, encouraging, and loving? Do they draw my kids toward the light or do they push them toward the darkness? My words have the ability to save my kids from the snares of death! How powerful is that thought?! I definitely want to make sure I think about the words I say and how I say them so that I am showing my kids the right way to go and encouraging them to follow so they don't go down the wrong path.

In John 4, I noticed twice in this chapter that people believed in Jesus based solely on the word of someone else or what He said to them. John 4:39 says, "Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Him (Jesus) because of the woman's testimony, 'He told me everything I ever did.'" The fact that Jesus, a Jewish man, would even speak to a Samaritan woman was amazing to many people, including His disciples! He proved to her how much He knew about her and then He told her who He really was: "I who speak to you am He." (verse 26). She didn't keep this to herself. She left immediately and went and told people about Jesus. Many went to see Him, but many others didn't even need to come see this man and talk to them. They simply believed in Him because of her testimony.

Then, I read about a royal official whose son was very ill and near death. When he heard Jesus was in Cana in Galilee, he went to Him and begged Him to come and heal his son. In verse 50, it says "Jesus replied, 'You may go. Your son will live.' The man took Jesus at His word and departed." This man could have kept begging Jesus to come, thinking He needed to touch his son; but he didn't. He believed in what Jesus had said and left. As he was on his way home, he received the news that his son was alive. When he asked and was told what time his son had gotten better, he realized it was the exact time that Jesus had told him "Your son will live." As a result, he and his entire household believed. Would this man's son have been healed had the man not taken Jesus at His word? There are many times Jesus healed someone because of the person's faith. This man displayed faith when he simply took Jesus at His word and left.

Are there times that you read a promise in the Bible and think it doesn't apply to you? Have you felt God speaking to you while reading your Bible or praying and you doubt whether you really heard Him? Are there things you don't bring to God because you don't believe that what you are hoping for will happen? We need to remember that if we just bring our needs to Jesus and believe what He says, He will do it! It WILL happen! Don't allow yourself to doubt and risk the chance of not receiving what He has promised!