Our first speaker was James White from Christ's King Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. He was exuberant and full of life and so exciting. He kicked it off joking about "grace of God couples." You know the one's where you see the girl and you say Wow! you see the guy and you go Whoa! Only by the grace of God could those two end up together.
He was opening up what he would cover for the next few days. He began covering how his father used to have him pray every night. "Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed by they name. Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Isn't that an outrageous concept? Where the least become the greatest with Jesus as King. Isn't it crazy that things on earth would occur just the same as they do in heaver when Christ in charge?
He focused on 3 scenes where Christ is King throughout his 3 different talks.
This night he focused two scenes where he heals with the power of God. Looking at Mark 5:21-43 (written with a sense of urgency) he looked to where Jesus heals the Jewish leader's daughter and the woman with the condition.
Jarius was a synagogue official, was in charge of the order of worship and possessed power and prominence. Jarius comes to Jesus giving him directions. Have you ever prayed giving God directions? Have your every prayed, "Hey God, I need you to give me patience so I can love this person." "Hey God I need you to give me clarity so I can know how to decide where to go for grad school." Jesus was in control in this moment and that was alright.
Isn't it funny how we aren't happy with the way the God of surprises us? The God of surprises doesn't answer our prayers the way we expect him to because HIS PLAN IS BETTER.
Now the woman who had been continuously bleeding for 12 years/hemorrhaging for this long time. Because of this bloody condition she was considered unclean and was not able to worship in the synagogue. She was even lower than she was originally as a woman. This woman was even prophesized in Malachi 4:2 idea of healing in the wings of the coming one when translated from Hebrew can be understood as the wings of his clothing or his tassels bringing healing.
#faithintassels
"A faith that has not been tested cannot be trusted."
Isn't it crazy when bad things happen, people tell you what to do with Jesus?Too often we don't assume God can do the impossible. What have you stopped praying for?
I love it when Jesus interrupts our disbelief.
He says, "Hello, I am still in charge." When Jarius stops believing Jesus can save his daughter because she is already dead, Jesus foretells how he will surprise everyone and serve us in a way we don't believe he can by raising again from the dead.
I learned that Jesus spoke in Hebrew when saying, "Talitha Kum." Little girl arise. rise up in Christ.
He closes the talk with these questions:
- What will it take for our to listen?
- Will you listen and stop telling Him what to do?
- Will you trust in His timing?
It's interesting how I am so much like Jarius. I expect God to do awesome things, but when he doesn't answer my requests the way I want him to I stop asking. I hate the surprise and think that's not what I need. When I expect him to heal my daughter and see him starting to work the way I have asked him to. Yet when I hear my daughter has died, I think God has failed me or he's trying to teach me something. Maybe he is trying to teach me something, but is that really the point? Why can't I just be elated that God's timing is perfect. Instead of just healing my daughter instead he can bring my daughter back to life. I can see God's omnipotent power in a greater scale in a simple prayer request. Wow. When I ask the God of all creation to do something limited to my mind power, why shouldn't I be surprised when he does something greater? Why should I direct God's plan, timing, or power? Instead to have #faithintassels and believe that even the littlest things can happen with small faith in the greatest one.
Video from James' first talk
