Passage of the Day:
Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath he taught the people. 32 They were amazed at his teaching, because his words had authority. 33 In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an impure spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, 34 “Go away! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” 35 “Be quiet!” Jesus said sternly. “Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him. 36 All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What words these are! With authority and power he gives orders to impure spirits and they come out!” 37 And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area, Luke 4:31-37.
Reflection:
During my decade long stint as a high school teacher, I met privately with several parents who were concerned about their child’s behavior in my class. Some admitted to working with their family pediatrician to figure out what dose or doses of drugs would be able to keep their ADHD and hyperactivity under control while sitting in a classroom. I even made adjustments to my curriculum, using active learning techniques outside to reach these students. In the first century, some individuals carried their unruly nature as a child into adulthood. According to Jesus, the source of this man’s behavior was an impure spirit. Perhaps, modern-day teachers need to look to the spiritual realm on occasion. Rather than throwing drugs at this problem, praying for the unruly in a classroom may shine light on what’s gold ahold of certain students.
Prayerful Action:
Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven, James 5:14-15.
Setting Clear Boundaries to Live By:
When you examine boundaries in a classroom setting, the goal is to keep danger out as you protect the integrity of learning. By immediately taking care of the situation while teaching, the message Jesus was trying to convey was not hindered. By addressing this interruption, this enhanced Jesus’ spiritual lesson. When it comes to what has gotten ahold of you, there are a few obvious reasons. First, you never grasped the concept of temperance, going the right distance and no further. Second, when discipline is absent, your flesh is allowed to go unrestrained, behaving, doing and saying whatever you want. Finally, as Jesus points out, sometimes a lack of control may be caused by an impure or unclean spirit, taking over your life, Ephesians 4:27. Once the true source is uncovered, spiritual weapons are required to take back lost spiritual ground, 2 Corinthians 10:4.
Song of the Day:
Waiting is simply a cruel aspect of life. Some people wait years to receive the answers to their physical and spiritual questions. However, to those who wait, God will bring about change in His time, not yours.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 