Only Jesus

As Jesus healed a demon possessed man who was both blind and mute, the multitude could see the miraculous transformation - the man suddenly spoke and saw. All the people were amazed and rightly concluded, “Is this not the Son of David?”

But when the Pharisees heard it, they blasphemed, saying, “This fellow only casts out demons by Beelzebub, the prince of demons” (Matthew 12:22-24). Denying what was clearly good, what was clearly the power of God over evil, they called good evil.

Jesus said, “O generation of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things; an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil things. But I say to you: That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account of it in the Day of Judgment. For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned.”

Words expose the heart – and our day is no different. The marvel of salvation is that Jesus, and only Jesus, can transform the human heart. The Cross was His willingness to take the death penalty every sinner has earned, in exchange for the gift of His righteousness only He can provide, in a creative miracle only His Spirit can perform. It’s available to all through a prayer of repentance and faith.

By contrast to humanity, every word out of Jesus’ mouth was truth and life, from a heart of Love and Perfection. And when we receive His Word, not as the words of a mere human, but as it is in truth, the Word of God, we find His Word works with power in all who believe. And the result will be words of truth and grace toward others, thanksgiving and reverence for Jesus our Lord, and works of loving allegiance to His holy and righteous cause.

(Devotional by Lisa Cataford)