Speak the Word Only — Joshua Daniel

Welcome to the Lord's Challenge, our weekly quarter-hour broadcast bringing the reality of God's Word to all people everywhere. Stay tuned as Joshua Daniel challenges us to a walk with God and the corresponding impact that it'll have on our lives, families and society today.

The Centurion’s Faith in Christ’s Authority

When we come to our Lord Jesus Christ, you will see in Matthew and the 8th chapter, 5th verse, and when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion beseeching him, and saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.

And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof, but speak the word only, speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.

For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me, and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth. And I say to another, Come, and he cometh. And to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard it, he marveled and said to them that followed, Truly I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

Applying the Centurion’s Understanding of Authority

Just think of that. Here was a Roman captain, and he applied his military order, you know, the kind of ordering that a military man knows. He was applying it to the realm of religion and healing. Speak the word.

I'm a captain. When I say, Come, there comes my soldier. When I say, Do this, there goes my servant immediately and does it. You don't have to come under my roof, for I am not worthy. You know, friends, when we come before the Lord, I can't see how I can ever feel worthy.

Christ’s Cleansing of Our Motives

He picked me up out of the miry clay. What were my thoughts like? Not pure thoughts or noble thoughts. What do you do with a person like that? Discard him and say he is not fit for this job anyway. What does Jesus do?

He cleanses you. He purifies your thoughts, your motives. Come on, let's get down to it. Motives, motives. How can a Christian have a crooked motive, an ulterior motive? Some lesser motive than to glorify Jesus.

How is that possible? You know, friends, we mix a lot of our own ways together with a little bit of religion. We say, Hey, I don't see anybody practicing these things. So I am well within my rights to carry on like this.

No, by no means. Values and motives. You know, I feel very sad when people who ought to know better impart questionable values to their children. Now, would I want to give my children anything less than the best?

No. And if I am corrupt in my own heart, then I must say, OK, that may be enough for my son. That may be OK. What is the kind of heritage you want to leave to your children? You want to leave a heritage that will lift them at least a little higher than you have ever been.

Yes, that's a father. That's a mother. But what is actually happening in practice? I see a declension and I blame the parents. You know, I am the God of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob. He is the God of the living and not of the dead.

Seeking God’s Nature Rather Than His Blessings

All right. What about your Isaac? What about your Jacob? Are they going to have something from God? Something at the same level where you received the power of God or the blessings of God? Some of us are such beggarly people.

We are just spiritual beggars. We go begging. Oh, give me this. Give me that. What do you mean? When you have Jesus, you have everything and you don't desire Jesus and his divine nature. Partakers of his divine nature, says the Bible.

Just imagine, Lord, I want to be like you. I tell you, my dear friends, if you really valued God's blessing, you can't help but say, Lord, I want to be like you. You know, the folks that are just satisfied with the blessing and walk away jumping and dancing or whatever.

They are absolute ignoramuses. They haven't the right motives. They're a bunch of beggars. You see, what's the good of a retreat producing a bunch of beggars? What good does it do? It may kind of boost the ego of a preacher.

Oh, so many people came and this, that and the other. But how does it help? Does it change the world around us? My dear friends, how many thousands of people you can touch? And if you are not going to be as the salt of the earth, bringing blessing wherever you go, what would you give me for my marks?

A big zero. Do you think I fancy a zero for my work? And I would be happy to walk away with a few backpacks and a little words of flattery. You know, I'm always very afraid of people who flatter. You know, flattery is very cheap.

But I am only concerned with what does God say? What does God think? What are the marks which God will give me? That's all I'm concerned with. Nothing else. Oh, my dear friends, speak the word only. What?

Trusting the Unaltered Word of Christ

Here was a Roman's captain and he believed that there was such profound power in the words of Jesus that all he needed to say is, though the servant was far away, the dying man was far away. Just a word and it would be done.

Yes, certainly. When we go to the Lord Jesus, it's trust in his word. Now, unfortunately, people have tampered with the word of God in a very frivolous manner. They might have played with a football, but to play with God and God's word, whoever gave them that authority.

With the result, a nation has sprung up that does not trust the word of God and counted for anything. You all know, I suppose, the story of the Zulu chieftain, a towering man who went to Queen Victoria and asked her, man for man, we are more powerful than you.

What is the secret of Britain's greatness? Of course, she said, here lies the greatness of Britain, the Bible. Sir Isaac Newton said, I have a foundational belief in the word of God. And he said, the atheist position is senseless.

Those are his words, senseless, because God has put in the solar system, the earth at just the right position to receive the right warmth and light from the sun. Now, of course, there are many who think they are great scientists, but dismiss the reality of God.

But do you know, when the Royal Society was started, seven men were Puritans. And a few years after, the Royal Society had 62 of their members who were again Puritans, who believed the word of God, speak the word only and it will be done.

Praying for Obedience to God’s Word

Let us pray. Let us tell God, Lord, am I depleting, am I denuding the power in your word? Lord, is your word treasured in my heart? Do I have a word to pass on to someone in great need? Lord, teach me to do your will, make us obedient children.

We ask this in Jesus' holy name. Amen.

The speaker on this program was Joshua Daniel. He would like to know what your response has been to the Lord's challenge and would be delighted to hear from you. Please write and if you have burdens you want to share and want prayer, do let us know.

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