We can do it!

Repent and believe in the gospel.

12 At once the Spirit drove him out into the desert, 13 and he remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him.14 After John had been arrested,[a] Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: 15 “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

The Desert made Jesus very vulnerable. Even though He is God-made-man, He was every inch human like us during His active ministry. Since He was vulnerable after fasting for forty days, perhaps Jesus yearned and would have liked a little bread and water to quench His hunger and thirst. Hey, isn't it true that Esau exchanged his birthright when he was really hungry? But Jesus is different, He never lost His focus on His mission and His relationship with the Father. And through His experience, Jesus is saying to us that we can do it too. We can say No to the lures of the world and the flesh! We can do it! We can live happily with God alone. We can reject evil.

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The Lord's Wish and Will

It is the Lord's will.

12 While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy.[a] When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

13 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him.

14 Then Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”

15 Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.-Luke5:12-16

Jesus made many healings and miracles. I believe many accounts of these wonderful acts were still unknown to this day. The story of the healing of the leper is not just any ordinary curing of leprosy. What makes it standout from so many healing stories of leprosy is that the leper (in some way) asked Jesus' will. When we are in dire circumstances, we immediately make a list of what we want God to do for us. We immediately make known to God about OUR will. I had encounters with sick people and hospital patients and most of them would say, "I want to be healed" or "I want the pain to go away." When was the last time we asked God about His will? When was the last time we listened to Him? to what He wants from us or what He wants us to do to be better persons?

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