365 Days in the Gospels and Spirit of Prophecy
Desperate Faith, Healing Touch — April 15 [Description]
Bible discovery
Matthew 9:18-22 365D 105.1
18 While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.” 365D 105.2
19 So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples. 365D 105.3
20 And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. 365D 105.4
21 For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” 365D 105.5
22 But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour. 365D 105.6
21 Now when Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a great multitude gathered to Him; and He was by the sea. 365D 105.8
22 And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet 365D 105.9
23 and begged Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live.” 365D 105.10
24 So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him. 365D 105.11
25 Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, 365D 105.12
26 and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. 365D 105.13
27 When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. 365D 105.14
28 For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” 365D 105.15
29 Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the [f] affliction. 365D 105.16
30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?” 365D 105.17
31 But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ” 365D 105.18
32 And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. 365D 105.19
33 But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. 365D 105.20
34 And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.” 365D 105.21
40 So it was, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him. 365D 105.23
41 And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus’ feet and begged Him to come to his house, 365D 105.24
42 for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him. 365D 105.25
43 Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, 365D 105.26
44 came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped. 365D 105.27
45 And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?” When all denied it, Peter [o] and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, [p] and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ” 365D 105.28
46 But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.” 365D 105.29
47 Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately. 365D 105.30
48 And He said to her, “Daughter, [q] be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” 365D 105.31
Spirit of Prophecy Reading
The Desire of Ages pp.343.4-347: 365D 105.32
The wondering crowd that pressed close about Christ realized no accession of vital power. But when the suffering woman put forth her hand to touch Him, believing that she would be made whole, she felt the healing virtue. So in spiritual things. To talk of religion in a casual way, to pray without soul hunger and living faith, avails nothing. A nominal faith in Christ, which accepts Him merely as the Saviour of the world, can never bring healing to the soul. The faith that is unto salvation is not a mere intellectual assent to the truth. He who waits for entire knowledge before he will exercise faith, cannot receive blessing from God. It is not enough to believe about Christ; we must believe in Him. The only faith that will benefit us is that which embraces Him as a personal Saviour; which appropriates His merits to ourselves. Many hold faith as an opinion. Saving faith is a transaction by which those who receive Christ join themselves in covenant relation with God. Genuine faith is life. A living faith means an increase of vigor, a confiding trust, by which the soul becomes a conquering power. 365D 105.33
After healing the woman, Jesus desired her to acknowledge the blessing she had received. The gifts which the gospel offers are not to be secured by stealth or enjoyed in secret. So the Lord calls upon us for confession of His goodness. “Ye are My witnesses, saith the Lord, that I am God.” Isaiah 43:12. 365D 105.34
Our confession of His faithfulness is Heaven's chosen agency for revealing Christ to the world. We are to acknowledge His grace as made known through the holy men of old; but that which will be most effectual is the testimony of our own experience. We are witnesses for God as we reveal in ourselves the working of a power that is divine. Every individual has a life distinct from all others, and an experience differing essentially from theirs. God desires that our praise shall ascend to Him, marked by our own individuality. These precious acknowledgments to the praise of the glory of His grace, when supported by a Christ-like life, have an irresistible power that works for the salvation of souls. 365D 105.35