MINISTERING TO THOSE CLOSE TO US
Mark 1:29-39

He entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. Simon's mother-in-law lay ill with a fever. He went over to her and the fever left her. v. 29-31

How do we bring the healing ministry of Jesus to our own families and to the people closest to us? It is much easier to have a "healing ministry" with strangers, but what about those we see every day? It has been my experience that daily contact with family and friends keeps healing ministries honest!

FAMILIES CAN BE CRITICAL

Response to Jesus was not always positive. He was first rejected in his home town of Nazareth (Lk 4:23-30.) When Jesus ministered to the point of depriving himself of food, his family said, "He is out of his mind" (Mk 3:21.) Also, "he began to reproach the towns where most of his miracles had been worked, with their failure to reform" (Mt 11:20.) These towns were Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum. The last is the town where he healed Peter's mother-in-law!

Perhaps this difficulty is why the early Christians required a man to be "a good manager of his own household" in order to become a bishop or deacon (1 Tm 3:1-13). Even when the whole family does not share faith in Christ, they are encouraged to stay together unless "the unbeliever wishes to separate" (1 Cor 7:12-16). Concerning the care of widows, Paul says, "If anyone does not provide for his own relatives and especially for members of his immediate family, he has denied the faith; he is worse than an unbeliever" (1 Tm 5:8). No doubt, even in the midst of domestic misunderstanding, the early Christians placed a high priority on the value of the family, as well as on the family of God.

DEALING WITH FAILURE AT HOME

Are we bold and effective among strangers and ineffective at home? If we are unwillingness to minister in the accountable setting of our own family and church home, we may notice a lack of anointing over our whole ministry. Finally, how do we deal with failure at home? Do we become angry and upset, or do we simply continue in the sure and steady love of Jesus?

John Michael Talbot