Healing is the Children's Bread
Lesson Notes for the Live Clubhouse Session on 5.23.25
He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”
— Matthew 15:26
What is bread?
The original Greek word translated is artos - bread, “a small loaf or cake.”
This word appears in the gospels ~100x.
Strong’s Greek: G740. artos
Outline
1. How do we know that we’re children of God?
2. What are the benefits of being children of God?
3. How do we access those benefits?
1. How do we know that we’re children of God?
We are servants of the lord, but not just servants.
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
— Romans 8:14-17
2. What are the benefits of being children of God?
We have access to the same power that created the universe, and everything in it, and the source of that power loves us as a father.
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
— Matthew 7:11
The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all;
— Psalms 34:19
I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity[a] he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.
— Luke 11:8
3. How do we access the benefits of being children of God?
Some fundamental tools and strategies for tapping into the power of our heavenly Father:
Discern God’s will
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
—Romans 12:2
Praise & Worship
Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.— Psalm 42:11
Prayer & fasting
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
— Philippians 4:6-7
Put our faith to work
Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”
“Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”
Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.
— John 5:2-9
Godly fellowships
Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
— James 5:14-16