Dr. Luke, a companion of the Apostle Paul on his missionary journeys, wrote these words about Jesus in Acts 10:38, "How . . . God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with Him" (NIV). The King James says, "all who were oppressed of the devil."
In the 5th chapter of Mark's Gospel, Mark records two miracles of healing and the raising a child from the dead. Good things happen to people when Jesus is present and enters the scene. When there seems to be no hope, God offers hope in Jesus Christ. Jesus came to save, heal, deliver, raise the dead, and set minds in proper order and give peace.
A demon-possessed man meets Jesus in the region of Gerasenes (Gadarenes in the KJV) when He got out of the boat. This man lived among the tombs. He was powerful and although he had been placed in chains both hands and feet, he would rip them apart. No one was able to restrain him. He was tormented night and day as he would cry out with shrieks of agony and fear. What's more he would cut himself with stones. When he saw Jesus at a distance, he ran to Jesus, fell on his knees in front of Him. He shouted with a low voice, "What do You want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?" Jesus said to him, "Come out of this man, you impure spirit!"
Jesus asked this man, "What is your name?" He responded by saying, "My name is Legion (six thousand soldiers, used to reveal how completely he was possessed) for we are many." The demons begged Jesus again and again not to send them in the area. Instead, they begged Jesus to send them into a herd of pigs. Jesus gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out of the man and went into the pigs. There were 2,000 pigs in the herd and they violently ran down the steep bank into the lake of water and were drowned.
The men who tended the pigs ran quickly to report to all the news of what had happened. The people came to see what had happened to this man whom they all knew. They discovered this previously demon-possessed man to be sitting and fully dressed and in his right mind. Jesus is more than able to bring every thought unto the obedience of God and repair every cell in the brain and restore the thinking process.
You would think that the people of this community would be overjoyed. To the contrary, they promptly asked Jesus to leave. I suppose the owners and people valued the pigs more valuable than the man who was delivered and healed.
May God help us to value every human life and the preciousness of souls who need Jesus for salvation. It is not God's will that any should perish, but all come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).
This healed man wanted to stay with Jesus, but He refused his request. Instead, He told him to go home and tell his family and friends the great things the Lord had done for him and showed him compassion. The writer of the Psalms wrote these powerful words, "I shall not die, but live, And declare the works of the Lord" (Psalms 118:17, NKJV). We are required to share the message of the Gospel to others who have never heard. Your personal testimony is a powerful tool God can use to lead others to Christ. Are you willing to declare the works of the Lord?
We believe that Jesus still heals today, and we can call on Him for help. "He is closer than our breathing and nearer than our hands and feet" (Tennyson). May I encourage you to read again the 5th chapter of the Gospel of Mark. The Holy Spirit will speak to you about your need and how Jesus can meet that need this very day.
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13, NIV).
May the God of peace grant you His peace, joy, and mercy this Sunday.
In the 5th chapter of Mark's Gospel, Mark records two miracles of healing and the raising a child from the dead. Good things happen to people when Jesus is present and enters the scene. When there seems to be no hope, God offers hope in Jesus Christ. Jesus came to save, heal, deliver, raise the dead, and set minds in proper order and give peace.
A demon-possessed man meets Jesus in the region of Gerasenes (Gadarenes in the KJV) when He got out of the boat. This man lived among the tombs. He was powerful and although he had been placed in chains both hands and feet, he would rip them apart. No one was able to restrain him. He was tormented night and day as he would cry out with shrieks of agony and fear. What's more he would cut himself with stones. When he saw Jesus at a distance, he ran to Jesus, fell on his knees in front of Him. He shouted with a low voice, "What do You want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?" Jesus said to him, "Come out of this man, you impure spirit!"
Jesus asked this man, "What is your name?" He responded by saying, "My name is Legion (six thousand soldiers, used to reveal how completely he was possessed) for we are many." The demons begged Jesus again and again not to send them in the area. Instead, they begged Jesus to send them into a herd of pigs. Jesus gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out of the man and went into the pigs. There were 2,000 pigs in the herd and they violently ran down the steep bank into the lake of water and were drowned.
The men who tended the pigs ran quickly to report to all the news of what had happened. The people came to see what had happened to this man whom they all knew. They discovered this previously demon-possessed man to be sitting and fully dressed and in his right mind. Jesus is more than able to bring every thought unto the obedience of God and repair every cell in the brain and restore the thinking process.
You would think that the people of this community would be overjoyed. To the contrary, they promptly asked Jesus to leave. I suppose the owners and people valued the pigs more valuable than the man who was delivered and healed.
May God help us to value every human life and the preciousness of souls who need Jesus for salvation. It is not God's will that any should perish, but all come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).
This healed man wanted to stay with Jesus, but He refused his request. Instead, He told him to go home and tell his family and friends the great things the Lord had done for him and showed him compassion. The writer of the Psalms wrote these powerful words, "I shall not die, but live, And declare the works of the Lord" (Psalms 118:17, NKJV). We are required to share the message of the Gospel to others who have never heard. Your personal testimony is a powerful tool God can use to lead others to Christ. Are you willing to declare the works of the Lord?
We believe that Jesus still heals today, and we can call on Him for help. "He is closer than our breathing and nearer than our hands and feet" (Tennyson). May I encourage you to read again the 5th chapter of the Gospel of Mark. The Holy Spirit will speak to you about your need and how Jesus can meet that need this very day.
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13, NIV).
May the God of peace grant you His peace, joy, and mercy this Sunday.