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So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them. Mark 5:20
One day, Jesus and his disciples crossed a lake and entered gentile territory. Near the shore was a grave yard. Soon He and his friends were approached by a man so possessed of demons he could not be chained or controlled. He spent his life wandering among the tombs screaming and moaning. I’m guessing that was a pretty scary moment for the disciples. I’m also guessing it didn’t affect Jesus in the least.
It’s interesting, the man screamed at Jesus, but Jesus only addressed the demons inside him. That’s Jesus for you. We’d focus on the man and his behavior. Jesus focused on his heart.
After talking with the demons, Jesus sent them into a herd of nearby pigs who promptly drowned themselves in the lake! When the herders of the pigs saw this they were shocked! They went and told the people in the nearby town what had happened. When the crowd returned they saw the crazy man of the village sitting calmly talking with Jesus. Fully clothed and in his right mind.
This was all too much for the people in the town to process. They could handle the crazy guy full of demons, but apparently Jesus made them uncomfortable. Or perhaps they were upset because all the bacon they hoped for was in the bottom of the lake. (Ok, sorry. Couldn’t resist that one)
Anyway, back to the story. As Jesus and his crew prepared to leave, the man healed of demons asked to accompany Jesus. Jesus, however, told the man to stay back and travel to the surrounding countryside and tell people what Jesus had done for him. You see, the man had a story to tell and although I’m sure Jesus would have loved having him around, the man’s mission to tell others about Jesus was far more important.
He has the same message for you too, you know. The man in our story was most likely a gentile, not a Hebrew as Jesus and his friends were. Jewish boys are taught about God’s law from the very beginning. Not this guy? He most likely didn’t have a clue about Abraham, Moses, Isaiah or all the prophecies about some coming Messiah. He hadn’t gone to church, been baptized or studied the ‘Bible’. He really only knew one thing and that one thing was what Jesus had done for him.
As believers in Jesus we need to have a passion to tell others about what Jesus means to us. Education in God’s word is nice. Going to church can be helpful. But the best tool you have to bring others to Jesus is to tell them simply, “This is what Jesus did for me.”
So, what’s your story? How has Jesus made a difference in your life, in your marriage, in your work ethic, in your attitude? Sharing what Jesus means to you is far more valuable than any sermon any pastor can ever preach. People may be able to argue theology or doctrine. They may be able to ask all sorts of questions you can’t answer. But the one thing they can’t argue about is what Jesus means to you. Make your story real. Make it short. Make it meaningful. Spread it to your world!
Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion. And there the Lord has pronounced his blessing, even life everlasting. Psalms 133:3
What do you do during the dry times of life? When the doctor delivers a report that catches you totally off guard and leaves you numb? When you get that horrible call about a loved one’s accident? When you get divorce papers delivered to you without any warning? (You knew things were bad, but not that bad) When your job/business/career suddenly ends?
You pray, but your prayers don’ t make it past the ceiling. You try to read your Bible but the words are just letters on a page. You reach out to those who you thought would support you but find no one that is willing to listen, but plenty of people have all the answers for ‘what you need to do?’
It’s during those times that we just long for a hug, a little understanding, someone who will stand by us whether our struggles are a result of our own poor choices, or factors beyond our control.
The good news is that Jesus has an answer. Way back at creation, when He saw your life and the trials you’d need to endure. He implemented the perfect plan for your life and that plan is the church.
Now, before you stop reading, try to take a look at the church Jesus envisioned. The church isn’t a building with programs and music and those gifted with teaching and Biblical knowledge presenting a well-rehearsed diatribe.
Nope, the church Jesus envisioned was people. People with a common goal of helping each other endure life. People with a knack for being encouragers and intercessors. He tells us that a group of two or three is a church where he dwells. It’s not about numbers!
Hours before Jesus was brutally murdered he prayed in a garden to His Father. He didn’t pray for churches to have strong programs and classy buildings. He prayed for people. He prayed we would be united by a common bond of love. He prayed for unity.
Unity is best exemplified by harmony. If you’ve ever heard an orchestra or choir sing you know how beautiful harmony can be. Look up an A cappella group on YouTube. I love A cappella music. One of the things I try to do is try to figure out who is singing which part. If the group is good, it’s hard to tell because they sound like one voice.
David gives a beautiful picture of harmony in Psalm 133. He likens harmony as refreshing as dew from Mt Hermon. It’s said that while Mount Hermon was very dry, the dew would form so heavily that it poured off the mountain as waterfalls.
Dew forms during the darkness, yet refreshes in the morning. God’s blessings are like dew. They come as a refreshment during the dry times of life and often come to those who live in harmony. Too often we miss harmony because we seek uniformity. We aren’t all the same!
If you are in a dry time seek those who can be like dew in your life. Seek out those who accept you regardless of why you are where you are. If you are living in the blessing of God’s ‘dew’ share it with those who are dry.
We aren’t all the same, but with Jesus’ help we can live in harmony. We can be dew to each other!
“I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!” John 9:25
Have you ever been questioned for your beliefs? Have you ever had someone confuse you with ‘convincing evidence’ that you are wrong?
Today, more than ever the Bible, the resurrection or even existence of Jesus, even basic Christian morality is in question. It’s been placed on the main stage of ridicule. Those of us that hold to the teachings of Jesus and the Word of God are labeled as intolerant, racist, homophobic and a plethora of other labels.
Even within the body of Christ there are those who seem to see their mission in life to find fault in certain pastors, worship styles, etc. Whether they intend to cause doubt and confusion, doesn’t really matter. The divisiveness they create weakens the testimony body of Christ and, in my opinion, makes the church a laughing stock to the unbeliever or former believer. They wave their theological degrees as some sort of flag of importance.
The Apostle John tells a story in his gospel of a blind man that Jesus healed. Blind from birth, people questioned whether he sinned, or his parents sinned causing the blindness. Poor guy was judged from the very beginning!
Now if you were healed from blindness you may think life would be much better for you. Not the case for this guy, not at first anyway. The religious elite questioned his identity. They questioned his integrity. They bombarded him with all sorts of theological questions that he couldn’t answer. Finally, in desparation, he answers them by saying, “I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!” (John 9:25)
I’m with the blind guy! I don’t have all the answers. I don’t understand everything in the Bible. I don’t understand completely why God allows what He allows. I just know this: “I was blind and Jesus healed me.” That’s enough.
How I suffer in far-off Meshech. It pains me to live in distant Kedar. Psalms 120:5
Have you ever been far from home? You are on vacation or away at school or perhaps your job has taken you away from the familiar surroundings of family and friends.
You love what you do. You have a good life. You feel truly blessed. Yet there is an emptiness, a longing for the stable structure of the familiar?
In Old Testament times Jerusalem and the Temple was home to the Hebrews. It was there that God dwelt. It was in Jerusalem that one felt truly at home socially, ethnically, and emotionally.
But life happened. Through exile and other things the Hebrews were scattered around the Mediterranean world. A few times a year they would go ‘home’ to celebrate God’s goodness, worship His faithfulness and reconnect with family and friends.
When they were with God and His people, life was good. But then the cycle would repeat. Life called them away with a longing for ‘next time in Jerusalem’.
Have you ever felt that longing? Perhaps sin has lured you away? Maybe it’s just the busyness of life. “Weekends are the only time I have for me.” It could be a bad experience when the body of Jesus abused or failed you.
Maybe it’s time to come home. Maybe you need to return to Jerusalem. There is an emptiness when we are far from Jesus. An emptiness he never intended.
Don’t allow the failure of people or the busyness of life keep you from enjoying Jesus!
The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him. Lamentations 3:25 (HCSB)
Have you ever thought about how much of our life is spent waiting. We learned to wait in line in kindergarten. We learned to wait until Christmas to open packages. We’ve learned to wait in traffic tieups.
Waiting is hard. Especially when what we are waiting for is important to us. Most of us, I think, see waiting as a waste of time. WE have things to do. WE have places to get to. WE have people to see. Notice, often times our waiting is an emphasis on WE not HE.
Waiting can be beneficial. I love what what John Ortberg says: “Biblically, waiting is not just something we have to do until we get what we want. Waiting is part of the process of becoming what God wants us to be.”
Abraham had to wait for Isaac to be born. Joseph had to wait until the pharaoh saw his value. David had to wait before he ascended the throne. God gave him.
The Bible does not say that these people were idle in their waiting. The Bible doesn’t tell us this, but I’m quite sure that all of these people and the many others in the Bible who had to wait, we’re going about life as usual, and praying that God would fulfill his promises.
Waiting can be hard when we have a vision that doesn’t seem to be close to being fulfilled.
Waiting can be hard when illness keeps us from doing the things we want to do.
Waiting can be hard when finances don’t come in as we had hoped, or a job situation doesn’t fulfill our expectations.
Waiting can be hard when relationships are strained.
God‘s timing is perfect. Ours? Not so much.
Use those times of waiting as times of worship. Spend more time in deeper and more reflective prayer. Use them as a time to see God more.
The Bible tells us that he reveals himself to those who seek him. And part of seeking is waiting.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 