May. 14, 2021

Touch the Hem of His Garment

Matthew 9:20-22
And behold, a woman who was diseased with an issue of blood for twelve years came up behind Him and touched the hem of His garment;
21 for she said to herself, “If I may but touch His garment, I shall be whole.”
22 But Jesus turned about, and when He saw her, He said, “Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole.” And the woman was made whole from that hour.

Matthew 14:36
And they besought him that they might touch but the hem of his garment. And as many as touched, were made whole.

The passage above depicts a woman who had an issue of blood ( or was hemorrhaging). Another account of the same incident says she had spent all she had on doctors and was none the better. Although we may not be physically sick in the same way, we are all in the same boat.  Many times we have exhausted all the other options prior to turning to Christ.  We have all issues we deal with on a daily basis. Whatever may be our issue, prior to spending all our time and money on other possible solutions, we need to turn to Christ. Again another account of the same incident says that when the woman touched the hem of His garment, virtue departed from Christ and instantly she stopped bleeding. There's so much to glean from this incident. Firstly, reading the whole account,  Jesus was already occupied and was on His way to Jairus house. There was a large crowd of people trying to reach Him.  A woman who was hemorrhaging was considered unclean and was not supposed to touch a Jewish Rabbi. However, she knew her scripture and knew that the Jewish Messiah would have healing virtues and even the tassels of His prayer shawl would heal. She pressed on through the throng of people and interrupted Jesus on His way to Jairus house, ignoring the tradition of staying away during hemorrhaging, and received her touch from God.  Sometimes we need that kind of audacity to resolve the issue we are facing.  Jesus is never too busy to solve our problems. Regardless of other people with greater need, He is still willing to help us. Jairus daughter was at the point of death. However, Jesus still allowed the woman to receive her healing. Another thing to note is that a multitude thronged around Him, however only this woman reached out in faith and received her healing. Jesus perceived her touch of faith as virtue left Him and healed her. He allowed her to testify of her healing. Many times we need to overcome every objection in order to receive a touch of the Master's hand. In the meantime Jairus heard that his daughter had died. However that didn't stop Jesus either. Jairus also had to overcome a host of obstacles prior to receiving his miracle. Jesus was considered a heretic by the Jewish leaders and Jairus, being the ruler of a synagogue was not to associate with Him. He put His job on the line and in desperation approached Jesus for his daughters life. Jesus was immediately willing to go and heal her. Although the multitudes thronged Him and now this woman was delaying Him further. While all this was going on his daughter died. Just as his hope was about to be crushed, Jesus asks him not to worry and to trust God. To tie it all together and conclude, we all have an issue of some sort and need to press in for a touch of the Master's hand. Turn to Him first prior to exhausting all your resources on your own solutions which do not work. Although a multitude thronged Him, only one woman touched the hem of His garment, and received her answer. Be that one to press in to Christ to meet your needs. Christ is never too busy for the least of us. We all were once unclean and when we by faith touched the hem of His garment we were made whole. Overcome all objections and press into Christ. Even when a situation is hopeless, such as Jairus daughter's death, Christ is able to rectify it. Never give up hope in God. I could go on and on. Take time to read this account in the gospels and be edified. As the song writer says, I have touched the hem of His garment and His blood has made me whole. Amen.

May. 8, 2021

Glow in the dark
Matthew 5:16
Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
TPT So don’t hide your light! Let it shine brightly before others, so that your commendable works will shine as light upon them, and then they will give their praise to your Father in heaven.

John 8:12
Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the Light which is Life.

As we listen to the evening news we see that we are living in a dark world. Riots, murders, crime,  sickness and violence are all hallmarks of satan. Satan is also known as prince of the power of the air and sure enough his handiwork is advertised on the air. However we are not to be overcome by the darkness around us and Jesus calls us to glow in the dark. We are to shine the light of Christ by reflecting His love on the earth. His love can build a bridge between those in darkness and those in the light. John 12:35 At this, Jesus said to them, “You have the light with you only a little while longer. Go on while the light is good, before the darkness come down upon you. For the man who walks in the dark has no idea where he is going. You must believe in the light while you have the light, that you may become the sons of light.”  The Bible says that we were transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of God.  God spoke light into being at creation and created order out of chaos. God's light has the power to dispel the darkness and to establish order out of chaos. God wants us to be "glow in the dark" Christians. We let our light shine.  Our good works bring glory to God.  Let us dear friends dispel the darkness around us and illuminate our surroundings with the light of Christ. Stand against the darkness. 1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal Priesthood, an holy nation, a people set at liberty, that ye should show forth the virtues of him that hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light, Ephesians 5:11 Have nothing to do with the worthless things that people do, things that belong to the darkness. Instead, bring them out to the light. Another version:  It is even possible (after all, it happened to you!) for light to turn the thing it shines upon into light also. Thus God speaks through the scriptures: “Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” Amen. 

May. 3, 2021

Being Rapture Ready
Hebrews 12:1
As for us, we have this large crowd of witnesses around us. So then, let us rid ourselves of everything that gets in the way, and of the sin which holds on to us so tightly, and let us run with determination the race that lies before us.
1Thessalonians  4::17
Then we, the living ones who remain [on the earth], shall simultaneously be caught up along with [the resurrected dead] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so always (through the eternity of the eternities) we shall be with the Lord!
Acts 1:11
Who said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing into heaven? This same Jesus, Who was caught away and lifted up from among you into heaven, will return in [just] the same way in which you saw Him go into heaven.

The word Rapture is used to describe the Lord taking  out His own prior to judgment being applied to the world. The bible describes that in the last days,  God's judgment will be poured out on this earth,  in order to make people repent of their sins and turn to Him. Instead of subjecting His Church to the judgement, He removes all believers in what we call the rapture.  However,  not everyone who says Lord, Lord will be raptured.  Only those who have repented of their sins and are following Christ will be part of this second exodus from the world. Theres is a parallel in the old testament when Israel left Egypt.  Judgment,  in the form of the plagues of Egypt, were poured out over Egypt,  however Goshen, where the Israelites resided,  was spared from the plagues,. I have previously written  an excerpt entitled, Stay in Goshen, in other words in God's Church, in order to escape the judgment that is poured out in the world. We need to as believers, take our  spiritual pulse. We need to do a self evaluation to ensure that we are walking in the Light while still living in a hostile, dark world.  The world pressures us to conform to their standards,  however,  if we  call ourselves Christians, we need to follow Christ's standards. As Jesus said, walk in the Light.  The enemy has blinded the eyes of many in the world from experiencing the liberty of Christ.  We  as believers, need to intercede for the lost among us. Many of us have family members who need deliverance from darkness and friends as well. We pray for them so that they experience the love of God in Christ.  The whole world needs to be plucked out of the clutches of satan. The Bible says that satan has blinded the people so that they do not perceive the light of the gospel. A blind person does not know the light. However Jesus came to give sight to the blind and to set free those who are captives of the enemy.  All things are possible to them who believe.  In closing, Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Be  Rapture ready. When Christ who is our life appears then we also will appear with Him in glory. Amen.