4.24- Liberated by Jesus

-

 4.24-

Liberated by Jesus                              Mark 5:1-20                                Arthur Jackson

    “I lived with my mother so long that she moved out!” Those were the words of KC, whose life before sobriety and surrender to Jesus was not pretty. He candidly admits supporting his drug habit by stealing – even from loved ones. That life is behind him now and he rehearses this by noting the years, months, and days he’s been clean. When KC and I regularly sit down to study God’s Word together, I’m looking at a changed man.

    Mark 5:15 speaks of a former demon possessed individual who had also been changed. Prior to his healing, helpless, hopeless, homeless, and desperate are words that fit the man (verses 3-5). But all of that changed after Jesus liberated him (verse 13). But, as with KC, his life before Jesus was far from normal. His internal turmoil that he expressed externally is unlike what people experience today. Some hurting people dwell in abandoned buildings, vehicles or other places; some live in their own homes but are emotionally alone. Invisible chains shackle hearts and minds to the point that they distance themselves from others.

    In Jesus, we have the One who can be trusted with our pain and the shame of the past and present. And, as with Legion and KC, He waits with open arms of mercy for all who run to Him today (verse 19).


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

8.31- You can find someone to tell you what you want to hear.

-
 8.31- You can find someone to tell you what you want to hear. RIt could be a palm reader. It could be an astrologer. It could be a crooked peddler of expensive vitamins. It could be a televangist who sells you a packet of water for a $10 donation. You  will not overcome the reality that it is appointed once to man to die and then comes the judgement. How we live in this life has consequences in the next life. Jesus teaches that those who are adopted into the family of God will not be condemned in the next life. What  a promise. 8  Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,   2  because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you [ a ]  free from the law of sin and death.   3  For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, [ b ]  God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. [ c ]...
Read more

8.28- The kingdom of God is spiritual. It is not something you can observe with physical eyes.

-
 8.28- The kingdom of God is spiritual.  It is not something you can observe with physical eyes.  It takes the opening of the eyes of the heart to experience the kingdom of God.  I rememeber during the years that I was age 20 to age 24 I started to realize that the most important realities were spiritual.  I had a desire to teach things that would help people enjoy life in heaven forever when they left this earth.  I had people who believed that was a good goal for me and  helped me to be able to teach and write about the unseen realm of God's kingdom.  I'm so grateful for famiy and friends who have supported me in this work in spite of many misteps along this path in the last six decades. Luke 17 20  Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied,  “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed,   21  nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’...
Read more

8.27- When you pray it is good to be sure that you believe that is the will of God. Can you see God wanting to bless you with this? Can you imagine it happening? Then pray for it and believe that he is doing it. Forgive anyone you have anything against. Thank God for giving you what you prayed for and move forward.

-
 8.27- When you pray it is good to be sure that you believe that is the will of God.  Can you see God wanting to bless you with this?  Can you imagine it happening? Then pray for it and believe that he is doing it.  Forgive anyone you have anything against. Thank God for giving you what you prayed for and move forward. Mark 11 12  The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry.   13  Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs.   14  Then he said to the tree,  “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.”  And his disciples heard him say it. 15  On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves,   16  and would not allow anyone to...
Read more