(Mark 1:32-45)
32 Now when evening came, after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were demon-possessed. 33 And the whole city had gathered at the door. 34 And He healed many who were ill with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.35 And in the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and prayed there for a time. 36 Simon and his companions eagerly searched for Him; 37 and they found Him and said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” 38 He said to them, “Let’s go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may also preach there; for this is why I came.” 39 And He went into their synagogues preaching throughout Galilee, and casting out the demons.
40 And a man with leprosy came to Jesus, imploring Him and kneeling down, and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” 41 Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out with His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” 42 And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. 43 And He sternly warned him and immediately sent him away, 44 and He said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” 45 But he went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the news around, to such an extent that Jesus could no longer publicly enter a city, but stayed out in unpopulated areas; and they were coming to Him from everywhere.
TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:
Talk about free healthcare!. We know how much people can love this concept, but when we sit down and do the math, we'll quickly realize that nothing in life is free. Well, except for THIS!!! Jesus, the great Physician, offers to everyone the free gift of salvation and spiritual cleansing and healing from our sins.
Of course, having Jesus in our lives doesn't automatically mean that we'll never be sick, ever again. We will get sick, and we will die at some point. So, just as this one man realized, IF IT IS HIS WILL, JESUS CAN heal us. Jesus healed many, as a testimony of His power and authority, proving that He was and is the Son of God. And He still does physically heal people now... IF it is His will. Sometimes we will have a stronger testimony to those around us if and when we are sick or struggling with a physical issue, WHEN we are relying on, trusting in, and resting in the Lord!
What if God healed us to the point of perfection here on earth...we would most likely take Him for granted, and He'd become an after-thought. And we would probably start taking credit for His work. It's when we go through something, while continuing to focus on the Lord, that we will feel His amazing comfort, strength and peace. And there's certain hope! Let's not forget that this is all very temporary. When believers get to heaven, we will have an eternity of 100% health, and so much more!
Notice that right after explaining that He came to also preach, Jesus focused on preaching, alongside casting out demons. The Lord God's words are eternal, true, and life-changing. Now, the only way to cast out demons and keep them out is through the Lord's salvation! At this point in time, the Lord still had not sent His Holy Spirit to those who became believers. This would come after His ascension, on the Day of Pentecost.
God knows to write His words of truth in a way, so that we understand how this all works. Now, as soon as we become believers, we receive the Lord's indwelling Holy Spirit, who fills our souls and changes us from the inside out. Therefore, no demons may enter us after that point. Demons can oppress us externally, but they cannot possess us. This is why part of the Lord's prayer has us asking Him to deliver us from evil.
Well, speaking of prayer! Since Jesus came to earth in flesh, to be fully man, while still being fully God, He came to preach, and to fulfill His work on the cross, as well as to live a sinless life as our perfect example. We see Jesus spending time alone in prayer, a lot! And He would pray as He went... Proof that our faith is all about having a personal relationship with the Lord God, who is always there for us, who knows all things, and can do all things... who is compassionate and caring, extremely patient and gracious, and desires to do life WITH us! The Lord's preaching was and is all about how we can have an eternal, personal relationship with Him, because He loves us and desires to have this relationship with us!
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