IBS Week 6

 

NICK:

MAY 19, 2017 MARK 7:15 “THERE IS NOTHING OUTSIDE OF A PERSON THAT BY GOING INTO HIM CAN DEFILE HIM, BUT THE THINGS THAT COME OUT OF A PERSON ARE WHAT DEFILE HIM.”

ITS ALWAYS GOING TO BE THOSE THINGS THAT DEFILE ME, THAT TAKE ME OUT OF THE SPIRIT AND HIS PEACE. JESUS CARES ABOUT OUR HEARTS, NOT ON THE THINGS ON THE OUTSIDE. THESE THINGS DO HAVE SOME IMPORTANCE IN HIS KINGDOM, LIKE STEWARDSHIP, BUT THE CONDITION OF THE HEART IS OF MORE IMPORTANCE. THERE ARE MANY OUTWARD THINGS THAT GOD HAS CALLED ME TO HERE, BUT THEY SHOULD NEVER COME BEFORE THE HEARTS OF MY FAMILY. THE MY RELATIONSHIP WITH MY WIFE AND SON ARE WEIGHING ON MY HEART AND I FEEL AS THOUGH THERE COULD BE MORE LOVE DIRECTED TOWARDS THEM. I NEED TO BE SPENDING MORE TIME WITH THEM WHEN NOTHING IS GOING ON AROUND HERE. I CAN BE INVESTING MY TIME INTO THEM SO THEY FEEL MORE LOVED BY ME. LORD I NEED YOUR HELP IN GUIDING ME IN THAT DIRECTION. I CANT FULLY LOVE THEM THE WAY YOU CALL ME TO WITHOUT YOUR HELP. I WANT TO BE A LOVING HUSBAND AND FATHER WHO GIVES THEM MY TIME.

 

Julie:

IBS Week 6

Mark Chapter 5

Mark Chapter 5 has shown me more of who Jesus’ character is.  Which is amazing because I prayed for that before I read this morning.  God is so good!  There is a pattern here with three different occurrences.  The pattern is the “unclean” coming to Jesus in faith and Jesus healing them with compassion.   Jesus goes to Gerasenes and comes in contact with a man that possesses an “unclean spirit”.  Before Jesus arrives, the man is unable to be contained and is cutting himself.  The man was not happy and cried all day and night.  The man sees Jesus (v6), runs to him (v6), and falls at his feet (v6).  And Jesus cast the demon, named Legion, out of him.  Jesus had the compassion to heal this unclean man despite what the old testament says which is to leave the unclean alone.  Because of this man’s faith in Jesus, he was healed.  The second instance is when Jesus heals the woman who was bleeding, which according to the old testament, the women who bled had to remain outside the camp because they were unclean, but Jesus had compassion on her.  She heard who Jesus was (v27), came up to him (v27), and touched him (v27).  Her faith in Jesus and who he was, healed him, as it says in v28 – “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.”  And being face to face with Jesus, she fell down before him and confessed (v33).  Her faith and boldness and confession healed her.  The third instance in this chapter is Jarius’s daughter who was dying.  Jarius was a Pharisee or some kind of Jewish worshiper in the synagogue.  He should not have believed in Jesus like the others, but he did!  He saw Jesus (v22), fell at his feet (v22), and implored (or begged) him (v22) to heal his sick daughter.  During all of this, the child did die and Jesus went to her.  And taking her by the hand – actually touching her (v41), she came back to life.  In the old testament it is a law that no one could touch a dead body because it was deemed “unclean”.  Ok – so all of these circumstances occurred for us to remember that Jesus defies the laws!  He actually steps over them in love and grace and heals us!  Us – unclean people – sinners – liars – addicts – dead to Him – doubters – adulterers. I mean, Jesus loves us, as we are!!!!! And if we are willing to recognize him, fall at his feet in humility, and in faith believe that he can heal us a love us then he will (be it his will).  The best way to sum up this chapter is with v36 – “Do not fear, only believe”.  The depressed man, the man opposing Jesus, and the shamed woman I’m sure all had fear in confronting Jesus, but despite that, they did it in faith not fear that he would heal them and he did!!!!