SCRIPTURE:
^"A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. The demons begged Jesus, "Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them." He gave them permission, and the evil spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned." (Mark 5:11-13, NIV)

^"Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region." (Mark 5:14-17, NIV)

Observations:
I asked myself what happened after the demons went into the pigs and the pigs rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned?

Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town.
Those tending the pigs later reported this in the countryside.
The people of the town and countryside went out to see what happened.
The people of the town came to Jesus.
The people of the town saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons sitting there, dressed and in his right mind.
The people of the region were afraid.
The people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.

Today, I decided to look at the first four points!

Observation/Interpretation:
I asked myself why those tending the pigs ran off?
They wanted everyone in town and the countryside to see what Jesus did to their herd. They were so concerned about what happened to their herd. This will be evident later.

I asked myself what is the cause-effect relationship here?
Because those tending the pigs ran off and reported what had happened, the effect was four fold:

1. Bringing the people of the town to come and see Jesus!

2. Bringing the people of the town to come see the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons sitting there, dressed, and in his right mind.

3. The people of the region were afraid.

4. The people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.

I decided to focus on the first effect today:

Bringing people of the town to come and see Jesus.

I asked myself why it is so significant?
Jesus’ actions had ripple effects that went beyond the tombs and the area. His actions of healing the demon-possessed man and sending the demons into the pigs causing the pigs to drown sent those attending the pigs on a reporting mission. The result was people curious enough to come and see the outcome. Reporting of the incident spread throughout the town and the countryside bringing people to where Jesus was. The people who had witnessed the healing experienced life and death at the same time! They experienced the man given new life and the pigs with the demons die.

Implications:
I saw important implications for my own life. What I do that is witnessed by people will eventually be reported whether it is good or bad. Human tendency is to report things they see around them to others. It can be an awesome opportunity for witnessing and making others want to come and have an encounter with Jesus. Also, any report could also come of negatively on us even though what we do is right. That should not stop us.

I recall an incident where I wrote about the wrongness of homosexuality and how Christ’s love can cure it. It was reported all across the campus and I broke the record for the number of letters to the editor for my article. Anti-Ramesh columns in the school paper popped up too. That can happen when we take a stand but it should not stop us when we are proclaiming what is in the Word of God.

I ask you now dear friend, what do people report about you?
Dear friend, everyone is reported on whether they like it or not. The report is either positive or negative. Knowing everything is reported at one time or another, you can take the opportunity to become a witness for Jesus Christ. As you speak for Him, He will take care of the rest.

Billy Graham speaks eloquently about the saving power and Gospel of Jesus Christ. His preaching is reported throughout the world and people go to see him for what he does. In the process, thousands come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Personal Savior. You have an opportunity to be a witness where you are by your lifestyle!

The other alternative is a negative one. If our lifestyle is not in accordance with the Bible, the report people do about us will be detrimental not only for us but those around us. Remember every person offers report today! The question is whether you will let it be a good report or a bad report. Even if it is a bad report but what you have done honors and glorifies the Lord, you have done your part!

The Lord Jesus also has a report about you. Jesus knows whether you belong to Him or not. Jesus died for your sin so you can be set free from its bondage but whether you have acknowledged that you are in need of a Savior, Jesus already knows. We all need a Savior to save us from sins. Jesus became that Savior for us when He went to the cross and shed His precious cleansing blood for your redemption. It did not stop there but Jesus came back to life to save you and me on the 3rd day. That is wonderful to know. Now when we acknowledge Jesus as our Lord and Personal Savior, we are giving the lordship of our life to Jesus to allow Him to take control. He will wipe our slate clean and give us a new beginning but we have to confess and repent of our sin. We need to come to a point where we realize that are our good works are filthy rags without Christ in us the hope of glory. With Christ in you and you living out a life for Jesus, people will report about you and you will start drawing others to come to know Christ to because of your lifestyle and Christ's work in you. Praise the Lord!

May you allow the Lord to work in you so that what people report about you will be glorifying to the Kingdom of God!

“Remember Every Person Offers Report Today!” (R.E.P.O.R.T)/”What do people report about you?”

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, we know after you healed the demon-possessed man, the people who were tending their pigs went to report on what you did as they went to the towns and countryside. This made the people come see you but also the man you healed. Thank you so much Jesus. Thank you for your awesome love and kindness. Help us be conscious of what we do and become a witness for you. Thank you so much Jesus. Help people see they are never out of your love and never out of your reach. Help us to make that clear to people. Thank you so much Jesus. Thank you for dying for our sin and coming back to life to save us. We are so sorry for our sin and when we give you a bad report by our actions. Cleanse us with your cleansing blood and we will be clean again. Wash us and we will be whiter than snow. Please come into our heart and make our heart your home. Thank you for the opportunities you provide for us. I acknowledge you as my Lord and Personal Savior. Thank you for being our Lord and Personal Savior! Thank you that you have heard our prayer and answered us! In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!

Now won’t you accept what He did for you and come into His presence and give your life to Him so He can cover the virus of sin with His blood cleansing us and making us clean?

He will give us a transfusion of change! Yes, He will my friend!

PRAYER:
Dear Jesus, I love you. Thank you for loving me so much and thank you for choosing the cross to die for me. You became the Son of Man and lived here on earth. Then you humbled yourself and became obedient to death-even death on the cross. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sin. You died on the cross so that I can be covered in your blood and cleansed by your blood as I acknowledge that I need you and cannot enter Heaven without you being my pathway. So, Jesus I confess all my sins to you and all the ways I have tried to get into Heaven when you already provided the means and the Way. Thank you for all that you have done for me. The cross is the place, a wonderful place where accused and condemned find mercy and grace. Thank you Jesus, it is at the cross where the wrongs we have done and the wrongs done to us were nailed at the cross. Thank you Jesus, at the cross you died for our sins and at the cross you gave your life for us. I thank you for that and thank you for coming back to life to save us. Thank you Jesus for being there for me! Thank you for loving me. I love you Jesus! Please take me as I am and make my life into something that you will be proud of. I surrender my life to you and need your help to live for you. I am forever grateful for what you have done for me and I can never repay you. I want to live for you and need your help. Help me Jesus please. I thank you Jesus for saving me! Thank you for hearing my prayer and answering me. Whatever your will give me the willingness and strength to bear it. Thank you Jesus! I acknowledge you as my Lord and Personal Savior! In Your Name I Pray precious Jesus! Amen!

Friend, if you have prayed this prayer and meant it in your heart, you are a new creation in Christ and all old things are passed away and everything has become new! You may feel something or may not but don’t base it on feelings but base your new life in Christ on the promises of our Savior who will never leave you nor forsake you! Amen!

Spend time in His word and let the Lord speak to you! Start out in the Gospel of John! You can also check out the Gospel of Mark which are the devotionals I have been going through. Learn from Jesus through study and prayer. Also find yourself a church fellowship and a college fellowship you can be part of where you can be part of a community of believers to supplement your own walk with the Lord. Let it be a Bible-believing and Bible-breathing church! Believe in Bible Live Eternally!

Feel free to email me at reddy4hisglory2004@yahoo.com if you want to meet to study the Bible, pray with, talk about Spiritual issues or whatever is on your mind! My number is 412-720-4579

"This is my work and I can do it only because Christ's mighty energy is at work within me." (Colossians 1:29, TLB)

Love in Christ,
Ramesh

Express Your View

.Click picture to read my dad's memoriam:

' I AM ' Series Archives:

What kind of L.I.G.H.T do you follow? (Dec 13, 07, 10:09 a.m.)

"What kind of B.R.E.A.D do you eat?" (Dec 08, 07, 10:10 a.m.)

"Who is your S.H.E.P.H.E.R.D?" (June 30, 06)

Gospel of Mark Archives:

Mark 1:1: "What does the G.O.S.P.E.L mean to you?" (Jan 15, 08, 1:15 p.m.)

Mark 1:1-4: "How seriously do you T.E.S.T.I.F.Y about prophesy?" (Jan 12, 08, 11:18 p.m.)

Mark 1:5-8: "Who do you P.O.I.N.T to?" (Jan 16, 08, 8:48 a.m.)

Mark 1:9: How will you take a S.T.A.N.D? (Jan 17, 08, 11:21 a.m.)

Mark 1:9-11: "How is your loving P.R.A.I.S.E?" (Jan 18, 08, 8:53 a.m.)

Mark 1:12-13: "How do you handle T.E.M.P.T.A.T.I.O.N?" (Jan 19, 08, 12:27 p.m.)

Mark 1:14-15: How do you handle T.I.M.E given to you? (Jan 21, 08, 1:31 p.m.)

Mark 1:16-18: "What kind of P.R.O.F.E.S.S.I.O.N are you in?" (Jan 26, 08, 10:22 a.m.)

Mark 1:19-20: "Without having to P.R.O.C.R.A.S.T.I.N.A.T.E, what should you do?" (Jan 29, 08, 10:44 a.m.)

Mark 1:20-22: "How do you rate in the B.U.S.I.N.E.S.S of Jesus?" (Jan 30, 08, 11:29 a.m.)

Mark 1:20-22: "Whose T.E.A.C.H.I.N.G.S do you follow?" (Jan 31, 08, 11:52 a.m.)

Mark 1:23-28: "What C.A.P.T.I.V.I.T.Y are you facing today?" (Feb 01, 08, 10:35 a.m.)

Mark 4:3-20: "What if Jesus talked F.O.O.T.B.A.L.L?" (Feb 02, 08, 10:35 a.m.)

Mark 1:29-31: "Where do you need H.E.A.L.I.N.G?" (Feb 05, 08, 11:44 a.m.)

Mark 1:32-34: "Where do you need an A.N.S.W.E.R?" (Feb 06, 08, 11:16 a.m.)

Mark 1:35-39: "Where do you give your S.O.L.I.T.A.R.Y time to the Lord?" (Feb 07, 08, 11:41 a.m.)

Mark 1:40-42: "Where do you need to be C.L.E.A.N?" (Feb 09, 08, 11:00 a.m.)

Mark 1:43-45: "What do your actions C.A.U.S.E?" (Feb 11, 08, 9:23 a.m.)

MARK CHAPTER 2:

Mark 2:1-2: "What do you do with your P.O.P.U.L.A.R.I.T.Y?" (Feb 12, 08, 9:52 a.m.)

Mark 2:2-5: "What kind of F.R.I.E.N.D are you?" (Feb 13, 08, 11:49 a.m.)

Mark 2:5-12: "Where does P.A.R.A.L.Y.S.I.S take hold of you?" (Feb 15, 08, 7:42 a.m.)

Mark 2:5-12: "What are you thinking in your M.I.N.D?" (Feb 16, 08, 11:08 a.m.)

Mark 2:5-12: "What do you represent by your A.C.T.I.O.N.S?" (Feb 18, 08, 8:23 a.m.)

Mark 2:13-15: "Where are you looking for A.C.C.E.P.T.A.N.C.E?" (Feb 19, 08, 11:22 a.m.)

Mark 2:15-17: "Who do you I.N.V.I.T.E to Jesus?" (Feb 20, 08, 9:57 a.m.)

Mark 2:18-20: "When do you F.A.S.T?" (Feb 21, 08, 9:32 a.m.)

Mark 2:21-22: "How do you see your L.I.F.E?" (Feb 22, 08, 9:56 a.m.)

Mark 2:23-28: "What kind of L.E.A.D.E.R will you be? (Feb 23, 08, 10:46 a.m.)

Mark 2:23-28: "What does the S.A.B.B.A.T.H mean to you?" (Feb 25, 08, 10:46 a.m.)

CHAPTER 3:

Mark 3:1-6:"Whose N.E.E.D.S do you meet?" (Feb 26, 08, 9:54 a.m.)

Mark 3:7-8: "What is your I.M.P.A.C.T?" (Feb 27, 08, 8:17 a.m.)

Mark 3:9-11: "What S.P.A.C.E do you give yourself?" (Feb 28, 08, 9:38 a.m.)

Mark 3:11-12: "How do you fight E.V.I.L?" (Feb 29, 08, 9:11 a.m.)

Mark 3:13-16: "What emphasis do you put on your R.E.L.A.T.I.O.N.S.H.I.P with Jesus?" (March 01, 08, 9:29 a.m.)

Mark 3:17-19: "Where do you have your A.P.P.O.I.N.T.M.E.N.T in?" (March 03, 08, 9:49 a.m.)

Mark 3:20: "Where do you G.A.T.H.E.R?" (March 04, 08, 12:07 p.m.)

Mark 3:21: "How are your actions seen by your F.A.M.I.L.Y?" (March 05, 08, 10:24 a.m.)

Mark 3:22-27: "How do you handle S.L.A.N.D.E.R?" (March 06, 08, 7:57 a.m.)

Mark 3:28-30: "What is your V.I.E.W of Jesus?" (March 07, 08, 8:18 a.m.)

Mark 3:31-34: "What do you do with God's Will?" (March 08, 08, 8:45 a.m.)

CHAPTER 4:
Mark 4:1-20: "What do P.A.R.A.B.L.E.S mean to you?" (March 10, 08, 7:15 a.m.)

Mark 4:1-20: "What if Jesus talked F.O.O.T.B.A.L.L?" (Feb 02, 08, 10:35 a.m.)

Mark 4:1-20: "Where are you in your W.A.L.K with the Lord?" (March 11, 08, 9:32 a.m.)

Audio: "Where are you in your W.A.L.K with the Lord?" (March 11, 08, 11:05 a.m.)

Mark 4:21-23: "What kind of L.A.M.P will you be?" (March 12, 08, 9:40 a.m.)

Audio: "What do you C.O.N.C.E.A.L?" (March 14, 08, 10:11 a.m.)

"What do you C.O.N.C.E.A.L?" (March 14, 08, 8:52 a.m.)

John 12:12-15: "How can you B.L.E.S.S the Lord?" (March 17, 08, 1:25 a.m.)

Philippians 2:8: "What does the C.R.O.S.S mean to you?" (March 20, 08, 1:16 p.m.)

"How do you handle D.O.U.B.T.S?" (March 25, 08, 12:36 p.m.)

Mark 4:24-25: "What do you do with what you H.E.A.R?" (March 31, 08, 8:39 a.m.)

Mark 4:26-29: "What do you do with the W.O.R.D of God?" (April 05, 08, 10:18 a.m.)

Mark 4:30-34: "What do you do with the S.E.E.D?" (April 07, 08, 11:48 a.m.)

Mark 4:35-41: "What are the S.T.O.R.M.S in your life?" (April 08, 08, 11:52 a.m.)

CHAPTER 5:

Mark 5:1-13: "Where is your T.O.R.M.E.N.T coming from?" (April 09, 08, 11:50 a.m.)

Mark 5:14-17: "Where do you need H.E.A.L.I.N.G?" (April 11, 08, 11:46 a.m.)

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EXPRESSIONS

Video: Delta Zeta Deliciously Delivers Lusciously with Lambda Chi Alpha

Video: Chi Omega's Operation Offers Nothin' But a Gangsta Party at Kappa Alpha Psi's Place

“Remember Every Person Offers Report Today! (R.E.P.O.R.T)”

By Ramesh C.ReddyPittsburgh StandardApril 12, 2008

Editors Note: The devotional has a background song called 'Never Out of His Love' by Al Denson which can be heard if you use Internet Explorer.

Express Your View

By Ramesh C.Reddy
Pittsburgh Standard

April 12, 2008